The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-25

the Philadelphia Times says: There was
rumor yesterday, which was false, but
widely current, that Secretary of State
Olney Is about to resign his portfolio
aud retire from the premiership of the
Cabinet on account of serious differ
ences between the President and him
self AS basis for the rumor, it NAV
be stated that Secretary Olney is man
as tenacious Of his views as Grover
Cleveland. or any other man of will and
self-confidence. 1t is fair to assume
that in case Of radical and apparently
irreconcilable differences Secretary
OlDey would resign rather than bend.
Everybody knows that the President
Is masterful man, and UNFOLDING when
his views are formed. The story pub
lished has for it's basis the assumption
that the foreign policy of Secretary
Olney has been too aggressive, and that
the fear OF collision and clash with
Great Britain has induced the President
to crisicise some OF the State papers of
the Secretary upon the Venezuela affair
and to withhold his approval of them.
1t WAS further asserted that Secretary
Olney assumed his present position with
the understanding that he should be
permit ed to manage our foreign affairs
without interference.
Both of these assertions are false and
misleading President Cleveland has no
fear of any Likelihood of collision with
Great Britain, because he fears nothing,
and knows that the psople OF this coun.
try are ready to 60 to extreme lengths
to sustain the enforcement OF the Mon
roe doctrine. 1t is almost as sacred as
the flag. No one conversant with affairs
could believe that tho President sd-
vanced Attorney General Olney to the
position OF Secretary of State with such
an absurd condition as that the Presi,
dent should abdicate his supervisory
power over the department Of foreign
affairs. Grover Cleveland is not that
kind OF man. He rendered the posi-,
ton, and If any conditions had boon
suggested by Mr.. Olney, he never could
have been made Secretary of State.
The fact that Secretary Olney did not
accompany the Presidential party to
Atlanta has been used as significant
fact, warranting the rumor Of dis.
agreement between the President and
the Premier of his Cabinet. This also
is statement without foundation. as it
ia known to officials in the White House
that on the day preceding the departure
Of the Presidential party for the South,
Secretary Olney spent half an hour with
the President, and their conversation
was not only official but friendly, the
interchange of compliments being at
times Of nature to call forth smiles
and laughter from both gentlemen.
Their personal relations are exceedingly
amiable and always have been. Officials
OF the Department OF State wholly dis
credit the rumor and all Of it's details.
Capt. Robley D. Evans, who has been
assigned to command the battleship In
diana. was at the Navy Department. to-
day. He says that the ship will be
ready for commission inside of two
weeks, and expressed pleasure with his
assignment 20 the command of vessel
which he regards as magnificent speci-
men of naval architecture.
Rev. DR.. Talmage, accompanied by
his two daughters, is at the Arlington
Hotel, and has engaged suite of rooms
there for twelve months, thus settling
the question of his residence during the
first year OF his psstorate in Washing
ton. The distinguished divine will de-
liver his first sermon on next Sunday
night He will have direction OF all the
Sunday evening services, while the
pastoral charge will still remain with
DR.. Sunderland.
this week complete the plans for the
electric lighting of the Senate and
House wings. Two engines and dyna.
mos will be at each extreme end of the
Capitol, and the wire, covering several
miles Of sub-surface, will convey the
light to 5000 sixteen-candle power
lamps. 1t Is expected that the tenn.
perature OF the House and Senate will
be very agreesbly affected by this
change, particularly in that SPACE be-
tween the roof and the glass ceiling will
not be subjected to such enormous heat
as has heretofore been required when
the gas jets were lighted on cloudy days
and during late afternoon and night
sessions.
The first results of an important work
in connection without coast defense un.
dertaken by the naval militia at the
suggestion OF Lieutenant Niblack, in
charge OF this division at the Navy De-
partmept. has just reached the depart
ment 1t Is report OF the military re-
concordance made by the New York
Naval Brigade during the last summer
Of north and south shores of Long
leland Sound. The brigade made four
preliminary expeditions lasting in each
case from Friday evening to Monday
morning, and then spent full week in
the work.
They located with exactness and plot
ted sites for signal stations to cover this
entire territory, selected sites for shore
forts and submarine mines, furnished
close measurements of the depth of
water st whsrves and bridges, indicated
the nearest points of telegraphic ani
telephone communication with head
quarters, and, in fact, compiled store
OF information that is simply invaluable