Evening star., 1901-10-11
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Pacific Cable Company Opinion Not
Delivered.
CONCLUSION said TO Be REACHED
Change in the South Carolina COL
Iectorship.
TODAY'S APPOINT ENTS

| relative to the rights of a cable company to
! land in the Philippines, but it is understood
| that the Attorney General has arrived at
| the conclusion that under the law Of July
| "a, 1885, there is nothing to prevent a cable
| company landing in this country without
permit from executive or legislative author
| ity. Mr.. Knox will present his opinion to
! President Roosevelt within few days and
| they will go over the matter fully, as Presi-
| dent Roosevelt is likely to have something
| to say in his message to Congress on the
| subject of a cable line across the Pacific,
| and possibly on the subject Of the law that
| confers authority for the building of such a
| line without executive consent.
Company Going Ahead.
| 1t is also understood, as stated in The
| Star sometime ago, that the cable COM
| pany that asked for a permit is preparing
| as fast as possible to go right ahead with
the construction Of the line without fur
| ther ado The probability is that the COM
| pany will begin work before Congress con-
venes. The fact is that Congress might
copclude to build a government cable
across the Pacific and to repeal the law
that permits telegraph company to build
| the line without executive action. If the
company should commence work before
Congress meets and spend considerable
money 1t might thereby forestall action by
repeal of existing legislation.
Ihe section under which the new COM
pany will proceed to erect it's cable lines
! Is 526S of the Revised Statutes. and is
found in volume IA, page 221 of the stat
utes at large. 1t is as follows:
Law in the Case.
That any telegraph company now or
ganized, or which may hereafter be organ
| lied, under the laws of any state in the
Union, shall have the right to construct,
maintain and operate lines of telegraph
through and over any portion of the pub
lie domain of the United States, over and
along any of the military or post roads of
the United States which have been or may
hereafter be declared such by act of Con-
gress, and over, under or across the nav
lgable streams and waters of the United
states: Provided, That such lines of tele-
graph shall be SO constructed and main
tained as not to obstruct the navigation of
such streams and waters, or interfere with
the ordinary travel on such military or
post roads. And any of said companies
snail have the right to take and use from
such public lands the necessary stone, tim
Der and other material for its posts, PIERS
stations and other needful uses in the con-
struction, maintenance and operation of
said lines of telegraph, and may pre-empt
and use such portion of the unoccupied
public lands. subject to pre-emption,
through which it's said lines of telegraph
may be located as may be necessary for
its stations, not exceeding forty acres for
each station; but such stations shall not
be within fifteen miles of each other"
Priority of Government Business.
The further sections of the act provide
that government business over any such
lines shall have priority over all other busi-
ness and at rates annually fixed by the
Postmaster General Companies are re-
qufred to file their acceptance of the DOW
ORG md ~{yi1n
ming business.
A cable company that undertook to enter
Cuba several years ago under this law was
prevented on the rulings of the ATTORNEY
General that Cuba was not territory of the
United States but 1t is evidently the opin-
ion OF the Attorney General in this case
that so far as the provisions of the fore
going law are concerned the PHILIPPINES
ase territory Of the United States.
The question is an important one and
volved.
Five members of the cabinet-secretary
Long, Secretary Hitchcock, Secretary VIII
son, Attorney General Knox and Postmaster
meeting, which was devoted largely to the
consideration of appointments under the
various departments. The question of
southern M appointments m generally again
policy Of appointing republicans If suit
able applicants could be found and IL not
Of appointing gold democrats. His policy in
this respect meets the approval of the cabi-
net.
Before the Pan-American Congress,
Gen. Rafael Reyes, vice president of Co.
lombfa, was presented to President Roose-
welt today by Assistant Secretary Adee of
the State Department. Martinez Silva, the
Colombian minister in this city, was also
present. General Reyes talked to the
President about some matters that are to
be discussed at the Pan-American congress,
soon to be held in the City of Mexico.
The President received Manuel AlyoreZ
Calderon, the Peruvian minister, who was
accompanied by Alberto A. Elmore and
Isaac Alzomora, who have been selected to
represent Peru in the conference in Mexico
President Roosevelt has directed the ap-
pointment ofSDr. w. P. Wilson of the Phil
adelphia Commercial Museum as CONNER
cial attache of the United States to the
conference in the City of Mexico. Dr. Will
son called on the President today accom-
panied by Acting Director William c. Fox
of the bureau Of American republics.
The U. v. e. National Encampment.
Gen. R. G. Dyrenforth. commander-in-
chief Of the u. v. u, called on the Presi-
dent this morning to formally invite him
to attend the national encampment of the
Union Veterans Union to be held in Chi
cago from October % to October 25. The
President said that he was going to Yale on
possible for him to attend, but that 1t
would give him pleasure to extend his
greetings to the organization by letter or
telegraph.
South Carolina Collectorship.
President Roosevelt has definitely decided
on the appointment of DR.. v. p Clayton
Of Columbia, S. c.. as collector Of internal
revenue of that state to fill the vacancy
caused by the death Of e. A. Webster.
This announcement will be great surprise
to South Carolina republicans, inasmuch as
1t was thoroughly known that Loomis BIa-
lock was to receive the place. The change
from Blalock to DR.. Clayton Is not ex-
planned. DR.. Clayton was formerly post
master at Columbia. is clean man of a
high grade, and Is an organization repub-
Hcan. He has been republican all his
life and prominent in his party. The old
line republicans viii rejoice in the selection,
Notwithstanding DR.. Clayton might not
have been their first choice.
MT. Blalock has not been republican
many years and the organization men first
DIRECTED to him and later approved his Sc
lection Senator McLaurin does not bother
with the republican appointments in the