Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-01
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
MINOR MORRIS INCIDENT RE-
CALLED OTHER EVENTS.

Affairs started off with a rush at the
White House at the beginning Of the year
Mrs. Minor Norris. vile OF a former official
of the War Department and sister of Rep
resentative Hull of Iowa. went to the White
House offices and was told by Benjamin F.
Barnes. at that time assistant secretary,
that she could not see the President. The
affair eliminated In Mr.. Barnes reckoning
to a policeman. who seized Mrs. Morris,
and, aided by other officials, half pulled
and half dragged her to the police room. in
the east portion of the White House. from
which she was placed in van and sent to
the house of detention. She forfeited So col
lateral. and for weeks remained in bed in a
seriously nervous condition.
On the 9Th of January a resolution was
introduced In the House by Representative
Sheppard of Texas to investigate the affair.
and Senator Tillman made a speech about
1t in the Senate. On February 81 Secre-
tary Loeb. answering letter from Mrs.
Morris requesting Justice" informed the
victim of the affair that the President had
come to the conclusion that the arrest was
justified
April Ii formal charges against B. F.
Barnes were filed in the Senate by Senator
Tillman. Mr.. Barnes was later made post
master of the city of Washington, succeed
ing John A. Merritt He was succeeded as
assistant secretary to the President by
Maurice Latta, who for years was conf
dental stenosrapher to the President
The leading newspapers of the country
very generally upheld the demand of The
Star for a thorough investigation OF the
facts in the Morris case, and Joined in Sc
we're criticism of the President because he
had not taken the statements of all the wit
nesses who had cognizance of the affair.
The President spent a busy winter and
spring working with senators and repreSen-
tatives to get rate legislation through Con-
gress. and his efforts led to sensational
declaration by Senator Tillman that the
President had played with democrats in the
Senate and had misrepresented things to
them to secure their support later deserving
them. Ex-senator Chandler Of New Hamp-
shire practically confirmed the allegations
of Senator Tillman, Chandler having been
the go-between for the President and At
torney General Moody on one side and Sem
ators Tillman and Bailey on the other. The
President contradicted Chandler and TILL
man.
March 6 President Roosevelt sent a mes
sage to Congress, accompanying War De-
partment plans. emphasizing the necessity
for further and stronger coast defenses and
reviewing the history or the defensive works
of the country.
Apri lS the President sent to the Senate
a recommendation for an insurance bureau
for District of Columbia insurance affairs
the bureau to be located in the Department
Of Commerce and Labor, and to examine
all companies doing business in the District
at least once q year.
May the President sent an important
message to Congress transmitting the re-
mort of James r. Garfield, commissioner of
corporation on his investigation of the
Standard Oil Trust The President COM
mented on the revelations of the report,
which showed the immense profits of the
great trust and the discovery Of its collu
sion with railroads In the matter of rebates.
He pointed out the necessity for supervision
of the government over this sort of busi
ness. and recommended the enactment of
los hat uyoiId hermit cOmDpfitipu in the
oil business.
President Roosevelt went to Oyster Bay
for the summer, leaving Washington early
in July returning October ). While there
he issued an order directing all executive
departments to use the simplified form of
spelling in all printing and correspondence
Of the government On the assembling OF
Congress and the appearance Of objections
to the simplihed spelling the President,
December IA, rescinded his order. simply
continuing the use of Smplified spelling in
White House business
During the absence OF the President from
Washington for the summer the White
House was oyerhauled and reprinted. fur
niture being renovated. Considerable money
was spent in doing the work that had been
badly done a few years ago when the build
ing was remodeled.
September % the announcement was made
Of the appointment of w. Morgan Shuster.
a District man, as member OF the Philip
pine commission.
October % the usual Thanksgiving procla-
nation was issued.
October "a the President. to put an end
to much speculation, announced that At
torney General Moody would be named as
Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States; that Secretary Bonaparte
would be transferred from the Navy De-
partment to fill the vacancy; that Secretary
Metcalf would go from Commerce and La
Dor to the Navy and that Oscar Straus of
New York would become Secretary Of Com
merce and Labor. He likewise announced
that upon the retirement OF Secretary
Hitchcock In March his place as head of
the Interior Department would be filed by
James R. Garfield: that upon the retire
ment of Secretary Shaw in March George
B. Cortelyou would become head OF the
Treasury. the Post Once Department to be
presided over by George Won L. Meyer. am
bassador to St Petersburg. Some OF the
changes took place In December.
President Roosevelt went to the Isthmlis
of Panama. November o. on the battleship
Louisiana. returning to Washington No
vember 26, after stopping at Porto Rico.
He made an examination of the work on
the canal and later sent q special message
on the subject TO Congress. He also reor-
ganized the work OF the Panama canal
commission.
Tho Presidents annual message went to