The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-21
ROOSEVELT NOT WORRIED.
Losing No Sleep Over Party Defcc-
tiOns.

Losing No Sleep Over Party Defec-
tiOns.
Washington, June 19.-President
Roosevelt is not losing any sleep over
the detection in the Republican party
growing out of the Cuban situation.
He goes right along doing business at
the old stand, in his own way and in
his own time, deducting a liberal pc
Rod each day for exercise and general
recreation. He must realize that he
cannot depend upon the veteran poli-
ticians in the Senate and the House,
to take lessons in what is known as
machine politics from youngster,
such as he. 1t is because the veterans
do not relish his methods that they
are lukewarm in carrying out some Of
his recommendations in matters where
political issues are supposed to be
involved.
Rows in Republican conferences and
threatened splits in the Republican
party do not seem to have the slightest
effect upon him. He receives the bolt
ers and kickers with a glad hand when
they come to the White House, and if
they are. very persistent, he manages
to grant them some personal favor for
their trouble in calling upon him. Pc
culiar though his methods may be, he
has succeeded in accomplishing what
neither President Cleveland, President
Harrison nor President Mckinley could
accomplish during their respective adj
ministrations, and that is to induce
Congress to make provision for the en-
largement of the White House.
Much time and considerable money
has been spent in previous years. in
the vain effort to get an appropriation
through Congress to provide for elab-
crate alterations to the White House.
1t did not take President Roosevelt
long to make up his mind that he and
his large family need more living rooms
in the Executive Mansion. He quietly
invited an architect to make a survey
of the situation, prepare plans and
give an estimate of what he thought
ought to be done. When the details
were completed, the President called
into consulta ton the leading members
of the House and Senate Committees
on Appropriations, and told them what
he desired in the way of improvements
for the White House His suggestions
were adopted and at the present writ
ing the work Of renovating that his
toric old mansion is going forward
The plans contemplate the elimina-
ton of all official surroundings from
what is hereafter to be the Presidents
home. A complete transformation is to
be made on the lower or ground floor
where the state apartments are locat-
ed, and on the upper floor, rooms now
used as offices Will be converted into
sleeping apartments. A temporary
building to the West Of the main struc-
ture will be erected where the Presi-
dent and his official staff will perform
their public duties. This great change
in the White House has been brought
about simply by the perseverance Of
the President.
River and Harbor Work.
These are busy days up at the War
Department, especially in the office of
the Chief of Engineers. The passage
of the River and Harbor bill in spite
of the threatened veto by the President
causes general satisfaction throughout
the engineer department, and steps are
already being taken to make out the
work to be carried forward during the
coming fiscal year, which does not be-
gin until July /.
1t has been nearly three years since
a river and harbor bill passed and
many of the projects then underway.
have suffered from neglect One of the
important works TO be renewed is that
at Savannah. where Representative
Lester, as a member of the River and
Harbor Committee, has secured a lib
eral amount OF money to carry on the