Gilpin observer., 1901-07-18
Observation-Disclosures
/ WASHINGTON LETTER.
! From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington, D. G., July 10, 1901.
.TlSa7a.5EaslilS1SaS

not expect to resume his official duties
at this time, but when he reached Wash
ington he found communication from
Russia offering to abolish the additional
duties on American goods if this govern
ment would abolish the countervailing
duty on Russian sugar. He answered
that the matter was in the courts and
this government could do nothing until
decision has been reached. Next, the
Chinese Minister called on Secretary
Hay and presented claim for S500,OO0
for i'll treatment of Chinese at Butte,
Montana, in 1886. The claim was pig
eonholed. AS China waited fifteen years
before filing it, she can wait a while
longer before receiving an answer to 1t.
Secretary Hays next important caller
was the new misister from Turkey, and
he carried in his inside pocket bank
draft for $4,000, iu full payment of the
claims of American missionaries for
property destroyed in Turkey, which
is great triumph for American di-
plomacy.
Mr. Friderico Degetau, resident com
missioner from Porto Rico to the United
States, is out with a long statement con-
tending that the Porto Ricans are Ameri-
can citizens and entitled to all privileges
OF citizens of any territory. He thus
speaks of the sentiment Of the islanders:
Both of the political parties of the is
land, the republican and the federal,
divided by local issues alone, arc in favor
of organizing the island as territory
of the United States, similar to New
Mexico and Arizona, as way to become
a state OF the Union, with n full legi1-
lature elected by the people and repre-
sented by delegate in Congress, the
appointment of the governor being re-
served for the president as in the case
OF the territories. How else can the
needs and requirements of the people be
made known except they are represented
in the American Congress, which legis-
lates for them as for other parts of the
United States? The Porto Prio citizens
are prepared by their love of liberty and
their worship of justice and peace to face
with other American citizens the great
problems with which we must deal in
the future -prehaps in the near future.
Not by mere caprice of the heather god
Mars, but in the accomplishment OF
eternal laws, of providential DEGREES, has
the island become an integral part of
the American Union"
1t is said that ring has been formed
to control homasteads in tho Oklahoma
Indian reservations by paying honorably
discharged sailors and soldiers, who are
allowed to make entry through agents,
and whose term OF service counts in the
time required to reside on a homestead
to acquire title, for the use OF their
names in making applications, and that
while the business is crooked it is inside
the law, which, OF course, requires ap-
plicant to declare intention to settle on
the land applied for, but which cannot
prevent his afterward announcing a
change of mind. OF course, this may be
SANDER on the numerous soldiers and
sailors whose names are being telegraph
ed to Oklahoma agents, but it is causing
talk.
According to the chaplain OF John A.
Logan Comm and, U. V. u, of Washing.
ton, those who have been after the scalp
of Com missioner Evans have been bark
ing up the wrong tree. He said: "Com
missioner Evans is all right, there is
nothing wrong with him at all. He is
uujustly blamed. II there is any blame
it should be placed on the medical divi-
sion of the pension Office. This division
is filed with lot of young graduates of
medical colleges, who don't know much
about human anatomy, and much less
of the suffering Of the old soldier and
the way he has contracted them. There
are hundreds OF cases placed before
Commissioner Evans every day, and, as
he has to rely on his subordinates' re.
ports, he approves the records, thinking
that the cases have been properly at
tended to aud justly adiudicated. The
Medical Referee, DR.. Raub, is said TO be
the official whose place should be de-
mauded."
Delay has been caused in only a small
percentage of applications for patent by
the suspension Of appeal hearings by the
commissioner OF patents during July and
August-C. A. Snow & Co, the well
known patent lawyers, say not more
than one in hundred, as the 40 eX-
amincrs decide most Of the cases with
out an appeal TO the commissioner.
That the Indians have been often un.
Justly dealt with is an old story, but
there is interest in the testimony on the
on the subject by Captain A. j. Duncan,
the nreaident'a brother. in law, who has