The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1897-08-21

Kinley as to his Cuban policy, and
secretary Sherman's being at the
head of the State Department has
caused him to figure conspiciously
in most of the stories. There is abb
solutely 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 fOl him by letter to Col.
Foote, commander Of the Union
Veterans Legion fl he District Of
Columbia, who had, in the name of
the legion, recommended an Old
soldier for place in the Agricul-
tural Department. Secretary Viii
sons letter, says in part: "As you
are aware, probably, | have been
re-instating old veterans who were
discharged by the last admlnistra-
ton. About 60 have been put back
but there are about as many more
10 be considered. You will doubt
less agree with me that those who
were uncerenOuniOusly removed
should be righted first. This we
are trying to dojust as fast as pos
sible. My deepest and kindest
sympathy goes out to you old sol
dier who saved our country, and
whatever we can do over here to
make the afternoon of your lives
pleasant and comfortable shall be-
done"
The board of Naval officers Sc
lected by Secretary Long To inves-
tigate and report upon the cost,
best location, etc, of government
plant for the manufacture of steel
armor for our fighting ships has
been in session all the week. Tire
officers are familiarizing themsel-
yes with the information on file at
the Navy Department on this sub
ject, and will next week visit the
plants of the Carnegie and Bethle-
hem companies, which have refus-
ed to make armor at the price na,n-
ed by Congress-$30O ton.
Commissioner Butterworth's 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
at any time, because they know
the need of reform, but the state OF
affairs shown by the testimony at
the hearings in the disbarment
proceedings against john
Wedderburn & Co., has made the
general public understand as it has
never understood the Patent Office
while the purging process is going
on. 1t is in evidence that Wedder-
burn e. Co., repeatedly deceived
their poor clients by advising them
that patents could be obtained for
Old and valueless divices and that
the same could be sold for high
prices, taking advance in Europe
for what was clearly unpatentable
and money for advertising them
for sale. How extensively this sort
of thing has been doEe may be
judged by the testimony of officials
which says that during the past
two years more than 1900 applica
tions for patents filed by them
have been rejected as unpatenta bic
while of the remainder not more
than 200 have been of sufficient val
ue to justify paying the cost Of 8
patent.
| Secretary B ISIS received official
Information from Alaska during
the week, and in consequence is
sued warning showing the expo
sure, suffering, and danger Of at.
tempting to get into the Klondykt
gold region at this advanced season
and calling the attention of the
would BIZ Klondikers to the fac
that 5000 persons with 1000 tons
of baggage and freight are now
waiting at the entrance to White
in Alaska, for an opportunity t
cross the mountains and get to the
Yukon River. Secretary Bliss il
too we'll acquainted with human
nature to expect that his warning
will have any material effect upor
the Klondike fever, bnt he had tn,
Information and he thought it hi,
duty to make it public.