Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 January 1906 — WASHINGTON COSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON COSSIP

\ Dr. H. W. Wiley of the Bureau of Chemistry of the Department of Agriculture is making inquiry into, the sanitary conditions of cold storage. .It stands to reason, he says, that there must be'a limit to the period during which meat: and poultry win keep In storage in a state fit to eat.’ The coldstorage companies are on the side of the investigators, for obviously it is to their interest tw know trader what conditions food spoils, and to be sure of the state of perishable goods which they are sending out to their customers. The department has the use of a cold-storage plant in Washington for purposes of experiment, and will ultimately publish its conclusions in a pure food bulletin. It is interesting to learn that although at present the standards of this department have no legal force, yet by the natural authority which popular sentiment accords the work pf the bureaus, they have gained something of the effect which adequate legislation would give them. There have been seven marriages performed at the White House, where it Is, of course, inferred that the Long-worth-Roosevelt nuptials are to be celebrated. The first was that of Miss Maria Monroe, the youngest daughter of President Monroe, who was married in March, 1820, to Samuel L. Gouverneur, of New York. The ceremony was held in the famous east room, The most brilliant wedding ceremonies in this room were those of Miss Elizabeth Tyler and William Waller, of Virginia, and Miss Nellie Grant, and Algernon Sartoiis. The last wedding to be held In the east room was that of a niece of President Hayes. President Cleveland and Miss Frances Folsom were united in the blue room. The only other President married during his term of office was President Tyler, whose second wife was Miss Julia Gardners The ceremony was performed at her home in New York.

Congressman Frederick Landis, who in his maiden speech ih the House, flayed insurance grafters and high

financiers, is serving his first term in Congress.jand is one of the youngest members in that being just 34 years of age. He was born at Sever Mile, Ohio, in 1872, went to school at and “graduated in law at the University of Michigan. He

represents the Eleventh Indiana District, and his older brother, Charles R. Landis, repreuts the Ninth District Judge Ivenesaw M. Landis, judge of the United States District Court in Chicago, is another brother. Hitherto the department heads have had full power of removal of employbut were required to give to the person sought to be removed a copy of the charges against him, and to allow him a reasonable time in which to make reply. Under the new order, when misconduct is committed in the presence of the President or the head of a department, the person offending may be summarily removed from the service without a statement of reasons. Tn other eases the head of a department must file a statement of the grounds of remova', but ueed not give notice to the person who is to be removed. American farmers have been raising macaroni wheat from seed secured in the first place by the Department of Agriculture. Secretary Wilson cays that these farmers will send six million bushels of their crop to France, Italy and other parts of Europe this year. Half of ttys amount goes to the macaroni-makersV>f France.. Six millions bushels is a small amount in comparison with the total wheat exports, but six years ago tills country exported no wheat of this kind, and it was only five years ago that the first seed was distributed by the Department of Agriculture. Results of tnis kind amply justify the existence of the department.

Representative Browulow of Tennessee holds the record so far for Intro-

ducing bills at the present session of Congress. In thirteen days he introduced 347 bills. The total number of bills Introduced in the House In the thirteen days was 10,061, as against n total of 19,200 for nil sessions of the Inst Congress.

It cost Just $145,401.28 for the fourteen hours celebration attendant upon the installation of Theodore Roosevelt ns the twenty-sixth President of the United States. The matter has been computed by General John M. Wilson, chairman of the inaugural committee, that had the ceremonies in charge. This hum is about $50,000 more than it coat to Install any other man aa President* and about $140,000 more than it cost to swear In Thomas Jefferson as President

INSURANCE INQUIRY ENDS. Lesltlatlve Committee Adjourn* Afj.ter Unearthing Scandal. After four months of most arduous work the legislative (Committee ap- . pointed at an extra - session of the New York legislature adjourned Saturday night. Since midsummer through the workings of this comrnitporated under the laws of New York §tate, and many incoprorated under the laws of other States, have been subjected to a searching examination as to their business methods. The testimony has been sensational at many sessions, and in these four months, the public has watched closely day by day the developments. With the termination of the committee’s inquiry there comes to an end an investigation which in many ways marks an epoch in the country’s business history. It is too early to estimate the ultimate results of the investigation, but they eanno,t_fall to be ttar-reaching. When, .early in r the past year, the disagreement between James Hazen Hyde and President Alexander of the Equitable Life Assurance Society brought to light some of the peculiarities in tne administration of that concern, the public had not tha faintest conception of the true state of affairs as regards any of the leading companies. Even by the end of June the facts were but vaguely suspected. From the time the Investigating committee began work, four months ago, the process of turning up new scandals and instances of graft has been almost continuous. Hardly a week has gone by without its disclosures of fresh Instances of extravagance or private greed or new revelations of sinister and unsuspected relations between business and politics. The men directly affected by these disclosures have been some of the most conspicuous in public life, but hardly one of them has escaped suspicion, while many of them have suffered a loss of prestige- and reputation from -which ttiey never will recover. . . Not the least instructive feature of the inquiry has been the lesson It has afforded regarding the practical value of a legislative investigation when properly conducted. The public generally is prone to be pessimistic as to the utility of such investigations. Ordinarily they begin with much ostentation and high promise of results only to terminate in a perfunctory and valueless report. The New York committee, made up of men who were in earnest ami equipped with an able, tactful and aggressive lawyer, who saw his duty and did it without ’hesitation, obtained facts which will lead to real and permanent reforms. New and better laws and better methods of supervising insurance companies will be provided. Public sentiment as regards honest business standards has, been improved.

F. LANDIS.

MR. BROWNLOW.