Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-10-30
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Presidents ::Trip-Spain's
Reply Under Way.
CHIEF OF ORDNANCE OPP
POSED TO GOVERN
MEN1 STEEL WORK.
(From Our Regular Correspondent


President Mckinley will not begin /
the work of writing his annual mes
sage TO Congress until after he returns
from Ohio, where he will go the last |
of this week to remain until he casts |
his vote for the Republican ticket, but
he is spending considerable true just
now in obtaining Information from
members of the Cabinet and in dis
cussing with them matters that will be
treated in the message. All of the
members of the Cabinet have furnish
ed him with the substance of their an
nual reports, none Of which are yet
complete.
SPANS ANSWER.
The administration is not devoting
any time to the consideration of the
answer of the new Spanish Ministry TO
Minister Woodford's proposition, the
full text of which is now on its way TO
Washington, because the substance OF
it has been known for sometime and
it has been fully determined TO grant
the new Spanish ministry q reasonable
time in which to try to put its new
policy into effect in Caba. The only
thing that may change this programe
is the manner in which the Spanish re-
ply deals with the efforts which have
UGEn IlAQ6 N1 lAAlc w bAC-
vent the departure of fillibustering
parties for cuba If the tone of the
answer is what Spanish publications
have indicated it to be, it will be
promptly resented by the administra-
ton. More than $4,000 600 has been
spent by this government In efforts TO
prevent fillibustering and TO live up to
its international obligations to Spain
and no animation 4hat this govern
ment has been negligent will he toll
Grated from Spain. 1t is thought that
such talk appeared in the Spanish pa.
pers solely for it's effect at home. and
that nothing of the sort Will be found
in the official communication.
SECRETARY ALeER TO ATTEND.
Secretary Alger will attend TIT
meeting of the Army OF the Tennes
on Wednesday and Thursday of thi
week. at Milwaukee. He left Wash
ington to-day.
NEW NOTES.
When a really good ida is mad
known the average person OF intelli
gence wonders why lt had not beer
Thought OF before. An idea Of tina
kind was laid before the Cabinet b
Secretary Gage, and at once met wit
general approval. The government
issued three kinds of paper money. an
the notes OF each denomination of eac
series have different designs, whic
are Do, only confusing but which ar
- oS-sdvaantage of by that class {
swindlers who make a practice of rails
ing notes and passing them in crowce
places or upon ignorant and unsuspeci
ing persons. Secretary Cages idea
TO adept one design for all the note
of the same value OF the three kinds {
notes issued, and to make that desie
so simple and distinctive that it wi
be impossible to mistake one dolls
note for ten or two for a twent
etc, The change, which will probal
" be put into effect as soon as Il
necessary plates can be prepared, wi
be welcomed by the handlers OF none
in banks and business establishment
to whom the pictorial silver certii
Gates now in use are source OF mus
worry.
RESIGNATION ASKED.
The resignation of Gen. W. w. DH
field as Superintendent of the Goa
and Geodetic Survey has been ask'
for on the ground of his general il
competency TO ill the position in
which Mr. Cleveland put him for
other reason than TO p'ease Don Die
inson. Charges against Gen. Duffie
were filled early in the present Al
ministration, and he would doubtle
have been ask to resign before, had
not been for the influence of
brother, who is a pro minent Michig
republican.
SENATOR PLATT, IN WASHINGTON.
Senator PIatt was in Washingt
Saturday, but he said that his vii
had no special political significant
He spent half an hour with Pre-
dent Mckinley and told him and
other Washington friends that thin
were looking more favorable every
for the election of Gen. Tracy to be /
fret Mayor of greater New York, a
that he was absolutely certain
would win by plurality of betwe
ten and twenty thousand.
AGAINST GOVERNMENT STEEL WORKS
Capt. Charles O'Nein, Chief
Bureau of Ordnance of the Navy D
partment. is opposed to the establis
ment of government plant for t
making Of armor plate for our fight
vessels. He says in his annular repC
to Secretary Long, The Bureau is
the opinion that the government C
purchas armor more cheaply than
can make it. The Bureau regards t
making of armor as proper adjuI
to a great commercial steel pla
Foreign practice confirms this vie
and even should the department. 9
quire plant of its own, the chanC
are that it would he at great &C
and that it would lie idle part of I
time and thus suffer great deterior
ion, and that the expense and difficu
of operation it, when needed, VOL
more than Offset any advantages ga
ed by such ownership"