The Washington herald., 1911-01-02
VIEWS AND
INTERVIEWS
College Man Close to People.

College Man Close to People.
Dr. w. o. Thompson. president of the
Ohio State University. who was seen at
the New Willard. in discussing Woodrow
election as governor Of New
Jersey. said that the people realized that
a college president was in closer touch
with them than many thought.
People in general said DR.. Thomp-
son, do not appreciate the fact that
educators are not theorists, but pre-
eminently practical men. Many Of those
now presiding over the fortunes Of great
universities. If they embarked In politics
to-day. would make successes Of their
new ventures"
Independent Vote Great Faetoe.
clusively that the political movement
throughout the country to-day is toward
independence Of the voters" said David
F. Day. Of Durango. Colo. at the Riggs
last night Mr.. Day Is the owner Of
the Durango Democrat and a veteran
OF the civil war. being the proud bearer
of the medal Of honor bestowed ON him
for gallant service in the great con-
flict
My contention can best be Illustrated
by the election Of Shafroth. a Demo-
crat as governor of Colorado. and tho
election Of a Republican Supreme Court
judge and a woman State superintendent
of schools.
IF nominated, Harmon, in my opinion,
will carry the West. no matter who the
Republican candidates against him may
be. 1 fully believe Harmon can be
elected He is well known throughout
the West, which is more than can be
said about other successful Democrats
whose names are mentioned in connec-
ton with the Presidential nomination %
BeIaium'S Independence Guar.nAeed
Comte Jean du Monceau Of Brussels.
Belgium, who is touring this country for
pleasure. when seen at the New Willard
last night said thar France win never
attempt to annex Belgium, nor would any
other country.
The sovereignty and independence Of
my country are guaranteed by England
said Comte du Monceau. land should any
nation have any designs ON Belgium, she
would have to fight England besides Bel
gium. We will never submit to being
annexed by France. which country is SO
altogether different from Belgium in
every respect and has lost almost en-
tirely its prestige and standing among
nations. The French arc clever, brilliant,
and witty, but they are so carried away
with these baubles of imagination that
they lose sight of what is going on
around them and the more practical
things of life.
THE Belgian people are the happy me-
dunn between the British and the French.
While the English are too slow and the
French too explosive, the Belgians COM
bine both Of these characteristics in a
happy medium. I have lived in England.
in France, and in Germany, and other
countries, but after all find that Bel
sium is the best place of all. We are
prosperous and happy, and our King Al
bert is most popular with the people.
which Is saying a great deal when the
astuteness and magnanimfty of King
Leopold. his predecessor. is taken into
consideration. The nobility and upper
class in Belgium are in closer touch with
the people than is the case in any other
country. There is a movement on foot
now to establish q great Belgian mer-
chant marine, and a plan to make Amt
wep port has been under way for
some time. and will be inaugurated be-
fore many years.
Horse for the Sailorman.
Speaking of the physical tests for
which the naval officers now stationed
in this city are so assiduously preparing,
as Peary will testify, one of their num-
ber told the following story at a dinner
the other night:
There is nothing Mr. Jack Tar loves
so much as to get on horses back,
and the moment he reaches port he is
apt to hire a Bucephalus and try can
ter. Once upon a time, the day after a
battle ship put into a certain port on
the Eastern coast, a sailor, whose brogue
| betokened that he had come over from
Erin's green shores, applied to a local
livery for a riding horse.
What sort of horse do you want? :?
asked the liveryman.
"A riding horse, to be sure replied
Patrick, the Sailorman.
Yes said the proprietor. but what
sort of a horse do you want? What
| color, for instance, do you fancy? What
gait? l have several riding horses here,
and 1 would prefer to pick out one that
will be to your liking
1T makes no difference to me what
color he is, sure. or what gait he has,
\
that concerns me at all, at all is that
he is long enough, for there are eight OF
US a-goin' to get on the back Of him.
The Defense of Manila.
With Conegidor fortified, the whole
face of affairs, so far as ease Of ap-
proach to Manila is concerned, has been
changed, according to Richard w. Nc
Bride, who is at the Raleigh. Mr.. Nc
Bride is a civil engineer, and has been
in the Philippines for a number Of years.
THE batteries command the shores and
the sea for a great distance. 1t will be
possible. in case Of necessity. to mine
the entrance to the bay. The Spaniards
tried mining. but apparently they did not
know how to do it, and the American
| commodore stole into the bay with hos
tile intent and overrode Internal ma
! chimes which, If they had been prop
| erly placed and prepared. would have
sent him and his ships to Davy Jones
locker. The fortification of Cofregfdor
! stands where all nations may see It
though, of course, the design of the inner
| Notifications never has been and never
will be knowingly given to the world
| No Japanese was allowed to work In
the construction Of the Corregidor forti-
ication.
"At one time" continued Mr. Mcbride.
"some Chinese laborers were employed.
but soon an order was issued to shut
them out also. II an American feet
| should meet disaster in Eastern waters,
Manila Bay will prove to be a safe place
of refuge for the vessels that manage