The National tribune., 1908-03-12

suffer? 1t is an accident, however
which may occur in almost any church
or school building in the country. 1t is
a notorious fact that school buildings
are not half protected from fire. There
are fire drills. oh, yes. But even a firt
drill has to have a leader. and when a
teacher runs screaming from a room
when she smells smoke what can you
expect of the pupils of the room? That
happened here in Washington not long
ago and there came near being panic,
tho there was no fire at all. A school
building is seldom gained for a town
except thru long, fierce fight for an
| appropriation. 1t is somewhat strange
| that parents take no particular interest
in the house where their children spend
a third of their young lives, except to
kick on extra taxation to build it. The
building usually has narrow halls, inn
perfect ventilation, bad lighting. Mar
row halls lead to the accident that has
just happened. Bad ventilation leads
to tuberculosis and kindred ills. But.
like the doctor, after the children get
all sorts of diseases plenty of money
will be appropriated for fine hospitals.
| Bad light leads to destruction of eye
| sight. School houses should be large.
| roomy, well lighted from above, not on
the sides. and perfectly ventilated. They
should have openings on all sides exact.
ly as theater has, for the children to
get out rapidly. Those school houses
baths, have medicine closets, and the
teachers should be instructed how to
give first aid and to use simple remedies
till expert help arrives. But, first and
foremost. this writer believes that chill
dren should be kept out of school room
till they are eight or 10 years of age
This thing of herding a lot of little kids
in heated. bad smelling. improperly
lighted school room for six hours a day
is simply cruelty to animals.
Every Lenten season Mrs. Roosevelt
takes trip on the ocean to recuperate
from the arduous duties of the social
season. The Presidents yacht. the May
flower, is being put in commission for
the yearly trip. 1t has been newly
cleaned and garnished for the trip, and
has gone to Norfolk to receive some
additions to its machinery and new
motor launch. Mrs. Roosevelt will go
to Norfolk, accompanied by friend or
two and some of the Roosevelt chill
dren. and from there will take a cruise
along the coast. Mrs. Roosevelt is very
fond of these little trips, and they have
the advantage of carrying her away
from people, so that she has a perfect
rest, kind of rest that it is impossible
for her to obtain upon the land Even
at Pine Knot, the Virginia home, tho
out in the depths of the big woods, af-
fords her no protection from people,
because politicians and friends are COM
ing to see the President coDsta antly, and
Mrs. Roosevelt has to do the hospitable
thing all the time.
1t has been stated that the cruise
might be up the Mississippi River: at
least there are indications that the May
flower is preparing for a long trip.
There was a time when trip up the
Mississippi River was one of the great
trips of ones life. These trips were
made on the great river steamers, and
they were equipped like palaces. so it
seemed then, but their accommodations
are very ordinary now when compared
with the ocean steamers. This kind of
travel is no longer popular. If Mrs.
Roosevelt is going on the river trip she
will probably take the Mayflower from
some Southern point. 1t is quite GER
tain that she will not ga on tiie trip
down the coast and up the gulf.
The precious wreck of manuscript
that all Americans venerate as the Dec
laration of independence, and which is
kept under lock and key in safe at
the State Department, was taken out
few days ago for the private inspec-
tioH u tuc SEdHuSoh vi t"o Va
the famous document.
1t required an order from the Presi-
dent to bring the Declaration from its
resting place, and Arthur Middleton
Ruttlidge, of Louisville. was the man SD
favored. Mr.. Ruttlidge's grandfathers.
Edwin Rutlidge and Arthur Middleton.
are both represented by their signatures
on the paper.
~nI
unable to attend to his duties at the
Capitol
1.-The old order changeth." thinks Gen.
John A Wise, formerly a member Of
the House from Virginia, and As years
formerly Confederate soldier, but who
later became reconstructed and ran for
Governor of Virginia as a Republican
when Fitzhugh Lee ran as Democrat
and was elected. political parties of
to-day are not what they used to be-"
he remarked the other day. The Cen
erals tone was one of regret, and his
face wore far-away expression, as III
his mind were going back over the old
days.
There are no issues any more" he
added, mo issues like there were in the
olden days. The politicians do not talk
tariff; they do not talk sectionalism Or
trying to prove the other the greatest
humbug. And the leaders, both Roose-
welt and Bryan, like vain women of
fashion, go after the newest thing in
politics. First Roosevelt will say some
thing. and Bryan will reply. I told you
so.' Oh, it's not like it used to be-
He evidently holds to the opinion
that a man has to be dead about sol
years before he can be a statesman.
1t was to be expected that there
would be a hereafter to Commander
Sims's remark about the gunnery of the
United States Navy. His statementsl
were entirely too broad, and certainly
needed a chart to locate their exact
meaning. He now says:
1.-The impression / intended to con-
vey was that the Navy was in state ofl
inefiiciency and not prepared for war,
and that, owing to this state of ineffi-
cheney, there was no proper system of
training for the gunners. This was not
the fault of the personnel who are the
best in the world, but simply because
the training established by the Depart
ment was incomplete and did not de-
velop the ability of the gunners or ofI
the material.
Our men are the superiors of any
others in the world, and they have,
shown, since the present system of gun
merry training has been established, thatl
in the world |
The Honduran Congress met at Te-