The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-03-21

II SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaAAA
Work on the tearing down of thu
famous Long Bridge was not com
menced a bit too soon. The workmer
were busy at II last week, when thu
span at the north end fell with a crasf
and carried seven men down with it
but they were not seriously injured
This bridge was for nearly 100 year
the only bridge across the Potomac be
tween Harper's Ferry and the mouth o
the famous old river. There are nov
three or four bridges here at Washing
ton. but the Capital City Of the Natior
still remains the gateway to the South
Now, what on earth is back of this
Mr.. Barrett, head of the Bureau o
American Republics. in speaking of the
mission of Secretary Root to Soutf
America, declared that the American
public has not Yet appreciated the great
services Mr.. Root has rendered this
country, as well as Latin America. MT
Root" said Mr.. Barrett, received q
greater reception in Latin America than
Admiral Dewey upon his return from
the Philippines received in New York
European newspapers gave hve times
as much space to his journey and tc
the object of his mission as our OWL
American papers did. Even Tokyo pa
pers gave more space to Mr.. Roots re-
ception in Rio de Janeiro than the big
gest American daily. Latin Americans
are aware Of the lack Of appreciation
we gave to Mr.. Roots visit to their
country, and there is no wonder that
they look to Europe In preference to
us"
Secretary of War Taft has issued an
order directing that the eight-hour law
must be strictly enforced on all river
and flarbor work under the supervision
Of the Government.
The effect of the order will be to just
about double the final cost of the work.
but after a careful examination Of the
law. the War Department has decided
that no other course could be taken.
The law will be made to apply to all
civilian employees. including Captains OF
ships, pilots, deckhands. cooks AMI 9TH
ers. These men now work much more
than eight hours day.
at seems to me that Congress should
be as patriotic as the Legislatures of
several States and declare Feb. IL. Lin
coins Birthday, a legal holiday" said
Frank T. Marshall, lawyer Of North
Dakota, who is in Washington on busi-
to do this because it would give the
Government clerks two holidays In one
month. This, however, should not de-
ter the Nation from honoring the birth
day Of one of our greatest Presidents.
Feb. IL should be made legal holiday
and observed as such in every State OF
the Union. Just as is Washington's
Birthday. ] am sorry to say there are
only seven States that have constituted
the day legal holiday. They are ILL
nois, New York, New Jersey, North Da-
kota. Minnesota, Pennsylvania and
Washington. This is sad commentary
on the patriotism of this Nation.
I'm the District of Columbia, above
all other parts of the country, Lincoln
Day should be observed. Here It was
that the great President did a service
for the people of the United States for
which they never can do his memory
too much honor. Here he was killed
while still serving the people. The
growth Of love for Lincoln has been
very great in the last quarter of CEN
fury. but Congress is tardy, in my opin-
ion. as we'll as deficient in patriotism,
in not making the anniversary of his
birth legal holiday, on which the peo-
pie may be free to lay aside their Iabors
and unite in honoring his memory.
Lincoln Day was first observed In
1888. The first celebration was held on
April Is, the day of his death, instead OF
Feb. II, his birthday. The first big
public celebration was in Chicago in
1885. Since then there has been an
annual observance in that city, but un-
less I am mistaken the city Of Wash
ington has never in any way publicly
observed the day. think this is un-
patriotic and un-American."
While not q professed vegetarian.
Senator La FolIette's diet is confined
almost exclusively to vegetables. Sew
eral years ago his health was failing,
and under the directions of his physi-
clan he quit eating all kinds of meat.
He found that the change Of diet did
him so much good that he has never
since partaken of meat regularly. Eggs
he eats sparingly. Coffee and tea he
carefully eschews, as these beverages
are good neither for his nerves nor his
digestive. apparatus. Hard toast and
milk he consumes in generous quanti-
ties twice a day-early in the morning
ana late in the evening. He usually is
TOO busy to think about lunch. but when
ne does eat at that time Of day he
munches an apple OF two and feels
sufficiently fed. And on this meager
diet Mr. La Toilette works about Is
hours day-works hard and under
tremendous pressure Of nerve-energy.
he sleeps eight hours, going to bed
regularly at IL o'clock and rising
promptly at Z.
The "blind Chaplain" Of the House
can ''see" things all right for other
people. One of his prayers during the
recent food in the Ohio was certainly
unique. The Committee on Rivers and
Harbors was obdurate about making
improvements along the Ohio River,
ana so the Chaplain took up the mat
fer with a higher power, after the fol-
lowing fashion:
I'VE lift up our hearts unto Thee. oil
God, our Heavenly Father" he PRAYED.
I'm behalf of the men, women and chill.
dren along the banks OF the Ohio River
who have been driven from their homes
end bereft of their belongings Temper.
We beseech Thee, the wind to the shorn
lamb by so moving upon the hearts OF
their couutrymen. blessed with abund-
ance. that these suffsrings may be al
leyiated. And, o. God, II there In a
way, discover 1t. We bsssech Thee, to
these. Thy servants. that thru their
legislative acts these oft-repeated CAL
antilles may be averted in the future"
B.. H. Roberts, who was denied his
scat in the House six or seven years
ago because ne was q Mormon who
confessed to having more than one wife
living In Utah, is now serving HIS
church as missionary down South
Just at present his field Of operations is
IN Florida, and he fS acrcp, papfad hv