Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-04-04
MOTIFS FROM WASHINGTON
Especial CorrespondenceJ

years mas bJOOu III 'hN
aast front of the Capitol, has oruereo
by the House Of Representatives
IN ba moved to the Smithsonian nstitu-
tjon in this city. The motive behinu
the resolution is the protection OF the
statue against further ravages OF the
elements. While not Offering any par
tlcular objection to the proposition,
Mr. Mccall, of Massachusetts,, suggest
ed that q number of the statues In
"That Chamber of Horrors, commonly
called statuary Hail." might also be
removed.
Mo More Navy Yard Lay-offs.-Sec-
retary Metcalf has taken steps to pre-
vent the wholesale discharge of en-
ployes at the navy yards. Because OF
the serious lack of funds. 1t had been
planned to lay of large numbers OF
men on April 1. To avoid this the
secretary sent to the house COM
munication asking that $2,OOO,OOO be
made available for immediate use In
order that bills may be paid without
further delay. Assurance was given
at the Capitol that the emergency
would be made, and Secretary Met
calf so informed a committee, repre-
sentIng the working men in the vari-
Gus navy yards throughout the coun'
try, which called on him.
Death Calls Young senator.--The
senate on March 23, for the fifth time
in the present session, adjourned be-
cause death had robbed the body OF
one of its members. The announce
ment that Senator William James Bry-
an of Florida had died was made by
Senator Taliferro, who left Washing
ton as a member of the committee
which accompanied the body to Jack
sonyille. The death Of Senator Bry-
an who was familiarly known as the
baby" Of the senate, title in which
he took pride, came home to the SEN
ators with more force than any which
had preceded it. There was no other
subject of conversation prior to and
after the session that the fact that
the mortality record of the present
session is already greater than In any
previous entire congress.
Carter Appeals to Presldent-ober-
lin M. Carter, ex-captain of engineers
In the u. S. army, who was convicted
Of fraud and sent to Leavenworth
prison for Ave years, announces that
he intends to appeal to the President
for re-establishment in the army Capt.
Carter came out of prison at about the
time that Greene and Gaynor, the con-
him. were returned from Canada to be-
gin their prison terms. Carter will
base his demands for reinstatement
on the finding of Judge Kohlsaat in
Chicago that the money he received
came, not from the contracting firm,
but from the captains father-in-law.
Capt. Carter says that he was not able
to get this evidence before the court
martial, and that the then attorney
general, Grlggs, said: IF Carter real
ly got this money from his father-in-
law, he is innocent"
Postmasters Delegate Duties.--The
statement that many postmasters in
the larger cities do not earn their sal
aries, was made the other day before
the house committee on expnditures
in the postofiice department by DR..
Charles Grandfield, the first assist
ant postmaster general. He was ask
ed by a member of the committee If it
was not a fact that In many of the
larger cities and quite often In the
third class postoffices, the postmaster
frequently delegates the conduct OF
his once to subordinates and Simply
shows up at his desk for an hour or
two each day" DR.. Granheld replied
that undoubtedly that was SO. Il my
SELF" he said, know of instances
wherein practically the only work done
by the postmaster in connection with
the Ofice is the periodical signing OF
reports to the department" Chairman
Wagner asked DR.. Granfield If, In
view OF this state of affairs, 1t would
be wise to formulate a list showing
which postmasters in the United
States are efficient and do perform the
duties of their Office, and which are
incapable or negligent or both. Mr..
Grandheld replied that he saw no
good in compiling such list so long
as the postmastershlp is an office Of
political gift.
ronEak Nnnk.ot Aana. pok.a da
cision has been promulgated by the
interstate commerce commission in
which probably is the most important
case which the commission for a long
time has been called upon to deter.
mine. II Is that of the Cosmopolitan
Shipping company, Philadelphian or
ganization chartered under the laws OF
New Jersey, against the so-called Ham
burg pool. The complainant's pc.
tltlon was filed with the COM
mission nearly year ago. Some
time subsequently the defend
ants fled a demurrer, attacking the
jurisdiction of the commission. Oral
arguments on the demurrer were heard
by the commission. which were fol.
lowed by extensive briefs which the
commission has had under considera-
tion for several weeks. The opinion
In the case, which Is very voluminous,
was prepared by Commissioner Frank
lin X. Lane. II is an exhaustive dis
cussion of the law bearing upon the
sase and lucid statement Of the con-
clusions of the commission. The do
eision is peculiarly important not only
because 1t affects large interests which
hitherto have not been brought before
a judicial tribunal of this country, but
because II affects materially the pow.
ers Of the interstate commerce com
mission.