The Elbert County tribune., 1899-04-06
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.


Throughout was contradictory to Gen
ernl Egnns testimony. Mr.. GiddIngs
said that Congressman Hawiey was
present mt several Of his conferences
with General Egan. A majority OF the
army surgeons expressed the opinion
that the canned beef WIS unsatisfac-
tory ms food for the troops. but some Of
them thought IL more harmless than
other meet in the Cuban climate.
/ Internationally Congress placed II III
, the power OF the President TO appoint
two ndmirals OF the navy instead OF
one, but II Is not probable that Mr.. Me-
Klnley Will exercise the authority, nl-
though he could lawfully do so. A spe
cial act wns passed authorizing and re
questing him TO appoint m admiral
and everybody who voted for II knew
! that II was intended for the promotion
OF Dewey. For fear something might
/ happen to prevent this special act from
becoming a law n clause to the same
effect was inserted in the naval bill by
the House Of Representatives and the
conference committee forgot TO strike
II out. although the special act became
law and Dewey was appointed and
confirmed before the navy bill passed
| the Senate. Therefore there are two
| HIVE fADIthrtu III t&atGf tHt Hnnit
Language nnd passed within few days
Of each other. for the revival OF. the
rank Of admiral. or course the Presi-
dent understands that the duplication
was an oversight, and TINT Congress
intended TO promote only Admiral
Dewey.
The action OF the recent Congress in
! increasing the appropriation for the
| Id f.f mail fIIruI dfpfrigfs =
| from Sf5O.0O0 to S300.OO0 year indi
Gates that this novel branch of the pos
tai service Is success, and Is to be n
permanent Institution. Wherever II
| has been tried in the middle and east
| ern sinies II has been satisfactory to
| the officials and to the people. The rii-
raj p0stmen are given wide latitude by
tn department They are paid only
300 year and are required to pro
| vide their own horses. To counterbnl-
ance this they are allowed to engage
| In NIL kinds OF outside business denied
| TO regular carriers. The prevailing
impression thn; rural free delivery II
| llnordinnrily expensive II n mistake. In
nine out Of ten districts In which II
has been Introduced II pays Its way;
| In some OF them II Yields profit. II
the opposition Of first-class postmnsteIqs
/ to the abolition Of their offices could be
overcome. and II members OF Congress
were less timid ms to the political effect
| OF abollshing petty fourth-class Offices,
| the rural delivery might he extended In
mnny sections at less than the cost of
| the existing service. The department
proposes to select some particular
| county and try the experiment.
More than 3GO propositions have
| been submitted to the secretary OF the
navy for raising the battlesliip Maine.
which was blown up In HAVANA har-
bor February II. 1898. These offers
| come from various sources. mnny of
which are reliable firms. who present
comprehensive plans for the salvage OF
the ship. Others come from individuals
who do not know the difference be-
tween one part of d ship and another:
railroad men, house builders. theatrical
spectators, and In general from per
sons who have no facilities for doing
the work and are without any clearly
defined plan for its execution. Depart
ment officials are not much Interested
In the scheme looking To the salvage OF
the Maine. astthey claim that should
she he raised she could not be made OF
any use to the navy, and would GER
tainly involve a great expense 10 the
government. II is said also that II sue.
cess were met with In raising and re-
pairing her she would always be
known us a "hoodoo.' and that sailors
would be so superstitors they would
not go to sea In her. Taking all this
Into consideration. 1t IL believed by the
naval authorities that the most prnc-
ticnl scheme Is to blow her up and re-
move the debris. which is a serious
obstruction to navigation.