The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-29
Chat Of the Capital
Washington Gossip, Political and Other
wise, for the Readers Of the Globe.

In reports dated Dec. 7yand 13, respective
ly, inform the state department that, ow-
ing to the competition Of American meat
on the continent of Europe, an organized
effort Is about to be made to combat its
importation. The Austrian butchers. at
their recent meeting, recommended con-
gress Of the butchers of all the states of
continental Europe. for the purpose Of de-
liberating upon ways and means of coun-
teracting the growth of meat monopolies
protection against imports OF unhealthy
meat, raising Of stock at horne, and steps
to be taken against American competl.
ton. According to German press com
ments, the but cheers of Germany will join
with those of Austria In almost any kind
of an undertaking to keep out American
meats. It Is stated that the managers OF
the German Butchers association will
soon meet for discussion of the propo-
sitlcn Of their Austrian colleagues.
Under date of Tee. g. 1899 Consul Wor
man. Of Munich, says that the Shoe ard
Upper Manufacturers union (VerbanI
der Deutschen Schulz und Senate Fabri-
Kanten) has, according to It's official or
gar, the Schuh-markt (Skoe Markell, of
recent date, served notice by circulars to
the trade that, in consequence OF the
marked rise in prics of materials, sucn as
leather, cloths Cotton and woolen), silks,
nails, etc, very considerable advance
In prices must be made. 1t sets forth that
prices have already been considerably ad-
varced In the United States, Aust
France and England.
Under date OF Shanghai, Nov. 49, 1899,
Consul General Goodnow transmits the
following information, supplied by the
BRIT Itch
port: relative to taxation in Kyao-chau.
The German government has adopted
the system Of single tax for Kyao -cllau.
levyfng tax Of per cent on land values
Until the 1st Of January, 1902, the value
of the land Is represented by the sum
paid % the government at the land auc-
ton. After this term a revision of the
land values is purposed. Besides this tax,
the owner has to give the government
one-third Of the net profit he realizes at
sale of his parcel of land. All improve
ments made on the estate, including an
interest of per cent, Is deducted, ac-
cordlng to the owners statement, subject
to official control. If parcel Of land does
not change its proprietor by sale during
twenty-five years, the government is en-
titled to levy a tax Of one-third of the
surplus Of value in analogy to the one
third taken at a sale. These proceedings
may be repeated after another twenty
five years.
Minister Conger informed the depart
ment, under date of Pekin, Nov. u. 1899.
that. according to advices from the
tsung-li-yamen the custom house at the
new port of Yao-Chou-Fu, in the province
OF Human, was to be opened Nov 10.
-
Tho 1,ostofEoo
out special rural delivery agents who
have been instructed to visit every state
in which the service has been established
and determine the condition Of the routes
This Is meant that In each state where
more routes have been established than
the service calls for the superfluous
routes will be abolished In states where
the service Is not fully equipped more
routes will be established = It Is said
at the postoff1ce department that this ac-
ton is taken because in some states there
are more routes than in other states
while in some of these states a great
mary routes are not needed. In other
districts. however, there is great need
for additional routes.
The bill appropriating an additional
$15O,0OO to continue the rural free deliv-
cry, during the present fiscal year. has
passed the house, and 1t is thought that
no trouble in its passage will be expe.
r1enced In the senate. The postoffice Of
ficials say the representatives and sena-
tors are learning the value of the serv-
ice and are anxious to get 1t into their
districts. This was shown the other
day when Representative Berry, of Ken
lucky, called at the postoffice department
and asked that the service be established
in all the counties of the Sixth congress
cio ict, ~ In
was to start the service at the Ohio riv-
er and let it run back through the diff
ferent counties in his district. Many
other congressman have called at the
postoffice department with similar re-
quests.
A Washington dispatch to the Phila-
delphia Press says:
The postoff1ce officials in Washington
today made test of an automobile in
the collection of mails from the boxes,
from substations, etc. A route In this
city extending a distance of a mile and
a half from the city postoff1ce was chos-
en- for the test. In thirty-two minutes
time the automobile made the rounds and
the mail was collected from tweLty-seven
letter boxes, three package boxes and two
The regular schedule time for a car
rier's trip over the route is one hour and
forty-five minutes, while a carrier using
a horse and cart makes 1t in one hour
and twenty minutes, showing a saving
in the first case Of one hour ard thir-
teen minutes, and in the second case of
minutes in favor of the auto
mobile.
AS the saving in time would make it
possible to reduce the force Of collectors
opd tI,1Ic criUo moro man for delivery the
experiment was pronounced very satsfac-
tory. Using an automobile would make
1t unnecessary to keep horses and would
greatly reduce the expense in that way.
Further tests are to be made and it Is
possible, and not improbable, that auto
mobiles will become extensively used In
the postoffice department
The librarian of congress has asked
for ar automobile for use in collecting
and distributing books to the houses Of
members and senators who have the use
of the congressional library. In his ap-
pIication to congress the librarian states
that a careful computation showed that
it would be cheaper to use an automo>
bile than it is to use a, horse and wagon.
This is one of the questions the house
will be asked to pass upon before long.
Some O1HclaI reports received Dyr the
war department. from Manila give an idea
of the trickery with which government Of
flc:als there have to deal, and this In
stance is only one of many, each differing
=
In character.
BY an accident 1t came to light that
large quantity of government stores and
other supplies We're being destroyed for
no other reason, evidently. than to eyade
the manual labor of handling such goods.
One of the army launches used by the
customs officials at Manila was passing
up the Pasig. a report states. when some
of the officers observed large quantity
Of bran floating on the water. Over 100
sacks were soon counted. The only ship
in the bay known to carry grain was
the transport LAX Ling, which had a
L L. t1.,lr An,