The National tribune., 1900-04-19

last week to be present at Arlington Me-
mortal Day. The President replied that he
was contemplating going to Gettysburg
May 80, but if in the city ne would be at
Arlington.
In order to release the crews from hard
duty during the hot weather in the Philip
pines, and to use men and officers where
they are much needed, the Navy Depart
ment has decided to put the monitors Mon
terey and Monadnock out of Commission
in Manila harbor. They can soon be put
in serviceable shape again should they be
needed.
The passage of the Porto Rican bill
places number of luscious plums at the
Presidents disposal. There will be Gov
$4,000; an Attorney-General, $4,000; a
Treasurer, 5000; an Auditor, $4,000;
Commissioner of the Interior, $4,000;
Commissioner Of Education, $4,000; five
members porto Rican cjtizens) Of the Ex-
ecutive Council, whose salaries shall be
fixed by the Legislature; Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court. $1,000; four Associate
Justices Of the Supreme Court, S4,5oO
each; Marshal of that Court. $1,000; Unit
ed States District Judge, $1,000; United
States District Attorney. $4,000; United
States District Marshal. $4,000.
The President Is also authorized to ap-
point Commission of three members, one
of whom shall be a Porto Rican. at a sal
ary of $1,000 each to compile and revise
the laws of Porto Rico. The Commission
is allowed ''all necessary clerks and other
assistants"
The Board of Managers of the National
Soldiers Home for Disabled Volunteer Sol
IIprS CpcGinp bpra last week and
elected the following officers: Gen. Martin
II. Mcmahon, New York, President; Gen.
w. J. Sewell New JERSEY, First Vice-Presi-
dent; Col. J. l.. Mitchell Wisconsin, Second
Vice-President; Maj. Geo. W. Steele, Indi-
ana. Secretary. The Board went to inspect
the Home at Hampton, Va.
. The Secretary of the Treasury asks an
appropriation of SIS 900 for expenses of
procuring and transporting to the National
Geological Park, Washington, ID. G., specl-
mems of the Indigenous animals of Alaska,
and of constructing the necessary paddocks
and houses for same, including all neceS-
sary field and other expenses and the en-
ployment of such temporary help as may
be required.
The District Democrats have had great
deal of fun over the way that couple of
Republican bosses vote illimitable numbers
cl UeSTOe5 dpdil'SL one dllOJHtf III COIiltotS
for the Deegateship to National Con-
ventions. But in the contest which has
just been had among the Democrats they
are as prolific of charges against one
another as the Republicans have ever been.
Jas. l.. Norris, the Bryan candidate, swept
that he did it by voting his adherents early
and often at all the polling places.
The people of Mt. Pleasant, one Of the
finest OF the Washington suburbs, protest
against the President appointing the
School Trustees, which they say will bring
the schools into politics.
Assistant Secretary Of War Meiklejohn
reports to Congress that there are in the
Department 1,116 employees, including 80
laborers, divided as follows:
Office of the Secretary, IS; Record and
Pension Office, 40; Adjutant-G s
Office, 135; Inspector-General's Office, II;
Judge-Adyocate-Gen Office, II;
Quartermaster-Genera Office, 117; Com
missary-Generals Office, SO; Surgeon
Generals Office, 11S; Paymaster-Gen
Office, %; Office of Chief of Engineers, rs;
Office of Chief of Ordnance, 43; Office of
Chief Signal Officer, ).
The employees are divided by ages as fol-
lows: From IA to 10 years, 1; from 20 to
20, SO; from 30 to 80, 229; from 40 to 40, POI;
from so to 30, 344; from 60 to "a, 13S; from
50 to 90, 81; from 10 to "a, 20; from 75 to
70. Z; over so years, 3.
Mr.. Meiklejohn says that there are %
employees "who have a physical disability
which probably renders them unable for the
performance of some kinds of physical
labor, but that no employe of the Depart
ment is permanently incapacitated, either
physically or mentally, for the performance
of manual labor involved in the duties to
which assigned"
The employees partially incapacitated are
old soldiers of the civil war, who lack either
an arm, or leg. or hand. or a foot, but
are otherwise fully qualified for the duties
upon which they are engaged. In one
single case the partial disability referred to
is the result of age.
The Post Office Department finds it
necessary to call public attention to the fact
that letters for Europe must be prepaid to
the amount of five cents for every half ounce
instead of two cents, as many people sup
pose. Great mum berS of letters are held up
on account of this shortness of prepayment
and the annoyance threatens to greatly
increase when the rush to the Paris Exposi-
ton begins. Another thing is that people
will not understand that foreign postal
people. may not understand the intricacies
of American penmanship. Envelopes
should be addressed either with a type
writer or limitations by the pen of printed
letters.
Chief Engineer Baird, Superintendent of
the State, War and Navy Departments, has
made report in regard to the employees
Of his office. They number PA and con-
sist of 81 watchmen, % firemen, 10 con-
ductors, II laborers, 8 engineers, 4 me-