Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-01
RECEIVES WARM WELCOME.
Says He Is Not Worried Regarding
Reelection.
TALKS OF DISTRICT AFFAIRS
Favors Elaborate Inauguration Of
Mr.. Taft-Closely in Touch
With Local Needs.

Senator Galinger, chairman of the COM
mittee on the District Of Columbia re-
turned to this city last night. Bright and
early his morning he was at his desk in
the committee room picking up the
threads of the multifarious business re-
lating to District legislation. He said he
spent very pleas summer and fall.
and. with the exception of a severe cold.
contracted about two weeks ago. is in fine
trim for a busy session.
There is no more popular man in the
upper branch of Congress than Senator
Gallinger. and his committee room was
crowded all day with his colleagues and
Senate employees, who wanted to shake
hands and wish him well. He is gener-
ally reputed to be one OF the most inde-
fatigable workers In the Senate. He GER
tainly lost no time today in getting down
to work.
Not Worried Regarding Reelection.
Fresh from the successful republican
campaign in his state. and not worried as
regards reelection by the republican leg
islature next January, he feels free to
turn his attention not only to the affairs
but to those in which local men and wom-
en- are deeply interested.
THE work of the chairman Of the Dis
trict committee" Senator Gallinger said
today. lis in many respects thankless. A
national legislator who devotes much OF
his time to the betterment of the National
capital, in which every citizen of the
United States should take deep inter-
est and pride, is seldom appreciated at
home. For that reason l have thought
ship l now hold and accepting another.
where, perhaps. the work would not be so
hard. but might bring more fame. My
work for the District however, is alb
sorbing. and / believe worthy of any
mans best efforts. I want to see WASH
ington the greatest city in the world and
shall always be proud of my work In its
behalf. I can't help but feel that after
all. the people of New Hampshire take
this view Of the matter
Views on District Legislation.
The New Hampshire legislature that
will elect senator next January is COM
posed of twenty four senator's. twenty OF
whom are republicans. and $50 members
Of the House of which number 274 are
republicans, III democrats and one an
independent. So far no strong opposition
to Mr.. Gallinger's reelection has ma
terialized. and his return seems certain.
He took his seat in the Senate March 4,
1891, and has been in that body continu-
ously since that time. He has been a
member of the District committee for
eighteen years.
Senator Gallinger was glad to tell OF
his views on proposed District legislation.
All summer he has kept i'm close touch
with what has been going on here. chiefly
through the newspapers, and he knows
how things stand today.
i am very strongly I'm favor of maxi
ing the Inauguration of Mr. Taft the
greatest thing OF the kind we have ever
had" he said. II am not in favor Of
making fnaugurations local affairs, but
believe they should be on such a mag
niiicent scale that they will attract the
attention of the entire country and bring
people here from every state and terri
tory They should be credit not only to
the District, but to Congress.
Proposed Convention Hall.
In that connection let me say that I
am strong advocate of the proposition
of the citizens of the District to erect
great convention hall here, in which the
inaugural balls and the big conventions OF
the country could be held. This should
be the great central convention city
There is money enough here to build
such structure. and / feel certain 1t
would be paying investment. The recent
experience with the international tubercu-
losis congress was enough to demonstrate
the need Of such a building
Senator Gal!inger thinks there should be
an inaugural ball. by all means He be-
leVeS it is a feature of the ceremonies
that could not be dispensed with without
greatly detracting from the splendor OF
the occasion. The question OF whether
or not the pension office can again be used
for the purpose must. of course. be set
tied. he pointed out. but personally he
thinks it should be given over for thAt
use OF the inauguration committee, even
If 1t does cost the national government
something.
The senator suggested that if Congress
does not permit the use of the pension
office for the ball il will have TO appropr!-
ate money to defray the expenses Of the
inauguration. On the whole. he is in
clin6d to favor the proposition that the
national government meet the expenses.
but on the other hand, he believes the
District has always handled the matter
I'm an entirely satisfactory manner.
Public School Matters.
. Throughout the recess Senator Calm
ger has watched In a general way the
doings in public school matters. He said
this morning that lle was glad to know
things were moving along more smoothly
than they ever have since the present
board assumed control. He wants to see
several things accomplished at the short
session that will greatly improve the
school situation, but said that Senator
Burkett of Nebraska. chairman of the
of education and labor, IS
the man who is looking into that phase
of local needs.
Il shall certainly exert every effort
said he. Ito secure more liberal appro-
priations for the schools this year. espe-
cialy for new buildings. Washington
should have the model school system or
the nation. | want to see an appropri-
alton for new Central High School made
this winter
Progress in Railway Work.
The progress of the local street railway
companies in constructing the lines to tho
Union station attracted Mr. Gallinger's
attention al soon ne stepped out of tho
station. He remarked this morning that
1t was a tremendous job. more tremen-
dous than most people realized, and that
he was glad to see that Ii had progressed
SO nicely.
''Of course. the laynan is likely to think
such work is being accomplished more
SLOWLY than Is necessary said he ..but,