The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-09
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

Speaker Cannon grew tired the other
day Of the endless repetition which is
necessary or the part OF the speaker
when private pension bills are passed.
This is the formula:
1.-The question is now on the third
reading and engrossment Of the bill.
All those in favor of it's third reading
and engrossment will signify by say
ing aye; contrary, no.
1.-THE ayes seem to have 1t; the ayes
have 1t.
1.-THE question is now on the passage
Of the bill. All those in favor Of
it's passage will signify by saying aye;
contrary, no.
1.-THE ayes seem to have it; the ayes
have it, and the bill is passed."
Some days the house passes several
hundred pension bills. Uncle Joe went
through the formula perhaps b dozen
times on the day in question. and then
the uselessness of it occurred to his
practical mind.
With a whack Of his gavel he an
nounced: Il want the attention of the
house.
II think this eau be shortened up"
he continued. 'and with the consent Of
the house the following form will be
used: Without objection, the bill will
be considered as read a third time. en-
crossed and passed."
No one offered objection, and in that
form the rest Of the long list Of bills
was disposed of.
Army General Hospital.
Secretary Root has transmitted to the
congress an estimate Of 100000 for
an appropriation for the purchase of
land in the District of Columbia for. a
site and the erection thereon Of an
army general hospital "for the treat
ment of special classes of cases for
purposes Of instruction in connection
with an army medical school. for train
ing enlisted men of the hospital corps
in nursing and to serve as a base hos
pital in time of war"
In an accompanying letter Surgeon
General O'Reilly shows the urgent
need Of a building of the character es-
timated for. He says that the work at
Washington barracks in connection
with the construction Of the new army
war college and other buildings makes
the removal of the present general hos
pital on THAI reservation imperative in
the near future, as the plans contem-
plate a new building on the site of the
present hospital. He explains that the
hospital building, which was built five
years ago at a cost of $4,000, is made
quate and unsuited for the purpose
and that it is not deemed advisable to
establish a hospital on another part Of
the same reservation.
The Conversational Library.
MI. Bernard r. Green, superintend-
ent Of the Congressional library build
ing and grounds, has submitted to the
house his annual report. Mr.. Green
states that the scope and duties Of the
Office have remained essentially the
same as described in previous reports,
but the number Of the services rem
uered and materials consumed have
continued materially to increase with
the growth and expansion of the Ii
brary, which are constantly going on.
Spacious as the building is and far
reaching as originally seemed to be the
provision made for the future in it's
construction, every part is already in
active use from cellar to attic except
ing only two OF three attic rooms. 1t is
now evident, Superintendent
Green declares, that the original esti-
mate that something like a century's
growth had been provided for, based
on the conditions and data of the day,
Prior to Sept. IA, 1902, the building
open to the public during week
days only. Since that date it has been
open every day and every evening of
the year excepting Christmas, the
Fourth of July and the Saturday ever
ings of July and August. ...
Bad For Warrington Women.
Until l began riding downtown III
car Platforms" said the man who
smokes, Il never realized how lacking
the Washington woman is in polite
"Theo other morning, riding from.Mount
Pleasant to the treasury, l opened the
car door for fourteen women.e One of
them acknowledged the courtesy by a
bow. A second, a negro washerwoman,
was profuse in her thanks. The other
twelve marched by without the ac-
acknowledgement of a glance, accepting it
a part of my duty to open car doors
for them.
ut is a small matter, and ordinarily
I would not give it a second thought,
but when in one morning twelve we'll
dressed women met courtesy with di
courtesy it sort Of made me wonder.
it not been for the one woman
who bowed and the old woman's thanks
l believe l would have vowed then and
<howo IN onor no moro oor doors for