Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-10-25
WADSWORTH DISPATCH
WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, Oct. 81, 1901.

Washington, the Southern negro ed
ucator at a family dinner with the
President at the White House. South
ern comment upon the incident has
been promptly condemnatory of Presi-
dent Roosevelt for what is considered
a significant instance of social
equality" More conservative people
are inclined to the view that the presi-
dent, as any other man, has the right
to choose his private guests at his
pleasure. But few who know the Presi-
dent really believe that in honoring
Washington as he did he meant to be-
come the examplar and champion of
indiscriminate social equality.
The annual national convention of
the devotees of Spiritualism has been
in session here the past week, evoklEg
the usual lively decates between the
believers in the cult and those who de-
clare it a system of delusion and
''fakirisms." Nevertheless the repre-
sentatiyes Of the faith formed a body
Of earnest speakers who voiced no un-
certain faith in the realities OF a spirit
world imminent upon our own visible
world and whose citizens IN yet cap
able Of communicating with sympath-
etc souls still in the flesh. Occultism
of any kind has a fascination for the
curious and the convention was largely
attended.
A local organization has been effect
ed to promote the building OF a fitting
Mckinley Memorial in this city. There
is nc purpose in this to interfere with
the work Of the national commissioners
appointed by the President to futher
the erecting in Ohio. Yet 1t is difficult
to figure out how two such projects,
each calling for a couple of millions of
dollars. are to be exploited simulta-
neously with success. 1t is to be hoped.
however, that both plans can be carried
out in fullests achievement.
The announcement that General
Miles. the head of the Army, will re-
port in favor Of the law abolishing the
wine and beer canteens from the army
exchanges. has produced a sensation
in the pro-canteen camps. The beer
dealers are especially Hurried over the
report and fear the influence of it upon
Congress. An effort is to be made
this winter to ecu the repeal Of the
prohibitory law but 1t is not likely to
succeed. A Congressional investiga-
ton will precede any legislation on the
subject and that inquiry may develop
facts that will support the law and con-
vince Congress that the prohibition is
a wholesome measure for the army.
The transfer Of the army school for
engineers from Wilket's Point, New
York. to Washington Barracks, in this
city, has been effected. One Of the
best modern schools of army engineer
ing in the world is to be equipped for
the training of u engineering corps.
This is one of the most important
branches of the military service and
the honor men who graduate from
West Point are assigned to 1t as a
mark Of merit. With our new pos
sessions that must be occupied and
their reconstruction on our level of
civilization, largely directed by our
army officials, the engineering school
became a doubly important institution.
At the White House there has been a
great coming and going Of public men
during the past week. The President
has been seeking the views of many
leadersof his party concerning the topics
Of his first message and the legislation
that must be most urgently stressed in
the near future. Then the office hold
ers who were first appointed by Pres