Rock Island Argus., 1903-08-15
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

The Louisiana Purchase exposition VlO-
lent action has purposely been avoided
in order to have it harmonize more
thoroughly with the pure classical
style of the buildings.
The main entrance to the government
building consists of portico of eight
Ionic columns feet in diameter and
45 feet high, surmOunted by an entab-
lature and attic. The attic is enriched
by eight colossal female figures IL feet
high, representing music, painting,
sculpture, architecture, agriculture,
manufactures, transportation and com
merce.
On each side of the central portico
and just above the top of the attic are
groups of four figures each. A seated
female figure, II feet high, represent
ing America, with a torch in one hand
and an eagle at her feet, is surrounded
by three young athletes, each 10 feet 6
inches high, typlfying the youth and
strength OF the republic. Each has a
laurel wreath in his hand.
The dome IS surmounted by q quad
riga. A Goddess Of Liberty IA feet high,
bearing a torch in one hand and an
eagle in the other, stands in the tri-
umphal chariot, drawn by four colossal
horses. The horses are guided by two
nude male figures, each - feet high.
New Food Law Is All Right.
1--WE are finding that the new law
under which the department of agrl-
culture is authorized to issue certifi-
Gates to exporters of food products is
working smoothly" said DR.. Wiley,
chief chemist of the agricultural de
partment. Under the new law when
ever an exporter desires we will make
chemical analysis to determine the
purity of his product. If after inSpec-
ton we find that he proposes to send
abroad something that is pure and
wholesome certificate is issued to him
addressed to the officials of the country
to which his products are to go.
'"This certificate of good character is
helpful to him in many ways and acts
AS n letter of introduction. tits issued
with the distinct understanding that it
shall in no way be reproduced for ad
vertising purposes. So far our hnspec-
tions have been confined almost exclu-
sively to flour, breakfast foods and
wheat, and it is indeed gratifying to
he able to say that in every instance
we have found no obstacle to the is
suance OF the desired certificate"
Not DIsquaIihed by Age.
BY the appointment of Joseph
Fought, Il civil war veteran, to posi-
tion as laborer in the treasury depart
ment the president has done away
with the age disqualification as ap-
piled to veterans of the civil war in the
examinations for laborers before the
civil service commission.
Fought. who is a strong, ablebodied
man. had tried on several occasions to
secure a laborer's position in the de-
partment, but had been disqualified
each time by the lowering of his aver
age in the examination by the rating
for age His case was taken up by
Judge 1. C. Kimball. commander of
the department of the Potomac, q. A
r., and after long fight he induced the
president to issue an order to the COM
mission doing away with the age limit
disqualification whenever an applicant
was physically qualified to perform
such duties as might be assigned him.
He Has Always Been Strenuous.
The other day three officials of the
navy department were discussing the
strenuoslty of President Theodore
Roosevelt "He has always been stren-
uous," one said. HE has always been
dOer, impatient of delay, a foe to
dallyIng I remember once, when he
was assistant secretary of the navy,
some measure or other was In discus
sion, and he desired to push this meas
ure through, but, as so often happens,
there was postponement, there was red
tape.
He rose suddenly one afternoon.
The session ne was attending had last
ed an hour and nothing whatever had
been done.
Gentlemen he said, If God had re-
fcrred the ark to Il committee on naval
affairs like this, it's my opinion that it
wouldn't have been built yet
Burglar Insurance Rates Go Up.
LAS the result of little demonstra-
ton in the office of the secretary of the
treasury a few weeks ago the rates of
burglar insurance all over the country
are in process of readjustment," de-
clared Mr. Albert f. Cochran of Chi
cago ''That demonstration proved how
easily steel plates can be punctured
with q carbon point attached to an ordi-
nary electric light gas fixture. In fif-
teen minutes a hole large enough for
mans arm was drilled through a steel
plate.
1T has attracted the attention of
makers of safes and steel vaults gener-
ally, as we'll as of firms whose business
it is to insure property from the opera
ton of burglars. The rates for such
insurance Will be materially increased" J"
Hard to Pin Down.
'Why don't you pin Hay down and
get IN answer to your questiOnsT' ask
ed man who had seen the secretary
of state duck when asked some lead
ing questions by a newspaper man.
pin him down." said the newspaper
man. ''Why, 1 tried that the other
day, and he told me what whisky was
in twenty different foreign languages.