Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-30
WASHINGTON CHAT.
The President Saves Three
FiIipinos from Death.
Pacific Cable to Philippines to Be
Opened, July 4.
Distinguished Callers on the President,
Last Week.

| w lOIl, June Cd ne HTeSlueIlC
has pardoned three Filipinos. Pedro
Abad Santos was convicted before 4
military commission of violation of the
war and of murder and was sentenced
to be hanged, but the department COM
mander committed the sentence to
imprisonment at hard labor for
twenty-five years in the Preside de
Manila. Jose Athena and Felix
Athena were also convicted before a
military commission of murder and Of
being guerrillas and We're sentenced to
be hanged, but the sentence was COM
mutcd by the department commander
to Imprisonment for life in the Pre-
sidio de Manila.
| These pardons We're recommended
by Governor Taft, by the general COM
handing the division of the Philip
pines and by the Secretary Of War, for
the reason that the offenses grew out
of the Instruction, and We're COM
mitted during the insurrection, and be-
cause the amnesty proclamation of the
President, dated July 4, 1902 did not
cover the cases of these prisoners, be-
cause in the proclamation persons who
had been finally convicted of certain
crimes. including murder, before the
pi NcIc tNCtIbltu ITOIH the
operation of the amnesty These par
dons were issued through the Depart
ment of Justice.
President Roosevelt has received an
invitation from a committee of Elks
to attend the great reunion Of that
order at Baltimore, July 81 22and 80
The President said he was unable to
laccept the invitation. He had received
| hnr of inv ta to Of NO
Iduring the summer, he said, and had
been Obliged to decline them. If he
|should accept this one he would be
compelled to accept others and the
result would be that he could not stand
the physical strain necessary to full
fill the acce2tances. The committee
that extended the invitation was COM
posed of Representative c. r.
Schirm. Charles Snowden Watts, JACOB
Epstein and John 2. Nixon, accom-
panied by Representative Wachter
The delegation presented the matter to
the President in most earnest way
telling him Of the large crowds to be
present and the immense number Of
I1lks to attend from all parts Of the
country.
Ex-Governor Murray Crane Of
Massachusetts spent some time with the
President. last week. Ex-Governor
Crane was with the President at Pitts
field last August, when both We're
hurled from the carriage in which they
were riding by collision with street
car. The secret service officer with
them was killed.
| Assistant Secretary LOOMS Of the
State Department was in conference
with the President yesterday about
matters in the department, and
ESPECIALLY as to some appointments
that are to be announced. There are
two or three good vacancies to he filled
in the consular service. The best Of
these is the consulship Mt Manchester,
England, made vacant by the resig-
nation Of Consul Grinnel. an old and
faithful employe of the consular
sevvice, Another good place is Mt
Cartagena, Colombia made vacant by
the recent death of John c. Ingersoll,
and the consulship at Guadalupe,
on the island Of that name in the
, French West Indies, will also be
vacant, it Is thought
Seven or eight places ut the White
, House are to be filled by Secret Try
r Loeb within a short time. Cong. ess
lcreated the positions at its recent
? lsession to meet the additional require
lments of the enlarged building. Four
| of the places are ushers at 81 200 yeal
I leach. These ushers are to do duty at
!, the executive offices and will take the
;. places of the four policemen who have
been assigned to that work at the
offices. Two ushers will serve in eight
lhour shifts from o'clock in the morn
= ing until midnight. The regular force
of ushcrs will be maintained at the
main White House building. There
s has been n scramble for these places
i and Secretary Loeb has been giving
4 careful consideration to the many
n applications. There are two clerkships
r and two messenger places to be filed
= The clcrkships pay $1,000 each year
t and the messenger places 5000 each
n For these places also there are many
Il applications. The appropriation Is
= available beginning July ].
e Among the White House callers, las
= week. merely paying their respects. were
z General Harrison. former representa-
s tive in Congress from that state, and ]
O. Thompson, collector of internal reve'
# nue., and one of the referees of fedora
h appointment in the state. Genera
Harrison was a gold democrat in 1879,
and voluntarily retired because he coul,
not support the views of the prevailing
democracy. He Is an ardent CLEVELAND
. lman and when asked today what Were
), the views of the democrats of Alabam;
:. as to the presidential nominee OF TIL
- democratic party next year, he said
. THE democrats of Alabama will sup
port Il conservative man next year
Grover Cleveland has far more friend
among the people than the politician
are willing to admit. He is strong witt
them, and l do not hear so much amon
the people in the way OF objection to
sr third term for him. The democrat
Y.