Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-22
GOSSIP FROM LONDON
Ministers of State May Be
More Accessible to Public.
RELAXATION OF OLD RULE
An "At Home" by the Board of Agri-
culture President.
A CRAZE FOR MONUMENTS
A CRAZE FOR MONUMENTS
Kaiser Has Added ia Statues to Ber-
lin Since He Assumed the Throne
Troubles of Marlboroughs.


card to a cabinet minister with any hope OF
seeing him. You will be at best by a
private secretary, if you should get far
into the inner mysteries. He will tell you it
is quite impossible to see his superior, but
If you will write what you want to say
answer may be sent if it is a subject upon
which the minister cares to give reply.
If you wrote you would doubtless get
reply in few days, probably preceded by
q formal acknowledgment of your letter.
The answer, when it came, would, in nine
cases out of ten, be refusal to give any
Information on the subject asked or refer
you to some printed speech or address or
parliamentary record. Running in and in
terviewing a min ser as in Washington is
unknown in London, but the beral 1Vern-
uent is showing Itself more liberal and al
vanced in this respect than any prev Gus
one. Some day perhaps the doc VIII De
opened. The most to be hoped for at pres
ent is a lessenug of the tension, but even
SO ii is very welcome.
There can be no doubt that one of the
present governments most far-reachins.
.2ough least oostrttS We, reforms has zen
aimei at rendering min sters of the crown
far moe accessible than formerly to those
who have any real ground for desiring an
interview. Every one knows that the writ
ten word has its limitations. Five minutes
conversation is worth more than a dozen
letters.
At Home to Farmers.
| hear that al endeavor is being mlde in
three departments at the present moment
to abolish the Old handicap of isola..o1
and consequent ignorance which minis ers
have had 10 face III the past. Firstly, it is
announced that Lord Darlington, president
of the bo.rd OF agriculture, will BE- Eat
home to farmers at the offices of the
board. in VIII teiial' on Tuesday and Fri
day next. when the cattle s2ow will bring
thousands Of az iculturis:s up 10 town.
Here is an opportunity, indeed, for the
eternal grumbler 10 Srumble to some pur-
pose.
Then there is the war office, hitherto con-
slider ed irreformahle. Once a week Lieut.
Gen. Wynne. military secretary to the sec
rotary of STATE for war, is lat home to
any officer who thinks he has grievance
believes he is especially suited to fill some
important post ar inagines he can offer ad-
vice about Germany. Though the expert
ment is only few weeks old. officers have
awaited themselves with alacrity of the
opportunity to give headquarters the bene-
fit of their brains Gen. Wynne fears, in
fact, that it will be necessary to increase
the frequency OF his receptions, which, 1t
is universally agreed, are of much more
practical service than the commandments
chiefs leeves, now abolished.
Then. II admitted that even those who
sit in high places IT the admiralty can no
longer be repFodCled with the SIN of taci-
turn aloofness in its worst form. l am told
that there has been a decided improvement
during the past six months in the "ap-
probability of the principal secretary to
tie first lord. officers are not told quite
so plainly, at any rate, to go to Jericho
upon any and every occasion. These re-
forms are badly needed here, and some
day may extend unless future conserva-
tive government returns to the dark ages.
Politics as a Business.
doubt if the French chamber when it
voted itself an increase of salary from
"a With fha
deplorable effect on public opinion. Parlia-
mentary government is none too popular
with the masses in France. They are in
cined to regard the average deputy as a
gentleman who has gone into politics a
business and to whom the So day, plus
railway travelling, is vital necessity.
The twenty-five francs day. SO long ago
as 1S4S were the subject of popular deri-
sion. The deputies were lampooned in
verse and caricature. 1t required the death
of Baudin, a member of the chamber in
49, the year of the coup d'etat, to restore
something like the former prestige of the
member of parliament. He was one of the
few deputies who escaped arrest, and went
to the working quarters to rouse the peO-
pie against Napoleon III. A barricade was
constructed, and when the troops advanced
against 1t Baudin called upon them to
stand by the republic and no longer serve
the prince president The reply was VOL
ley, and a couple of bullets pierced his
chest He was carried into wineshop,
ana before ne expired he was able 10 gasp
This Is how one dies for twenty-five
francs"
1t was that incident which seven years
ago brought his nephew to power as min
lister of public works in the Waldeck- Rous-
seau cabinet. He was only hard-working.
fairly talented deputy, but the fact that he
was the nephew of the man who died for
his twenty-five francs a day made him
"ministrable.'
A Monument Epidemic.
Berlin artists are telling one another a
very good story of the kasers pride in the
ia statues which he has added to Berlin
since he assembled the throne. Adolf Hide
brand, the weN-hnewn Munich sculptor,
noted for his independence, bluntly told
the emperor lately that the monuments in
the Victory avenue in the Tier Garten, in
which the kaiser is particularly interested
were scandal to Berlin. The kaiser pat
ted the sculptor on the shoulder good
naturally and said:
Don't distress yourself my dear sir; the
statues are going TO remain
The extent of the monument epidemic in
Berlin may be judged from the fact that
In the Tier Garten alone statues are going
up and unveiled at the rate of fourteen per
annum
One of the next "enhancements' of the
city will be. ii Is said, an equestrian statue
of the crown prince. Hopes are entertained
IT will do the prince justice.
AS matter of fact, the kaiser has set up
statue to all his known ancestors He
is now beginning with his ancestors as
children, and to follow these are his sons
In Berlin II Is generally felt that the vast
majority of the statues are ordered work.
with shadow of genius or inspiration.
The Marlborough Troubles.
Notwithstanding all efforts to the con-
trary. it is feared that the affairs of the
Duke and Duchess of Marlborough will
have to come into court The great bone of
contention now Is custody of the children
The little Marquis of Blandford and his
brother. Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchll are
devoted to their mother and are frantic at
the thought of being separated from her
Save when she has been in America for a
brief visit, they have never been out of
her sight.
Last season L heard the duchess some
what severely criticised by fashionable
mothers for the determination with which
she took one or both boys with her to af-
ternoon parties. They were with her every
wherein the park, in her carriage and at
philanthropic gatherings. They regard their
father as a slight acquaintance. He, how
ever seems determined to have what he
considers 'his rights hut il is the children
themselves who make the position so awk-
ward and difficult.
The ill-success of her last production has