The National tribune., 1907-06-27

1HE MA llONAL MD
of calamity, when labor will be begging
| ging.
And now we are going to be magnan-
| imouS and not ask China to pay us as
much by $12,0GO.O00 for her Boxer
| racket as we first demanded. Sccre-
tary Root made this plain to Sir Liang
| Cheng Chcntung the other day. We
were going TO make them pay S24.000,-
| us on account of the losses entailed by
| the United States Government. as well
as for the personal property lost by our
citizens over there during the Boxer
campaign. Now the President. because
China has behaved so well. is going TO
| recommend to the 60th Congress that
| ii lift the burden of half the debt, and
probably Congress will do it.
The Dead Letter Division of the Post
Office Department, under the efficient
system recently adopted and put into
effect by Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General DeGraw, has made several new
records recently. One day last week
20.6S1 undelivered letters were returned
to senders by the clerks engaged on that
work, the largest number ever returned
in one day. the best previous record be-
| ing 20,36S.
| A few days later the force engaged
| in Selecting" or picking out the letters
| on which senders' addresses can be as
| certained, made new record of 12,54S
selections, and the employees in the
opening branch recently opened and re-
moved contents of 3S,S00 letters in a
single day.
Judge John V. Wright, Of Tennessee,
made an address before a meeting of
| the Oregon Society one night last week
which was full of interest.
Judge Wright is an honorary member
of the society, having the distinction of
being one OF the two surviving members
| OF the Congress which, after long and
bitter fight, passed the bill admitting
Oregon as a State. In referring to this
historical event, Judge Wright said, Il
am at the present time prouder of my
vote on that occasion than of anything
| else in my career in Congress"
He went on to state the condition of
affairs at that time, telling of the con-
troversy arising over IA clause in the
Oregon State Constitution. saving that
not only was the ownership of negro
slaves prohibited in the State. but that
no negro whatsoever would be allowed
in Oregon. Though this law is still in
the State Constitution, Judge Wright
says it is not enforced.
Hero Is an item that has been going
the rounds of the press:
IF BY George is the fiercest form
of oath in which President Roosevelt
now INDUCES, his manner of speech has
changed somewhat since the battle of
Santiago. In his book. entitled The
Rough Riders" he says, in speaking of
his cndeavors to get his men forward
in that battle: Il had been joking with
some and swearing at others, as the eX-
igencieS of the case seemed to demand"
We have heard of man who, when
told that he should not swear at all, re-
piled that he did not swear at all, but
only at some, and perhaps the Presi-
dent. while able to restrain himself in
time of peace from indulging in the vul-
gar habit OF swearing, is not always
able to do so in time of war. If he thus
abstains from swearing in time of peace
he should not be too severely condemns
ed If he IS not able to keep his forms
of expression under equally good con-
troll when he Is under the strain and eX-
citement of actual engagement in battle,
| for there is a tradition that the con-
duct of Gen Charles Lee, at the battle
of Monmouth, was so exaSperating to
Gen. Washington that even that great
and good man in giving vent to his
feelings INDUCED in profanc words of
righteous Indignation" which, as one
historian records it, caused the very
leaves of the forest to tingle with joy"
Now, II Is probable that President
Roosevelt. like all men OF intense ner-
vous characteristics, under strong Prov
ocation, uses rather stronger language
than polite society sanctions i'm the par
lor table books on How to be proper
and presentable at all times,'' or things
to that effect. The writer very well re-
members the first time that she heard
President Roosevelt speak. He was
making an address before a handful of
newspaper women-and ii was only a
handful, for at that time he was Presi-
dent OF the Civil Service Commission
only and not specially noted. He had
| said he did not like to have women in
the Departments of the Government for
various reasons. Mrs. Belva Lockwood,
who was present insistently asked
t"Why2" He replied that it was neces-
| sary often 70 ask the women in his of
fee to lift big books from high shelves
and to do other things that he thought
woman should not do, and so he did
not get data that he wanted, or gave
the commission to a messenger when
the woman clerk had been the one who
should have performed the service DO
not women do their work as well as
men?" asked Mrs. Lockwood. The
Com missioner of the Civil Service re-
piled that they did. Are they not will
Ting to do all that you ask of them?" in
| sisted Mrs. Lockwood. "Oh, yes" re-
piled Mr.. Roosevelt.
We'll. them persisted Mrs. Lock-
wood, 'if women do their work as Well
and do not refuse to perform any SER
vice. why do you object to them in Of
flee? Why do you not ask them to do
the things that belong to their office %
Mr.. Roosevelt replied with a laugh
that showed every one Of his remark
ably fine teeth. "Well, now, by Jove,
just because L can't, don't you know
Women are not fitted to do that kind of
work and 1 am opposed to it." So
there's another word that the President
"Hsed to use"
Maj-Gen Leonard Wood, command
ing the Philippines Division, does not
seem to be anxious to exchange that
more or less arduous post for the easier
one at Governors Island, N. Y. The
President Is willing. IL not eager, to give
his old friend command of the Atlantic
Division. with headquarters at the New
York Harbor fort, but, so far, the for
ner Army Surgeon has not indicated
any desire to take that assignment
which, incidentally, Is regarded as the
best in the service. His friends say
| that he will remain in the Philippines
at least a year longer, because he de-
| sires to see as much active service as
| possible, and at present the. Philippines
Station affords far greater opportunities
| in that direction than any other. AL
ready Gen. Wood has had longer for
eign service than any other officer in