The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-12-24
NO SPECIAL
MESSAGES NOW.
Porto Rico and Philippines
will be Consi dered.
Needs Of Navy Absorbing Atten-
ton of Senator Hale
of Maine.

Washington. d. c., Dec. 21-The
President has definitely decided that
1t will be impossible for him to COM
plete any of the special messages
which he purposes sending to Con-
gress before the holiday recess. He
has. moreover. determined to sub
NIT special message on the needs
of Porto Rico and the Philippines
and Is seriously considering writing
another on the affairs of the Dis
trict of Columbia. In his message on
the Insular possessions hhe will urge
that citizenship be conferred on the
residents of Porto Rico and the es-
tablishment Of a central health bu-
reau for the island and he will ask
authority to create a civil pension
list for the philippines to be met
out of the revenues of the islands. If
he finally decides to discuss District o
Columbia affairs in a special message
he will doubtless urge the institu-
ton of legal proceedings with a view
to testing the constituntionality of
the &C of Congress by which that
part of the district on the south side of
the Patomac was coded to Virginia
Mr.. Taft holds the view that the law
was unconstitutional and that the
territory which now forms Alexandria
County, Va. is legally still a part
of the District.
The Smithsonian Institution has
placed on exhibition the trophies OBJ
tanned by the Roosevelt expedition
in South Africa. This collection is
declared by the regents and by scient-
lists connected with the Institution to
be the finest 1t has ever received.
1t includes 243 specimens of large
mammals, $500 of small mammals, /,
1856 birds and something over $500
sheets of plants.N There are,moreover
a number of human skulls picked up
along the line of an old slave train
which constitute valuable contri-
button to the anthropological division.
The receipt of this collection is most
gratifying to the attaches of the In
stitution especially as it has en-
tailed no expanse, the funds being
raj ed by priva.e contribution
Two old oil paintings have been
inspiring patriotism from the walls
of the Senate corridor for years. One
Of Thomas jefferson, with austere brow
has furnished an excellent example
to present day statesmen. The other
Is of Patric Henry, the Virginia ora
tor, who has numerous imitators as
the Congressional Record will testi-
fly. For years these paintings have
hung und.sturbed with small gold
inscription under each giving the name
Of TIE original. A day or two ago Eu-
gene W. Chain former prohibition can
didate for president was admitted ito
practice before the Supreme Court and
while walking through the Capitol
he stopped before the picture marked
with the name of jefferson. "That
is not Thomas Jefferson" Mr.. Chafin
remarked to a friend. "Or, If it Is the
years have made a decided changes
in him." He then turned to the pic
ture mared Patrick Henry. And that
certainly Is not patrick Henry de-
clared Mr.. Chafin with vehemence. He
was puzzled. In moment he discov-
cred that Henry's name was under
Jefferson's portrait and vice versa.
He Immediately notified the superin-
tendent of the Capitol and the mistake
was rectified. They are still won
dering at the Capitol what errors an
other prohibitionist might discover.
Senator Hale, who is earnestly
opposed to authorizing two new battle
ships and a collier or a repair ship at
this session of Congress, has called
attention to one Of the most serious
needs of the Navy a material increase
In the personnel. Captain Usher,
Acting Chief of the Bureau of Navi-
Cation, sent to the Naval Committees
OF Congress only few days ago an
earnest recommendation that provis-
ION be made for two thousand addition
al enlisted men and Mr.. Hale believes
that this increase is far more import
ant than an increase in ships. Some
conception Of the existing situation