St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-01-27
WASHINGTON DOINds.
MIR. HIann,s Experience with a Bottl
of Olive Oil.


/ Olive oil had its day in the national
House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Congressman Mann intended making a
speech on the pure food bill, and as he
| entered the House he carried bottles of
olive oil, maple strip. preserves, wine.
whisky, salt, pepper, mustard and cans
| of sardines.
"Going picinicking ?" asked "Old Fig
gers" Grosvenor, as Mr.. Mann staggered
| into the corridor.
"Nope; going to make Speech" Mr..
/ Mann ans wered.
As Mr.. Mann tried to edge through
| the swinging doors leading into the
| chamber, someone rushed out aud one of
/ the doors struck the bottle of olive oil.
| 1t fell to the marble floor and broke.
| Olive oil on a marble floor is slippery.
| Gen. Bingham of Pennsylvania, the
'father of the House." came bustling
along, his head up and eyes to the front
until he struck the oiled marble. His feet
| wavered bit; the general looked sur
prised and both legs flew up in the air,
| and the father of the House was in the
oily puddle.
why, what's the mat-?' asked Con-
/ gresham Cooper of Wisconsin, hurrying
to Gen. Bingham's rescue. He hadn't fin
| ished his question when one foot struck
olive oil. "Well, I'll be d." Mr.. Cooper
began, but never finished. He sat down
beside Gen. Bingham in the oil.
IN help you, gentlemen" Policeman
| he did not. He struck the slippery spot
and both feet jumped up in the air at
| different angles and going in different
directions, and a new blue uniform was
| spoiled. Policeman Jones sat in the oily
| mass.
Gen. Bingham and Mr.. Cooper crawled
away from the dangerous spot much
| after the manner of fly getting out of
| molasses. Cleaners and scrubbers volun-
| teered. but Gen. Bingham went back to
| ations, using language never heard In
debate. He had to get new clothes. Mr..
| Cooper was not so smeared. =
| Congressman Mann calmly made his
speech, but without the bottle of olive
oil. His desk looked like corner grocery
store during the day. Tall bottles of
Rhine wine, fat black bottles of whisky
and medium sized bottles of sauterne
stood all about. The bottles and sar-
dimes and preserves were great attrac-
ton. Even ''Uncle Joe" Cannon wan
dered down and looked the bottles over
and smelled at one, but it was securely
corked.
The display of preserved fruits was
pronounced exceptionally fine by the
agricultural members who have presided
at county fairs, and even Mr. Littleheld
of Maine was astonished that tie fish
caught up his way could be turned into
imported sardnes with directions how
to eat them printed in French on the
cans.
Senator Dillinsham's Report ON
Senator Beveridge from the committee
on territories in presenting the report of
the subcommittee which visited Alaska
last summer, said the report had been
prepared by Senator Dillingham;.
The report says that the great wealth
to be derived in the cod herring and
halibut fisheries of the Alaska coast is
little comprehended because few have
sought it. The committee predicts that
the annual catch of cod can be made to
exceed that of Newfoundland or any
other part of the world. The production
of gold in Alaska with some fluctuations
has steadily increased since 1898 when it
amounted to only So, 517,121. In 1901
the receipts were So, 345, 800. Silver has
been produced only in limited quantities
| and other mineral products while re-
ported have not yet been extensively ex-
plotted. The most unfortunate of all
existing faulty conditions in Alaska, the
report says, are the poor transportation
facilities. The committee calls attention
to the fact that congress has provided a
good government tor Alaska, but sub
stantially no legislation calculated to
aid the people in the development of the
great areas of gold and copper producing
territory. The development of Alaska
depends more on the improvement of
transportation facilities than on any
other instrumental activity. Our govern
ment, it is manifest, has done nothing to
relieve this condition. The action of the
dominion government has been marked
by contract to the action OF the ULited
States. American miners have had to pay
much higher prices than the Canadians
for provisions. The committee says that
universal opinion among all classes is
that Alaska should be represented by
delegate in congress. Poverty extensive
and pitiful prevails among the natives
and develops their tendency to disease.
Death is ever present at their doors.
Justice and humanity alike demand legis-
fation for the relief.
Congressman Haskins' Important
Amendment.
A post Office department official ex-
plains in the Washington Post that there
was not a conflict in the ruling OF the
court in the briggs case in the eastern
district of New York andsin the ruling in
the Dietrich case in Nebraska. Senator
Dietrich was indicted under section 1871
of the revised statutes, which prohibits
"every member of Congress" from receiv-
ing or agreeing to receive compensation
for procuring an Office from the govern
ment or any department thereof. Ex-Rep-
resent ative briggs was indicted and tried
under section 1882 of the revised statutes,
which provides that no senator, repre-
sentative or delegate, after his election
and during his continuance in office,
shall receive or agree to receive any COM
pensation, directly or indirectly, for any
services rendered or to be rendered to any
person In relation TO any proceeding, con-
tract, claim or controversy. ETC., in which