Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-08-28
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, d. O., August 70.

tary of State Loomis that he has repeat
ed his representations to the Turkish for
eign Office in regard to the murder OF
Vice Consul Magelssen and has been as
sured by the Turkish Minister for For
eign Affairs that the case will receive
immediate attention. Mr.. Leishman
adds in his dispatch, which consists OF
several hundred words, that troubles IN
Macedonia are becoming more serious
and more extended every day. Leish-
man states that the Turkish government
still depreciates the seriousness OF the
affair and is still inclined to doubt the
truth of the reported mIrder.
Orders have been sent to the Machias,
now at Genoa, to proceed at once to Port
Said. coal there. and await orders. This
means that the Brooklyn and San Fran
cisco will proceed to Beirut without
waiting for the slow steaming Machias.
The Brooklyn and San Francisco should
arrive not later than Thursday evening.
Some comment il heard this morning
over the unusual action of the President
who instead of first consulting the State
Department and then waiting for it to
act issued orders direct to the navy,
practically sending Admiral Cotton to
Beirut. The usual courseis for the State
Department to make representations to
the navy and a request for protection.
The navy then devises ways and means,
decides whether a single ship or a squad
ron shall be sent. In this case the
President brushed aside all redtape in
each department. At the State De-
partment there is a conservative sentl-
ment developing. 1t is felt there that
should it be shown the death OF
Afsrgelsaen nqcp-ved through a per
sonal encounter with a highway
man, or a private enemy, this gov
eminent could not reasonably ask for
redress unless Turkey failed to employ
due diligence in apprehending the
murderer, or prior to that had not
afforded reasonable police protection to
foreigners. Should itprove that Magels-
sen met death in a common fight the
presence of an American feet at Beirut
with its implied menace against Turkey
would at the mildest become an en-
barrassing circumstance and one which
might call for explanations from this
government Accordingly there is some
regret felt in the department that Roose-
welt should have acted before all the re-
sources of diplomacy had failed at Con-
stantinople.
Financial experts here regard Secre-
tary Shaw's announcement of the ac-
emulation of fund of $40, 900, 900 for
the express purpose of relieving any
strain that may come upon the money
market during the crop moving season,
as one of the most important that has
emanated from the Treasury Department
for many years. The action of the sec
retary is regarded by them as a most
wise and prudent move which will en-
sure reasonable money rates throughout
the fall. Treasury officials deny the
statement that this forty million dollar
fund is part of the money that was to be
used in payment for the Panama canal
Promptly at o clock yesterday after
noon all the employees in thegovernment
printing office appeared before notary
in the building and took the oath of al
legiance to the United States. Owing
to the number of persons to be sworn in
the task will not be completed for two or
three days. The order compelling the
employes to take the oath was made by
Public Printer Palmer. All Of the
members of the Bookbinders' Union are
compelled to take an oath of tealty to
the union, but at the present time none
of the employees, except some OF the i'm
portant heads of bureaus, had been
compelled to take the oath of Office. The
condition thus established was that the
men we're sworn to obey the union rules,
but not those of the government. The
new order is intended to establish the
fact that the laws of the government are
superior to those of the unions. 1t is
learned that similar action to that in the
navy yard, and, in fact, in every branch
of the government service where there
are per diem mon who have never sworn
allegiance to the constitution and laws of
the United States. w. A. Miller was
among the first to whom Capt. Brian adj
ministered the oath. The majority Of
the arbitration committee have done like
wise. There is no doubt that the order
has caused considerable thought among
the union men. The sentiment freely
expressed yesterday was that the book
binders cause is dead. 1t was announc-
ed at the Office that there were no de-
yelopments in the Miller controversy.
1t is learned at the State Department that
the press dispatches are correct which said
that Minister Conger had been instructed not
10 consent to the surrender of the six Chinese
reformers arrested at Shanghai about month
ago and later taken under the protection OF
the foreign diplomates. He was also told to
insist upon their trial by the mixed court of
the Taotai, this being the original agreement.
between the diplomates and the Chinese gov
eminent. The British government has taken
an identical attitude.
The commandant of the Brooklyn navy yard
today reported to acting Secretary Darling OF
the navy that be had found the hull OF the
Massachusetts, damaged to the extent OF
S42. 900. The required repairs will occupy
seventy days. The extent Of the injury Is be-
low the expectations Of the Navy Department.
The Massachusetts, was damaged by running
onto q rock in the fog as she was leaving Bar
Harhor for the naval review et Oyster Bay,