The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-08-11
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

-S'N AA1S w
House tennis court, where played the
so called Roosevelt tennis cabinet
to make room for additional working
| quarters for the executive clerical
staff, began a few days ago, when ex-
| cavators marked off the ground for
pick and shovel.
This was the beginning of q renova-
ton Of the White House and further
improvements ordered by President
Taft.
White House Renovation.
Each succeeding administration or
ders a renovation Of the executive res
idence. Sometimes the changes are
| radical and elaborate. The Tafts have
decided to have it done on a less ex-
tensive scale. The cost Of the pres
ent improvements will be but a 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 a
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-
ecutive office building. President Taft
| will expend not more than SIS, 900 for
Improvements in the main building
and $4,000 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 will be in marked IN
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
tention 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
~-t.1:-, I,,1st x-l,sah ho, ,,C,y-o tod
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 to
the fact that a we'll 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 Overworked.
The average government clerk il
WashingtOn-and this fact cannot bt
disputed by those who know their ma
tiOnal capital-regards himself as :
much abused person. The clerks 0
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 thirt,
days of sick leave and thirty days O
vacation leave. Salaries are not large
, in comparison with the increased cos
Of living, but it is true that the aver
age government clerk receives NOR
money than he would be able to earl
in outside employment.
New Design For Barry Statue.
Because Irish American societies oh
, jected to his original model Audrey
O'Connor, the Irish American sculI
! tor, located in Paris, has submitted
new model Of the statue of Commt
. dore John Barry, to be erected
Franklin park, in this city.
- On account of these protests til
= commission required Mr.. O'Connor
:, submit another model eliminating a
the features Of the original model r.
lating to purely Irish history. TIL
!, new design is simply a figure of Ba,
= ry on a plain pedestal inscribed wit
his name and the arms Of the Unite
- CldllCS nav y, III Va "hASn AZ
'rtgroup Of two female figures in flown
drapery representing Erin" and &C.
lumbia' and typifying "the sacre
fire Of Erin for the republic"
is A Soft Hearted Statesman.
o Senator Robert L. Taylor Of Tenne
[e see delights to tell a story on himse
,e which illustrates how he came to |
Is known as 1.-THE pardoning governor
ot Tennessee" Senator Taylor has OF
ii Of the tenderest hearts Of any mar
a public life. He served as govern
I'd Of Tennessee for three terms al
to signed pardons for more than 1000
I'd mates Of various penal institutions
as the state.
lg In one instance he pardoned an o
re mountaineer from eastern Tenness
Ie who had gone to the penitentiary, al
at a few months later he let out a me
en- Der of the same family. When t
Dis mOuntaineer had been home a fe
on 0oov%IS Lou31r lane cOo,,rI Gov =