The Washington herald., 1907-05-23
AT THE HOTELS.

| AT THE HOTELS.
Mr.. jackson Smith, who has charge Of
thu labor employed on the Isthmian
Canal. and the food supplies Of the men,
was talking with friends I'm the New
Willard lobby last evening To his
energy and clever executive ability IS at
tributed much OF the good results and
/ Iiapid progress that have of late been
made on the big ditch. lie is d man in the
prime Of life, and has tie bearing Of a
IrefiHed and educated gentleman.
! mr. Smith was born in Marion. 5. c.,
and passed bis hoyhood days in that
/ Palmetto town. His father was a rail-
road man. and he inherited a liking Tor
the business, starting in % learn it at a
very tender age. When only seventeen
he concluded that he warted bigger
stage for his efforts. and he proceeded 70
! Louisville. Ky. where the first thing ne
did was 20 seek an audlenc' with Presi-
dent Milton H. Smith Of TIE Louisville
and Nashville Railroad. There WAS
something so earnest and - ingenious
about the South Carolina ad. and he
told such a straightforward rory of his
desire 20 become a useful am, important
'ralrtadar that the veteran listened
graciously and put the applicant TO im-
mediate work
He made good from the start. and re-
maiHcd with his patron for sa-en years,
working mp % the position of assistant
10 the president Afterward he migrated
10 Ecuador. and later 20 Mexleo,
in both Of which countries he was en-
gagged in important railway construction.
In The practical work of handli1- men he
is declared 20 De without a supei0r.
Rev. George Harding. a wel-krow1
Catholic priest of great learuingand an
/ extensive traveller who has spyt one
year on the Isthmus Of Panama. told a
! Herald reporter az the Arlington yestsr-
day something OF his work there nd Of
conditions generally on tie Canal Zone.
Father Harding IS an accomplished
/ scholar, and speaks most Of the mdarn
/ languages with fueney He went %
. France in his younger DAYS 20 c1mreta
his higher studies, and his stay in Ltta
/ American countries has given him q ms
terry OF The Spanish tongue.
"The Catholic Church I'm the Tuitd
States said ne. ought 90 look after tle
/ spiritual interests. OF her children on tn
/ Canal zone II the bishops and clerg.
want the men and women who so there
To- be good Catholics on their return %
their former homes. they should help 20
keep them good Catholics while on the
isthmus. lIy suggestion is that the arcl-
diocese of New York be charged with tile
spiritual care Of the Canal zone. New
York is in frequent communication with
Panama by several lines Of steamers. and
there would be no more difficulty in eXer-
c.s.ns spiritual authority over the Canal
Zone than I'm the Bahamas. the ecclesi-
astical government of which is from this
country. We have our American bishops
and clergy iu the Philippines. and there
Is even greater necessity for maintaining
them I'M Panama.
"Our men who go down there 70 work
on the canal need 20 De looked after con-
tluuaIlv. and they can only be property
watched and guarded hv one Of their
own racial stock. who speaks the English
. laugu3c. and understands tHsir character
and dfsp. sitan."
Father Harding has just recovered from
'an attack of fever contracted after his
landing ln New York and will shortly
proceed 90 Wvfhav"le. Va, % spend a
few days with friends
An interesting purity at the New Willard
is composed of Col Wilhelm AIi1th. his
wife. and daughter. of Basel. switzer-
land. and Mr.. IT, G.. Cheney, OF South
Manchester. Conn.
cool. Eioth." said Mr. Cheney, 'is one
Of the greatest of the Swiss captains Of
industry. being at the head Of the most
extensive silk spinning mills of his own
country. besides owning large plants In
France. Belgium and Russia He em-
ploys in his various factories not less than
fuH people. His visit here is primarily
FOR rest and recUperation and also %
meet many of his American customers. To
is bis first visit to the United States. and
he is enjoying it thoroughly. After seeing
the CauitaI. we shall 90 % Niagara Falls
town. South Manchester. wler0 I shall
have the pleasure Of conducting him
through the Cheney Brothers silk mills.
established by my father. that are con-
siderCl OF some importance in Me- Eng
land
Thirty years ago. as a youth. I went
To Basel % learn the silk business. and
Col Aioth was my preCeptor and friend.
am now trying u pay back the kindness
De extended me then. by showing him
and his family the most interesting things
We have in the States
Regarding the spinning of silk, Switz-
erland has for a long time occupied the
leadug place i'm Europe. Basel being the
center OF the industry. II is a quantity
beautiful old town on the Rhine and may
+ De called tho gateway TO Northern Swift
Zarlaud. being on the direct route from
Paris 90 Vienna. When I first went
there. We had made but little progress in
this country as % silk production. but
now our mills turu out rs beautiful and
/ excellent goods as are made I'm the world.
But even so. We're it not for the tariff,
both on the yarns and the finished prod
uct. we could not begin o compete with
the Swiss, and my friend, Col. Alioth,
would put our Manchester plant out Of
business
In late trip 10 Mississippi" said Hon.
= Elias Deemer, recently q Representative
. in Congress from Pennsylvania. 40 the
Sh0reham. 4 was gratiied to find that 6
p vast deal of Improvement was going on,
P and that Mississippi was getting in lire
F with its heretofore more progressive sister
States.
Something more than a year ago. with
some associates, purchased a tract Of
fine timber land, about 51e0 acres alto
gethor. i'm Neshoha County. which. 10y the
tL-l.- III. homo I,. .-..------.-- IN,