The National tribune., 1903-11-05
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Edwin Hedge, the aged Waterman at
the western elevator in the Post omSe
Department, has unique history. be
tains a good deal of the accent. though
he has been in this country since he was
a lad. He became coachman for J. a. u.
Cresswell, under Grant, and since tnat
time has served under 20 Postmasters..
General. He served Postmaster-General
Bissell for the last time in that capacity,
and was by him made Waterman IN the
Post Office Department, where he will
probably remain till he dies.
The Washington Zoo is the pet fad Of
Consul Godding, at Newcastle. New South
Wales. He must spend good deal OF his
time hunting up the curious and strange
creatures of that abnormal country, for
he Is stocking up our Zoo with some kind
Of animal life that are far from common
The latest addition is a pair of Echidnas.
In plain United States. the hedge-hog-look-
Ing creatures are egg laying mammals;
Australia is the home of many remarkable
things, but none more curious than the
Echidna. The tiny creature lays eggs,
which 1t carries in a pouch till they hatch,
and then the young are sucked in the
pouch till they are about four inches long
when they pile out and 60 hustling for
themselves. The creatures are the low
est form OF mammals
Secretary Hitchcock says that the land
frauds that are rending the political at
mosphere Of the Northwestern territory.
more particularly Oregon and Montana,
will amount to only about S2,OO0.OOO. lie
Is very indignant that anybody should say
that they amount to anything like 3d.
100000. He has completed the investiga-
ton, and the report is ready to submit to
the Department of Justice, but he will
not give out anything Of the report. be
cause, he says, it will defeat the ends of
Justice. Something over 1.OOO.0O0 acres
If land are involved. But 100000 acres
will make State nearly as large as Del
aware. and considerably larger than
Rhode Island.
Maj-Gen. Charles Haywood, retired.
and late Commandant Of the Marine
Corps. in his annual report speaks in the
very highest praise of the Marine Band.
and its splendid leader. Lieut.. William II.
Santelmann- In view of the difficulty OF
getting musicians to enlist for the paltry
nay that is offered. Gen. Haywood recon-
mended that in order to keep the band up
20 its present condition Of high excellence
and efficiency, the pay Of the musicians
he increased as follows: To the Leader.
the pay and allowances Of Captain: to
the Second Leader, the pay and allow
snces of a Second Lieutenant; to first
class musicians, 500 per month; to sec
ond class musicians, SIS per month. This
ought to be done.
The American Public Health Associa-
tion, through its Chairman. DR.. George
VI. Kober. of Washington, makes a strong
recommendation and plea to the Presi-
dent, in a set of lengthy resolutions, for
return to the Army Canteen. The Com
mittee finds that the abolition Of the
Canteen is detriment to the health and
morals of troops rather than the temper
ance measure its advocates had hoped.
They say that commanding officers de-
clare drunkenness has increased, rather
than decreased. and the abolition Of the
canteen has resulted in the establishment
near the posts Of 341 additional saloons
In the United States, and 371 In the Phil
ippine Islands. To this same cause ply
sicians trace many diseases and also trials
for desertion, absences without leave,
drunkenness and offenses as result Of
intoxication.
A year ago Senator Hanna introduced
into the United States Senate a perfectly
absurd bill which proposed to pension all
ex-sIaves. The Senator denied authorship
Of the bill, but said that he introduced 1t
"by request" "By request" Is always a
very neat way of introducing a BIZ which
may not be well received by the public.
and which the introducer wants to "try
on the dog" before he really fathers It
but nobody ever accused Senator Hanna
Of really being the author Of the bill.
though he did get numerically roasted
at the time for giving. through this bill,
interruptions claim agents a chance to
steal from ignorant negroes.
The bill has been bearing golden fruit
from the day Of its introduction to now.
though there has never been a minute
when it had chance to become a law.
All through the South were jack-leg law
yers who Immediately went about arrapg-
ing to coax the few dollars from the peck
cts of the poor, ignorant blacks, by telling
them that the bill could only be put
through Congress by the aid of money.
It Is said that thousands of dollars have
been procured by this kind Of lying.
The Post Office Inspectors are now af-
ter an outfit that has been operating right
here in Washington, under the title of
ISOLATION of the United States" They
have agents all through the South who
are reaping golden harvest. A fraud
order has been issued against them, blu.
the damage is done.
Mrs. Cushman K Davis Doll Is figur-
Ing In the police courts as loser In horse
racing bets, and. incidentally, 1t appears,
she has been indulging in 'bncket-shop"
practices. Mrs. Davis, who was the wife
Of the late Senator Davis, Of Minnesota.
recently married q man young enough to
be her son, and who is said to be as poor
as a church mouse as to money, but with
ancestors to burn. The paltry sum which
Mrs. Davis sued her woman agent for
was some $3.50. Unless Mrs. Davis is
| already at the bottom of the long pocket
| book that Senator Davis left her, 1t seems
| incredible that she should care to go into
the police court for such a sum. She can
recover nothing, for the woman agent is
not responsible.
Again are the liberties Of the people as.
sailed. Mr.. Bryan, on his way home from
New Haven and the contested Inheritance
case, had few hours to spend in Toledo,
and must needs put In the time speech
making. 1t was whispered about that he
| would speak from the steps of the Gov
eminent building. Some 1000 people gath
cred there to hear him, and, like Coxey.
at the Capitol, Mr.. Bryan mounted the
steps and prepared to begin, when the
Waterman of the Post Office building quiet
ly informed him that he must, like Coxey.
move on" as under Government reguia-
tons it is not permitted that demonstra-
tons Of any character take place on Gov.
eminent premises, except by special pro-
vision of law. And, so, Bryan and his
friends moved on.