The Elk Mountain pilot., 1899-11-14
WASHINGTON NEWS.

Bates of the army shows the following
main items of expenditure during the
last fiscal year: Regular army, $34,-
1,225; volunteer army, $35, III;
disbandment of Cuban army, $9Oo, 100;
extra pay to volunteers war with
Spain, $443,932; extra pay regulars
war with Spain, 500, ,592.
The proposition FOR national uni
versity at Washington, under govern
ment auspices, was negatived by the
committee Of the National Educational
Association, which has been in session
here. Instead the committee has sug-
gestion contemplating plan by whlcn
persons who have had exceptional edu-
cational opportunities may secure the
advantages afforded by the institutions
at Washington.
The Cabinet has discussed the point
involving the right under the law of
our soldiers in the Philippines to send
through the mails to friends in this
country souvenirs of little or no COM
mercial value. Under strict construc-
ton of the law articles of any CONNER
sGal value except books are prohibited
9fcm being sent through the mail. But
the government, realizing that with the
approach of the Christmas holidays the
soldiers serving in the Philippines un-
doubtedly will wish to send home some
mementoes 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 four cases of court martial death
sentence of soldiers in the Philippines
Skhich reached the War Department
Wednesdays Manila mail, are
waiting transmission to the secretary
of war. The men under sentence are
Private Otto Conine, Corporal George
Damphoffer and Private Peter Bennett,
all Company b. Sixteenth infantry,
and Private William Il. Scarborough,
Company B, Third infantry. These
cases will have to go to the secretary
of war and thence to the President for
approval. 1t was officially stated last
night that President Mckinley will
commute the sentence of the prisoners.
The men were convicted by court mar
tial at Manila, the charge against them
being criminal assault upon native wo-
men.
The auditor of the Postoffice Depart
ment in his annual report shows that
during the last year the number of
postoffices in the United States in
creased from 72,976 to IA, ,3S4; the num-
ber of domestic money orders issued
increased from 27.79S,01S. representing
S4O1, ,113.711. to 29,O07 $50, represent
ing $40, ,4S3. .354, n net increase in the
number of 1,2O9,T9 and in volume of
Sal, ,396,G36. During the year the reve-
nues of the postal service increased
from SS9,O12,G1S to 500. .O21, 1854, and the
expenditures from S97 $50, 40I to S101,-
632 160, a net increase in the receipts
of S6.O0S.T65, and in expenditures of
0,77S,752. Upon this showing the
Auditor asks for an increase of thirty
clerks as minimum requirement for
the year 1900
The State Deparfment does not deny
that it is in correspondence with for
eign powers in regard to American
trade interests in China. The depart
ment has been devoting much atten-
tion to this subject ever since IBIS adj
ministration began. 1t has been the
policy of President Mckinley to pro-
tect in every way possible American in
terests in China without entering into
any alliances with any of the great
powers that are seiZing territory or eX-
erting influence to secure control of the
Chinese coast. 1t has been the policy of
the administration to protect our inter
estS In the Orient without assisting Great
Britain to maintain the integrity of
China and without following the exam
pie of European nations in securing
has treaties with China which guaran-
tee the protection of our interests
there and it is the purpose of the ad-
ministration to Insist that these
treaties shall be inviolnte. The Presi-
dent does not admit that the spheres
of influence of other nations can shut
out the American trade from treaty
ports in China. He has insisted. and
will insist, that these treaty ports shall
In, ,-in IL Ia
er they shall be controlled by England,
Russia, Germany, France or Italy.
Rear Admiral Schley received orders
Thursday to raise his flag on the chi
cago on the nth instant. BY this or
der Admiral Schley is formally placed
in command of the South Atlantic
- Ation. Admiral Schley will proceed
10 sea as soon after the nth as posi-
III His squadron will consist OF the
Chicago and the Montgomery, al
though there is official authority for
the statement that the squadron may
be Increased about the time that Adj
miral Schley starts on his cruise to
South African waters. No orders which
will be made public will be given to
Admiral Schley to proceed to any par
ticular part of his station, although
it is known that he will cruise in South
African and East African waters. One
reason assigned for the fact that no
particular order will be given that the
admiral visit Delagoa bay or its vicini-
ty is that If the United States should
have squadron there other nations
might seek to have squadrons there,
and it has already been intimated that
Great Britain has objected to anything
like n general demonstration in those
waters, which demonstration was sug-
gested some time ago by France. II
was stated to-day that Admiral Schley
will first sail for the South Atlantic,
where he will cruise leisurely for
two weeks before starting for Cape
Town