Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-02-23

northern architect offered $1,000 for
the woodwork of the drawing room
alone"
Jefferson stopped at the old man
sion, and Lafayette also was a guest
there. When the Revolution began
the British feet came up the Potomac,
but left Gunston hall untouched, al
though it was intended al first to de-
stroy it, for warfare Of that day gave
little heed to the sacredness of private
property.
Army and Navy Reception.
The great army and navy reception
given by the president Of the United
States will be held shortly at the
White House It Is an evening affair,
and is probably the most picturesque
event Of the social season in Wash
ington, and in writing this, forgetful-
ness has not come to the great diplo-
matte reception in which there are in
evidence many brilliant and strange
court costumes.
The army and navy reception has
hundreds of guests, every man among
them being arrayed in uniform. Ad-
miraI Dewey leads the line of naval of
ficers, and Lieutenant General Nelson
A. Miles, that of the army officers. One
striking and altogether pleasant fea-
ture of the presidents army and navy
reception is that there never is any
trouble over precedence.
When the diplomatic reception IS
held the persons in charge are on
thorns for fear that some diplomat will
get into line in front of the man who
ranks him and who therefore will be
sure to raise a row within a day or
! two and threaten all kinds of things
because his government through him
has been sighted. At the army and
navy reception there is no such trou-
BILE. The rank of every officer is
known. He knows it himself, and he
takes care that he gets into his right
place in the line. which is led by a
lieutenant general and which is ended
by the youngest lieutenant in the arm.
les Of the United States.
To Erect Legation Buildings.
In recent dispatches from Wash
ington it was told how the adj
ministration and the state depart
! ment were anxious to apply the civil
| service rules to the consular service
in order that it might be lifted entire
ly from the field of politics and that
| incOmpetents who might have congress
sional influence back of them could not
be appointed to consular office. 1t was
| also told how it was the hope eventual
~ that men entering the foreign serv-
ice might make it a life work and rise
through the various grades until even
tually they could take ambassadorial
| posts, posts now closed to all men ex.
cept those of immense wealth because
of the comparative smallness of the
salary and the great expense to which
ministers and ambassadors are put tC
keep up appearances.
After ten years fight, the house OF
| representatives finally has passed a
bill appropriating money to erect resi-.
dences with Office quarters attached
for our embassies, legations and con
sular officers abroad. This means that
in the future ambassadors, ministers
and others will net have to pay huge
| rental sums out of their own pockets
| and it may be possible that the high
American representative of the future
will be able to keep up appearance
and live within his salary, a condition
which will bring win it an opportu
nifty for the presidents of the United
| States to give men OF ability, but who
happen to be poor, al opportunity tc
| take places in the highest diplomatic
! service Of the government.
Longworth's Wor* UnseIfish.
Some years ago il congress wheL
| Representative Longwtrth of Ohio,
rich man and the son-ip-law of former
| President Theodore Roosevelt, entered
the field on behalf of an appropriation
bill to build ambassadors residences
it was said at once tina: Mr. Long
worth himself had ambiti:tns to serve
his country abroad and that he was
taking a popular means of securing
| what he wanted. AS soon as the Ohio
| representative heard this he denied
all ambition to go abroad and it is be
lieved that he declined one fine Offer
| Of a foreign post.
He kept at his work and wss aided
! by two other rich men in the house,
each Of whom, with Mr.. Longworth.
said that the real reason fer their
championship of the bill was that they
did not think that wealth alone should
govern in the appointment of aInbas-
sailors and that If the foreign repre-
sentatives were given houses to live
in and were saved rental expenses
capable men of limited means would
be glad to represent the United States
in some places where this country fre
quently is represented by wealth rath-
er than by ability.
Colonel George w. Goethals, build
er of the Panama canal, has been in
Washington for a few days. When
several civilian engineers, one after
the other, had left the Panama canal
service the army authorities got tired
of designations and came to the con
clusion that If the canal was to be
finished somebody must be given
charge of the job who when ordered
to work, would stay put" The result
was that the army was given control
OF the construction work with Colonel
GoethaIs in command as chief engin-
eer of the Isthmian service
They do not have any snow in the
Isthmus, and no ice except that which
is brought from Maine or Is manufac-
tured in the governments artificial ice
making plant located at Canal head
quarters. Engineer GoethaIs no soon
er had reached Washington than he
slipped on the icy pavement, fell and
injured himself severely. In explana
ton he said he had forgotten the art
Of snow walking while serving on the
Isthmus.
these prices are not enticing to trap
l.