The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-09-06
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

presented u silver WAtcn and chain Il
George Ellis, the negro who SAVES
from destruction the statue of Frreder
lex the Great erected in the grounds Of
the War college at the Washinpto,
barracks. The watch and chain were
sent to the department of state b,
Baron Bussche, charge d'affaires of the
German embassy. Accompanying the
gift was a letter from the baron, In
which he said he was directed by his
imperial master to transmit the watch
with the request that it be delivered to
Ellis as a recognition Of the ''coura.
geous conduct of the negro George Ell.
lis. whose intrepid interference saved
the statue from the effects Of Ros-
seau's dynamite bomb"
DunninR Government Employees,
The question Of claims for debt
against employees of the navy depart
ment having been brought to the atten-
ton of Secretary Bonaparte, he has is
sued the following order after consid-
Grafton Of the practice Of the different
governmental departments. This order
applies to civilian employees only and
does not change the practice in effect
in regard to the commissioned or en-
listed personnel of the navy:
Hereafter the navy department will
take no cognizance Of a complaint
against an employee by m alleged
creditor so far as the complainant Is
concerned beyond acknowledging re-
ceipt Of his communication. Persons
claiming to be creditors and collectors
Of debts or claims will be denied &C.
cess to employees for the purpose Of
presenting or collecting claims during
the hours set apart for the transaction
Of public business or while the employ
ees concerned are on duty.
But. although the department will
not permit itself to be used as a COL
lection agency, it does not consider
II who fails without justification to
pay his just debts a person suitable
for public employment. Therefore up
on receipt Of a complaint OF nonpay-
ment of debts it will be referred to the
proper chief Of bureau for a report in
writing from the employee concerned,
which, together with a summary of the
conclusions reached by the department
in the matter, will be made part Of his
official record.
An employee who fails without justi-
tication to pay his just debts may be
discharged for this reason If the Of
Tense shall seem to the department Of
sufficient gravity.
Men Who Refuse Passes.
Secretary B~onaparte's is not the only
cabinet pocket wherein no railroad
passes are to be found. Announcement
from the navy department that he had
courteously declined offers Of the at
tractive little cards which fit nicely in
to leather made cases to be had at any
OF the leather stores in town has made
his attitude prominent. Mr.. Bonaparte,
to be sure, declined In far more grace
full terms than did Representative Ba-
ker,, the radical Brooklyn member, a
forwarded him an annual pass. He
made public the letter in which he
scored the railroad for it's tender. Mr..
BOnaparte does not give the name Of
b railroad, but indicates that his re-
fusal was IN entirely polite one. which
could not have given Offense.
There are other men around Presi-
dent Roosevelt's cabinet table who
have not accepted courtesics from the
railroads and are not doing so now.
There are also cabinet members who
are travelling on passes. One holder Of
Il portfolio said the other day that he
had steadfastly declined these favors
ever since he entered the cabinet, but
did not wish to advertise his declina-
ton to the world. Cabinet members
travel on public business. as a rule, in
which case, Of course, they are enti-
tied to reimbursement from the gov
eminent. They also travel a deal on
their private account. To some Of
them, not men Of large means, the use
OF railroad passes would be a help
financially in view Of the meager sala-
ries that cabinet officers are paid.
~Honnpnrtc Refuses Hnirbrush.
Charles Jerome Ronaparte, the new
secretary OF the navy. has refused to
purchase II hairhrush said to have been
used in arranging the locks Of his
granauncle. the great Napoleon.
The relic was offered to Mr.. Bona
partc by a man now living in New
York whose grandfather was Il barber
in the French army during the Italian
campaign. This tonsorial expert left
the brush to his descendants with the
legend that ii had often been called in
to service III dressing the hair of the
little corporal" The New Yorker also
stated his willingness to sell a colored
plaster bust of Napoleon.
Both offers We're declined with
thanks by Mr.. l;onaparte, who has
never gone in" for Il collection Of
Napolconic souvenirs. \ similar re-
ply was given the other day to Il letter
which came from Holland asking the
secretary to buy a miniature Of the
emperor said to have been painted
from life. The price Of the memento
would have absorbed Mr.. Bonaparte's
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