Evening star., 1917-03-04
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THB STAR

In IND DIAN
The action of Congress this week in
agreeing to legislation granting the
government clerks of
Clerks Paw the classified grades a
r-s scaled increase of pay
comes at the fiftieth an
niversary Of similar action. Just half
q century ago legislative relief of the
same character, but in more liberal
terms, was granted the public service
employees. to be operative for one year,
as a consideration for the increased
cost of living then prevalent. In tho
scale has remained stationary. In Tho
Star of February 8, 1867. is tho follow
ing news announcement:
''The House this morning took action
on the bill granting increased compen-
sation to the clerks in the civil service
Of the United States at Washington.
adopting amendments to include the
employees at the Executive Mansion and
the lamplighters under the commits
sioner of public buildings. The Sem
ate amendment exempting from the
benef1t Of the increase all employees OF
the Treasury paid by the day or week
was stricken out. In answer to a Ques-
tion. Mr.. Garfield of the ways and
means committee explained that the
reason why the employees at the navy
in the hill was that their wages were
regulated by the wages in outside pri-
vate shops. and had been increased at
times during the war. The Senate
afterward concurred In the House
amendments. So the bill needs only
the signature of the President to be-
come a law. We congratulate the
clerks on receiving this need of JUS
tice. tardy though it is
One of the most popular forms of
public entertainment fiftv years ago
was the tableau. Some
Mi1fnnian very elaborate represen-
tations of historical and
AaoAeauA' literary themes were Of
fered to the public, and attracted large
crowds. In The Star Of February 26'
1867, is an item about one OF these
enterprises:
"Mr. F. c. Gardner, the advance agent
Of the Miltonian tableaux. is now in
the city making arrangements for
second appearance at Odd Fellows
Hall, after an absence of one year. The
citizens Of Washington have not for
created at that time in the minds Of
every one who witnessed them. We
have never had SO popular an exhibi-
tion in our midst. Milton's glorious
and vivid description Of Satan. from his
proud fall from the imperial heights
- uaovoy f,nff1 he fS cast from ft4
crystal borders and finds a resting
place in a great gulf outside, is brought
before the audience in grand and
thrilling style. Those who have read
Ieaux a perfect picturing Of the gor-
geous and majestic scenes thus de-
scribed. Full of beauty. touching.
tender. pathetic. solemn and sublime,
the effect these tableaux leave upon
the mind fingers long after. like the
memory Of summer day dreams. or
comes back to us in thrilling longings
as something we have once seen and
yet would see again"
Pocket picking was one of the mos
prevalent forms Of crime half cen
tury ago. Whether thii
Pickpockets was because OF the easier
access to pockets which
On 1Ialns. the costumes of the tin'
afforded or to greater skill on the par
Of the artful dodgers of that day il
not to be determined. A favorite place
Of operation was the railroad trains
whereon the pickpockets piled their art
persistently. In The Star Of February
81. 1857. is a paragraph on this sub.
ject:
During q month past the railroads
have been infested with a great mum
her of thieves and pickpockets, operat'
ing wherever opportunity offers. Sew.
eral robberies have been reported, anc
upon the trains between Washington
and Baltimore a number of the light:
fingered gentry have been seen and
driven off Yesterday. we were in.
formed, q covey Of eight noted thieves
were put OF the train at Annapolis
Junction. and a number of others were
seen. The southern trains from this
city were infested by them for a time
during the winter, and several losses
Of considerable amount were recorded
the main body, but the operations on
the Maryland roads indicate that the
thieves are coming this way agan. The
detectives are on. the lookout for
them"
It is not uncommon now to note In
the news columns of The Star an
announcement that
mono, sufroo. some state leEisla- l.
ture has passed a
in Kansas. bill. or an amend
ment, looking to the enfranchisement
of women Fifty years ago. however.
such paragraphs were extremely rare.
In The Star of March 1. 1857. is found
this interesting item:
"It is not unlikely that Kansas will
be the first state of the Union to con-
fer the franchise upon women. joint
resolution has passed both branches
Of the legislature providing that the
proposition to strike the word male
from that section Of the state constf-
tuition which establishes the qualifca-
ion Of electors shall be submitted to
the popular vote"
At no time during the difficult days
Of reconstruction following tho civil
war was there a serf-
Reconstruction Gus disturbance in