The Elbert County tribune., 1903-12-31

filed in the Supreme Court of the Unit
ed States by Attorney General Doug
lass and Messrs. Mum and Wilson.
They contend that the merger of the
Northern Pacific and Great Northern
companies into the Northern Securities
Company was for the purpose of ST.
Hing competition
In reference to the alleged interview
attributed to Maj. Gen. II. c. Merriam
to the effect that proposed promotion
OF General Wood would be harmful to
the army. Secretary Root has received
a telegram from General Merriam.
dated Denver, in which he declares
that he has not authorized any publi-
cations on any subject. 1t is under
stood that the generals statement
will be regarded as satisfactory at the
War Department.
The President has denied thirteen
applications for pardon, has granted
four pardons to restore civil rights.
and has exercised clemency in eleven
other cases. David " Rieger, who
was convicted in Kansas City of mis-
applying certain credits OF the Missou-
ri National bank of Kansas City, of
which he was president. is pardoned.
He was convicted in 1899 and SEN
ltenced' to imprisonment in the Mis-
souri penitentiary for six years.
The secretary of the interior to-day
refused the application of the city of
San Francisco for permission to begin
the necessary construction toward OBJ
taining a water supply from the
Yosemite National Park. The depart
ment's adverse action is based on the
fact that the organic act creating the
park requires the government to keep
1t in its natural condition. The city
wished TO build dam at the head of
the Hetthettchy valley and convert
that valley into a reservoir. 1t was
proposed to dam up the end OF Lake
Elenor. The department holds that
such works would obliterate or deface
the natural wonders of the park.
Frank NJ. Higgins. chief examiner of
the Civil Service Commission. in his
annual report says that during the last
fiscal year there were 112, ,625 persons
examined for the classified service of
the government and 40. .423 appoint
ments to all branches of the service.
of the appointments twenty-four per
cent. were purely clerical positions.
three per cent. to professional. technic-
al or scientific positions, thirty-eight
quiring no education at examination.
and seven per cent. to skilled labor po-
sitions not exactly mechanical in their
character. but requiring no education
al examination. OF all those exam
ined. nearly eighty per cent. passed and
thirty-six per cent of all examined
we're successful in securing appoint
ment
The War Department has made pub
lie letter from General Wood. dated
July 2S, 1903, in which he asks that
the charges made against him by
Major Runcie, in which he requests
that the matter be referred to the in
spector general of the army for such
action as may be required under the
circumstances, or to any other au-
thority which the War Department
may deem proper. He further says:
"I enclose herewith statement of
the facts in the case. together with
true copies of letters. extracts from
letters, etc. bearing on the subject.
The statement enclosed gives the ad-
dresses OF most of the persons who
have more or less knowledge of the
affair. 1t will be noted that many of
the letters are confidential in charac-
ter. the originals of which are in the
confidential official files of the secre-
tary OF war"
The Commission on International
Exchange has received from Professor
jerks the conclusions of the monetary
commission of Japan regarding the
proposals of the American commission
for a uniform coinage system based
upon the gold exchange standard for
China The resolutions declare that
the chaotic condition OF the currency as
1t now exists in China Is disadvantage
GUS not to China alone but to those
countries that have commercial rela-
tions with her, and that definite and
uniform currency system should be
speedily Instituted and actually put into
operation throughout the whole empire
or at least In those parts of 1t that are
of commercial Importance. II possible
It is desirable that this system should
be on the single gold standard. Inas-
much as the currency reform cannot
be started on a perfect system it Is re-
garded as advisable to adopt the sug-
gestions of the American commission
as a matter of expediency. 1t is sug-
gested also that the ratio for China of
80 to l between gold and silver coins
should be adopted for other silver-us-
Ing countries that may hereafter adopt
the gold standard.
To some of the senators who have
particularly interested themselves in
the pending Wood nomination with an
eye especially to the protection of
some of the veteran army officers. the
President has expressed himself very
plainly to the effect that these Off
GERS have nothing to fear in the i'm
mediate future. AS it was pointed out
to him that there was considerable
apprehension among the friends of
these army officers lest upon the re-
tirement of General Chaffee with the
rank of lieutenant general the Fresi-
dent might appoint Mai. Gen. Leonard
Wood to be lieutenant general inyoly-