Evening star., 1900-11-29
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
The President Goes to Church in the
Morning,
CLERICAL FORCE Is ON DUTY
Effort Made to Recommend Pen
sioning of Ex-SIaves.
COLLECTOR BIDWELL'S CALL

| President Mckinley went to church this
| morning, and at the White House observed
| Thanksgiving by postponing official busi-
| ness until tomorrow. He was not in his
| office during the morning and no visitors
| called to intrude on the pleasant hours
spent with Mrs. Mckinley in the private
| apartments of the Executive Mansion. On
| returning from church the President did
not take up official business, receiving a
few close personal and official friends in
| the parlors. After luncheon, which is al
ways had between 1:30 and o'clock in the
afternoon, President and Mrs. Mckinley
prepared for their afternoon drive. This
| drive is seldom neglected. 1t usually COW
| ers about an hour, the driver selecting diff
| ferent parts of the city each day. The
| route seldom includes any of the business
! portion of Washington, the President pre-
| ferring the less busy and crowded localities.
A Turkey Dinner.
Dinner is served at the White House
about o'clock The President and has
wife have extended no formal invitations
for friends to partake of the Thanksgiving
repast, but they may informally inyite
some close friends during the day. The
w mite House Is run nlucT ike tne fIeSl-
dents home at Canton, or the home of
| American citizens generally. Should
friends call who are cordially welcome to
the fireSde they will be asked to remain
to dinner, thus freeing the hospitality of
all formalities.
The dinner will not be peculiarly or eX-
travagantly unusual. The turkey, an en-
blem in every home of prosperous condi-
tionS will decorate the center of the table.
The White House steward had three fine
turkeys to pick from for the Presidents 5
table this year. and naturally the best one
is to be used. In addition TO Rhode Is
land turkey, one having annually been
sent for thirty years, two other thought
full friends sent fine gobblers this year. One
was from Pennsylvania and the other from
Ohio.
Most of the office force of the White
House was on duty, as usual. The daily
flow of mail does not stop for Thanksgiv
ing, and, as the force can not afford TO get
a day behind there is little chance for hoii-
day. Secretary Cortelyou, whose work with
the President during the campaign was
quite exacting, broke his record by remain
ing at his home for few hours rest, reach
ing his office about noon.
Pensions for Ex-SIaves.
Efforts are making to have the President
recommend a pension for ex-slaves in his
annual message to Congress. Letters and
petitions Of various kinds are being sent to
the White House ON this subject. They will
not result in a recommendation. One of the
letters tells the President he would per
form noble, kindly act, which would bring
Its reward In the increased love and graft
tude OF every Afro-American heart by
calling attention to the matter in his mes
sage. 1t is stated that neither southern nor
northern men should object to pension Iegis-
lation Of this kind 1t is claimed that south
ern taxpayers are "cheerfully paying their
pro rata of war pensions and are educating
hundreds of thousands of negro children of
eX-slaVeS."
The petition continues:
Take the state Of Virginia alone last
year. the taxpayers expended on it's pub
lie schools s1,911, 264 40 OF this amount
over $500, 900 went for the education of the
negroes. In the last thirty years, that is,
since the organization of the present sys-
tenn Of public education Virginia has ex-
pended $40 100000. of which $15, 900 900 was
given to colored schools. The negroes
contributed in Virginias about 5 per cent
Of taxation frcm all sources and for all
purposes. This state of affairs exists in
nearly every southern state. 1t is neither
just nor right that the same taxpayers
should be compelled to provide alone for
hundreds of thousands of decrepit negroes
who rendered their owners in the days
of slavery little, if any, service. The ne
gro who was nineteen years old when the
war began, and whose labor had not paid
for the expense Of his rearing, is now a
sexagenarian, incapacitated, in many in
stances, for self-support, and partially or
wholly dependent upon charity for his
maintenance. That support is not under
the circumstances a sectional, but ma
ticnal duty, and the north should COM
bine with the south to bear the burdens
imposed by the war so far the ex-
slaves and their children are concerned"
Internal Revenue Commissioner.
West Virginia people believe that the
name Of Governor Atkinson Of that state
will be presented to President Mckinley for
the vacant commissonership Of internal
revenue. Governor Atkinson was at one
time an official in the revenue service and
in point Of qualification and general fitness
is the equal Of John w. Yerkes Of Ken
lucky, whose name will be presented as
candidate, unless he makes objection In
Importance and salary the internal revenue
bureau is regarded as higher than assistant
to cabinet officers. The salary is $1,000 a
year, and the number Of employees is large. |
Since the war revenue tax was imposed |
more than half Of the receipts of the gov |
ernment are collected from this source. The |
receipts from internal revenue are now |
much greater than from customs. i
Colonel Williams, the deputy commission |
err is regarded as formidable candidate by |
revenue matters and his ability.
Charges Against Mr.. Bidwen.
Prof. George Gunton Of New York is said
to be endeavoring to have President McKin-
ical activity in the last campaign by Col
lector Bidwell of New York. The charges
grow out Of the participation by Mr. Bid
we'll in the selection of a republican candi-
date for Congress from the fourteenth New
York district. William H. Douglass and A.
II. Steele were candidates and Mr.. Bdwell
Is said to have used his influence to secure
the nomination for Mr.. Douglass. 1t is al
legged that Prof. Gunton, who is student of
political economy, withheld his complaints
until after the election that the success of
the republican candidate might not be en-
The President. three or four months be-
fore the election, requested federal office
holders to refrain from activity in political
1t Is doubtful If the complaints
against Mr.. Bidwell will amount to any
thing.
The Arbitration Board.
Attorney General Griggs, who will retire
from the cabinet in March next is regard
ed as a possible selection by the President
as member of the international court of
arbitration to represent the United States
Twenty-six nations will be represented in
the court, each by four members The po-
sition is one of great honor The President