The National tribune., 1907-07-25


A few years ago the use of a Gov
ernment vessel for pleasure by even the
President of the United States brot
forth much comment, and more or less
criticism. Times have changed since
then, and now the employment of such
vessels by members of the Cabinet and
even by lesser officials, is common.
The International Convention of the
Brotherhood of ST Andrew, an organi-
zation of laymen OF the Protestant Epis-
copal Church, which is to meet in this
city Sept. 25 to 20. WILL it is claimed. be
a notable gathering and one of impor-
tance to the Episcopal Church. not only
in this diocese, but in this and other
countries. The sessions of the ConVen-
ton will just precede the Triennial
General Convention of the Protestant
Episcopal Church In the United states
which meets at Richmond, Va. Oct. 2,
and at which will be celebrated the
30Oth anniversary of the founding of
the Church at jamestown.
On account of this celebration, a
number of notable bishops, clergymen,
and laymen of the Church in Canada
and England will be in this country for
the purpose of attending the Richmond
gathering and all of these, it is expect
ed, will be present during the sessions
of the Brotherhood Convention IN
Washington. In addition, delegates Will
attend from the West Indies, Scotland,
Cuba, Porto Rico, Mexico, Hawaii. Alas
ka, and practically every State. Whlle
the organization Is steadily growing,
particularly in the West and South, the
strength of the order is in the Eastern
States, and, for that reason. 1t Is stated.
a very large number of those in this
section, in addition to members of the
brotherhood IN other parts of the coun-
try, will also attend the Convention.
The provisional program contains the
names as speakers of some of the most
eminent bishops, clergymen, and lay
men of the Anglican communion, the
most prominent from England being
the Lord Bishop of London; from the
West Indies, the Most Rev. EnoS Nut
tall, d. D.; from Scotland, Mr.. Arthur
Giles; from Canada, the Right Rev.
John DuMouiin, Bishop of Niagara, and
number of bishops, clergymen, ana
laymen of the American Church.
According to Mr.. J. r. Pinney, of
North Dakota, the President was once
upon a time bad man of the West.
Away ouE West, where the North
ern Pacific crosses the Little Missouri
River. came some years ago a young
tenderfoOt from New York by the name
of Theodore Roosevelt" said MIR. PIN
ney.
Everybody has heard of the Presi-
dents career as a cattle raiser and now
he entered fully into the life OF a plans
man. He was green when he came, but
game. and was soon on to all the curves
of the cow-punching business. recall
a thing he did that proved his nerve On
one occasion he missed a little sklE
that he used to fish from occasionally,
and everything indicated that some ms
creant had stolen the boat. The sklff
wasn't worth Sc, but Roosevelt was
mad all the way thru, and he determin
ed to catch the thief. Summoning one OF
his hired men, another boat was got
and the two began padding down the
Missouri to try to catch the rogue ana
recover the batteau. On my word, the
chase thus begun was kept up for two
DAYS, and at nightfall of the second
day the pursuersH came up with their
man asleep on the banks of the stream
and the boat tied up ito nearby cliH-
with drawn siS-shooter the future
President approached the thief ana
held the gun lat fhis head while
the hired man did neat job of tying
his hands. They kept him all night,
and the next day turned him over to
the Sheriff. The fellow proved to be
one of the worst desperadoes in Dakota
A man who had committed a dozen
murders, and for1whom the officers OF
the law had been hunting for many
week in vain"
It costs Uncle Sam jim the neighbor-
hood of $6,000,000 annually for the
leisure of his employees. Not many EN-
ployers treat their employees SO gener-
ously. In fact, not many could afford
to do so. There are on the Govern
ment paw roll about $1,000 employees,
and their annual salaries approximate
about S66,O00,000. Most of these en-
ployes are entitled to 80 days vacation
annually. They are also allowed t"
take 80 days sick leave annually or
full pay 1t is estimated that rs per
cent of the employees take their vaca-
tons regularly and many take their
full 20 DAYS sick .eave. A Treasury
official with whom statistics are a hob
by has made a careful computation.
and says that more than $6,0O0,OOO OF
good Government funds go for ''loafing
spells of employees. AS he figures 1t,
the Government work could be done
with one-twelfth less the present num-
ber of employees easily. Or, taken III
another form, the present force can dc
all the Government work in IL months
probably in 10, for which they now
receive 12 months pay. He also sug-
gests that if the Government work was
done by contract it could be done for
three-fourths the present cost.
There is one remarkable feature
about this vacation business" said he,
and that is that the more salary man
draws the longer vacation he takes. The
ordinary employees get 80 days annual
and 80 days sick leave, il they can
supply doctors certificate. Many
heads of Departments take from three
to four months, and do not have to
account to anybody. It's a case where
the little fish get the worst of it as
usual But the subordinate employe:;
have no complaint when compared to
employees of railroads and other con-
Germs which are large employers of la
bor."
In the Government Printing Office it
is necessary to employ outside help to
take the places of regular employees or
vacations. and Congress annually ap-
propriates $65,000 to pay the bill. In
other Departments the clerks double up
the work or let it pile up during vaca-
ton time.
Brig Gen. Chas. +. Humphrey. Quar-
termaster-General of the Army, has
been placed on the retired list, and Mai.
James y. AleShire, one of the younger
officers of the Department, has been
appointed Quartermaster-G General, with
the rank of Brigadier-General.
The regular fOur-year term of Gen.
Humphrey expired several months ago.
and he was reappointed by the Presi-
dent for another term. The reasons
for Gen Humphreys retirement are set