Gilpin observer., 1899-08-03
WASHINGTON NEWS.


SsN"Ss'Ss'stNessSsNSsssS
lated on the foundations which cost
SZOOOO more than the appropriation.
The last Congress was asked to make
good the deficit, and failed to do so.
Therefore the secretary hesitntes to
commit Congress beyond the appropri-
alton.
OF the remarkable growth In our ex-
pOrtations of manufactures during the
fiscal year just ended, that of the man
factures of iron and steel is the most
striking. The total increase in our cx-
ports of manufactures during the year.
as shown by the figures of the treasury
Bureau of Statistics. is, in round num-
bers. $4S,OOO.OOO. and of this increase
S33.OOO.O0O is in manufactures of iron
and steel. The total exports of iron
and steel and manufactures thereof in
the fiscal year 1899 We're 500. .T15. .951.
against S7O.4O6.SS5 in 1898. $57. .497.-
SI2 in 1897. S41. .16O.S77 in 1896. S32.-
OOO,9S9 in 1895. and 500, 900, ,2G4 in 1894
The imports of manufactures of iron
and steel continue to fall. having been
during the year but S12 .O9S. $50. against
$25.33S. 1O3 in 1896 and $53, ,544,3T2 in
1891.
The United States will not be bound
by the reported decision of The Hague
conference prohibiting the use of the
dum-dum bullet in warfare, So far we
have not been obliged to resort to the
use of this bullet, but the ordnance of
f1cers have been making experiments
to secure increased stopping" effect
for the small calibre ball used in the
krag-Jorgensen and these experiments
have proceeded somewhat on the lines
nj hn In Al hall a.
son. why Captain Crozier and the re-
mainder of the American delegates
voted against the proposal to prohibit
the dum-dum was because their gem
eral instructions forbade them to
pledge this government to any line Of
action that would retard the develop
ment of inventive genius in war. Ad-
hesion to the protocols is voluntary
Great Britain also refuses to prohibit
the use of the dum-dum bullet.
1t has developed that Governor
Roosevelt wrote letter to n Cabinet
officer short time ago urging the re-
tirement of General Alger; that Gener-
al Otis be relieved of his command in
the Philippines and that General
Brooke should be succeeded as mill
tary governor of Cuba by General
Leonard Wood. The governor was un-
usually severe in his criticisms of the
War Department and insisted that the
administration could not afford to be
held responsible for General Alger nor
to continue the dilly-dally plan in the
Philippines. The letter was shown to
the President by the Cabinet officer in
question. 1t is believed that 1t had a
great deal to do with the Presidents
decision to request General Alger to
retire. Soon after the contents of the
letter We're made known to the Pres
ident. Governor Roosevelt was called
to Washington for consultation with
the President.
Mr.. Root, the new secretary of war,
has already been requested by the
President to give General Miles rec
concentrations and views careful con-
sideration. On his part. General Miles
will be expected to aid the secretary
in administering the affairs of the de-
partment and dealing with the mill
tary situation in the Philippines. Gen
eral Miles does not expect anything
but harmony, nor does Mr.. Root. Mr..
Mckinley insists upon 1t. At the con-
ference between the President and
General Miles. the day before Alger re-
signed, the desire for more pleasant re-
lations between the major general COM
manding and the head of the War De-
partment was emphasized and assur-
ances were given that General Miles
would receive better treatment in the
future. There is no doubt that one of
the causes which led the President to
seek Algcr's resignation was the petty
jealousy shown by the latter toward
General Miles.
The interest the United States takes
in affairs in Santo Domingo at this
time Is due to a concession which n
company Incorporated In New Jersey
and known rs the "San Domingo I'm
provement Company of New York"
has acquired in the republic. In 1883
the fiscal agents of the Dominican re-
public entered into convention with an
Amsterdam firm for loan of about
$3, 100000. and to meet the payments
on the loan the Holland company was
given the right to collect directly the
receipts from all custom houses in the
republic. and the Indebtedness was
made mortgage upon all the revenues
Of the country. In 1893 the rights of
the Amsterdam bankers We're trans
ferred to the New York company, and
by act of the SantO Domingo Congress
the right of the Americans to collect
the customs and port dues was re-
affirmed. In the event of n revolution
1t will require the presence of several
American warships to preserve the in
terest OF the American company. and
MS II civil war would seriously reduce
the revenues the administration may
feel warranted to extend It's protection
to the extent of exerting force to main
tain peace.
Great Britain. at the instance of
Canada. has declined to permit the
United States cruiser Frolic to enter
the great lakes for use by the Hin
OILS naval militia as n training vessel
1t has been known for some time that
the navy department rcconsidered its
promise to furnish the. Illinois boys n
I..l