The age-herald., 1899-08-27
MEMORIAL BRIDGE FROM WASHINGTON
 ACROSS THE POTOMAC ID VIRGINIA

1 UMAC u VIRG|NlA prise has so impressed the secretary that he has given the idea much study and has had laid before him during the past week the surveys and plans of the engineers de- partment. The president is said ta be hear tily in sympathy with the plan and wishes it to typify the complete unity of the states and the destruction of the last ves- tige of sectionalism. At present, as the bridge is under the management of the war department, it's plans will be drawn up by engineers off the army
 They may lack many of the artistic and ornamental features which are neces- sary to the perfection of such a scheme, and the president is thinking of asking con- gress for the power to appoint commits sion of artists to act in conjunction with the war department so that the latter may conceive and prepare scheme for artis- tic ornamentation of the bridge and boule- yard to supplement the plans for the archi- tectural construction. He will also, at the suggestion of the secretary, propose a commission of forestry and landscape gar dening to have charge of the planting and care of the trees along the boulevard.
 It has been learned that the government will acquire the right of way with com paratively little cost. As the government owns large tracts of land running from the Arlington estates to the river by riparian rights, this could be utilized. The gov ernment also owns the reclaimed Potomac flats and also Analosta island, which IS directly in line with the Memorial bridge, and the plans adopted by the engineers provide for the erection of two of the big piers on the island. Altogether, the pros pect Is very bright for something tanglplo being done within the next year in regard to this great memorial of the civil and Spanish wars.
 Will Wait on Congre
 At the suggestion of Attorney General Griggs the president has decided to leave Porto Rico under the present form of gov ernment until congress meets. l learned the other day and gave a hint of it in these dispatches that the president would issue a proclamation putting Porto Rico under a territorial form of government. Secre- tary Root urged this step so that the peo- pie of Porto Rico could have access to these markets. That island is represented to be in worse condition than ever be- fore in it's history for the reason that it is practically cut off from the world. We have destroyed the intercourse between Spain and Porto Rico and substituted nothing in it's place. Secretary Root was of the opin- ion that the president had the power to issue a proclamation and thus make the island in fact part of the United States. This was the purpose of his visit to the president recently Attorney General Griggs, however, feared that 1t would be in conflict with the prerogative of the leg islative branch of the government, and thought, too, that it would be dangerous precedent to establish. After conference in Plattsburg tine matter was dropped, but the president has sent assurances to the Porto Ricans that he will urge congress to take this step as soon as 1t convenes. Sec retary Root is still of the opinion, though he was over-ruled by the attorney general that such a thing could be done simply as a temporary step pending the action of congress. He thinks the condition of the Porto Ricans admits of severe measures being taken.
 Although Secretary Root has been 0 member of the the presidents official fam fly for several weeks, still he has not been initiated into the secrets of the cabinet circle. It is unusual for a secretary to serve so long in cabinet without meet ing officially with the president and his ad- visors. The president will return by the first of September and the first cabinet meeting will be called for September 6. The initiation of new member of the cabinet is very simple though the older members always crack jokes about hazing the new member. Still, if any such per- formance go on they never become known, for the neophyte is sworn to guard the sec- rets of all that goes on in the cabinet chamber.
 Injustice to Mckinley and Griges
 A great injustice has been done Attorney General Griggs and the president by the report that they would soon close the Car ter case. The attorney general fearing that powerful friends of Captain Carter would believe this and feel anxious, he gave out lengthy interview to the Associated Press denying that he would settle this case and explain the mystery for some time to come. Carter, in the mean time, is
 
 his friends laugh at the puerile efforts which the right minded citizens are mak- ing to have this scandal cleared The att torney general denies that suspension of the case will free the contractors from monetary obligations, but the engineers and officers who have the making of such con- tracts, claim that such is the case. They have seen other contracts protected by the provisional limit in the criminal law They point to the fact that Carter pleaded the statute of limitations on two million of dollars of his thieving, and that the con- tractors will be able to escape on similar technicality.
 Race Trouble Increasing The feeling is growing here that the race trouble is being greatly increased by the continued publications which come from the south about lynchings and negro out ya Tho is noipted ant