The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-16

several millionaires have applied for and
received pensions. They do this. moi
for the money. which they spend many
times over in gracious charities, but be-
cause they believe that it in way per-
fects their title to record of honorable
service in the war of the rebellion.
Missouri timber seems to be at dis
count for making COnsuls. A Consul
from Missouri-yes. two of them-failed
to get to their destination, cabling back
that they did not like the climate. or
something of the kind, and had to be
supplanted by other men. Now a Mr..
Smythe has been dismissed by cable,
the delay in depositing public money
being SO fragrant that the Secretary of
State could not submit any longer. Mr..
Smythe-with the y" always, please
ir also from Missouri.
Engineers of the Quartermaster's De-
partment of the Army are engaged i'm
surveying a new road from the city of
washington to the National Cemetery
at Arlington, which when completed
will afford a shorter and less crowded
duct Bridge. Congress at it's next ses-
sion will be asked to make the neces-
sary appropriation by Quartermaster-
Gen. Humphrey.
The need of a new route to the his
foric burial place has long been felt.
Especially for funerals is the old route
difficult one. dusty and traffic-con-
gested. The escorts of foot soldiers
sometimes ordered out for the obsequies
of distinguished Army and Navy officers
have a hard march to cover the dis
lance.
The proposed route will cross the
speedway and the new bridge across the
Potomac. will then swerve to the right
over the experimental farm of the De-
partment OF Agriculture, and enter the
National Cemetery at the Mcclellan
gate.
The only vault which has been built
at Arlington since that belonging to
ago, before the Government acquired
the estate, has just been completed. 1t
was built by Gen. Miles, and is of gran
lite. The architecture is Grecian. The
body Of Mrs. Miles, the Generals wife
was placed in this family vault on
Nov. 9.
1t is said that Mrs. Howard Gould is
going to buy Appomattox battlefield
and the house and famous apple tree.
She certainly couldn't be spending her
money in better way, or one of purer
patriotism.
A woman in Memphis, Tenn. has
4wtittcn 4 litter TO the Washington news
papers, suggesting that Congress make
the birthday of Lincoln and that of
Robert Il. Lee National holidays The
very Sinking of those two names is posi-
tive racrilege. Had it not been for
Robert e. Lee and his desertion of the
3UnioD- Lincoln would not have been as
sassinated. Why should Lees. birthday
be INSIDE National holiday? Had he
had his way there would have been no
Natior. The only distinction ever
achieved by him was in war to destroy
the Nation which Lincoln lost his life
In saving.
However, this patriotic CD Southern
woman, who says that she has really
got to the point where she can see that
Lincoln was great man, is off her
base. Congress cannot make National
holidays. 1t cannot make holidays of
any kind. except in the Territories 1t
would take an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States to make
National holiday. Congress has no
power TO say TO any State You shall
observe this day as day Of rest or re-
1oicing." We have no National holt
day. To make day legal and Ma
tonaI holiday would require the action
or the Legislatures in three-fourths of
the IS States. OF course, this might be
done by concerted action without the
Intervention Of Congress, but then any
DAY that State desired it could with
draw from the pact by resembling the
action previously taken. IL three
fourths of the States were to vote for
such an amendment to the Constitution
then the Secretary OF State could de-
clare 1t to be in force, and 1t would be
adopted without further action. Or
course, very few Of the Southern States
would vote to make Lncoln's birthday
q National holiday. and none Of the
Northern States would vote to make
Lees birthday so; and SO we will never
have either as a National or legal
holiday A great many people think
that Memorial Day is legal holiday,
but II Is not. Not even the Presidents
proclamation can make a National or
legal holiday. Each Governor Of a
State has to make his own procIama-
uon' or the State has no legal holiday.
The Agricultural Department some
times runs up against propositions that
II cannot overcome. For instance, three
dinerent times, and several years apart,
an attempt has been made to get the
Sequoias, the great trees of California,
to grow here. but they simply pine away
and die-of inconsistencies, perhaps:
anyhow, they die. The British Embassy
also made vigorous effort to get the
Redwoods TO grow. but they died. 1t is
said that two fine young trees have
been growing rapidly.for some years in
Buffalo. and that I'm s0aae Of the colder
Northern States they have taken root
and seem TO prosper; but the Summers
OF washington are too dry for them.
From the Pacific Coast comes the re-
port that the United States is about to
lose some of its territory to Great Brit
ain In the settling of the Alaskan
boundary line. This is all bosh Straight
fake. The Coast and Geodetic Survey.
which is marking the line set two years
ago by the Commission, dare not change
Q foot from the line laid out then. Prof
Tittman. Of the Survey, says:
THE Commission which sat in Lon
don. In September two years ago, fixed
the boundary line between the two
countries definitely and SO accurately
that there can be no mistake 1t is the
duty or the engineers to mark this line
In accordance with the finding OF that
Commission. That line, extending from
the head Of the Portland Canal to the
l41st meridian, is definitely indicated
by the mountain range along which it
runs, particular peaks being named for
the purpose Of making the boundary
clear and distinct. Beyond the 14Ist
meridian the line runs i'm q straight
course to the Arctic Ocean AS the
Alaskan Boundary Commission named