The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-03-05
WASHINGTON LETTER
MATTERS OF GENERAL INTER-
EST FROM THE CAPITAL


large contingents from both the
House and the Senate went to Old
Point comfort. on the evening of
the 2tst instant, in order to see the
homecoming fleet and to celebrate
Washington's birthday by wei
coming it. Much has been written
about the grandeur and impress
siveness of the procession OF
twenty-five ironclads as they
steamed in the mist and rain at
the slow speed of eve knots an
hour to their anchorage in Hamp-
ton Roads in front of the great
hotel and the village at Old Point
Comfort. Many thousands OF
spectators from New York, Wash
ington, Baltimore, Richmond and
other nearby cities witnessed the
Homecoming and many wives,
daughters and sweethearts were
there to greet the officers when
after a years absence, they once
more set foot on their native land.
The common sailors, however, are
still imprisoned, as it were, on the
great ironclads that have so long
been their homes. The Presi-
dents yacht, the Mayfower, was of
course the cynosure of all eyes and
all field glasses. AS the great
shipsspasseds the yacht they fired
salutes and there was a continuous
cannonading for more than an
hour. Then when they simulta-
neously dropped anchor in Hamp-
ton Roads, they, the excursion
steamers and numerous small tugs
opened the throttles of their whis-
ties and ,for another ten minutes
there was a din of footing that
made conversation out of the ques-
ton. Then came the visiting of
the officers to the Mayfower and
the return call by the President.
At night the Ships were beautifully
outlined in electric lights and the
search lights played in every di-
rection over land and sea giving
an impression of how impossible
it would be for any energy to ap-
proach unseen on the waters sur
face.
Your - correspondent saw the
pa from an excursion boat
(. W lich conveyed many members of
Congress and their families to
HamptonsRoads. The around-the-
world fleet was, to all appearances
in excellent condition and none
the worse for its rough cruise from
Gi braItar across the Atlantic.
twenty-five powerful ironclads in
liue at a distance of three hundred
y ards apart,a are not particularly
impressive. They all look alike
a nd on still water move with swan
like dignity, but when it is re-
membered that they cost on an
averageiofsfve, millions. of dollars
ca chsandsthatstheir upkeep alone
costs ,as much as that of the legis-
lative, judicial and executive
branches with the army and navy
included insthe earliest days of the
republic, there is injected into the
ectaclesansinterest not unmixed
with horror.that is at least in one
way impressive.
Congress returned to the capital
on the morning of the 23rd after
its somewhat fatiguing and sleep
less excursion in welcoming the
fleet and as usual after a holiday
but %little progress was made in
the much delayed legislative work
beforesit.ss ThelHouse labored ov-
er the Sundry Civil Appropriation
Bill but did not cover much
ground. The limitation of the
use ofsthe Secret Service will be a
matter of contention and it is ex-
pected that the House will adopt
by a largesmajority a clause limit
ing the sservice, thus taking ad-
verse action on the Presidents
recommendations.
The coming hunting trip, as it
Is, called,..of the President in Africa
was the. subject of a short discuss
ION. Mr.. Garrett of Tennessee
asked how much expense of the
"trip wassto be paid by the Govern
ment. MI. Mann of Illinois, vol
anteeredithe information that no
nuhlic money was To he maid