The Press., 1904-01-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
washington, January %. 1904.

- washington, January %. 1904.
All appearances indicate that the
people of the United States are in a
very amiable mood and regard with
equinamity, mingled with q certain
amount of curiosity, the word war OF
politicians now being waged In the
forum and the press regarding the
prospects and intentions Of possible
presidential candidates. The list ia
too long for recapitulation. AS the
president says, "Mr. Hanna has a
right to be a candidate If he chooses. -
He is now. i'll with the grip, and will
allow circumstances to choose for him.
The voice of those who profess the
republican faith sings loud in the land
for Roosevelt. Bryan is very indus
triously making speeches and pointing
out what ought to be. Senator Cor
man is quiet, watching to see which
way the senatorial cat will jump in
Maryland. He will have an oppor-
tunity to indulge in a "heart to
heart" talk when he addresses the
legislature OF Kentucky. The wind
continues to blow variable" !" as the
scientific phrase ia, about Panama
and the troublesome treaty. After
ratification great calm will follow.
Notwithstanding the early optimis-
tic predictions about the present ses-
sion of congress being devoted to
economy, there is much pressure be-
ing brought to bear in the search for
the doors of the public treasury. If
all the proposed plans for spending
money materialize it will flow like
water, and the prosperity boom will
continue until after the election.
The committee on merchant marine
and fishes says the American people
rush lavishly into expenditure, even
to promoting air ships, and then they
look about to see how money can be
spent on other projects.
Whether many of the employees of
the government in Washington are
riding in carriages at the expense Of
the government, and assuming pluto
cratic airs, is question congress Is
investigating. Each cabinet minister
has been asked to furnish list of
such employees, and how many horses,
carriages and footmen he keeps on
public funds. .-a
The national board of trade, in $685.
sion in Washington the past week,
has made numerous recommendations
to congress. It desires to have silver
dollars exchanged for gold when pre-
sented to the treasury; it suggests
that no more silver dollars be coined ;
it wants one cent postage and q par
ce1s post; it advocates the metric sys-
tenn, and provision for q mercantile
marine.
The body of James Smithson, phil
osopher and philanthropist, was due
to arrive in Washington to-day, under
escort of Alexander Graham Bell, but
the vessel from Genoa has not yet
been reported. Simthson was the IL
legitimate son of Sir Hugh, fifth Duke
of Northumberland. He was an ag-
nostic. He spent his life in scientific
experiments and made valuable dis
coveries in chemistry and geology, for
which he was chosen vice president of
the British Royal society. He warm
ly sympathized with the American
colonies and sent satirical letter to
his cousin, Hugh Percy, who, in COM
mand of British regiment, fled from
the farmers at Lexington, and who
sheathed his bloodless sword and ran
away at the battle of Bunker Hill.
Smithson was ambitious for fame and
wrote in his diary, 'The best blood
of England flows in my veins; ON my
father side am Northumberland,
on my mothers am related to kings;
but it avails me not. My name shall
live in the memory Of men when the
titles of Northumberland and Percy
are extinct and forgotten To this
end he sagaciously bequeathed half a
million dollars to America, to found
the Smithsonian institution in Wash
ington, "for the increase and diffu-
sion of knowledge among men,"
Americans are better acquainted with
the appearance of the beautiful Nor
man structure of red sandstone that
bears his name than any other build
ing in Washington, except the capitol.
Smithson will be buried at Oak Hill
cemetery, West Washington, where
many of the illustrious dead repose.
A monument will be built in the
Smithsonian grounds.
There is much excitement in Wash
ington to-day over the report from
France deeply duplicating Bunau-
Varilla, the minister from Panama,
in graft, rake-off, and fraudulent
practices in the plumber of the French
canal company. He has been sharply
questioned by the administration, but
is very reticent. .'
The pure food bill has passed the
house by a vote of 201 to 68. The
word e' willful' was stricken out, thus
relieving the government, in case of a
prosecution, from the necessity of
proving an intention to violate the
law. The standards of purity are fix
ed, and adulterations defined. AS
Prof. Wiley, of the department of ag-
riculture, is charged with performing
all chemical work for the executive
and with the duty Of in
specting all food products and drugs,
the public may expect to see his bu-
reau grow to enormous dimensions,
with an army of chemists. inspectors,
clerks and laborers. The bill is to go
into effect Feb. |, 1904.
The Carnegie Institute, founded in
Wash innton hx tho nroat lihrarx