The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-03-23
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
Especial Correspondence

| convention the other day. He assured
| the convention that the government
welcomed most gratefully the interest
of citizens in every branch OF activity.
| He said he was especially interested
in the matter which had brought the
delegates of the convention together
| the improvement OF the consular ser
vice. Secretary Root said the bill
which passed the Senate, and which is
now before the House, would greatly
! improve the service. He expressed
the hope that the action already taken
by Congress would be indorsed by the
| convention.
To Punish "Lcakers"-The Senate
! passed a number OF bills on March 13.
| One OF them provided for the punish
ment OF government officials for the
premature divuIsence OF secret infor-
nation OF government bureaus in such
matters as the crop reports, and an
other grants executive authority in the
| matter Of the construction of bridges
over navigablc streams. Mr. Simmons
made the only speech of the day on
the railroad rate question. Mr.. Till
man announced that he would seek to
have the rate bill taken up for con
sideration each day Immediately after
disposing of the routine business.
To Preserve Old Frieate-Now that
he has advanced the Boston Custom
House matter as far as he can, at this
time, Representative Weeks is getting
active in behalf of the plan TO preserve
the frigate Constitution. He is not
very hopeful that the committee on
naval affairs will provide for rebuild
ing the old vessel in the naval appro
priation bill, but says there is enough
sentiment in favor Of that project In
the House to warrant hope that il will
be successful there Mr.. Weeks is
getting some figures about the cost OF
rebuilding the Constitution, besides the
navy department estimate, which is
now in possession of the House naval
committee. This estimate is under
stood to be from 100000 to $500. 600.
but Mr.. Weeks says he has reason tc
believe the ship can be reconstructed
for much less As soon as he gets
something definite 10 work on, NJ"
Weeks says he will introduce bill
and push it before Congress, regard
less of the attitude of the naval com
mittce toward an appropriation ct
100000 for rebuilding the Constitu
tion Mr.. Weeks says there is all the
sentiment in Congress necessary TO
pass such bill. The members Of the
public building committee, who recent
~ returned from Boston. all say they
favor preserving the Constitution.
After Aged Clerks-The aged gov
crnment clerks in the departments
were subjected TO a scathing fire III
the House recently. They were de
clared to be spcndthrifts. living idle
lives, improvident and Indifferent 10
the future, and dependent in their old
age upon the charity and 'mush
hearts of Congress. Representative
Gillctt of Massachusetts. chairman OF
the committee on reform in the civil
service. defended thai service, but al
lied himself with those who favor q
clause in the present Legislative appro.
priation bill, providing that clerks shat.
be summarily dropped from the ser
vice at the age Of 20 years and bc re-
ducCd in salary at 60 and 50 years
They come here" he said, amid laugh,
ter, with skin as fair as your sweet
hearts, as soft as the down on the
wings of night, enter the departments
full of ambition. plan to do sOmcthinS
better, gradually fall into slothful
WAYS Of ease, abandon all idea of ever
doing anything else, and finally wind
up parched. wrinklCd, worn out by in,
anity. WASHINGTON is the spendthrift-
lest city in the world" Representa-
tive Grosvenor. himself graybeard
of 20 winters defended the aged clerk.
He uttered a warning TO the young
men of America against entering the
government civil ranks, declared that
the life of a clerk unified a man for
ambitious cndCavor. but he said he did
not believe the retirement plan good
one. He favored law providing for
rotation in Office, clerk being allowed
| to serve only five years.
Only One State-On March =. at o.3J
u. m. the Senate passed bill FOR the
admission of new state to be called
| Oklahoma. and to be composed of the
territory of Oklahoma and Indian Ter
ritory. II was the House Joint State
| hood bill with all the provisions re
lating to Arizona and New Mexico
stricken ont The motion To strike oui
was made by Mr.. Burrows, and II was
carried by the close vote of 81 tn ~
after having been lost by the still
closer vote Of 81 10 80. The vote on
the Statehood bill came as the Gilman
of day devoted exclusively To tha'
! hill The speech.making excited com
| paratively little interest. but there was
| pronounced excitement throughout tn
voting period. and it eliminated wher
| tbc success OF the motion TO eliminate
| \rizona and New Mexico was an