The Springfield herald., 1899-12-29
FROM WASHINGTON.
GOSSIP OF THE WHITE HOUSE
AND THE DEPARTMENTS.

The clerks in the War Department
Were making out II commission for
General Lawton as brigader general
in the regular army when the news
of his death was received.
A number OF prominent army officers
have undertaken to pay off mort
gage upon the home of General Law
ton in California 1t is the only prop
erty left by the general.
The urgent deficiency appropriation
bill. the first of the important supply
bills for the government expenses, is
practically made up. and the total will
amount to about S71 100000.
Discussion in the Senate of the finan-
cial measure drafted by the Repub-
lcan majority of the committee on
Finance will begin on Thursday, Janu-
ary 4th, the day after the holiday re-
cess.
Mrs. McKinley's health is so poor
this winter that the hospitality of the
White House will have TO be limited 10
official functions and the entertainment
of the members of her family and
friends.
In accordance with the recommenda-
tion of the secretary of the interior. In
dian Commissioner Jones has deter
mined TO stop the employment of In
dians in Wild West shows. He has
written several letters recently to
would-be contractors for Indians. in
which he has clearly stated the posi-
ton of the bureau.
\ number of witnesses frorn Utah
appeared Tuesday before the commit
tee of the House of Representatives
which is investigating the case of Mr..
Roberts of Utah. They included Mrs.
Dr. Luella Miles. Il practicing physi-
clan of Salt Lake City: Mrs. Dougall.
L. l.. Mcdaniel and $. f. Wishard, all
Of Salt Lake City. The testimony was
strongly to the effect that Roberts has
three wives.
The government has finally adopted
Puerto Rico us the official spelling
of the name of that island. and here
after all official documents will ad-
here to that form. The board on geo
graphic names decided in favor of this
some years ago. but the usage has not
been uniform. The board requested
from President Mckinley an expires
sion of his views and in making the
decision he says the name should be
Puerto Rico in accordance with the
custom of the people of the island.
The remains of the late Lieutenant
Brumby Were escorted 10 the railway
Tuesday with full naval honors, and
sent to Atlanta. Georgia, for interment.
The casket was wrapped in the Amer
lean flag. The escort was made up of
detachment of marines from the
barracks here. headed by the full ma
rine band. all under command of Lieu
tenant Commander McCrea. L. :. y.
There We're many floral tributes from
Admiral Dewey and friends and rela-
II. Il ffH..a
the navy yard served rs the pail bear
ers.
The President has sent to the Sen
ate the treaty negotiated by the
powers at The Hague last July for
the pacific settlement of disputes be-
tween nations and the declaration to
prohibit for five years the launching
of explosives from balloons. The Sen
ate Immediately removed the inJunc-
ton of secrecy. The treaty was pub
lished at the time. The Presidents
message was formal letter of trans
initial except that it invited attention
To an accompanying report from the
secretary of state urging immediate
action by the Senate.
The Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion. in an opinion prepared by Com
missioner PrOuty in the matter of ap-
plications of carriers for extension of
time beyond January l. 1900. within
which to comply with the requirements
of the safety appliance law in using
automatic couplers and power or train
brakes on freight cars. has extended
the time TO August l. 1900. Ii was ad-
mitted by representatives of the rail
way employees Jhat some additional
time should be granted. and the COM
mission. upon full consideration. ar
rived at the conclusion that an eNten-
sion of seven months would be proper.
The other day somebody went out to
st. Pauls Catholic church, unscrewed
a silver plate that bore the name ''Ha-
zen from the arm of one of the pews
and substituted another little plate
which was inscribed with the name
Dewey" This created a good deal of
talk. and people inferred that Admiral
Dewey was going to follow his wife
into the Catholic church. but yesterday
he rented for another year the pew in
st. Johns Episcopal church he has oc-
cupied whenever he has been resi-
dent of Washington. and of which he
used TO be n veStryman, and was re-
elected to the board of trustees in
charge of the Episcopal missions in the
city.
Liliuokalani. eX-queen of the Ha-
waiian islands, still lives in a modest
house in Fifteenth street in Washing
ton. but expects to return TO her native
country very soon. She has made no
attempt to break into society. She
never entertainS. and accepts the hos
pitality of few intimate friends only
She is suffering from cancerous
growth in her throat and has been
living in Washington for the purpose
of obtaining treatment from special
ist instead OF for political reasons. She
expects to return to Honolulu in Feb