Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-27
Belief That the Situation in China is
Growing Brighter.
NO HALF HOLIDAY TOMORROW
important Delegations Received
Before Cabinet Met.
VID U AL CALLERS S


peace negotiations, and this, with mes
sage from Minister Conger, was read to the
cabinet. The opinion of the officials of the
administration is that the situation in China
is growing better, with brighter chances Of
an agreement by which peace negotiations
may be commenced.
Several features of the Presidents mes
sage, together with the reports of a number
of the cabinet officers, were discussed. Tne
President is winding up work on the mes
sage he will send to Congress.
1t was decided at the cabinet session to-
day to do away with the half holiday that
has heretofore preceded the Thanksgiving
holiday in many of the departments. The
cabinet, it is said, decided that this half
holiday was unnecessary and unbusiness-
like. Therefore no half holiday will be
granted tomorrow and hereafter.
Many Callers Received.
President Mckinley received several i'm
portant delegations and many individuaf
callers today Before the cabinet session he
received Herr Won Holleben, the German
ambassador, who has returned from his va
cation The call was one of respects. Other
callers were Senators Burrows, Platt Of
Connecticut. Hale and Proctor, Representa-
tives Bishop of Michigan, Alexander Of New
York and Cannon.
i see no reason why tne Juu1Cldl peISIOl
and District of Columbia appropriation bills
cannot be passed before the holidays said
Representative Cannon, chairman of the ap-
preparations committee. Mr.. Cannon had
short talk with the President about the
business of his committee. LAS l have just
got into town." continued Mr.. Cannon, Il
really know very little about the plans of
my ow-commtteemen, but l see no
necessity for a deficiency bill being rushed
through yet awhile. With the three bills l
mentioned out Of the way before Christmas
we ought to finish UP the other work ahead
of us in good time before the close of the
session."
"Will there be holiday recess?" Mr..
Cannon was asked.
well. we say there will not be, you
know" he replied with a laugh, but we
generally have one just the same. When
we do not there is no business done. Only
a few members remain and they meet and
adjourn from day to day. They might just
as well be at home as far as any public
good is accomplished by their remaining
After the cabinet session were several
delegations. One of these was a subcom-
mittee of the centennial exercises to invite
the President to attend the reception to be
given on the night of December II in the
Corcoran Art Gallery in honor Of the distin-
guished visiting guests. This subcommit-
tee consisted of c. J. Bell, Admiral Stewart
and A. A Wilson The President expressed
pleasure at the invitation and will no doubt
accept it.
For National Good Roads.
delegation representing the national
good roads convention. which closed it's
work last week in Chicago. arrived here
last night, and this morning called upon
President Mckinley and Secretary Wilson
to urge the necessity Of Congress appro-
priating $150,0O0 to carry on the Office Of
road inquiry, established by Congress in
1893, under the Secretary Of Agriculture
The delegation consists of William H.
Moore, st. Louis. president Of the national
good roads convention; c. H. Smith, Lii
nois: J. R.. Goble, Washington; James W.
Abbott and Ex-Governor Frank c. Goudv.
Colorado; Miss Rella C. Harber, ST. Louis
Speaking of the purposes Of the convention
and the delegation that called on the Presi-
dent, Mr.. Moore said:
Thirty-eight states were represented in
the national convention and the unanimous
sentiment was that the director Of the Of
nee OF roads inquiry should have more lib
eral funds to meet the demands for con-
structlng sample roads as object lessons
sending experts into all the states to Gre
ate more favorable public sentiment for
the Improvement of the common highways
II Congress makes the appropriation, as
urged by the Chicago convention, it will
enable the road inquiry department to visit
each state and construct a mile of sample
road. which will teach the farmers the best
methods OF modern road construction. All
classes of commercial and social interests
are arousing themselves to the necessity of
road Improvement. Ninety-nine per cent
of all the products of the soil and manu-
ldCtuIeS HuSt HTSt De nduleQ over pri-
mary road before they reach a railroad
train, steamboat or express. Leading rail-
road officials throughout the country are
taking deep interest in the national move
ment for better roads. They realize that
the common roads are the feeders to their
great transporting facilities"
Want the Beer Tax Reduced.
Another important delegation received In
the afternoon by the President was that
ha INIT
Association. They have come to Washing
ton to urge the abolition Of the additional
tax on beer imposed by the war revenue
act. The delegation consisted of Rudolph
Brand, president of the United States
Brewers Association; N. w. Kendall, New
Haven. vice president; Gallus Thomann.
secretary; Frederick H. Gottlieb of Balti-
more. J. w. Brown of Brooklyn and Rob-
ert Portner Of this city. The delegation
was acc ompanied to the White House by
Senator Mason, and had long talk with
the President.
The delegation made strong statement
to the President in asking his aid in secur-
ing a reduction of the beer tax. They rep
resented that the tax is really a double
war measure and that it works great
hardship on the brewers. They claim that
1t has forced large proportion of the
smaller establishments into bankruptcy and
out Of business or compelled them to es-
cape ruin by combining with other brewer
les. They say that since April of this year
no less than fifteen combinations of from
three to twelve once prosperous brewing
establishments have been formed under the
pressure of the tax. Even the combina-
tiOns, 1t Is claimed, offer no appreciable
relief. The delegation points out that a
barrel of beer costs in the neighborhood of
IS. while the tax on 1t is 81, about 40 per
cent Of the cost It is contended that the
extra tax on beer imposed during the civil
war was not at all heavy compared with
the existing one, and that items not taxed
In the present law then paid most OF the
money that aided in carrying on the war
The President listened attentively to the
presentation Of figures and promised that
he wou:4 call the attention Of members of
committees to the facts laid before him
and leave the matter to them for decision
Gen. Weston's Trip.
General Weston, acting commissary gen.
eral. has gone to Kansas City, Mo-, to in
spect a large consignment Of meat destined
to the Philippines.
Movements of Transports.
The transport Sedgwick arrived ct Ma
tanzas yesterday and the transport McClel-