Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-11-26
From Washington.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gasette.l
Washington, Nov. rs.

Correspondence OF the Alexan0rih ua1eeso'l
Washington, Nov. rs.
The gospel of equality Of opportunity
for the negro race was preached here to-
day by President Roosevelt at the lag
ing of the coroner stone Of the colored
YIN O. A. building. The president
u ade clear, however, that he was not
referring t. social relations. 81 AN
speaking" be said "of equality oftna'-
meut before the laE, Of equality Of OPP
portuuity to caro- a living, Of equality Of
opp, rtdnity to cam the respect that
should be accorded to the msn who
lives decenlly and is good neighboI
and good citizen The president de-
CARED that he considered the ace prob
lem the most difficult with which the
country has to dsa'. He believed that
the en- y way 10 which "to bafen the
solution CT the problem was to treat each
naa on his merits "a q man." de
should not be treated tally because be
happens to be of given color, said the
president, nor should receive immunit
for misconduct because he happens to bt
of given color. The performance OF
duty should be test spilled to the
white man and colored alike, aud each
person should be judged by the way 10
which he meets the demands Of duty.
Incidentally the president took occasion
to rebuke some OF the colored subscriber
to the building fund. OF 1926, OOl
pledged by colOred men, only $4,000
bad been paid in, he said. ono man
ta,a right to promise aid a Cause like
this aud not TO keep his promise," de-
clared the president.
1t is stated In the Departments here
that nothing unexpected he's occurred OF
the Papama Canal work 20 a result o
the recent heavy rains, aud reports o
serious damage to the Gstum dam arr
denied by Lieut.. Col. G1ethsls, th'
chief engineer, in reply to cabled re
quest from Secretary of War Wright TO-
the facts. Col. GUethsls admits, how
ever, that two large parallel ridges O.
earth and rock, which have been dump
ed / ZOO feet apart to form q basin init
which the material is to be pumped Il
form the dam, has settled in spots.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson hs
declared a cattle quarantine agsins
Michigan, on account of the presence il
that State OF foot and mouth disease.
President Roosevelt today announces
the resignation OF Public Printer Johl
7. Leech aud the appointment in hi
place of Samuel B. Donnelly, of NeV
York. Mr.. Donnelly is ex-president o
the international Typographical Union
and lie at present secretary OF the genera
arbitration board OF the New York Bald
ing Trades. Mr.. Lake will take hi
old position 10 charge Of the government
Philippine print shop on December l
Mr.. Leech, Is said by men who ar
"a niliar with conditions, not to hsv
possessed all the qualities requisite Il
the management of force OF :, 500 men
Unless business before Congress- II
connection with affairs of the var de
par;ment demand his presence here, 1t !
probable that Secretary Wright viii
make visit to Panama about the middl
OF December. His object will be Il
make a personal Investigation OF tn
work on the isthmiau canal, which h,
has never yet seen, although he is, as tb
head of thu department, nominally II
sharge of its construction. There are al
20 constantly recurring disputes arisinI
between the Psnsna merchsnis on TIT
one side and the cOmmissOry stores il
the canal zone on the other, as to whs
the latter should or should not sell, to b.
smoothed over.
All the departments and many OF TIL
sores were closed today making bushes
here very dull.
Southwesie storm warnings were di'
played at IL noon from Delaware Breakwate
to New York. A storm over Lake Erie !
moving northeast. Winds will shift TO south
west by TO night, becoming strong.