Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-11-09
A CABINET MEETING.
The Right of Our Soldiers to Send
Souvenirs Home from Abroad.
THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT FOR CUBA.
Necessity for Change in Present Military
System In the Island Becoming Appar-
cess Postage Report.

Washington, Nov. 4-The particular
point under discussion at the cabinet
meeting yesterday was that involving
the right under the law of our soldiers
in the Philippines to send through the
mails to friends in this country souve-
Mrs of little or no commercial value.
Under strict construction of the law
articles of any commercial value, ex-
cept books, are prohibited from being
sent through the mail. But the gov
eminent, realizing that with the APP
proach of the Christmas holidays the
soldiers serving in the Philippines I'M
doubtedly will wish to send home some
momentos Of their service, an earnest
effort will be made to overcome the diff
ficulties presented. 1t is probable that
Secretary Gage will formulate some
regulation which will meet the situa-
ton.
The subject of civil government for
Cuba also received considerable atten-
ton. The necessity for change in
the present military system, it is said,
becomes more and more apparent and
the president is waiting only until an
entirely suitable person can be found
before taking action in that direction.
Gen. Wood is said to be very favorably
regarded in this connection, but there
are obstacles to his appointment which
at present are deemed insurmountable.
One of them is that there are num-
Der of officers in Cuba who rank Gen.
Wood and his promotion over their
head is not deemed advisable.
The report coming from Canada to
the effect that Sir Louis Davies, mem
Der of the Canadian cabinet, recently
returned from England, was treated
with scant courtesy by the customs
officials at New York was mentioned.
The president sincerely regrets that
Sir Louis was put to any Inconvenience
or suffered annoyance at the hands of
customs inspectors and il is probable
that the regrets Of this government
will be forwarded to him.
CONCESSION TO PRESS HAY.
Washington, Nov. 4, Permission has
been given to agents Of the British
government to compress, in New York
and Boston, large shipment of Cana
dian hay destined for the use of the
British army in South Africa. 1t was
represented to the treasury department
that at present there are no suitable
presses in the Dominion which are
available and as it is important that
the shipments should leave these ports
not later than the 18th of the present
month, the government was appealed
to to make the concession. This was
done ms an act of courtesy to the Brit
ish government and is now to be re-
garded as a precedent. The British
agents represented that while the hay
shipments from Canada probably would
be very large they expected to have
modern compressers ready for use
within a short time In the sections
where the hay is raised.
NOT TO COLLECT EXCESS POSTAGE.
Washington, Nov. 4. The postmaster
general has issued an order forbidding
postmasters in the United States to
collect postage due in excess of the
domestic rate on any letters sent by
soldiers, sailors, marines or other per-
sons in the United States service in
Guam and the Philippine islands The
order is given immediate effect and
postmasters are directed to disregard
ratings of postage due, in excess of the
domestic rate, made prior to this date.
WILL RECOMMEND THE GOLD STANDARD.
Washington, Nov. At is said that
Secretary Gage, in his annual report,
will repeat in general way his recon-
mendation for the establishment of the
gold standard by law and for such
changes in the banking laws as will
give to the country more elastic cur
rency.