Middletown transcript., 1901-08-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.

pUBLlCcomment upon the personnel OF
the court OF inquiry, named by Secre-
tary Long, to inquire into Rear Admiral
Schley's conduct during the war with
Spain, has been all one way highly laud4
atory. Secretary Long has also been
commended for instructing the court to
render an opinion and make recommen-
dations ON the facts brought out by the
inquiry. This promises final settle
ment of the controversy which has been
deeply regretted, as it is quite certain
that whatever opinion may be rendered
or recommendations made by a court
composed of Admiral Dewey and Rear
Admirals Kimberly and Benham, will Be
accepted and endorsed BY the American
people The choice of Captain Lemlv.
who has been Judge Advocate General
of the Navy for more than nine wears
for Judge Advocate of the Court was
quite as happy as that of the members
of the court proper He is eminently
well qualified for the position, not only
by his expert knowledge, but by a record
of fairness toward everybody. Nothing
but evidence will cut any figure before
that court, which is as it should be. All
honor to Secretary Long for having 50
and open the way for the unbiased truth.
Secretary Long is particularly anxious
that the inquiry shall cover not only
everything done by Admiral Schley in
the campaign against the Spanish fleet.
but also everything done by any other
officer that has been the subject OF public
controversy. In a conversation, after
saying that it was unnecessary to mention
in detail everything in the PERCEPTION
issued for the guidance of the court, he
added "Should there be any additional
matter which Admiral Schley desires in
quired into, the Court will comply with
his wish. The purpose is to have COM
plete investigation. Another popular
thing that Secretary Long has done was
issuing the order forbidding Naval Officers
to publicly discuss the Sampson-Schlcv
controversy.
Porto Ricans do not have to pay inter
nal revenue taxes on their products con-
sumed at home, because it will require
an act of Congress to extend the internal
revenue laws to the island. 1t was at
first thought that it would be difficult,
now that Porto Rico enjoys free trade
with lis, to collect the internal revenue
taxes upon such taxable Porto Rican pro-
ducts as may be sent to the United States
but Commissioner Yerkes has issued re-
gulations which it is believed will make
the collection of the tax easy. These re-
gulations provide that upon the arrival
of those goods in the United States the
master of the vessel bringing them shall
deliver to the collector of customs
sworn manifest in the form required by
customs regulations, and thereupon the
shall issue notice to the collec-
tor of internal revenue for the District in
which the goods are landed, and the
and held until the taxes are
paid The regulations are elaborate and
10 framed that evasion or fraud is well
nigh impossible.
~
The receipts from internal revenue tax
ltion for the last fiscal year, as shown by
he annual report of the Commissioner
II Internal Revenue, broke all records
he total amount being S306, 81 ,669, an
Increase of $I1 300, ,561 over the previous
,ear. The report also shows that the
.ost of collection was less, the percentage
)eing 1.55 against 1.5S for the previous
year.
~
The ordnance bureau of the War De-
,artment has awarded contract for 49G,-
100 pounds of slhokeless powder for the
rmy at 20 cents pound. The contracts
we're divided among the big powder maR
ng concerns of the country.
~
The Chairman of the last Inauguration
Committee has submitted a plan to the
Commissioner of the District of Column
ia for taking the necessary steps toward
change in Inauguration Day to some
ime in April or May. The plan provides
Or the appointment of National Com
littee, to be composed of the governors
states and territories and 10 represen-
ative citizens This committee to select
suitable day and then to ask Congress
} provide for amending the Constitution
laking that Inauguration Day.
~
Not few shrewd observers are becon-
lg convinced that one OF the important
lbjects that will have to be taken up by
congress at the coming session is that of
ariH retaliation. As the matter now
tands, except in the case Of two or three
pecifed articles and under specified cir
this government has no au-
aority to resent the most fragrant discri-
lination against American Commerce
trough tariffs imposed by foreign coun-
les. Germany has a new tariff, and
to the cabled accounts, many
its schedules are aimed at American
oods, but the administration cannot
5rike back for lack of authority, al
lough there are opportunities in plenty.
his country does not, of course, wish TO
ut tariff chip on its shoulder for the
urpose of inviting tariff war with any
ther country, but it does need the au-
lority to show other nations that Ameri-
In goods cannot be Disseminated
yainst with impunity and Congress
lould see that it gets it. The mere fact
having it will go far towards making
unnecessary to use it.