La Junta tribune., 1899-03-18
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.


The board of inquiry which is inves-
'iGatiDg into the beef scandal Is called
the "co-oner's jury" here.
Under the new army bill there VIII
be lO1 second lieutenants appointed.
and nearly 10000 applications are al
ready filed.
In the sundTy-civii appropriation bill
% il finally passed. the appropriation
for the Paris exposiaion is reduced to
S1.olo.oo0. instead OF Sl.3o0.Ooo pro-
vided by the Senate. or this amount
S20ocoG is to pay for the erection OF
building
by an amendment on the sundry
civil appropriation bill the pay Of COM
positors and bookbinders in the gov
ernment printing office was Increased
Ia fifty cents an hour. which. II Is be-
lieved Is the highest rate paid FOR such
skilled labor in the world.
About 125 senators and representa-
iives closed their congressional careers
ON the 4th. There are already several
vacancies In the next House by deaths.
OF the fifteen senator's who retire, two.
Quay and Cannon. are contending for
election. with the odds against
item.
The President may go out for n
cruise on the Sylph. but he will not
venture into deep water. because he IL
so easily seasick. He is exceedingly
sensitive to motion, and the last time
he Went up the lakes-the SUMMER of
his nomination-he was i'll as soon as
he was out of sight of land.
The Rev. DIR. Byron Sunderland has
been appointed pastor OF the First
Presbyterian church to succeed Rev.
r. De Witt Talmage. DIR. Sunderland
already has served the church forty
five years, and since his resignation
last June, when DIR. Talmage took
c'sarge, has been the pastor emeritus.
Lieutenant Dan Godfrey and his
British Guards band. which arrived in
New York on the Lucania last Satur-
day. gave concert in the east room
of the White House in the presence OF
the President and Mrs. Mckinley and
ladies' OF the Cabinet. This was the in-
apguration of the first general tour Of
tie United States that has ye, been
undertaken by an English military
band.
Lieutenant Colonel II. r. Sharpe :es-
titled at the beef inquiry Saturday that
wagons which had not been cleaned af-
ter being used for the transportation
of manure and wagons in which garb-
age had been carried. the bottoms Of
which We're covered with slime IN
which maggOts We're crawling. We're
used to carry fresh meat to the soldiers
at Camp Thomas, Chickamauga, last
summer.
The Hull bill for the reorganization
Of the army provided for the annual
appointment of 100 additional cadets
to the West Point Military Academy,
ten Mt large by the President and two
by the Senators from each state. but
iSt- the Cockrell compromise bill this
clause WINS stricken out. The President,
however, Is authorized to appoint
twenty cadets mt large every year in
stead Of ten as formerly.
Perhaps 1t was unintentional with
the larger part OF the members of both
houses Of Congress. but Congress pass
ed stringent prohibition Sunday law
far the District of Columbia, which
foIbids the sale or serving Of beer.
wines and liquors in clubs and hotel
dining rooms as well as barrooms and
splOons. The bill as originally intro
dueed was to prevent what is known
az curbstone and roadside liquor sell
ing.
The Italian government, through its
representatives in Washington, lately
laid before the authorities here Its pur-
ptse to ask of China a port on San
Mum Bay, and has invited an express
sion from this government as to its at
titude. In response. 1t Is understood
that Secretary Hay. as well as the
President, made 1t cleaSthat the Unit
ed States would pursue the same
coYrse as toward the Russian, British
and German occupation of Chinese
ports. namely. disinterested neutrality.
General Joseph Wheeler saw the
President the other day concerning his
future status. subsequently he said
that while the question of his remaining
in the army had not been definitely de-
cided, 1t was probable that he would
not remain In the service. He thought
the President would be unable to find
a place for him and he was not pushing
tfe matter. "Buf I would like to re-
main In the service" said he. with ami
nation, ''and be sent to the Philippines.
n where there Is some fighting. would
not care 20 much to stay In the army
4 II l had to remain In this country"
Speaker Reed left Washington with
out bidding the President good-by. He
has not been to the White House dur
ing the present session. He has called
upon President Mckinley only twice,
! and then by special invitation-once
shortly after the Inauguration and the
/ second time at the beginning Of the
| session Of Congress in December, 1897,
to discuss matters Of Legislation. He
i has met the President socially on sew
eral occasions, hut has not been in
vited to any of the Cabinet dinners or
other social functions given in honor
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Mckinley. Nor is Mr..
Reed In sympathy with the Presidents
policy. He discusses II freely with his
Intimate friends with good deal Of
sarcasm, but has uttered no public crit
& icisms.
A Some person of malicious disposi-
h ton has set afioat the report that 1900
4 persons are to be Immediately ap-