Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-02-13
CAPITAL Chat,

Government receipts, Wednesday: From
internal revenue. 1854. 119; customs, 81
46i miscellaneous. $685. .4S9. Expenditures,
81, ,9S 900.
President Roosevelt has been invited to
visit Johnson City, Tenn, this spring. to
take part in the formal laying of the cor
ner stone OF the first building to be erect
ed for the Southern Branch National Sol
diers' Home.
An engineer member of the isthmia n
canal commission. George S. Moreson.
testified, Wednesday. in favor of the PAN
anna route before the inter-oeeanic canal
commission of the Senate. He EXPRESSED
a preference for the Panama route
The Egyptian postal administration has
advised this government that post Offices
for the receipt and dispatch of registered
mails have been established at khar-
tounl. Fashoda and 25 other placesi the
United states have been instructed TO be
prepared to receive and register mails
to and from these places.
A definite understanding has been
reached by the river and harbor commit
tee that the river ana harbor bill now
approaching completion shal! BE- kept
down to about s60.000.nOO the amount car
ried by the measure framed and defeated
last year. The committee Is working dai-
Is but the decisions on specific items are
all tentative and open TO revision.
A brief submitted by American beet SUI
gar interests and endorsed by cane sugar
interests was presented 10 the ways and
means committee, Wednesday, by Chair
man Payne. 1t asserts that the hearings
have shown sugar is now being made in
Cuba at profit ana ask that a commit
tee go to Cuba to investigate. No fur
ther action of Cuban reciprocity was
taken by the ways and means committee.
The post office appropriation bill has
been practically completed by the House.
committee on post offices and post roads
and will be reDorted in Il few days. il
carries $l31.9l6,S9s, an increase Of N4.1S :
80 over the current appropriation and OF
~, 1902 oyer the estimates. There is no
provision for pneumatic tube service, THAI
subject being covered in separate bill
For increase OF salaries of post Office
clerks $Sll,00 is allowed and 500 900 for
increase in salaries of railway mail en-
ployes.
merce has adopted resolutions opposing
the restriction of Chinese immigration.
Immigration, as proposed in the bills now
before Congress. The resolutions set
forth THAT the trade OF Portland with the
Chinese empire is of great and increasing
importanee and for the proper conserving
I of promotion Of this trade it Is OF the
utmost Importance that all facilities OF
commerce and the courtesy dle to /,
friendly nation be extended, particularly
| to that class OF the Chinese empire which.
| operates. controls and has in itself the
means and power of fIrthering this trade.
7 In its consideration Of plans for better
! preparing The navy to meet the cOntin :
| sency of war, the naval general board.
the most comprehensive advisory com
mittee ever maintained III time Of peace,
| has arranged n schedule for the more
| active employment OF the north Atlantic
squadron. This contemplates shore and
| sea drills off the New England coast in
tsummer and in the West Indies in win
| ter. and the board suggests to the sec
| retary Of the navy that he ask Congress
| to appropriate $4,000 for the purpose.
| to be used this year. No special appro-
priation for such manoeuyreS has ever
! been made or asked for. The board has
| under consideration a plan for the reor-
| ganiZation OF the navy which contem-
| plates the formation OF q general stafr,
thaving practical military control.