The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-23
TO SUCCEED JOHNSON
HENRY CAssON To BE DIRECTOR or
TIE ENGRAVING BUREAU.
Capt. W. II. EIIiott's Work ms Director
Of Posts in Porto RicO--His Let
ter to Mr.. Heath.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the indianapolis Journal.
| WASHINGTON. March Pit was stated
to-day that Henry Casson. OF Wisconsin.
will succeed Claude NJ. johnson, of Ken
| lucky. director OF the Bureau OF En-
craving and Printing Mr.. Johnson sue
ceeded Capt. William NJ. Meredith. formerly
of Indianapolis Mr. Johnson was a gold
| Democrat in 1895. which accounts for his
holding over so long A committee has in
| vestigated the bureau under his manage
ment and condition OF affairs was oiscov-
cred which demands a change in the head
of the institution. Casson applied for the d.
rectorship Of census. but Merriam got that
Casson then accepted an inspectorship OF
rural free delivery rendered him by First
Assistant Postmaster General Heath lie
will be glad to relinquish this for the more
dignified and lucrative dictatorship. He Is
eligible. being a printer.
The Cabinet at recent meeting. decided
that a director of posts should be ap-
| pointed for Porto Rico. who should have
| full authority over the island mails and col
lect and 'disburse postal Revenues without
regard to the United States. W. II. Elliott
| of New Castle, who served during the late
war as a naval officer. was appointed di-
rector and given authority to organize the
| service. The island is TO be treated as a
| separate possession of the United States.
| postal supplies 10 be furnished by this coun-
| try at cost and whatever revenues de-
| rived to be used for the benefit OF the serv-
| Ice. Any deficiency of postal revenues is to
be met out OF the other revenues of the
island. The postoffice officials believe the
| postal service the island will be self
| Sustaining.
Acting Postmaster General Heath to-day
received a personal letter from Captain FL
lot, relating experiences on an official
tour of the island which he has just COM
pleted. Director Elliot states that the peo-
pie were incredulous when he tod them that
sealed letters would be sacred in the mails
and that any one who meddled with msil I'M
! transit or in possession OF the government
would be severely punished. he says the
Porto Ricans ntrust to the mails only un-
important letters. never mailing any matter
regarded as private or valuable. as the
mails have frequently been rified. The roads
! in the island were dry and the trip was,
therefore, pleasant, although in ordinary
| weather the roads are almost impossible.
The municipal authorities in the island.
Captain Elliot reports, regard their relief
from the trouble and expense OF carrying the
mails as the greatest blessing The munich
| pal authorities have been compelled 10 carry
| the mails without compensation as a sort OF
| Interchange OF governmental courtesy, an
imposition required by the general laws of
| the island. The people, says Captain Elliot,
have returned to their regular vocations.
and in the farming communities the crops
are in fine prospect and the people expect TO
be prosperous. All are greatly pleased with
the coming of American rule Director
1
ton or danger of rebellion among the people
is untrue and that they are entirely satisfied
with American rule and regard it as bless
ing. -
Secretary Alger has accepted the resgna-
ton of Capt. William NJ Smith. one-hun-
Observation-Disclosures Indiana Volunteer In
fantry. to take effect March 81
Private William d. Hesher. Company E.
ne-hundred-and-sixtieth Indiana, was to-
day honoraby discharged
In the forthcoming Army Register, the
first to be printed Tor more than year,
which will be issued by the War Depart
n:ent by the END of this week official cor
roboration is given TO the report that Brig
adler General Corbin refused to accept a
| commission as major general of volunteers,
which was rendered him by the President
L
with Spain. According 10 the new Official
| register IL appears that such commission
was made out for General Corbin on Aug.
| IL, 1895, and declined. This entry is notably
| conspicuous in the register because in the
| three hundred pages of the volume,
| the officers OF the army. there are few SIM
liar instances of an appointment by the
President having been followed by declina-
did not accept said: THE number Of major
generals was limited, and We needed every
| one of them in the field. i could not stand
in the way of any man who was in the
| fighting line. i wanted them 10 have their
promotions first Ny place was here The
adjutant general of the army. large as il
had grown to be. should have increased
rank. 1t did not permit increase OF
major generals in the line. and thought the
| officers of the line should have all the va
oancies as long as we needed them"
Mr.. Henry Peartree, president of the
American Chamber of Commerce at Paris,
has had talks with Ambassador Cambon, OF
France, and Mr.. Kasson. special reciprocity
commissioner regarding the Franco-Amer-
lean reciprocity treaty, now in course OF
regotiation. Mr.. Peartree brings a fund OF
information concerning American interests
in France. The American chamber at Paris
represents those most directly connected
with the trade between the two countries
the extensive producers, dealers. importers
and exporters, mainly Americans. with
some Frenchmen. To a man, Mr. Pea-tree
says, they hope. TO see broad and liberal
| policy of reciprocity between the two coun-
| tries. as IL is certain 10 develop a large
| American market in France He points out
| that the present time Is most opportune for
| such extension OF trade, for the two-fGd
| reason that the United 6 .ates is reaching
| out to secure the markets Of the world and
that the exposition Of 1870 will AFFORD an op-
| portunity 10 show TO France and 10 all Eu-
| rope what great resources the United States
| has in the way of production. Europe has
no real conception Of the vast productive
| capacity of the United States. sad Mr.
Peartree, although this fact is Just begin
| ming 10 dawn upon the people abroad At
| present American machinery has little mar
| ket i'm France, the machinery produced
| in Germany and Switzerland enjoys much
| lower duty under the commercial arrange
| ments with these countries. But, or equal
| terms, American machinery can secure
market in France And so IL Is with many
| other American products-bicyoies. cash
|, | registers. typewriters. etc. AID. aside from
| the commercial advantages, the good re-
| lations between France anS the United
| States would be further cemented. once
| the two countries are bound together IN
| commerce and there is little fear they Will
| differ seriously on other subjects. Mr..
| Peartree expresses himself hopeful OF
seeing a treaty realized out OF the present
| negotiations although there are many diff
renences to be adjusted
Captain Abercrombie and party left to-