The Washington herald., 1909-02-01
AT THE HOTELS.

world said Gen Scott Shipp. OF Lex
iagtcn. Va. Al the Ebbitt yesterday. The
veteran soldier has been at the head %
the Virginia Military Institute for hfty-
one years. and although in the seventies.
would not be taken 70 be older then
sixty years OF age
There is probably one fault to be
found with the system, and that Is here
are not enough officers. A goodly nuu1-
Der of army officers are detailed as ir-
structors at institutions continued Gen.
Ship. ''and IN that manner the regular
army is deprived Of their active services
1 think it would be advisable 10 have
enough officers to take charge OF the
volunteer troops in case OF necessity"
Gen. Shipp did not think anything par
ticular OF President Rooseveit's recent
long ride. and said that although past
seventy now. he could have done the
same thing with ease I'D 10 two years
ago, and that even now he took horse
back ride Of about eighteen or twenty
miles almost every day.
Mr. Taft" added the Virginia soldier.
is merely continuing a policy OF cOncilis-
ton which vas begun by EIr. Mckinley
and taken Up BY President Roosevelt
don't think It is Mr.. Tafts idea OF sx-
pectation to bring the South into tbs
Republican column The South has al
ways heretofore felt Ike an attached
province which took but little interest
In what was going On north OF her terri
tory.
Speaking OF the japanese question. Gen.
Shipp thought that the japanese would
~fr-1s, r~r
that there was nothing 10 prevent them
from holding them as long as they wanted
them
Ernst Naumann. a young business man
of Berlin, Germany, who IS accompanied
by Mrs. Nauma1n. IS at the Raleigh.
Mr.. Nsumann said he was merely touring
America 20 see and to learn.
I have heard Americans in Germany
boast Of their country" said Mr.. Nau-
mann, and I invariably. concluded that
they were drawing considerably on their
imagination. OF course every man for hi-
own country, and 50 / did not blame the
Americans for boosting up their own
country. But I have seen a great part Of
the United States and I must confess
that you Americans DO not OverdTau
your descriptions OF your country. t Is
the greatest, the most magnificent coun-
Try have ever seen New York alone
convinced me that America Is a land Of
wonders l was stunned with its giant
enterprises. its skyscrapers. subwavs- and
its hustle and activity. Berlin is nothing
as compared with New York. OF course
Berlin is a newer city from an architec-
tural standpoint, and it has more hand
some buildings. but II cannot boast Of ths
immense business Of New York.
President Roosevelt IS popular in Ger
many and his visit 70 Germany. where
he VIII lecture before the university Al
Berlin, Is awaited with great pleasure
and expectancy. He resembles our kaiser
in many characteristics, and we all love
our Kaiser We are loyal and patriotic.
He has made Germany a great and strong
country
R Yano and E Osoni OF Tokyo. Japan.
are at the New willard. They say that
they are officials Of the japanese rail-
way department. and that they have
been travelling in Europe and this coun-
try 20 investigate the various systems OF
railroading.
They said through their Interpreter
TskaO Iwanami. OF this city. who used
70 serve under Mr.. Yano IN the japanese
railway department. that about s. per
cent OF the material used IN the con
struction Of new railroads IN Japan vas
bought in this country. ard that. there
fore, when the japanese railroad sys-
tens were completed they would
resemble the American system more
closely than any other, The two Jana
nese, who paid their respects TO Ambassa-
cor Takahira yesterday afternoon, de-
clined TO discuss the California japanese
question in detail. merely saying that
they had confidence ~ President Roose-
velt's craftsmanship and Baron Takahira
10 bring about an anicable settlement
In order 10 bring the school system OF
Kansas TO higher state Of efficiency
said Ben VI Gardner. OF Kansas City. at
the National yesterday. the educational
commission is seriously considering the
feasibility Of recommending some other
form Of selecting the state superintendent
4 OF schools and the county sUpeTintendeuts.
These officers are nov elected That
other methods OF selecting those officers.
as a rule. would help 10 improve the
school system IS obvious, but the commis-
sion isn't sure that change could be
effected now on account OF a present
popular clamor for the election Of al
public servants. even down 10 school
teachers. The Republicans turned dewn a
plank declaring for the election Of al
officers at their recent State convention.
but the Democrats picked k I'D and IL
serted IL So the question Is ROW q
political issue, TO certain extent. and il
might be difficult 70 make the proposed
Oh IN bod Of crrn f-,
heads Of the State and county schools.
even though the change would help 10
increase the efficiency Of the schools.
Better results could be obtained II the
schools were lifted out Of politics entirely
added Mr. Gardner Then a state super
intendent could be retained in Office az
long as he got results The trouble NOW
is a superintendent cannot remain II Of
fee loDg enough 70 thoroughly FIX q
school policy
Speaking Of e people who are crazy for
old hats. and use them as a medium OF
exchange. Dr.. Frederick Leighton. OF
London. who IS at the New Willard. and
who is on a visit to this country, said
last night that the group OF islands
known as the Nic0bars. about I5a miles
south OF the Andamans, had been but
little explored, though the manners s1d
customs Of the inhabitants offered very
interesting peculiarities to the ethnologist
"One OF the most noticeable Of these,"
continued the Engiishman. "and one
which seriously affects The trade OF the
islands is the passion for old hats which,
without exception. pervades the whole
framework Of society. No one IS exempt
from t. Young and old. chief and sub
ject alike. endeavor 10 Outvie one another
in the sIngularity Of shapes, TO less than
in the number Of old hats they can ac-
Guire during their lifetime
"On q fine morning at the Nicobars II