St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-08-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Especial Correspondence.l

West Indian campaign ueuals anu
bars has been completed the naval
board on awards is busy with the
"meritorious service" medals, Whlch
are intended to go to those officers VINO
rendered particularly telling services
IN the West Indian naval campaign.
Four persons have for some time been
decided upon for the meritorlous 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, ana
Lieutenant Victor Blue for his famous
work in connection with the location
of the Spanish feet in Santiago har-
Dor 1t is understood that meritorlous
service medals also are intended Tor
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 a ruling made by Sec
rotary Shaw, residents OF the United
States returning from abroad may
bring with them as personal baggage
up to the limit Of 500 in value any
article they choose without payment
of duty. This is 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
ticles and similar personal effects"
Secretary Shaw in his new ruling says
that the 500 worth need not be strict
ly confined to wearing apparel, articles
of personal adornment, toilet articles
and similar effects, but may include
any article intended for the personal
use Of the passenger.
NO more "LaDOFeFs las SAchAS'
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-
ton 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
ton in America occupied by negro
Always in the past the berth has beer
given to some retired English soldier
who has during the best part of his
life served the crown on battlefelds
This recommendation has in the pas
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 thu
safe delivery Of these messages to al
English vessel either at New York o.
some Canadian port.
War Records to Be Published.
, The war department has arranged
for the publication of the war record
of the conflict between this countr.
and Spain. The set of works, whicl
will be compiled from the document
in possession of the war department
! will embrace the military operation
in the Philippines since the close o
: the war with Spain and in China dur
ing the relief expedition to Picking
An officer has been selected for thi
work, and orders have been sent t.
Manila requiring that all records il
: the possession of the authorities Their
shall be forwarded to Washington.
= The Contract Labor Law.
Instructions for the strict enforce
l ment Of the alien contract labor Law
have been given by Commissioner Gen
eral Sargent to the immigration com
= missioners at all the ports of entr
= where immigrants land. From thi
time on few immigrants who come t
this country under specified or i'm
piled contract will remain, as the in
spectors are now keeping a vigilan
Il outlook for those who violate the law
I and if sufficient evidence can be sc
S cured they will be sent back.
e Railway Casualties.
: The interstate commerce commission
|. has issued a bulletin showing COLI
a sions and derailments Of trains an,
casualties to persons for the tire
months ending March 81, 1902. TIL
number Of persons killed in train acci
y dents was 212 and of injured oil
= Accidents of other kinds, including
: those sustained by employees while a
o work and by passengers in getting o.
g or off cars, bring the total number u
:, to 1888 killed and 9,95S injured.