The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-02-20

| try will get just as good a show as
every other section.
The Acknowledgement of the Army
has been advised of the death of Brig
Gen. John f. Head, United States Army,
retired, which occurred at Nassau, Ba-
hama Islands, last week.
Gen. Head was born in Massachu-
sets Jan. 8. 1921, and was appointed
Aug. 6, 1916. He was advanced to
Brigadier-General April %, 1904, on &C
count of his civil war service.
Senator Owen, of the new State of
Oklahoma. showed the President the
other day "a large silver medal in which
the Chief Executive was greatly inter
ested. 1t was n peace medal awarded
to Senator Owens Indian grandfather.
Thomas Chisholm, by President Jeffer-
son. 1t bears the inscription, Medal
of Peace and Friendship to the Last
Hederitary Cherokee War Chief. 1908.
BY Thomas jefferson" On the reverse
side, in the middle of the medal, arc
between the white man and the Indian
for peace. The medal is treasured
highly by Senator Owen, who is one of
the two men in the United States Senate
of Indian blood, Senator Curtis, of Kan
sas, being the other.
Altho not settled. it is highly prob
able that Secretary Metcalf and Ad-
miral Dewey will go to San Francisco
next Summer for the special purpose
of taking part in the ceremonies which
will attend the arrival of the great bat
tleship fleet at that port. The people
I,a,. W. %
give the fleet a royal welcome as it
passes thru the Golden Gate, and Sec
cretary Metcalf Admiral Dewey and
other prominent officials of the Govern
ment have been specially invited to be
present as the guests of the Citizens
Committee of Entertainment. Mr.. T.
w. Murray, who is Chairman of that
Committee, has been in correspondence
with the officials with a view to insur-
ing their participation in what will UNI
doubtedly be the grandest naval dem
Onstration ever seen on the Pacific
Coast
Rear-Admira1 McCalla, retired of
the Navy, in letter to Secretary Met
calf, says that with some notifications
the opinions expressed in a recently
published interview with him, which
created considerable comment at the
years. Among the statements which
the Admiral was quoted as making in
reference to the Navy was that with
Navy Department under a civilian Sec
rotary, Department with eight differ
ent Bureaus and civilian Secretaries,
ruinous mistakes are only what might
be expected. The Admiral adds that
he has frequently stated his personal
views in conversation with friends, but
not in criticism of any individual.
No action will be taken by the Navy
Department in the matter, as it is I'M
derstood Secretary Metcalf is not averse
TO having officers express honest criti-
cism in naval matters over their own
signatures.
Secretary Metcalf believes that much
can be done toward harmonizing the
differences growing out of the Bureau
system, without recourse to legislation,
by the exercise of proper administrative
methods. He has made start in this
direction in the case of the New York
Navy Yard, where he has given direc-
tons for the consolidation of the car
penters, painters and patternmakers'
shops under one head, with view to
the more simple working of that big
establishment. II the plan works well
it will be adopted at other yards.