The Press., 1903-05-21

posed combine were effected. The object of the railroads Is alleged, to be the pro- teetion of the extensive beet sugar inter- ests along their lines.
 Advices from Havana are to the effect | that there Is considerable reluctance on the part of leading Cuban senators to rat fly the treaty providing for naval stations fer the United States on the Cuban soil. This reluctance, 1t Is claimed, is largely based upon the delay on the part of the United States to put into effect the reef. procity treaty with Cuba. Some senators frankly say that when accepted the Platt amendment they fully expected that reel pfocity between Cuba and the United States would immediately follow.
 F General Miles has to-day made public 8 letter protesting against the treatment of his Philippine report. The general claims that, while all that he wrote iD the form of 8 report was given to the press, the oc- caslon for his charges of cruelty and vio- lation of the laws of civilized warfare was withheld. In this connection he states that, In view of certain recommendations he had occasion to make to the secretary Of war, the latter challenged him to prove that such violations as he alleged had taken place, and he was, therefore, con- pelled to ascertain and report the facts stated in his recent report. The general fu h1ey +o fhon Rxn feels has been subjected to suspicion by the withholding of the cause for his de- tailed report.
 The greatest relief at the approach ina 3a retirement of General Miles is man. ifested at the war department, and, without waiting for that event to actually occur, his aides are being assigned to to other duty. The most conspicuous sslsat placed on the general, perhaps in tn eptre history of his military career, way me omission of his name from the list of guests invited to dinner given to all the prominent army officers in Wash ington by Secretary Root on May 15. The same officers will be entertained at dinner this week by General Gillepsie and next week by General Corbin, but 1t is probable that in no instance will Gen. eral Miles be among the invited guests. Secretary of the Navy Moody's order transferring the Photographic office from his department to the treasury depart ment, and substituting civilian for naval employees, has met with prompt and wig orous protest from the shipping interests throughout the country. The retired of- ! ficers, who have served in the various branch offices throughout the country, have won the gratitude of mariners and vessel owners by their skillful adjustment of compasses, revision of charts, adjust ment of chronometers, etc., all of which duties devolved upon them. The fact that in every instance these men were trained mariners themselves made them especially, efficient in advising sailing masters regarding changed marine condi- tions, pointing out new dangers, etc., and the substitution of necessarily inexperi- enced civilians for these duties is regard ed as most injudicious venture. As the retired officers will continue to draw their retired pay, and the % per cent. extra they now receive for their active duties would not compensate their civilian sub- stitutes, there will be no saying to the government by the change.
 The Importation of iron and steel is re- garded as an excellent commercial bar ometer, and the fact that the remarkable increase over last year shows no sign of abatement is regarded by treasury off1c- ials as a most encouraging sign. The importation of this class of commodities for the month of March amounted to $4, ,O0O, 900 as against $2. .OOO, 900 for March, 1902, and for the nine months ending with March to $3S, ,00O, 900 as against $19 ,OOO,- GOO for the same period of the previous year. The United States Is now the larg- est producer of pig iron in the world, her output being more than equal to that of the United Kingdom and Germany com- bined. Notwithstanding the rapidly in- creasing production, however, the i'm portation continues to grow to such an extent that this years figures will be four times as large as those of 1899.
 The navy department has been obliged to discontinue the recruiting of men for the navy, owing to the presence of con tagious diseases on the receiving ships, which, ares already greatly overcrowded. Great regret Is manifested at this neces- sfty, because it is desired to recruit the full number authorized by the slast con. gress, 31 ,OOO men, as soon Is possible.
 The discontinuance may not be for more than few days, however. ~
 The exploitation by certain newspapers of an invention which, it is claimed, has accomplished the long sought perpetual motion has called forth a denial from Patent Commissioner. Allens who says that the patent office has not, for forty or fifty years, issued a patent for perpet- ual motion device, and will never do so again. Heladds 'sgrhe patent office will certainly never allow patent on any so- called perpetual motion device"
 F { lI4--------s--4
 To cure cold il one day take Laxative BrOm0 Quinine Tablets. All druggists refund the money if 1t falls to cure. E. ! ". Aareve's signature on each box. Stc.