Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-17
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

Il Especial Correspondence.1
The best offices the president will
have at his disposal in years will be the
isthmian canal commissionerships. He
probably has before him already the
names of thirty or forty men of promi-
hence throughout the country, and the
list continues to grow. 1t will grow
right along until the commissioners are
named, which will not be until the route
for the canal has been selected. The
Kansas delegation called on the presi-
dent the other day and requested that
he place Senator Harris of that state
on the commission. Senator Harris is
q Democrat, but his term will expire
March next, and he will be succeeded
by a Republican. Senator Harris has
been for u number of years one of the
active members of the senate commit
tee on interoceanic canals, and the Kan
Sas delegation told the president there
was no better posted man on the sub
ject of canals than Senator Harris. In
addition to the knowledge acquired in
the senate while serving ON this COM
mittee, Senator Harris is an engineer of
ability. He was for many years an en-
gineer connected with the Union Pacif-
ic railroad. The fact that Senator Har-
ris Is a Democrat has not deferred his
Republican colleagues from asking his
selection on this commission. 1t is stat
ed that the people of the state, IRE
specctiv' of party, feel the same way.
A Presidents Son.
A gentleman of modest demeanor,
well on toward middle life, was III the
Il
of visitors passed who did not know
they We're touching elbows with the
son and namesake of a former presi-
dent of the United States, Mr.. Ruther-
ford B. Hayes of Asheville. Three
years ago Mr.. Hayes left Chicago, wea-
ried of urban residence, and selected
delightful rural spot a few miles out of
.Asheville as his abode. He is the pro-
prietOr of n real estate business in
Asheville and is highly esteemed there.
When President Roosevelt passed
through Asheville last September, Mr..
Hayes was one of the prominent citi-
zens who Joined in giving the chief ex-
ecutive a cordial welcome.
Just now Mr.. Hayes is in Washington
as president of the Appalachian Park
association. The friends of that project
are urging it earnestly. When Mr..
Hayes was introduced at the capitol, he
dipped quietly but earnestly into con-
verSation ON that undertaking and be-
fore he was done invariably pulled
from the inside of his heavy ulster lit
tie pamphlet on the Appalachian for
est reserve to support his own views
about appropriation.
Opening of the White House.
The completion of the work on and
around the White House is nearing an
end. Since the beginning of the work
the building and grounds have been
closed to the public. Many inquiries are
made as to when they may be reopened.
Nothing has been decided on in this di-
rection. 1t is assumed that the east
room will be opened to the public so
soon as all the work is over, and that
the front grounds will also be kept open,
as in the past, but this is not known.
Department clerks who formerly saved
time by cutting through the southern
part of the grounds on their way to
and from the state, war and navy de-
partments and treasury have been hope
full that the grounds would be opened
again so as to save them time, but it
has been decided that the southeast and
southwest gates will not be opened in
the future
Athletics For Soldiers.
The secretary of war has approved
recommendation made by General Ran
dali, commanding the department of
the Columbia, that officers and men be
granted permission under proper re-
strictions to visit other posts for the
purpose of taking part in athletic con-
tests Such nermiSSinn will not he con-