St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-03-16

republican of Ohio; Metcalf, republican
of California; McDermott, democrat of
New Jersey; Bartlett, democrat of
Georgia, and Richardson, democrat of
Alabama.
It was fortunate that the house adj
journed one day to cool off its feelings
upon the death of Representative Croft
of South Carolina, He had been i'll for
eight weeks, when small splinter was
taken from his thumb which was
swollen; it was found later that he had
palmed abscess which was lanced but he
died of blood poisoning. Senator Till
man of South Carolina has been ill with
the grip and sore throat which was
liberated but since it was operated on he
seems better. Secretary Wilson is still
very weak but hopes to leave for Florida
next week. Senator Hale of Maine
thinks great care should be exercised in
debate in either house of congress, not to
irritate the feelings of either Russia or
Japan. Count Cassini, Russian ambas-
sador, has assured Secretary Hay that
his government would welcome President
Roosevelt's proclamation to maintain
complete neutrality in the United States.
The man named Behgar,. who sometime
since tried to force his way into the
White House, and who had escaped from
the asylum for the criminally insane, was
adjudged to be insane and sent to the
government asylum. Mrs. Roosevelt
bring back her boys for their spring
vacation. The death of DIR. Charles
Langdon-father OF the Baroness Stern
burg-in California, cancels all So
cial engagements at the German en-
bassy. Report is current that Senator
Fairbanks of Indiana has decided to run
for vice-president. He is considered a
calm, conservative man with excellent
business judgment, and has wife who
is president of the D. A. R. society. She
has made herself very popular with the
members both north and south, and is
closely in sympathy with her husband in
his lines of work.
Representative Connell of Pennsylvania
gave a banquet to the Pennsylvania
delegation in congress at the Shoreham
hotel. Senator Penrose was the toast
master. Amongst the guests were Rep
resentative Bingham, "father of the
house." Speaker Cannon and Ex-Post-
master-general Smith. The remarks of
the latter were highly appreciated when
he said that ASA whole, representatives
of the United States are honorable men
and do their duty as they understand
it,
Friday the senate spent the day in
executive session, considering the testi-
mony and record of Gen. Leonard Wood
and whether he should be made a Major
General. Senators Scott and Blackburn
opposed it, in extended speeches, being
the only ones of the committee on mill
tary affairs who objected.
Senator Carmack of Tennessee, vainly
tried to have his resolution brought out
in open senate, bearing on the nomina-
ton of Mormon bishop, II. S. Wooley,
fo lob oh, 0f
Boise, Idaho. 7. w. Starr, the president
of the Civil Service Retirement Associa-
ton, has brought before the committee
on reform in house a pension plan for
the retirement of aged clerks in the gov
eminent service, on the. basis of making
assessments on the salaries of those in
the service. Superb mutation is to be
provided for by system of assessments.
He cited some statistics, on July, 1901,
out of Is, 684 government employees, 312
were 20 years of age, and 544 ranged
from 65 to SO years and 1907 from so
to "a Or a little over - per cent. They
seem to think the younger clerks might
be willing to stand an assessment. He
said the society was formed in 1890 and
had membership of II 900. Evervyear
some such bill has been brought up and
it has raised a storm of protest from the
Younger clerks who came in under the
civil service examinations from merit
and high standard, and they object to
being assessed to pay for those who
came in under patronage or favoritism,
as often styled. Teachers are talking OF
putting in protest. Their salaries are
low in comparison with those of govern
ment clerks and many of the best teach
ers are accepting positions where
they are better paid for services. It is
universally acknowledged that no class
of persons are paid so well for services
as government clerks and yet every year
the old and feeble ones, not able to do
much service, are unwilling to resign in
an honorable manner, but get bill put
in for a pension. The Chicago clerks
have come out in an edict and declare
that $1,000 can support two with
economy. They declare that many of
the clerks in retail stores get less than
that amount and they live well. A clerk
in Marshall Field & Co.'s employ, insists
that he lives well on $50 per month,
married two years ago and has never
regretted it. He has a five-room fiat at
SIG per month and has bought piano,
carries a life insurance, belongs to clubs
and entertains his friends on less than
5000 year, and he would be willing to
invite the President of the United States
to see him. Would it not be nice to send
energetic young men to replace some of
those clerks who call 81 900 starva-
ton salary. There are many efficient
clerks who receive high salary and who
earn every cent of it, but those who are
not competent should resign the same as
a teacher or clerk in business, and not
try to oblige someone else to support
them.
There is great amount of sickness in
this city, chiefly resulting from grip.
The weather is generally pleasant but
the Potomac water is in a very bad con-
dition, full of sandy earthly deposit.
Oysters have risen in price and there is
boom in peanuts. in Washington they
sell about $4,000 bushels in warm
weather at places of amusement. They
now claim that apples are sure cure for
the drink or tobacco habit, Senator
Cockrell has for 80 years made his lunch