The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-02-08
DOWN AT WASHINGTON
Interesting Notes from the National
Capital by 6. A. Wood, Special
Reporter Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 3, 1912.

Washington, d. c., Feb. 3, 1912.
A New York light house keeper Is
asking for a divorce because his wife
is a poor light house keeper.
The woman who is picking the ten
prettiest of her sex in the various
cities has more nerve than discre-
ton.
Porto Rico has applied to the gov
eminent of the United States for aid
in establishing a department Of agri-
culture.
The London steer that climbed to
the top of a tive-stOry building was
only anticipating his inevitable des-
tiny.
A $35O,OOO edifice, to be known as
the Washington City Representative
Church, a monument to Christianity
in the south, will be erected in Wash
ington by the Methodist chuhch
South.
Insects do more damage than fires
to the forests of the United States,
according to report Of A. d. Hop
kins, in charge of forest insect in
vestigations for the Department of
Agriculture.
The report that three hundred old
square grand pianos are to be burned
to make spectacle for piano deal
ers' convention ought to increase the
crop Of socialists in these days of fuel
scarcity.
There's no limiting the activities
of the government highbrow scien-
tist He has just Matched couple
of mosquitoes from eggs sixty mil
lion years old. And then killed the
poor things for fear he'd contract a
prehistoric case of yellow fever.
That Postmaster General Hitch
cock has not backed down from his
stand for government ownership of
telegraph and telephone lines is
shown by his annual report, just
made public, which contains a rec
ommendation for such government
control.
For the fifth time, A. p. Prioleau,
South Carolina negro, is contesting
the seat of George S. Legare, DEM
ocrat. The contestant contends that
legal voters were denied the right of
franchise and that on the face of af-
fidavts of the voters he is entitled to
election
According to statement made by
DR.. Wiley before the house commit
tee on agriculture, anything brand
ed maple sugar or maple syrup,
if sold outside of the state in which it
is made. is the genuine article Dr..
Wiley added that the government is
keeping an eye on interstate ship
ments of these articles and that eX-
perts can now detect any adultera
ton amounting to per cent.
The Foreign Affairs Committee
Of the house has reported the diplo-
matte and consular appropriation
bill, which carries So, 2,541. One
of the important new provisions of
the measures is the provision that here
after expenditures from the secret or
emergency fund of the state depart
ment shall be subject to inspection,
when required by the chairman of
the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The senate has passed the chill
dren's bureau labor bill, which
authorizes the creation of bureau
in the department of commerce and
labor for the collection of informal
ton pertaining to the welfare of
children and child life. Special
authority is given to investigate
questions Of infant mortality, the
birth rate, orphanage, juvenile,
courts, assertions, diseases, accidents,
occupations, legislation, and like
subjects.
A new definition of food will be
written into the statutes if Congress
enacts an amendment of the pure
food law presented by Senator Cal
linger. The new definition classified
under food" all articles used for
food, drink, confectionery, or condi-
ment, by man or other animals,
whether simple, mixed or compound.
1t is believed that manufacturers of
adulterated goods will find it difficult
to get around this specific definition
of what is or is not food.
The democratic leaders of the
house have agreed upon a new sugar
tariff which they believe will reduce
the retail price of the commodity at
least two cents a pound. This bill,
which will soon be reported to the
house, abolishes the differential in
favor OF refined sugar, does away
with the we'll known No. 16 Dutch
color standard, and levies a fiat rate
OF one cent a pound upon the sugar
content of all grades of sugar. The
change would sacrifice $2O,0OO,OOO
in revenue, which loss is to be made
up by reducing the IS per cent tariff
on manufactured rubber goods of Is
to 20 per cent, and by placing five
per cent tax on raw rubber, which
now comes in free. Cheaper rubber
goods would result and fully $780,
100000 would be added to the an
nua1 revenue.
There will be no appropriations
for battleships or public buildings at
this session of congress, if the eco
nomical democrats of the house have
anything to say about it. This is
the decision arrived at in caucus.
The elimination of battleship ap-
preparation came as surprise, the
caucus having been called for the
purpose of considering a public
buildings measure covering an ap-
preparation of $16,OOO,OOO recon-
mended by the committee on public
buildings and grounds. Representa-
tive Burnett of Alabama precipitated