Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

Representative Ernest r. Alderman
Of New Jersey was not taking chances
on his "bumbershoot" that had been
with him nearly half a century. For
instance, the New Jersey Representa-
tive did not take along his historic UNI
brella when he few with Col. Charles
A. Lindbergh. In any event, an UNI
brella does not make much Of a para
chute, he conflded.
ured possession up in the air with him.
Even before he acquired what has be-
come his, remarkable umbrella, the New
Jersey Representative had begun to col.
lect stamps. Some years ago he obtained
in Philadelphia an envelope which
brought letter from Russia The post
age was paid by several sheets of Rus
sian stamps. 100 in each sheet, which
when folded together back to back,
made double strip Of stamps 1914 feet
in length, or, counting each side, a strip
strip was folded and refolded to con-
form to the size Of the letter, the whole
made q package which bears q Strik-
ing resemblance to an accordion.
II was this philatelic Oddly instead
OF his umbrella that Mr.. Alderman
took with him when he few with Lind
bergh. In all, the postage on the letter
was paid by ! 1925 stamps, each Of the
denomination of $50 rubles, making a
total face value Of 406,250 rubles. Be-
fore the World War this number Of
rubleS would have equaled $207,13750
IN United States currency. However, at
the time the letter was sent they were
only SUFFICIENT to pay the equivalent OF
Is cents worth Of postage, and Mr.
Alderman used the exhibit In one OF his
campaigns for reelection several years
ago as horrible example of what hap
pens when government starts up the
printing presses to turn out money with
no corresponding reserve in the treasury
to back up the issue.
It was the request of an employe of
the Plainf1eld post office to Mr.. Acker-
mans father for some Of the bright
stamps OF the 70s that made a phila-
telist OF the son. II the post Office en-
ploye wanted to save some of the
stamps. Ernest r. Alderman decided
that he would like to do so also. HIS
father was a patent attorney, and
stamps on letters from the Patent ONCE
were bright vermtllion. Those of the
War Department were red and Of the
Navy Department blue, and Ernest went
to the post ofice to get his fathers
mail.
It was small wonder, then, that the
lad had an album in 1873. At is he
was conducting q stamp business. and
II proved such profitable venture that
nve years later he sold his good-w
and list OF customers for 81 900. The
sale. however. did not terminate his in
terest in philately. On the contrary.
upon him to such an extent that he
has never been able to shake 1t off. His
acquisitions OF so years place him in the
'front.' rank Of collectors, not only in the
United States, but of the entire world
The medals and trophies awarded to
MN Tor his stamp displays at exhibit
tons include many Of the most eagerly
sought and hotly contested for because
OF tnelr significance, merit and prestige
Representative Joshua A. Giddinrs of
Ohio. in 1912, after having been ex-
PEELED from the House for an express
sion of his views on the subject of
slavery. was promptly returned to his
seat by his constituents In a subse-
quent speech he said: II will not speak
OF the time when Dawson of Louisiana
drew bowie knife for my aSsassina-
ton. 1 was afterward speaking with
regard to certain transaction in
which Negroes were concerned in Geor-
gfa, when Mr.. Black of Georgia, rails
ing his bludgeon, and standing In front
OF my seat, said to me: If you repeat
that language again, will knock you
down. 1t was solemn moment fer
me. had never been knocked down
and having some curiosity on that
subject, repeated the language Then
Mr.. Dawson of Louisiana, the same
who had drawn the bowie knife. placed
his hand in his pocket and said, with
an oath which I will not repeat, that
he would shoot me, at the same time
cooking his pistol, so that all around
me could hear the click"
When the compromise measures were
under discussion in April, 1850, Sen
ators Foote and Benton showed their
temper. In the course of a speech,
Fcote was making illusions to Benton.
The latter rose hastily from his seat,
pushed his chair violently from him,
and without remark or gesture moved
up the aisle toward Foote. who was
about 20 feet distant. Benton had no
weapon in his hand or upon his person
Foote. perceiying Benton's movements.
advanced to meet him, drawing and
cooking a five-chambered revolver
Members interviewed and order was re-
stored. Benton said q pistol had been
bought to asSassinate him. Focte re-
piled he had bought 1t only for self
defense. Benton replied that was al
Tays the pretext of the assassin.