The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-25
HOUSE REPAIRS
SERIOUSLY INTERFERE WITH THE
WINTERS SOCIAL PROGRAMME.


The Historic Mansion Undergoing
Changes That will Make Il Like
New PIace-Democratic Leaders
Well Pleased with the Political
OutIOok-The President and the
once Seekers.
Washington. Oct. 24-Soeial and off,
cial Washington is returning to the
city. and making elaborate prepara-
otins for busy winter. President and
White House improvements completed
before the social season opened. but
from present Indications, their expec-
tations in that direction may not be
realized. Workmen are laboring day
and night to carry out the plans of
alteration, but it is generally believed
that the Christmas holidays win have
come and gone before the Great East
Room and the state apartments on
the first floor will be in condition to
permit the official levees and state din
ners to be held.
Social Washington will be greatly
disappointed If these state functions at
the White House this winter have to
be abandoned as is now probable. The
President and Mrs. Roosevelt planned
to make all previous social seasons at
the mansion seem tame compared with
the programme of entertainments as
they had arranged. Mrs. Roosevelt
has already established a national rep
utation for lavish and unique enter
tainments and society is keyed up to
a high state of expectancy as to what
further treats and surprises the pop
ular mistress of the White House has
in store for her guests. Unless the
contractors are mistaken in their cal
culations there will be no opportunity
for public entertainments at the
White House until after the New
Year opens.
1t Is now conceded that mistake
was made in extending the scope OF
the repairs and Improvements. beyond
the original plans. 1t was we'll near
midsummer before the White House
was turned over to the contractors. AS
the work progressed numerous altera-
tions not originally contemplated, were
suggested and adopted, Many of them
were rendered absolutely necessary by
the decayed and unsafe condition of
portions of the building, heretofore
supposed to be secure. In addition to
striking workmen, it was not possible
to obtain, Immediately, all of the ma
terial, not specified in the original
plans. After the tearing out process
had advanced to q certain stage, il
was. impossible, or impracticable, at
least, to turn back, so the contractors
found themselves confronted with a
task which should require a full years
time, and they were expected to COM
plete IL within a few months. 1t Is
now conceded that it might have been
more satisfactory to have postponed
the improvements until after the close
of the coming short session of Con-
gress, so that the workmen might have
had full possession of the White House
from March until December, 1903. How
ever, President Roosevelt has the fac
ulty of overcoming apparently insur-
mountable difficulties in state affairs
so ne may be able to make his SOCIAL
programme for the coming season.
Encouraging reports.
There are so many encouraging re-
| ports received by Chairman Griggs, at
Democratic congressional headquarters.
| that President Roosevelt may find
| himself with a Democratic House of
! Representative on his hands, after the
fth of March next. In spite. of the fact
| that Democratic speTlbinders are re-
| quired to pay their own travelling ex-
penses the Congressional Committee is
now receiving the services of a number
of good stump speakers from the minori-
ty side on the present House. Represen-
tatives Lon. Livingston of Georgia,
John Sharp Williams of Mississippi
and the Baby Member" Lever of
South Carolina. have been at the call
of Chairman Grlggs since the campaign
opened.
nv, - Lo... - .4s
from various parts of the country for
Champ Clark, DeArmond of Missouri,
and many of the other noted Demo-
cratic takers in the present House,
but they have shown but little DISPOSE
ton to leave their own firesides during
the pending campaign, even those in
perfectly safe Democratic districts.
Notwithstanding the lack of funds, the
work at Democratic headquarters has
gone merrily on. and from all sections
of the country come the most encour-
aging and hopeful outlook for Demo-
cratic success. Chairman Grlggs Is not
giving out figures, but he feels justified
In claiming working majority in the
House.
President Wen Again.
Now that President Roosevelt has
fully recovered from the effects of his
recent injury, followed by several OPP
erations upon his wounded limb, the
temporary White House is daily filed
with official callers. Among the sena-
tors and representatives who consult
him. nearly all Of them have some sug-
gestions to make relative to the make
up of the Isthmian Canal Commission.
While the President is turning over In
his mind the names of several distin-
guished men. who are supposed to be
eligible for duty on that important tri-
bunal, am reliably informed that the
President has no intention of naming
that commission until all of the rnrn