The Holly chieftain., 1901-10-25
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

Sn0 SAAtcu sotAtcb O1Su ctESlCt SOuQ.
mission, has rendered his repigna ton
to the President and will be trans
ferred back to the st. Louis postofiice
under the present postmaster. Major
Harlow has the hearty good will Of the
PRESIDENT, and the transfer IL made in
recognition of his past service, both In
civil and military positions
When Congress meets, Senator For
aker will introduce a bill TO pay Mrs.
Mckinley years salary. $4,000, ON
her late husbands account, following
precedent established In the cases of
Presidents Lincoln and Garfield. At
first proposition to pay her the sal
ary of the unexpired term Of President
Mckinley was discussed, but 1t was
decided to follow precedent, especially
as Mrs. Mckinley has no children. It
Is also suggested that pension Of $5,-
600 year should be voted to Mrs. Nc
kinley. This will also be in line with
previous legislation in such cases.
Senator Teller had conference re-
Gently with Land Commissioner Her
mann in the interest of having the gov
ernment protect the unreserved timber
of Colorado and other states against
forest fires. To him the commission
er stated that the department is prac-
tically powerless to act under such cir
cnmstances; that new legislation max
Ing adequate appropriation is neces-
sary If governmental aid is to be ex-
tended. A bill such as that recon-
mended by the commissioner will un-
doubtedly be introduced early in the
coming session Of Congress.
The annual report of Henry G. Cor
bin, adjutant general of the army, sub
mits table to show that the army in
the Philippines is to be reduced by ex-
pired enlistments at the rate of about
1000 month from now on until June,
1902. The losses from all causes In the
regular army and volunteers from July
!. 1900, to June Both last, totaled 49,
924 officers and men In the former, and
S,l91 in the latter. The casualties to
the troops in the Philippines since the
date of the first arrival, June 30, 1893,
to June 3Oth last, were 115 officers and
1878 men killed, and 1S2 officers and
2,646 men wounded. This report urges
abolishment of the transport service,
retirement of Brooke, Merritt and Otis
as lieutenant generals and the distribu-
tion OF service medals to Spanish and
Philippine war veterans.
Lord Pauncefote will sail for the
United States in few days. and be-
fore the British cabinet council has had
an opportunity to review the protocols
which embody in principle the pro-
posed new Hay -Pauncefote canal
treaty. 1t is thought, however, that
that will not delay sensibly the final
negotiations. which will take place
here between Secretary Hay and Lord
Pauncefote, as 1t is the intention that
the new treaty shall be finally drafted
and signed in the city of Washington.
1t is said that when the new docu-
ment is framed the Notifications"
clause will be found to have been
dropped out, leaving the United States
at liberty to fortify the canal but 1t is
distinctly stated that 1t is not obligat-
ed to do so, and IN fact there is no
present intention of erecting fortifica-
tions, which it Is stated would be
much more expensive than u fleet Of
battleships and less useful.
The estimates for the navy for the
fiscal year ending June 80. 1903. have
been made public at the Navy Depart
ment. The total amount is $9S, ,91O 1884,
against $17,924,535 appropriated for
the current year. The chief increases
are $2,5O0,OOO for constructions; ST.
100000 for armor and 1922, 1855 in the
appropriation for yards and docks.
Secretary Long, in speaking Of the es-
Inmates, said that they were made with
a due regard for the needs of the navy,
and intimated that they had the ap-
proval Of the administration. He spoke
Of the increased cost of the navy, and
said the building of a battleship cost
ing $5,O00,OO0 was not the end of its
expense, as its maintenance was very
costly. Those estimates. he said, did
not cover any recommendations for in
crease of the navy over that already
authorized, but it is more than likely
that the secretary will recommend
three new battleships, two armored
cruisers and a number OF small gun
boats.
Argument was concluded on the 18th
instant before the Supreme Court of
the United States in the well-known
lottery cases. Constitutional questions
of exceptional importance are involved.
The precise question Is the power of
Congress to forbid the conveyance of
lottery matter from state to state
through such agencies as express com.
panies. After lottery matter was ex.
cluded from the mails, the lottery com.
panies utilized the express companies
In the conveyance of their tickets. Con-
gress In 1895 passed law to forbid
this, and its power to do this as a reg
ulation Of commerce Is the question in
volved In the present argument. The
question has been three times before
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