Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-20

a frantic manner while the cars roll to-
ward the city.
The citizens in question, it is said, on
these winter mornings usually lie in bed
until the last moment, swallow their break
fasts in manner likely to cause subse-
quent indigestion and rush to the corner
with just enough time to reach the office
if a ear is caught at once. If this car is
missed it means lateness to work. and
when the motormen have sudden attacks of
blindness with respect to signals and rush
past, the blood within the citizens bois
with indignation, and the result is a series
of letters to the Commissioners-the pana-
cea for all evils-asking that something be
done.
prosecuting attorney of the Police Court
and the swearing out of an information.
* X x X
Visitors with critical eyes who visit the
pension office building and enter through
the southern doors will be surprised to see
that history written marble tablet in
a government building is incorrect On
this tablet 1t is stated that George F. Ed
munds. the distinguished United States
senator from Vermont, was at the time of
the building of the pension office Vice
President of the United States. The man
with critical tendencies will then search
the histories of this country from begin
ming to end without finding any vertical
ton of that astonishing statement.
The fact is this historical miSsta tement
merely resulted in officers of the govern
ment taking careless and common view
of the Office held by Senator Edmupds at
that time. 1t was at the time when PreSi-
dent Arthur was in the White House serv-
ing out the term of the martyred President
Garfield. Mr.. Arthur's elevation to the
presidency vacated the Office of Vice Presi-
dent, and left the Senate without a Pres-
dent. The Senate then proceeded to elect
Mr. Edmunds President pro tempore OF the
n thn~e nnrrl1 t1fnt hS
another Vice President until the next ma
tiOnal election.
1t IS common error that many people
make in believing that there is always a
Vice President and the President pro tenn
pore of the Senate is Vice President But
that such misleading statement of so i'm
portant an historical fact should be made
on a marble tablet of the most permanent
character has been very surprising to every
one whose attention has been called 10 it.
1t Is expected that in the interest of his
torical accuracy this misinformation will
some day be taken from the tablet.
X = = x
A question without precedent in naval
history, said veteran naval officer yes
terday, has arisen in the cases OF Rear
Admiral c. NJ. Chester, superintendent of
the naval observatory, and Rear Admiral
f. E. Chadwick on waiting orders. Those
two officers were born on the 10Th day of
February, 1874 and would be sixty-two
years of age-the statutory retiring age in
the navy-on the 29th day of next month if
such date should occur, which it certainly
will not, as this is not leap year. AS they
cannot be retired on date that will not
occur the department will probably decide
that they shall retire the last of the
month, the 2Sth instant, as the only posi-
BILE corresponding date.
THE courts have assumed that the last
day of February shall be considered the
both day for all legal purposes when that
date has arisen as an anniversary AL
fg,n hnr hn owe dow dr1,ira al
Chester has had nearly two years more
service in the navy than Admiral Chadwick.
the former having entered in October, 1889,
aud the latter in September, 1861"
X K x
What's the Constitution between friends?"
asked Timothy Campbell, and the same
thing might be said of some public speech
es, especially where the speakers happen
to be hardened old campaigners and know
the newspaper men they are talking to
pretty well. It happened not long ago that
there was an address by member of Con-
gress in Washington, and just about the
time the talk was over newspaper man
the speaker knew we'll enough to be frank
with came steaming into the hall.
Say, If you talked from manuscript. give
me the copy" said the scribe, who was late
and had lot of other things to do.
Il have the manuscript said the speaker.
1T is not what I said, but L guess 1t Is
near enough for all practical purposes"
And it was for purposes of publication.
Reminds me of q time 1 went to get a
minister's sermon one night" said another
man in the crowd. THE sermon was over
and | had to see him at the house He
was very nice, and we had a smoke to-
gether and talked of some things entirely
foreign to the real business of the visit
Just II was time for me to go, 1 recoI-
lected the sermon, but he just reached up
on the shelves and gave me book. There
he said, those are all mine None OF them
happens to be the one 1 preached tonight
but you make your own selection and
most of the readers won't know the DIFF
ference