The Springfield herald., 1899-05-19

3 AAAi'i'"' SSNhS tllS year has Dcen let
by the agricultural department to
Charles Parker of Santa Clara for
S64,OOO. All seeds must be delivered
here by December I, and the distribu-
ton begin next January.
Assistant Attorney General BOYD has
rendered, at the request of the secre-
tary OF the treasury, n decision which
mas been approved by the attorney gen
eral. III which he holds that transac-
uohs known among stock brokers as
puts are not taxable under the war
revenue act, although calls" are sub
| Ject to the tax.
cuba has been provided with new
nag by the United States government.
1t Is designed for Cuban-owned YES
sells engaged in the coastwise trade. 1t
is not desired to give these vessels
| tne right to use the American flag, as
that would be step in the direction
OF annexation, nor is it deemed ad-
visable to allow the use of the flag of
the Cuban revolution.
An order has been made by the
Navy Department for the immediate
| dispatch of the converted yacht vixen
I to Bluefields. Nicaragua. The Vixen is
now at Norfolk fitting out for cruize
to the Philippines via the Suez canal.
| 1t is said mt the Navy Department that
no advices of late date have been re-
ceivcd from Blucticlds tending to show
the existence of crisis there.
Postmaster General Smith has pro-
mulgated an order limiting the use OF
signs bearing the words ~. 5. Mall
| to such street cars ms are actually NJ
the time carrying mail. and ears used
for no other purpose. The order also
directs that signs bearing the words
~. S. Mall must not be painted on
or displayed from cars having street
letter boxes attached thereto. the box
| es themselves being Il sufficient indi-
cation that United States mail is car
| ried on the ears.
The President has commuted to three
years the life sentence of Clyde
Bennington. convicted in California, III
1898. of robbing the United States
mails This commutntion is granted in
consideration of the valuable aid rem
dered the government by the prisoner
| in the prosecution of his colleagues. In
the case of Ellsworth Il. Defrance, con-
victcd in Nebraska in 1893 for hlgh.
way robbery of Il mail messenger ana
sentenced for life. the President has
committed the sentence to fifteen years
The Navy Department has issued an
official order detnching Admiral j. o..
Watson from command mt the Mare
| Island navy yard on May 10Th. and
ordering him to the Asiatic station on
the 10th to relieve Admiral Dewey.
The Navy Department has already be-
gun plan for the reception of Dewey.
On his arrival in American waters he
will be met Mt sea by the North At
lantic squadron. under command of
Admiral Sampson, and escorted to
New York harbor. Other details for a
rousing reception are being formed.
The postmaster general has issued
the following general order: Post
masters ut presidential offices are re-
quired to give their personal attention
to the business of their offices. and
must not absent themselves therefrom
for longer period than one or two
days without authority. granted upon
written application to the department.
A violation of this order will be deem
ed sufficient cause for removal
Postmasters in some cities have been
leaving much of the actual adminlStra-
ton of their offices to their assistants.
The government has been notified
that the Spanish government will sell
at public auction, at Havana, the float
ing dry dock of steel, which was there
when the peace protocol was signed.
Recently the Navy Department bid
$3.50. 600 for the dock, but the Spanish
government believed that more money
could be secured if they offered it for
sale at public auction. Only two pri-
vntc concerns are known to be con-
templating bidding. One of these is
the Simpson Dry Dock Company of
Philadelphia and the other is a New
York firm. 1t is not likely that the
Navy Department will bid.
1t is said by friends of President
Mckinley that he is becoming as much
of an inveterate smoker rs was Gen
eral Grant, and that his present ner-
vous condition is due to over-indul-
gence in tobacco. a partial excuse is
found OH the ground that almost
every officer who has returned from
Cuba or Porto Rico or the Philippines
has brought the President n box or
two of cigars. They have been of the
finest tobacco procuraDle and have
proved Il temptation that could not be
withstood. The President declares
also that smoking gives him relief
from neuralgia, from which he has
been suffering recently.
The secretary of the interior has re
versed Il decision of the general land
commissioner requiring the Mariposa
Mining and Tunnel Company of Pueb-
10 to show cause within sixty days
why the entry to Cripple Creek claims
Nos. / and should not be cancelled.
Land Commissioner Hermann held
that in Oregon ana California lead
claims had prior right. This stand was
taken in the face of n decision of the
District court of FL Paso county. which
awarded the claims to the Mariposa
Company. In reversing the decision
the secretary of the interior said the
land department was NOT at liberty to
disregard the Judgment of n court and