The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-02-09
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Corresnondence.l

Colonel Pete Hepburn, the veteran
congressman from Iowa who was dc
feated for reelection. The colonel goe
out regretfully. He has been such al
active figure in the house and in de
bate that the atmosphere Of congress
has almost been his life, and he feel
that he win be lonely with the old as
eociations~ severed.
The other day he was standing in thu
lobby of the house looking at som'
views Of Alaska that were displayed
there.
''Do you know l would like very
much to see that country" he said t.
Congressman Oicott of New York, wht
was standing near by.
Eyes; it must be very interesting,
said Mr.. Olcott. 81 had intended t
make trip there this summer. bu
am afraid the extra session of con
gress will Interfere with my plans"
'"The extra session of congress viii
not cause me any Inconvenience" re
turned the colonel as he turned away
with sigh
"Chief Justice" Is Title.
"There are very few people who
know what the proper designation is
of the man who presides over the su
preme court" said Charles G. Bennett
secretary of the senate. Generally
he is referred to as the chief justice
Of the United. States supreme court
In fact, he is the chief justice. That's
his official title. Most of our presi
dents, in nominating men for this of.
fee, have fallen into the error of Civ
ing him the long title When George
Washington nominated Oliver Ellis
worth of Connecticut for this post he
described it as chief justice Of the su.
preme court of the United States An.
drew Jackson made the same error IT.
nominating Richard b. fancy. So die
Abraham Lincoln when he appointed
Salmon p. Chase. Grover Cleveland
was the first president to give the cor
rect designation. When he appointed
Melville w. Fuller he nominated hin
to be chief Justice and nothing else
Future nominations will be framed ir
this fashion"
Wealthy Toga Wearers.
1t is said that the two richest mem
bers of the senate are Uncle Ike Ste
phenson Of Wisconsin and Uncle Steve
Elkins of West Virginia. The millions
of each run up to a dizzy height, but
it is understood that young Senator
Guggenheim, of Colorado declares that
he can stack up millions as high as
either of his associates.
Guggenheim made his millions out OF
mining, Uncle Steve got his from West
Virginia coal properties and railroads
and Uncle Ike amassed his fortune
from the primeval forests of the north
west. Uncle Ike, by the way, has fall
en- into disfayor with his business as
sociates because of his advocacy of the
removal of the duty on lumber. This
is a political necessity on the part OF
the senator and is not prompted by the
wish to dispose of his timber holdings
at cheap rates, although he can well
afford to suffer a reduction in his iii
come.
f1OEorS For WFs hSyHOiQSs
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
James B. Reynolds has been honored
by having line of Limoges ware
named after him. This compliment is
paid in recognition of the successful
diplomacy by which Mr. Reynolds set
tied the long standing dispute between
the customs service and the French
manufacturers. Secretary Reynolds
tells pretty story of the clever trick
by which the officials of the govern.
ment plant where the rare Sevres ware
is made are accustomed to mystify Wis
tiers. The visitor is handed a vase OF
the most exquisite beauty and texture
and cautioned to be extraordinarily
careful of it because of its great value,
AS the entranced stranger holds the
vase and studies its charm suddenly
1t breaks in pieces in his hands. threat.
ening him with an attack of heart fail
ure. The trick is that the ware is so
delicately made that it is intended to
break unless handled by an expert
Some Queer Claims.
The consideration of the omnibus
claims bill by the senate has brought
to light many peculiar conditions-con.
ditions that existed years ago. The
claims are for everything Imaginable
and are presented at this late day
without any possible means of proving
them. For instance, one claim for
4,015 bushels of corn at rs cents, which
was taken forty-two years ago. An
other is for forty hogs at cents a
pound; another, 1880 rails ut $3 a
cord, constituting rail fence in some
states. hut there is no record showing
which states. Another claim is for
one good farm wagon, $50; another, a
set of blacksmiths tools, and another
for "two large navy revolvers fur
nished at said time and place, the just
value of same being $780," But the
most peculiar claim of all is for a
growing crop, 1000 bushels at 40 cents
a bushel =
Parks of Washington.
Exclusive of the capitol and Con
gressional library grounds, the Union
depot plaza and the botanical gardens
the city of Washington boasts more
than 6,O00 acres in parks, excluding
nearly 100 triangles and circles al
street intersections and miles upon
miles of shaded asphalt streets equa
to the boulevards of many other cities
The largest of all these parks is Rocl
Greek park. This beauty spot covers
1.605 acres Immediately adjoining th'
geological park, which contains IL
ooras and itS natural combinations 81