The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-14
STEAM ROLLER y
FLATTENs c. 0. P.
Democrats in House Smile Broadly
as They Get Back" at opposi-
tion After Many Years.

WASHINGTON, April is.-Republi'
cans who enjoyed the pleasant SEN
sation OF sitting on the steam-roller
and gloating in the cries OF crushed
Democratic minority, are chastened
and saddened lot, now that the same
Juggernaut is winding It's relentless
way over the PROSTATE but protesting
forms OF Its late masters.
Since April A, when the house met.
the Democratic steam-roller has In
dicated 10 the Republican minority
that long inexperience by the late,
despised minority in the management
of the machine has not interfered
with their mechanical ability.
They started the roller out first on
the adoption of the new house rules,
and it left a fattened path OF Repub-
icans in its wake. They called II in
to use 10 increase the Democratic
majority on the committees Ell
gineers are now oiling II up for AN
other ride over the Republicans on
tariff revision.
Republicans are just now discover
ing how bitter are the fruits or de-
feat. They have none OF the patron
age-they can't even name page
any more. Now Democrats WELD
enough power to get coveted office
rooms away from Republican mem
bers, hoary with service. There Ii
even a subtle change in the way the
committee messengers greet the now
insignificant Republicans. Things
aren't the same around the old place
nowadays The change from the Old
order IL particularly hard, too, when
chastened Republicans see that ever
present grin OF exultation on the
faces Of the Democrats.
But meanwhile, the new majority
party is having its own troubles.
There are about 5000 willing Demo
cratic patriots who want Jobs. There
are, for instance, Ia men who covet
the two places of reading clerks.
Old Warship May Be Destroyed.
Another veteran of the United
States navy has been doomed To an
ignominious end. The Navy Depart
ment has named board OF survey,
TO determine the disposition Of the
u. S. S. independence, with a prob
ability that she will be broken up for
junk.
This vessel was built In 1914, and
In 1915 was the flagship OF the Medi-
terranean squadron. She served as
flagship on the Brazilian station, In
the late '30's, and in 1S4S. she went
around the Horn to be flagship of the
Pacific squadron. Since 1858 she has
served as receiving ship at Mare
Island Navy Yard, Cal, where she
now awaits her fate.
II was in the Independence that
Commodore cambridge visited the
Barbary states in 1915, and brought
nations to respect for the American
flag. Another famous commander
who used her as his flagship, was
Commodore Charles Stewart known
as "Old Ironsides."
She was taken around the Horn,
though greatly disabled, by Capt. Jo-
slab Tatnell. This officer made the
famous remark that blood Is thicker
than water" when defending his
course In assisting the English against
the Chinese in Asiatic waters.
To be given away-Four figure
heads, weighing several hundred
pounds each, resplendent with gilt
shields and Uncle Sans colors. APP
ply Navy Department, Washington,
d. c.
The fgureheads In question are
those which once adorned the bows
of the United States warships Dol
phin, Chicago, Vermont, and Chesa-
peake Several years ago the Navy
determined to do away
with figureheads, and all the vessels
were stripped OF their decorative
prows. Most OF them were eagerly
sought by cities and states for which
the vessels were named, and now but
these four remain. The Department
will cheerfully give them TO any one
who will take them away. IL there
are no applicants, they will be brok
en- up as junk.
Woods STAFF Needs Exercise.
Following the example of his for
mer chief and patron, President
Roosevelt, Maj Gen. Wood. head OF
the United States army. has ordered
the members of his staff to prepare
to take long ride with him. This
order is due to black eye recently
disfiguring one Of his young officers,
which led TO the suspicion that the
members of the generals staff were
not as proficient in horsemanship as
desirable.
Major Johnson Hagood Is respon-
sible. He is the legislative expert OF
the general staff He was recently
promoted to the rank Of major and
has served only with the coast and
field artillery arms OF the service,
never having had mount Ii is a
rule of the army, however, that Of
ficers OF the rank of major and high
er, whatever their service, shall be
mounted
SO Hagood, who Is modest and
rather sensitive young man, quietly
obtained horse at stable, and
started out TO learn to- ride, saying
nothing TO his brother officers Re-
turning from his first jaunt in Rock
Creek Park, his horse slipped on the
pavement and fell. Hagood was un-
able TO slide from the saddle, with
the result that the horse bowled him
over, and his eye came into violent
contact with the curbing.
Explanations were demanded at
the office, and the tale was forthcom-
ing, when IL reached the ears of Gen.
Wood, he ordered the officers out for
ride, lest the staff merit the name
a..