, 1904-03-04

When three hundred and odd private
pension bills were placed before him
yesterday for signature, Speaker Can
non had some occasion to repent Of
his scheme for passing that kind OF
legislation en- bloc.
Just as the house too a recess for
twenty minutes that General Gros-
venor might prepare the Hanna res
olutions. the bills were loted into his
private room and placed upon the ia
BILE. The speaker thought he could at
tach his signature to each piece OF
parchment before the time was up. He
signed with all the energy of a house
aire till interrupted by n of the
clerks.
The time for the recess is up and
three minutes more" said this en-
ploye.
Il guess | have a start on the boys"
observed Mr.. Cannon. Il can sign the
rest during the reading"
The house resumed its session, and,
while the formality of the reading
clerk announcing each bill by name as
favorably reported from the committee
on engrossed bills proceeded, Mr.. Can
non continued scrat ching his name at
the bottom Of the parchment sheets.
The reading clerk did not catch up
with him, but Mr.. Cannon breathed a
sigh of relief when the work was done.
| ~ commemorative V0hn Allan ~
Mississippi, recently here, figured as
the hero of a remarkable episode dur
ing his journey north. 1t Is being told
around the capitol cloakrooms with
gusto.
Having attired himself in his paja-
mas for the night, the Wit of Tupelo
was enticed by travelling companions
into al adjoining Pullman car. There
a game of cards was in progress. The
Mississippian participated enthusiast
tically. City and town sped by as the
passengers continued their journey.
The game was not interrupted till
along in the cold gray dawn Of morn
ing, when it was discovered that the
train had Deen divided during the
night. as often happens with Pullman
cars. Mr.. Aliens car had proceeded
on the way to Washington. The car
he occupied had gone along another
route to a Virginia city. out of the
Mississippian's line of travel.
The situation was most distressing.
Kindly porters pieced him together
with necessary garments for proper
appearance in pubic. He found that
his money was in the absent car.
There was trouble about getting a
ticket to Washington, but a compass
sionate citizen contributed the price,
and the Mississippi journeyed to this
city, where a junction was effected with
his goods n chattels.
The checks for the monthly salaries
of members of the house of represent
~atives go to the treasury department
for payment with the name Of ]. G.
Cannon signed thereon. But II Mr.
Cannon's genuine signature were on
the checks they could lot be collected.
That is because the legal signature OF
the speaker, filed with the secretary OF
the treasury, is not Mr.. Cannon's sig
nature at all, but the signature written
by Mr.. l.. White Busbey, his secretary.
Mr.. Busby does not write the name OF
Cannon altogether as the speaker him
self writes it, but the legal signature
as far as the treasury department ia
concerned is the signature as Busbey
writes it.
Thus it would have been with Mr..
which the house passed not long ago
allowing the speaker to designate some
person to sign the various papers, at
fecting financial accounts Of the house.
Mr.. Cannon could, of course, make the
Busbey signature illegal by duly no
tifying Secretary Shaw, but till he
does so it prevails, even against his
own handwriting, and thus he saves
signing 1856 salary warrants every thir-
ty days. o.
Senator Stewart was very insistent
the other day on making a speech. He
had a little bill for consideration. 1t
provided relief for n Jewett w.
Adams. The senate was considering
bills on the calendar, and everything
was going through without debate.
Thus it would have been It'll Mr..
Stewards bill. He, however, wanted
to explain that it was a good bill, that
there was nothing wrong about It, that
the senate ought to pass the bill ~ .
matter Of Justice to the proposed BEN
eflciary.
Don't debate 1t. The bill win pass"
said Senator Spooner, in IN uAdertone.
accompanying his words with . down
ward motion of the hands to indicate
that, in his opinion. Mr.. Stewart would
do better to stop speaking md st in
his chair. li 4
THE senator certainly ought to de-
bate his BIN II he DESIRES suggested
Mr.. Aldrich.
There was suppressed laughter
around the seini-circle Of seats - Nj.
Stewart continued to speak about what
! meritorious bill was before the SEN
ate. But as Mr.. Stewart spoke Sem
ator Frye put the motion On IL pas
rage. The Nevadan then found himself
high and dry. making ! spssck q :