Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-12-13
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.

4
community has again appealed to Secre-
tary Shaw for relief. Secretary Shaw's
response is that he can do nothing moie
to aid the situation. His position is that
the banks and speculative element iii
Wall street are alone responsible for the
present tightness in the market and that
the Treasury has no interest in helping
them out of the hole in which they heye
placed themselves. He says that there
is money enough for the legitimate de-
mands of commerce, and if there is not
sufficient to also supply spectators then
the latter must suffer for time. Treas
ury officials believe that if extended
liquidation is forced as result of present
conditions it would be in the end advan-
tageous the the financial interests Of the
country. In the meantime the state
ment is made in an authoritative quarter
that no matter what happens in Wall
Street the treasury will not consider 1t
as any of its business, and will do moth
| ing. 1t is pointed out that even were
there disposition, which there is not,
to come to the relief of the situation
the Treasury is helpless to do so. All
the usual methods of relief resorted to in
such emergencies were exhausted in Octo-
Der when high money rates were caused
by the heavy demand on New York for
funds with which to move the crops. The
Departments was then in funds and
Secretary Shaw paid them out with lib
erality. He bought bonds, increased
the deposit of government money in the
banks, anticipated interest payments
and stretched the law, in the opinion of
some people, by waving the necessity
for reserve on certain funds and by ac-
cepting other than government bonds as
security for government deposits.
President Roosevelt today promised
Elk. Governor Francis, of Missouri, presi-
dent of the Louisiana Purchase EXPOSE
ton Company, and Ex-senator Carter,
chairman of the national board of COM
missioners for the exposition, that he
would be present at the formal dedica-
ton of the big fair on April 80 next.
A beautifully embossed card enclosed
in seal-skin album, indicating Presi-
dent Roosevelt's honorary membership
in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men, was presented to him at the White
House today by John j. HannahaD,
Grand Master, and other officials of the
order, who came from Peoria, ILL.,, for
that purpose.
Business before Congress is being
rushed. Before the adjournment next
Saturday the House will have disposed
of the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill, which is the greatest
departmental salary bill, carrying nearly
$27, 900, 600. The bill authorizes the
Secretary of Agriculture to proceed as
desired against the foot and mouth dis
ease raging among the cattle of four of
the New England States; and he
Indian appropriation bill. The pure
food bill is on the calendar as a continu
ing special order to fill in at odd times
Committees will be continued to grind
away at the antitrust bill, the Depart
ment of Commerce bill, the gold standard
bill for the Philippines, the bill for the
from the Philippines, and others of
prime importance. Venezuelan matters
may be taken up by the COMMITTEES on
foreign affairs. On Tuesday evening
there will bea conference OF the republic
cans relative to needed currency legis-
lation.
Although there is suspicion that
Castro's offer to arbitrate the differences
between Venezuela and Germany and
Great Britain may be for the purpose of
obtaining a stay of proceeding, in which
he can better prepare for struggle with
his enemies both foreign and domestic,
the proposition must be accepted,
obstensibly at least in good faith by the
State Department. As matter Of fact
it is 80 accepted and it has partially re-
stored Castro in the esteem of the officials
here particularly as 1t follows so closely
upon the destruction by the Germans of
the large part of the Venezuelan navy.
That act met with unexpressed but
severe disapproval Of the State Depart
ment where it was promptly pointed out
that such a step was not contemplated
in the representations made by Germany
to this government year ago nor does
the correspondence show any hint OF
such intention. Accordingly there is
possibility of intervention by this country
which has not hitherto appeared. 1t
now seems impossible that this country
should escape all degree of interest and
even responsibility in the condition af-
fairs have now assumed, although it is
made to appear here that the United
States is to remain neutral and that no
apprehension is felt.
The House committee on appropria-
tons today ordered favorable report on
general deficiency bill, appropriating
$500, 900 for the use of the Department
of Agriculture in stamping out the foot
and mouth disease in the New England
States; $500, 200 for pay of rural de-
livery letter carriers; s25, 600 for letter
boxes and incidentals for rural routes;
$50, 900 for rent of first, second, and
third class postoffices; $40, 600 to enable
the Postoffice Department to hire sub
stitutes for injured railway postal clerks,
etc.
Alvin Smith, United States consul at
Port of Spain, Trinidad, cables the De-
partment of State that the Venezuelan
legation there has been closed. The
importance of the dispatch lies in the
indication that Venezuela has broken off
diplomatic relations with Great Britain.
Hearings on the trust question were
begun this morning before sub-com-
mittee Of five of the House committee on
the judiciary. Several Congressman
with bills on the subject were present