The National tribune., 1904-01-14


and decorations that have come to them
from foreign powers and potentates. and
which these people can not accept ex-
cept by special act of Congress, so long
as they are in the employ OF the United
States Government. There is avery long
list. there must be some 200 in all. and
they have received all kinds of decorations
for scientific research, for literary efforts,
for acts of courtesy, and for all sorts OF
things. Congress had been petiuoned so
has grown Disguised with what it calls
the petty business, and is holding mp the
omnibus bill, which will grant each and
all the right to accept the pretty trinkets
The reports of the Treasury Depart
ment show that the United States is iv-
ing we'll Within its income. while the re-
ports from England show that she is run
ming behind in every department. Eng
land is a free-trade country, the United
States believes in Protection-and there
you are.
Secretary Root was mp at the Capitol
the other day before the House Military
Committee, and hastily running down
stairways, landed himself in the basement
under The great white dome. There he
go lost completely and had to ask police
man to ''show him. as he did not know
which way TO turn to get out The base
ment of the Capitol is a gloomy old hole
at best. Senator Blackburn designates it
and the Terrace offices as the "Tomb of
the Capulets,' and the members who have
offices down there are called the Gave
Dwelers." The new office and commit
tee room building is badly needed. 1t is
quite likely that there will be less sick
ness when the members get out of those
subterranean cayerns called the Terrace
Committee rooms.
Mr.. Speaker Cannon and Mr.. Hemmen-
way, Chairman of the Committee on APP
preparations, splintered the proprieties into
toothpieks last Friday. They got hungry
as they came abreast of the Senate pie
foundry-viz., the restaurant. and walked
in to take view of the display Of wares
on the lunch counter. The Senators do
not lunch with the common herd-oh, no.
indeed They have a nice little room all
to Themselves with velvet carpets soft to
the slOw-moying feet of the grave and
reverend Seignors, and lace and damask
curtains all of which hold the odors of
dead and gone dinners to beat the band.
This room opens off of the restaurant
proper, and into it are invited only the
elect. just a mere member of the House
would not dare profane its sacred pre-
cincts except on invitation of some Sen
ator.
But Mr.. Speaker Cannon is different,
don't you know. and so the obseryapt at
tendant at the Senatorial lunch-reom door
came at once to Mr.. Cannon and asked
him to '.step inside the Senator'S dining
room, sub, they be glad to have you. Mis-
tab Speakah," but Mr.. Speaker waved the
waiter aside. He and Mr.. Hemmenway
each selected generous ham sandwich.
and after paying for it started up the long
corridor Houseward. munching away at
! their sandwiches and discussing Appro-
priations! There's true Republican sim
piicity for you, and evidences of unIm-
diooSfi0nS we'll .
The venerable ex-senator from Nevada.
John p. Jones, has been visiting Wash
ington. He looks hale and hearty, and is
in the best of spirits. He says he liked
political life and did not give it up be-
cause he was tired of it. but because he
had so many outside interests that he had
to neglect public business or suffer his
private affairs to go to ruin, as he could
not give both his personal supervision. so
he decided in favor Of his private, bust
ness. 81
Senator Jones had served 80 years in
the United States Senate. and Senator
William 4. Allison, of Iowa, is the only
Senator now in service who was there
when Senator Jones was sworn in, March
A, 1873. When Senator Jones became a
member of the body he had as his coll
leagues Morton Of Indiana, Conkling, and
Charles Sumner. IL Senator Allison serves
out his full six years term. he will have
been in the United States Senate SO years,
and viii break all records.
80
The United States Senate is having a
real lively time talking-just talking. moth
ing moreover the Postal Irregularities
and the Panama scandals. A good deal
of Senatorial dignity is displayed. but it
stance, Senator Morgan wanted the Canal
Committee to wait while before MAX
ing its majority report so that lie could
get in minority report. and declared
that he would have to have time to get
together some datal Now reflect on that.
been talking on the Isthmian Canal for
a quarter of a century or more. and makes
speeches of days i'm length on the subject.
yet pleading for time" to collect data.
Well, the Committee wouldn't have it that
way. They didn't wait. which is a terri
BILE jolt to Senatorial dignity. To wait
for everybody and everything is one of the
cardinal virtues of the Senate.
Rear-Admiral Taylor. Chief of the Blu
reau of Navigation, has been before the
House Committee on Naval Affairs plead
Training Station on the Great Lakes. Lake
Bluff. near Chicago. ON Lake Michigan,
and Racine. Wis. are suggested par
ticularly good points. Admiral Taylor is
OF the OPINION tnaf With the Lake Naval
Station it would be possible To get a bet
ter class of inland @enlistments for the
naval service than it il now possible TO
procure. He argues. too. that il would
lessen deserfions, as the cadets would have
an opportunity TO test seafaring life be-
fore actual enlistment. 1t is estimated
that ii viii cost about $250000 to estab-
lish the Great Lakes Naval Station. Con-
gress has been hostile to the plan.
Representative Tawney. OF Minnesota.
has started after the egg-shell postal ears
in which 50 many horrible accidents hap
pen every time there is passenger train
smashup. He has introduced resolution
requesting the Postmaster General to fur
nish the House of Representatives with
detailed information regarding all postal
cars rented by the Government from the
various railroads of the country. The
resolution then states that there have
been great many serious railroad aeci-
dents in which postal clerks suffered more
in proportion than anybody else. and that
the cause of this is believed to be defective
ears.
The War, State and Navy Bnilding