Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-25

only. Last year Chinese documents
filled volume of 298 typewriter pages.
and the dispatches and notes sent to
the foreign office numbered 122, a four
fold increase. But the correspondence
represents but a small part of the work.
The Chinese secretary needs to read the
provincial and imperial edicts and the
vernacular press to keep acquainted
with the ever-changing conditions of
the vast empire.
Secretary Hay insists that the. con-
sular salaries in many cases be raised.
Sierra Leone he reports as most un-
healthful. The cost of living there is
also very high, although that seldom
troubles any one consul long. More
over, the cost of reaching the post must
be borne by the officer. since the Gov
ernment's allowance in transit at the
rate of the monthly salary for the
period is wholly insufficient. In the
interest of our trade with the west
coast of Africa the salary should be
made $1,000. We now pay $500 a year.
Sivas, Turkey, is described as a most
undesirab BILE place of residence, and
often one of discomfort and danger.
The increase proposed is from $500 to
$1,000. Suva, the capital of the Eli
Islands, which comprises a group of
more than two hundred islands at
present has a commercial agent COM
pensated by fees. 1t is recommended
that salary of $4,000 be provided for
this place, which will enable the Gov
eminent to send an energetic American
there. The present salary of $4,000 at
TamataVe. Madagascar is declared not
sufficient to pay living expenses. In
fact. a survey of recommendations re-
garding consular salaries and posts
occasions surprise that there are not
always CROUCH consulates to go around.
Even so important a post as that OF
minister to Korea, according to Hora &C
n. Allen, the present incumbent, has its
drawbacks. He recites in request for
better house which has found it's way
into the Book of Estimates that two of
ms predecessors. after suffering greatly
from malaria while residing in the house
now occupied died in America from ma
larla contracted in Korea. An official OF
the state Department, who spent ten days
IN the house last summer. is now lying
in a critical condition in Washington from
maiarial fever. which his physicians say
ne contracted in Korea. Every other
legation and consulate in Seoul is housed
IN a line structure. The German and Jap.
aneSe conSuldteS are in handsome brick
buildings that have cost not less than So,
V1O each. Our own legation" Mr. Aller
says is really a disgrace to the United
states. When L stand on the front step
my silk hat reaches to the caves" a com
forting assurance that our minister main
tainS the dignity of his office even if the
nation itself fails TO do so, For the
honor OF our country" he adds, "a suita.
Bile legation building should be erected
lnc present moment is
as capable American architects an6
builders happen now to be building raj
ace FOR the emperor and the best avail
able materials could be secured. Amer
cans are so mortified with their legation
IN Seoul that they would willingly dc
their best at most reasonable figures"
But the State Department has no mo-
nopoly en- odd expenditures and odd re
quests DR.. Robert NJ. O'Reilly. surgeon
general of the army. wants $123. 900 TO,
artificial limbs. This is less than las1
year. But he has the outlay figured TO q
nicely, saving that the small decrease il
the number of beneficiaries caused b,
death will be slightly more than Offset bS
claimants disabled during the Spanish.
American War and in the Philippines.
The head of the engineer corps wants
cations of the varying levels of the Great
Lakes, due to artificial and natural aecn.
cies. Quartermaster General Humphrey
asks for money enough to buy two acres
Porto Rico. 1t is also proposed to brine
| home the remains of civilian EMPLOYEES
of the army who die in Cuba, Porto Rico
tawal1 China. Alaska and the Philip.
pines. The salaries of superintendent o.
iational cemeteries are to remain at $61
ONO, as last year. No increase is asked
This is also true of the headstone item
which is allowed to stand at $4,000 ne,
annum. 1t is probable that no other corn.
try on earth spends as much for thi.
service of respect as the salary of its
| chief executive A sum equalling tho
original presidential salary is regularly
tons in Alaska. for the instruction OF
Alaskan natives in the care and mana Sc
ment of the reindeer, and for the into
duction of reindeer from Siberia.
Public Works show diversity almost
as notable. The Government appropriate &c
SS6G0 last year for the quarantine station
at Honolulu, but it needs $1,000 more tt
finish it. The breakwater at Key West
needs extending. The Butler Building in
this city requires an additional elevator at
cost of $1,000. Towns all the way from
Adrian to GAINESVILLE are having new pub
lie buildings. mostly post offices, fol
which continuing appropriations are nee
essary. 1t will take $1,000 to complete the
deck of the wharf at Tutulla in Samoa
and s3,000.m0 to continue the work at An
napoliS. now proceeding on 50 lavish Il
scale. Ethan Allen Hitchcock. who as
secretary of the interior has the Capitol
under Il certain charge, asks another hun
dred dollars this year for flags Tor the
east and west fronts of that majestic
building. He names $4,000 for refrige-
rating plant for the house wing. Aids
to navigation are widely scattered. with
repairs ana improvements continuous.
The Washington monument employs Il
staff of eleven men, with payroll OF
$1,000 per annum. The fuel and findings
to run the elevators cost half as much
more.
The Book of Estimates contains over
five hundred pages. The Pension Bureau
holds the record for compactness. ON a
single page it narrateS the items which
are consuming in the current tisca! year
$llG 000, 900, ana within the next, for which
appropriations are now sought, cat up
Sis 900, O00 OF thercabouts. This bill has
already passed the House after Il pro-
lunged debate on the Panama question.