The Springfield herald., 1899-04-14
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.

secretary of the delegation.
The financial statement from the
treasury for the LIST of April shows a
remarkable gain in the receipts from
customs during the last nine months.
Since the beginning of the current tis-
cal year on the LIST of July last the
duties on imported goods under the
Dingley act have amounted to S151,-
S1O,0ST 30. For the corresponding per-
iod of the previous year they were on
Is S101 ,JO2. lS7.6S. thus showing an in
crease of SIi.301 ,939.G1. The collec-
tions thus far in nine months exceed
by $2.30O,OO0 the customs revenues for
the entire year of 1898. they are only
S2000OO 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 a journey to Alaska with
the American members of the high
joint commission that has been nego-
tiating for Il settlement of the differ
ences with Canada. AS the boundary
line between the United States and
Canada is the most serious subject in
controversy. he thinks the American
, members of the commission could
strengthen themselves by II personal
investigation. He intends to leave Chi
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.
I 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 lie has expressed SO positive an
opinion and knowing him TO be a very
conservative and careful man. more
! reliance is placed upon ii than If some
one of more sanguinc disposition had
! signed the message. Now ii is expect
ed that the Philippine commission,
which consists of Colonel DENLY. Pres
ident Schurman and Professor Worces-
ter. will be able to assist him in per-
, suading the rebels to lay down their
arms. If Ae uinaldo could be captured
or shot the officials think the end
would soon come.
Assistant Secretary Nanderlip 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
i Schedules-scientific clerical. mechani-
cal. trade skilled. positions below
classification and one other not yet 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
a slight educational test and n registra-
tion examination. The educational
test will be letter writing. arithmetic
and plain copying. and the registration
test will consist of rating persons uc-
/ cording to age. character as workmen
and experience Physical qualifica-
tions will also be considered. Credit
will be given for apprenticeship and
work as journeymen. Graduates of
technical schools will he given credit
1 In lieu of nm apprenticeship.
Having come from Hustleville. Will
| lam 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 at . 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 an easy. 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-timcrs 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 lis share of such
experienced people. who years ago nc
! quired the habits of the circumlocuton
office and have found ii impossible TO
get rid of them. When Mr. Merriam
went to ST Paul TO close mp 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 it four
| times over during the time allowed.
but when lie got back it was not half
| finished. ana he has since been trying
/ TO discover the reason why 1t is n
serious question whether he or the
/ Washington habit gives in. 1t is not
II 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 baiiied effort have had to give up.
! He will probably do the same