Evening star., 1948-03-14
Fifty Years AGO

telegram from st. Louis, printed in The
Star on March 7, 1893, announced: Secret
Service officers and deputy
Counterfeiters United States marshals have
Couoht arrested at De Soto, Mo-,
Joseph Cature, William SUIT
ton and William Mafitt on charge of making
and circulating counterfeit money. They are
now locked up at the Four Courts, and tomor-
row will be given q hearing before United
States Commissioner Gray. One of the men,
Cature, was night engineer at the De Soto
electric light works. He was captured while
making the spurious coins, and with him was
taken molds, metals crucibles and $50,
sutton is 81 years old and comes from Indiana,
while Mafhtt, who is but % years old is said
to hail from Nashville, Tenn These two men
have been staying in and about De Soto for
two months"
The Star half a century ago was carrying
many stories which 1t frankly referred to as
war talk" For example, the issue for March
8, 1898, explained that: "The Appropriations
Committee Of the House of Rep
Money for resentatives this morning unani-
Defense mously agreed to report favorably
the bill to appropriate $4,000
600 for the national defense. This was done
later and debate followed =. Public interest
was reflected in = large attendance in the
galleries. On the floor almost every member was
in his seat On the faces of the leaders on both
sides sat an air Of stern resolution, indicating
their deep appreciation of the grim business
upon which Congress and the country were
entering in making this vast appropriation for
possible war; Some members declared that
legislation enabling "a wise and patriotic execu-
tive to make proper preparations to maintain
the national honor" was "a peace measure"
One Representative was Kissed when he said
'he condemned any statement to the
effect that our relations with Spain we're other
than they had been for years past-perfectly
friendly
The Star Of March II, 1885, contained a
lengthy letter from Frank sewall in rebutal
OF communication from "a
Churches and bishop of the Methodist Epis-
Schools copal Church objecting to the
establishment Of a University
of the United States in the District of Column
bia. It had been complained by the bishop that:
1.-THE Catholic, the Protestant, the Hebrew, the
Theosophist and the Agnostic would have equal
claim to any of the positions which might
be at the disposal Of the governing board, and
each salary would be paid out of the Govern
ment Treasury; also that: The struggle for
place would be accompanied by political ami
mostly and religious prejudice and there
would be such an exhibition Of strife and ten
sion of temper as Washington has never yet
SEEN" Mr.. Sewall replied: What is true OF
this proposed highest Government school is
certainly true, on q small scale, Of every free
school in the land. AL these are open to just
this list of objections. The great public
institutions devoted to higher learning under
direct Government control here at the Capital
are doubtless at the mercy of Hebrew, Agnostic.
Catholic and Protestant officials appointed
under the baneful stress Of political influence,
and yet we are not ready to denounce the
Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, the National ACADEMY Of Science .