Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-02-20

UldnC VI Vic
or Cabinet officer, as rule. more
than eat up salary allowances.
The grounds surrounding the White
House are very much overrun with
squirrels. About two years ago 200 of
the little animals were liberated in
Lafayette Park. just opposite the Ex-
ecutive Mansion, and ever since their
numbers have increased rapidly
Those in the White House grounds
have become so tame that they will
eat from the hands of the people who
display enough interest to stop and
pet them. On days when the sun
shines brightly they are much in evil
dence in the trees, on the lawn, in
the shrubbery, and the younger
Roosevelts often stop to play with
them. A special friend of the squir-
rels is the big policeman who is sta
toned in the day time just east of the
main entrance to the White House.
He always carries nuts in his pockets
and they know how 70 get them.
They also appear to know the hours
when the clerks in the State, War and
Navy Departments go to and from
their work, for they line the walks
through the grounds at these times
and expect food from those who pass.
The other day one of the more bold
of the little fellows walked right into
the vestibule of the Presidents office
and would have gone in farther had
not screen prevented.
AS the present session of Congress
draws near close the talk of an extra
session increases, but whether the
President will call a session at an
early date after the 4th of March can
those in charge of affairs in either the
Senate or the House. Senators and
Representative deny all knowledge
of any such purpose on the part of the
President, but often these lawmakers
assume an attitude of utter ignorance
and indifference when it is known
that in doing SO they are only playing
the part of craftsmanship. Persistent
rumors are afioat however, that an
extra session, to be very brief one,
is really to be called and not a few
secretaries, clerks, and other Con-
gressional employees, who appear to
have "inside" information. are max
ing plans to remain at their posts
several weeks after the 4th of March.
Washington is always in favor of an
extra session. 1t means more money
for the hotelkeepers and the mer-
chants. 1t prolongs the entertain
ments in the social set and provides
amusement for the floating population
which makes Washington it's home
only as long as Congress remains.
Just now Washington is the mecca
for candidates who are seeking posi-
tions in the new state of Oklahoma.
Many of the fat plums will be ready
is admitted to the sisterhood and from
the large number of applicants who
are already on the ground, so far in
advance of the time the territory will
become state, it looks AS if the be-
lief among them is that the first come
will be the first served The President
has given all inquirers to understand
that he will pay no attention to pat
ronage until the state has been ad-
mitted OH July 4th, after which he
will listen to the appeals to be made.
Probably the federal judgeships are
regarded as the best positions and the
fight for them is shaping faster than
for the other places. Every wire at
the Capitol is being pulled by the
candidates but the President remains
firm in his determination to wait un-
til July before making appointments,
so it is likely that "back to Oklaho-
ma will be the order of proceedings
among the candidates, until later in
| the year
Machines for milking COWS are in
high favor with the milking experts
of the Agricultural Department who
have been making tests with device
which shows many advantages over
the time honored hand-power method.
The object of these experiments is to
pass upon the question as to whether
machine.milking is more sanitary
process than hand milking and the
experts have declared in favor of the
| former, claiming that the milk will
reach the consumer in a condition as
near as possible TO that in which it
is drawn from the udder of healthy
COW. There is also considerable time
to be saved in milking. The new
device is operated by either hand
or foot power, and one or two cans
can be MIXED at option. In the
operation of the machine the COW s
teats are encased in cups attached by
rubber piping to suction pump and
| the milk is drawn from the udders by
intermittent suction. The expert
ments made with this device not only
demonstrate its practicability but also
show material reduction in the
percentage of germ life present under
the hand milking methods. The ma
chine has already been installed by
several large dairies
The Navy Department is taking an
T..