The National tribune., 1908-11-12


position he resigned to accept the Pub
lie Partnership here. 30. ~
'If there are any complaints against
Mr.. Leech," an official of the Printery
said. they were made by men who
were removed from the service and
/ their friends Such complaints have
been made against every Public Printer
since the office was created, and will be
made as long as the Office exists
~
Embarrassed for perhaps the first
time in many years, and at loss for
words with which to express his grati-
flcation and pleasure, was the predica-
ment Rear-Admiral G. J. Blocklinger
found himself in last week, when q
delegation of citizens of his native city.
Dubuque. Iowa, in the presence of his
commanding officer and feilow-seamen.
presented him with a silken starry en-
blem of his rank-a Rear-AdmiraFs
fag-the emblem that every naval Off
Ger hopes to See flying at the masthead
of some noble fighting ship.
| Admiral Dewey and other officers
| aided in the ceremonies. Frank ].
Sheridan. former editor of the Dubuque
Times, made the presentation. His as
sociates on the committee representing
| the city were Charles E. Baldwin, A
Bruce Fahnestock and DR.. F. J. Sheri-
| dan, Jr.
Mr.. Sheridan. in presenting the Ad-
mirai with the flag, together with a
congratulatory letter from Mayor
| Schunk, of Dubuque, said:
Admiral BlockIinger, can add moth
! ing by any words of mine to the splen-
| did record you have made in your As
years of service.
THE Mayor of Dubuque commissions
me to say to you that its citizens are
grateful to you because of the fact that
the rank you have won carries with it
honor and distinction to the city of
the honor to present you with, and ask
YOU to accept, this 'Rear-Admirahs
flag"
The Admiral said in reply:
Il thank you most sincerely. I am
most grateful and with exceeding pleas
ure accept this gift, this beautiful flag,
from my fellow-townsmen."
Admiral Dewey spoke briefly, con-
Guiding with:
81 have never seen anything like this
before. OF all the Rear-Admirals 1
have known, not one has had flag
presented to him from his home city.
1t is a very beautiful thought. indeed"
The Mayors letter to Admiral Block
hnger stated that the friends and
neighbors of the officer had for years
noted with pride and pleasure his ad-
motions.
A statue to Witherspoon is soon to
be erected in Washington. The work
for this was started by the late Rev
Teunis Hamlin. formerly pastor of the
Church of the Covenant, and the statue
is to be placed in the pretty little piece
of park just in front of the church
The Congress voted 1000 for the Pc
of fln .taf,
of the money is being raised by con-
uibutions. The statue, which will be
the work of William C0uper, of New
York, IS nearing completion. 3, There is
but one statue to a sgner Of the Dec
laration of Independence In the Dis
trict, and that is small one Of Bensa-
min Franklin. which was the gift Of
Stilson Hutchins ...e, ~ --...-
The name of Witherspoon recalls one
of the foremost agitatbrs Of the inde-
pendence of the Colonies, and one of
the broadest thinkers of those troub-
lous times. John Witherspoonlw was born
in Scotland in 1922, the son of a Pres
byterian minister, and lineal descend
ant of John Knox He began his work
as minister at the age of 22, and
because of his reputation aslia scholar
and preacher he was elected President
of Princeton University, In New Jersey,
in 17GS. In his work in Scotland he |
had exhibited advanced views on lib |
erty of thought and action, and in |
the Colonies.
After working assduously in the in
terests of independence, he entered |
heart and soul into the continental
cause when war was declared. His
memorable speech to the Continental |
[.x2,x
dependence was called up for final ac-
ton is said to have had most decisive
influence in the signing of that famous
charter of liberty. He was not only
the sole clergyman who signed the Dec
laration, but the only one who ever sat
in the Continental Congress. He al
ways wore the distinctive dress of his |
calling, frequently acting as Chaplain
During the war he was the constant
and devoted friend of Gen. Washing
ton. and when suggestions Of compro-
mise were brought up, as they often
were, he was the first to declare him
self against 1t.
After his service In Congress he re-
sumed his duties at Princeton College, j
but failing health forced him gradual |
ly to relinquish his work. He lived till |
1894, and thus saw his labors crowned |
with success in the adoption of the |
Federal Constitution, and his friend |
and compatriot, George Washington,
conducting the new Government well |
on the road to greatness.
The fifth National Convention of the |
Rivers and Harbors Congress will open
at the New Willard Hotel Dec. 9, and
will last three days
Miss Helen Taft, daughter OF the |
President-elect witnessed the stirring
scene of election night from the veran- |
da of a hotel accompanied by many of |
her classmates of Bryn Mawr, who |
were, of course. not unmindfui of the |
honor and glory of having in their midst |
the daughter of possible President OF |
the United States. Miss Taft was NOT |
at all concerned about letting her mates |
know how happy she was over the re- !
turns. each indicating only a little more |
emphatically that her father was the |
favored of the gods. When the result |
was finally known she Sent a telegram
to her father in Cincinnati. "I never |
was so happy in my life." she added |
after congratulating her father. And |
that probably expressed her sentiments |
exactly. Miss Taft is a very bright. |
girlish, unaffected young lady.
Anpther case of heroism which has |
been lately brought to the attention of |
the officials Is that of Private Walter |
Calf, a recruit. enlisted in the Marine |
Corps at Chicago. in September last |
He was on his way from the recruiting |