The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-09
new FINANCIAL LAW
Senatorial Committee Now at Work
on a Successor to the Aldrich
Bill.
Monument to Be Erected Over Boss
Shepherd Senators Go to
Alaska.

b u ! =. r.
From The Journal Bureau Room 45, Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, May s.-The chief. purpose
of the conference at Hot Springs, Va, in
which Senators Aldrich, Allison, Spooner
and Patt of Connecticut are participating
lis to get a new father for the Aldrich
financial bill. This measure was defeated
at the last session of congress largely by
its paternity It was known as the AID.
rich BILL That fact identified it with
Wall street, and all that is provincial,
selfish and domineering in the II east.
Western members withheld their support;
the public at large felt and expressed
suspicion The bill might be good, or it;
might be bad Most members, in both
house and senate, declined to go into the
merits Of the measure, or to make a study
of the question for themselves; they said
1t had been. sprung late, and by Aldrich;
that 1T had been Matched in the banking
houses of Gotham, and that they did not
care for it.: Senator Aldrich was surprised
and disappointed. He has been in the
habit of having his own way in little
matters Of that sort. He had represented
to his constituents that he could de-
liver this legislation, and supposed he
could 1t was something of blow to
his prestige as dictator of legislation
Z The need for some kind of financial
legislation is felt in. other quarters than
New York. Many who opposed the AID
rich bill are really In favor of some bill
of that sort. They are associated with
the effort which is now being made to
work out a bill, and get western man
to stand behind it. This may be Spooner,
or Allison. The senators will frame the
measure, and then will begin the propa
ganda, 50 that, by thef time congress
meets in the fall, the public will know
something about the proposed legislation.
The main features Of the bill will be
similar to the 4Aldrich *biH.s 1t will aim to
furnish elasticity to the currency sys-
tenn, by authorizing the issue of currency
against bonds deposited
In Memory OF Shepherd.
The local militia, and Washingtons
most prominent citizens, turned out last
Monday to do honor to the memory of
Alexander R. (Boss) Shepherd, whose re-
mains had been. brought ,:here from Mex
leo for interment There were bands
playing dead marches, and people by the
hundred lining the streets. An elaborate
funeral was held at one of the largest
churches.
So much for the man who was hated
during his lifetime, more than any public
ma NJ who had BEEN OH the national stage
cause. he had Eto. For a;igenera ton he
had been can exile. atof laYe Years he slived
In the mountains ofoMexico,1 where he &C.
cupied himself developing silver mines
and incidentally a massng "a huge for
tune He was not poor when The left this
city. sz~. 49,
Governor Shepherd is the mar, .wllo Is
largely responsible for the beautiful streets
ana avenues of Washington. He, did not
11Jt on RI RI
one man, living or dead, to, carry. out and
improve on the original plans At, the
time he f1ourishet there was a different
SORT OF government in effect here, and one
OF its features was that the man in Shep-
nerds position was almost a dictator in
al matters affecting the municipal prop
critics and franchises. He said grade
here and it was graded He ordered
pave and it was done. And the ad-
Jacent landowners paid. That was where
the shoe pinched. In some case the i'm
provements' amounted to the practical
confiscation of the property. Houses were
left twenty and thirty feet. below the
bluff equally lofty. There are houses still
pointed out with new doorways in what
was before the second story Much real
estate was sold under the hammer to pay
Ethe assessments, and at the time, it
seemed very much of a hardship
But the general schenle~Swas for the
general good. Viewed from a distance OF
thirty years the Shepherd administra tiol
is seen to be a blessing. Hills were cut
down, streets We're Strengthened, hollows
| filled, and muddy roads paved and made
Eboulevards. Shepherd was sometimes like
Augustus Caesar. who, finding Rome
brick, left it marble. He: was damned
then, but now he is to have a memoria
monument.
Senators Go to Alaska.
The time has come when Alaska. needs
the attention of congress, and a large
lamount of legisa ton, to keep pace witt
its exploitation and development. To dis.
| cover just what the needs are is the tasl
| of the committee of senators who are soor
| to start thither. This committee, which
consists of Senators Dillingham; -Burnfam
| Nelson and Patterson, is a subcommittee
Of the committee on territories. The tri1
is the idea of. Senator .Beveridge wht
headed similar expedition last summer
/ to gather information for the senate or
/ the subject of statehood for New Mexico
| Arizona and Oklahoma. The. senator i
busy this summer with Indiana politics
and will not go; but he found by expert
ence that it was an excellent thing t,
/ learn some things at first hand thu
doing away with reliance on lobbyists AM
special delegations which come to Wash
ington with more or less. personal ,ambi
| ton mixed with their accounts of tn
local needs. The commission Will do a,
the others did, namely, go from town t
town, including all the important places
holding hearings, calling on. citizens, off
i Gals and local politicians. asking cues
! tions, looking over the ground, and max
ing an intelligent investigations of tn
4 whole situation.
i Alaska has had little done with it sine
4 1857. Two years ago a civil and crimina
4 code of laws was passed, and it dexelope
i at that time that certain corporate inter
1 ests were reaching out to exploit the min
4 ing wealth, and it<became apparent tina
|5efforts had been made to improperly in
fiuence members of congress and fedora
Officials. The workings of the civil cod
i| has since developed the fact that Their
Il were several .sniggers in the woodpile'' a
4 that time. This code may need revision
4 There must be legislation relative t
franchises for railways, telegraph lines
4 a cable from ST.. Michaels extending north
4 and legislation relative to the salmon fish
l.eries, light houses, the propagation O
4 reindeer, the care Of the local Indian tribe
and their reservations. and possibly pro
!. vision for delegate in congress to repre-
q sent. and voice 7tl1e81 needs of the territory
4 These matters will be considered this ia
s when congress meets. and the commit
i tee will have first hand information 70
{. the senate on all these subjects.
AT THE WoMAN'S CLUB
!. Chicago Post.
4 Mrs. Binks made her first century a
(. the club this afternoon
Century at the club2 What do 70
mean?' s
why. she talked for an hour and fort
8 minutes. Just figure it out for y oursel
i in minutes. /" s