The National tribune., 1906-12-20

depended upon the existence of sur
plus In the postal revenues under the
existing system of accounting. that ser
vice could not have been given. The
same considerations apply to number
of other branches. The financial re-
turns from certain branches are so In
terwoven with and dependent upon
others that there is much force in the
contention that it is unreasonable to
charge any one OF them with the re-
sponsibility for the deficit"
The Capitol is no longer behind the
times on the door proposition. Mahog-
any revolving doors have been installed
at the Senate basement entrance. the
Senate north basement entrance, House
basement entrance, House south base
ment entrance, the rotunda and the
west main entrance. The revolving
doors of the always-shut type have long
been needed. The basement of the
Capitol Is probably the most drafty
place this side of Medicine Hat, and
for years has been the happy hunting
ground of the grip, influenza. snifiies
and other kindred complaints. So every
body is happy with the possible excep-
ton of one employe of the Sergeant-at-
Arms Office. This employe is colored
man, and just when he began to work at
the Capitol no man knoweth. Some
say he used to hold President WASH
ington's horse on the site of what is
now the main Capitol building. but. OF
course, this story cannot be verified.
But he is very old. tho about as willing
a worker as can be found anywhere.
I was looking at one OF the new ring
around-a-rosy doors when this old fell
low started to enter the Capitol with
an armful of something or other. II
was heavy, and the old man kept his
eyes on the ground and grunted at
every step. Consequently he got inside
the door, pushed it around a little too
far and landed on the outside of the
building again. And without word he
turned around in his tracks and started
for door of the single-leaf kind, a full
half square away. From a distance of
20 feet he stopped. turned his head
over around and gave the revolving
door parting glance.
"Umph, Lawsee"" said the old fellow
as he shifted his load and made for the
far-away entrance of a simpler pattern.
As the supply of stock sizes of the
blue overcoats of the Army is practical
ly exhausted, it has been decided by the
Quartermaster's Department to confine
future issues to the Army to the new
the remainder of the stock Of the blue
ovcrcoats to military prisoners or to
such other use as may be advisable.
There is this consolation In the passing
of the "oid Army blue and that is that
the boys in blue" will now ever remair
so, and the great Grand Army of the
Republic can always be remembered
by that loving and distinctive title. The
war of the rebellion had the only army
blue has entered largely into the uni
ferns of other wars in this country, it
is nevertheless a fact that other colors
were permitted, like the cadet gray,
and the uniforms Were gaudy beyond
description up to the time of the break
ing out of the war of the rebellion, but
soon after that began the uniforms be-
came all blue, and they SO remained
until the Spanish War broke out
Officials of the War Department are
proposition for the trans
portation to the United States of va
grants and INDECENT people in the Phil
ippines. 1t is claimed that these peo.
pie are a source of considerable trouble
in the Archipelago, and that they can
be handled in the United States with
much more satisfaction if the matter
of transportation can be arranged. What
should be done with them in tha United
States is not suggested.
The public school system of Wash
ington has been under suspicion for a
long time, and the conditions grow
gradually no better, It would seem. Last
Summer the School Board sent East
somewhere and brought here as Su-
perintendent of Schools Or" Chan
cellor. DR.. Chancellor may be a yeryI
haI &c h,,f L. 1,-+I
men of that character he has but little
regard for other mems learning, or
opinions, or beliefs. He believes, or at
least he acts as though he believed, that
his word should be supreme on the
School Board, and he gets mighty proud
and naughty like when he is opposed.
For instance. he was eXpounding hiA
ideas and beliefs to the Board one day.
and some one of the Board said, But,
DIR. Chancellor, the law is thus and So
the same being diametrically opposed TO
what the learned gentleman wanted
What do ! care for the iawi fig for
the law!" he declared with dramatic
and proceeded to pronounce his
opinions further against the law.
Then, again, he concluded that he
would go visiting the colored schools Of
the South. Nobody knew what for, but
ne wanted to SO--nOt Yet having visited
his own schools-and after making in
finite disturbance, and raising good
deal of row over expenses, he wanting
$500 ana finally getting only $3.50. and
that not in manner to suit him Then
Congress convened, the School Board
wanted to get its estimates before the
District Committee and the Committed
on Appropriations, and DR. Chancellor
was ordered by the Congressional com
mittecS to appear and make his state
mcnts. The day came, but no Dr.
Chancellor and no word from him.
The business went over. Another dayI
was set, but no DIR. Chancellor
and no word from him. A third
day was set, and when he did noti
appear the committees went to work, |
anyhow. and they got along without
him beautifully. He got back the next
day, but he was not needed Now n |
resolution has been introduced to in
vestigate the Washington public school
system, and, goodness knows, it needs
IL. Since Gen. Charles Boynton died.
he was President of the School Board!
things have been at SKIES and sevens, |
and they certainly do need straiehten-
ing out But. then. you know. DR. Chan
cellor may refuse to be investigated,
Ny. what will Congress do in thatl
event?
President Roosevelt by an Executive
order has revived the system of per- |
hitting enlisted men in the Navy toi
purchase discharge, discontinued in |
1902. BY showing that reasons for his |