The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1903-04-16
BAKING RCWC
WASHINGTON LETTER.

| WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, April 10, 1903
Since 1t has become known generally
that there is an investigation going on In
the post office department the reports and
charges are coming in In constantly In
creasing numbers. 1t is regarded as GER
tain that grave Irregularities have already
been discovered, but, acting under orders
from the president and the postmaster
general, the officials refuse to divulge the
character of the discoveries. The latest
charge known to have been received is In
the form Of an anonymous letter, alleging
that there has for some time existed a
promotion pool" to which aspirants for
promotion we're compelled to pay prices
varying from $40 to $50 and percentage
of their increased salaries. This charge
is said to be undergoing investigation"
A most serious charge has also been
| filed In connection with the sheet iron
mail boxes which are being substituted
for the cast iron boxes heretofore In use.
There are 81, 1876 of these boxes In use,
and If: as Is alleged, there was commits
sion paid on the CONT act 1t was doubtless
liberal one. First Assistant Postmaster
General Wynne noticed this change In his
last annual report, and there made the
statement that the breakage in the cast
iron boxes, In transportation, was so great
| fhof tho Aono opkr mt hol
be economy to adopt the more indestruct-
ible material, but he did not touch on the
allegation that the officials who awarded
the contract received commission.
The attorney general and his assistants
are rejoiced over the decision OF the cir
cult court of appeals In the northern Sc
curities case. 1t will be remembered
that the Northern Securities company
was corporation organized by j. j. Hill,
j. P. Morgan and others for the purpose
of purchasing the stock of the Great
Northern railway, the Northern Pacific
railway and the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy railway, with view to operating
the three systems as one road. The
court has now decided that this company
Is Illegal, In that it operates ID restraint
of competition, or has the power to do 80,
and to leave all the people 10 aconsider-
able section of the country at the mercy,
In so far as freight and passenger rates
are concerned, of one corporation. The
case will, of course, be appealed to the
supreme court. but as the opinion of the
nd Of kho oa
unanimous that the merger was In VIOLA
tion of the antitrust law, 1t Is regarded
as certain that the supreme court will
confirm the decision. The position taken
by the attorney general Is that this decis-
ion proves that the trusts can be reached
through the medium of existing laws.
Secretary Shaw has been requested to
issue what he humorously calls "blow
up" order. This request comes from the
ship owners Of the county, who want all
government vessels supplied with orders
and means for blowing up all wrecked
vessels, direlicts, which they encounter
floating on the high seas. AT present ev-
cry time direlict is sighted a report is
made to Washington at the first oppor-
tunity, and naval vessel Is sent to look
up the floating wreck and destroy it, but
this method Is too slow, and 1t Is urged
that each government vessel be supplied
with quantity Of giant powder with
which to blow up these menaces to navl-
cation.
The work of the United States bureau
Of soils has already been noticed in these
letters. The discovery of land in Con-
necticut on which Sumatra tobacco, which
sells at from $40 to $12 more per pound
than the domestic varieties formerly
grown here, has been described, as we'll
as the remarkable results secured from
the irrigation and under drainage of the
alkali lands of Utah. Professor Milton
Whitney has now computed the cost of
the surveys which have accomplished
such excellent results, and finds that the
total expense of making soil surveys has
been $2.S8 per square mile, or about 33
cents per acre. Last year fifteen parties
were in the field and surveyed 1911
square miles, or II, ,463, ,O40 acres, This
year twenty parties have been sent out,
and 1t is expected that they will survey
fifty different areas In thirty two states
and territories.
Some remarkable figures have just been
issued by the bureau of statistics, show
ing the growth Of the commerce of the
United States since 1870 Since that time
the imports Of the country have increased
from $436, 900 900 to $9O3, 600, 900 In 1902.
The exports have increased in the same
period from 1916, 900, 900 to 81, 1855, ,OOO,-
900. The favorable balance of trade has
exceeded that of all other countries COM
bined. In 1870 the trade balance of the
United States was 500. .OOO, 900 of imports.
In 1909 it was $452 OOO, 900 excess of ex-
ports. In both imports and exports this
country leads the world.
Considerable interest Is manifested In
navy and war department circles over the
launching of the Minnesota, which will
occur at New London, Connecticut, on
the 10Th. The Minnesota, which Is the
largest vessel ever launched In the United
States and the third largest In the world,
has been constructed for the Pacific trade,
and with an especial view to the trans
portation Of troops. The vessel is $50
feet long, 70 feet 9 inches beam and Sc