The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-07-22
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

30 called Roosevelt tennis cabinet"
to make room for additional working
quarters fer the executive clerical
staff, began few days ago, when ex-
cavators marked off the ground for
pick and shovel.
This was the beginning of a renova-
ton of the White House and further
improvements ordered by President
Taft.
White House Renovation.
Each succeeding administration or
ders renovation Of the executive res
idenee Sometimes the changes are
| radical and elaborate. The Tafts have
decided to have 1t done on less ex-
| tensive scale. The cost of the pres
ent improvements will be but little
more than one-tenth Of that Of the
changes made by the Roosevelts dur
| ing their first year in the White
House. Seven years ago about half
million dollars was spent in remodel
| ing the interior of the White House
proper and in erecting the east and
west wings, including the present ex-
| GCuItf0 OAuCS LCSAAChL AOAb
will expend not more than $4,000 for
| improvements in the main building
and 10000 in increasing the size of
| the Office.
Special Waiting Room.
Both In the White House proper and
in the new offices no attempt at gran
deur will be essayed Provision will
be made, however, for better accom-
modations for the scores that flock to
the White House daily to see the pres
ident A special waiting room will
be provided for representatives and
senators, but it win be in marked con-
trast with the gold adorned chamber
that congress provides for the presi-
dents use when he goes to the capitol
at the end of each session.
The presidents efforts at public
economy are shared cheerfully, it is
said, by Mrs. Taft. So far in the di-
rection of simplicity and economy is
she willing to go that her present in
tentfon is not to avail herself of the
customary privilege of purchasing
china of new design, to be handed
down to posterity as ''the Taft set"
Department Clerks Get Busy.
Clerks In the big government de-
partments are hustling these days.
No more do they loiter to their desks
in the morning. They are trying as
hard as they can to get over the clock
watching habit which has prevailed
among them for years. Typewriters
click merrily all the livelong day, and
a general atmosphere of concentrated
industry prevails.
This great boost in energy is due 20
the fact that a well defined impress
sion prevails that the Taft administra-
ton proposes to see to it that idlers
will not be maintained on Uncle
Sans payroll.
Clerks Not OverworE<ed.
The average government clerk in
Northumberland this fact cannot be
disputed by those who know their ma
tional capital-regards himself as a
much abuseEperson The clerks now
have an organization and are conduct.
ing a movement to have congress es-
tablish a system of civil pensions. AL
the clerks receive each year thirty
days Of sick leave and thirty days OF
vacation leave Salaries are not large
in comparison with the increased cost
Of living. but it is true that the aver
age government clerk receives more
money than he would be able to earn
In outside employment.
New Design For Barry Statue.
Because Irish American societies OBJ
jected to his original model Andrew
. O'Connor, the Irish American sculp
tor, located in Paris, has submitted 8
! new model of the statue of Commo
dore John Barry, to be erected II
Franklin park, in this city.
On account Of these protests thu
J commission required Mr.. O'Connor tt
submit another model eliminating al
, the features of the original model re
lating to purely Irish history ThC
new design is simply figure of Bar
ry on a plain pedestal inscribed will
his name and the arms of the United
States navy, In front of which is {
group of two female figures in flowing
drapery representing ERIN" and "Co
lumbia" and IMPLYING ''the sacret
fire Of Erin for the republic"
A Soft Hearted Statesman.
J Senator Robert L. Taylor of Tennes
see delights to tell story on hinnsel
J which illustrates how he came to b,
J known as ''the pardoning governor o
] Tennessee" Senator Taylor has on,
3 OF the tenderest hearts OF any man u
) pubic life. He served as governo
) OF Tennessee for three terms ant
r signed pardons for more than 1900 in
e mates OF various penal institutions il
3 the state.
! In one instance he pardoned an oil
: mountaineer from eastern Tennessee
] who had gone to the penitentiary, an,
] few months later he let out mem
Der of the same family When tn
mountaineer had been home a FEY
: months, hardly long enough for th
/ community to forget he had been Il
Q jail, camp meeting revival was he'll
| IN %ho x.oIohIarbaod THE ,,1a11n4o n,