The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-17
Tutuila Now United States Territory
and the Main Island Added to
Germany's Possessions
CHANGES IN THE LOUD BILL
IMPORTANT AMEND
MENTS TO POSTAL LAWS.
More Troops to BE Withdrawn from
Only ON the Policy of Opposition.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. - The formal
exchange of Publications of the Sa-
moan treaty took place to-day at the State
Department, and similar exchanges oc-
CURED at the foreign offices in London
and Berlin. This is the last
necessary to give full effect to the Sa-
moan agreement, though. as a matter of
form and public information, here in the
United States at least. it may be neces-
sary to proclaim the treaty. Secretary
Hay represented the United States. Lord
Pauncefote Great Britain and Mr.. Won
Holleben Germany. Owing TO the fact that
there are three parties TO this treaty the
method of effacting the exchange differed
considerably from the usual order. Secre-
tary Hay retained for the United States
the copy of the treaty which was ratified
by the United States Senate. He handed
to Lord Pauncefote and to Mr.. Won Hol-
leben copies of the treaty bearing the sig
natures of the President and himself. The
Recipients of these copies next signed
formal acknowledgements or receipts for the
conventions. and the was COM
plete. At London Mr.. Choate and the Ger
man ambassador at the Court of St. James
received copies of the treaty from the
hands of Lord Salisbury, while in Berlin
Mr.. White and the British ambassador
were handed exchange copies by Baron
Won Buelow. The State Department has
taken steps TO notify Mr.. Osborne, the
United States consul at Apia, of the con-
summation of the agreement. 1t will make
no difference in the status of Mr.. OSBORNE;
Il e. ~ 4. s.. H. 80
an American consul at Apia is now even
greater than before.
Lord Rosebery's statement in Parlia-
ment yesterday to the effect that last De-
cember the British government made I'M
successful overtures to the United States
and Germany for an alliance has caused
the greatest surprise among the State De-
partment officials. and, while they are not
In a position to make an official denial,
they do not hesitate privately to assert
their absolute ignorance of any ~overtures
of the kind described. Officials here init
mate that from his position as an opponent
of the present English government Lord
Rosebery is not in a position to speak by
the card as to what took place in matters
as important as this.
The bill generally known as the Loud
bill, relating to second-class mail matter,
was favorably acted on by the House COM
mittee on postoffices to-day. AS finally
agreed on, a uniform rate of 1 cent per
pound is fixed. the proposed clause MAX
ing the rate 2 cents in case of extreme
distance being omitted. The mailable mat
ter of this class is TO include all news
papers and periodical publications issued
at stated intervals and as frequently as
four times a year, but provision is made
against books and reprints purporting to
~ iSClIad narindiRalV a new nrOVictOn &C
to sample copies is made, allowing such
copies up to so per cent. of the bona fde
subscription list and not above 500 of any
one issue. In other respects the original
form of the bill is preserved. The commit
tee also directed a favorable reply on a bill
revising and codifying the postal laws.
The first draft of this bill was prepared
by a postal commission, but as now TO be
presented the revision has been gone over
by the Postofice Department and much
amplified. A hearing was given TO repre-
sentatives of the railway postal clerks In
favor of a classification of this branch of
the service.
Judge Advocate General Lemley has rem
dered an opinion to the effect that the
Navy Department has no power under the
provisions of existing law to give an Of
ficer of the class referred to in Section 6
of the personnel act, an election as to
whether or not he can fit himself for
the duties of the line. The effect of the
decision is to require all of the younger
engineer officers who entered the service
dropped, to fit themselves to pass exam
nations for the line. A great majority of
them are i~ndisposed to do this; so the de-
ciSion may have an important effect upon
the personnel of the service.
In response to a resolution of the Senate
the secretary of war sent to the Senate
to-day a statement showing the receipts
and disbursements of public funds in the
island of Cuba for the year 1899. The
statement shows receipts amounting to
1858 .O15. of which sl5.0l1, 0S9 were from
customs. S24i.00 from The postal service,
$7S7. 592 from internal revenue and $303.33l
from miscellaneous sources. The expendj-
lures amounted to Sl4, 0S5,S O5, leaving ST.
go. 200 in the hands of the treasurer. The
principal expenditures were as follows:
Barracks and quarters, 1853, 939; SANTA
ton. $685.. 2S2: rural police and administra-
ton. LAS. AZ; public works, $77,126; munich
palities. sl.239. 40S.
General William Ludlow. military gov
ernor of the city of Havana, who is now
in this country on a short leave of alb
sence. to-day had a conference with Secre-
tary Root and Adjutant General Corbin In
regard to the conditions in Cuba. He will
also give the President a personal account
of his observations in Cuba with a view
to assisting him in the administrator of
tuc civil 6ONci HiS hSiC
The meeting of the Cabinet to-day was
devoted almost entirely to a discussion of
the Instructions that will be given to the
new Philippine commission. The instruc-
tons have not yet been prepared.
Surgeon General Wyman, of the Marine
Hospital Service. to-day received the fol-
lowing dispatch. dated Feb. .. from Surgeon
Carmichael at Honolulu, in regard to the
plague situation there: There are four
new cases reported: three deaths since
Feb. q" "
The controller of the currency to-day IS
sued a call tor reports OF condition of the
national banks at close OF business, Feb. Is.
The House river and harbor committee
to-day gave a hearing on the question OF
the level OF the great lakes as affected by
the proposed canal of the Michigan Lake
Superior Company. The hearing grew out
of the recent report of the secretary of
war on this subject Il. V. Douglass and
+. II. Clergue, president and vice presi-
dent. respectively, of the ompany Chase
S. Osborne, representing the interests OF
the $500" Harvey Goulder. attorney for
the Lake Carriers Association; G.. Y
Wisner. OF the deep waterways committee.
and Colonel c.. j. Ledecker. who filed the
the part OF the War Department. were
among those present. One OF the main
raised is as to the right to tap
navigable streams, not only at the 500, but
when the general level OF navi-
cation may be affected. without an act of
Senator Warren to-day presented a favor