The National tribune., 1904-05-26
4 WASEiINGTON~%
ka~ f. Fl NEWCa)

represent Booker Washington, but said
there was no doubt that his companion
was intended to personate the President.
| 1t is up to "Uncle Joe" Cannon to take
the next train for Washington to look
after his Capitol police. The Capitol
grounds are supersanct territory which
cannot he delegated to the care of city
police, or even to the ordinary civil author.
tiles. They are the exclusive premises OF
the high and mighty Congress of the
United States. which jealousy guards its
ereignty over them. This function is per
formed by a number of gentlemen, mostly
quite tender in years, who form pleasing
adjunct to the shrubbery and smiling
sward in their attractive dark-blue uni.
forms with brilliant silver badges. They
really look very pretty, as they saunter
around swinging their clubs with an air of
admirably mingled proprietorship and ele-
CANT leisure. and are fearful only to the
casual visitor who wants to write his name
on the white marble, scratch a match
thereon, or carry away souvenirs of the
imperial building. There have been thrill
ing stories of happy bridegrooms and their
innocent. trusting brides who sought to
hand their names down to fame by scrib-
bling them on conspicuous parts of the
legislative halls. 1t seems that the Capt.
! tOl police on duty saw the Eruption of the
negro minstrel crew and the picture ma
chine, and watched the silly masquerade
with languid interest it not occurring to
! their untutored tOrpidty that it was any
thing with which they had to do. This is
just like Capitol policeman. He can get
terribly busy over some insignificant trit1e,
and be as dense as HOudOns statue of
George Washington over a matter of real
Importance. 1t is highly needful that
Uncle Joe" should come back and infuse
into their naughty placidity little of his
own quick perception of what is going on.
Fighting Bob" Evans again comes to
the front and in a way very much to his
credit. AS Rear-Admiral he has been
Commander-in-Chief on the Asiatic sta
ton. and last Summer decided that it was
advisable to send the gunboat VillalobOs
up the Yangste Valley to look out for some
Americans who were residing and doing
business in that densely-populated coun-
| try. The Taotai. whoever his nibs may
be. formally protested against the visit
of the NillalobOs. and strOve to prevent it
by saying that many bad men lived up
that way who were likely to make
trouble" Admiral Evans reiterated his
orders for the expedition. laying down the
principle that American war vessels should
have the right to go wherever American
citizens were permitted TO live, and in
| formed the Taotai that had men" were
not a sufficiently formidable reason for
changing the course of our war vessels.
Attending to bad men" was part of their
business. and they had been remarkably
sent by the Taotai to the muckamuck
who roosts still higher than he. and in
course of time it reached the American
Minister, and, then the State Department.
Secretary of State Hay entirely approved
of Admiral Evans's course. and adopted
| the principle as to our war vessels being
allowed to go wherever our citizens may
happen to be. Furthermore, this has
struck the whole Diplomatic Corps as a
happy thought. and will be adopted as
general International law.
| Another hopeful illusion gone. At the
beginning Of the Spanish war great hopes
were entertained of the dynamite ship Ve-
suvius, which it was expected would blow
everything Spanish to kingdom come with
a few grunts of her pneumatic guns throw
ing great charges Of high explosives. She
was an absolute failure and will now be
fitted up as torpedo boat equipped with
submerged tubes. and be used for making
experiments with mines.
Representative Littauer-he of the
glove cOntracts-is being mentioned as
successor to Secretary Cortelyou at the
head Of the Department of Commerce and
Labor. Most of the mention probably
comes from Mr.. Littauer's immediate
friends. who are eager for vindication.
Ex-Goy. Merriam would also dearly
love the appointment. His wife, who has
vast social ambitions. yearns to come back
to Washington and queen it as a ''Cabine,
lady" among those who Outranked her
when she was merely the wife of a subor
dinate-the Director of the Census.
The President has issued pardon in
the case of Rafael Ortiz. a Porto Rican
now confined i'm the State Prison at Still.
water. Mimi. for the murder of John
Burke, private. of the Att, VOL Inf, in
February. 1899. 1t is alleged that Ortiz
killed Burke because the latter won his
sweetheart and then tainted him over the
loss. Ortiz was sentenced to be executed
i'll Porto Rico in the Summer Of 1899, and
would have been but for the intercession
of Senator Alger. of Michigan, who was
then on visit to Porto Rico about that
time The sentence was subsequently com
muted TO five years imprisonment, and
has now nearly expired. There will be q
big time in Ortiz's village home when he
returns, as the residents are preparing a
popular demonstration in his honor.
The Kansas State Text Book Commits
sion ordered that that part of Kansas his
tory relating to Brig. Gen. Fred Funston's
alleged swimming exploit in the Philip
pines be cut out of the text books. The
Commissioners say Funston did not swim
and that any false history dims the glory
OF the 10Th Kans. privates and minor Off
GERS who performed daring feats.
We are to lose the stately and COURT,
Persian Minister. Through the Belgian
Legation the State Department has beer
informed that the Shah of Persia ha.
named Morteza Khan, Chief of the Burea,
Of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at TIE
heran, as Persian Minister to Washington
in place of Isaac Khan, who has been ap
pointed Minister to Vienna. Gen. Khan.
/, departure will be greatly regretted, as Ii,
has made many friends in Washington.
When Miss Susan B. Anthony, easil,
| carrying her "a years, went on board thu
Frederick der Crosse, bound for Europe
. she was greeted by a huge bouquet O
/ American Beauty roses, sent as q partin;
tribute, accompanied by the cards from
, friends who thus expressed their grateful
: regard and good wishes for n safe journe,
to Berlin, where Miss Anthony goes {,
attend the Quinquennial Congress of TIN
International Council of Women.
commission that is coming on her