The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-12-13
At THE CAPITAL!
rContinued from First Page

that it is at present nothing more than a
mere name.
Senator Cullom, the athOr of the pres
cpt law and chairman Of the senate COM
nittee on interstate commerce, says that
when his bill to protect witnesses testify
ing before the commission comes up be-
fore the senate next month he hopes 10
amend It so that the commission "ifi be
c'o.LsI with authority TO execute Its
,prnoses, Senator Cullom also states
that the decision of Judge Gresham will
result unfortunately for the railroads as
its sweeping character will necessitate
the enactment Of more drastic laws upon
the subject Of interstate commerce.
There is a bill now before the house
committee on military affairs introduced
by Johnson, Of Ohio, which Will be
Of interest to all old soldiers. 1t pro-
yidos that all officers and enlisted
men OF the , United States army
below the grade Of majOr-general who
shall have served in the war for the sup
preston Of the rebellion, and who shall
have attained thirty years or more of
faithful service, shall upon their
application be retired from active service
with one additional grade above the
actual one held at date of such retire
ment: psovided, that sergeant majors,
all non commissi ned officers, signal
corps sergeaDts, regimcntal quartermas
ter sergeants, chief musicians and first
sergcants be graded as second lieuten-
an no mounted, and that application
for retirement under the proposed act
shall he made within three years.
Secretary Elkins in his official capacity
promises to become a conspicuous figure
in til" Panama canal proceedings where
by American interests are SO seriously
ieopardized. Secretary E!kins' attention
was the other day directed to the fact
that General John Newton, who is presi-
dent Of the Panama Railroad company,
is a major general on the retired list of
the United States army. The Panama
Railroad company was organized under
the laws of New York and given a char
ter which guaranteed that the enterprise
should always be controlled by American
almost entirely into French hands, but
General Newton has remained as presi-
dent, and has regularly drawn both the
salaries of a retired United States army
officer and Of the president of a railroad
company, which only awaited the expi-
ration Of its contract obligations TO i'm
mcdiatcly attack American interests.
AS soon as Secretary Elkins' attention
was drawn to this state of affairs he re-
cognized that General Newton was oc
cupying a commercial position incon-
sistcnt with the tpirit of his military po-
sitiOn and mimical to the interests of the
American government under whose flag
lie is still enrolled since officers on the
retired list, are considered by the war
department as being still in the service
of the county. 1t is stated that Score
tary EIkins, in view Of General New.
tons anomalous position, has ad-
dressed him a letter in which, after
directing his attention t. the i~nconsis-
tcrcy Of his two salaried officers, he
has suggested to him 10y intimation, at
least, the propriety Of reSigning one posi-
tion or the ether. There is considerable
Indignation here over the action of Gen
eral Newton, especially since the Ameri
car stockholders of the Panama railroad
have been missed in the dealings and the
government has been so grossly treated
and if he does not get out of his place
Voluntarily it is likely that precipitable
action will put him out Of the army
Congress j almost sure to take the Pan
amt question in hand and deal with i
vigorously from an American standpoint
Alfred dc Rothschild's proposition tc
the International monetary conference a
Brussels has recalled the fact that he anc
other we'll known members of the grea'
lanking house of De RothSchild have beer
frequent visitors to Washington. Ii i.
thought, moreover, that some Of thes,
visits Lave given The Rolhschilds an in
sight INTO the course OF financial lcriela