The National tribune., 1907-02-07

by the Confederate Government, and
under which she fought during the civil
war the famous battle with the Monitor
that revolutionized naval warfare.
Down in Alabama they have a queer
law which says that when a man is
elected United States Senator he must
appear in person and accept the honor
at the hands of the Legislature of that
State. Senator Morgan has just been
re-elected-not that his term expires.
but because the Legislature only meets
every four years. and before his term
does expire two years would intervene
to save possible expense. and because
as long as the breath of life remains IN
his body Senator Morgan will remain
a United States Senator from Alabama,
the two houses of the Legislature elect
ed him, and will hand that election over
to him when he gets ready for it, two
years hence. What an adorable Legis-
lature! But it did even better than
that. Senator Morgan is not in the best
of health, and his physician said that it
would be as mucn as his life was worth
to take the trip to Alabama at this time
TO accept the honors given him. Then
that Legislature proceeded to pass
unanimous resolution suspending the
odd law in the case of Senator Morgan.
This was done, too, without any request
from him.
There is the very closest friendship
between the two Alabama Senators,
Pettus and Morgan, and they hail from
the same town. which is also odd. They
are the two oiaeSt men in the United
States Senate, and Senator Morgan is
one of the Oldest in point of service also.
In the absence of Senator Morgan the
other day, during the discussion of the
salary-increase bill, his venerable col
league, Gen. Pettus, who supported the
measure, paid a simple but eloquent
tribute to him. He pointed to Senator
Morgan as an example Of the need of
higher compensation for the National
lawmakers, reciting briefly the hard
work done by his colleague in his 30
years devotion to the public service.
'My colleague" said Senator Pettus. in
voice trembling with emotion, could
have amassed fortune at the bar had
he preferred that to serving his people
and the country. 1 have known him 60
years. We have lived as friends and
neighbors for that length Of time in
the same village. He was making $15,-
900 a year when he came to the Senate.
You all know how hard he has worked
here, and that he has had no time to
earn money. His financial condition is
now just about what 1t was when he
entered the Senate 30 years ago. The
people of Alabama know he Is poor. and
they are proud of him for it."
Maj. c. F. Close and Capt G. r. Firth.
of the British army, identified with tho
typographical section of the War Office
at London, called to see the President
last week, and thanked him for aid that
has been extended to them in their
work in the United States. They were
accompanied to the White House by
Esme Howard, Charge d'Afaires of the
British Embassy.
The British army officers have been
in the United States for some time in
specting various scientific and other in
stitutions, with q view to obtaining in
formation as to Topographic methods
followed in this country.
Senator Beveridge walked up the
pathway to the White House the other
day in the middle Of a driving rain.
The water poured in riyulet from his
slouch hat and his coat shed quarts of
rain upon his shoes at every step.
where's your umbrella, Senator ?"
some one asked the solon from Indiana.
Umbrella, umbrella" he exclaimed
in scorn; 81 never use one. Don't You
know that umbrellas are the first signs
of a decaying and enfeebled civiliZa-
ton? Any man who is afraid to go out
in the rain and get wet ought to wear
petticoats. and you can quote me on
that"
The Sultan of Turkey has conferred
upon Mrs. Mccormick, wife of the
American ambassador to France. the
grand Gordon of the Imperial Order OF
Observation-Disclosures, and the insignia
was worn by Mrs. Mccormick at a gala
diplomatic dinner given by President
Fallieres at the Elyses Palace in Paris
Incidentally, you know. the old Mormon
confers the French gilt thing on every
woman who happens to smile on him
Some half a hundred American women
have the decoration.
Mrs. Isabella Beecher Hooker. a sis
ter of the late Henry Ward Beecher
and the last survivor Of the famous
children of the Rev. DR.. Lyman Beech
er. Is dying at her home in Hartford
Mrs. Hooker was born in Litchfield, on
Feb. %. 1922, and in 1s41 married
John Hooker, a lawyer, a descendan,
of the Rev. Thomas Hooker, one of the
founders at Hartford. Mrs. Hooke,
has been a vigorous fighter IN behalf
Of the woman's rights movement, and
was responsible for the passage Of &
| ing to women property rights apart
| from those OF their husbands. Mrs
Hooker had two children, DIR. Edward
Beecher Hooker. of this city. and Mrs
Alice Hooker Day, wife of John c. Day
of New York.
The death of Mrs. Hooker will leave
only Julia Ward Howe of that galaxy
of splendid women who 4b years age
were a power in Suffrage. Abolition
Temperance and Republican circles.
Two vulcanite casts recently received
| at the United States War Department
| offer a valuable Illustration of the su
using smokeless powder as compared
black powder. The casts show the in
teriors of two twelve-inch guns. Th.
first Is that of a piece which had beer
fired $50 times with black powder ant
| then refined. The bore of the gun wa
so deeply pitted that the cast resemble
1 the bark of the roughest old oak trees
| The cavities are deep enough to con
| tain walnuts, and the rifiing has com
pletely disappeared. The second cas-
| was made from gun which had beel
| fired 900 times with smokeiess powder
There was some erosion. but no
enough TO destroy the grooves of tn
| rifiing, and the interior was fairl
] smooth.
/ It has remained for a young maj
1 from Utah, who was formerly a studen
at the University of the Latter Da
/ Saints to break several records at tn
/ Naval Academy Reference is made L