The Meeker herald., 1899-04-15

Frederick Hollis of New York will be
secretary of the delegation.
The financial statement from the
treasury for the LIST of April shows .
remarkable gain In the receipts from
customs during the last nine months.
Since the beginning Of the current rs
cal year on the 1st Of July last the
duties on imported goods under the
Dingley act have amounted to $751;
S10.OS7.20. For the corresponding per-
iod of the previous year they were on
1y $1O7, SOC, 1S7. .6S, thus showing an In
crease Of $Ii.3O7 .939.6l. The collec-
tons thus far in nine months exceed
by $500, 900 the customs revenues for
the entire year Of 1898, they are only
100000 less than for the entire year
1894, which gives the advocates Of the
Dingley tariff law great satisfaction.
Senator Fairbanks OF Indiana Is here
arranging for Journey to Alaska with
the American members of the high
joint commission that has been nego-
tiating for n settlement of the differ
ences with Canada. AS the boundary
line between the United States and
Canada IL the most serious subject In
controversy. he thinks the American
| members of the commission could
investigation. He intends to leave Chi
cago for San Francisco about the mid
die of May. Senator Faulkner and
Mr.. Kasson have already agreed to go;
Representative Payne Is expecting to
join them and they hope to persuade
Mr.. Coolidge also.
The President and the officials at the
War Department are disposed to ac-
cept with satisfaction the encouraging
advices received from General Otis.
They are quite certain that lie under
stands the situation. and that his in
| formation is reliable. 1t is the first
| time he has expressed so positive an
| opinion, and knowing him 10 be very
conservative and careful man. more
| reliance Is placed upon it than If some
one of more sanguine disposition had
| signed the message. Now il is expect
ed that tile Philippine commission.
which consists OF Colonel Denly. Pres
| ident Schurmnn and Professor Worces-
ter will be able to assist him in per-
, suading the rebels to lay down their
arms. II Aguinaldo could be captured
or shot the officials think the end
would soon come.
Assistant Secretary Vanderlip has is
| sued new regulations regarding civil
service appointments, promotions and
| transfers in the mints and assay off,
ces of the United States. The posi-
tions are arranged under five general
schedules-scientific clerical mechani-
cal, trade skilled, positions below
classification and one other not vet pro-
mulgated. The scientific and clerical
positions will be filled after competi-
tive examinations. but without regis
trations. while the mechanical. trade
or skilled positions will be filled after
slight educational test and registra-
ton examination. The educational
test will he letter writing. arithmetic
and plain copying, and the registration
test will consist Of rating persons ac-
cording to ilRe, character as workmen
and experience. Physical qualiAca-
tIons will also be considered. Credit
will be given for apprenticeship and
work as journeymen. Graduates Of
technical schools will be given credit
in lieu Of nm apprenticeship.
Having come from Hustleville. Will
inm X. Merriam. the director of the
census. gets very impatient when he
encounters the customs of this land of
deliberatiOn. The government clerks
begin work Mt o O'Clock In the morning
and stop at 4. with half-hour for
luncheon, which are shorter hours than
Mr. Merriam has been accustomed to.
They are also in the habit Of taking
things in nm ensy. happy-go-lucky
manner. and find that hurrying is apt
to put them out of work. When a new
bureau is organized the first persons
to get places are old-timers. who have
lost positions In other departments but
| have lived SO long in Washington that
they know the ropes. AS usual. the
new census Office got It's share of such
experienced people. who years ago ac-
, qulred the habits of the clrcumlocution
Office and have found it impossible to
get rid of them. When Mr. Merriam
went to st. Paul to close up his private
affairs he gave instructions to have
certain things done during his alb
sence. and says the force of clerks in
his office ought to have done 1t four
times over during the time allowed,
hut when he got back 1t was not half
finished, and he has since been trying
to discover the reason why. 1t is a
serious question whether he or the
Washington habit gives in. 1t is not
a new experience. Other men have
come here filed with western vim
, and energy and have attempted to re-
form things. but after few months
] of baffled effort have had to give up.
I He will probably do the same.