The Lamar register., 1903-01-07
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

in possession of the complete notes OF
Great Britain and Germany, contain
ing the various reservations made by
these governments before the decision
was reached that the issues between
Venezuela and the European govern
ments having claims against her
should be referred to The Hague
tribunal for arbitration. The United
States has acted as an intermediary III
the steps leading to the acceptance or
arbitration now turns over 10 thel
Venezuelan government the iorniai
work of completing the basis for fuili
hearing before The Hague. The notes
were transmitted to the Venezuelan
government through United States
Minister Bowen at Caracas.
The Interior Department has an
nounced the abolition of the Office OF
superintendent of forest reserves Tor
wyoming and Colorado, and the SER
vice of Forest Superintendent &. W.
Garbutt OF Sheridan. Wyoming ceased
December 3lst. Following the poiicy
announced about a year ago by Secre-
tary Hitchcock. the Office of forest su-'
pcrintendcnt of the various reserves
has been abolished until, with the clos
ing of the Wyoming and Colorado OF
flee. but two remain, one in New MeNl-
co and one in California and these are.
to be abolished soon. The work per-.
formed by the superintendent is now
done by the supervisors. The Wyom-
ing delegation in Congress made an
earnest effort to have Mr.. Garbutt re-
tained but Secretary Hitchcock insist
ed that his plan of operating the Tor
estry service should prevail.
II has been semi-onicially announced
that Assistant Commissioner w A.
Richards will succeed Commissioner
Hermann of the general land Office
and that Mr.. Richards successor VIII
be John H. Fimple of Carrollton. Ohio
Assistant Commissioner Richards is
receiving "A large number of congratn-
latory kilograms from western sena-'
tors and members of Congress. He is
regarded as particularly well equipped
for the position as commissioner. nav
ing been connected with the public
land business since 1868. In this pc
rlod he has been county surveyor of
Santa Clara county. California; county
surveyor of El Paso county. Colorado,
and city engineer of Colorado Springs.
He surveyed the southern and west!
crn boundary of Wyoming, was sur
veyor general of Wyoming for four
years and governor of that state for
four years.
President Roosevelt's New Years
reception was one of the most brilliant
events in Washington's recent social
history All callers were afforded the
opportunity of greeting the President
and Mrs Roosevelt and exchanging
with them the compliments or the New
Year. No distinctions were made ex-
cept such as were rendered necessary
in preservation of order and the greet
ings extended to all-high and low;
rich and poor-were alike cordial anu
sincere The general public for the
first time had an opportunity to see the
widely heralded improvements in the
White ouse-improvements which.
when completed. will have cost about
$500 900. In addition to desire per-
sonally to wish the President and Mrs.
Roosevelt a happy new year. hundreds
were attracted by wish to see the
White House in its new and handsome
interior finish and furnishing. The
White House was first opened for a
New Years reception by President
John Adams and wife 1O2 years ago
In an address to the convention OF
scientists in session at Washington.
Ellis II. Roberts, treasurer or the Unit
ed States, said the United States at
the beginning of 1903 had an accumu-
lation of gold in its vaults the size of
which staggered the human mind to
realize. He called the United states
"the home of gold" and said: The,
stock of gold in the United States
shows for four years an annual aver
age gain of S1O7, ,7S3,639. In per capita
the stock of gold in this country is
greater than anywhere else except I'M
France and South Africa. The treas
ury of the United States holds $G15.OO0,-
900, and has gained $412 .45O,5G2 in hvel
years, while all the official banks of
Europe taken together in the samel
period lost $37477,102 Upon such
treasures our currency rests solid and
impregnable An attack on our re-
serves may be conceived. but 1t would
be to besiege Gibraltar with carbines.
The inflow of gold has, since July ].
1897, added an average of $78.238.5l2
every year to our circulation
The Senate committee on military
affairs has held up pending an inves-'
tigation all of the army nominations
sent in before the recess below thel
grade of major. The members of the
committee have received numerous
complaints about the method of seIec-
ton of officers under the reorganiZa-'
ton law 1t is asserted that great in
justice has been done to officers who
have served quite a long time. COM
plant has been made that the men
were selected from those who formerly
served as volunteers to fill original
vacancies. and that they became cap
tains as soon as they were appointed
Others appointed. it is alleged, wait
ed from four to seven months before
of their commissions. which
date from the time the appointment
was made, their rank being determined
hu the date of their commission. ThiSI