The National tribune., 1908-04-23

them push legislation at the end oi
Congress. Representative Hepburn de-
sires Congress to remain in session un-
til every measure advocated by the
President has been passed by that body
and has become law.
Mr.. McCreary, the sporting man who
was accidentally shot by Representative
Hefiin, of Alabama, a few weeks ago,
has had a close call for his life, but is
now thought to be improving. He first
had incipient pneumonia, then tetanus,
or lockjaw, and it was a pretty close
call, but he is decidedly on the mend at
this time. Representative Helm has
been nearly distracted over the -unfor-
tunate affair, and has called at the hos
pital nearly every day to see the victim
of his erratic bullet. and beside that he
sent for his own brother DR.. Heflin, a
physician and surgeon of high repute,
who has been with the patient con-
stantly.
To develop interest and instruct the
popular mind on subjects pertaining to
the relations of the United States with
other Nations is the ambitious under
taking of the American Society of In
ternational Law, which is to hold its
second annual meeting here Friday and
Saturday of this week.
Secretary Root. President of the So
ciety. has taken keen interest in it's
development which he regards as high
ly important to the Nation, in view of
the increase of popular control over
National conduct, which marks the po-
litical development of the present time.
The principal plank in the platform Of
the Society is, in the words of its Presi-
dent THAT the great body of the people
in. u,In mt Syt1n laaxr
ception of their International rights and
duties
On this point Secretary Root says:
Governments do not make war now
adays unless assured of general altf
hearty support among their people, and
it sometimes happens that Governments
are driven into war against their will by
the pressure of strong popular feeling
IT is not uncommon to see two Govern
ments striving in the most conciliatory
and patient way to settle some matter
of difference peaceably, while a large
part of the people in both countries
maintain an uncompromising and bel
ligerent attitude. insisting upon the ex-
treme and uttermost view of their own
rights in way which, if it were to con-
troll National action, would render
peaceable settlement impossible"
Word comes from the New Orleans
Naval Station that Mrs. Roosevelt so
admired the avenue of magnificent mag
nolias which leads into the naval
grounds there that orders have been
given from Washington that these trees
shall not be cut down to make way for
improvements that were intended to be
made there, but that the improvements
shall be placed elsewhere. There are
lot of people who would like to have
Mrs. Roosevelt get busy on the Botan-
ical Gardens here in Washington, and
have them kept from destruction by
the demon of Improvement" There
are lot of people who want Washing
ton to be laid out like geometrical de-
sign, with a tree here, bush there and
a statue yonder, like they have things in
dear Paree," which is all dear bosh.
The Botanical Gardens, fenced in with
spiked iron fence 10 feet high, are a
quaint bit of almost primeval nature.
Mr.. Smith, the head, who has set out
every tree or seen it set out, and who
planned the gardens, loves nature in
her widest moods. He likes to see trees
grow as nature intended they should,
and flowers sprawl around over rocks,
trellisses or the trees just as the thing
was designed to do by the Creator. He
has gathered inside that queer old fence
a bit of herbage from every country and
the tropics are in the palm houses;
those that will grow outdoors make the
great inclosure a joy for nine months in
the year, and the humblest can enjoy
the beauty and perfume. 1t is a perfect
tangle of delight the whole Summer
thru. Now is it any wonder that he
kicks on having gigantic statue set
down under his nose in a swampy cor
ner of his gardens?
A new house built for each working
hour during the month of March at
cost of $635, 500 Is pretty fair for Wash
ington, now, isn't it?
Senator La Toilette is i'll again. He
is broken down with hard work and
suffers from indigestion. He hopes.
however, to be able to take his seat in
the Senate again in time for a speech
on some of his pet measures.
With Bureau of Mines practically
assured, comes a proposition of still an
other Bureau, that of Harbors and Wa
terways. A bill has been introduced
and referred, providing for the creation
of such a Federal Bureau to be placed
under the Department of Commerce and
Labor and officered by corps of United
States engineers.
The work of the proposed Bureau
will be of large pfoportions-construc
ing, executing and preserving the har-
bors and waterways in aid of naviga-
ton. 1t will make examinations sur
yeys, plans and estimates relating to
such work. The bill has a number of
carefully drawn sections relative to the
subject-matter. Should the measure be-
come law, no improvements will be
commenced unless sufficinet appropria-