Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-10
Washington Life
The Inaugural Crowd, what II
win COST, Years Of Retired Prosi-
dents, ana . Budding Statesman.

| 9ne inaugural CroWo, What ~
win COST, Years Of Retired Prosi-
dents, ana . Budding Statesman.
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The Interstate Commerce commission has
made the discovery that the railroad laws
of the United States make absolutely no
provision for proper rate to charge on a
calf born in transit In the absence OF
such express provision the commission has
ruled that calves brought into the world
in this way shall take their first ride free.
The law was put to the test by two
calves born in a car that was conveying
the stock and household effects OF an Illi-
nois farmer on migration to Minnesota
by way OF the Chicago Great Western
railway. At the destination the freight
agent checked up the stock and found two
head more than the waybill specified. He
promptly assessed excess freight rates on
the calves.
The farmer kicked, but the agent said It
would be rebating to let the calves off
without paying fare SO the farmer paid
the excess, but was so peevish about 1t
that the railroad asked the commission
whether a refund would be allowable un-
der the anti-rebating statute. The COM
mission took the question under advise
ment and decided that the rebate should
be allowed.
The treasury has just rendered q rule
OF peculiar interest in a peculiar case.
The Commercial bank OF st. Augustine,
Fla, has a debtor who is required to
pay to the bank $50 every month. The
man has grudge against the bank aud
makes the payment as dlsagreeable to the
latter as possible. Instead of drawing a
check for the amount. he has been in the
habit Of turning over a double handful OF
silver coins Ten dollars Is in halves, $40
in quarters and $40 in dimes.
The other day Treasurer McClung re-
celved a letter from Thomas X. Cureton,
the cashier of the bank, asking for an
opinion as to whether or not he was COM
PEELED to receive the money I'm this shape.
He wanted to know whether under the
law the aggregation OF coins was legal
tender The law on the point is as fol-
lows:
'aThat the present silver coins of the
United States of smaller denominations
than 500 shall hereafter be a legal
tender in all sums not exceeding $40, in
full payment of all dues, public and
private"
Treasurer McClung replied that the bank
was not compelled to accept the money
as legal tender his opinion being as
follows:
''The object and purpose Of the pro-
vision was to Justify creditor In refus-
ing to accept a burdensome and ihcon-
venient quantity OF the smaller silver coins
in payment of a debt. 1 am therefore, OF
the opinion that the true construction OF
the act is, that a tender Of sum consist
ing Of the several different denominations
OF the subsidiary silver coins must not to
be within the act, exceed the sum OF slO
in payment of any single debt. IL follows
therefore, that in my opinion, tender
such as that described in your letter would
not be valid and sufficient in law"
Congress will assemble some day to dis
cover that some of the most valuable doeu-
ments In the possession of tho government
have been destroyed by fire. Cabinet or
Ulcers have been pleading for years for an
appropriation for the construction OF
Hail OF Records in which the old docu-
ments and papers OF the various depart
ments might be stored. Bills authorizing
the appropriation have been introduced
from time 20 time, and occasionally such
| DillS nave paSSeu ohe Di@ ~
only to die in another.
Recently a fire occurred in the Hooei
building on u street, near Fourteenth. In
a portion OF the building thousands oil
documents Of the Interstate Commerce
! commission were stored, and a vast ma
iority OF these valuable papers would have
bean destroyed had It not been for the
activity OF william Connolly, chief clerk
| in annnlnNtnK
force of men to remove them from this
burning structure. The fire served &c
/ illustrate two things-first, that the gov
eminent is sadly in need OF buildings Of
its own; and, second. that there is
pressing need for fireproof building t'
be used for the exclusive purpose OF stor'
ing papers which are not in daily use.
New bronze doors to complete the series
OF entrance doors 10 the Capitol have ar
| rived I'm Washington and will be placed II
the main west entrance OF the building
! The doors were designated by Prof. Louii
Amateis OF Washington. The design con
sists Of a transom and two doors with al
ornamental frame The doors are nearly
eight feet wide and thirteen feet in height
In the design OF the transom are Figures
which represent America in a charlie
drawn by lions and led by a child. signify
ing superiority OF intellectual over brute
force. Besides the chariot are figures
representing the the scholar. architecture
literature, painting. music, sculpture, min
ing, commerce. and industry. On one sld'
OF the transom panels is the figure Of
Thomas jefferson and on the other SIDE
a figure OF Benjamin Franklin.
Medallions at the four corners repre-
sent Peabody. founder OF educauona
institutions; Emerson. philosopher; Horace
Mann, educator; and Hopkins. merchant
and philanthropist.
In the eight panels, four on each OF the
heavy doors are scenes symbolic Of Juris
prudence, science, art, mining, agriculture
electricity. commerce and engineering, and