The National tribune., 1900-07-19
CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS.

CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS.
The late Vice President Hobart's estate
is appraised at S2.62S,941.63, mostly
stock in corporations, in 126 of which he
The strength Of our army In the Phil
| ippines June so was 63, ,426, officers and
men, of whom 31,S21 are Regulars and
S1.6Oo Volunteers:
| Gen. Greely is making special effort to
enlist telegraphists for service in the Sig
nal Corps in the Philippines and the East.
Gen. Chas. 81. Allen, Of Porto Rico, was
in the city last week, and spoke glowingly
Of the prospects of the island.
| Under the tariff sugar receives the ben
| eft Of l y cents pound, which is equiv
alent to from $S5 to $40 a ton in gold.
| This in itself is an enormous profit, and
is bound to result in increasing the output
of the island in the next year to at least
five times what has been regarded as the
normal output of the island. or course,
| the sugar crop is the rich mans crop and
| will take care of itself.
| The civil Government Is endeavoring to
encourage the growth Of crops which come
more directly to the men of small means.
Tobacco is a profitable crop, and it re-
quires only the labor for its proper cult
walton. Any man can cultivate a crop Of
tobacco, which will make him handsome
return. The cultivation OF tobacco and its
manufacture into cigars and cigarettes Is
increasing very fast on the island, and
promises to be one of its leading indus
tries. The growing Of fruits is also at
| tracing attention, and many hundreds of
acres have since May 1 been taken up by
northern people for orange culture. 1t is
the opinion of those who are acquainted
| with tho industry in Florida thpt
large results will be secured in orange
growing in Porto Rico.
| Gov. Allen says that the climate Of
| Porto Rico is favorable for Americans.
| The island is small and the trade winds
keep the temperature moderate at all
| times. They had no fear of any more
| epidemics Of smallpox, as they had vac
cinated 100000 of the people and were
ready to vaccinatse the 100000 remaining
1t looks as if the population OF Wash
ington would run up very close to 100000.
Admiral Farragut's old flagship, Hart
ford, now a United States training ship,
has been doclled at the Boston Navy Yard
for an oyerhauling, previous to her trip
to Europe.
Last week the death rate of the ne
groeS in Washington was more than
double that of the whites, being as 54 per
cent. is to 26 per cent.
Senator John Henry Gear, of Iowa,
died of heart failure last Saturday morn
ing at 4:30 o'clock in his apartments ar
| the Portland. His death was entirely I'M
expected. The Senator was in the best OF
spirits the evening before, and about 8
Il carriage ride with Secretary Wilson, of
the Agricultural Department. The party
| returned about 10 o'clock, and the Senator
| retired couple of hours later. About
/ 80 o'clock he awakened his Secretary,
Col. H.. Root, and informed him that he
was suffering from crampy sensation in
the chest. Mrs. Gear soaked some fan
nels in alcohol and applied it and her hus
band felt relieved. Medical assistance
was summoned, and it was thought That
the crisis had been passed, when suddenly
his heart ceased to beat. lie was born
received common school education. He
removed to Galena, Ill, in 1895; to Fort
Sneling. Iowa Territory, in 1898, and to
Burlington in 1S43, where he engaged in
merchandising. He was elected Mayor of
the city of Burlington in 1868; was men,
Der of the Iowa House of Representatives
Of the 18th, 18th and 18th General As
semblies of the State, serving as Speaker
for the last two terms; was elected Gov
ernor of Iowa in 1S7S-79 and again In
lSS0-Sl was elected to the J0th and 51st
Congresses, but was beaten for the SD;
was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
under President Harrison, and was elect
ed TO the 53d Congress. He was elected
Jan. %, 1894, Senator for six years, be-
ginning March 4, 1895. His term of serv-
ice would have expired March 3. 1901.
1t is said that Maj-Gen. Otis will be
| assigned to the command Of the Depart
ment of the Lakes in September, when
Gen. Wheeler will retire on account Of age.
It is said that the Democrats will be
much better supplied with money than In
1896, but aside from liberal contribu-
ton from w. A. Clark, unseated Senator
from Montana. and also from Carnegie
and other wealthy Anti-Imperialists, it is
not indicated where this will come from.
The Republicans will also have an abup-
dance of money for campaign purposes,
but it is not published where this will
be obtained. Neither the manufacturers
nor the capitalists can be expected to do
nate as freely as they did four years ago,
when Free Silver and Free Trade scares
were on.
So far In the investigation $11, ,5923f
of Director General Rathbone's accounts
have been disallowed and $19,937 40 sus-
pended. He is shown to have been guilty
If the SrOsSest extravaganza in fitting up
MS TeSluence at lne expense OF Ine CUBAN
funds, and in personal display and e1-
pcnditure. He has not yet been arrested.
Last year there were 80 suicides and IS
murders in the District of Columbia. The
suicides showed a slight increase over
those of previous years, and the murders
a decrease.
The master-builders of Washington pay
carpenters So day for eight hours work
The Carpenters Union wants the Dis
trict Commissioners to do the same. The
present rate is $3.50 for eight hours
work.
New York has not had Speaker Of the
House of Representatives for 70 years
the last one being John w. Taylor, who
served from 1S11 to 1897