The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-08-07
IMPORTANT REVISION.
Assistant Secretary Davis Makes Inter-
esting Changes in Pension Rules.
What Uncle Sam Lost by Tarin Bill Delay
spoIlsmen Not Pleased with the Pres
ident's Civil Service Stand
Other Capitol Notes.

WASHINGTON July. 31.-A thorough
revision of the rules governing the ad-
judication of pension claims under the
second section of the act of June 81,
1890, has been made by Assistant SEQ
retary of the Interior Webster Davis
and sweeping notifications in the pres
ent practices are the result. The new
code, it is said, will furnish a safe,
speedy and uniform system of adjust
ing this large class of cases. Assistant
Secretary Davis holds that the very
nature of pension cases forbids the ap-
plication of the strictness and techni-
cality of court proceedings and that it
was not congress- intention to hedge
the administration of these laws with
the difficulties and pitfalls of any sys-
TEN of special pleading whose techni-
calities and refnements may tend to a
practical defeat of the governments
benevolent purposes. The modifica-
tions are made in SIX rules, and former
rules and decisions in conflict with
them are set aside.
Cost of Delay in Tariff Bill.
wAsHINaTeN,s Aug. 8:-The bureau
of statistics. treasury department. has
prepared a statement showing the es-
timated losssof revenue to the govern
ment on account of increased imports
during the months of March, April,
May and June, 1897, in anticipation of
the increased duties imposed by the
new tariff act. The aggregate net loss
is estimated at S32, ,666, 427. The COM
parison of the present tariff law with
the Wilson act authorized by con-
congress has been completed. The
comparison is made in rate, ex-
pressed in ad valorem terms, be-
tween the present law and the Wilson
law The statement places the average
duty rate under the new law at 54.68
per cent. ad valorem, as against an
average of 40. 10 under the Wilson law,
the averages being figured upon the
basis of values in 1896.
SpoiIsmeu and the Civil Service Order.
WASHINGTON, July 31.-President
McKinleys civil service order was a
severe blow to the spoilsmen. Not
withstanding the presidents declara-
ton that there would be no backward
step in civil service reform, the spoils-
men have hueged to their heart the de-
lusion that Mr.. Mckinley, when he
made that statement, was indulging
in anti-election talk, and that, soon
after his inauguration, he would find
way to open up the gates to the
place-hunters: The great step forward
in the order is the provision that here
after no man shallbe removed from
the classified service except written
charges be fled against him and sus-
tained, after he has been given full
and fair opportunity for defense.
Voted for Mckinley and Bryan.
WASHINGTON, July 31.-Charles S.
johnson, who was appointed United
States Judge for Alaska, voted for Nc
Kinley at st. Louis and Bryan at Chi
cago. Mr.. johnson was q delegate
from Alaska to the st. Louis conven-
ton an voted for the nomination of
Mckinley. After the convention he
went up to Chicago to see the demo-
cratic show. There he fell in with the
Alaska democratic delegation. They
had proceeded to make merry and one
of the democrats was laid out to sober
up. johnson borrowed his badge,
went into the convention with the
delegation and voted for Bryan.
To Examine the Gold Fields.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2.-Samuel c.
Dunham, a representative of the COM
missioner of labor, has left for San
Francisco, on his way to the Klondyze
gold fields. He expects to sail August
Q and to reach K1ondyke September
15. He will make an exhaustive Off
cial report on the business conditions
there, the opportunity for investment,
the wages paid, cost of living,
climate and the means and cost of
reaching the gold region.
Bittinger Gets His Place.
WASHINGTON, July 30.-The president
has made the following appointments
in the consular service: Church Howe,
of Nebraska, at Palermo, Sicily; Luther
w. Osborn, of Nebraska, at Apia and
Nukualofa, Tonga; John L. Bittinger,
of Missouri, consul general at Mon
treal, Can; John jenkins, of Nebraska,
at San Salvador; William P. Smith, of
Missouri, at Hull, Eng.
Internal Revenue Collections.
WAsHINGToN, July S0.-The follow
ing statements show the aggregate
collections made and reported to the
collector of internal revenue by reve-
nue. collectors during the past fiscal
year: District of Kansas, $3.50, 39S. 80;
Missouri, S53s, 751.15.
Mai. Handy Gets a Good Place.
WASHINGTON, July 29.-The presi-
dent has appointed Moses P. Handy, of
Illinois. special commissioner of the
United States to the Paris interna-
tional exposition of 1900.
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