Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-11-11
the character of his December message
20 Congress.
FROM Washington.
@ TreSpondence OF the Alexandria Gazette.
Washington. Nov. IL.

handed his resignation TO President
Taft. He will retire from Office ss coon
81 his successor ia appointed snd quail
fed He will be associated with Mr..
Scott D. Bone 10 the publication Of the
Washington Herald. Mr.. West, a
former newspaper mao, declares he pre-
fers that work to assisting In the gov.
erniog of District sfiairs.
Tired out from his swing "around the
circle" and mighty glad to be at home
again, President Taft spend the greater
part of this morning with bis family In
the White House preparatory to plung-
log into the grave problems that await
bis action. Here ere some of the troubles
President TAFT found confronting him
when be reached the White House: An
nusI message to Congress, settlement Of
the Ballinger-Pinchot controversy, selec-
ton OF minister to China and ambssss-
doris to Great Britain sud France, APP
poinment OF associate justice of the 3d.
preme Court to succeed the late Justice
Peckbsm, appointment of assistant sec
reiary of commerce and labor, third
assistant postmaster general and post
% aster at Washington, d. O., investIga-
ton OF customs frauds 10 New York,
Reorganization of The bureau system
of the navy department, Decision
of question "Whst is whiskyH"
The president vent over to the building
of the Daughters Of the American Revo-
luton at eleven o'clock and delivered
short address at the opening of the
Washington convention of the Lsymen's
Missionary Movement and then hurried
back to work. The White House was
crowded all day with visitors, some
merely to welcome the president home
and others on business which they
wanted the president to attend to at
once. At o'clock this afternoon the
president will leave for two day trip
to Hartford and MiddletowD, Conn,
10 compliance with promises he make
last summer. There will be no regular
cabinet meeting until next Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. William B. Rochester, re-
tired, who was psymaster general OF tho
army for eight years, died at his home
in Washington today. He was eighty
three years of age.
The hospital ship Solsce will ne
placed 10 commission with surgeon In
command and manned by q merchant
crew, according TO decision reached by
Secretary of the Navy Meyer and Pfesi-
dent Taft today. The ship will be com
msnded by Surgeon GU. Pickrell. The
question Of having paymsster aboard
was considered but it was decided that
there WAS no authority for placing a sur
seon 10 command over a navy officer.
The paymssler's functions will be per-
formed by the feet paymaster.
Details Of the dsmsge wrought by the
typhoon in the Philippines reported in
yesterdays cable dispatches were re-
ceived in q csblegrsm today at the bu-
reau OF insulsr affairs from the governor
general. The dispatch says: "a very
sudden and very destructive typhoou
passed through Taclobsu, laying waste
the populous towns of Northern Leyte,
thence over Cspiz and out over the
China sea. The army post at Dsmsgi
vas destroyed. Much damage to prop
erty 10 TaclObaD, including merchsn-
disc; in Ospiz the provincial government
building and railroad offices were un'
rooted and the houses Of light material
practically all blown down. The natives
will have to plant quick-maturing vege-
tables and roots to supplement the usual
supply ia some localities.
InterstRte commerce, antitrust and
ship subsidy legislation will be about oil
the new business that Congress will take
up during the coming session, according
to Representative John Dwight, the re-
publican whip of the House, who bad q
talk with President Taft today. In ad'
dition to these three subjects the greater
part Of the session will be taken up with
consideration of the big appropriation
bill. IL do not believe there will be
any fight made on the rules" said Mr..
Dwight. GAS all the legislation l have
mentioned will be republican legislation
l do not believe the insurgents will make
any fight this session."
The conservation of natural resources
and BslliDger. Pinchot controversy crept
into the Washington convention Of the
Lsymen's Missionary Movement today.
The two chief figures st the morning
session we're President Taft and Chief
Forester PnchOt, who presided. When
the president arrived be was given an
ovation aud Pinchot retired few steps
behind his chief. The president noticed
Pinchot and, turning half around, shook
hands cordially with him. The crowd
thereupon shouted approval, prolonged
the applause into demonstration for
the two, who stood smiling side by side.
Pluchofs speech had been devoted chief
" to conservation and when he intro.
duced the president, he called him "that
strong advocate OF conservation not only
OF the natural resources of the coun'
try bal also Of the spiritual resources
of be nation" The president, however,
made no mention of conservation In the
course of his address, which was con'
fined entirely to the missionary
movement IS he had witnessed II
in the Philippines and China.
After the president had concluded hi,
address and left the convention ball
Robert E. Speer, secretary of the Board
of Foreign Missions Of the Presbyterian
church, Ouwittiugly offended the British
| sm bassabor 10 the course OF an address
aud Ambassador Bryce, who was sitting
on the plstform, left the hall. Speel
made reference to what he called "tht
hatred Of the English by natives o
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