St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-01-04

| part III the next pfeSluentlal cdlnpal5H
in case President Mckinley Is renomi
mated.
Indians Respect Their Dead.
One of the United States Indian in
spectors, writing recently from an Indian
reservation. called attention to the fac
that the Indians have learned TO respec
their dead, and have adopted civilized
and Christian methods in buryng them
but in doing this they are imposed upoi
by INSCRIPTIONS white men who charge
them outrageous prices and fleece then
at every opportunity. The inspector
gives an Illustration where plain cofiir
was obtained at town not very remote
from the reservation, and the tribe wa;
obliged to turn over 10 head Of cattle t.
pay for the same. The inspector recon-
mcnds that Indian agents be authorized
to lay in supply of coffin trimmings
consisting of plated handles, ornaments
| Innings, etc, and that the collins be made
at the agencies by the carpenters there
AS it is now the Indians who want to
| give their dead Christian burial have to
send away some distance for collins, af-
fording chance TO white men who be-
love no opportunity should be lost ia
cheat the Indians, whether it is to keep
them alive or bury their dead.
Kcwarding l. cutenant Hobson,
Lieutenant IIobson indicated to the
president before his departure for Ma
Mia a desire that the proposed reward
for services in sinking the Mermac in
the channel of the entrance to Santiago
harbor may he his transfer to the line"
from the staff corps and such advance
mcnt therein may be deemed proper.
1t is no secret here that the line officers
of the navy do not look with favor on the
transfer of Lieutenant Hobson to their
branch of the service and are throwing
all the obstacles they can in his way. He
has pecuiarities, and these have grown
since he became a hero, until he is diff
cult to manage and Is giving the naval
authorities a great deal of concern. A
high naval official close to Secretary
Long told me day or two ago that there
was practically nothing for Lieutenant
HobsOn to do at Manila, and that the
secret of his being sent there was t. get
him out of this country, and t!at Ii was
uncomfortable and full of impra g ticahle
ideas which he wanted the navy depart
ment to adopt He said further that the
raising of the sunksn Spanish war Ves-
sells at Manila was given out by contract
and that IIobsOn would have nothing to
do but see that the contra tors complied
with the terms Of their contracts, and
that he would not have authority to raise
any vessels on behalf Of the govern
ment independent of The contracts al
ready made.
Denies the Confederate Badge Story.
The president took occasion a few
evening ago. when personal friend was
calling upon him. to give an emphatic
denial of the story telegraphed from At
lanta. Ga, while he was attending the
peace celebration there, that he had worn
a Confederate badge pinned on his coat
by two ex-Conferedates. The president
said there was absolutely 10 truth in the
story, and that he would not have per-
mitted any person to pin such ba lge
on his coat, which Justly could have been
rebuked by his late comrades in the
Union army.
Improving Government Publications.
Great progress has been made during
the past few years in improving the APP
pearance of the annual reports of many
of the officials of the government. This
year the annual reports of the governors
of the territories of New Mexico, Ari-
IONA, Oklahoma and Alaska, are pro-
fusely illustrated with half-tone engraV-
ings of agricultural and mineral pro-
ducts, or of scenes illustrative of the
growth of the territories. The reports of
nearly all the eleemosynary institu-
tons, in measure under the control
of the interior department, are profusely
illustrated this year, and in a manner to
greatly enhanced their value from
literary standpoint. Some of the an
nual reports are very much sought after
none more so than the report of DR.. Shell
don Jackson, on the introduction of
reindeer into Alaska, which seems to
have a peculiar fascination for young
people. The book Is distributed gra-
tuitously, and every senator and con-
gresham has good supply.
A Cotton Banquet.
The Houston (Tex.) cotton exchange
and board of trade have invited the pres
ident and members of his cabinet to
banquet Jan. II, $780, to celebrate the
arrival of 100000 bales of cotton dur
ing the first four months of the season Of
1S9S-lS99.
L"oki e After the Confederate Dead.
The fact is not generally known that
the general government, through the
war department. looks after and main
tains in good order so national GEM
eteries, in which are buried men who
served in the regular army or in the
Union army during the rebellion.
Speaking of the suggestion of the presi-
dent that hereafter the Conferedate
cemeteries be looked after by the gem
eral government the same as the GEM
eteries in which Union soldiers are
buried, an army officer says there are
but few Confederate cemeteries located
near the national cemeteries, and that
II the general government attempts to
look after all the Confederate GENE
teries, 1t will necessitate, not only the
expenditure of much money, but the
detail of quite a force of enlisted men
and officers throughout the south.
A Yankee Wants Mining Patent In the
Philippines.
Oscar +. Williams, the United States
consul at Manila, has forwarded tc
the secretary of the interior an applica.
ton for mining property, under loca
Spanish laws, in the island of Bantam
province Of Luzon. OF course the ap
plicant for the patent Is Yankee, wht
thinks he has discovered a fine vein O
coal, and wants authority granted hin