Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
Personal Sketches of Celebrities of Old and New
World-Events of General and
Special Interest

variety can compete. not even the pri.
yate grounds OF those who have
studied handspring being allowed in
the competition. The Botanical So
ciety inspected gardens last Autumn.
and its committees will begin again
when the Spring flowers are in their
glory and continue until the rose sea
son is on. 1t is then proposed to
award the prizes. and ii is further de
signed to set apart space in the
botanical grounds when prize winning
gardens will he reproduced and he
open for the inspection of those who
wish to follow the hest lines Natu-
rally only local gardens can compete
but the idea seemsf such q practical
one that the Garden Club of America
is thinking Of taking ii over and offer
ing competitions in different centers
Horticultural societies are also inter
ested. and it might be possible for the
Agricultural Department to sponsor
such a movement in behalf of the hun
dreds of amateur gardeners in the
District of Columbia.
Mr.. Carl Salhach. president Of the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors,
has at last succeeded in interesting
his colleagues in the selection of a
city flower, one which can adorn the
huttonhole of committeeman on i'm
portant occasions and he pictured on
it's stationery. The choice seemed
10 he unanimously i'm favor of the
dahlia. which, ii was claimed. reached
its highest degree of cultivation In
the gardens of San Francisco. and
which is now to be found in every
part Of the world where flowers are
cultivated. The Dahlia Society of
California was strong in indorsing
a I'D fnI Inf a vii
of this flower. it's infinite variety
of color and form. made 1t symbolic,
of the people along the Golden Gate
and of their colorful life and spirits.
Many dahiia societies in this country
might challenge the statement that
the SNOWY and adaptable bloom
reaches a greater state of perfection
in San Francisco than in parts of
New York State and of New Eng
land. but all are glad to have their
favorite bloom thus honored and will
not be captious about the terms used
There are botanists still living who
can recall when the dahlia was cult
waited for its tuberous root like the
white potato and the flower utterly
neglected and the tremendous pace
of its popularity, not only in this
country but everywhere. shows that
it's floral possibilities are far from
exhausted.
Representative and Mrs. Ben john
son of Bardstown. Ky. are spend
ing their last official days in Wash
ington. taking leave of many good
friends whom they have made in
their 20year sojourn, and as 1T were
gathering up many loose ends of
activities which they intend to pur
sue in their leisure Representative
Johnson will in May enter his
SEVENTEEN year and he decided not
to be a candidate for re election. He
and Mrs. Johnson have now round
dozen of grandchildren and visiting
these will be an occupation in itself.
Mrs. Johnson has been deeply in
in the establishment of My
Old Kentucky Home. in Bardstown.
the house where Stephen Foster
wrote fis memorable song and which
Is now q memorial to the unfortunate
songster's memory and a meeting
place of the d. A. X. She also has
ben instrumental in Great ting senti-
ment in favor of the equally un
fortunate inventor John Fitch, whom
kentuckians revere as the real
creator of the plans by which the
modern steamboat was built and
which Robert Fulton made
fame and fortune. A statue to this
forgotten genius is about to be erect
I'd in a public park of Bardstown and
Mr. and Mrs. johnson have been
earnest workers in bringing this plan
to success.
But what Representative Johnson
believes is the most useful work he
has been able TO accomplish for his
home city was the search through
the musty folios of the Congressional
Records from the first years of the
century to 1924, when he
was seeking a bill introduced to
permit entry into this country free
Of duty of certain famous paintings
presented TO Right Rev. Benedict
Flaker. first Roman Catholic Bishop
Of Bardstown. by the Duke of Or
leans. afterward Louis Philippe of
France. pen battle has been
waged in Kentucky over the authen-
ITCHY of these paintings which hang
In the old cathedral and are the work
Of Rubens. Ten Eyck. Van Dyke and
others equally renowned. Having
found no less than four bills relat-
Ing TO these pictures and descriptive
Of them. Representative Johnson had
copies made of these
documents and also of the treasury
warrant and has presented them to |
The most important libraries and |
literary clubs OF Kentucky
Sir Richard Musgrave. who has
come to this country several times, |
and once in the train of the Prince of
Wales. has just presented to the Al |
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