Evening star., 1940-01-21
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star
The proposal Of Chairman Vinson Of
the House Naval Affairs Committee to

Inc pIopoSaI OF chairman VlnSOn OF
the House Naval Affairs Committee to
cut $500,00o,0 900 from
Pleo foro the $1,000 900 900 cur
Bigger Navy rent naval bill would
have sounded fantastic
to the Congressman of so years ago.
The Star Of January %. 1890. gives the
following account of naval matters then
under consideration:
Secretary Tracy, Admiral Shufeldt
and Captain Davis of the Navy outlined
their views upon the policy that should
govern the Congress in building up the
Navy before the Committee on Naval
Affairs this morning. The Secretarys
remarks were in accord with the rec
concentrations In the annual report. He
advocated the building Of eight line-of-
battle ships at cost of 5000, 900 each.
This would give us q feet with which
we could meet the navies of other DOW
ers In offensive warfare. The steel build
ing works of this country we're in a posi-
ton to supply all the materials needed
Shufeldt argued against the utility of
the monitor type of vessels for modern
warfare and Captain Davis took issue
with him"
In another report from the Capitol
on the same date, The Star discussed
''bossism" in the House
Porty Rule at in the following vein:
the CopitoI The Democratic side
Of the House is beginning
to groan under Speaker Reeds rulings
and threatenings arise that unless ne
changes his course the members of that
side will introduce a resolution to the
effect that he is arbitrary, unjust, par
tisan and partial. Those who threaten
such a resolution admit that 1t cannot
pass, but say it will go upon the Record
and be the first instance of the kind in
the history of the House. Speaker Reed
would doubtless vigorously defend him.
self against the charge of personal un-
fairness, but the filibusterings and un-
called-for delays which have charac-
terized the Houses proceedings during
the past four years call for the energetic
exercise of all the controlling power
which the presiding officers possess. If
the Speaker can succeed in securing
prompt action and business-nke pro-
ceedings in the business of the people
he will be entitled to far more credit for
his efficiency than to cens,re for i'm
perious methods"
Tha Star Of January 81, 1890, reported
an echo Of the famous Sullivan -Kilrain
prize fight, one of the clas-
Echo OF q sizes of the pugilistic worlds
Fomous A dispatch from Purvis,
Fioht Miss, read as follows:
Yesterday morning the
cannon ball train of the Queen & Cres-
cent Railroad arrived here with Special
Agent Jayne, having in custody, Null
doom. Donavan and Cleary, arrested for
participation in the Sullivan-K Kilrain
prize fight. They had some difaculty in
finding any one to surrender to, but q
deputy was finally telegraphed for in q
neighboring town, who came in and
took charge Of the party. He nxed $1,000
as bail and agreed to accept Charles
Rich, on whose premises the fight took
place last spring, and not to inconven-
ience him the deputy went up to his
place with them to take the bond. They
say they were handsomely treated by
Agent Jayne, but are not 50 fiattering
In their remarks about Inspector
Byrnes."
Not anticipating the fate which ulti-
mately was to befall the word, The Star
Of the same date editorially
Help for demanded the deletion Of
Weak superfuous consonants from
Spellers the word catarrh, the SPELL
ing Of which must have
been something Of bother to reporters
half q century ago. "When," The Star
asked, will the common man
knock on the superhuous and h. and
boldly spell It catar2 The public is only
waiting for . leader in this much
needed reform"