Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1902 — WASHINGTON COSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON COSSIP

President Roosevelt has a map which Would make the study of geography a joy to any sqhool boy. Twenty feet long and eight feet high, it covers an entire wall in a White House office, and represents the entire world. Different Colors show at a glance the possessions of the twelve powers, with a character of their principal cities. Submarine cables, railroads, steamship lines, mail routes are all distinctly traceable. The naval and military forces of all nations are indicated by miniature flags. Those representing the United States bear the names of cominnnders, and nre readily shifted as the forces move from place to place. The cavalry, artillery and infantry .ire represented by flags of their respective colors, yellow, red and white, giving the number of the regiment and the letter of the troop, battery or company. Even the smallest hospital corps is marked by a tiny red cross. Ships of every class are shown by red, white and blue flags bearing the name of each and the number of her guus. The adjournment of Congress was followed by a very rapid exodus of Congressmen. Engagements to make Fourth of July speeches took many of them away, but anxiety to get in touch with the voters at home and explain this and that measure and their votes thereon is the chief reason why few of them lingered. The political pot in Washington, however, never ceases its boiling, and this year the fire under it will be kept especially hot. The congressional elections next November are looked upon as a sort of barometer that will indicate what kind of political weathey is likely to prevail in 1994. Both of the congressional campaign committees will have headquarters in Washington, and there will be many more Congressmen in town during the summer months this year thap usual. All of the leaders will make periodical visits aud the lesser lights will drop in at frequent intervals to recast their horoscopes aud to get their confidence on straight again. Evidently the administration officials anticipate a report that a clear title can be obtained to the Panama canal route. The Secretary of State has commenced negotiations with Mr. Concha, Colombian minister, for a treaty under which the United States will complete and occupy the Panama waterway. The treaty will follow closely the lines of the protocol or preliminary arrangement and Will be valueless unless the Attorney General finds that a clear title can be obtained from the new Panama company. Mr. Knox is expected to start for Paris about the first of August. A recent decision in the French courts favorable to the Panama company, involving a question of ffs title, brought by a'stockholder in the old company, has gone far toward removing what little doubt has existed of the ability of the new company to deliver a clear title. As a result of the war in the Philippines the armies of the civilized world may have a new implement of warfare. The bayonet now carried by American soldiers is practically of no value, and many officerslhink that it is simply loading down the soldiers with useless weight to make the bayonet part of his equipment. But the bolo used by the Filipinos has commended itself to many officers as a sensible weapon, aud on the recommendation of those officers Gen. Crozier, chief of ordnance, has had made fifty bolo bayonets, which have been issued for experimental purposes. '|*his bolo bayonet has two cutting edges, like the natrfe weapon, and is much more formidable than the present service bayonet. The more progressive officers advocate abandoning the bayonet, as they point out that the day of the bayonet charge is over and there will be no more hand-to-hand fighting. , An interesting and significant bit of feminine orideism was overheard in the Senate gallery one day shortly before adjournment of the session. Senator Vest had just tottered from his seat to the cloakroom, on the arm of the faithful “Uncle Jimmy” Edwards; Senator Hawley had tried unsuccessfully to push open the door leading out of the Senate chamber with his failing strength; Senator Hanna had gone hobbling down another aisle leaning heavily on his cane and Senator Platt of New York had gone toddling to his seat, slinking with the palsy: A woman in the gallery who had noticed all these infirmities turned to a friend end exclaimed; “Mercy, I should think this ought to be called the ‘Old Men’s Home’ instead of the Senate of the United States.” An automobile lawn mower has been set to work on the greensward of Capitol Hill. The new machine resembles both a steam road roller and a steamboat whistle. A huge brass dome, surmounted With a brass smokestack, is mounted on a pair of rollers. Ahead of she front roller is fixed a Inwn mower mechanism, over which sits the chauffeur. The little machine puffs up the hills and swings around and goes down ngain, while the grass flies up in front like a green fountain. It cuts about three times the amount of grns that can be laid low by the old one-horse machine, which it superseded. With the President away and Congress adjourned the national capital had a comparatively quiet Fourth of July. All the government departments were closed for the duy, and these, as well ns the business seetious of the city, were deserted. The census bureau, in a report on the slaughtering and meat packing industry of the United States for the census year 1900, says that during that period capital invested has grown from $8,482,500 to $189,198,294; the number of wage earners from 3,279 to 08,534, and the vnltie of products from $11,981,042 to $785,592,433. In Minnesota 312 rural delivery routea have been established in the past yeurj In Wisconsin 418, in South Dakota 99, and in North Dakota 19.