The leader., 1900-02-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From the Newspaper Correspondence Division
OF Y. e.. Siggers

WASHINGTON LETTER.
From the Newspaper Correspondence Division
OF v. G.. Siggers.
WAsmNeToS, ID. c., Jan. 30. 1900
The President has decided to leave
all questions affecting religion ia The
Philippines to the consideration OF
the new Commission to those islands.
believing that it will be better able to
determine the rights aud wrongs Of the
situation than any one in this country.
The fact is that religious conditions
in the islands are rapidly becoming
intolerable. Archbishop Chappelle,
instead of showing himself man of
broad mind and good information. has
developed, according to official reports,
into chronic claimant of privileges
and powers which can never be con
ceded to him. For instance, he has
claimed immunity for priests from all
civil processes, has claimed the con
tinuance of the annual subsidy granted
by Spain, has claimed property in the
Islands amounting to over 5100,OC0000,
and has asserted that the President
sustains each and everyone of these
extraordinary contentious. Naturally.
these actions are very embarrassing to
the administration, and it is thought
that they can better be considered
after the close Of the next political
campaign. Accordingly, the Commits
sion has been instructed to consult
with the municipalities as to the action
to be taken and as to what is to be
done with the frars, so as to render
justice to both parties. 1t is quite
certain that no subsidy will be paid to
the Catholic church It's rights will
be held to be void as against the
United States. just as the claims of the
Philippine cable companies were held
to be void, having been discharged
once and for all by the payment of the
s2O,0O0,000 to Spain.
The indefatigable Captain Leary. of
Guam, again comes to the front with
letter to Secretary Long, detailing
events in that island. Among other
things he says: "The Thanksgiving
Day service on shore was a great sue
cess, and was attended by a larger
congregation than has ever before
been witnessed in this island, the in
terror of the church being packed in
every available place, while outside
the people who could not get in the
doors were fifteen rows deep, and the
entire assemblage seemed to evince a
sincere. earnest, and devout interest
IN their first American Thanksgiving
Day service, and reports from other
villages assure me that the day was
properly respected throughout the
island, all of which is most gratifying
to us as being representative of their
cordial and faithful acceptance of the
radical change of government 1t is a
pleasure to report in response to my
general order Number ) Ordering
| those living in irregular unions to get
married at once more than 200 people
have already enlisted in the ranks of
domestic and civil reformation,
small army of children are jubilant.
and the wedding bells are yet airing
ing"
The United States is finding out that
there are drawbacks about having
ambassadors instead of ministers. For
instance, not a single ambassador ap.
peared at the recent reception given to
Admiral Dewey by his brother-in law.
John Il. Mclean, and, on investigation.
it appeared that an ambassador could
not be invited to "meet' any person in
this country except the President.
Another awkward mistake occurred at
the diplomatic dinner at the White
House, the other night. when Minister
Aspiroz of Mexico was assigned to
escort the Boronness Hengelmuller.
wife of the Austrian ambassador, in to
dinner. Austria and Mexico, it will be
remembered, have not been on speak
ing terms since the Emperor Maximil-
ian was shot by order of a court mar
tial, at which Senor Aspiroz was prose
cutting attorney. As soon as the situa-
ton was discovered, there was quick
shift of partners, which produced bet
ter satisfaction.
The Commissioner of the Internal
Revenue has rendered a decision that
the various malt extracts are not
liquor in such sense as to make it
necessary for druggists to hold licenses
before selling them. such extracts"
says the Commissioner, when COM
posed of fermented malt liquor com
bined with drugs, which have been
shown by evidence under oath filed
here to have been so compounded into
medicine, may be sold by druggist by
the bottle, under labels specifying the
diseases for which they are held out as
remedy, without involving the seller
in special-taX liability as a retail malt
liquor dealer, provided he sells them
in good faith for medicinal use only.
Every druggist or other person who
sells any malt extract as beverage, or
sells it knowingly to those who buy it
for use as beverage, without holding
the requisite special-taX stamp as a
malt liquor dealer to cover such sales,
IS not only liable to assessment of the
special tax and so per cent penalty, but
also to criminal prosecution.
Automobiles will soon be generally
in use in this city for collecting the
mails. The first test was made this
week and was highly satisfactory. One
of the longest routes in the city was
chosen, route that takes Ia hours to
go over by the ordinary means, and
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