The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1893-12-16
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.

VI AoACAik itN'hANf
Secretary Herbert has appointed as
chief clerk of the Navy Department
his son-in-law, Benjamin Micon OF An
niston, Ala.
Secretary Herbert in his forthcoming
message will ask Congress to appropri-
ate money for one more battle ship and
four torpedo boats Of Ericsson type.
President Cleveland has appointed
First Lieutenant James T.. Sawyer of
the Fifth Artillery Captain and Assist
ant Quartermaster. This appointment
was made under probably the most
'uous pressure ever brought to bear
II re President. Nearly every First
l., ant in the army was a candidate
for =. Omotion.
Silver will assert its right to hearing
in connection with the tariff 1t will
come in the shape of proposition TO
put duty on silver importations. In
the Senate, if the plans of those who
have the matter in hand do not miscarry,
an effort to secure this innovation will
be made in connection with the metal
schedule, and it will be coupled with the
item concerning lead and silver-lead ores.
| The purpose of this movement is two
fold. 1t may prepare the way for the
free coinage of the American product of
silver, and it is expected to prevent
counterfeting the American dollar in
other countries and the sending of coun-
terfeit coins to the United States.
The Treasury Department is some
what concerned over the prospect of
Chinese registration under the new law
passed upon the eve OF adjournment OF
the extra session and under which the
department has Just issued regulations.
The supposition is that the Chinese will
comply with the law, but no one can say
definitely until the experiment is tried.
| Officials themselves are as much in the
| dark as any one. If they should again
refuse, the situation would be awkward.
1t is said the intelligent Cinnamon gen.
orally did not object to registration and
really looked upon it as a means of per-
sonal protection, but the bulk OF them
would be controlled by their employers
now as formerly. They do not as a race
take kindly to having their photographs
taken for the purpose, but there is no
reason to suppose that this objection will
long stand in the way of compliance with
the law if the Six Companies and their
attorneys be not obdurate.
The annual report of the Secretary OF
War gives the usual review of the condi-
ton and operations OF the army, and in
addition much space is devoted especially
to the progress of work on the sea-coast
defenses. Now that Indian warfare is
practically at an end, the gradual con-
centration of the army on the sea coast
and frontiers should follow. The work
of fortifying thirteen of the larger sea-
ports renders manifestly necessary the
conversion of portion OF the infantry
to the artillery arm. The total strength
of the army is 2, l44 officers and 25,77S
enlisted men. The Secretary recon-
mends the repeal of the law fixing ten
wears as the maximum period of enlist
ment and a reduction of the period of
first enlistment to three years. The
adoption OF the new magazine rifle is the
most important step since the close oil
the civil war. he entire infantry force
! will be equipped with the new arm be-
fore the close OF the coming new year.
, 1t has been definitely determined that
! the income-taz system to be reported by
! the Ways and Means Committee will be
: confined to a tax on the net incomes o
: all corporations and on SUGGESTIONS an'
!, legacies. BRYAN, McMillin, Whiting an,
= others made strong fight for a plal
y broad enough to include all incomes o
individuals in excess Of So, 900, but hav
been forced to acquiesce to the will O
the majority and to abandon graduate
" income tax in favor of one applying onl
l. to corporations and SUGGESTIONS. 1t ca
ID be confidently announced that the Ia
~ system will be narrowed down to thes
ii specific limits, unless the recommends
ne tons of the committee are upset in tn
n House. The tax on SUGGESTIONS and les
ne acies applies only to personally an
s. MONEYS. The Democrats OF the commi
ne tee have also decided to increase tn
ne rates radically on cigarettes and to in
lie pose tax on playing cards. Both {
Id these points have been definitely decide,
w The internal-revenue tax on whisky
k still an open question. The committe
er is maintaining a studious reticence q
r. this subject for fear of the manipulation
n of spectators on the stock exchange.
MI The annual report Of Commissioner
Navigation +. c. O'Brien, which prov
to be his valedictory, is full OF matte
Ia OF public interest. The tonnage of Il
~ country exhibited an increase fro
h, 4, 765, 1861 in 1892 to 4,S25,O7l in 1S9
a. There was a decrease in sailing tonnag
ha but an increase in steam tonnag
"a American tonnage engaged in domest
n commerce, which is absolutely protects
as against foreign competition, showed
~. gratifying increase. On the other han
- American tonnage engaged in our foreis
M commerce, which Is exposed to the fr
~ competition Of foreign nations. exhi
~ tied considerable decrease. The TO
80 mage OF both American and foreign VI
~ sells entered at our ports shows a decrea
as result of the general depression
trade. The shipping interests of [
Great Lakes have prospered greatly dr
ra- ing the last six years. The tOnna
iry which passed through the Detroit riN
the during the year 1892 amounted to
to 7S5. 900 tons, whereas the tonnage viii
M passed through the Suez canal duri
in the same year amounted TO only III
lall OPS tons. The Lake Superior toms
ain which passed through the canal increa'
nts from 8, $50, $50 tons in 1888 to 1904,
silly tons in 1898.