The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-08-26


appoint board of army officers to in
vestigate and report upon the needs
for military purposes of the Fort Sill
reservation, Oklahoma Territory, with
a view of having the lands that are not
needed allotted to the Apache Indian
prisoners. These Indians desire to oc-
cupy the lands and cultivate them, and
officers of the army have recommended
that such a board be appointed.
The new tariff treaty that has been
signed by L. Il. Sharretts, United
States commissioner for tariff revision
in China, and by the representatives
of six other nations, changes the pres
ent ad valorem tariff of China to .spe-
cific rates. This is in accordance with
the protocol. The specific rate agreed
upon is based upon the average value
of products imported into China during
the past twenty years. Under the terms
of the protocol this change from ad va
loren TO specific rates does not need
the signature of China. The change
will no doubt make some slight differ
ence in the rates of duty, but is not re-
garded as n revision of the tariff to
any general extent. 1t is expected that
in a commercial treaty the tariff will
be changed to a considerable extent.
The commissioners on the part of the
United States to negotiate this treaty
are Minister Conger Consul General
Goodnow at Shanghai and Mr.. Feely.
The treaty which they negotiate. it is
expected, will be completed within n
short time.
The repairs to the White House are
rapidly nearing completion and will be
finished long before the President is
ready to bring his family back to
Washington. OF the old White House
nothing will be left but the outside
walls and these will not be changed
in the least. A few rods from the
White House. within the grounds, the
work of erecting an office building for
the President is being rapidly pushed
along and will be completed by the
time the President returns to take up
his official life in Washington. The
walls of the new building are nearly
completed and it does not compare well
with the White House, or the state,
war and navy building. between which
1t is situated. The structure Is low and
built of red brick and its appearance
is not prepossesslng. Many changes
have been made in the interior of the
White House and the removal of the
business offices will give plenty of
room for social functions. President
Roosevelt and his family intend that
the short session of Congress shall be
marked by fully as much social life
as ever characterized season at the
national capital.
Advocates of the metric system in
the United States see in the action of
the colonial conference in favor of
use of the metric system
the early adoption of that system by
the United States. While 1t may be
true that the action of the colonial con-
ference does not apply to Great Britain
proper, Its sentimental influence will
be very great indeed. With the British
Parliament strongly in favor of the
metric system and 259 of its members
on record in favor of 1t.
there is little doubt in the minds of the
American eNponcnts of this modern
system that its worldwide adoption is
at hand. Forty-three countries
of the world. including France, Russia
and Germany, and n host of lesser ma
tions. now use the metric system. The
British empire is half committed and
the United States is on the threshold.
In Congress there is n bill favorably re-
ported and on the House calendar for
and advanced thinkers in every bust
ness and profession in this country
have indorsed the proposition to
change the weights and measures of
the United States to conform with the
French standard.
An order has been issued at the War
directing the mobilization
of n mixed division of regulars and
militia, on the large reservation at
Fort Riley, Kansas. The regular
troops to participate in the maneuvers
the following: First battal-
ion of engineers; headquarters band,
first and second squadrons. Fourth cav
airy; third squadron, Eighth cavalry;
sixth, seventh. nineteenth. twentieth
and twenty eighth batteries field artil-
lery; headquarters band and twelve
companies, Sixth United States infant
ry; headquarters band and twelve
companies Twenty second United
States infantry; headquarters band
and Eighteenth United States infantry,
except company l.; detachment of the
signal corps; detachment of the hospi
tai corps. The states We're all invited
to send troops. OF these Arkansas will
send one battalion of infantry; Kansas
two regiments of infantry and two bat
teries of field artillery; and Nebraska
two regiments of infantry. A number
of governors of states have signitied
their intention to send officers to wit
ness the maneuvers. The date of the
review has not been determined def
nitely. The regular contingent of ,ne
division will go into camp at Fort Ri
ley September Goth and will be fol
lowed by the state organizations Sep
tember 29th. 1t is intended to continue
joint maneuyers for ten days after the
division is organized. In order not to
interfere with the current work of the
various department headquarters,
special division staff has been detailed
to report to Maj. Gen. John c. Bates