Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-04-02
FROM WASHINGTON.
CORRESPONDENCE Of the Alexandria Gazette.]
WASHINGTON, April 2.

explained. Mr.. Samuel L. Gracey of
Massachusetts, has daughter a mis-
siopary in Fuchau, and acting on his
behalf the Massachusetts, Senators had
secured q promise that Mr.. Gracey
should be sent as Consul to Fuchau to
look after his daughter. When, there
fore, another mans name was sent IN
for the place the Massachusetts Sen
ators hurried to the White House and
told the President of the mistake which
had been made. The President was
sorry and promised that it should he
rectifed. Yesterday morning Senator
Wolcott was at the White House. "By
the way, Senator" said the President,
~ sent your Mr.. Johnson to the wrong
place the other day. Can send him
somewhere else 2" HE wants to go
to some place in China" said Mr.. VOL
colt. "How would Annoy do?" "Ad.
mirablv am sure" 1t only took ten
minutes to switch Mr.. Johnson from
Fuchau TO Annoy and to put the mis-
sionary's father in his place.
Consul Robertson at Hamburg in an
elaborate report to the State Depart
ment on dried beer grains as cattle food
expresses the confident opinion that If
Europe finds it cheap as well as the
best food for cattle after paying ocean
freights from this country, commissions,
&C., American farmers certainly ought
to he able to use it to advantage with
out these expenses especially when
such valuable cheap fodder will do
away with the constant complaint Of
the scarcity and high price of food for
farm animals. Consul Robertson's re-
port is devoted to convincing demon
stration of the radical difference be
tween wet beer grains which spoil and
are Injurious and the same product
dried, the drying process radically
| changing its character, according TO the
best European experience corroborateu
by thorough scientific investigation.
A report in circulation that Spanish
officials have discovered the key to the
State Department cipher code enabling
them to become familiar with all tele-
graphic messages between Consul
General Lee and the department is di-
vested of any Importance by the we'll
known fact that General Lees tele
graphic correspondence with the State
Department is sent 10 plain English
and there is no occasion to use the code.
Some time ago a resort to secret mes
sages was necessary in few instances,
but as is well-known to those familiar
with codes it is utterly impossible for
anyone having deciphered portion OF
one message to apply that information
to another of later date. The State
Department cipher is used to save tolls
to such distant points as Pekin, China,
or Lima, Peru, and for important dis
patches to diplomatic officers abroad,
but the character of its numerous com.
munications with its representatives in
Havana makes the use of the code
almost wholly superfuous.
To-day's cabinet meeting, which be-
gan at eleven o'clock, shut of nearly
ell outside visitors. Exceptions were
made and one of these was General
Stewart L. Woodford, of Brooklyn, who
saw the President for short time.
General Woodford said after he left the
! Presidents room that he wanted no of.
fee and had arranged to go with his
family on a trip around the world,
starting about the first of May.
Though it is conceded that the con-
suls to Havre and Annoy, both former
Alexandrians, DIR. Chas. w. Chancellor
and Col. DelawareKemper, were as ef-
| ficient as any of their predecessors had
been, they have been removed and their
| successors been appointed. Offices are
entirely too scarce, and republican ap.
plicants for them too numerous and
importunate, for the efficiency of those
who hold them to warrant their reten.
ton.
The statement in some of the Wash
ington newspapers to the effect that
Colonel Mosby, accompanied by Sena-
tors Perkins and Proctor, went to the
White House yesterday and that the
latter had asked the President to az
point the former Consul General to
Cuba in place of General Lee, is in
correct. The two Senators referred
to did call upon the President
yesterday, but not together, and
being personal friends of the Col
ouel, did go voluntarily, and sug-
gested to him that in view of
Colonel's services in California during
last falls campaign and of his conced
ed competence, it would be we'll to
recognize him in some official way, and
from the manner in which thier sugges-
ton was received, they seem to think
the Colonel will not be forgotten. The
Colonel himself, however, did not
know that such calls were to be made.
and did not believe they had been, I'M
til he came here this morning and
was informed by the Senators referred
to that they had been. Cuba was not
mentioned during the calls, nor was
any particular office, all that being left
to the President, who intimated that
he had previously conceived the idea
that the Colonel should be recognized.
The impression at the Capitol to day
on the subjects referred to is that even
though all the substance of the arbitra.
ton treaty has been taken out of it,
its passage is still matter of doubt,
and that by the time the Senate shall
have completed its consideration of the
tariff bill, Mr. Dingley will not recog-
nize it as his work.
1t is said to-day that the republican
Senators who have heretofore refused
to acknowledge silver republicans as
members of their party, have changed
that policy and made offers of recogni.
ton, but that the silverites have de.
clined them, and intend to go it alone,
vet awhile at least.