Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-02-10
FROM WASHINGTON.

Correspondence OF tne AleAanurld OdLetle.J
Discussions of possible changes in the
Presidents Cabinet now give rise to a
renewal of the statements made last fall
that Secretary Root is to resign this
spring or early in the summer. 1t has
been known for many months that the
head of the War Department has been
anxious to return to the practice OF law
in New York. Just when he will sever
his connection with the administration
is not settled, but it is probable that he
will leave as soon as Governor Taft can
be spared from the Philippines. The
latter is tentative successor to Secretary
Root and the appointment has been dis
cussed by the President, but 1t Is not
known here whether he would prefer a
portfolio to seat on the Supreme Court
bench. an offer which he declined some
time ago because he believed that he
could not be spared from his present
work.
The State Department this morning
received cablegram announcing the
death at Genoa of Hubbard I. Smith,
acting vice consul at Cairo, Egypt, of a
complication of Bright's disease and
heart trouble. Mr.. Smith had been i'll
for several months. He was native Of
Indiana and had been in the govern
ment service since 1876. He acquired
some note as a writer of songs, among
which were 'Listen to My Tale of
Woe" and Swinging in the Grapevine
Swing"
Last night at the White House there
was a special conference of House lead
ers called by the President to consider
antitrust legislation. As result of this
conference it is expected that the Elk
ms bill, prohibiting carriers from giving
rebates, which has already passed the
Senate, will be put through the House
The opposition to the Littlefeld bill in
the Senate, and the certainty that it
would provoke long debate, makes it de-
sirable to have the Elkins bill adopted.
With that and the Department of Com
MERGE bill laws, the whole subject
covered by the Littlefeld bill will then
have been printed on the statute books.
Gradually the truth is becoming known
about the alleged attempt of the Stan
dard Oil Company to prevent the enac-
ton of certain features of the proposed
antitrust legislation. 1t isnow thought
that the original story was exaggerated
The facts so far as they have come to
light are that officials of the Standard
Oil Company objected to that part of the
amendment to the department of CON-
merce bill which would compel them to
make public details of their foreign
trade. They believed that such publ
cation would give the Russian rivals I'M
due advantage. Messages were sent to
nine influential senators. These mes
sages were, however, not the imperative
demands for the defeat of the proposed
legislation that they have been reported
to have been. Instead, they were mere
" statement of objection, and re-
quest to be heard in behalf of a modifl-
cation of the original section. Similar
messages for and against all kinds Of
legislation are received each day by Sen
atOrs and are considered perfectly legiti-
mate expressions of opinion.
Negotiations are progressing slowly
in the Venezuelan affair. Both Great
Britain and Germany have presented
tentative drafts of the proposed protocol
to Minister Bowen, and this morning
the Venezuelan representative had a long
conference at his hotel with Signor
Mayor DIES Planches regarding the par
ticular terms which Italy desires to have
incorporated in her agreement. Minister
Bowen remains firm in his attitude against
the injection of new matter into the con-
yentions, wherein Venezuela would
suffer any humiliation or wherein one
power would obtain any material advant-
age over another. Each power seems to
be playing for just such an advantage
Were it not for this, the protocols would
have been signed some days ago.
Baron Won Sternburg and Ambassador
Mayor des Planches called upon Minis
ter Bowen this morning and each dis
cussed some of the terms of his protocol
not yet presented to the Venezuelan en-
voy Nothing decisive was done and 1t
now looks as if week or ten days