The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-03-04
WASHINGTON
From our Regular Correspondent.

Washington, d. c., Mar. I, 1909,
On the evening preceding the
twenty second of February Wash
ington's birthday, Congress ad-
journed until the twenty third in.
slant and went by steamers, special
and regular trains and automobiles
to Old Point Comfort to witness
the naval pageant of the incoming
fleet which by arrangement COM
pleted its round the world cruise OIL
this national holiday. Your cores
pondent accompanied large party
composed mostly of the members
OF the House Of Representatives
and arriving at Hampton Roads
carly OIL the morning of the twenty
second, we landed for an hour at
Chamberlain's Hotel and after
breakfast again boarded the ex-
cursion steamer and sailed down
the. .harbor some fifteen miles fol-
lowing the Presidents boat the
Mayflower which soon dropped all
chor as the Connecticut, the flag
ship hove in sight passing the
Presidents yacht with boom of
cannon followed by twenty four
powerful iron clads each of which
fired salutes As they passed the
Presidents yacht. The spectacle
was quite iuipr, ssive to those cog
INFANT of the great money cost of
these immense modern leviathans
and OF the great expense of keep
ing them ahoat. To those who
looked on without a tax PAYERS
conscience the procession of slowly
moving ships at distance of six
hundred feet apart one looking
very much like the other in the
mist and rain became little mono
tonous. Sixteen of the vessels were
painted white and had anything
but a war worn and stormbeaten
appearance. Seven Of them that
had not been around the world but
had only gone out in the Atlantic
to meet and escort these vessels
home were of a dark grey color.
At a given signal the ships all
dropped anchor in the deep waters
OF Hampton Roads in front of
Chamberlain's Hotel and of the
village OF Old Point Comfort. Att
this moment two score of steam
vessels excursion boats tugs and |
others opened the throttles of their
whistles and for fifteen minutes
there was such din as only
chorus of fog horns can make. As
night came on and darkness inter.
'ened the ships we're outlined by
of elect ic Jets while
'earchli lights played in every direc.
ion lighting sea and land and sky
and demonstrating how difficult
hey could make it for torpedo
boat or other lurking enemy to ap-
oroach without detection.
*#*
Congress has returned from it's
excursion and is probably no verse
otf from irregular meals and a
'leepless night than from the ordi-
nary dissipations of Washington
lie continuously indulged in BY
members and senator's and their
family encourages. The House has
voted against increasing the Presi-
1ent's salary from fifty to one thou.
sand dollars but has compromised
on $4,000 Two weeks ago it was
thought almost beyond doubt that
he President elect Taft would re-
:eive the increase to 500. 900 but
he bill having failed in the House
here can now be no SIoo, 900 SAL
ary during Mr. Taft's administra-
ion for it would be unconstitution.
Al for him to sigr a bill increasing
his pay. Mr.. Clark of Missouri
was active in opposing the increase
to SIoo, 900. He stated that the in
come of the President including
perquisites was now S2eI 900 a
year and that these figures were
made from data COR the appropria-
tions committee. He contended
that it was a mistake to suppose
that the only compensation the
President received was $5o,ooo a |
year when in fact his salary and |
perquisites amounted to S2oI 900
and that careful examination
would show that the President of |
the United States lives as we'll as
any potentate in Europe and has
money to spend for luxuries and
travelling expenses.
AZ
Mr.. Gillette of Massachusetts,
took the opposite view supporting
tIa att,Qnd st,os,t 10