The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-01-06

l.
ception and introduce her daughter,
Miss Alice Archibald, into society early
in the coming year.-Representative
Morris is a whist player of some note
and has been quite sought after by
society leaders who give whist parties.
Mr.. and Mrs. T. E. Byrnes of Min
neapolis are located in Washington for
the winter Mr. Byrnes has SO much
business before the departments that he
finds it necessary to spend a great deal
of time here for the present. A report
of an agent of the American Bible So
ciety from Manila contains paragraph
with reference to a Minnesota man.
Rev. Mr.. Hykes, who makes the report,
says that he was Furnished with letters
of introduction from our excellent con-
sui general at Shanghai, the Hon. John
Goodnow. Private r. I. McKenney,
late of the Thirteenth Minnesota, arrived
last week in Washington and will re-
main with his parents during the win
ter. He is son of Charles r. McKen-
ney, enrolling clerk of the house.
Charles A. Towne,l formerly member
of congress, writes to friend here in
Washington that he is too busy to come
to the national capital at present, but
expects to be here during the last of the
session. Merriam is
talked of for secretary of the interior
and for governor of Porto Rico. 1t is
said he will encounter no opposition
from Senator Davis for the latter place,
Legislative Notes.
The United States senate has con-
frmed number of Minnesota men who
were appointed in the volunteer and
regular service during the recess. They
are Colonel Charles McC. Reeve of the
Thirteenth Minnesota to be brigadier
general of volunteers, Eleutheros H.
Cooke, William B. Folwell, William K.
Naylor, John R. r. Hannay, to be Sec
ond ieutenants in the regular army,
and Charles Fl. Whipple, Jr., to be Sec
ond lieutenant in the regular artillery.
Daniel q. Beebe was confirmed as assist
ant surgeon in the Senator
Nelson has introduced a proposed
amendment to the sundry civil bill ap-
propriating 100000 for an addition to
the Minneapolis public building
Representative Eddy secured in the
Indian appropriation bill a provision for
the establishment of an agency at Leech
Lake, Minnesota. For a long time it
has been thought necessary to have such
an agency. 1t would have cost the
United States government 81, 800 year,
but congress is often times parsimonious
and pays for it in the end. The cost of
the recent outbreak there would have
paid for an agent during all these past
years and for many years to follow
Senator Nelson does not often take an
interest in District of Columbia legisla-
ton, but through the request of friends
here he has put in a bill to regulate the
telephone monopoly which has refused
to abide by the legislation of congress
affecting it. Congress provided that
telephone rates should be $50 year,
but the monopoly still holds it up to
$125, and has SO far defied the law
Tams Bixby, chairman of the Indian
territory commission, came to Wash
ington and stayed long enough to get in
the Indian bill everything he wanted.
For New White House.
There has been a great deal of talk
for several years past that new execu-
tive mansion was needed. The White
House at present is totally inadequate
for the president, his family, the official
functions he is compelled to give and
for the Office of the president. Every
Office room in the building is crowded
with clerks and desks are stacked up in
such manner as to seriously interfere
with business. Nothing has ever come
of the proposed enlargement of the pres
ent White House, because several men
of prominence in the architectural world
have decided that the present grounds
are not large enough for such extensions
as would be necessary to make the pres
ent building meet the requirements.
The present White House would have to
be torn down, and there is sentiment
against doing anything of that kind, a
great many people preferring that the
building which was occupied by many
presidents, and especially Lincoln,
and made historic by him, should re-
main as it is. Any wings or extensions
would destroy the looks of the present
structure and make it a monstrosity. A
practical suggestion has recently been
made to congress that the government
should take some vacant land directly
north of the present White House, about
a mile and a quarter distant, which is
reached by street as broad as the great
wide Pennsylvania avenue of historic
fame, and there erect a suitable build
ing for the president. A plat of ground
of about 80 acres could be secured and
building erected on the heights over
looking the older part of the city of
Washington, and in plain view of the
Capoitol. The United States is GER
tainly great enough to do this and the
people of this country would not be.
grudge giving to the chief magistrate OF
one of the greatest nations of the earth
a proper and fitting abode IN the ma
tional capital.
Retaliation Clause.
The agricultural appropriation bill.
now under consideration in the house,
contains retaliatory clause, by which
foreign countries which discriminate
against American products can be con-
WINGED that two can play at the same
game. The clause is as follows:
The secretary of agriculture, when