St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-02-03
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

long SpeeCh-The Panama Canal
II-"Grandfasher's Ciause''-Needs
and Resources of AIaska-Church
Burned-More Pay TO Foreign Com
suIs-The Post Office Gnvesiigafion.
Friday morning the people of Wash
ipgton woke to find the streets covered
with about ~ inches of snow; the sec
ond notable snow-storm of the winter.
Snow-ploughs covered with frost were
running up and down the railway tracks,
fires were burning at the junction OF the
roads to keep them free from ice, while
street cleaners were busily engaged re-
moving snow from the sidewalks, for the
district authorities, finding that fine of
one dollar each failed to remove thesnow
and ice after the last storm, declared that
five dollars should be the next assess
ment; there IS more prompt service now.
You hear the remark, this is a regular
New England winter" snow for two
weeks of sleighing; while another greets
you with this snow makes me feel as if
in Vermont" Four vars since there
was a snow fall of II inches, " hich was
a record breaker. The $4,000 appropri-
ated by Congress after the first snow
storm was limited to be used for cross
walks and cutters. did not include streets,
as asked by the commissioners. Rain
and thaw followed the last storm and
the streets and sidewalks were so icy,
they were in dangerous condition; con-
sequently there was a harvest Of acct
dents, of broken limbs, arms and wrists,
not limited to expressmen and laborers
but ministers and professional men and
women Jared alike. One vigorous de-
partment lady clerk who broke her right
arm, learned to write with her left hand,
so she insists she will render more valu-
able services hereafter. Congress is Law
ish in appropriating money in certain d.
rections but very economical, not to say
parsimonious in granting money for the
city of Washington. The commissioners
hope for an appropriation to remove this
snow. There is a bill before Congress
asking to have all cars equipped with
vestibules, not only for the protection of
motor men, who are often benum bed
with cold, but it is for the safety Of the
public. There is project afoot to have
a speed contest, now that we have snow
on Potomac Park Driveway, upon Sat
urday afternoon, as speed regulations
are not in full force on that afternoon
there.
AS Secretary Root now retires from his
Office in the war department he was
compimented by the President on his
unselfsh, faithful service. Gov. Taft is
here ready to assume his new duties as
secretary of the war department.
On Friday, Jan. %, was the birthday
of President Mckinley and the pink car
nation was his tavorite flower, President
Roosevelt wore one in his button hole
and presented each cabinet officer with
one to wear. Both Republican and
Democratic Congressman wore them and
the pages carried them to clerks and en-
ployes in the House. The chaplain made
touching illusions to him in his opening
prayer.
Senator Patterson of Colorado has
broken the record in the Senate for talk
ing, in his speech in opposition to the
Panama canal and to the administra-
ton; not being able to finish it in one af-
ternoon he continued it uninterruptedIy
the next day, until only one reporter was
left in the gallery; few of the democrats
remained on his side of the Chamber, and
a majority of the republicans retired to
the lobby or to their committee rooms.
He was born in Ireland educated in this
country, was Bryan elector and pop
ulist, but votes with the democrats.
It is an interesting problem whether it
is because he is populist or whether the
lite-giving air of Colorado has broadeued
his lung power to such a degree that he
had such power of continuance under the
circumstances.
While Senator Platt OF Connecticut
was addressing the senate in favor Of the
passage OF the bill for the Panama canal,
and endorsing the course of the President,
Senator Tillman began to interrogate
him. Senator Platt, in his quiet decided
way, remarked that he knew the senator
was fine debater, but he wished him to
know that he could not divert him from
the main point at issue. Senator Till
man protested he was in favor of the
canal, only he did not wish to steal it.
Such conscientious scruples on the part
of the South Carolina senator created
an audible smile in the galleries.
The democrats in Maryland find it
rather a difficult thing to frame a law to
disfranchise the negroes only, and not
include the illiterate whites; so the
grandfather clause" including the edu.
cational one is proposed; to allow men to
vote who either were voters in 1865, or
are their lineal descendants, which would
exclude the negroes.
The strong fight of Isador Rayner for
the senatership keeps the German party
on the alert, w bile it is costing the leeis-
lot