Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1905 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

Whenever the Senate debates develop into personal colloquies; when one man after another joins Ifi the discussion and remarks are made from the seats of Senators and the presiding officer is ignored; when the Senate becomes disorderly and needs to be admonished—then does? President pro tern. Frye call the venerable Senator Pettus, of Alabama, to the chair and watch the result. Pettus will not allow one Senator to interrupt another without first addressing the chair and through the presiding officer obtaining the consent of the Senator entitled to the floor. A running debate is very difficult under such conditions, and the colloquies are interspersed by interruptions of the chair, who declares first one anil then another Senator out of order. The Alabama Senator performs this duty with such an air of gravity and an evident desire for decorum that no Senator can take offense. The United States government, through the Department of Justice, has brought suit in the United States District Court at St. Paul to enjoin the General Paper Company from further operations. . The suit is brought under the Sherman anti-trust law, and its object is to break up a combination which is alleged to control the production. sale and distribution of paper in nearly the whole country west of Indiana. This conspiracy in restraint of trade, as described in the petition of tiie Department of Justice, is carried on through a selling company of nominal capital, the stock of which is held by 25 manufacturing companies. This selling company—the General Paper Company—is the exclusive selling agency for the product of all the companies, and limits the output, fixes the prices and allots territory. When United States Senator Philander C. Knox purchased the tine farm on which he now resides at Valley Forge lie engaged in the milk business, supplying his neighbors with the product of his thoroughbred herd. Miss Frederick, daughter of Dr. Charles Frederick, -who resides about a mile from the Knox farm, had for quite a number of years been supplying the villages of Valley Forge, but when placed in competition with the Senator’s herd the custoffiers of Miss Frederick began to fall off very materially. When it came to the ears of Senator Knox that he had as a competitor in business the pretty daughter of the aged country physician he proceeded to dispose of his cows, and since that time Miss Frederick has had an undisputed monopoly of the milk trade of Valley Forge. The total issue of the commemorative series of postage stamps for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition reached only 287,990,200, as compared with a total for the World's Columbian exposition at Chicago of 2.014,233.10 t). The issue was even less than of the special stamps for the Pan-American exposition at Buffalo', which was 324,070,000. The total issue of special stamps for the Omaha exposition, covering the two-year period, was 252,532,440. The only reason for the falling off in the number of these special stamps issued given by Major Reeves, chief of the stamp division of the Postoffice Department, is that such newness soon wore off, and the people were satisfied with the ordinary regulation stamp. One thing which Postmaster General Wynne mentioned in his annual report ought surely to receive prompt attention. That is the peril to railway mail-clerks through the use of mail-cars that are of lighter construction than the other coaches in the train. During the last fiscal year twenty-one clerks were killed and four hundred and thirty-nine injured. The position of the mail-ear in the train is necessarily dangerous. The government pays the railroads liberally, and has a right to insist that the cars lr> which the mail is carried shall be strong and safe. Russia has been informally notified by the United States government that owing to the limited time at tiie disposal of tiie short session of the American Congress further negotiations on the subject of the proposed RussianAmerican arbitration treaty will be postponed. Only those treaties which are of uniform model can be laid before the Senate this session. The gross postal receipts for the fifty largest postoffices in the country for December. 1904. as compared with December, 1903, show a net Increase of about 9 per cent. The highest increase was 2 per cent nt Peoria, 111. The receipts nt New York Incrcnsed almost (J per cent and Chicago almost 14 per cent. Secretary Ilay sent a second circular note to the powers last month regarding the second peace conference proposed by the United States. Practically nil the powers addressed have accepted the invitation in principle, while leaving open the questions of date and acope. Secretary Hay suggests that a further exchange of views be effected through the international bureau under tbe control of tbe permanent adtululatratlve council of Tbe Hague.