The National tribune., 1903-09-10

| IOHo Will nave 70 W GeleTIeOs LIE DS'
partment has the machinery to establish
all of these routes, but sufficient amount
OF money to cover the cost of establish
ment and maintenance is not available. II
is urged that the service should be COM
pIeted as soon as possible in sections OF
the country to which 1t 10 adapted, and
that adequate appropriations for the pur-
pose should be made available by Con-
gress. This idea seems to be favored by
Senators and Representatives who have
recently conferred with Department off,
Gals.
There is one problem in connection with
the rural free delivery to which a great
deal of attention is now being given by the
Department officials. 1t relates to the
salaries of carriers. Complaint is made
| that the compensation paid the rural car
rier is inadequate, in view of the fact that
he is required to purchase an outfit, in
Guiding horse, wagon, harness, etc. Two
propositions have been advanced in this
connection: One ia that standard route
of 221a miles shall be established and that
carriers on such routes shall be paid $72O
year; where the route is less than 22h
miles a pfoportionate reduction in the sal
airy shall be made; where it exceeds the
length of the standard route-and this will
be permitted only in extraordinary cases,
where the roads are especially good and
general conditions favorable slight in
crease in the salary is to be granted. The
alternative proposed by Members Of Con-
gress who have conferred with Depart
ment officials, is that the carrier shall be
allowed an amount sufficient to feed his
horse and keep his equipment in repair.
It is gratifying to know that the au-
thOrities have at last begun action against
a class of swindlers who have been out
rageously fleeing the negroes. s. Nit
chell, a smart mulatto, of Washington, has
been arrested in Georgia for cheating and
swindling, under the pretense Of raising
funds to secure the passage Of a slave
he has received as high as $50 each from
ex-slaves. He claims to be acting under
the authority Of the National Industrial
Council, whatever that may be, and has
represented that no negro not member Of
the order could receive pension if the bill
was passed. This sort of swindling is
worse than highway robbery because of
all the improbable absurdities that of
passing a slave pension bill Is about the
worst.
Among the first duties to which the
General Staff will devote itself will be
ments. The country il now divided into
eight Departments and one for the Phil
ippine Islands. These were arranged with
reference to facilities for transportation,
which have been greatly changed since
their formation. 1t may be that the De-
partment of the East will be divided into
two, and the new one be designated either |
to the Department of the South or of the
Gulf. Kansas, Oklahoma, and Indian |
Territory may be taken from the Depart |
ment of the Missouri and formed into o |
new department !
Another matter which Is of even more |
importance to the people of the West IL |
the probability of the rehabilitation Of |
many abandoned posts and fortA Before |
the war with Spain the Army had run
down to less than $4,000, and many Of the |
forts and posts had to be abandoned. Now
that the Army consists Of nearly 10000
men, more accommodations are neces-
sary, and it is probable that many new
posts will be established, and quite a
number Of old ones reoccupied.
It is said that the General Staff also
the employment of officers
on the retired list for service with the
State Militia. The operation of the age
limit law has sent into retirement great
many officers who are in the full vigor Of
mind and body, and could do acceptable
service which is now being done by men
who should be with their companies and
regiments. If they are assigned to duty,
they will receive the full pay of their
rank.
The entire White House has been re-
touched by the painters during the Sum-
mer. The cut glass chandeliers of the
East Room, which were so massive as
to seem out Of proportion with the room
and its furnishings, are in their proper
place again, after having been much re-
iuced in size. New hat and cloak boxes
have been erected in the eastern CORR
Tor, and the Colonial gardens to the
south of the mansion have been laid out,
and it is the endeavor of George H.
Brown, the landscape gardener, to have
hem on the road to completion before
he arrival of Mrs. Roosevelt.
The New York Commercial Advertiser
says that District Attorney Youngs does
not dare to proceed further against Bea-
vers, the accused Post Office official, for
fear Of freeing him from the net which
has been woven about him by the Federal
Grand Jury. 1t is believed about the Fed
sral Building, in Brooklyn, that none OF
LIZ CdScs Whi NC OiOu6ht " tiiul at IuV
coming criminal term of the United States
Circuit Court. Beavers is still at liberty,
and his friends say he desires to be ar
rested. District Attorney Youngs refuses
to say anything about the trial, except
that he intends to push the prosecution.
The War Department has decided to
accept the Pennsylvania Steel Company's
bid of $914,000 for the bridge across
he Potomac near the Long Bridge This
IS without the approaches to the bridge,
which will have to be provided for in /.
subsequent appropriations by Congress, or
Else deducted from the cost Of the bridge
Postmaster General Payne does not lack
rankness in the discharge of public busi-
less when he wants to be frank. Miss
aulda Todd has been Postmistress at
Greenwood, Del, for the last five years,
'ut has in some way incurred the dislike
II Senator Alice, who has demanded her
,lace for another person. Miss Todd
,ame to Washington to see about it, and .
vas plainly told that she is removed be-
,ause she was personally and particular
y obnoxious to Senator Alice" She went
back home intending to make q campaign
ssue Of the matter, and fight It out with
Addicks, and discover whether the Presi-
lent is in favor Of removing the Anti-Ad- ,
ticks Republicans from office.