The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-02-06
TO CONFIRM ARMSTRONG
senate Will Approve Appointment, but
Responsibility Rests on

or illinois, nominated to be assistan
secretary of the treasury. His name
Will be referred to a Subcommittee
consisting of Senator Plat of Connec,
ticut. Senators Spooner of Wisconsin
and a democrat yet to be named. The
understanding is thai Mr.. Armstrong
will be confirmed, although there ma!
be some delay. Several members O
the committee, including Mr.. Aldrich
the chairman, are firm in their belle,
that this particular position should no
be filled by any one without legal ex.
perience.
They believe an acquaintance witt
customs laws Indispensable to the pro.
lection OF the government. Neverthe.
less, the republican senators will gen.
ground that the responsibility rests
with the secretary of the treasury, in.
asmuch as there is no possible objec-
ton to Mr.. Armstrong on the score o!
personal character or ability. 50
The Alaskan Boundary.
Dispatches have been received from
Vancouver, B. c., that Sir Charles Hib-
bert Topper, in speaking of the pro-
posed commission to settle the bound.
airy question, said that it simply meant
the United States was to eucher Can
ada out of her rights. ENGLAND will
never fight the United States for one
inch of Canadian territory" he said
The United States knew this and was
sure Of her ground when she arbitrated
The Englishmen on the commission
lean toward the United States on the
ground of justice, the merits of the case
and strict impartiality. On the other
hand, American jurists on an arbitra-
ton commission never sWerve a hairs
breadth on any grounds
h boundary treaty has been well
received and the outlook is excellent
for it's ratification. Hays ~carefulness
it impossible for American territory to
be alienated without consent of an
American commissioner has secured
support for the treaty from men who
would have violently opposed any plan
to submit the question Of the alienation
Of territory to a foreign arbitrator.
Few Commissions for Privates.
Enlisted men of the army are eXer-
cised over the fear that most Of them
will not obtain commissions notwith-
standing individual merits. There will
be between 100 and 11S vacancies in
the grade of second lieutenants by July
L llCAl. lie present. CLASS at w est
Point contains ninety-two members,
and it is probable eighty-five of them
will be graduated and commissioned
so that not more than fifteen, or at the
outside, twenty-five, vacancies will re-
main for enlisted men, and there are
fifty or sixty who will be found quail
fed for promotion.
Many places to which this years
class of enlisted men might be appoint
ed have, however, already been filled
from civil life. There is, of course,
nothing to be said against those who
enter the army in this way-in fact
some of them make the best officers we
have, but this policy if continued year
by year will disappoint a great many
enlisted men who have tried hard for
commissions and who are entitled tC
some consideration.
Some Postoffice Statistics.
1t is estimated that Of the worlds
population not more than 500, 600, O0C
persons can write and use the mails
for business or private correspondence
OF that number about 25 per cent, OF
l25,O0O,0OO, use the English language
90,OO0,OOO the Russian language, 49,
100000 the Germans, $4,000, 900 the
French, 45,ooo,oO0 the Spanish, 35,ooo,-
600 the Italian, 1900, 900 the Portu-
gese, 100000 the Arabic, 100000 the
Bohemian, 5000, 900 tho Swedish, 3,O0O,-
600 the Norwegian, 6,000,O 900 the Japa-
nese, 5000, 900 the Chinese, 5000, 900 the
Dutch, 3,000,0 900 the Greek, 5000, 900 the
Polish, 5000, 900 the Danish, 1000, OOO
the Bulgarian, and smaller numbers
the other tongues. The postoffice sta
tistics show, however, that the United
States and the British empire handle
more letters, newspapers and period
iro 1,- fhop II ~ - .~F 49, ,e.1 H.
gether, and it is considered a safe es-
innate to say that two-ttirds of all
the correspondence of the world is con-
Quoted in the English language.
To Mark Positions at Gettysburg.
The house military committee has re-
ported a bill making an appropriation
for marking the positions held by the
troops of the regular army who par
ticipated in the battle of Gettysburg.
The several states have made provis-
ion for marking the positions held by
their troops and the government has
spent a large sun in the purchase OF
land and the building of roads, but has
failed to make any provision for erect
Ing monuments on the ground held by
the regiments, detachments and sat
teries of regular troops that took part
in the battle. The bill reported will
provide for this. 1t carries an appro-
priation of $61, 500, which is the full
amount estimated for the work.
The committee also ordered a favor
able report upon the Foraker bill tc
appropriate 5000, 900 to mark the graves
of confederate soldiers and sailors who
died in northern prisons.
Republicans Fear Padgett Bill.
Some of the house republicans are
watching with interest the effect of a
bill recently introduced by Padgett OF
Tennessee, one of tn democratic mem
bers OF the banking committee, who
Signed the recent report against the
Fowler currency bill. This BIZ: per-
!nits banks to issue so per cent of their
capital in credit currency notes, the
.irst 20 per cent being taxed l per cent
per annum, the next Is per cent 8 per
cent per annum and the last Is per
cent S per cent per annum
The bill has attracted the attention
of republicans from a fear hat it in.
dictates the breaking away of southern
democrats from free silver.
To Double Presidents Salary.
A bill has been introduced in tn.
house by Representative Bristow OF
New York, increasing the salary of the
president of the United States from
so. 900 to 500, 900 a year.
1t is some thirty years ago., when
General Grant was president, that the
last change vas made in the presidents
ralary, when it was increased from $685.
no TO $50. 600 per year.