The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1912-06-28
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
IN THE NEWS FIELD.
Delay With Rivers And Harbors
Bill Will Not Retard Au-
thorlzed Work.
Arouslng Nation Wide Interest
Page At Baltimore Conven-
tion Proves Youthful
Politician OF Nerve.

WdSuiukOOu, -. VI, JUNE <i-(Opc
cial. lowing to the absence OF 81
many members Of the senate ant
house from Washington, no attemp
has been made To reach an agreemen
on the rivers and harbors bill thi!
week. 1t Is not probable now that
the measure will be perfected in time
for the presidents signature before
the close OF the fiscal year.
| Fortunately, however, this will not
result ia any particular embarrsss-
ment To the corps OF engineers In
the various wcrks Throughout the
country Those projects which have
already been authorized will proceed
just as though the appropriations
were made available, and while 1t will
be impossible to begin the new works
provided for In the bill now pending,
the practical certainty that the
measure will soon become law as
sures the continuance Of the general
policy OF Improvement Of the water
ways beyond any question.
PHOSPHATE FIELDS.
Great Interest Is manifested
throughout the whole United States
10 the development Of the phos phate
deposits 10 the Southern states. 1t
is asserted that many millions OF dol.
lars worth Of fertilizers have already
been extracted from the phosphate
rocks Of Florida, the Carolinas and
Tennessee, and that prospecting is
proceeding In number Of other
states with excellent prospects OF
success.
In the meantime the agricultural
department has been advised that a
chemist OF New York has perfected a
method OF doubling the available SOL
uble phosphoiic acid OF every ton OF
the rocks now Ia sight and which may
hereafter be uncovered.
The department expects as a result
OF the experiments made with this
new process that the plant food OF
the phosphate rock deposits will be
doubled In value and that the agri-
cultural Interests OF the country will
he bene1tted thereby, because OF the |
reduction in price Of all |
fertilizers Of which 1.-The component |
part uf chief value" is extracted from
these southern deposits.
A YOUNG PAGE.
There Is a youngster among the
pages al the democratic convention
In Baltimore who gives promise OF be.
coming distinguished politician
when he attains few more years. He
IS Harry Schaeffer, a "kid" OF little
more than thirteen, the son OF an Of
lclal Of the navy department.
En- ployees OF the federal civil ser.
'ice with large families do not have
'ery large bank accounts as a rule,
md Harry's father is not an exception
. the rule. Tho boy conceived the
deA Of earning his own way. II
He remembered that Representa-.
i've Hobson Of Alabama, was en-
aged 10 trying to block the entrance
0 the harbor OF Santiago about the
| me he, Harry, was born. He inter-
iewed Mr.. Hobson. and calling atten.
ion to the fact that his father was
onnected with tho navy department,
sked the cx'captaln to secure him
lace as page on the floor of the
ousc OF representatives. Captain
l0oson was taken with the enterprise
the youngster and complied with
10 request.
Harry concluded that he would like
see national convention "from
lie inside" He borrowed a type {
ritter and wrote out half a dozen +
tiers OF recommendation for him. {
II. These he took to Speaker Clark, +
ader Underwood, and other promi. s
mt democrats, and asked their sig. {
ltures. They all complied with the +
quest. Then be wrote an applica. {
% to Mr.. Urey Woodson, secretary (
the national committee, and en-. +
'sed the letters. Mr.. Woodson in f
ter to Speaker Clark promised the (
pointment and added that such 5
ungster is too good politician
be kept down. (
That's how it happens that among 5
pages at the convention In Balti. {
re Ia Harry Schaeffer, some day
'tlned to be known as more than a
ye. D.
POLITICAL INCIDENT. =
The rather warm proceedings In
lcago during the past few days
re brought out all sorts OF remi. 9.
Genres OF previous hot political
tests.
: gentleman from Oklahoma tells
an incident which occurred In Ard. tr,r
re, when that town was 10 the old dec
Ian Territory. r. L. Williams il a titi
lie fellow, weighing not much more s6 ent :
hundred pounds. Georye
1sfield is a six footer, and is all =
e and sinew. They sat opposite L
other at hotel dining table on by
occasion when Mansfield made The
iher nawsty" remarks about those Hs Dea