The National tribune., 1906-12-27

tions on the canal scheme one single
whit The President has been there,
and he knows what he wants, and he
has the say so, because Congress gave
II to him, and now let the President
have full swing, and see If things cannot
be doins pretty soon.
Mrs Theodore Shpnts,L wife of the
Canal Commissioners. is doing the social
stunt of the Commission all right. She
is settled in Washington for the Win
ter in an elegantly furnished house. and
her hospitable home will be the scene
OF many delightful social functions dur
ing the season. Last week her two
charming daughters made their debut
into Washington society. They spent
last season in the old world, and were
presented at two or three courts, and
with that prestige they will be able TO
sail high here. Society always likes to
have the foreign label showing on all
its functions as well as its clothes. you
know. The Shonts girls are true blue
Americans. for they Indignantly deny
that they are engaged to or that they
have the remoteSt idea of marrying a
foreigner, much less an impecunious
Count"
Washington society is waiting with
intense longing, too, for the arrival of
the new Mexican ambassador. Senor
Enrique C. Creel. Senior Creel is re-
ported to be many times millionaire.
and he has two fine sons and charming
young daughter who will be presented
to society 1t is said that Senor Creel is
the richest man by million or so in
the foreign element here, and that he
is noted for his hospitality. That means
new house of entertaining. with Law
ish hospitality. and society of this town
sure needs just that.
Col. John Mercer Brooke, aged so
years. emeritus professor of physics at
Virginia Military Institute, died sud-
denly last week at his home in Lex
ington, Va. Col. Brooke was generally
regarded as the originator of the use of
me ais in the construction of ships, he
having designed the rebel monitor Mer-
rimac. He was also the inventor of
deep-sea sounding apparatus, which has
enabled scientists to ascertain the ma
ture of the oceans bed.
With millions of dollars expended
within the past few years upon the
elaborate defenses of Newport and Mar
ragansett Bay the Government is handi-
capped in maintaining the strength of its
equipment by the lack of men. The new
defenses are chiefly under the care or
watchmen. and il is said that in case
of emergency the Government would
have to rely upon inexperienced men
to handle its equipment.
Plans toward remedying this defect.
which is said also to exist elsewhere in
the country, We're recently proposed by
the War Department whereby garrisons
would be withdrawn from some of the
minor coast defenses and concentrated
at some of the larger strategic centers,
which would not only insure the ade.
quate manning of the more modern de-
fenses. but would give officers and men
needed experience in mass manuvers.
-
Think of a United States Senator in
his home State going about looking like
an arsenal, with his hand on his pistol
holsters every time he sees a stranger
advancing toward him. Right along
side of this item about Senator Bailey's
gun play was an item about a young
lady who met and fought four footpads
with hatpin, and she licked them to
finish, too. A hatpin' is less conspcu-
Gus, too
Speaker Cannon simply had to go
back to Illinois if he had any Christmas
cheer at ALL He's got whole squad
of grandchildren who think he is 1t.
They do not like Washington, and par
| ticularly object to steam heated houses
for Christmas. They want big fire.
places and snow and all the concomi-
tants of Christmastide, and they insist
that they do not get those things in
Washington. so they sent an imperative
message to Washington for grandpa
to come home. And grandpa went, he
being the Speaker of the House of Rep
sentatives, the High and Mighty
I IL.
of 'em when he has the gavel in his
hand and the mace at his side But "a
little child shall lead them" and these
children of his children have their small
hands tangled very tight in the heart
strings of Grandpa Cannon. So much
so that he obeys their slightest behest
and spoils them exactly as any other
doting grandpa does
An appropriation of 81 10000 is pro-
vided for the Alaska Yukon Pacific Ex-
position at Seattle in 1909. in a bill in
troduced in the House by Representa-
tive Humphrey.
President Roosevelt has modified his
order to withdraw from entry coal lands
covering over 60.000000 acres The
Presidents attention was directed to the
| fact some of the land affeced by the
order was agricultural rather than min
eral land. 1t is therefore directed that
whore 1t is shown a tract is not particu-
larry valuable for coal, il may be en-
tered on for homestead purposes or un-
der various public land acts subject to
a personal examination by a special
agent of the Interior Department before
patent is issued. Land officials say TO-
900 agents would be needed to carry out
he order literally.
A resolution introduced in the House
by Mr.. Murdoch. of Kansas. declares
| that the New York Central Railroad
Company should refund to the United
States Government the $257.000 which
| it Is alleged to have overcharged the
Government for carrying the United
States malls.
In connection with the resolution,
says Mr.. Murdoch. the House Commit
| tee on Post Offices and Post Roads is
determined to get from the Post-Office
| Department definite information as to
| how the mails are weighed and paid for
| He thinks this will result i'm the pub
| fishing OF surprising information in re-
gard to the mail service and its cost.
| If young Mr.. Murdock-for he Is one
of the kid legislators-happens to make
good on this bill, his political future Is
| made. If there Is one thing more than
another that Western State loves to
do it is to take fall out of railroad
HOT hall hot