Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-11-11


dispatch makes no specific acknowleg-
ment of the instructions sent from here
several days ago.
Senator Spooner was at the State
Department today in consultation with
Assistant Secretary of State LOOMS re-
garding the progress of affairs on the
Isthmus of Panama. The State De-
partment ridicules the report that
Colombian troops will endeavor to march
from the Bogota district to the isthmus.
Nothine further has been received by
either the State or Navy Departments
regarding the report that Colombian
troops are gathering at Buena Ventura
on the Pacific coast preparatory to en-
barking on two British merchantmen for
the isthmus.
According to the annual report of the
adjutant general Of the army made pub
lie today, the present strength of the
land forces of the United States is 1851
officers and 63, 757 enlisted men. Of
these l6, 346 are now in the Philippines,
AZ. 6sS in continental United States and
the remainder distributed in Porto Rico,
Hawaii, China and Alaska. The lega-
ton guard at Pekin consists of 4 officers
and l52 enlisted men. During the year
the number killed in action and died OF
wounds or disease, etc., was 20 oiflcers
and 837 enlisted men. The most start
ling figures presented are those relating
to desertion They show that 1904 en-
listed men deserted, or nearly. III per
cent. of the entire strength of The army
The number discharged for disability,
by sentence of court martial and by or
der was 9, 79l. The total number ofen-
listments during the year was IL, 29l.
OF these Is, 537 were native born, 2,7S7
of foreign birth and II born in Porto
Rico; II, 469 were white, 1913 colored,
II Indians and II Porto Ricans. The
total number of the organized militia
was ascertained to be 1l6, 542.
Ambassador Tower at Berlin has
cabled the State Department saying that
the German Foreign Office says there is
no truth in the report that Germany Is
TO interfere on the lsInn'us.
In the executive session of the Senate
this afternoon the injunction OF secrecy
was removed from the Cuban reciprocity
treaty and the amendments thereto
adopted last session. No objection was
raised by either the Louisiana cane sugar
representatives nor by the representatives,
of the beet sugar industry to the publ
cation of the amended treaty. The
nominations sent in by the President
Yesterday were referred to the aPPro-
pirate committees.
Mr.. Bunan- Varilla, representative OF
the de facto government of Panama, has
returned to Washington from New York
and will have a conference tn is afternoon
with Secretary Hay. He stated that he
wished to correct an erroneous impression
concerning the three Panama commits
sioners who are on their way 10 this
country to be present in Washington
during the negotiations OF the canal
treaty. "They will negotiate the treaty,
said Varilla. | will negotiate the treaty.
The first gun in the agitation to abol-
ish the fifteenth amendment to the con-
misunderstanding the franchise ire
spective of race, color, or previous con-
dition of servitude-was fred in the
House today. Mr.. Kitchin, democrat,
Of North Carolina, introduced a resolu-
ton providing for its repeal. He also
offered an amendment to the constitution
prohibiting the appropriation of money
for religious purposes, and another pro-
viding that direct taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States according
to the valuation of their real and per
sonal property. Mr.. Sims, of Tennes-
see, introduced a bill to repeal the
bankruptcy act.
A question of jurisdiction has to be
decided by the Senate. Three commit
tees are claiming control Of the Cuban
reciprocity bill when it comes over from
the House. They are the committee Oh
foreign relations, the committee on
finance, and the committee on Cuba. So
far the honOrs are with the committee
on foreign relations of which Senator
Cullom is chairman. The Presidents
message on the subject was referred to it
yesterday.
The Navy Department is informed
that the Baltimore sailed from Puerto
Plata for the ports of Macoris and San
Domingo in Santo Domingo. She is to
investigate reported violations of Ameri-
can property rights there and to prevent
their recurrence.
The three naval cadets who were re-
Gently found guilty of hazing and dis
missed from the academy, Lohand Chat
fee and Little, are in town and with in
fluential Congressman are seeking par
don of the President and reinstatement
The findings of the court have been ap-
proved by Secretary Moody and presum-
ably will DE by the President. Since
the law forbids reappointment in such
cases, there is some question whether
the President can interfere.
This was the first day of the introduction Of
bills in the Senate. Mr.. Lodge presented bills
to prevent the immigration Of aliens who can
not read, and to put hides on the free list.
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