The state herald., 1901-11-08
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

secretary of state, has accepted the
tender of the Louisiana exposition
management the post of European
director of that enterprise.
AT recent meeting Of the executive
committee of the William Mckinley
National Memorial Arch Association,
It was determined to attempt to raSe
$1,5OO,O0O for constructing the propOs-
ed arch.
The estimates for the expenditures
OF the interior department during the
fiscal year beginning next July aggre-
gate $17O,OOO,OOO, OF which $142, 161,-
200 is asked for pensions and the ad-
ministrative work Of the pension bu-
| reau.
On the 10Th ult in accordance with
an old custom among officials of the
government, Secretary Hay went out
on the plaza south of the State, War
and Navy Department building, and
planted tree. Assistant Secretary
Alee performed n like ceremony.
Ellis II. Roberts, treasurer of the
| United States, in his report of the
transactions of his office during the
last fiscal year, says the treasury was
never stronger than ut the close of
that period. The operations, which
were of the first order both In variety
| and magnitude, resulted in noteworthy
changes in the paper currency, us well
rs n steady and healthful growth of
gold In the treasury and In the general
stock.
Chief Greedy, chief signal officer, inl
his annual report says: THE opera
| tions OF signal corps have been CO.
existent with the operations of the
army of the United States, not
| theoretically, but on broad lines
and activities which have comprised
practically the entire area, not only of
the United States proper, but also of
Alaska, Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philip
pines and Il portion of China Cen
eral Greely says the corps should be
Increased to meet present demands.
There have been constructed 1876 miles
of telegraph line in Alaska, and ar
rangements have been made with the
Canadian government to use its lines
to Alaska. The signal corps operates
8,34S miles of telegraph in Cuba, an in
crease of 1G2 miles during the year.
The operations of the corps in the Phil
ippines have been very extensive,
there having been 4,SJ1 miles of tele-
graph line, an increase of 2.O54 miles
during the year. The military cable
lines in the Philippines connect with
Mindoro, Marinduque Masbate, Sa-
mar, Leyte, Cebu, Negros, AIindanao,
Jolo and Siasi.
In his annual report upon the condi
ton and services of the United States
marine corps for the past year, Brig
adler General Charles Haywood re-
news a former recommendation that
| shall m nf ha
commandant of the marine corps that
of major general. This recommends
ton, II is stated, Is embarrassing To
the general. inasmuch as action would
result in his own promotion, but he
points out that the present authorized
strength of the corps, 6.O62 men.
should entitlc the commandant to the
rank of major general. as the army
regulations provide that the appro-
pirate command for n major general
Is four regiments. and 1, 500 men. Gen
pral Haywood strongly recommends
that the law providing that officers of
the navy who served with honor dur
ing the civil war may retire with the
, next highest rank he extended to the
marine corps. The total number of
casualties in the enlisted force of the
corps during the past year caused by
| discharges, ,desertions, deaths and re-
tirements was 2.5SG. At the date of
the report, October l. there We're sew
enty-two officers and 2,1lS enlisted
men of the corps at the various sta
tions In the far East.
There Is a strong probability that the
forthcoming message OF President
Roosevelt to Congress VIII contain n
recommendation In favor Of irrigation
legislation. Such n recommendation
would he OF decided Importance and
influence. Professor Elwood Mead OF
Wyoming is very confident OF such
result. lie had nm extended Interview
with the President recently ON the gen
eral subject of irrigation. and found
him much Interested In the subject.
| The Washington Star says of this In
terview: "Elwood Mead had n talk
with President Roosevelt and natural
ly the matter under discussion was
that OF the Irrigation of the great arid
lands OF the West. Mr.. Mead has sew
eral plans for irrigation and VIII sub
init some OF these To the President. II
Is understood that the President, who
lived many years In the West, ami Is
well acquainted with the arid condi-
tlon OF that section, VIII say good
/ utul III HIS Hi'NNhr' WI Wv Nh'J'N' VI
irrigation. Weston members of Con
grcss are extremely hopeful that Con
gress at the coming session VIII extend
national aid TO some rational plan for
| irrigation. President McKinlcy's visit
TO the West last May had done much
TO Increase the friendly feeling he had
for the West and In n number OF
speeches he referred TO the need OF
irrigation IN that section. II was gen
ernlly thought by western congress.
men that President Mckinley would
have given considerable space In his
next message 10 Congress TO n discus
sion OF the need OF federal aid In the
reclamation OF the millions Of acres OF
land that cannot he cultivated be-
cause water cannot he obtained"
Tie estimates for the entire postal
service for the fiscal ycnr ending June
20, 1893 aggregate Si35,sS5, 500, This
Is inclusive OF S1.03I.3I0 for depart.
/, mental salaries and S2iJ.G5O for con.
tlngcnt expenses. The total for rural
free delivery l. S6,2iO.000. mn Increase
OF s., 10000 over the current yenr.
The compensation for the posimnsters
amounts To sao.O0O.000; letter carriers
and substitute aud temporary carriers.
| SiT, ,i3O. .t5O; star route service, SD,Ilb..
600 railroad transportation. railway
postal cnr service and railway mall
service So. iG3 i56. Tile grand total
for inland mail transportation Is sr!.-