The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-06-21
WASHINGTON CHAT

the Department of Agriculture as a
result of the packing house exposures.
The fact that the terrible conditions of
filth and disease have been allowed to
continue and grow for years right
under the noses of the Government
Inspectors is, in the eyes of the Presi-
dent, pretty good proof that the
officials of the Agricultural Depart
ment, especially those in the Bureau
of Animal Industry at Chicago, are
either woefully incompent or negll-
gent. In either event the President
believes they are no longer ut to
hold their positions.
When the charges against the
packers first came to the attention OF
the President, he requested the de-
partment to investigate, and the men
appointed to do the work returned a
report that everything was in the
pink OF condition in Packingtown.
All was clean, sweet, sanitary and
ideal. and there was absolutely no
cause for a complaint of any kind to
be made. The disclosures of Messrs.
Neill and Reynolds were so greatly to
the contrary, that the President felt
that both the Secretary of Agriculture
and himself have been imposed upon.
Hence the prospect for thorough
shaking up in the Bureau of Animal
Industry.
If the protests against the anti-pass
provision in the railroad bill do not
succeed in having this feature ellml-
mated, it will not be the fault OF the
railroad employees throughout the
country. To them is due the cause OF
the unusual sight presented in the
Senate one day last week when most
every desk in the Chamber was piled
high with kilograms, some six thou
sand in number, all containing words
of protest against the clause in the
bill, which, if it was permitted to be-
come law, would cut off the privi-
Iege of railroad employees riding free.
Senator Tillman commented upon
the Senate Chamber being effectively
painted "yellow' and he brought out
the fact that the kilograms bore evil
dence of the possession OF good
many telegraph franks in the country.
In addition to the kilograms, there
was a statement presented on behalf
of the engineers, fremen, conductors
and trainmen, saying that the
messages on the desks of the different
Senators, represented 23O, 1000 railway
employees. 1t can we'll be imagined
that the Senators and their secretaries
had pretty busy day in reading all OF
the messages. Some time was saved
by having the telegraph companies
deliver the messages without placing
them in envelopes.
While President Roosevelt was pass
ing Mount Vernon, the tomb of Wash
ington, in the Mayflower recently, he
noticed the ships company take posi-
ton, the marines line up, the ships
bell toll, the national colors dip, and
bugle sound taps. He learned upon
inquiry that while every naval vessel
did these things while passing Mount
Vernon, there was no requirement in
the regulations to that effect. At his
instance, the Secretary of War issued
an order amending the regulations so
as to make this patriotic tribute
mandatory.
The pilots of the Potomac river
boats have kept this custom alive for
a hundred years, and it was one OF
the features of the trip to Mount
Vernon that most of all impressed the
distinguished guests of the nation,
Prince Henry, Prince Louis, and the
officers of the French feet recently
at Annapolis.
In order to remodel the White House
and improve the grounds and main
tain both throughout the year, an
appropriation has been made OF $113-
600. With the exception of the year
1908, when the mansion was recon
structed, this is the largest amount
ever requested for the Presidents
home in all it's history. 1t has not
been so long ago that a thorough over
hauling took place, but according to
the claims of the Superintendent OF
Public Buildings, the house is once
again in urgent need of attention.
The draperies in the various reception
rooms have been worn and made
dingy by the public receptions
throughout the past season and new
ones are needed. The ceiling of
several rooms need re-gilding and a
coat or two of oil paint. It will re-
quire $1,000 to put the Blue Room in
order and $4,000 to put the East
Room in shape. A new tin roof is to
cost $1,000 and big sum is to be
expended in rebuilding the walk on
tho cast terrace Last wear the an.