Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-04-06
NATIONAL CAPITAL TOPICS.
Knox Accepts Cabinet Position--civil Service
Presidents Western Trip.

Washington. April 5.-Thc President
made the first announcement that Ny.
Knox had accepted the post oc attor
ney general, today, to the cabinet. His
commission, which is dated. today. was
signed Immediately after the President
had informed his advisers Of their new
colleagues acceptance. Secretary Hay
submitted to the cabinet the Rus sian
communication referred TO in 4 pre-
ViOus dispatch, and the news Was &C
copted as an indication that tho n
sion in the Far East would De rciIcVec.
The ma jor portion OF the tin:e of the
meeting was consumed in a discussion
Of the Civil serS ice in the various do
PGrtmentS. The matter came up ape
pos of the Presidents conference with
members cf the Ciy!l Service Eeforll
League, yesterday. Each &c the Cabl-
net officers gave his cXpcri,nGe VITA
the law.
The secretary Of the treasury said
that the law gave satisfaction i'll hi
! department ana that il was being
! strictly complied with, although sCmc
] difficulty was experienced on account
Of the fact that under the law officers
selected for enc position could not per
! form duties Of other positions TIE
| trouble in the agricultural department
! is that there arc no eligibles for tc1h
cal work on the civil servoce commits
sion list.
Secretary Root reported that it was
! the intention OF the war department
| to place semi skilled laborerS at ARISEN
! ais and in the engineer department un-
/ der a registration system similar to
/ that now in vogue in the navy yards
| This was the original intention when
! the President took these men OF Whon
, there are several thousand from with
in the civil service rules. where they
had been placed by the blanket order
of President Cleveland but the inausu-
ration of the new system has been de
layed from one cause or another, I'M
| til the present time.
| In the other departments various
suggestions We're made looking to the
better enforcement of the spirit ana
letter of the law and each cabinet OIL
Ger will be expected to see that the
law is not abused in his department.
No new regulations or orders by he
commission are expected.
There was an informal discussion of
the report that Gov. Allen of Porto
Rico. is to resign upon his arrival here
but no one appeared to have any def
mite information rs to the governors
intentions, although the opinion seem
ed to be that his resignation would
cause no surprise.
An innovation looking to the comfort
OF letter carriers throughout the coun
try during the heat Of summer prOha-
bly, will be introduced. this year, by
Official permission to them to diveSt
their coats on their rounds when felt
necessary. 1t is expected that the post
master general in the near future will
issue an order formally granting au-
thOrity to postmasterS for this purpose
and modify the requirements so as to
allow the carriers to wear a suitable
gray blouse. with Turn down cola: and
a black tie.
| The division of in3ular affaireS, war
department. has received copies Of the
specifications and blue prints showing
the proposed Improvement of the port
of Manila, authorized by the Philippine
commission. The work includes about
10000 cubic yards rip rap. 2i.000 cubic
yards concrete and rubble masonry in
breakwaters, about 100000 cubic
yards of dredging and n pile bulkaead
1900 feet long. The dredging viii he in
mud. sand and shells 10 4 depth Of 20
feet. the dredced material to be urcd
for retaining lands.
Some idea OF the extent of cur pos tn!
operations in China is given in the fest
formal report. which has just reached
here from Supt. Robinson of the Unit
!, cd states military postal service in
china. 1t covers the period between
Sept. IS and Dec. /. 1903. The report
says that during the period covered
there were $22 .2l9 worth of money or
ders issued, but only two paid. these
aggregating sli5. Stamp sales age.rc-
gated So259 mostly at Pekn OF TIE
registered mail; so Givp2tchcd "a was