The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-11
NEWS AND
 GOSSIP FROM WASHINGTON
DY WALTER HARPER

cultural department and during the fol- | lowing year he began to rise rapidly in this department The agricultural de- partment at that time was just beginning | to develop into the important organiza- | ton that it has now become. McCabe grew with the department. He was made
 law clerk at $500 a year and his success l was assured.
 | Solicitor McCabe is the kind of man that finds his own way. If his position does not suit him he makes one, for him self that does suit. He won the confi- dence of Secretary Wilson and the Secre-
 tary came to depend upon the young man for all his legal advice. There was no of- flee of solicitor at that time and McCabe
 wrote the bill creating the office at an increased salary of $2500. Congress passed the bill. He also provided that the solc- tor should have assistants. This was also passed by Congress
 Through his direction the appropria- | tions for the agricultural department rose | rapidly from $3,000,00O to s15,000.0 900 year. The country has been benefited by this great expansion in the department and but few people know that the young man who tried to run pr. Wiley out of the de- pertinent is responsible for this expan- sion. So firm has been the hold of the solici- tor on Secretary Wilson that the latter rarely ever decided against the solicitor in a controversy over the enforcement of the pure food laws. There are more than 500 cases held up on the records of the office of the bureau of chemistry that Dr. Wiley declares should be prosecuted. McCabe rules otherwise and he is sup ported by Secretary Wilson.
 McCabe knows no chemistry, makes no pretense of knowing any, but up to the ecent shake up, if it was real shake up, locomotive fireman-lawyer has been the absolute czar of the pure food laws. Solicitor McCabe has always felt sure of his position. This is probably due to his hardy physique acquired while shovel ing coal on a mountain railroad and aug mented by his most remarkable success since coming to Washington.
 He has stated positively in face of the threats of the President to give the agri- cultural department general renovation that he will not resign in a thousand years. No one believes that he will eyer resign unless he is asked to do so by the President or Secretary Wilson. The sec retary will not ask him to resign unless he is forced to do so. and 1t is believed he will himself resign before he will do it.
 McCabe has been useful to the depart ment and is pretty secure in his position
 in spite of the fact that the friends of pr. Wiley are clamoring for his head
 More than 15.O00 people visited the initial Sunday opening of the new National nut scum at the foot of Tenth street. just to the rear of the Central market. last Sun day afternoon This building has just been completed and the exhibits are be- ing installed. Two floors have already been stocked with exhibit sfrom the old building and many new exhibits gathered from all parts of the world.
 The Smithsonian Institute has only been opened heretofore on week days and at such hours of the day that has prevented great portion of the people of Washington to attend. The hours have been from 9 in the morning to 430 in the afternoon. This is work time in the na- tional departments and thousands of peo- pie living in Washington have never seen the exhibits.
 Most of the visitors have been visitors from out of town 1t was decided to open the new building every Sunday afternoon for three hours and last Sunday was the first day of such opening. The officials are greatly pleased with the attendance.
 When all the exhibits are in place and all the floors opened the attendance is expected to be much larger every sunday
 Large crowds are also attending the Corcoran Art gallery. which recently be- gan opening for the public on Sunday aft ernoons.
 While excavating under an old log cabin near Logansport, Ind. J. w. Olson found an old Jackson penny These pen nies were issued by President Andrew Jackson in 1887. Only few were issued and they are considered very valuable. The pennies were issued as sarcastic slam at the Secretary Of the Treasury for his sowness in issuing currency. Tine penny is of the old large copper style On one side is the picture of tor toise bearing a treasure box on his back Around this are the words 'EXecutive Experiment" On the other side is a pie ture of the democartic mule and the words, 'Illustrious predecessor. l follow the footsteps of it.
 The discovery just at this time is con sdered most significant among politicians of both parties. Various interpretations are being advanced, none of them over encouraging to the present administra- ton.