The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-05-08

pass finally on applications for pen
sions rejected by the pension office and
Interior Department. General A. ID.
Shaw, commander-in-chief of the
Grand Army. and General Daniel
Sickles have the matter IN charge, and
are in Washington preparing the final
draft of the bill. which is to be sub
mitted to the President and to other
legal authority before its presentation
to Congress. This will be done in n
very short time. There are 1900 cases
which have been rejected by the in
terror department and these, in addi-
tion to others that arise from time to
time, will be referred TO the new court.
General Shaw believes that favorable
action can be secured on the measure
at the present session of Congress.
The rural free delivery system of the
Postofiice Department has grown to
such proportions that 1t has been found
necessary to create two new divisions
to properly handle 1t. An order signed
by the postmaster general establishes
four divisions, the Eastern division
with headquarters at New York, in
Guiding in its territory New England,
New York and Pennsylvania, nine
states, with Special Agent Il. III. Hath
away in charge; the middle division,
headquarters at indianapolis, Indiana.
Missouri and southern states down to
and including Louisiana, with H. NJ.
Wise in charge: the western division,
comprising states west of the Missouri
and Iowa to the coast headquarters at
Denver, Colorado, with William E. An
min in charge; the southern division, in
Guiding eleven southern states, head
quarters at Washington, with II. Con-
quest Clarke in charge. This order will
90 into effect May list.
Judge Henry C. Caldwell of Arkan-
sas. who has been extensively spoken
of as n candidate for vice president,
and who has received n great number
of letters urging him to agree to accept
that position in case 1t should be ten
dered him, has written II letter to Sen
ator Jones of Arkansas. who is his per-
sonal friend, saying that he cannot
consent TO such use of his name and
that his resolution in this matter is
absolutely irrevocable. In speaking
of the judges attitude. Senator Jones
said: Judge Caldwell's tastes are all
judicial. He has never had any active
connection with politics and, with
modesty which has always character
lied him. he thinks his field of useful
ness is ON the bench and not in a po-
litical position. He is n man of fine
II
principles which the supporters of Mr..
Bryan, Populists. Silver Republicans
and Democrats, believe in.
The resignation of Webster Davis as
assistant secretary of the interior has
precipitated fierce conflict which
may result ultimately in the resigna-
ton of Pension Commissioner Henry
c. Evans and Secretary of the Interior
Hitchcock While Mr.. Davis explains
that he resigns from the Interior De-
partment TO give his entire time and at
tention to the Boer cause, 1t is under
stood that the friction between himself
on the one hand and Secretary Hitch
cock and Commissioner Evans on the
other had reached such Il point that
designations We're imperative. Pension
Commissioner Evans. II seems, after
having his work passed upon by As
sistant Secretary Davis, appealed near
ly every case to the secretary, who sup
ported Evans and humiliated Davis by
such action. Pension Commissioner
Evans is the known foe to the pension
er. while Davis believes in liberal ap-
preparations for the old soldier. The
Grand Army has frequently urged
President Mckinley to demand Evans
resignation, but the President has not
done so.
In view of Secretary Cages an
nouncement of the growing surplus,
Importance attaches to a bill intro
duced in the House by Repre-
sentative Tawney of Minnesota to re-
peal the following provisions of the
war revenue act, to take effect July !.
1900: brokers note or memorandum
of sale of any goods. 10 cents; convey
ances. deeds. ETC. when the considera-
ton or value exceeds 500 and does not
exceed $500. 30 cents, and for each ad-
ditional 500 or fractional part there
of in excess of $500, 80 cents; lease,
agreement, etc. for n period of one
year. % cents; exceeding one year and
not exceeding three years, 30 cents;
for period exceeding five years, 81;
mortgage or pledge, etc, exceeding
81 900 and not exceeding $500, %
cents, and on each $500 in excess of
1,500, % cents; power of attorney or
proxy, etc, 10 cents; power of attor-
ney to sell and convey real estate, etc,
20 cents; protests, etc, 20 cents" Mr..
Tawney says that the secretary of the
treasury intimates that the provisions
to be repealed by the bill only furnish
1864, ,3O9, but that they are onerous
and veXations and should be repealed.
Charles III. Allen, at present assist
ant secretary of the navy, will be the
first civil governor of Puerto Rico I'M
der the provisions of the bill passed
Thursday by the House of Representa-
tives was signed Friday by the Presi-
dent. Mr.. Mckinley has been bringing
pressure to bear to induce Mr.. Allen
to relinquish the care of his consider
able private interests for sufficient
time, at least, to install the civil gov
ernment in the island, and the latter
has consented to assume the new re-
sponsibilities. Inasmuch as the act
takes effect on the list of next month,
there is but little time left in which to