The National tribune., 1904-08-25

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mediately. so as to permit for the first time
the elimination of all weight restrictions on
first-c!ass mail matter addressed to all
countries except Canada, Mex co and Cuba
to which the domestic privileges already
apply This action is the result of urgent
representations. largely banking interests,
who want to send securities abroad IN this
way. The present maximum weight re-
striction on first-class matter Is -four
pounds The mail coming from foreign
countries is not limited. and 1t was felt u!
this Government that the people in this
country should have the same privilege.
The weight restrictions already had been
removed from the second-class mail matter.
This Government has declined the propo-
sitionS of Siam and Abyssinia for the ne
gotta ion of parcelS-post treaties with those
countries There is no direct mail service
TO either of those countries. and the par
GELS would have tn be carried across other
countries to reach them. There is no pro-
vision for intermediary transit of parcels.
although there is of ordinary mail. and con-
sequcatly this Government finds itself un-
able to negotiate any parcels-post arrange
ments with them.
A message has been sent To the Govern
ment of San Domingo announcing the
readiness of this Government to negotiate
parrels-post treaty with that country in
accordance with the recent request to that
end submitted by San Domingo. y copy
of the agreement made with Venezuela.
with necessary notifications. but substan-
tally similar to most of the agreements
made with countries in the western hemis-
phprp has been forwarded TO San Domingo
as basis for the forthcoming treaty.
A ullhedged steam railway is in full
operation across the plaza i'm front of the
Capitol ''All aboard for the Union Sta
ton site" the conductor will announce. and
the little ''dinkie" engine will puff and pull.
OFF it will go. dra wing it's trainload of dirt
from the site of the new building for the
House of Representatives ut New Jersey
avenue and r street southeast. over the
Capital Traction COmpany's tracks on B
street northeast and out in front of the big
white building.
Right in the shadow of the ma jestic
dome the impertinent little train now
speeds. and when it reaches the driveway
on the north side ii turns down hill. With
steam turned off. If coasts through the Cap
itol grounds to North Capitol street. into
which it turns and continues its down
ward course across the Metropolitan car
tracks on G. street northeast until it comes
to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tracks.
which ii crosses on A steel bridge 100 feet
long and % feet high. 1t then proceeds to
North Capitol and F. street northeast,
where its load of earth is dumped from a
frestle into the FILL for which if is intend
ed. In this way will the 10000 cubic
yards Of earth TO he exeavated for the Of
fee bni!ding's foundation be removed and
placed where it is needed to build up Il
portion of the new Union Station site.
The Rivers and Harbors Committee of
the House of Representatives is now max
ing plans for the inspection of the rivers
and tarbors which need improvement. The
committee will first go to New York. and
then make an inspection of the New Eng
land coast. after which they will go TO st.
Paul and inspect the harbors of the North
west. After the inspection has been COM
pleteh the committee will visit st. Louis
by way of the Mississippi River.
Under the shade of big tree in front
Of the Executive Offices at the White
House: the other day. Speaker Joe Can
non. Secretary of War Taft. and Repre-
sentative Dayton. of West Virginia. sat
on the grass and talked things over What
they said was not disclosed. but evidently
there was some exchange of good stories
for Guiet chuckles and subdued laughter
was the constant accompaniment of the
conversation.
IT was a beautiful example Of demo.
cratic simplicity at its best. High officers
of the Government were at their ease and
IL made no difference to them that the
casual spectators looked curiOusly now and
then in their direction. They talked and
laughed and smoked with all the good-fel
lowship and absence Of restraint and fuss
that are thought TO be the special property
OF the obscure. The only thing that dis
turbed them. indeed. was the dampness
The grass had not managed to rid itself
of the rain of the early morning. ard the
statesmen at last began to find it uncom
Portable Then. and not till then. with ev
cry appearance of disinclination. they
arose slowly and sought another place fol
communing.
The Agricultural Department has beer
having the mischief Of a time with rats
in the seed granaries. those vast store
houses where are piled the millions of bags
of seeds for Congressman. II is true thai
the seeds are no good. and that not a thirG
of them ever grows. also that they ART
mighty poor truck when they do mature
but just the same the Agricultural Depar.
ment has 10 furnish just so many bags OF
seeds TO the constituents of Congressman
The rats have depleted the supply ever,
year. and this year had come TO be suci
nuisance as TO seriously impede the worl
Of the seed department. How to get rio
of the pests has been momentous cues
tion which has agitated all the Depart
ment officials for a long time Finally /
was decided TO employ the rat man." n
came. he saw. he conquered He brough
with him big dog and cage of ferrets
He went after the rats in person and &C
companied by his animal aids He kept a
1t for a week. and now the Departmen
breathes easier. and begins to take motto
again. The rats are gone
few weeks ago. The National Trib
une announced that the dust of Capt. Johl
Williams of the Marine Corps, who wa
killed by the Indians in 1912, had bee
brought from the ruined cemetery i'm south
ern Georgia and reinterred i'm Arlington
Last week the marble slab which all thes
years has rested above the lonely grave il
the South was brought up. and after a Ii,
tie enovating is to be placed above th
newlymade grave. 1t is 80 unique as 7
epitaph that it is here given entire. Th
slab is about six feet long and three fee