Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-08

Inc wv ueep waterway boosters au-
thorized by the New orleans convention to
camp in Washington until congress sup
plies the wherewith to dig her deep
through Dixie" can hardly fail to make
an impression. But numbers do not count
In results as effectively as the backfire
methods OF modern lobbying. The Phiia-
delphia Press gives editorial prominence to
the lobbying system that impresses Wash
ington, and how radically II differs from
the ways of bygone days. Money was the
motive power then. 1t is equally neces-
sary today, but Il works I'm less dangerous
ways. 1t is clean money and is spent
legitimately. Hundreds OF thousands Of
dollars" says the Press, have been spent
In securing laws that are now on the
statute books. This money was used for
educational purposes, and It was not used
In Washington. 1t was spread out over
the whole broad land. 1t was used in
educating the voters in congressional dis
tricts as to be the necessity Of such laws.
1T has been estimated that the reclama-
ton act cost its original advocates no less
than $4,000 For years systematic and
valuable work was carried on to impress
the people of the country with the justice
and necessity OF government aid for irriga-
ton. The lecture platform, pamphlets and
periodicals were all used. A popular senti-
ment was aroused and congress responded.
This is up-to-date lobbying. II is the
method used by the advocates of every i'm
p~ortant general piece of legislation. 1t is
also used by the opponents Of such legisla-
ton. Its purpose is not to work directly
upon the congressman in Washington, but
to work upon their constituents and con-
vince the latter that It is to their interest
to have certain laws passed. II the con-
stituents are convinced they will do the
rest. Few congressman refuse to listen to
the voice of the people Of their districts"
Most persons in the big cities have seen,
usually on top Of federal buildings, a little
instrument which in some respects re-
sembles a horizontal windmill"-disks or
balls revolving rapidly around a spindle.
When the wind is blowing sufficiently hard
to make one pull his hat on tight these
little disks or balls revolve so rapidly that
they appear to be a circular streak.
The instrument lie called an thermometer.
1t is used TO record the velocity Of the
wind, and up to last week Il has performed
its task faithfully, with never a hitch.
n few days ago, however, when q typhoon
swept over the Philippines, one of the in
struments was called upon to register such
an velocity hat 1t baked. 1t
was blown off it's feet, so to speak. The
machine recorded a wind velocity up to 1856
miles an hour and then 1t stopped. That
was the limit, No provision has been made
TO register the speed of a flash Of lightning.
As a result Prof. willis Moore, weather
bureau chief. has turned his attention to
the construction of q machine on a new
principle designed to Withstand any storm.
The death rate among the retired general
| offirava of the aFmu during the last fauT
weeks exceeds that of any other period of
equal length. and is spoken of as start
ling by the elder officers. No less than
seven general officers have died within as
many weeks. These were Lieutenant Gen
eral Henry c.. Corbin, 81 years Of age;
Major General Elwell S. Otis, Il; Major
General Alfred E. Bates, 81; Major General
O, o. Howard. 49, Major General Robert F.
Hughes, 20; BrigadieT General r. c. Drum,
81, and Brigadier General Alfred S. Kimball,
90. Although some Of these officers were
long past middle life, in less than half of
the cases can their deaths be attributed
to causes incident to advanced age. Alto
gether forty-nine retired officers have died
so far this year.
The United States register or BLUE
Book" which has been published bien-
nally since 1917, was OF over four thou
sand pages In two large volumes in 1905.
Before 1917 the germ of the publication
had been appearing for over twenty years
In the shape of simple lists of govern
ment clerks transmitted to congress by
the secretaries, but in that year provision
was made for issuing regularly a COM
plete register. There was a time when
the blue book was a convenient size for
the pocket, though containing a full ros-
ter.
During washington's administration the
secretaries Of state, Treasury and War,
Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton
and Henry Knox, transmitted the names
Of their clerks 10 congress, and in 1898
Secretary Hamilton forwarded to congress-
a general list of clerks, agents and en-
ployes on the government rolls. This lat
ter, being printed, wal the first blue book
or register. The government was then in
Philadelphia, and In the three departments
there were less than $50 names, two
thirds being in the treasury.
The tide OF official travel is setting
Washingtonward this week for the first
time in three months. The city is still
practically deserted by high place holders
an almost unprecedented condition this
late IN the autumn-but the signs of a
| BonGIdl return p0bAl " APPgHAs IA -
due to the prospective arrival OF Presi-
dent Taft November 10.
Since congress adjourned, August Z, the
nine members Of the cabinet have been
taking vacations OF doiI & their work at
home most Of the time. Assistant sec
retaries and bureau chiefs have followed
suit to an unusual degree.
The president in the course OF his long
journey has kept up with more important
work, but a big grist will be awaiting him
when he walks into the brand-new offices,
now as good as completed. II Is taken for
granted in Washington that he will post
pone the contemplated trip to Panama be-
cause of the brief time before the assem-
bling Of congress and the great amount of
work he should dispose OF before early
December. There will be but three and
a half weeks in which to prepare his an
nuai message and hold the numerous po-
MticaI conferences that generally :eecede
a session Of congress.
There are 2g6 varieties Of c~hrysanthe-
NUNS on exhibition at the Department Of
Agriculture's annual show this year,