Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-09-17
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

DafS mas peen competed lne IlNal
board on awards is busy with the
"meritorious service" medals, which
are intended to go to those officers who
rendered particularly telling services
in the West Indian naval campaign.
Four persons have for some time been
decided upon for the meritorious serv-
Ice medals. These are Captain Rich
mond Pearson Hobson for his well
known feat with the Merrimac, Lieu
tenants Ward and Buck for their peril
GUS secret mission into Spain, and
Lieutenant Victor Blue for his famous
work in connection with the location
of the Spanish fleet in Santiago har-
bor 1t is understood that meritorious
service medals also are intended for
the American officers and men who
rendered exceptional service in the res
cue of the drowning officers and men
of the defeated Spanish fleet at San
tiago
More Liberal to Travellers.
According to ruling made by Sec
retary Shaw, residents of the United
States returning from abroad may
bring with them as personal baggage
up to the limit of S100 in value any
article they choose without payment
of duty. This Is a more liberal con-
struction of the law than has hereto
fore been made. Mr.. Shaw insists only
that the examination of such baggage
at the port of New York and other
places shall be honest and thorough,
with the least possible annoyance to
the passengers.
The tariff law describes exemption of
500 as including wearing apparel ar
ticles of personal adornment toilet ar
tlcles and similar personal effects"
Secretary Shaw In his new ruling says
that the $100 worth need not be strict
ly confined to wearing apparel, articles
of personal adornment, toilet articles
and similar effects, but may include
use Of the passenger.
No More "Laborers" as Clerks.
By the time the politicians return to
Washington for the next meeting of
congress they will find that one of the
last remaining avenues by which clerks
have been Slipped into the government
service without regard to the civil
service examination has been block
AIDED. The heads of the various depart
ments are getting out regulations gov
erning the appointment to positions of
mere unskilled laborers and prohibit
ing such appointees from performing
clerical work.
One of the favorite lodges that have
been worked for years past to avoid
the civil service law has been to get
men appointed as laborers, this posi-
tion not being classified, and then have
them do the work of clerks, steadily
promoting them in salary.
A Negro Has the Job.
One of the most earnestly sought
messenger positions is that of the Brit
ish embassy, and it is now for the first
time in the history of the British lega
tion in America occupied by a negro.
Always in the past the berth has been
given to some retired English soldier
who has during the best part of his
life served the crown on battlefields.
This recommendation has in the past
been deemed necessary on account Of
the value of the messages transmitted.
All state papers, secret reports and pri-
vate documents are given to the mes
senger. He is held responsible for the
safe delivery of these messages to an
English vessel either at New York or
some Canadian port.
War Records to De Published.
Tho 1a,o nj hoe
for the publication of the war records
of the conflict between this country
and Spain. The set of works, which
will be compiled from the documents
in possession of the war department,
will embrace the military operations
in the Philippines since the close Of
the war with Spain and in China dur
ing the relief expedition to Peking.
An officer has been selected for this
work, and orders have been sent to
Manila requiring that all records in
the possession of the authorities there
lall be forwarded to Washington.
The Contract Labor Law.
Instructions for the strict enforce
ment of the alien contract labor law
lltiNt bCti SlNcll NY Ntll-
eral Sargent to the immigration COM
missioners at all the ports of entry
where immigrants land. From this
time on few immigrants who come to
this country under specified or i'm
| piled contract will remain, as the in
spectors are now keeping a vigiant
outlook for those who violate the law,
and if sufficient evidence can be Sc
cured they will be sent back.
Railway Casualties.
The interstate commerce commission
has issued a bulletin showing COLI
sions and derailments of trains and
casualties to persons for the three
months ending March 81, 1902. The
number of persons killed in train acci-
dents was 212 and of injured 2,111.
Accidents of other kinds, including
those sustained by employees while at
work and by passengers in getting on
or off cars, bring the total number up
| to 7S2 killed and q O5S in iurpd