The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-03-17

Query! Are the Carnegie Libraries
throughout the country to be made Sec
tarian?" Some Secular League people
of Washington proposed to present lot
of books to the City Library which was
built by Mr.. Carnegie, and the offer was
accepted. When it was found that the
books were the works Of Ingersoll, Paine.
and Voltaire the library authorities hem
med and hawed, and the books are not yet
upon the shelves Of the library, and are
not likely to be.
Mrs. Eliza M. Maxim, wife OF Capt. A.
A. Maxim, Superintendent Of the Elk
Soldiers and Sailors Temporary Home Of
Washington, died last Monday and was
buried at Arlington. The services were
conducted by Chaplain Bradford, and the
pall-bearers Were veterans Of the war OF
the rebellion and the Spanish war.
Mrs. Maxim was a lOvable Christian
woman, whose very presence was a bene-
diction. She was a member of the Depart
ment Of Michigan w. r. c., and was in
terested in all kinds of charitable and phil
anthropic work, but more particularly in
the care of veterans. The great quantities
of flowers that almost hid the casket,
showed that she had many friends griev-
Ing at her untimely death.
Former Gov Crane (Mass) was at the
White House last week as guest at
luncheon with the President. 1t is said
that Gov. Crane definitely refused the
Craftsmanship of the National Republican
Committee.
The average Department Messenger
knows just as much as he has to. Chap
lain Hale tells a story of his contact with
one recently. The Chaplain wanted to
call upon the Secretary of State. 1t hap
pened to be Diplomatic Day, and num-
Der OF ambassadors and Ministers Plen-
ipotentiary and otherwise were calling.
As Chaplain Hale presented his card to
the messenger that functionary asked with
Q toploftical air, Are you foreign Min
lister?
Chaplain Hale was first nonplussed by
the question, but replied little quizzically,
mo, l am a domestic minister" A few
days later the Chaplain was again caller
at the Department Of State. The mes
senger recognized him at once. "Oh," said
he, You are the Domestic Minister" and
without more ado ushered him into the
presence of Secretary Hay.
President Roosevelt appointed Admiral
Davis to attend the International Red
Gross Conference which was to be held in
Berne, Switzerland, in May, but the Con-
ference has been called off. It was ex-
pected that great many important
changes would be made In the rules gov
erning the administration OF the Interna-
tional Red Cross Association, but owing
to the war now going on between Russia
and Japan, and the fmpossibility Of hav
ing present delegates from those two
countries, most important ones in the al
lance, it was thought best to postpone the
Conference. 1t was said, too, that dur
ing the heat OF war in progress it would
not be possible to frame the best rules.
.
The Panama Canal Commission is
Sairly swamped with mail, and what do
Jon think the letters treat Of? "Places and
positions" To a man-child, and a woman
child too. for that matter. the writers
want to go to Panama. Known to be the
mhealfhiest piece Of land on the CONT
uent, fever wracked, ague shaken, dengue
end break-bone fever holding in its
clutches nine-tenths of the people who live
there and yellow fever and cholera the
other tenth, still there are thousands of
men and women who want to see the
world and are willing to go il the United
States will pay their expenses" They will
90 as engineers, typewriters and stenog-
fAphers, private secretaries, cooks-most
any old way, just so they can get to 60 at
ell People OF every race and cline, Of all
conditions and q good many Of no condi-
ton at all are among the writer's. Man
ufacturers, contractors, engineers-steam-
all but swamped the Commission with sug-
gestiOns and offers Of assistance. Of
course all will be turned down. The Com
mission is not looking for help Of any kind
It has the very best material in the world
@ choose from, and win ask no outside
assistance.
An Investigation OF the Dead Letter Of
nee has been ordered by First Assistant
Postmaster General Wynne. A woman
clerk complained Of discrimination, and
then declared that she had lost her place
% consequence. She then proceeded to tell
things, hence the Investigation.
Work on the Panama Canal will prob
ably begin by the United States by the 1st
of May. Attorney General Knox will
soon have the title to the canal settled,
and AZ soon as that is done work can be-
sin Immediately. Maj. Black, OF the En-
gineer Corps, is down there now looking
after the work which is carried on by the
French Company. and to gain a complete
knowledge OF the conditions in Panama.
The Commission will leave Tor Panama
about the 1st Of April.
The Potomac River II now clear Of ice to
Its mouth. Ii was necessary TO dynamite
. big Ice gorge above the Chain Bridge,
and inst after this was done q big rain
helped to start the ice gently down the
river. so that danger Of it carrying out the
bridge piers connecting Washington with
the Virginia shore was soon passed.
o
1t 10 estimated that 1900 bushels OF
peanuts are consumed in Washington in
the Summer. The crop this year was
short and poor in quality. Hence peanuts
have gone up. There is money In "goo-
oefs"
Bourke Cochran On. u, elected to sue
eeed George b. Mcclellan, was sworn in
last Tuesday. He was received by his
colleagues on the Democratic side with
syery evidence Of friendship. While he
was taking the oath to support the Con-
etitution" and to defend the country from
stall enemies foreign and domestic" and
Ill that, could not help wondering what
was going on inside that big-iooking think
tank OF his. When over in England try
ing for Q place in Parliament q year ago,
Mr.. Cochran could think OF nothing mean
enough TO say about the American voter.
6e ID reported to have said that they were
EAs scum Of the earth"
Now, the only American voters that Mr..
Bourke Cochran knows anything about are
the Tammany grafters. He has had a
large and varied experience with them,
and they have sent him to Congress the
second time. IL can't he that they relish