The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-04-25
v ASnINCTON LETTER.


another two months before they are
Since General Payne re-
turned to Washington there has been
considerable decrease in the news OBJ
tainabie by the newspapers and wheh
YOUR correspondent asked the Post
master General if he could not ar
range to give out "A few news items
daily, Mr.. Payne replied laeonically,
uWould YOU have me bell the cat?
"Mr. Payne is most courteous to the
newspaper men and receives them
daily at .. IN. He appears TO have
become accustomed to the cross ques-
tioning to which the twenty or thirty
correspondments submit him ard
seems 10 enjoy what he calls his
'pfess receptions" 1t is eVideLt
that, regardless of irregularities ana
such rascalty as may have been prac-
ticed in the past, there will be gem
eral re organization of the system.
The Postmaster General IL authority
for the statement that when this IL
completed it will tie impossible Tor one
official to MAKE allowances and then
pass upon the expenditures therefor
and sign the vouchers. As no gener-
al re- organization has taken place
since Mr. Wanamal<er was Postmaster
General and the gross receipts in the
interval have increased from 500, 900,
900 to ollO,OO0,OOO annually, the ne
cesslty for an overhauling is but nat
ural.
The Northern Securities decision
continues TO occupy the attention OF
the tuanceers and OF the legal lights
in Washington and several New York
attorney have come to Washington to
ascertain If there was no means by
which relief could be obtained from
the degree of the Court OF Appeals,
Tie Attorney General very wisely
left town soon afler the decision was
announced aud his exact Whereabouts
is not knO n. IL was rumored that
he had gone west to consult the Presi-
dent but that has been denied and it
is now believed his western trip il in
connection with the Beet Trust.
Meanwhile, the capitalists of the east
are crying OCT against the Sherman
anti trust law, which they formerly
regarded with scoru, and their news
paper organs are loudly demanding
It's repeal or at least its amendment 70
that its provisions shall not apply to
railroads,
The members of the Financial Com
mission, winch k chllgrd with tn,
uuvy OF meeting representatives. 81
foreign powers and adjusting the
ratio of silver to gold, have had 4
conference in Washington aud have
consulted Secretaries Hay, Root, ano
Shaw. The members of the Commits
sion will visit London, Paris, Berlin
St, Petersburg, Picking and the City
OF Mexico to confer with the official,
affecting an international agreement
II possible, for the maintainance o
silver ~ ratio, yet 10 be determined
bat presumably in the neighborhoot
of 81 to The commissioners conf
IDENTIFY believe that the Joint .teresti
of nations having silver using colon
les will prove sufficient to enable then
to accomplish this important work
| OF the North Atlantic fleet of sever
battleships, which, at the conclusion
OF the winter manueuyres, was pro
nounced the most efficient squadron
| that ever sailed under the flag of tn,
United States, two are badly disable,
rs n result of target practice and Thu
result Is the occasion of the graves
| anxiety on the part of naval officials
The gun which exploded on the low
had been fired but l27 times and We
II would appear from the reports thu
tar received that ii was worn out. |
the life OF the great guns is TO be n
short as that 1t means 4 fearful expens,
IN their maintenance and ii means to,
/ that many of the guns now in use ar,
! unsafe and Il menace 10 the men be
hind them, II all the guns which hay,
| been fired that number OF times mus
he replaced it will present most din
cult problem as the capacity Of tn,
! government gun factories is now owe
taxed, all are working three shifts o
| men and eVed at that, IT is feared tina
] the armment for the vessels now un
der construction cannot be complete,
in time. The wrenching of the Main,
| by the explosion of her big guns alsl
raises serious apprehension and it i
probable thorough investigation an,
overhauling will ne ordered wnen tn,
President returns to Washington.
! The imports into the United State
exceeded $1,000. 600 geo in the yea
! ending with March 1909. This ia tn,
first time inthe history of our foriegl
commerce that they have exceede,
that amount Prior To 1870 they neve
reached one half billion dollars in
single year and it was not until lsq
/ that they reached $4,000 900. Mean
while, exports have grown with eaua