Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1913-01-09
OUR WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER
Washington. d. O.. Jan. 3.

Washington, ID. c., Jan. 3, 1913.
The week just past has been marked
/ by the observance of a delightful Gus
tom peculiar to Washington society.
New years day is always day at home
for Washington society folks. On this
day many homes will be found open to
welcome friends and acquaintance.
But the chief event is the reception of
the president of the United States at
the White House. Prresiden Taft was
able to return from Panama just in time
to greet the thousands of people who
desired to pay their rerspects to him
on the last new year of his administra-
tion. The Harvard Glee and Mandolin
| Club gave a concert to a distinguished
audience at the Belasco Theatre, which
faces Lafayette Squarer, just opposite
! the White House.
! The University Club, composed of
COLLECT men from all over the country,
has opened its magnificent home, re-
Gently erected in the most fashionable
part of the city. Here will congregate
men distinguished for their learning and
literary ability, who VIII be the advis-
ers of President-Elect Wilson when he
assumes office
As many young men will enter the
United States senate on the fourh OF
next March, there will be a strong
movement on foot to overthrow the
present method of making committee
appointments In years past, ordinarily
it has taken years of service in the SEN
ate before a senator obtained an influ-
ental committee assignment. The Dem
ocrrats, who will control after the 4th
,Of March, propose to see to 1t that the
young men have chance.
Engineer Commissioners Judson, one
of the chief executive officers o the
government of the District of Columbia,
acknowledged, in congressional inves-
tigatiOn, that he had recommended a
man named Ingram for appointment as
insurance commissioner of the District
because Ingham was a relative of Sena-
tor Gallinger, Chairman of the Senate
Committee for the District, although he
did not believe that Ingham was COM
petent to fill the position. Truly, the
federal administration of the affairs OF
the national capital is not free from the
blight Of national politics.
At midnight, December 3ist, messages
were flashed, for the first time, from
the great wireless telegraph tower at
Arlington, just across the river from
Washington, to the Eiffel Tower, Paris,
to the big wireless tower at Clifdon,
Ireland, and to points on the Pacific
Coast
A few seconds later Postmas teri Gene
raj Hitchcock inaugurated a new era in
the American postal service by sending
the first package intrusted to the new
Rarcels Post Word comes to Washing
ton that the first package mailed at
Birmingham, Alabama, was a pitchfOrk.
Eggs, live bees and chickens may now
be sent to all parts of the country, and
borrowed umbrellas returned by mail
but alcaholic liquors are barred
Efforts are being made by the War
Department to increase the strength of
the organized militia of the United
States There has been an increase of
nearly 10000 officers and men during
the last year. And if the recommended
tions of the Secretary of War are adopt |
ed the State militia will be brought in
to closer touch with the regular army
and made, thereby more permanent
and efficient.
striking feature of a recent report
of The Interstate Commerce Commission
is, that a large proportion Of railway
accidents are caused by direliction of
duty of employees concerned: but the |
believes that railroad en-
gineers and trainmen have a keen ap
preciation Of their responsibilities 4