The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1927-07-08
CL0SE-UPS In THE
NATIONS CAPITAL
(By Stephen james,

W 0'h@
When and if the Archives Build
ing is constructed under the pro
psed building program for the gov
eminent in Washington, the state
department will lose many of its
choicest historical treasures.
Each department has a precious
store of records and relics, but the
state department is custodian of
the most interesting and valuable
papers of the nation. Federal
statutes, treaties, executive orders,
proclamations and other papers of
grave Importance are carefully
stored and cared for in the base
ment of the state, war and navy
building.
In the archives of this depart
ment are kept the original copies
of all laws passed by Congress
since the birth of the nation.
While Congress is in session these
original copies are kept in a spec
ial vault at the department, and
at the end of each session they
are bound and stored in steel
cases. Each law before it be-
Gomez effective must bear the sign
atures of the speaker of the house.
the vi~ce-president as presiding Of
ficer of the senate, and the presi-
dent of the Uuited States. Not
only, then, does the department re-
tain these priceless historical doc
uments, but it is probably also the
greatest treasure house of auto
graphs in the country.
Early laws, written in flowing
hand on parchment, are bound in
calfskin. They form large vol
umes. Exchange treaties with
other nations also are indicted on
parchment and bound in vellum,
morocco and other expensive ma
terials. The actual treaty, on
which is the signature of the ne
gotiators, often is a rough draft
of the highly embellished copy,
containing interlineations, scrat-
ches and inserts, but it is after all
the real treaty between nations.
Altogether this nation has nego-
tiated approximately $50 treaties
with other nations, all of which
find their resting place in the
archives of the state department.
There have been nearly 1000
presidential proclamations, and
these are retained in the state de-
partment. Among them is Lin
coins Emancipation Proclamation.
Executive orders, of which there
have been more than 4,500, are
kept in the manuscript division.
The American conscience is a
curious thing. Evidently we are
prone to commit misdeeds of one
kind or another, and then to re-
pent of our transgressiOns.
What else a account for the
conscience fund" maintained by
the treasury department, which
year by year grows in size and
Importance. The Conscience fund"
so called is that heading given to
anonymous contributions from the
citizens of this great country in
repayment of some real or fancied
departure from the code.
The fund started back in 1911
when the first letter came bearing
/ five dollar bill from a person
who said he had defrauded the
government of that amount. Since
hat time there have been more
,r less regular contributions, some
lines in money, occasionally in [
of various descriptions.
The total amount thus restored I
the Treasury, records show, is {
approximately S560,000. One of {
he largest contributions arrived !
)ne day a few years ago wrapped {
n one thickness of yellow paper.
When opened 100000 in bills fell i
)ut. Another donor forwarded {
10000 in bills. No one ever sent
check, for obvious reasons, and r
o one makes payment in person.
People send in not only money, /
'ut stamps and curious other
hinpS Tbrea ~e1aotric light bulbs I