Evening star., 1901-12-06
Supreme Court Decision Again Dis.
cussed by Cabinet.
VARDEPARqMENfT fTARIrFUHTOUCHED
More Amendments to the Civil
Service Rules.
MR.. FOULKE CONFERS S


able study it is the opinion Of both Secre-
| tary Root and Attorney General Knox that
| the decision does not touch the administra-
| ton and collection of the War Department
| tariff on goods going into the Philippines.
At least, that viii be the Interpretation of
the War Department, and the customs Off
cials in the islands will continue to collect
the regular duties on all goods reaching
| the islands. This conclusion does away
with a good deal Of uneaSness that eX-
listed at first over the probability that the
decision might have knocked out the Phil
! ippine tariff, along with the collection of
customs on goods coming into the United
States from the islands.
Tracewe1l to Give an Opinion.
Secretary Gage has asked Controller
Tracewell for an opinion relative to the re-
| funding of duties collected on goods from
the Philippines where protests We're not
entered. Mr.. Tracewell some time ago, in
| the Porto Rican case, held that only duties
collected under protest could be returned
without authority of Congress. Attorney
General Knox holds that all duties il
legally collected should be returned. The
controllers opinion is a finality, however,
and must be accepted at the treasury. Mr..
Tracewells views as to the Philippine de-
cision will be awaited with interest. Sec
certified lists of all duties collected and
claimed by importers matter whether
protest was or was not made. If Mr..
IraceWell holds that those who did not pro-
test cannot collect from the government,
Secretary Gage will send to Congress a
recommendation for specific appropriation
authorizing settlement of claims for re-
bates.
More Civil Service Amendments.
The civil service commission has prepared,
at the request of the President some
amendments to civil service rules The
amendments have been passed upon by the
Attorney General and approved with cer-
| tain changes. 1t is expected that the
President will shortly sign and promulgate
| the amendments. Mr.. Foulke, civil serv-
| ice commissioner, was at the White House
today talking with the President. 1t is un-
derstood that the amendments are of inn
portance and strengthen the civil service
laws, as have other amendments made by
the President.
Police Jndgeship Decision.
Some of the friends of men who were
| candidates for police judge under the law
recognizing justice of the peace appoint
| ments have been endeavoring to obtain re-
vision of Attorney General Knex's opinion
to the President that no vacancy will exist
in the police court judgeships in January.
Mr.. Knox, however, sees no reason to
cndnSe MS opinion, WHICH was ulduS 10 tUt
President more than month ago. 1t is
suggested that Congress may be asked by
joint resolution to declare that the law
was intended to apply to the police judges,
as well as justices Of the peace. If this
should be done vacancies would exist in
the court upon the passage of the resolu-
tion, and there would be great scramble
for the two judgeships.
whisky Among the Savages.
Rev. DIR. F. E. Clark of Boston saw the
President this morning to ask the assist
ance of that official in having action taken
by this country that will aid in preventing
the sale of intoxicants to uncivilized and
savage people, especially in the islands of
the Pacific ocean. In his last message
President Mckinley favored something be-
ing done in this direction. DR.. Clark and a
large delegation of representatives of Chris
tian organizations presented to the Secre-
tary of State this morning an immense
number Of petitions from all over the coun-
try asking the adoption of treaties or laws
prohibiting traffic In slaves, firearms and
spirituous liquors among uncivilized races
There were over fifty yards of names on
the thousands of petitions. Every state
was represented IN the list.
Oil Painting of the President.
C. Makowsky. the famous Russian artist
is beginning an oil painting of President
Roosevelt. He had sitting with the Presi-
dent late yesterday afternoon and again
this morning. Mr.. Makowsky is making
painting Of Countess Cassini and while in
this country will undertake the work of
correctly portraying the features Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. The painting will be for
the President
Mckinley Memorial Trustees.
Ex-Secretary Bliss and Senator Hanna
called on the President this morning. Mr..
Bliss said that he is in Washington to at
tend meeting of the trustees of the Nc
Kinley Memorial Association, to be held to-
morrow morning.
Senator Depew, direct from Charleston
and full of praise for the exposition, was a
White House caller.
DIR. Won Holleben, the German ambassa-
dor, saw the President in the blue room.
Democratic Hopes in Connecticut.
Former Representative Lewis Sperry of
Hartford, Conn.,, called at the White House
today. Mr.. Sperry, although democrat,
sees little hope of democratic revival in
Connecticut, and does not look for any
early overthrow of the dominant party or
return of the days when in a presidential
contest it will be regarded a doubtful
state. Speaking of the new constitutional
convention in it's effect on party politics,
Mr. Sperry said: while the democrats
have for years been crying for a revision of
the basis of representation in the legisla-
ture, L DO not look TO see changes far-
reaching enough to do them much good
This constitutional convention is made up
of representatives on tne town basis, and
this means that whatever conclusion is
reached will be only a compromise between
the existing system and popular representa-
ton. look to see the Senate made popu-
lar body, and the House left on the town
representation system, with the correc-
ton. however, OF the abuse by which a
small town may now have two representa-
tives while larger neighbor has only one.
Some compromise result of this sort is
about all that can now be expected OF
course, this would help the democrats some-
what in electing United States senator,
should they again carry the state, for
democratic strength is mostly in the Cities
but such a contingency is just now rather
remote.
'I think the Connecticut tobacco grow
ers do not fear reciprocity with Cuba. Our
tobacco Is wrapper tobacco, while the
Cuban is filler. What we should fear is the
Sumatra leaf competition. Our tobacco in
terest Is rather small, and do not expect
any opposition to Cuban concessions on ac-
count cf 1t. -
PardOns by the Presfdent.
W. T1~o<. -