Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-03-05
WASHINGTON LETTER



erward secretary of the navy. was in
congress, Colonel Pete Hepburn of To-
wa. nicknnmed the Massachusetts
member Taffy. That name Is still re-
mcmbered by the older members, sur
vivors Of the Farty eighth. Forty ninth
and Fiftleth congresses.
".As soon as Mr.. Long came to the
house." said Colonel Hepburn the other
day, gazing at the long gallery of eX-
speakers portraits in the rear lobby
where he was standing, every MEM
Der who undertook to deliver n speech
was assured of an audience. Whcnev-
or one arose to speak Mr.. Long took
seat Immediately in front and listened
with rapt attention. lie would glue
his eyes on the features of the orator.
The speech concluded, Mr.. Long would
rush forward cordially, clasp the MEM
Der franticnlly by the hand and con-
gratulate him.
Speech he would say. 4 had serious
doubts on several points of the subject
you have been discussing. You have
cleared them away for me. l am very
grateful to you
Yes" replied Colonel Hepburn, that
Is why l called Long Taffy. but do you
know that he made Il friend for life Of
every member to whom he listened so
attcntivcly and congratulated so warm
ly: There's Il good deal of human ma
turc in us all. We do like little
praise
Unpopular MnrtyrdOm.
Naval officers who happen to be on
waiting orders are asking themselves
who are to be the Miantononoh mar
tyrs. The MiantonOmoh Is large mon
itor which has been lying disused at
the League Island navy yard, Phila-
dclphia, for many months. With the
monitor Puritan she is to be fitted out
for tropical service, and some Of the
waiting orders officers will be direct
ed to take berths on her.
The opinion of every commissioned
one from captain to midshipman ls
that there IS small choice between
hadcs and service on a vessel Of the
Mlantonomoh type. Her upper deck
is only about Il foot above the wa
ter line, and with the least sea on ev-
crybo;ly must stay below, where, If the
thermometer ever marks n temperature
below 100 degrees, officers and crew
consider it cold weather.
The sharpcst criticism is directed at
the navy department for ordering the
two monitors to the tropics. where they
are to be used as guardships for Unit
ed States coaling stations. Other YES
sells, 1t is asserted, would do as well,
and on the other vessels there Is occa-
sional comfort.
A Magnificent Ornament.
One of the handsome crystal chan
delicrs taken from the east room Of the
White House before It's recent renOva-
tion has been placed in position in the
room Of the committee on the District
OF Columbia of the senate. 1t was rec
ogniZed as cmincntly proper that one of
these handsome ornaments should so to
the District committee. The chandelier
Is regarded as one of the handsomest of
It's kind anywhere. 1t is formed of
English cut glass and contains 5000
pieces, costing originally $4,000. When
1t was hanging at the White House II
was not wired for electric lighting, but
before being placed in Senator CALM
gers room 1t was fully provided with
attachments for electric fixtures and
will contain forty-elght electric lights,
with globes bearing the national coat Of
arms. There We're three of these chan
dcllcrs Mt the White House, but the
three have been taken to make one per-
feet piece, some Of the parts having
been injured. The chandelier Is very
generally regarded as superior to the
chandeliers that have been placed in
the east roonl since the remOdeling and,
in fact Is looked upon as possessing ar
tistic and ornamental qualities of the
highest order.
4 Moro Arsenal.
The senate committee on military
affairs has Moro arsenal. On the
walls of its room and adjacent to its
long table there was arranged dur
of bolos, swords with fearful blades
and wonderfully shaped knives which
1t makes ones blood Curdle to look at.
The centcrpiece Is coat of mail fash
iOned of steel links. Another of the ar
ticlcs on exhibition is thick helmet
OF brass. with large hinged flaps to
protect the ears of the warrior
The weapons come from the Minda-
mao region of the Moro country, which
was penetrated last summer by AS
sistant Doorkeeper AlonZo Stewart. He
secured them from friend that they
may be an object lesson on savage war
fare to the military senators.
Wants Congress to Meet Earlier.
4 bill introduced in the house by Mr..
Shafroth of Colorado revives interest
in proposal frequently made to have
each congress meet as soon after the
biennial election as practicable. Under
the present system, which has outrun
its purpose, congress elect does not
meet for thirteen months unless called
In extra session. Mr.. Shafroth pro-
poses to have each congress assemble
for It's first or long session on the third
Monday in January following the gen.
eral election and for the short session
on the first Monday after the first of
January in the year following.
Precedent Is stubborn thing, and 1t
Ill hn haf