Middletown transcript., 1901-08-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.

| EUROPEAN press comments upon
American policy or what the Euro
| pean editors regard as such are always
more or less amusing, but those cabled
over alleging that the present revolution
and war between Columbia and Vene-
zuela-it seems to be a combination of
both, has been instigated by the govern
| ment of the United States for the purpose
of opening the way for an excuse to take
| forcible possession of the Isthmus of
Panama, are more than amusing; they
are ridiculous. The European editors
write of the gathering of great fleets of
American warships on both sides of the
lsthmus, when, as matter of fact there
isn't single warship within ten days
sail of either the Atlantic or the Pacific
side of the Isthmus, and only three, two
small vessels and. the battleship Iowa,
have been ordered to Panama waters,
and neither Secretary Hay, nor acting
Secretary Hackett, both of whom are
familiar with the situation on the 18th
mus, has any idea that either of them
will have any serious work to do after
they get there, which will probably not
be before the first week in September.
Publications in our own yellow journals
are in a measure responsible for the mis-
Information of European editors. Our
own people know how much their wild
statements are worth; the Europeans
do not.
The latest story about the Schley Court
OF Inquiry, alleging that the Navy De-
partment would not furnish Schley with
list of its witnesses, was remarkable
only for the ignorance it showed con-
corning the methods of the department.
1t is the invariable rule of the depart
ment to furnish the officer who asks for
Court of Inquiry with list of the
witnesses summoned by the department,
as soon as it is fully made up, and the
rule will not be departed from in the
Schley case. Schley's three lawyers
were at the department Monday, and
submitted to acting Secretary Hackett, a
complete list OF the witnesses chosen by
Admiral Schley.
Hon. Thomas H. Carter, Ex-senator
from Montana, and Ex-Chairman of the
Republican National Committee, who is
now at the head of the United States
Commission for the st. Louis Exposition,
has been in Washington several days in
company with Ex-Governor Francis, of
Missouri, who is at the head of the Ex-
position organization, looking after the
foreign interests of the Exposition, and
the forwarding through the Department
of State of the Presidents proclamation,
inviting the participation of all nations
in the Exposition. Speaking of the
matter Mr.. Carter said: "The President
will issue the proclamation in a few days
and the great Exposition will then be
officially inaRgurated. Everything prom
ises that the St. Louis Exposition will
eclipse anything of the kind ever held in
the world. Close study of the best
points of every International Exposition
has been made and the best features of
each adopted. There will be a wealth of
original conceptions and magnifcence
OF detail, together with a general world
representation, which will make the
Louisiana purchase exposition worthy OF
the new century and of the great terri
tory, the acquisition of which has added
so much to the wealth and prestige of
the country.
The statistics of the native population
of Hawaii for the last half century pre-
sent an interesting study, showing a
decrease so large and steady that if it be
kept up another half century, there will
be practically no natives or descendants
of natives left ON the island. In 1858,
when the first authentic census was
taken, there were II ,019 natives on the
island. Each succeeding census has
shown smaller number, the last show
ing only 29,S34 natives, and 1885 part
Hawaiians.
1t is up to those who sneer at the
Weather Bureau whenever it falls down
in predicting the weather from day to
day to give it credit for having saved
many thousands, possibly millions of
dollars worth of property in New Orleans
and Mobile, by its timely warning of the
approach of last weeks tropical hurri-
cane, not to mention the saving of
human life. There isn't the slightest
doubt that the Weather Bureau by its
storm warnings alone saves each year
many times its cost.
~
Commissioner of Patents Allen has lust
had to perform duty that was as dis
agreeable as it is rare in the government
seryice-to recommend the dismissal of
prominent official for theft. The dis
missed official was Edward V. Shepard,
who has been Chief Clerk of the Patent
Office since June, 1898. The amount
stolen was the trifiing sum of $S9.O5, but
money has been stolen from letters re-
ceived by the Patent Office for long
time past, and the thief had gone unde-
tected. In public statement, Commits
sioner Allen said: can investigation was
made to determine who had taken these
funds, resulting in my being forced to
the conclusion by the character of the
evidence produced, that no others could
have done it, and that the Chief Clerk of
this office had taken them. l then rec
to the Secretary the dismissal
Of the Chief Clerk, and it was done"
The Chief Clerk was bonded for 5000
and the government will lose nothing by
his theft. Whether he will be criminally
prosecuted or not, has not been definitely
determined.
Chief Justice Cannot Attend