The National tribune., 1906-03-15

stand The grounds your own. my
braves." and if ever that Resolved
gets a reply of the right kind, the Con-
gressional Record will quadrupIe its
circulation for the time that the discus
sion goes on in the House, and don't
your forget it. The rollicking times
when Jerry simpson read Coins
Financial School, and several other
copyright books into the Congressional
Record will stand no show alongside
what will happen if Town Topics gets
mussed up with the expenditure scan
dals of the Government Departments
and all that sort of thing. 1t was in
the offshoot of this publication, ''Fads
and Fancies," in which appeared the
biography and pictures of President
Roosevelt, the proofs of which were
corrected at the White House and re-
turned to the editors of the publica-
ton, afterward withdrawn when the
President found that he had been bam-
boozled. A very handsome edition of
the book, specially bound for him. was
sent to the President, but at once re-
turned to the publishers.
There is an employe in the Congres
slonal Library, aged "A years, who is
confessedly incompetent because of Old
age to perform any sort of labor, but
who Is kept on and on. He has been
recommended for separation from the
service many times, but remains on.
Librarian Putnam says that the influ-
ence behind him is "Chief Justice
Taney." AS Chief Justice Taney has
been dead for q matter of 40 years or
more. it looks as though his ''pull''
might be at an end. AS a matter of
fact, this old fellow is employed in the
Supreme Court part of the Library.
n
man appointed by the man who rem
dered the decision in the Dred Scott
case, which was one of the powerful
influences to bring on the war of the
rebellion.
The Supreme Court has affirmed the
decision of the lower courts in dis
missing the suit brought by the Gov
ernment against Senator William A.
Clark, of Montana, for the annulment
of patents to 80 tracts of valuable tim
Der land in Montana, which, it was
alleged, he had fraudulently obtained.
The lower court held that the Gov
ernment had not established the fact
that Clark was a party to the fraud,
and the Supreme Court. accepting the
finding of fact, declined to upset the
patents. Justice McKenna concurred
in the result and Justices Harlan and
Brown dissented.
DIR. Edward Palmer. Botanist of the
Department of Agriculture, has gone
for an eight-months' exploration of the
tab1eland of Mexico. DIR. Palmer is
specialist in tropical plants, and has
been largely instrumental in introduc-
ing many new food plants into the
United States. The object of his trip
is to study the food plants of that sec
tion with a view to introducing them
into the southwest section of the Unit
ed States. He holds that at present
there are thousands of acres lying idle
in New Mexico and Arizona, upon
which the agave or century plant could
be grown with success. The latter, In
addition to furnishing 'pulque," the
drink of Mexico, is roasted
and eaten, the enormous hearts of such
plants being sold by the slice in all
Mexican markets. Roasted it tastes
very much like plum pudding soaked
in heavy syrup, as it is full of sugar.
DR.. Palmer holds that in failing to
make use of the agave the people of
the United States are allowing a good
food plant to go to waste.
Calling cards are not necessity to
those on Government business. Geo.
w. Scott has discovered this to his
sorrow. Mr.. Scott made trip through
Europe several years ago in the inter
est of the Library of Congress, ard
while in Paris he purchased calling
cards to the amount of $6.1S, which
he deemed necessary in his work.
His bill for the amount has been
held up by the Comptroller of the
card Is not a legal necessity, the mere
fact of his appointment to the position
being a sufficient introduction to those
with whom he came in contact.
The Supreme Court of the United
States has at last settled, once and TO"
all. the boundary dispute between the
States of Louisiana and Mississippi in
ravor of the former. which was given
It's full claim for Jurisdiction over the
Swampy islands and oyster beds claim
I'd by both.
The boundaries fixed by the acts ad-
hitting the two States were at vari-
ince, Louisiana being given the islands
within three leagues from the coast
rom the shore. and the dispute arose
,yer the islands covered by both and
he contiguous oyster beds.
The Court, however, found that Lou
siana's rights to the territory had
been recognized by the United States
and acknowledged by Mis-
'issippi for SO years, and that was
The Judiciary Committee of the
House has refused 20 consider the Ran !
lell anti-pass bill, which makes il a |
for a member of Con- |
sress or any Government official to ac-
,ept a railroad or steamboat pass. OF |
frank from a telegraph, telephone
,r express company.
The question was put to a vote in |
Executive session of the committee and
esulte6 in n tie. six to six. The mo-
ion was declared lost. as a majority |
vas necessary to carry it.
An effort will be made to bring the
natter up again. but the chances are
hat the committee will never again
,e called upon for vote on the ques-
ion.
For ways that are dark and tricks
hat are vain the heather Chinee is no
more peculiar than some other races
f people-the Syrians. for instance.
)ne of the stringent immigration laws
f the United States is that persons af-
icted with trachoma shall not be per-