The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-28


Kinley will shortly modify the civil
service rules, He has had an extended
conference with the Civil Service Com
mission. Secretary Wilson stated be-
fore the Senate subcommittee, which
is investigating the workings OF the
civil service law and rules, that the
present rules hampered him in select
ing efficient scientific subordinates, and
in written communication, Secretary
Gage expressed the opinion that a
modification of the rules would be bene-
fetal to his department.
BRIEFLY stated, the news from
Greece is indicating that the Turks are
an overmatch for the Greeks in the
fighting up to the present time. The
Moslems have carried the mountain
passes on the northeastern border, be-
tween Macedonia and Thessaly, and
are swarming over the plains Of the
latter country. Larissa, which had
been the headquarters of the Greeks,
has been captured, and the latter are
taking up new line Of defence south
of the river Salamvria, with their right
extending toward Volo, insuriug the
cooperation of the Greek feet. In the
west the Greeks have had better for
tune. Their feet is bombarding the
towns along the Albanian coast, and is
threatening the Turks on the coasts of
the AEGEAN Sea. The fighting has been
of the most desperate character. Re-
ligious fanaticism fires the Turks and
prompts them to deeds of fiercest valor.
"Thrones to those who conquer,
Heaven to those who fall" now as in
former ages, is the hope and inspiration
administered to the faithful. Greece
is undaunted, and it is believed her
armies will yet check the Moslem army
and inflict severe punishment upon it.,
They will, if the prayers of Christen-
dom avail.
SENATOR ALISON member of the
subcommittee engaged in going over
the Dingley bill before it is reported to
the full Finance Committee gave caller
a good idea of the manner in which the
work of revision is being done, when
he said: "Here is a letter from a
manufacturer of backing. How many
Ingredients do you suppose there are
that enter into its manufacture Well,
more than dozen. Some of these in.
gradients have been transferred from
the free to the dutiable list. Some have
had the rates increased and some de-
creased. Each article has a direct
bearing upon this mans business. He
writes us that backing is sold in pack
ages of a certain size, which cannot
well be varied; also that most of the
backing is imported from France, and
that the industry in this country is in
its infancy, but is making fair progress
If we retain the House rates on certain
ingredients he mentions, he asks that
we also make small increase on
backing and suggests that it will be
easier to do this than to change the
rates on the dozen articles which enter
into his product. His request does not
seem unreasonable, does it, if the facts
are as he states ? Well, we have looked
into the rates on every one of the in
gradients he has mentioned, and their
bearing on his product, and find his
statement correct. That is the way we
are doing our work on the tariff bill,
and l think it is better than to do this
man an injustice and possibly give his
business TO the French manufacturers. +"
The subcommittee expects to complete
its work on the bill this week, and it
is hoped that the bill can be reported
to the Senate next week.