The Mena star., 1899-05-25

Offices Being Named After Dewey-The
 Philippine Army Question-No Report
 About Any Difficulty at Nicaragua.
 Washington, May 23.-During next month the republican managers of the house and senate will reach definite understanding upon the terms of the currency reform bill to be proposed to the senate and house upon the reas- sembling of congress. The republican members of the senate committee on finance, having jurisdiction of the sub- ject, will meet in conference the house caucus committee on the currency. which recently concluded it's deliber- ations at Atlantic City. There is a con- siderable sentiment among republican senators against restricting the reissue of the greenbacks by gold redemp- tions. The caucus committee certainly has decided to impose partial restric- ton upon the power of greenbacks to affect the financial condition of the country in times of trouble. It is desirable to ascertain whether the senate will follow the house in this direction, and make the restriction recommended by the president the policy of the republican party. It is believed that whatever plan is adopted at joint meeting of the house and senate committee will be agreed to by republican caucuses of the house and senate and made the party's bill. It is reported that the house republican caucus committee agreed on a measure along the following lines: The re- demption of all obligations of the government in gold on demand; green backs, when once redeemed for gold, to be reissued only for gold; permitting national banks to issue notes to the par value of their government bonds deposited in the treasury, instead of 90 per cent, as at present; permitting the minimum capital of national banks to be S25, GOO, instead of $50, 900, as at present.
 Pollution Of Water by Sewage.
 Washington, May 23.-Under the di- rection of the geological survey, the subject of water pollution and sewage disposal is receiving exhaustive inves- tigation. This inquiry is of especial interest to St. Louis, Illinois and the lower Mississippi valley at the present time. 1t bears close relations to the pending questions of Chicago's drain age scheme. George W. Rafter, the ex- pert engaged in the collection of in- formation, has arrived at some definite conclusions as to the pollution of the great lakes And these conclusions em- phasize the gravity of the problem which confronts the people by whose doors the flow will pass. He says:
 At Chicago the barbarous practice of turn ing the sewage of great city into the body of water from which the public water SUD- ply is taken has resulted so disastrously as to lead to the construction of what is known the Chicago drainage ca- nal by which it is expected Go deliver the greater part of the Chicago sewage into the head waters of the Illinois river and so finally into the Mississippi. Partial investigations, made several years ago under the auspices of the Illinois state board of health, indicated very rapid puritcation of the ewage-contan- mated waters of the present Illinois and Micni- gan canal as they flow to the south. The in- yestigation has not been carried far enough to indicate what the results will be upon the Illi- nois river and the Mississippi, when the project shall have been completed, and the sewage of Chicago largely turned south. The known facts as to the increasing contamination of the great lakes would indicate the vast importance of de- termining the ultimate effect of such discharge.
 Post Offices Being Named Dewey.
 Washington, May 2S.-The extent of admiration and affection for Admiral Dewey is shown by the numerous app pications for post offices to bear his name. At the post office department it is said that petitions from every state and territory have been received ask ing for new post offices to be known as Dewey, or to change the former name of an office to that of the famous ad- miraL Twenty-three offices are now known as Dewey, but two less than those named after George Washington, and there is every prospect that there will be Dewey post office in the near future in every commonwealth. The name is especially popular in the south southwest Missouri has her Dewey, and the people in nine towns in Ten nessee have petitioned to be favored with the name There can be but one Dewey, however, in each statey and the contest in some states is quite sharp for the honor.
 The Philippine Army Question.
 Washington, May 23.--The war de- partment is considering the matter of a permanent force for the Philippines. Most of Secretary Alger's advisers