Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1901 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

The annual report of Thomas Fitehil, commissioner, of immigration at New York, has been received at the Treasury Department. The report shows that the number of aliens arrived at the port of New York during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1901, was 453,490. From a comparison of the steerage immigration for the last two years it is shown that nearly 30,000 of the increase of last year over the year before was in the immigration from southern Italy alone. The-, report says: The conclusion unfortunately Is unavoidable that our Immigration is constantly Increasing In illiteracy. Not only are we drawing more and more from the countries where Illiteracy is high, but also the immigrants themselves are showing higher percentages of Illiteracy. Nearly one-lialf of our steerage Immigration now presents an illiteracy of from 40 to 50 per cent. As a means of protection against the coming of convicts, fugitives from justice or anarchists, the presence of our inspectors abroad would be either futile or unnecessary. We need not establish any new precedent to enable us to accomplish this object. The precedent is already established In the amendment to the alien contract labor law, which the courts have construed to apply to all the excluded classes. There is no reason why the same procedure should not be extended to cover all cases of undesirable aliens.

President Roosevelt’s habit of many years of going to work every morning at 9 o’clock clings to him, and he is at his desk by that time regularly, ahead of most of the executive office force. He disposes of a prodigious amount of work in a short time and keeps right up with his correspondence. Even the morning mail is disposed of almost immediately after its arrival and opening, and in this j way the President permits no accumulation of affairs requiring his attention. The President dictates his correspondence to Assistant Secretary Loeb, who in turn sees to its preparation by stenographers and typewriters. About 10 o’clock the President begins to receive callers, and, unlike most of his predecessors in the presidential chair, «he keeps open house up to 1 o'clock iu the afternoon. It is well known that the White House is not a healthy place in which to live. It is constructed on low ground near the Potomac river, not far from the flats which breed malarial and other fevers. In addition to this the White House is built over a lacework of sewers, the plans of which are almost forgotten. Aside from the unhealthy conditions there is a painful lack of accommodations for social functions, and for years there has been much complaint because of the unsatisfactory arrangements mnde for caring for the invited guests. Senator Cullom and others have declared that the conditions are disgraceful, and tire Illinoisan has said he will take steps this winter to secure an appropriation either for enlarging the executive mansion or for building a private home for the President. Irrigation of arid lands was the topic which Senator Hansbrough of North Dakota brought with him to the White House the other day. After liis conference with President Roosevelt Senator Hansbrough said: “Congress is going to be liberal with the West in dealing with irrigation questions, and I believe that the President will also be most liberally disposed. ! believe that the government should give the proceeds of the sale of public lands to irrigation. This would amount to about $2,000,000 each year, and it could be expended under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior in making surveys and in constructing reservoirs and canals. After , the government has done its part the private land owners will do a great deal. They stand ready to spend millions also.’’ The National Museum has received as a gift from Col. W. 11. Carter of the United States army, just returned from China, a large collection of firearms, taken front the arsenal in Tien-tsin. The collection is one of the most extraordinary ever received by the museum, containing, as it does, almost everything in the way of guns, from a matchlock tip to the latest firearms. One gun is twenty-three feet iu length and was operated by five men, four holding it in position, while the fifth did the firing. Another measures eighteen feet in length and is ltaminerless. This gun was fired in the same way, three men holding it in place, one aiming, and a fifth striking the cap with a small hammer, attached to the stock, by a chain and hook. Mrs. Roosevelt will attend St. John’s Episcopal Church, while the President will remain faithful to the little German Reformed Church. St. John’s is the traditionary church of the chief executive, all the early Presidents having attended there. There is a “President’s pew” duly set aside, but it has not been occupied for many years. As there was no prospect of any distinguished occupants, {he pew was leased temporarily to Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock. As soon as he learned Mrs. Roosevelt was a devoted Episcopalian lie presented the pew to her, and for the first time in many a long year the historic President's pew in St. John’s will have its regular delegation from the White House; l-’ormuj announcement has been made at the White House that all official functions there would be postponed until the close of- the present year. Beginning with the New Yeur’s Day reception, President Roosevelt will meet the social obligations imposed upon the chief magistrate. Formal calls of delegations will not be received during the thirty days of mourning. The Secretary of War has made an allotment of 1100,000 for the purpose of preparing the military post at Washington Barracks for the use and occupation of the Army Waif College, ithe School of National Defense, and the Engineer School of Application. The War College and School of National Defense are entirely new institutions, nnd will be organized under plans prepared under the special supervision of Secretary Root, who considers such institutions ns essential pnrts of a properly equipped military establishment under modern conditions.