Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-03-16
THE NEXT CENSUS.
Several Important Offices for Its
Administration Filled.
N'ElyLtY HAS CHOSEN GENERALS.
Gen. >haftSr and ten. OTIS to BE Promoted
to Major t,-nerais-lsthmisn Canal
COumisSi0n-A Am rnab le to
tivii Law

Washington, March 10 THE prelim.
mary organization for the census OF
1900 took definite shape last night at
conference between Director OF the
Census Merriam and Assistant Director
Frederick II. Wines who arrived here
Yesterday. Severa! important offices
in the census administration were
filled. Col. Albert +. Childs, OF the
District of Columbia. will be chief
clerk; Edward McCaulev, of the Dis.
trict of Columbia Jisbursing officer,
and William A. King, OF Colorado. is
To be one of the chef siatisllclsns.
Both Col. Childs and Mr.. King held
similar Offices unier the census Of
1890. These appointees will shortly
assume their duties and under the
supervision OF ex-Gov. Merriam
and Assistant Director Wines will
get the work OF organization un-
der headwav. The offices will be
moved from the old building now oc.
cupied into new temporary quarters
and as soon as possible we'll equipped
permanent headquarters will be estab.
lished. Gov. Merriam left to-day for
his home 10 Minnesota to close up his
private business affairs He will be
away about ten days. Mr.. Wines, the
assistant director, who will superin-
tend the actual statistical work, vii.
be in charge here during his absence.
Director Merriam's policy will be to
select administrative officers from the
standpoint of com petence and skill in
the particular branch they are intend
ed for, while clerks, it is announced,
will have to undergo merit examina-
tion., No further offices will be filed
for at least a fortnight and there will
be no general making OF appointments
for several months.
HAS CHOSEN HIS GENERALS
Washington, March 10. The presi-
dent has practically made up the list
of the general officers to be retained
in the volunteer branch of the service.
The basis of all the calculations is an
army Of 5000 men, for the president
has so far insisted that he will not call
tor volunteers in addition to that num-
Der unless an emergency should arise.
The reorganization act limits the num-
Der OF major generals to be appointed
TO one for each 1900 men, and the brig
adler generals to one for every 1000
men in actual service. On this basis, as
there are already three major generals
IN the army in the persons Of Gen.
Miles, Gen. Brooke and Gen. Merritt
there is room for but two more. To
fill these two places the president
mas selected Gen. Shafter and Gen.
Otis, now in command of Manila. 1t
safe to say that the list Of briga-
Tiers to be appointed will include the
following names: Gen. Wood. at San
iago; Gen. Wilson. at Matanzas;
Gen. Lee, in the province of Havana;
zen. Davis, now on duty with the
curt of inquiry into the n"ef suuplies;
Gen. Ludlow. in command Of Havana
city; Gen. Lawton, nearing Manila;
Gen. Macarthur, at Manila; Gen.
Chaffee and Gen. Frank
THE IsrnMIAN CANAL COMMISSION.
Washington, Marcn 10. - Senator
Harris, OF Kansas and Representative
Burton, of Ohio chairman of the house
committee on rivers ana harbOrs, had
conference yesterday with the presi-
dent in regard to the committee to be
appointed to investigate the Mica
ragua and Panama canal routes Adj
miral Walker also saw the president
on the same subject. senator Harris
suggested to the president that he de.
fer sending out the new commission
until the commission headed by Adj
miral Walker had submitted its re-
port, which will be about the middle
Of April. The president did not indi-
cate what he would do in the matter,
but it is likely that he will take no
action, at least until after his return
from the south. Admiral Walker said
he did not know whether the presi-
dent desired him to serve on the new
commission or not
AMENABLE TO CIVIL LAW.
Washington. March 10 Regarding
the report from Atlanta OF rlotlng by
the Tenth colored immune regiment
after its muster out at Macon, it was
said at the war department yesterday
that no official report had been re-
ceived and that as the troops in ques-
ton had been mustered out of the
service they would have to be dealt
with by the local authorities for any
breach Of law they might have com
mitted. The fact is. however. that
the repeated occurrences OF this sort
are becoming sore question with the
war department and it is highly prob
able that hereafter troops to be mus
tered out will be sent first to their
own state and given their discharg es
there.