The Press., 1898-10-27
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1898.
Washington Letter.
Washington Oct.24, 1898.


 tory millions for resumption of the war, if action of Spain makes 1t necessary. This is statement in a nut shell of the position of this government. Not man in official circles believes that Spain will be foolish enough to order it's commission CTS not to sign the treaty of peace, unless they secure some money consideration, either as payment for the Philippines, or assumption of a portion of Spain's bonded Indebtedness, although such an outcome of the negotiations at Paris appears to be receiving serious considerations in Euro pean capitals. All of this sort of thing is part of the game of Spanish diplo. macy, intended to affect the position of this government. As such 1t is all abso- lutely wasted. Should the Spanish con- missioner decline to conclude the treaty of peace, upon the terms submitted by the U. s. the war would at once be re- sumed, and this government is far better fixed 10 rush the fighting than it was the day the protocol was signed, and is de- termined to do it. The bugaboo of Euro pean interference would not prevent the carrying of the fighting into Spain immedi- ately ,and Spain would very soon be com pelled to accept terms of peace far more humiliating than those it now has an opportunity to accept.
 The president greatly enjoyed his west ern trip and has nothing but praise for the hospitality, prosperity and the patri- otism of those with whom he came in con- tract everywhere he went and if his back bone had needed any stiffening on the Spanish question, which so far as appear ances go 1t did not, the sentiments he heard expressed would have done the business. Others who accompanied him say that the almost universal sentiment everywhere they went, among those of all political parties and of all sorts of men, was in favor of our taking the whole Philippine group.
 Japan has changed it's minister to the U. s. again. Japan kept one minister at Washington for a long series of years, until he became one of the most popular diplomats in the corps but since he was recalled, it has hardly allowed one minister to remain long enough to get acquainted with our people and customs. However, the new minister, MT. Jutero Komura, will not have that lesson to learn, as he is graduate of Harvard university and thoroughly acquainted with Americans and American customs, official and pri. vate.
 The annual report of the director of the mint,r on the production of silver and gold +he world during the calendar year has been submitted to the scerev lie treasury. It shows that the production of silver was the greatest ever known, the value being $236, 730, 300 although many of the most productive silver mines in the U. s. were not work, ed during that period. The value of the gold produced was slightly in excess of that of the silver-$237, ,5O4 800.
 The following extract from a report sent to the department of state by U. s. Con. sul Ragsdale, at Tientsin, China, a city with more than a million inhabitants, with an annual commerce of $45, ,250 ,OOO shows that China is fast waking up to modern methods, notwithstanding its mis- government: "The Imperial Chinese rail. way is without doubt one of the greatest enterprises in Northern China. Already, three hundred and twenty miles of the road has been constructed, eighty miles double track ,and one hundred and twenty 
 The company has sixty-four engines ot Chinese make, four Belgian, 21 American and 38 English. From 5000 to 12, ,OO( men are constantly employed, 42 of whom are foreigners. They have extensive shops at Tong Shan, where cars of al kinds are built. The cross ties and bridge timber are imported, principally from Oregon, although small shipments far inferior in quality are received from Japan. The road is gradually being ex. tended, and ere long will be completed tc Niuchwang, one of the terminal points o the Russian railway. The traffic for the past eleven months was 1,216,8S5, pass engers, and i ,S7O, 11S tons of freight, and | 10 LoPl0AJ HUI OdSiuS. AO EOdu 10 dIICduy paying handsome dividends"
 Another bureau of1cial-James A Dumont, supervising inspector genera of the steamboat inspection service condemned the civil service rules as ap piled to his office, in the most unqualified terms. MT. Dumont in his annual repor to the secretary of the treasury says the placing of the employees of his office under the civil service rules has been positive detriment to the service in various ways And he gives numerous instances to show that the men who have been appointed after troublesome delays, have been less efficient than those selected before these appointments passed under the civil ser. vice rules. He says the civil service method keeps the steamboat inspection service in more or less crippled condi ton nearly all the time.
  wonderful Memories. | tY7tn of Norn oouI6