St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-02-06
DOingS at Washington.
Azure Food Amendment.


An important amendment was adopt
ed last week that no part Of the money
appropriated for expenses in the enforce
ment of the national pure food law
should be paid to any state, city or dis
trict official, the amendment being based
on the theory that the states should
execute their own pure food laws and
the federal government to do the same.
To Continue Free Seeds Policy.
The House last week in committee of
the whole, voted to continue the free
distribution of seeds along the old lines,
and not according to the methods
recommended by the agricultural com
mittee in the appropriation bill.
The Service Pension Bill.
By unanimous vote of the House COM
mittees on pensions and invalid pensions,
acting as one committee, the McCumber
service pension bill has been favorably
reported to the House. The bill pro-
vides that all veterans of the Mexican
war or the war of 1861 who are 62
years old, may have a pension of $12 a
month. Veterans 70 years old are to
have SIS a month and 500 a month is to
be granted to all veterans over rs years
old.
Cannot Handle the Mail.
SO rapid has been the increase in the
postal business of the country that First
Assistant Postmaster General Hitchcock
has found it necessary to ask Congress
for an additional appropriation for the
pay of postoffice clerks during the re-
mainder Of the present fiscal year. He
has asked for $150,000 to cover the
salaries of 600 additional clerks until
the first of July. Appeals for assistance
are coming to the postoffice department
from all parts of the country. With the
present force Of clerks, postmasters re-
port, it is impossible to handle the great
volume of mail, especially mail of the
second class 1t is said at the postoffice
department that the increase of the mail
is due primarily to the increase in the
business of the country.
To Beautify Washington.
A great step toward making Washing
ton the magnificent and beautiful city
which its founders had in mind was
taken Wednesday, when the senate com
mittee on public buildings and grounds
reported favorably bill to appropriate
$10,000,000 to pay for all the land
embraced in the plan for the mall extend
ing from the Capitol to the Washington
Monument. Under the measure all tn
buildings and lots on the south side O
Pennsylvania avenue will be condemned
and the buildings RACED and the Ian,
added to the great green pathway.
Foster is Selected.
r The Loyal Legion of the District {
If Columbia is accustomed to make niue
t. Of its annual meeting and it is worthy {
n note that Vermonters have been selecte
5. two years in succession to deliver the ac
IS dress before that body. A year ago til
D, orator was Judge Wendell P. Stafford
1t This year Hon. D. J. Foster has been il
,r vited. Yesterday Congressman Fostt
t. went to Philadelphia to speak before II
er Union League club of that city at it's bal
+. quet in celebration of Lincoln's birthda,
m New Special Delivery Bill.
&C A bill has been favorably reported
" " the House committee on postoffices al
'e post roads allowing ten cents worth
Al postage stamps of any denomination I
oI be used instead of special deliver
~ stamp, providing the words special d
al livery" be written on the letter.
ne Among bills of minor Importance pas
CT ed last week was one increasing the So
aries of city mail carriers. The bill max
the first years salary 5000 with an a
les nual increase of 500 until maxirnu
no OF $1,000 has been reached Anoth
- bill passed increases the pension of all |
Tic dian war survivors from SO to $40
es. month.