The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-16
.Gapifa7 Chat.
Washington Gossip. Political and
otherwise, for the Readers
of the Globe.

FS"Oit SaDiHeC III the one which VIII be
selected by him after March 4 next
from tlme to time it has been pointed out
that certain members OF this cabinet
would not retain their places after the
e&plratlon OF the present term of Nal
Nichihley. AS a matter of fact. the
president has been compelled to use any
amount of diplomacy to prevent some OF
the members of this cabinet from retir-
ing before the end of his term.
secretary Gage. as heretofore pointed
out In Washington dispatches to- this
paper, would have been pleased to hava
retired as secretary of the treasury de-
partment more than a year ago. He has
peen offered a place IN New York which
would be more congenlal to him and
which 1T Is known he will accept when
Mckinley's tirst term Is brought to A.
close next March
Secretary Long, it Is also known, would
have resigned his position at the head of
the navy department six months ago had
not the president personally pleaded with
h1nl to remain through this administra-
ZION. Secretary Long, after any amount
or pressure was brought to bear upon
him by his New England acquaintance.
was persuaded to stay.
Attorney General Griggs has never
liked his place in the department of JUS
tice. There is yet possibility that he
k1niey's first term In the event that
Justice Gray retires from the United
states supreme bench. 1t Is more than
likely that President Mckinley will ele-
vate the present head of the department.
of justice to the vacancy on the supreme
bench, caused by the retiremnt of Justic5.
Gray. If Attorey General Griggs, how
ever, is not nominated by the president
for position on the supreme bench. it
is said TO ha thn Of No
to contest with present United States
Senator Sewall, OF New Jersey, for the
senatorial seat the latter now occupies
in the upper branch of congress.
secretary of Agriculture Wilson will
not be member of the next cabinet.
Mr.. Wilson is anxious to retire from pub
Tic life. He Is we'll along in years and Is
anxious to spend the remainder OF his
days on his we'll cultivated farm near
Iowa City, To.
1t Will be seen from the above. that the
present members of President Mckinley J
cabinet will not be largely in evidence. If
ne succeeds himself as chief executive OF
the United States. The three who NAV re-
main, If he Is elected for a second term.
are Secretary Root, Secretary Hitchcock
and Postmaster General Smith. 1t is well
known, however, that these three gen
tlemen. If they could have their own way.
would willingly retire from the cabinet
If their ambitions for political and Official
preferment could be satisfied
Secretary Root was very anxious last
fall to become Maj. McKinleys associate
on the national Republican presidential
ticket. Senator Plat. Of New York, how
ever. was an obstacle In his pathway
and 1t was therefore impossible for him
to secure the vice presidential nomination.
or hic
Root will be member of Maj. McKin-
ley's cabinet in the event that the lat
ter Is reelected. The head of the interior
department, Mr.. Hitchcock also has a
vice presidential bee buzzing in his well
1roned beaver hat AS Mr. Hitchcock is
resident of a state which is always
safely Democratic, 1t is not at all likely
that he will be nominated for second
place on the national Republican ticket
at Philadelphia. Mr.. Hitchcock. there
fore, will be member Of the United
States cabinet. If Maj Mckinley is the
next president. at
Postmaster General Smith has an am
bition to get out of the cabinet and have
the Pennsylvania legislature elect him
United States senator, instead Of giving
the position to Matthew Stanley Quay.
Mr.. Smith will however, be disappointed.
for the predictions now seem to fore
shadow Mr.. Quay's success at Harris.
burg next winter
Ronald Morrison, United States vice
consul at Dawson City, has forwarded
to the state department some recent and
interesting information regarding the
situation in the former city and at Cape
Nome. The report from Consul Morri-
son just received by the department is as
follows:
Business in Dawson this season has
been very quiet, chiefly because the popu-
latioa is nearly 5000 less than last year
Prices however, remain firm, and an in
quiry at several of the leading stores
shows the following percentages of profit
still obtaining: On drugs and medicines,
800 per cent; books and stationery, 500
per cent; boots and Shoes $50 per cent;
clothing, SO per cent; groceries, 200 per
cent; hardware, 400 per cent. Cham
payne, any brand, sells at $240 per case
of one dozen quarts; beer, in barrels
containing eight dozen bottles, S100 per
barrel: whisky, $S5 to S45 per case of
one dozen bottles. or $40 to $50 per gal
lon.
I'm addition to the duty on liquors,
there Is a further tax of 81 per imperial
gallon called the federal tax. Saloon
licenses are worth $500 per annum. A
singular feature in connection with these
is a charge of $50 for an application for
a license. If the application Is denied
the $50 is not returned to the applicant
The revenue estimated by the finance
committee of the Yukon council from
liquor permits for the fiscal year ending
June 80. 1900, is 500. 900; for licenses, $780,
900.
THE flooding of many of the mines on
the various creeks. as the result of the
continuation of the mild weather early in
the season, may have an effect upon the
output for the year 1t is still rather
early to venture on a forecast; but, TAX
ing into consideration the improved meth
DDS now employed. a conservative esti-
mate places the figures at from $4,000, 900
to $50 100000.
Nineteen expeditions have left Dawson
for the Nome district since Dec. T. 1899
and as the days lengthen and the weather
moderates many more will start. 1t is
reported here that 700 are now on the way
from Skagway. Late news from Nome
by mail from st. Michael's confirms the
reports of the richness of the district and
also announces new finds in the interior
but lack of fuel prohibits these being
worked in winter. Typhoid fever has
made it's appearance, and the mortality
from this disease is increasing"
j S. Van Antwerp.
EXPERTS VIEW OF IT.