The silver lance., 1899-05-19

The contract Tor distributing gov
ernment seeds this year has been let
by the agricultural department to
Charles Parker of Santa Clara for
s64. 600. All seeds must be delivered
here by December j, and the distribu-
ton begin next January.
Assistant Attorney General Boyd has
rendered, at the request of the secre-
tary of the treasury decision which
has been approved by the attorney gen
eral in which he holds that transac-
tions known among stock brokers as
puts are not taxable under the war
revenue act. although "calls" are SUD
ject to the tax.
Cuba has been provided with a new
flag 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
the right to use the American nag, as
that would be a step in the direction
of annexation, nor is it deemed au-
visable to allow the use of the nag OF
the Cuban revolution.
An order has been made by the
Navy Department for the immediate
dispatch of the converted yacht Vixen
to Bluefields. Nicaragua. The Vixen is
now at Norfolk fitting out for a cruiZe
to the Philippines via the Suez canal.
1t is said at the Navy Department that
no advices of late date have been re-
ceived from Bluefields tending to snow
the existence of a crisis there.
Postmaster General Smith has pro-
mulgated an order limiting the use OF
signs bearing the words u. ). Mail
to such street cars as are actually at
the time carrying mail. and cars used
for no other purpose. The order also
directs that signs bearing the words
"U. S. Mail' must not be painted on
or displayed from cars having street
letter boxes attached thereto, the box
es themselves being a sufficient 1nd1-
cation that United States mail is car
ried on the cars.
The President has commuted to three
years the life sentence of Clyde
Bennington. convicted in California, IN
1898 of robbing the United states
mails This commutatiOn is granted III
consideration of the valuable aid rem
dered the government by the prisoner
in the prosecution of his colleagues. In
the case of Ellsworth 2. Defrance, con
victed in Nebraska in 1898 for high
way robbery of mail messenger and
sentenced for life, the President has
committed the sentence to fifteen years.
The Navy Department has issued an
official order detaching Admiral j. q.
Watson from command at the Mare
Island navy yard on May 10Th, and
ordering him to the Asiatic station on
the 18th to relieve Admiral Dewey.
The Navy Department has already De-
gun plan for the reception of Dewey.
On his arrival in American waters he
will be met at 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 at 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 administra-
tion 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
$2SO,O0O 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-
vate concerns are known to be con-
templating bidding. One of these is
the Simpson Dry Dock Company of
Philadelphia and the other is 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 as was Gen
eral Grant, and that his present ner-
vous condition is due to over-indul-
gence in tobacco. A partial excuse is
found on the ground that almost
every officer who has returned from
Cuba or Porto Rico or the Philippines
has brought the President box or
two of cigars. They have been of the
finest tobacco procurable and have
proved a temptation that could not be
wthstood. 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 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. 1 and 2 should not be cancelled.
Land Commissioner Hermann held
that in Oregon and California lead
claims had prior right. This stand was
taken in the face of a decision of the
District court of Ell 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 court, and
is bound by its rulings.