Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-03
NOTHING AGAINST HIM.
Views of the Majority Of the Raum In
yestigating Committee.

AUAINSI
Views OF the Majority Of the Raum In
yestisating Committee.
Representative Sawyer of the committee that
has been investigating Commissioner Raum's
administration Of the Pension Bureau is sur
prised at the action OF the minority OF the
committee in giving out its report Hesays he
Is surprised because it was well understood by
the committee that the evidence was not all in
and the investigation was not closed.
Taking up the allegations in the minority re-
port one by one Judge Sawyer said. in an in
terview last night, there was not one Of the
statements that he believed was borne out by
the evidence, incomplete though it was. As to
the list of stockholders the proof showed that
Mr.. Smyser subscribed alone for the stock and
that the others interested with him made no
subscription. With regard to Bradley Tanner,
Commissioner Raum's private secretary the
evidence showed that at the outside he had
only written four or five letters ON the refrig-
orator companys business in the Pension
Office during Office hours. His association
with the District of Columbia branch company
was purely nominal. With this exception there
was no evidence to show that ANYBODY en-
ployed in the Pension Office was directly or
indirectly the owner of any stock In the refrig-
orator company.
The majority had carefully analysed the
testimony with regard to favoritism TO attOr-
neys and had reached the conclusion that favor
itism was impossible. As a matter of fact there
had been an absolute failure to show q single
case of favoritism.
The majority of the committee approved the
orders establishing the completed files system
They found that there was no evidence to show
that the commissioner had ever failed to give
that time and attention to his duties which
should be expected.
Judge Sawyer remarked in conclusion that
he gave expression to what he understood to
be the views of the ma jOrity with some hesita-
ton, because he did not understand that the
investigation was yet closed. Asked in regard
TO the Lemon Endorsement, Judge Sawyer re-
piled that the evidence established that Capt
Lemon had indorsed notes for Gen. Raum to
tho extent of Sl2. 900, and had received rs
collateral one thousand shares liz gypsum
mining company i'll southwestern Virginia. The
evidence was that this enterprise had been
brought to Capt. Lemons attention before
Gen. Raum became commissioner.
New Law as to Army Promotions.
Among the bills that were agreed to in con-
ference and received the approval of the Presi-
dent IN the closing days of the session was one
OF interest and importance to nearly every Off
Ger III the army. 1t provides that promotions
10 every grade throughout the service below
the rank OF brigadier general shall be sub ject
to examination according to seniority AID
that they shall be lineal III each CORPS a rim or
department. of the service. instead Of as now
reglmentaL 1t Is also provided that all officers
shall be assigned to regiments and transferred
from one regiment to another as the interests
OF the service may require, by orders from the
War Department. and hereafter all appoint
ments IN the line of the army shall be BY COM
mission IN an arm OF the service and not by
commission in any particular regiment
BY section three the President is authorized
10 prescribe system of examination of all Off
GERS below the rank OF major to determine
their fitness for promotion. In case an officer
fails to pass satisfactory examination the
officer next below him in rank shall be pro-
noted provided that if the officer fails in his
physical examination and be found incapaci-
tated for service by reason OF disability, con-
tracted in line of duty, he shall be retired. but
if he fail for any other reason he shall be sus-
pended from promotion for one year, then be
re-examIned. and if he again fail be honorably
discharged with years pay.
An lmpoetant exception to the above rule
however. was inserted in the bill by the con-
ferees IN lieu of a House amendment on the
same subject The new proyiso reads as fol-
lows:
Provided, That the examination of officers
appointed in the army from civil life or of
officers who were officers of volunteers only. or
were officers of the militia of the several states
called into the service of the United States. or
were enlisted men in the regular or volunteer
service, either IN the army, navy, or
marine corps, during the war of the rebellion
shall be conducted by boards composed en-
tlrely of officers who were appointed from civil
life or OF officers who were officers of yolun-
teers during said war; and such examination
shall relate to fitness for practical service and
not TO technical and scientific knowledge; and
in case of failure OF any such officer on the re-
examination hereinbefore provided for. he
shall be placed upon the retired list of the
army. and no act now in force shall be SO con-
strued Us to limit or restrict the retirement of
ofilcers as herein provided for"
Populations of Cities and Towns
The Census Bureau today announced the
populations Of the following cities and towns:
Danviile, ILL.,, II ,52S; increase, 1916. or 1908
per cent Decatur. Ill, 16, 81; increase, 1924,
or TO- 40 per cent. Champaign, Ill. 1921; in
crease, 72i, or 1919 per cent. Nation, Ill,
6,s29; increase. 1902, or 1903 per cent. Paris,
Ill, 1,Oi9; increase, 6l6, or 1916 per cent
lazoo City, Miss. 5,247; increase, 2.7O5. or
lOol per cent. Claremont, NH, $3.50; in
crease. $40. or 1905 per cent Concord. VI.
10, 9o; increase. 3.lO5, or % 43 per cent Dover.
n H., l2.1i9; increase. 1,0S2, or 934 per cent
Manchester, n. H., 1883; increase, ll.353
or 3i19 per cent keene, n. H.. 7.439:
increase, 655, or s.66 per cent Ports
cent Rochester, NH, 7.1l3; increase, !. 500.
or 2298 per cent. Nashua, NH, Is. 266; In,
crease, 5.e69, or 43. 81 per cent. Sedalia, Mo,
i3's94; increase, 4.i33, or 1851 per cent Boone,
Iowa. 6,5l3; increase, 3lS5 or 95 IA per cent
Marshai.town, Iowa, 9,30S; increase, BOSS. or
4o IL per cent Sioux City, Iowa, 81 S62: in
crease, 3O,496, or 4li.0l per cent Dallas
Texas, 81. 40; increase, q, 1872, or 26S 22 per
cent. Macon city, Ga, 2, 69s; increase, 9.9l9,
or 1904 per cent.
The accommodation Of Albany county. NY
shows population of 1874, 043, an increase OF
S,l53. The accommodation of the city of Al
bany. ny, gives q total population Of 1850.
being an increase of 1882, or LIS per cent
The total population OF the state OF New
Hampshire Is 1852 In 1850 the population
was Sl6,s9l; increase, %. 1888 or S.3l per cent.
Oyster Culture by the Fish Commission.
The fish commission has been informed that
the C.S.S. Fish Hawk. which has been WORKING
on the oyster beds Of Long Island sound, will
complete her work the latter part of this
month The investigation shows that the set
Of spat this year is the largest ever recorded
from that region, making a very brilliant out
Iook Tor the next two three years The
oystermen are reported making large profits on
the dredging and sale Of the young oysters for
planting purposes. As soon as the Fish Hawk
finishes her work it is intended to send her IN
the coast OF South Carolina to study the waters
there with reference to natural oyster beds
and bottoms fitted for planting purposes
Similar Investigations have been made within
the past few years ON the coast of North Caro-
Ina and Florida. The proposed survey of the
coast of South Carolina will be yery thorough
and the prosDepts that sha In