The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-01-22
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

Despite lle present OppOSILlUn VI
Speaker Cannon the friends of the bill
providing new building for the de
partments of state, justice and com
merce and labor hope to meet with
success at the present session of con
gress. They still believe they can con
vince the speaker that the building
should be erected at this time and will
endeavor to have it reported favorably
by the house public buildings and
grounds committee.
Would Save Rentals.
The bill provides that the build
ing shall be erected on ground on Penn
sylvania avenue between Fourteenth
and Fifteenth streets.
1t is contended by the cabinet mem
bers Interested that their quarters are
inadequate to accommodate their grow
ing departments. The government now
pays $4,000 annual rental for private
" owned offices outside the regular
buildings, and it is urged that this mon
ey might be used for the erection of
permanent buildings
Congressional Luxuries.
The sergeant at arms of the senate
has among his stores number of
things which bespeak comfort if not
absolute luxury. He carries quantities
If violet and white rose and Jockey
Club soap, hair tonics, bottles of co
logne, oil for massaging, chamois skins.
bay rum, witch hazel sea salt, silver
nail polishing brushes, large lemon
squeezers, snuff, two and three grain
quinne pills, bath sponges and, most
curious entry of ALL twenty bot
ties pond lily No less than twenty
one different sorts of soap are on the
list for the use of senator's
French Honor of Franklin.
President Roosevelt submitted mes
sage to congress a few days ago con-
corning the gold medal presented 10
France by the United States April 20,
1906, in commemoration of the two
hundredth anniversary of the birth Of
Benjamin Franklin. The presentation
was made by Secretary Root to M.
Jusserand, the French ambassador, at
a celebration in Philadelphia.
Accompanying the report was let
ter from M. Jusserand explaining the
exact disposition made of the medal by
France. A large case in the center Of
the Hall of Honor of the Museum of
Medals at Paris has been given over to
the Franklin medal, which is surround
ed by Washington and Lafayette med
ais and other emblems suggesting the
American revolution.
A SuItan's Letter.
President Roosevelt has received a
letter from the sultan of Morocco ex-
pressing his gratitude for the appoint
ment of Samuel r. Gummere as Amer
lean minister to Morocco. The letter is
written in Arabic. The sultan address,
es the president as 'the beloved, the
most cherished, the exalted, the most
gracious friend, most honored and ex-
ceIlent president of the republic of the
United States of America, who is the
pillar of its great influence and the di-
rector of its most important affairs, the
most celebrated preserver of the ties
of true friendship, the faithful, Theo-
dore Roosevelt"
Presidents Western Trip.
President Roosevelt will probably go
to Indianapolis, Ind, on Memorial day
this year to deliver an address on the
occasion of the unwilling of monu-
ment to General Henry w. Lawton
who was killed in the Philippines
shortly after the United States took
charge of the islands. General Lawton
was Fort Wayne man, and the presi-
dent had always regarded him as one
of the great and faithful soldiers of the
country. When at Santiago in com
mand of the rough riders the president
was Immediately under General Law
ton and only few days ago promised
the generals widow to send her son to
West Point as a cadet.
indianapolis will probably be the first
stop in rather Important trip the
president will make to the west early
in June. He has accepted several in
vitations to talk to colleges at their
commencement season if he is able to
do so. One of these is in Missouri and
the other in Michigan. He has a score
or more of invitations to other places,
but some time ago he was disnclined
to accept them.
Age of the District.
1t has been 11S years since the legis-
lature of the state of Maryland, sitting
at Annapolis, passed an act ceding to
the United States government terri
tory ten miles square, anywhere with
in the state that the federal officials
and commissioners might select. The
bill thus passed on Dec. %. 1888, was
Immediately signed by Governor John
Eager Howard, fifth American gov
ernor of Maryland. 1t thus became a
law.
Virgimia's Gift.
On Dec. 3, 1889, Virginia, following
the lead of Maryland, passed an act do
mating a tract ten miles square to the
government, but it was not until July
16, 1890, that President Washington
signed the bill establishing the seat OF
government of the United States on the
banks of the Potomac between the
eastern branch and the Connogochegue
in accordance with the terms of the
eighth section, article l, of the constitu
ton of the United States, which sets
forth that: l{ff
Congress shall have power to exer
n. .,x&r