The Press., 1897-08-19
Washington Lsttsr.
Washington, Aug. 2

washington, Aug. 7, lSN.
 Although there is a quorum of tho cabinet in Washington, there is an air of vacation dullness around all the govern ment departments. Secretary Sherman Ia at his office every day, but since he has had to deny SO many newspaper interviews he will only talk In monosyllables 10 those who are allowed to get In to see him. At torney General McKenna Is wrestling with n tariff problem referred to him by Secre- tary Gage, who is also in town, for an opinion, and he has listened to arguments on one side by Ex-Secretary Carlisle and Ex-Asslstant Secretary Hamlln, the first representing the Boston and Maine k. R. and the latter Boston business organlza- tlOns. Secretary Wilson, Is as usual, hammering away on routine matters and not inclined to court publicity in any way.
 According to an official document sign ed and made public by Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, an exhaustive report made by Commander Davis, has shown that those who charged that everything was not conducted just as 1t should be at the Brooklyn Navy Yard were merely dream CTS of troubled dreams, or words to that effect. Mir. Roosevelt even goes further, as may be seen from the following ex- tract from his official comments upon Commander Davis report But 1t Is evident that tho real reason for the at- tH:ks upon Mir. Bowles (tho constructor in charge of the Brooklyn navy yard)ls to be found, not In the fact that he has done badly but that he has done we'll"
 It would seem that ex-Senator Black of silver mon, ls not without influence with tho appointing powers of at least one department under the present admlnIstra- tion. At any rate that Is the construction most generally put upon the reinstatement in office of Miss Minnie McMillin, who was dismissed by Chief Clerk Logan Carlisle while the controversy between his father, then secretary of the treasury and Mir. Blackburn, then senator, was at It's warmest period. It was stated at the time of Miss McMillIn's dismissal that it was done to spite Senator Black burn and lt Is now said that she owes her reinstate- ment to efforts of Ex-Senator Black burn.
 Everything pertaining to war continues to grow more and more expensive. The ordinance bureau of the war department recently opened scaled proposals for the construction of five disappearing gun carriages, moro or less, upon which to mount the heavy guns intended to be used for coast defenses and the lowest bid received was 1928, ,56O each for the carriages. Such prices would make the ordinance officer of the period of the first Napoleon open his eyes In wonder, and yet the cost of the guns to be mounted upon these carriages will be much more than the carriages, and the cost of firing them will exceed $l 900 shot Perhaps after all 1t Is cost rather than an improve mont In human nature that has operated to lassen the number of wars between nations In a position to make war upon up-tO-date methods.
 The efforts now being made by Imml- grafton Commissioner Powderly to pre- ventsths coming to the United States oi thos6 anarchists who have been or will be expelled from European countries under the stringent regulations put iu force In consequence of the assassination of the Spanish prime minister, will be watched with eager interest by those who know the weakness of our laws in defining an anarchist, and cwKoseremember the failure of determined effort to prevent the coming of notorious English anarch- lst sevoUaA years ago. The man simply proved tAm& he had ample means and was we'll educGtcd, and the government not being able to prove that he came to the U. $. for any unlawful purpose, he had to be wamitted. His trip was made q failure by the state authorities which prevented hls making speeches and not by the U. 8. authorities. If the anarchists arc paupers or convicted criminals, they can bo kepe au6cnny enough, but If they have even ntodeRAte means and have not been convicted of crime, keeping them out will be no easy job. But Mir. Powder ly, who has Issued Q special order to immigration officers warning them to look out for two Spanish anarchists, said to be headed this way, will make the effort.