The National tribune., 1910-03-17

ne sSclldle oLl ~
llations is willing that the officers of the
Army and Navy may accept snuff boxes.
Cigaret cases and souvenirs of that sort
from foreign Governments or rulers,
but draws the line rigidly against the
little ribbon to the bottom of which
hangs a decoration. In the vaults of
the State Department are stored some
thing like 200 of these valuable little
trinkets and several desiTa BILE decora-
tions that foreign rulers have sought to
lconfer upon American military officers
or members of the Diplomatic Corps.
Senator Root. formerly Secretary of
State, made a careful examination of a
pending bill to allow distribution of
these presents, and reported in favor
of such action with regard only to the
gifts. Under no circumstances will dec
orations or orders be permitted to any
person in the service of the Govern
ment. The bill will be favorably re-
ported, and if enacted there viii he a
housekeeping in the vaults of the State
Department
The bust of Col Roosevelt minus the
glasses, but wearing the squint, has ar
rived at the Capitol, and is now on view
in Senator WemOre's room. 1t is said
to be fine and characteristic bust; but,
alack and alas! where is it to go?
There are only 20 inches around the
walls of the United States Senate, and
five or six of the buStS in these were
crowded out of place and put in the
corridors around the Senate There are
now 81 busts, including that of Col
Roosevelt. That OF former Vice Presi-
! dent Fairbanks was put in about a
year ago. When his bust was placed in
the niche that of former Vice Presi-
dent of the United States was removed.
but nobody knows who he was. There
1
| just supposed because il was there that
he had been a Vice President of the
| United States. 1t is now a question as
| to who will be removed to make room
for Col. Roosevelts bust. They don't
| look very pretty, anyhow, and one can
hardly understand why it is that they
were ever put there.
One day last week President Taft
motored up to the Capitol and got
Speaker Cannon. and they went OFF on
a 20-mile joy ride in Mr.. Taft's big
touring car. Representative Murdock
of Kansas, remarked as he saw them
Starting: They will be taking a chew
off of the same plug the first thing you
know" The President and the Speak
er are down deep in their hearts a good
deal like kids. They do love to let go
of business and just be boys again. That
/ hoo ittcI SlOhH iidiis d time.
| The other night the President gave
dinner to the Speaker Of the House of
| Representatives, thus adding one more
| to the list of state dinners that the
| Presidents are supposed to give during
/ the Winter. These dinners ara gener-
/ ally given first to the Diplomatic Corps,
/ then to the Cabinet then to the Su-
| preme Court There never has been
one given for the Speaker of the House
so it is probable that President Taft
has set a precedent in this respect. But
! 1t wasn't the dinner that l started to
| talk about. After the dinner in the state
dining room, which was a most enjoy
able one, the party adjourned to the
East Room Tor music and dancing. The
Marine Band started up a lively Jig
and in minute the Speakers feet be-
gan to tap the floor. Then he made a
running jump, and landed in the mid
die of the floor with a crack of his
heels. He took step or two of the
Jig, looking straight at the President,
who was laughing and applauding, and
the def was a little bit more than he
could stand, for in an instant he was
istanding in front of Speaker Cannon,
and the two of them were jigging to
beat the band Very naturally they
didn't keep it up very long, as the Pres
ident is no lightweight and Speaker
Cannon's age would be against his TAX
ing very much active exercise But,
just the same, the guests probably saw
for the first time in the White House
the President Of the United States dane
ing jig, and he can do it well, too.
When the two Of them stopped they
/ were painting. and had to seek an open
window before they could catch their
breath.
Representative Lowden, of Illinois. is
planning project to set up permanent
markers to outline the march of Abra-
ham Lincoln during the Black Hawk
War.
Mr.. Lowden has donated consider
able money to the plan and others have
become interested. His object is per-
manently to fix the march and the
places where the followers Of the mar
tyr President camped. The march start
ed from Beardstown, continued to
IOquawka, and thence to the mouth of
Rock River
The markers are to be of stone with
lsuitable inscriptions. 1t Is Mr. Low
dens plan also to have maps drawn of
the territory, copies of which will be
kept in the public records Of the State
of Illinois.
While in New York q short time ago
President Taft sat for his portrait to
Miss Louise Swan.
Gen. Leonard Wood. who has been in
John Hopkins Hospital recovering from
an operation, is now able to resume his
duties. and will soon be back in the
War Department as Chief of Staff to
the President of the United States.
There have been half a dozen stories
told about how he got the hurt from
which he was suffering, but most OF
them were really traEicaIly funny. The
funniest story that was told WAS that
Gen. Wood and President Roosevelt,
were having bout with broadswords
ana The President hit him a whack on
the mead, denting his skull, and that 1,
was this semi-fracture which caused all
the trouble. Now. the real cause OF
the trouble was that one day in San
tlago, when his desk had been moved
to new place under two low-hunp
chandeliers, Gen. Wood, rising hastily
struck the chandelier a blow which
. landed square on the top of his head
causing slight fracture and an inward
pressure of the skull. Tho wound was
treated at once. but few years Later
gave him great deal of trouble, and
nVe years ago he was operated on In
Boston. He was told then that in the
; course OF time he would have to under.
Y go another operation. He is all right
I 7 now and just as good as new.
You would expect to find IN the Ma.
tional Capital the very first-class sohoo
houses in the country, but, on the con
|, trafy, we have iust about tho ,,o,.,