The Morris County chronicle., 1906-02-06
WASHINGTON LETTER
[speciaI Correspondenca.l

Especial Correspondence.l
The noted petition Of 10000 Massa-
cLusetts people that the old ship Con-
stitution, now rotting in the Boston
navy yard, be preserved by the United
States has the sympathy Of the presi-
dent, and he viii do all in his power to
have congress lend a willing car to the
| appeal. He is satisfied that congress
will provide that the vessel shall be
preserved, and he is personally fayora-
Bile to sending 1t to Annapolis or wher-
ever else 1t win be an inspiration to
the American people.
Both President Roosevelt and Ad-
miral Dewey are heartily in favor Of
restoring the ship to its original shape
and design, with full rigging Admiral
Dewey himself spent three years upon
the Constitution as cadet.
Burton's Thousand Dollar step.
Senator Burton Of Kansas is 81, 900
richer by appearing in the senate cham
Der for thirty seconds the other day.
One step OF less than two feet was per
haps the most expensive to the govern
ment that senator ever has taken
Senator Burton wanted to collect his
mileage for the dfty-ninth session. The
rate is 20 cents a mile each way. 10
draw mileage a senator must appear
at soIhe time during the session Id the
senate chamber, and the money is paid
on the oath Of the journal clerk that
the senator has been In attendance.
Burton appeared in the Republican
cloakroom, as he frequently has be-
fore. The doors were thrown open,
but the journal clerk protested that he
had to get square view of the senator.
Burton was persuaded to step just In
side the door and remained only for an
instant
A Congregational Pun.
Defending a provision for eight treas
ury clerks to count money, Congress
man Gaines of Georgia said the old
paper money should be retired, as it Is
rotten, dirty, bacteria carrying and
disease breeding" Mr.. Littlefield Of
Maine eiucidated the topic by stating
that 'sln Germany it is germs, in Paris
parasites, In Ireland microbes and
when they get here again 'backteria.'
reserve Lands For Settlers.
1t is desired to render it impossible
for syndicates or corporations to obtain
any Of the segregated lands Of the
Choctaws and Chickasaws In the In
dian Territory which are to be thrown
open to settlement under the provisions
Of the Curtis bill, now pending IN con-
gress. Judge J. H. Sheppard and DR..
Il. N. Wright--the latter a full blooded
Indian-who are in Washington repre-
senting the Indians and the people Of
the territory, called on the president to
urge him to support amendments to
the Curtis bill providing that the lands
should be opened only to real settlers
The work OF Senator.
1t may be the very finest thing In the
world to be senator of the United
States, but there are statistics that
make a picture not so alluring by far.
G. G. Long, clerk to the committee on
coast defenses, OF which Senator Knox
is chairman, has kept count Of the let
tiers the senator has he'd to write this
session. He finds that on an average
Senator Knox has dictated 100 letters
a day. Assuming that senators work
under the old ten hour rule and that
no time is allowed for consideration Of
rate regulation, foreign relations or the
distribution of patronage, the senator
has had twelve letters an hour to write.
Filipino Punch Bowl.
There has just been placed in the Ma
tional museum the Filipino silver pur
chased by the war department at the
Portland exposition. The exhibit con-
sists of punch bowl, two silver wait
ers and gold and silver table service,
made in the workshop of Zamori, ma
tive jeweler and silversmith OF Ma
niIa. The lavish outlay Of precious
metals is startling and the execution
artistically superb.
The punch bowl is formed Of the
half Of a giant clam shell, its mottled
surface highly polished and the edges
heavily rimmed with silver 1t is three
feet long by two feet wide and deep
enough for a baby's bath. A pair Of
similar shells in the Smithsonian insti-
tuition weigh S02 pounds. The shell is
supported by three silver mermaids
swimming in a billowy surf Of silver.
Through the breakers are seen big gold
and silver fish. A fourth mermaid
stands beside the bowl holding a silver
shell to her lips. This bacchante Of the
brine, like her sisters, has a head as
large as an orange and is beautifully
nronortioned.
Exquisite Metal Work.
Each piece of the table service shows
a cylindrical body of solid gold Won
derfully etched and set on tripod Of
sugar cane stalks of frosted silver.
While they match In shape and mate
rial. each article Is individually design
ed. On the gold lid Of the sugar bowl
is the silver figure of Filipino carry
ing bundle OF sugar cane, The lid Of
the cream pitcher is surmounted by a
native dairymaid. On the coffee lid
stands figure laden with the leaves
ana berries of coffee plant, and the
little fellow on the teapot holds box
of tea. Each figure is the size Of big
mans largest finger. and all are exqui-
sitely wrought.
The gold cups stand on small tripods
OF silver sugar cane, and the spoons
have gold bowls and frosted silver han
dies formed OF tea and coffee leaves.