The Springfield herald., 1899-06-30
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS

commission on UlanuIac1urerS vii
make a tour of New England durin.
the summer.
The members of the civil seryic,
commission emphatically deny that
they have criticised the Presidents
civil service order. either publicly or
privately. or that they have FURNISHED
Information or material to people ami
newspapers that have criticised Il.
President Proctor says he is not re-
sponsible for any opinions that have
been expressed in the newspapers, and
that no Interview that has been pub
lished with him is authentic or author
lied. except one that appeared in the
Washington Evening Star. in which he
merely expressed his regret that the
order had been issued without being
first submitted to the commission, and
remarked that there We're things in II
that the commission would not have
approved. Messrs Brewer and Har-
low. the other commissioners. declare
that they have not gone even that far,
and have expressed no opinion and
made no comment whatever.
The American glass industry is but
forty years old Very little glass was
manufactured in this country prior to
that time. II has only been within the
last twenty years that the nation has
really met its own demands. and 1t is
but within the last five or six years
that practically all foreign glass has
been shut out. The last to fall before
the growth of home industry was the
mirror plate. Ten years ago the United
States vas sending 100000 per an
mum 10 France and Germany for mir
ror glass. Last year but S4,5OO was
sent. Within the last few years the in
ventive genius of the American has
been paying special attention to glass,
and some new avenues have been half
way opened. Streets are now being
paved-for eXperimcnt-with blocks of
specially virrified glass. Fence posts
are being made out of glass. They will
not rot. Solid glass cotins are the la
test in that line of goods. Dentists are
filling teeth with glass. and ii is being
made into tiles and supports. At pres
ent there is rush in the beer, whisky
and soda bottle markets for receptacles
in which 10 ship American beverages to
the new American possessions
1t is reported that Canada has
served notice on England that she
must choose between the United States
and her North American dominion in
the settlement of the Alaskan boundary
question. The highest authority is CIV
en- for saying that this ultimatum sub
mitted to England has delayed the ne
gotiations between Ambassador
Choate and Lord Salisbury on the pro-
visional line of the modus yivendi. This
position of Canada is known here to-
day officially The official to whom it
is known feels authorized in saying
that there are only two ways out of
10,
voluntarily recede from her demands
for Pacific tidewater port: or. second,
that the United States shall surrender
the principle laid down by Secretary
Hay in his tentative boundary line
that America will not grant. tempornr-
lily or otherwise. any port facilities to
the Canadians. 1t is asserted here on
authority that England has been forced
to yield TO Canada and that the United
States and England are wider apart
to-day In the controversy than at any
time since the adjournment of the
joint high commission. The news is of
the most unexpected character.
An executive branch of evgornment
with the title. Il Department of Colo
NAL Affairs and Foreign Commerce or
something similar to it, is deemed by
The administration absolutely neCes-
sary to meet the new conditions which
confront the United States. as a result
of the war with Spain. The word Co
loniar' Is repugnant. for political rea-
sons, to some members of the Cabinet
because it sEaacks of Imperialism, and
1t is possible that some other title will
be adopted. The meaning. however.
will be the same. Preliminary to rec
concentrations TO Congress upon this
! subject data are now being compiled
concerning control of colonies by for
/ eign powers, and extension of our com
merce to foreign fields and members of
| Cabinet and subordinate officials OF the
| administration are giving much
/ thought and time to details of the pro-
posed new department. American con-
suls on duty in colonies belonging
/ to foreign powers. especially those Of
Great Britain. are to be called upon for
| full reports upon lists of questions now
preparing for submission to them.
Robert p Porter. who is looked upon
as the probable head of the proposed
rev Cabinet office when created. will.
1 it is reported, be consulted in regard
I to plans for extending foreign com
Z merce, which is to become a feature of
the new department.
The revival of the Sampson-Schley
controversy, which hinges so far as
the Santiago engagement is concerned
upon the loop which the Brooklyn
Admiral Schley's tlaGship-made and
the admirafs remarks concerning the
Texas, makes a Spanish version of the
affair interesting mt this time. One
of the captains under Admiral Ger
vera who was among the prisoners
taken from the wrecks. in discussing
the plans of the Spanish commander.
said, shortly after the battle: There
was only one chance-a slight possibil-
ity that one or perhaps two of the YES
sells might escape. The arrangement
of the Yankee fleet was favorable. The
! lOOkOutS told uS that the Now Ynrl.