Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-03-19
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Events of Interest from the
Seat of Government.
BY i. E. JONES.

The Requiem.
Nine United States senators laid
down the burdens of Office on March
4, and of these at least two never
would have been elected to the senate
but for the fact that their bank ac-
counts held millions. On the other
hand two and possibly three Of the
most conspicuous men who have
served in the upper branch of con-
gress in years have retired to private
life, and these in the order Of their
importance are Root Of New York.
Burton of Ohio, and Bristow OF Kan
sas. Those nine names are prominent
in the minds Of the people of the
states that are represented, but in
another session new figures will ap-
pear in the senate and new men of
great intellect will be uncovered from
under their bushels.
The Arlington Memorial.
From the great Mall of Washing
ton one can look across the river into
Virginia and two conspicuous sights
stand out. One is the modern wire
less towers, from which messages
have been sent to Paris. Panama, San
Francisco and thousands Of miles
across the ocean. A little to the
northwest. high on the hillside. clus-
tered about by magnificent trees,
stands the former home of Robert e.
Lee. Its massive white pillars and
the background of the building, re-
splendent in the same clean white,
gives one that gentle touch of the
colonial which has inspired poets and
writer's to spin their beautiful stories
around Arlington house.
General Robert E. Lee was sur
rounded with all the magnificence
that belonged to a Southern gentle
man. When the war broke out he
led the Confederacy. AS penalty
he lost his home and estate and it
became the great national cemetery.
The remains of heroes of the Revo-
luton have been transplanted to this
hallowed ground; great generals of
the Civil War and of the regular
army have been brought to Arlington
for burial: here the unfortunate VIC
Tins of the battleship Maine found
their last resting-place. AS though
to finish the story the mast OF the
Maine was set up among their graves.
Each year the fading ranks of the
Grand Army of the Republic are re-
cruited at Arlington, and within the
last few years they have been Joined
by veterans of the Confederacy. A
year ago a monument to the Confed-
crate dead was dedicated in this
cemetery and the Blue and Gray met
on an equal plane. to properly dedi-
cate 1t.
| On Memorial day OF each year the
President of the United States de-
livers an address at Arlington. 1t
has become a custom that is SO thor
oughly established that it is almost
national institution. Lest the
splendor of this great annual event
might be too frequently marred and
its significance deprecated. 1t has
been determined that a $75O,000 me-
mortal amphitheater and chapel Is to
be built. and Secretary of the Navy
Daniels has turned the first shoyelful
of earth, and work has begun on the
memorial. The contract calls for
completion within two years. The
amphitheater will be circular in
form, open at the top, and will con-
tain a chapel. 1t will provide a
place where memorial exercises and
other patriotic functions may be held
and where shelter may be provided
when occasion requires.
Wants Another Inquiry.
The spectacular congressional lob
by investigation of 1913 has not COM
pletely eliminated the lobby, accord
ing to statement by one of the most
conspicious characters unveiled.
Colonel M. M. Mulhall declares that
ia few months after the investiga-
ton was over the old lobby began to
come back, and they are stronger to-
jday in Washington and at the state
capitals than they have ever been be-
fore" Colonel Mulhall, therefore.
wants another investigation.
One Cent Letter Postage.
Senator John w. Weeks of Massa-
chusetts may be counted as one of
the half dozen best informed men in
congress upon postal affairs. For
many years he was chairman Of the
committee on postofflces and post
roads of the house of representatives
lind II was there that he aChioved his