Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 December 1897 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

The Government of the United Statev owns in the city of Washington 1,600,000 volumes of literature. Of these about onehalf, or 787,715, are in the congressional library. The remainder are scattered through the various executive departments. yhe daily number of readers in the congressional library averages 3,320. About 700 persons, including the members of both houses and high officials of the Government, are entitled to draw books and take them away from the building, and the average number loaned out in such a way is 1,440. It is a favorable commentary upon the honesty and care of our public men that during a period of thirty years the number of books lost or not returned was only five in a thousand. * * * Large numbers of petitions, supported by many signatures and uniform in their phraseology, are being presented to the House of Representatives. They ask the passage of a series of laws to protect the morals of the public. "For example, to prohibit gambling in stocks, produce, racing pools and other forms of speculation by telegraph, to prohibit the transmission of stock quotations for speculative purposes, and the transmission in the mails of newspapers containing pictures or descriptions of prize fights, to prohibit the exhibition of kinetoscope reproductions of prize fights and other brutalizing spectacles, and to prohibit the transportation from State to State of materials for such exhibitions. * * * The ladies of the cabinet are decidedly put out by the edict' that forbade their New Year’s receptions and the dinners that were to precede and follow. They do not see any occasion for it. The President did not ask or even suggest a suspension of social affairs. He told the members of his cabinet lie should close the White House for thirty days, although ho did not think it was necessary for them to follow his example, hut without consulting their'wives, they agreed to do so. The husbands have since had an unhappy time, and the Washington social world has offered them no sympathy.

The opposition to tho ratification of the Hawaiian treaty lias simmered down almost entirely to the sugar trust, the Louisiana planters and the beet,root sugar manufacturers. There are a few Senators who oppose the treaty on principle, as they believe it inexpedient for the United States to assume the responsibility of governing any detached territory, and several on the Democratic side have joined the opposition because they regard annexation as a Republican measure. * * * Chairman Loud of the House Committee on Postofflces has been working during the recess on the report of the committee on the Loud bill, and has practically completed it. He believes that the measure will effect a saving of at least $10,000,000 annually, and will wipe out the enormous deficit that confronts the Potsofflce Department every year. Mr. Loud believes the bill is much stronger this session than last, and, while not absolutely confident, thinks it will finally carry, -v '77T~~' The agents of the Cuban junta in Washington justify the assassination of Col. RUiz as necessary to intimidate the cowardly and corrupt men in their ranks who are likely to be allured into making terms with the Spanish authorities either through fear or bribery. They say that hereafter no Spanish agent will dare approach an insurgent eam£, and that it will be dangerous for any stringer to do so. * * * The distressing death of Miss Leila Herbert has caused a shock to her many friends and acquaintances in Washington. She was a young woman of beautiful character, gentle, amiable and generous, and was generally beloved and admired. Those who knew her best believe that her suicide was due to fear that she might be a permanent cripple.

* * * The pension certificate of the Rev. L. J. Keith of Vincennes, Ind., will be canceled, because the holder has informed the bureau that he does not consider himself longer entitled to a pension, his disability having disappeared, and lias asked that his name be dropped from the rolls. There is only one other such case on record. - —•— - - w -t— — * * * Secretary Wilson is greatly interested in legislation for the establishment of postal savings banks because he believes they are necessary to the prosperity of the farmers. It is sometimes an nil day’s job, he says, for a farmer to go to the town where the nearest bank is situated, while there is a postofflee in every village. - .* a. .• The copyright department is a most important branch of the Government, and indicates an enormous increase in literary and mnsical compositions and iii designs which are susceptible to copyright. In 1870 the number of copyrights granted teas SJJ2I: in 1880, 20,686; in 1890, 42,758; in 1896, 72,470. • * * The recent report of the Comptroller of the Currency shows that the savings banks of the United States are mostly confined to the northeastern section of the country. Nearly 80 per cent of the number of banks and amount of deposits is represented by New York and New Egland. * * * The committee appointed by the Society of the Army of the Tennessee to secure the erection of a monument to Gen. George B. McClellan at Washington has held its first meeting and elected Adjt. Gen. Ruggles chairman. • • • Ink erasers are not allowed in either the War or the Navy Department except under the direction of a chief of bureau, and no one is allowed to erase an entry in any official record book without explanations and express permission. • • • The sale ts postage. stamps for the last quarter of the year 1897 was the largest In tbe history of the country.