The National tribune., 1906-06-07

we pay MIN little enough salary, SOOu-
ness knows. Congress is asked to ap-
propriate $4,000 for expenses OF the
| White House, which is near twice as
| much as has been appropriated at any
| one time before. 1t is true, $4,000 OF
/ this Is for travelling expenses Of the
| President and his guests, but there Is
also an appropriation of $4,000 for
extraordinary repairs and furnishing
| The SIS. 060 is to relieve the President
| Of the embarrassment Of accepting free
trains from railway companies, and II
is all right that he should have 1t.
The furnishings of the White House
were new in 1903, and are now some
what worn. Col. G. b. Bromwelf, Su-
perintendent of Public Buildings and
Grounds, in itemizing the need for ex-
| traordinary repairs before the Appro-
priations Committee of the House, said
with the appropriation requested ii
ts intended to practically refurnish. re-
paint and repair the whole first floor of
the house The public receptions and
the public passing through those rooms
have defaced them. and the tapestry
and furnishings have become soiled and
| should be replaced"
In the East Room Col. Bromwell esti-
mates for washing ceilings and paint
Ing with three coats Of oil paint. and
things of that kind, $4,000 is necessary,
and for replacing draperies, regilding
cornices and mirrors, reupholstering
and regilding furniture, $500 Is neces-
sary In the Blue Room, a total of
rs, 100 Is needed for the same purposes.
In the Red Room $4,000. In the Green
Room, for, reuphoIstering, $500. In the
lobby. main halls and ushers' office,
50, 200.
In addition $4,000 is asked for new
to replace the pavement in the north
areaway and $4,000 to resurface the
roof of the east terrace.
Certain changes in the east terrace,
In order to make ii more convenient to
handle large crowds at receptions, are
proposed, to cost $1,000.
A new tin roof for the White House
was provided for in the bill. but an es-
Innate for q new White House stable
was refused.
One OF the largest items of expense
connected with the Government Print
Ing Office is that for paper, nearly
tons used annually. 1t requires approx
imately 700 railroad cars to deliver this
material, which is composed Of nearly
100 different kinds OF printing and
other papers. Nearly $4,000 year is
realized from the sale Of the waste pa
per, consisting principally Of sheets
spoiled in the varied processes of manu-
facture. The big printery is we'll
equipped with mechanical testers, in
addition to the experts employed In the
paper warehouse. The Government
purchases printing paper at a very rea-
sonable figure. 1t Is said, owing to the
immense quantities taken from one mill.
when you can no longer keep up
with the procession. get QUIT" Believ-
ing in this sentiment, Hon. Robert
Adams, Jr., Representative Of the Sec
ond Pennsylvania District in Congress,
District comprising portion of Phil
adelphia, "got out" In other words.
having had all the advantages afforded
by a fine education, fortune, political
ambition gratified and social station
above the usual, he found that he had
drawn-yes, over-drawn-fis account
in all these, and playing the part OF a
man unable to meet the consequences,
he shot himself. Whether this act was
be settled by the individual On the
face 1t looks the act Of coward, be-
cause by getting out OF II. Mr.. Adams
confessed that he was not brave enough
to face poverty. There was no dis
grace TO face, for Mr.. Adams was
gentleman In all that that implies, and
it seems that he was too much afraid
of the possible GOODNESS that might meet
him from his official and society friends
when il was found that he was bank
rupt. II was the old question, ITO be,
or not to be- and while Hamlet was
strong enough to live to clear his faith
er's name and send that Of his uncle
not strong enough to face the world as
just poor man.
Mr. Adams was nearly so years Of
age, but he did not look 40. He was
tall and slender, with clear, pink-and
"A
clear blue eyes He was always trinity
and fashi0nably dressed, but never be-
yond what well-groomed man should
be. He was always gallant man to
women, and a gentleman among men;
always paid his debts, and was a devo-
tee to his duties as a member of Con-
gress. where he had served his con-
stituents for seven consecutive terms
Yet Mr.. Adams was not favorite
among men Or women. He fell just
little short Of the measurement which
filled the bill with either. He spoke
we'll, his speeches were always thought
fully prepared, though he seldom used
notes, and yet BERTHE Adams could emp
ty the House i'm Ave minutes, galleries
and floor. Nobody cared to listen 70
him. yet his speeches always read much
better than half those that people
would sit for an hour to hear. His
hobby was the Diplomatic and Consular
political career he was Minister to Bra
zil for nearly year, and ii was said
that this had spoiled him, and that he
believed that he knew more about the
Diplomatic Service than the man who
invented ii. However this may be, he
took II and himself and his public ser
vice very seriously. indeed; so seriously
that it bored his friends not little, and
they used to poke sly fun at him on all
occasions.
Mr. Adams was a bachelor. There
was never any suggestion that he de-
sired to change his condition, yet one Of
the very funny instances In his career
was his advocacy Of the wife beaters' T"
bill, which he introduced In Congress
President Roosevelt suggested such a
measure In one Of his messages to Con-
gress early I'm the session, but the sug-
gestion found as its only supporter Ber-
tie Adams, who made an impassioned
speech In support of his hill. SO little
did the members think of 1t. or of the
Presidents evident desire for such a
law, that when the vote was cast only
MI Adams supported 1t among Repub-
licans. Mr.. Adams had one vice He
played bridge whist to the limit, and
his losses were large. He also essayed
| forays into Wall Street on occasion, but
4 J<xxzAH To-