Gilpin observer., 1901-07-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington, D. c., July 8, 1901.

GuCc W SSutTdl 4udAilL1O NNouhSHS ohSS
commander of the Cuban insurgent
army, and thereupon has been construct
ing tales as numerous and wierd as those
of the Arabian Nights. General Gomez
smiles most blandly as he informs all
enquirers, through an interpreter-he
speakes nothing but Spanish-that his
visit to Washington is sorely to tender
thanks to the president and Secretary
Root for what they have done for Cuba.
II there were no other reason for the
belief that the visit of Gomez to Wash
ington had some official signicificience,
his having been accompanied by the
private secretary of Gen. Wood would
have been sufficient. The story that
came to this.Ecountry to persuade Senor
Palma, who was at the head of the Cub
an junta in New York for long time,
to become a candidate for president at
the coming election in Cuba is regarded
as bluff. If Gomez is in the United
States in the interest of any presidential
candidate, it is more likely to be himself
than Palma, but it is believed that his
principal mission is in behalf of holders
of Cuban bonds issued through the
junta in New York, and that it is his
desire to get promise that the United
States government would have no OBJ
lection to those bonds being recognized
by the new government of Cuba. In
somuch as Gomez holds no official
position there has been more or less
criticism of his being met at the railway
station by the assistant secretary of " ar
and one of the military aids Of the sec
retary of war.
As the president left Washington
without naming a new commissioner of
pensions, it is not considered that he
will do SO in the near future.
Senators Tillman and McLaurin were
both in Washington this week at the
same time, but they did not meet and
no gore was shed. They oontented
themselves with taking few newspaper
pot shots at each other. Senator Till
man sarcastically referred to the fact
that South Carolina would ouly have to
put up with McLauin as o senator for a
year longer, and Senator McLaurin,
speaking of Tillman's trip to Nebraska.
to fill lecture engagement, observed
that it would be good thing for South
Carolina if he remained out OF the state
permanently.
The necessity for absolute accuracy
in important scientific instruments and
apparatus was emphasized by the pay
ment this week, under an appropriation
made by the last congress, OF $4,000
for tract of land around the Naval
Observatory, so as to make it certain
that no highway would ever be run
within 1000 feet of the clockroom, in
which are the delicate time-recording
instruments of the observatory, liable to
be affected by the vibration OF vehicles
passing along road nearer than that.
Colonel Parker, who controls through
long leases great deal of public land
in Hawaii. and who is known at homo
as the cattle king, passed through Wash
ington this week, en- route to Europe, on
pleasure tour. He said of the demand
for unskilled labor in Hawaii: We want
all the labor we can get in the islands.
Years ago ] tried to get South Sea Is
landers and succeeded in securing 90.
They cost 81 600 each, as l bought and
| fitted a vessel TO go after them which
was wrecked, and then charted another
The Porto Ricans should make splendid
| laborers for our islands, and | am ready
personally to employ all they can send
me. The government lands are of inn
mense area and are leased on long time
to people like myself, who would be
glad to work every foot of them, il we
could got the labor with which to do it."
Secretary Hitchcock destroyed the last
hope of those who have been seeking TO
postpone the opening to settlement of
the Indian reservations in Oklahoma,
when he announced, after granting a
hearing TO representatives OF clttlemen
who asked that the opening be post
poned until October |, on the ground
that they had paid money ou their leas-
es up to that date, that he had no legal
Authority 10 postpone the opening.
Laborers have begun the work that is
to change 400 acres of the old Arlington
estate into n model farm, to be conduct
ed by the department of agriculture, and
to have all necessary buildings, and to
show orchards, truck gardens, and grain
fields OF every sort in the highest pos
sible state of perfection. Prof. l.. c..
Corbett, who has made an enviable rep
utation during the six years he has been
IN charge of the West Virginia expert.
ment station of the department of agri-