Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-05-13
FOREIGNERS UNCOVER AND
STAND WHILE "a HOT TIME"
is PLAYED.
Visitors to the international Railway
Congress Afford Amusement For
Americans-system of Railway Car
Sanitation Attracts Comment.


congress now in session here were
taken on an excursion to Mount Yer
non. A section of the Marine band
played a program of unusual excel
lence, including the national airs of
various countries. The first selection
was the "Star Spangled Banner" and
every true hearted American stood
with head barred during the playing of
the anthem This was followed by
God Save the King" as a compli-
ment to the English delegates, die
Wacht Am Rhein,'' for the Germans
and "The Marseillaise" for the
French, the delegates standing with
uncovered heads. By this time the
supply of national airs was exhausted
and the band struck up a rollicking
rag-time melody. Down on the lower
deck was a large contingent of for
eigners, who, remembering the recep-
ton given the earlier selections, and
not recognizing the music, gravely
rose to their feet and dotted their
hats. A catchy two-step followed the
negro melody and again the foreigners
paid their respects and all the way to
Mount Vernon this performance was
repeated every time the music began.
This is probably the first time that a
"Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight"
has been saluted by distinguished for.
eigners standing with uncovered heads
but what their impressions of the mu-
sic were has not been ascertained The
Americans who saw the incident ap-
preciated the intended compliment but
could not repress their smiles at the
means adopted to show it.
These same foreign visitors have
commented most favorably on the
progress made in the ventilation of
American railway passenger cars and
their superiority in this respect over
those of other countries. For the
past two weeks there have been a
number OF private cars belonging to
railroad presidents, vice presidents
and other Officials quartered in the
railroad yards here while the officials
have been attending the sessions Of
the congress. In almost every in
stance these private cars have the lat
est appliances in lighting, heating, fur
nishings and all the necessities and
luxuries which characterize the rail-
road equipment of this country, They
are therefore properly regarded as
models, and, in view Of the demand of
the boards of health that passenger
cars shall be adequately ventilated
and properly sanitated, the various
systems Of ventilation applied to these
private cars has attracted much at
tention.
Among the most beautiful and at
tractive of the private cars now here
are those of w. G. Bessler, vice presi-
dent and general manager of the New
Jersey Central; Joseph Ramsey, Jr.,
president Of the Wabash; A. G. Bird
vice president of the Gould lines; ]. E.
Milford, superintendent of motive
power of the Baltimore & Ohio; G. A.
Smith, general superintendent of the
New York Central; George F. Bear
president of the Reading and President
Fowler of the Ontario & Western.
Clarence D. Clark, the young sena-
tor from Wyoming, who becomes
chairman of the very important COM
mittee on the judiciary through the
death of Senator Orville H. Platt of
Connecticut, is an illustration of the
senatorial luck" that attends some
members of that body in the way of
committee assignments. When Clark
first came to the senate he sought as
signments on the public lands and In
dian affairs committees, as both had
to do with matters of interest to his
state. There were no vacancies,
there, however, but there were on the
foreign relations and judiciary, and he
was given place on these New sena-
tors go to the bottom of the list of
committee membership and move up
towards the top through death, resig-
nation or failure of reelection of those
ahead, and in this way Senator Clark
has reached, in ten years, place that
has been, the lifetime ambition of
some senators and never realized.
There have been some distinguished
men at the head of the judiciary COM
mittee of the senate Forty years ago
Lyman Trumbull of Illinois was chair
man of this great committee He was
followed by George F. Edmunds of Yer
mont, Allen G. Thurman of Ohio,
James L. Pugh of Alabama and George
F. Hoar of Massachusetts. These are
names to conjure with, three of them
republicans and two democrats, and
each of them a power in their parties
and in the senate.
Meanwhile Mr.. Clark has been given
a place on the two committees he de-
sired and now has about all one man
can do in the United States senate.
A gathering that will be of great in.
terest to the whole country and
especially to the south will be held
here on May %. 1t will be the meet
ing of the Southern Industrial con
gress. The governors of all the south.
ern states have appointed delegates
and matters of great interest will be
discussed. Many subjects of vital in
terest to the planters of the south will
claim the attention of the congress
One of the questions is that of encour.
aging foreign immigration, especially
to New Orleans. The number of for.
eigners entering that port to take part
in the labor of the south has grown
considerably during the past year, and