Omaha daily bee., 1906-10-11
Brrs or WASHINGTON LIFE.
Ninor scenes aud incidents sketched
ou the Suot

NhN diN HnN Uliicu W SHtuh Aht NohAih6
winter In Cuba at government expense
have become excited over the question,
who will pay the bill-the United states
or Cuba2'' Tho cost OF the previous oc-
cupatluu Uncle Sam paid without note or
mortgage and the supposition is that tue
generous old fellow will follow his own
example But report has 1t that there Is
s20Ooo,oOO in the Cuban treasury, the dis-
tribution of which offers unlimited op-
portunities for talent and imported
patriotism. Washington correspondents, put
the cost of American occupation at s25,-
coo day, with the chances OF enlarge
ment numerous and tempting
As governor of the island Charles Z.
Magoon will receive t25,OO0 a year, the same
compensation allowed President Palma.
General Wood almost equaled this sum.
He received $4,000 as governor in addition
TO his pay of $500 and allowances as a
major general Of volunteers Governor
Magoon will be able to approve or disap-
prove Of anything that may please or DIS
please him. Ii ii pleases him to pay out
enormous sums for the services of high
class men in the civil service of the gov
ernment that will be all right. If he de-
cides to reduce salaries established by the
Cuban congress that will also be all right
The mere fact that he orders II makes It
legal, because, in the last analysis. he has
all the power and authority of Il military
conqueror, eurbed only by the general
laws.
Quartermaster General Humphrey is now
paying out about $4,000 a day for trans
portation and the incidentals attending the
chartering of ships. The transports thus
10 ~
pense, and are the only one that can be di-
recty charged to the account Of interven-
ton
But when the end Of the fiscal year
comes il will be found that the army did
large amount of travelling on land in
excess of what it usually does. There will
be deficit in the item of transportation
OF the army" Just how large that excess
will be can be merely guessed at now. 1t
is likely to be fully $50 per head for each
man IN the Intervening army, or about
SlS000O
Every pound of hay. corn and oats con-
sumed by the transport animals TO be sent
to the island, of which there will be about
$500 will have 10 be transported there
from this country, and the transportation
will be directly chargeable to the Cuban
expedition. The same is true OF all the fuel
of the army officers is that they cannot de-
pend upon the Cubans to furnish fuel, even
when good prices are offered.
The United States National museum at
Washington contemplates an exhibit which
will tell the story of the airship. II will
of necessity be long story, though its
early chapters may be incomplete. The
Chinese are credited with having dirgible
balloons long before they were known i'm
Europe, and one author has assertion that
Cinnamon made Journeys In such balloons
as early as 1906. A Jesuit monk is credited
with the first balloon in Europe This was
in 1870 Eight years afterward a man
named Besnier made an aeroplane. with
which he made several successful flights.
From this it will he seen that not much
material progress has been made in the
years that have followed.
Recently a prominent member of the
Metropolitan club at Washington drove
around to the first assistant secretary OF
states office in the afternoon to take Mr..
Bacon for a ride behind spirited horse
he had just purchased. The assistant Sec
retary always uses an automobile when out
himself. but he was delighted" to go with
his friend. They had not gone very far
when the horse became exceedingly restive
and Mr.. Bacon became nervous.
Gently. Harry" said the assistant sec
retary. don't irrtate him; always soothe
your horse. Harry. You'll do better with
out me. Let me down, Harry"
Once on terra firma, Mr. Bacons views
underwent a remarkable change.
I Now, Harry, touch him up. Never let a
horse get the better of you Touch him
up; conquer him, don't spare him; and now
! I'll leave you to manage him." energet-
| ically remarked the assistant secretary;
! IN walk back"
The death of Colonel Ike" HiIl who for
more than a quarter of a century has been
a familiar figure at Washington, where ne
has continually held the office Of deputy
sergeant-at-arms of the house OF repres n
tatlves, removes an interesting character