The Press., 1901-11-21
Washington Letter.
Washington, November 1a. ioo1

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Hawaii and Guam, but that as to the
method, whether it be constructed by the,
government or private concern author
lied to lay 1t, he will make no recommen-
dation. He has expressed wish to see
an Isthmian canal constructed as soon as
all the necessary steps without delay.
Mr. Roosevelt realizes that the respon-
sibilities of his high office are heavy and
knows their extent. He believes his own
share to be quite sufficient and he has no
intention of assuming portion of those
which properly pertain to congress, or OF
proffering advice which might be rejected.
His intention is to clearly, and as briefly
as possible, outline the national situation,
designating any evils which he believes
should be corrected and leaving it to con-
gress to take such action as it considers
the situation warrants. In the perform
ance of his own duties, while he has re-
ceived with consideration the advice of
everyone whom he believed had the best
interests of the administration at heart,
he has acted and will continue to act with
the greatest independence, and in his re-
lations with congress he will respect its
independence to the same extent that he
expects congress to respect his. "The
spheres Of the executive and the Legislative
branches of the government are separate
and distinct" he said recently and that
will be the keynote of his administration.
The president appears to have relin-
guished none of his admiration for civil
service reform. He has called for resigna-
tions from two prominent ofice-holders
because of their violation of civil services
rules. He has stated positively and fre-
quently that he will appoint no men to
Office whom he does not consider in every
way fitted for the position. He has ap-
pointed well-known and earnest reform
advocate to the civil service commission,
and during the past week, he has an
nounced that In the army and navy and In
"our dependencies'' merit alone will Sc
cure promotion. Apropos of the army
promotions, he has caused to De given out
at the war department an official declara-
tion which states that offers who send
their friends to the president to present
prove their chances, but that "on the
contrary, the effect will probably be direct
ly opposite to that which the candidate
hopes for" and that sit Is only fair to the
oApni INF OF ian hot nf NIL off,
but all other classes of public Office hold
ers should rely upon their own merits and
not upon the further use of political in
fluences. 1t Is even rumored that 1t Is
the intention of the president to apply the
requirements of the civil service COM
mission to all that class of employees In
Washington known as s'laborers" of whom
there are probably at least one thousand,
drawing aggregate salaries of 100000
per year. Most of them are doing cleri-
cal work and are "laborers" in name only,
having used this ruse to get into the sell
vice through other than the civil service
doors.
The activity of the American manufact-
urers, as evidence by the amount of raw
material imported during the past nine
months, Is source Of qualification and
almost of surprise. The total importation
Of "articles In a crude condition, which
enter into the various processes of domes-
tic industry" during the nine months end
ing with September, 1901, amounted to
1921 ,469, 1884. This Is an increase of near
ly $83, 100000 over the same period In
1890 and the figures show steady increase
since that date. When it is considered
that the prices of these materials have
been considerably reduced since 1890, the
figures show an even greater increase Of
quantity and they indicate most salts
factory growth of American manufacture.
ing interests, growth particularly graft
foreign manufacturers.
Mayor-elect Low, of New York, was
among the callers at the White house last
week and had long conference with the.
president. Mr.. Low says that he particu-
larly values Mr.. Roosevelt's advice on
New York municipal questions and that
he hopes to be frequent recipient Of his
views. Mr.. Low has already given notice
that he will handle the large amount of
patronage at his disposal on the same
lines that the president has laid down for
the conduct Of federal appointments.
The Commissioner of internal revenue
has rendered decision to the effect that
beer, whiskey and other articles of domes-
tic manufacture, subject to internal reve-
nue. tax, when Consumed in the United
States are subject to the same tax when
shipped to the Philippines. Heretofore,
manufacturers of goods subject to internal
revenue tax have been exempt from excise
duty on goods shipped to the Philippines
as they are on goods shipped to foreign
countries.