The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-11-26
, 1901.
WASHINGTON LETTER

present practice. he will be known In
history as the great American enter
tainer. Mrs Roosevelt must know him
well enough 10y His lime TO make her
breakfast. dinner and luEchcon orders
ample. for until the time comes She
never can tell how many will Ice round
the board over which she prcSidcs.
When luncheon time comes, the pres
Weut glauccS around his office and
SAYS. We'll. lets all 90 and have some
luncheon. and marches i'm at the head
Of the company that happens to he
with him. whether il is one man or a
dozen. lie has had somebody az din
ner and usually three or four every
night since ne has been in the White
House The number at luncheon viii
average three a day and there have
been dozen guests at breakfast NJ
various times.
These meals are not formal affairs.
The guests 90 in and take pot luck.
The Roosevelt menu is simple. The
president believes i'm plenty of plain
food Usually oysters or CLAIMS. a soup
n roast and some simple dessert make
the dinner Sometimes there is am en-
tree and oftculimcN some dish like
chicken pic Camc is frequently served
Mrs Roosevelt Is charming hostess
and is never ruflicd. even when the
president bursts into the dining room
at The head of half a dozen guests
when there are seats provided for
three she would not Ice surprised if he
came in with twenty, us he will some
day without doubt
Troops For the Philippines.
The Philippine army will he reduced
10y 10000 mon within the next Few
months by tho expiration Of enlist
mentS. and the officials Of the war de
partmcut are making preparations to
meet that deficiency by the prompt
transfer of troops from the United
States
Final action In that regard awaits
only the approval of the secretary of
war Troops and transports are ready
to start for thc Philippines n soon a.
he gives thc word II Is expected that
the first expeditions VIII start from san
Francisco within a few days on the
transports Grant and Meade and that
more troops viii Doe forwarded later
from New York 10y way ~ the Suez
canal ON the transport Crook.
The reductions viii %" gradual and
viii pc met from time To- time by fresh
troops as required. These arrange
ment> are prcdicatcd on the belief that
it will boz necessary To maintain the
Philippine army al MS present strength
Of about 4uo00 men for some time TO
come.
No cabinet Changes Now.
According 20 one who claims 10 know
what he q, talking about. those enter
prisiug gentlemen of the press who are
tearing President Eoo~cyelt'N cabinet
To pieces and building mp "a new one for
him may save themselves q deal Of
trouble il they viii only stick 10 facts
No cabinet changes are contemplated
at the present time or in The near fu-
ture. What may occur months or years
hence is not worth specializing about.
II is true there has been a little anX-
iety concerning the health of Secretary
Root. For several months Mr. Root
has not been well. He has been trou-
bled with many bolls and carbuncles.
and his blood has evidently been I'M bad
condition. The secretary has been in
such state that he was an right II
matters turned for the better and all
wrong if they turned for the worse.
Fortunately. they have turned for the
better
Additions To the Capitol.
Further additions 10 the United States
capitol are suggested 10y tie annual re-
port Of the architect, which has been
made public al the department Of the
interior This report for the last fiscal
year not only reviews the marked
changes which have been made in the
historic structure during the last year
or two and gives list Of the various
statues and objects of art in the build
Ing but proposes that new building
be secured or erected at little distance,
something on the order Of the Maltby
building for the senate apparently, III
which members Of the house can have
their offices and in which can be located
the lighting and heating plants for the
capitol
The New Knox Home.
Mrs Knox. wife OF the attorney gen
eral. and her daughter. Miss Rebecca
Knox. have arrived IN Washington and
taken up theii residence at their new
home in Is street. which was the former
home OF Mrs Childs of Philadelphia.
The stables Of tho attorney general
have been enlarged, and the house is
undergoing the most careful changes
aud is being superbly equipped for so
cial entertainments
Washington society expects much Of
the attorney general and his agreeable
family. and. though neither Mrs. Knox
nor her daughter are fond OF the mad
whirl Of social affairs, their house I'M
doubtedly will be the center of attrac-
ton for the young folks of the official
set.
Water For Fighting Fire.
The District commissioners have de-
cidcd to place in their forthcoming
estimates to congress an item for
500, 900 which viii enable the Dis
trict authorities to establish what is
practically an independent water
service for the business section of the
city, to be used for fire protection
only. The new service WILDE entirely
separate from the other, and special
street hydrants will be erected.
Mrs James G.. Blaine, ST.. and her
daughter. Mrs. Harriet Blaine Beaie,
have returned TO their X street home
after a summer in New England.
James c. Blaine and his beautiful
young wife have settled in New York
for the winter. but it is expected that
the bride will visit both her own and