West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-03-26

inehNOhcu regard as the strongest
those of Arthur Pue German and
Judge Alton b. Parker, of New
York. As TO the issues they should
be of practical character such as
tariff reform, the trusts and the
economical administration of the
government"
There has seldom been time
when there was manifest a more
lively interest in the United States
navy than al the present time.
The appropriations OF the recent
Congress for the purpose OF increas-
ing the efficiency Of the navy have
been scource of qualification to
most citizens of the nation and the
navy Department is now using every
endeavor to secure the promp, ex.
penditurc OF the appropriation along
the lines for which il was made.
1t may not be generally known that
this country stands but third in the
list of naval powers. Great Britain,
which heads the list, has GA naval
vessels with an aggregate tonnage
of I,8o7.874. France comes next
with 4S3 vessels and tonnage of
8o4, 274, and the United States
third with 1853 vessels has a tonnage
OF 57S,74s. Germany with 2a5
vessels has a tonnage of only 483.-
4a8 and comes fifth on the list,
Russia exceeding her in both vessels
and tonnage. In this connection it
is interesting to note that at one Of
the recent ''War games" which are
from time TO time worked out un
der the direction of the British AID.
miralty, with full data and along the
most scientific lines, a campaign be-
tween Germany and United States
was imagined to have begun the
first of last December and at the
last reports the United States had
lost all her vessels hut one small
torpedo boat, while the German
Navy, badly disabled, was on her
way home for repairs. incidentally
the great coast cities OF this country
had been bombdrded and millions
of dollars worth of property had
been destroyed. These games are
worked out somewhat like a game
of chess. due allowance being made
for thickness of armour, size of
guns, availability of coal, etc. aud
it is reasonable to suppose that no
errors of judgment are made in the
manipulation Of the force.
III
The clerks of the Senate and the
House have completed their recap
itulation' of the work of Congress
and present some interesting figures.
The two sessions of the Fifty seven
tn Congress aggregated oa!y 227
days, ITO days less than the aver
age for the past sixteen Congresses.
The number of laws enacted was
2,78I against an average Of T, 471
for the same period. OF the 2,7SI
bills which became laws 2,stG were
private acts. A total of II, 500 hi Is
was introduced in addition to 700
resolutions. The number of pages
of the Congressional Record filed
during the past Congress was s,a7a
as against an average of 3,G47 for
the previous sixteen Congresses.
The greater amount of matter pre-
sented in the Record during a short
er space of time is accounted for by
the extension of the "Learn to
PRINT privilege.
til
The Civil Service Commission
has just filed a peculiar position
which might appropriately be term
ed the Governments official snake
charmer, although the official title
of the successful competitor viii
be "aid in herpetology." The
qualifications for the place were
thorough knowledge Of snakes with
an ability to. handle them without
serious consequences and six ap9li.
cants for the position put in APP
pearanCe.