Evening star., 1901-04-09
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Chinese Indemnity Considered by the
Cabinet.
AMOUNT SOFAR ASKED is S40O, 100000
No Official information of PIatt
Amendments Rejection.
MR.. KNOX SWORN IN

The cabinet did not hold long aession
| today. and considerable of the lime was
taken in the greetings to Mr.. Knox, the
| new Attorney General, who created a most
favorable impression among his fellow-cab-
! met officials.
The most important matter discussed was
| the question of the indemnity to be paid
| by China to the civilized nations for the
| recent disturbances to the peace. This gov
| ernment is represented as not being pleased
with the high figures piled up for poor cid
| China to pay. The indemnities SO far asked
| aggregate nearly $4O0,0 10000. This is con-
| sidered exorbitant The amount the United
| States will ask has not been definitely de-
! cided, and will be held open to be adjusted
| largely according TO the sums the ether
| powers succeed in establishing fair claim to-
| Our Probable Claim.
| Secretary Hay is now of the belief that
| this country ought to get about So, 600, coo,
| which is proportionately much smaller
| than the other demands. This country will
| probably not trouble itself to enter into any
| extensive correspondence protesting against
| plucking China, but Secretary Hay will be
| instructed to represent that this country
| does not believe that China will he able to
| pay all that is asked of her In cact, such
! representations have already been made
| when occasion arose.
| This government feels that China is being
| charged too much for her indiscretonS and
| will not engage In what to some diplomats
| has the appearance of hold-up game of a
| weak party. Whether any of the other ma
| tions believe as this country is not stated.
| No Official Information.
Secretary Root told the President and
! cabinet that he had received no official in
| formation of the rejection of the Platt
| amendment by the Cuban constitutional
| convention. 1t was considered as somewhat
curious that if such important action has
| been taken the facts have not been wired
| here by Gov. Gen. Wood. The War Depart
! ment will probably ask for a statement Of
| the matter.
The cabinet agreed to assemble at the
! White House at o'clock to go with the
| nected with the unveiling Of the statue to
| Gen. Logan.
Mr.. Philnnder c, Knox Sworn In
Philander c. Knox, who succeeds John
| w. Griggs as Attorney General, was sworn
! in at the White House at 1890 o'clock this
morning. Mr.. Knox reached Washington
| this morning from Pittsburg, accompanied
| by his son, Philander Knox, jr.,' and they
went to the Shoreham Hotel. Mr.. Knox
was accompanied to the White House by
| c. O.. L. Cooper, private secretary to the
retiring Attorney General. The oath Of
| office was administered in the cabinet room
| by Justice Shiras of the United States Su-
preme Court, an old friend, and those pres
ent Were the President and young Phil
Knox. The new Attorney General talked
with the President until the cabinet met
at IL o'clock, when he was presented to
the members by the President. He took
his seat at the cabinet table and had a
modest part in the discussion of national
affairs that followed.
Mr.. Knox did not go to the Department
q q al h,,t Ia1
the ceremonies at the unveiling of the Lo-
gan statue. He will make his first visit to
the department over which he is to preside
tomorrow morning, when he will be pre-
sented to the officials of his department
Mr. Knox will then get down to the active
work of his office.
Mr.. Knox will remain at the Shoreham
until his family returns from California,
and may not engage house in Washington
until next winter.
Mr.. Knox has not determined upon any
changes In the department. Mr.. Cooper
| has been highly recommended to him for
private secretary, and the opinion pre-
walls that Mr. Cooper will be retained be-
cause of his valuable experience and wide
acquaintance with men and affairs. Mr.
Cooper is slowly recoxAring from a serious
illness, and is not vet in condition for
arduous work. He was regarded by At
torney General Griggs as an able efficient
man, whose services to the government
ere<invaluable.
Gov. Allen Visits the President
Governor Allen Of Porto Rico was with the
President for short time today discussing
the administration of affairs in the is
land Governor Allen knows nothing about
the alleged petition from 5000 workinsmen
in Porto Rico. which, it is said, Santiago Igle-
sias, a member OF the Federation of Labor
| Is bringing 70 Washington for presentation
to the President Governor Allen says that
the reports that people are starving in the
island because they cannot get work to
buy food cannot be substantiated The
government has already distributed over
m,i1n WorHnrs and abe quarter rase in wages
army has distributed many hundreds of
| thousands of rations. In a population
where so many decline to work except
from direst necessity, Governor Allen saws
1t is comparatively easy to secure sigma
lures to petitions of any character He is
inclined to attribute the present agitation
| is disappointed applicant for office With
regard to the San Juan dispatches that
appeared In the press this morning de-
scribing the municipal treasures in the
the treasures Of the cities and towns
OF the island were very low, but this was
due to the lack Of an adequate system of
municipal taxation. The Hollander tay
would replenish the municipal treasures,
Governor Allen will remain in Washing
ton IOr ABOUT week or ten DAYS longer
before going to New England
Naval observatory Visitors.
Secretary Long presented to the Presi-
dent the members Of the board Of visitors to
the naval observatory. The board will todav
begin session Of several days, its work
being to investigate the affairs of the OBJ
servatory. to test the instruments, etc,
Those introduced to the President were
Prof. E. c. Pickering of Harvard College,
President Harper of the Chicago Univer-
sfty, Prof. Asaph Hail., jr., of the Univer-
sity of Michigan. Prof. C. A. Young of
Princeton, Prof. Chandler of Columbia and
Prof Ormond Stone Of the University of
Virginia.
The President shook hands before the
cabinet met with party of thirty-two
Canadians. who have been visiting in the
city several days.
District Patents Issued.
Patents were granted to inventors in the
District of Columbia today as follows:
Robert G. Callum, temperature alarm and