The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-07

bodies OF the American soldiers and
sailors who died in Cuba Inc Porto
Rico, which were brought to this conu-
try in the transport Crooke, will be
buried Thursday al the national Gem
etery at Arlington, with fitting mill
tary honors. The president today issued
an executive order which directs:
THAT upon the arrival Of the cortege
at the rational cemetery at Airing
ton all proper military and naval hon.
ors be paid to the dead heroes; that
suitable ceremonies shall attend their
interment; that the customary salute
OF mourning be fired at the cemetery,
and that on the same day at 2 o'clock
D. m. Thursday, the 9th day Of April,
the national ensign be displayed at
half staff on all public buildings, forts,
camps and public vessels of the United
States; and tina at IL o'clock noon of
said day, all the departments Of the
government at Washington shall be
closed"
In the same connection Acting Sec
rotary Of War Meiklejohn issued this
order:
The remains of officers and soldiers
who lost their lives in the war with
Spain during the operations in Cuba
and Porto Rico will be inferred with
due and fitting ceremony, in the ma
tional cemetery at Arlington, Va, on
Thursday, April 9Th, at 2 o'clock p. m.
By direction of the president, all of
the United States troops serving in
the vicinity of Washington, together
with the national guard of the District
of Columbia, will be assembled at Ar
lington on the date in question to
participate in the funeral ceremonies.
TIRED WAITING ON THE CUBAN
ASSEMBLY.
The Cuban assembly must very
speedily decide upon the proposition
of the United States government to pay
that 49, 900, 900 to the Cuban troops. 1t
was said today tina the entire matter
is in the hands of Secretary Alger. He
has already conferred with General
Brooke, and, before leaving. Havana,
fully acquainted the military governor
with his views, so that the latter is
competent to act at a moments notice.
If the muster rolls of the army
are not promtly surrendered by the
assembly, General Brooke will order
the So, ZOO, 900 returned to the United
States. Probably the government will
also feel that it is warranted in with
drawing the support in the matter OF
rations it has been extending these
soldiers in view of what amounts to
a practical d~eclination on the part Of
their officers, as represented by the
Cuban assembly, to accept the terms
held out by the government. The off,
Gals here are rather puzzled to know
why the assembly is inclined to rely
on some unknown syndicate.
THE SAMOAN QUESTION.
The president and Secretary Hay
have been giving consideration to the
selection of a representative Of the
United States government on the Sa-
commission, which may be taken
as a pretty sure index of the confidence
of our government in the agreement
of the three powers Upon the commits
sion plan for settling the issues that
lave arisen relative to Samoa.
The United States representative will
not be a member of either the senate
or house of representatives, according
to the present lights. It is probable
that the effort will be to find some per-
son thoroughly familiar with the issue
likely to be presented in the settlement
of this Samoan dispute. The question
is a complex one, and the number OF
persons of the official class who are
well posted Upon it is extremely linn.
tied.
In the absence of an acceptance by
Great Britain of the commission plan
it has not been possible to proceed tC
outline the instructions to be given tC
that commission. It is said that it does
not follow by any ean that because
the commission is appointed, it is tC
at once overthrow the treaty Of Ber-
lin, under the terms of which the three
governments have for ten years admin.
istered the affairs of Samoa. On the
nnnf~ory - 81 rNk;,o1- o-r;Hlo fho,
the commission will be able to adjust
the conditions at Apia and elsewhere
in the Samoan group to the terms O.
that treaty, and it is conceived here
that it is needful for reforming condi'
lions there and placing them on a sat.
isfactory basis may be secured through
the adoption OF some additional article:
to the Berlin convention, not even af.
fecting the general principle of thu
tripartite control.
Many cable dispatches nave beer
passing between Washington and Lon
don in regard to the Samoan settle
ment. The main point is on determin
ing exactly the extent of authorit.
which the high commission is to pos
sess. Lord Salisbury, h British pre-
mier, is not disposed to enter precipi
lately on a plan until it is fully under
stood just what the plan, in all its de
tails, is. The British government is a
reaOy as the united states or German
to accept the general principle of com
m~issioners, but it wants to know in ad
vance as to the power of the commits
sion. AS Lord Salisbury is in the sout
of France, the inquiries and reptile
have to be forwarded to him fror
London, so that necessarily there /
considerable delay. Indications are tina
the British authorities will give thei
adherence to h agreement within
day or two, but it is stated that Their
is still a chance, although a very Sigh
one, that the agreement may not b
concluded.
TAX ON EXCHANGE SALES SUS
TANNED.
IN the supreme court of the Unite
States today an opinion was handle
down by Justice Peckham in severa
cases involving the validity Of the wa
revenue act. The cases were those @
Nicol VS.. James Ames, United State
marshal; petition for habeas corpu