Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-25

Mr.. Polk did not have a keen sense Of
enjoyment. While he took pleasure In
what he called polite conversation" he
did not seek diversions, and he refers
unfavorably to a private performance by
Herr Alexander. the juggler or performer
of tricks of sleight of hand, who came to
the Presidents mansion and gave an ex-
fibition before a select company. II went
down e. found some forty or fifty ladies
& gentlemen before whom Mr. Alex
ander exhibited his art, greatly to their
not much to their edification or profit.
1t was. however. innocent in itself. but
thought the time unproftably spent
He was more interested In receiving
Mr.. and Mrs. Tom Thumb, who were
presented to Mrs. Polk and himself one
afternoon after their return from Eu-
rope, where they had been received by
Queen Victoria and other crowned heads.
and he was greatly impressed by the
accomplishments Of Laura Dewey Brids-
coded Helen Keller, and was deaf and
dumb and blind. She read a chapter
from the Bible for him. and he says:
altogether. it was an interesting exhi-
! bition and impressed me sensibly with
the benevolence and great value OF the
discovery by which these unfortunate
persons could be taught to understand
and communicate their thoughts
OCCdSiOudily FOLK lIlQuiSeQ III a
| little gossip. and on the Both Of Deem
| Der, 1S46. he tells us that Daniel Web
| Ster and Senator Barrow were very
drunk the night before in the Senate
chamber. and ''noisy and troublesome.
From all I learned. it was a most dis
| reputable scene"
| Nevertheless. he had a sympathy for
| the victims of vice, and loaned the Hon.
Felix G. Mcdonnell. a. representative
| from Alabama. 500. although he had
recovered cfofn ~ {v,to
cation. He was sober. but was pale.
! his countenance haggard and his sys-
tenn nervous. He applied to me to
borrow 500. and said he would return
! no idea he would do SO. I had a sympa-
| thy for him. even in his dissipation.
had known him in his youth. & had not
! the moral courage to refuse A few
| days later O'Connell committed suicide
| In Washington hotel in a fit of delirium
tremens. 1T was a melancholy instance
OF the effects of intempel ance. He was
| a true democrat and q sincere friend OF
mine"
Smithsonian Site Controversy.
While Polk was President, In 1916, the
Smithsonian Institution was located, and
he gives us an account of the controversy
over the site. There was q great demand
among the citizens of Washington to
nave IL placed nearer center market,
! and real estate owners in the neighbor-
hood used all the influence they could
exert in the hope OF improving the value
of their property. He tells us about the
laying of the corner stone by "B. B..
French, Esq'r. grand master OF the Ma
sonic Fraternity Of the D. c." with an
address by President Dallas.
| He also gives an account Of the origin
and the laying of the corner stone of
the Washington Monument.
Pennsylvania made as much trouble
about the tariff in those days as now
and President Polk had an experience
similar to that OF President Cleveland
when he tried to have the tariff revised
A faction of the democratic members
talked right, but voted wrong, and he
devotes many pages in his diary to COM
menting upon their Inconsistencies and
selfishness. He tells of visit he re-
ceived from a delegation of Pennsylvania
democrats which reads like a clipping
from one Of the newspapers last summer.
/ because, II the tariff bill passed, It
would PROSTATE the iron and coal indus
tries in Pennsylvania and reduce the
democracy Of that state to a minority.
They said all they wished was adequate
protection on iron and COAL
| But the bill became law and the
President rejoiced. He writes: This
great measure of reform has been sue
cessfui The capitalists and monopolists
have not surrendered the immense adj
vantages which they possess, and the
enormous profits which they derive under
the tariff Of 1912. until after fierce and
mighty struggle.
"They have spared no effort within