Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-19
RTrs OF WARRINGTON LIFE.
Minor Scenes and Incidents sketched
on the spot.

Minor Scenes and Incidents sketched
on the spot.
The tendency toward excessive ~illustra-
ton OF government reports caused congress
to lay q restraining hand on bureau chiefs
so as to check the cost Of printing watch
has grown in a few years from 10000 OC
to 5000, 900. the sum appropriated for the
coming fiscal year. An amendment to the
sundry civil bill makes It mandatory on
the public printer to Illustrate a document
sent to him only when expressly ordered
by the head Of the department. and when
the Illustrations are imperatively needed
for the calculation of the text. The e&-
cessive use Of half-tone cuts was pointed
out nrst in the publications Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture, but II lie not confined
to that department. The object there is to
enlighten farmers and fruit growers In va
rious branches Of scientific agriculture and
horticulture. Illustrations are, with the
mass Of farmers. far more potent than the
text in teaching many things. and so the
practice grew up of putting many illustra-
lions in the publications of the depart
ment.
But those who suppose that no other
government department has a penchant for
/ pictures should see the reports of the gov
ernors OF territories that want to enjoy a
BOOM or Of some Of the abstruse scien-
| tlhc experts. In matters that concern d.
| rectly the wishes of senators OF Members,
oficials who have to do with congress are
also prone to print all the cuts they can
think Of.
The application Of the interstate com
merce rule to the slaughter Of birds for
decorative and millinery purposes, as pro-
vided in the Lacey law. has proved to be
a serious blow at an industry seldom
thought Of. as entitled to legislative pro-
lection. The bird dealers Of the country
say that they are likely to suffer business
humiliation through the operations OF the
Lacey law, which is something that was
not intended by its author nor by con-
gress.
The aim Of the act was to protect species
Of birds that, because Of the demand for
their plumage, were in danger of extinc-
ton. The bird dealers commend the law
as applied to this purpose, but say that to
prevent them from dealing in native song
birds kept in cages is an injury. In a petit
tion to congress the dealers say they are
not adverse to any measure having for its
object the maintenance OF the natural sup
ply OF that which is the basis of their
stock in trade. But they protest against
such provisions Of the law as prohibit the
capture and sale Of song birds.
There has been a large trade in mock
ing birds from Texas for years. The birds
are common there, and are easily trapped.
Kept in large cages, which sometimes hold
thousands, they are we'll cared for. An
expert attendant watches them with a small
syringe in one hand, loaded with red ink,
from which, whenever he notices a song
ster, he squirts a stream Of the red liquid
on the bird, so as to mark him for ship
ment as a songster. This industry has been
entirely cut on by the Lacey act.
The bird men do not hope to accomplish
anything this session, but have under
taken. by organization, to bring their case
to the attention Of congress, and will try
another year to have the law amended.
h congress Of the Daughters OF the
American Revolution, which always opens
on Washington's birthday. when that holi-
day does not fail on Sunday will begin
this year the day after-Monday, February
%, in Washington. 1t promises to be UNI
usually lively, though for that matter the
congress is lively enough at any time.
A presIdent-general Is to be elected, or
reelected. Which 1t will be, no man can
say, nor can any woman.
The president-general, Mrs. Fairbanks,
is a candidate for reelection. She has a
large following Of admirers who declare
that she is eligible. Mrs. Donald Mclean
also has a large following who think they
have discovered something in the consti-
tuition OF the society which renders Mrs.
Fairbanks ineligible to reelection. There
will be a spirited contest whether the out
come is the reelection Of Mrs. Fairbanks
or the election of another candidate.
The most interesting topic to come before
the congress will be the plans relating to
Continental hall-no longer a dream nov,
but a reality. The site has already been
secured and nearly 100 plans have been
submitted by architects all over the coun-
try. Three Of the plans have been selected
and q choice from among the three will he
made by a vote Of the congress.
The site is near the Corcoran Art gallery
and m q fine view Of the White
House, and the Washington monument.
Continental hall will cost about $500. 900,
include an auditorium seating 1000 persons,
to be used by congresses and will be pro-
vided with a steel-lined vault for the safe
keeping Of valuable papers and funds.
John Henry Ketcham of the Twenty-hrst
district of New York gets as much dis
t~inction as does John Wesley Gaines, who
appears oftener in the Congressional Rec
ord than any other representative in con-