The Elbert County tribune., 1899-04-27
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.

| Porter. tue Presidents private secrc-
tary. Will resign on account OF III
health.
The Presidcnt has ordered some
changes In the Cuban tarin rates.
Brick are to be admitted free to en-
courage building operations.
The court Of inquiry npon mectiny
Tuesday morning Immediately went
into executive session TO consider i's
findings. There VIII probably be no
more witnesses examined.
The payment OF the twenty per cent.
extra pay TO the American troops In
the Philippines has been extended to
include all our soldiers now In service,
and will continue until hostilities In
the Philippines cense. The troops In
the Philippines. both officers and men.
VIII be given the two months extra
pay when mustered out.
The Wade court OF Inquiry will hold
one session Saturday afternoon for the
purpose OF hearing further evidence.
Major Lee Will make n presentation In
behalf OF General Miles. summing up
whnt he claims the inquiry developed
In substantIntIon OF the generals orlgi-
nnI charges. Another night session
will be held to permit the reading Of
the official reports which still remain
undisposcd Of. To-day wns spent In
going over the testimony.
Secretary Hay hns notified the Unit
ed States consuls who were Obliged TO
leave on nccount Of the war to resume
their posts In Spain. Two of these Of
ficcrs. Consul w. IL. Bowen. at BARGE
lonn, md IiIchnrd NJ. Bnrtleman Mt Ma
lngn. are now In New York. The third,
J. Howell Carroll. consul at Cndiz, Is
now Mt Gibraltar. Most OF the sub
consular officers remained In Spain
throughout the war and were updis-
turbed. some even continuing to dis
charge n part OF their official duties.
They will also be continued In the SER
vice.
Secretary OF War Algcr has cnbled to
Governor General Brooke nm order ex-
tending the maturity OF all Liabilities
"colIectnblc by the sale OF renl esinte'
until May /. lD0i. The Cuban planters
who presented the question 10 the nd.
minlstratIon, nre fairly well satisfied
with the order. and have returned
home. The extension granted Will en-
able the planters TO plant, grow ana
market crop before any of their OBJ
legations will mature, and In the course
OF the extension period II IL believed
the debtors ind creditors viii In most
cases be able TO adjust their difrer-
cnces.
In the United States Supreme Court
an opinion was rendered Monday by
Justice Pccllinm pronouncing invalid
n portion OF the state law of Michigan.
relating to the sale of 1.OO0-mile rail-
road tickets. The part OF the law nf-
fectcd IL that providing that these
tickets shall he good for two years and
shall be sold ut n reduced rate. Justice
Peckhnm said that the provision was
not the exercise OF n power to fix maxi
mum rates nnd not fair regulation
OF the rnilronds. but mn improper inter-
ference, the Legislature having no
right TO discriminate. as is done In this
act. 1--WE cnnnot," he said, regard this
exceptional Legislation as the exercise
of lesser right which is included In
tho grcntcr one to fix by statute maxi
mum rates on rnilrond companies"
The chief Justice and Justices Gray
md McIiennn disscnted.
Adjutant General Corbin says that
General Otis VIII respect the standing
order OF the war department 10 send
the volunteers home In the sequence in
which they reached the Philippines.
The first command 10 leave Manila will
therefore probably be detachment OF
the California artillery, us General
Otis has cnhled that he would send the
first troops home on May 9th, and no
steamer cnn leave on that date which
has n capacity for carrying nn entire
regiment. The sequence In which the
volunteers left San Francisco for Ma
nIla was as follows: First California,
Second Oregon. detachment OF the
California artillery, Companies A and
Il. Utah artillery; Tenth Pennsylvania,
First Colorado, First Nebraska, First
North Dakota, Thirteenth Minnesota,
First Idaho. First Wyoming, First
Montnnn, First South Dnkota. First
Washington, Twentieth Kansas. First
Tennessee, Ififty-first Iowa, troop Of
Nevada cnvnlry and First Wyoming
Battery.
A highly important decision to set
tiers In the West has Just been rem
dcred by Judge Vandeventcr. assistant
attorney general. The decision was
made nt the request OF the secretary
of the interior. BY II settlers on forest
reserves will be permitted TO take up
lieu lands outside of the reservation
pending full survey OF the reserves
by the director of the geological sur
ycy. Land Commissioner Hermann
had recommended that land offices be
instructed not to accept claims for lieu
lnnds until the surveys had been fin
ishcd. lie held that the settlers might
select land which later would be found
within the lines of the reserves. Set
tiers can now take up lieu lands out
side OF the reservation by relinquish-
Ing rights TO land Oh The reservation.
The assistant attorney general said, in
rendering his decision, that the recon-
mcndation was injudiclous. and not In
accord with what Congress intended
when the law was passed authorizing
the surveys He said that action such
MS the recommendation contemplated
could only he done by the special war
rant of Congress. The decision affects
all OF the forest reservations of the
country, particularly In the West,
where numerous reservations are siiu-
ntcd.
The army court of inquiry has begun
the framing Of its report. While n |
few minor matters remain for examin- |
alton. they nrc nor such as to affect |
the main facts. II is regarded as ccr-
tnin that the court Will lind that Gen
eral Miles charges that cmbalmcd or
prepared beef was sent to
the army have not been sustained. The
position Of the court is believed to lie
that the testimony Is conclusive TINT |
both the refrigerated beef and the
canned beef We're Ia good condition
when delivered to the government and
continued so Until issued 10 the troops,
except that portion damaged In traus-
portation or affected by tropical cor-
ditlons, and to these causes OF injury
and these conditions the chief cause
of trouble will be attributed 1t Will
be shown that the refrigerated beef,
after being taken from the Ice In the
tropical climate, spoils quickly unless
well cared for aud that the canned
beef. after being opened. because ~
the great heat. becomes rcpnlsivc In