Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-07-31
WASHINGTON LETTER
[speeIal Correspondenee.l


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 renova-
ton of the White House and further
improvements ordered by President
Taft. .f
White House Renovation.
Each succeeding administration or
ders n renovation of the executive res
idence. Sometimes the changes are
radical and elaborate. The Tafts have
decided to have 1t done on n 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 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 $4,000 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
senator's, but It will be in marked con-
trast with the gold adorned chamber
that congress provides for the presl-
dents use when he goes to the capitol
at the end of each session.
The presidents efforts at public
economy are shared cheerfully, 1t is
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 1.-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
general atmosphere of concentrated
industry prevails.
This great boost In energy Is due to
the fact that well defined impress
sion prevails that the Taft administra-
20. In, thnN III
will not be maintained on Uncle
Sans payroll.
Clerks Not Overworked.
The average government clerk In
Washington--and this fact cannot be
disputed by those who know their ma
.tiona capital regards himself as a
much abused person. The clerks now
have an organization aud are conduct
ing movement to have congress es-
tablish a system of civil pensions. All
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
new model of the statue of Commo-
dore. John Barry, to be erected In
Franklin park, In this city.
I On account of these protests the
commission required Mr.. O'Connor to
submit another model eliminating all |
the features of the original model re-
latiHg to purely Irish history. The I
new, design is simply a figure of Bar
~ on plain pedestal inscribed with !
his name and the arms of the United (
States navy, In front of which is a !
group of two female figures In flowing !
drapery representing ERIN" and GO
lumbia" and typifying "the sacred |
fire Of Erin for the republic"
A Soft Hearted Statesman.
Senator Robert L.. Taylor of Tennes-
see delights to tell a story on himself !
which illustrates how he came to be !
known as "the pardoning governor of !
Tennessee" Senator Taylor has one |
OF the tenderest hearts of any man In
public life. He served as governor
of Tennessee for three terms and
signed pardons for more than 1000 in
mates of various penal institutions I'm
the state. ..sr .r.. ..t
In one instance he pardoned an old
mountaineer from eastern Tennessee
who had gone to the penitentiary. and /
a few months later he let out a mem
Der OF the same family. When the
mountaineer had been home few
months. hardly long enough for the
community to forget he had been in
jail, a camp meeting revival was held
I'm the, neighborhood. The mountain
Ger, who was more or less gof a hea-
then, dropped In. During the meeting
several OF the SISTERS" gathered
around the old man and begged him to
shake hands with the preacher and
'consecrate his soul to the Lord"
MY good man, do not forget the par
honlng power of the Lord" said one
of them. He will not hesitate one
minute " you dedicate yourself to
him."
eli