Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-08-25
WASHINGTON LETTER
tFrom Our Special correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. is, 's7

| WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 1S, '97.
1t is matter for congration to Presi-
dent Mckinley that his admin nistration
has furnished so little cause for legiti-
mate criticism that the opposition has
been driven to the manufacture of
faults to criticise. The assassination
OF the Spanish Premier and the conse.
quent stir in Spain has been made the
foundation of many sensational stories
concerning alleged changes in the in.
tentions of President Mckinley as to
his Cuban policy, and Secretary Sher-
mans being at the head of the State
Department has caused him to figure
conspicuously in most of the stories
There is absolutely no foundation for
any of these stories. There has been
no change and none is contemplated.
Secretary Wilson Is an old friend of
the Union soldier, but he has added to
the esteem the "boys in blue" feel for
him by letter to Col. Foote, com.
mander of the Union Veterans Legion
OF the District of Columbia, who had,
in the name of the legion, recommend.
ed an old soldier for place in the
Agricultural Department. Secretary
Wilson 8 letter, says in part: "As you
are aware, probably, have been re-
instating old veterans who were dis.
charged by the last administration.
About sixty have been put back, but
there are about as many more to be
considered. You will doubtless agree
with me that those who we're uncere.
moniously removed should be righted
first. This we arc trying to do just as
last as possible. My deepest and kind.
est sympathy goes out to you old SOL
diers who saved our country, and what.
ever we can do over here to make the
afternoon of your lives pleasant and
comfortable shall certainly be done"
The board OF Naval officers selected
by Secretary Long to investigate and
report upon the cost, best location, ETC.,
OF Government plant for the manu-
facture of steel armor for our fighting
ships has been in session all the week.
The officers are familiarizing them.
selves with the information on file at
the Navy Department on this subject,
and will next week visit the plants of
the Carnegie and Bethlehem compa.
MES, which have refused to make
armor at the price named by Congress
5000 a ton.
Commissioner Butterworth's g new
rules to govern the practice before the
U. s. Patent Office would have been
cordially welcomed by the honest
members of the patent bar atany time,
because they know the need of reform,
but the state of affairs shown by the
testimony at the hearing in the disbar-
ment proceedings against John We'd
derburn & Co., has made the general
public understand as 1t has never under
stood before the value of having a man
like Ben Butterworth at the head OF
the Patent Office while the purging
process is going on. 1t is in evidence
that Wedderburn & Co., repeatedly de-
ceived their poor clients by advising
them that patents could be obtained
for old and valuless devices and that
the same could be sold for high prices,
taking advance fees for prosecuting
applications for patents, both In the
United States and in Europe for what
was clearly unpatentable, and money
for advertising them for sale. How
extensively this sort Of thing has been
done may be judged by the testimony
of officials, which says that during the
past two years more than 1900 appli-
cations for patents filed by Wedder-
burn & Co., about one half the total
number filed by them, have been re-
jected as unpatentable, while of the
remainder not more than 200 have been
of sufficient value to justify paying the
cost of patent.
Secretary Bliss received official in
formation from Alaska during the
week, and in consequence issued an
official warning showing the exposure,
privation, suffering, and danger of at
tempting to get into the Klondike gold
region at this advanced season, and
calling the attention of the would be
Klondikers to the fact that 5000 per.
sons with 1000 tons Of baggage and
freight are now waiting at the entrance
of White Pass, In Alaska, for an oppor.
tunity to cross the noun tains and get
10 the Yukon River. Secretary Bliss
is too we'll acquainted with human ma
ture to expect that his warning will
have any material effect upon the
Klondike fever, but he lad the infor.
nation and he thought it his duty to
make 1t public.
Senator Hansbrough was in Wash.
ington this week perfecting arrange.
ments for his marriage next week to
Miss Chapman, of Washington. They
will be married in New York City.
Don't Tobacco Spit and Smoke Your Life Away.