Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-06-20
NOTESFROM WASHINGTON
President REQUESTS Investigation
Especial CorrespORdence)

President Roosevelt has taken notice
OF the collapse OF an apartment house
under construction here recently and
through Secretary Loeb has requested
District Attorney Baker to investigate
the accident and see that whoever
was responsible for it, especially the
contractors or district building inspec-
tor, be prosecuted to the utmost limit
of the law" The district attorney
has promised to present the matter i'm
medtately to the grand jury If crcum-
stances warrant it.
Beginning of Vacation-Presiden
Roosevelt and his family will leave
Washington for oyster Bay June 20.
Contrary to her regular custom, Mrs.
Roosevelt will not precede the presl-
dent to their summer home this year
unless the heat becomes so great that
an earlier removal is found neces-
sary. The horses will be shipped to
Oyster Bay several days before the
president leaves and a corps of SER
wants will go up to have everything
in readiness for the reception of the
president and his family. The days
following the adjournment of CON
gress will be given up to picnicking
about Washington by the younger
members Of the family, while the
president is putting his official bust
ness in shape.
For Pan-American Congress-Presi.
deit Roosevelt has invited nine promi-
nent scientists to represent the United
States government at the Pan-Ameri-
can scientific congress to be held in
Santiago, Chilli, in December. They
are: w. II. Holmes, chief of the bu-
reau of American Ethnology, Smith
Sonian Institution; Col. William c..
Gorgas, U. S. A, chief sanitary officer
OF the isthmian canal commission;
Prof. Bernard Moses, University of
California; Prof, William Benjamin
Smith, Tulane University of Louisi.
ana; Prof. Paul S. Reinsch, Universi.
ty OF Wisconsin; Prof l.. S. Rowe,
University of Pennsylvania; Prof, VIII
liam r. Shepherd Columbia Uni
cersity; Prof Archibald Coolidge, Har.
ward; Prof. Tiram Bingham, Yale.
To Protect New England Ports
The coast defence forts around Bos-
ton and other New England ports may
be equipped with a new plan for con-
trolling searchlights. An invitation de-
signed for this purpose was tested
recently at New York by Gen. Murray,
chief of artillery, and several other of.
ticers. This device is simple, consist
ing of small lever and motor hay
ing electrical connection with the
searchlights. The device may be 10.
Gated at one point in a harbor and
control the searchhghts in all forts sur
rounding the harbor. 1t will work at
a distance of six miles, according to
its Inventor. The method seems very
simple, Gen. Murray says, 1t being
possible to turn 60-inch searchlight
weighing two tons in any direction,
merely by pressing a small lever with
the fingers of one hand. The coast ar.
tillery has experimental with several
devices for controlling searchlights,
but the latest is claimed to be the best.
Suggestions Being Prepared.-Prep-
arations are being made by the treas.
ury department for the prompt carry.
ing into effect of the various proN-
sions of the new currency law A list
Of all national banks arranged by
states, showing the capital and sur
80 To
controller of the currency for use by
the secretary's Office in connection
with any applications that may be re-
ceived from banks for the formation
of national currency associations, pro-
vided for by the new law. Deputy
Controller of the Currency r. P. Kane,
in answer to an inquiry as to what was
being done toward preparing recon-
mendations for amendments to the
national banking laws for submission
to the national monetary commission,
stated that such amendments will be
recommended as experience in the
practical administration of the laws
have shown to be necessary. The ma
tional bank act has worked very sat
isfactorily and successfully, he stated,
and no radical change in the laws is
deemed necessary. There are a num-
ber Of provisions, however, which need
amendment, 80 as to make their
terms more explicit or definite.
A Warning to Panama.-ln language
that cannot be mistaken, the exact text
of which was made public a few days
ago by the war department, the presi-
dent and Sec. Taft have notified the
Panama government that elections in
that Republican government must be
conducted fairly The circumstances
attending this warning were given out
for publication as if in preparation
for active Intervention on the part
of the United States by the use OF
whatever force shall be necessary to
make it effective Secretary Taft in
a letter delivered to President Amador
in person and dated May IL, suggests
that two years ago, when charges OF
fraud were made concerning the con-
gressional election at Panama, it was
not thought best to do more than urge
fairness in the administration. Some
very weighty evidence was adduced TO
show that there were many who had
been deprived of their constitutional
right to vote in that election, and
there was much evidence of violence
and repeating by the police in the cit
les of Panama, Colon and elsewhere.
No active Intervention, however, was
attempted by the United States gov.
ernment. 1t was hoped that the irreg-
ularlties of the last election were due
merely to the fact that the election
laws were new, that the republic was
young. and that at more important
election, like the presidential election
TO follow, greater care would be taken
TO preserve the rights Of the citizens
n