Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-02-01
From Washington.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, Feb. l.

lhC WIZ WI Wv
it is now expected will be reached about
The 25th instant. The time depends to
some extent upon the early reply of the
President to the resolutions OF inquiry
which have been sent him by the SEN
ate. The democrats have accordingly
notified the republicans that they will
hermit A vote as soon as debate is ex-
bausted. But before proceeding with
the final discussion of the treaty they
want to have before them the information
they have a called for from the exec
utiye departments. They also want an
investigation of Minister Bunau Varilla's
conduct and how he became acquainted
with the intention OF the administration
to send ships to the isthmus and was
able to predict, several days in advance
ftheir arrival, the precise time when
they would reach Colon and Panama.
Senator Cullom, in charge OF the Panama
canal treaty, called at the State depart
mept and on the President this morning
to ask that should be sent in as
soon as possible. The democrats, he
said, would hold off action on the treaty
until they had the information called
f,r. The President assured him that he
would send in the reply quickly and
added that he proposed to furnish every
scrap of information he had bearing on
the subject.
Promptly at u o'clock Judge VIM.
II. Taft took the customary oath of office
as Secretary of War, succeeding Hon
orable Elihu Root. The ceremony took
place in the large anti-rOOm OF the office
of the Secretary of War and in the pres
ence of a few distinguished guests and
prominent army officers. The oath was
administered by Mr.. Randolph, assistant
chief clerk of the War Department, and
a grandson of Peggy O'Neil. Ex-Secre-
tary Root was b efrst to extend congrat-
uIations to the new Secretary. Shaking
hands with Judge Taft Secretary Root
said IL desire, Mr.. Secretary, to extend
my most hearty congratulations. lmme-
diate!y the army contingent headed by
Lieut.. General Chafiee, Major General Gil
lispie aud Brigadier Generals Bliss and
Story, shook hands with the new secre-
tarv and with Mr.. Root. The entire
general ,taff of the army and all of the
other officer on duty at the War Depart
ment followed IN the order Of their rank.
rhe out-of-town guests included many
prominent rersOns.
The administration has decided to
send a largely increased naval force to
European waters after the winter maneu-
yers in the caribbean Sea- The present
European squadron has been recalled for
the purpose of participating in the
maneuvers. At their close the squadron,
strongly reinforced, will return, mObiliz-
ing in the vicinity of the Balkans. The
object is to make such a demonstration
as will impress upon Turkey, as well as
Europe in general, the power of the
United States and its purpose to protect
American interests in that quarter OF the
world.
The Postofice today awarded contracts
for carrying the mails on 1868 star
and steamboat routes in the States of
North Carolina, South Carolina, Geor-
gia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Tennessee, Kentucky and the Island of
Porto Rico for a term of four years be-
ginning July l, 1904. The annual com
p~ensation to the contractors for the SER
vice under these contracts will be$l 2l6-
576,O 6.
The President and Mrs. Roosevelt
gave a farewell dinner TO Secretary and
Mrs. Root last night. There we're no
other guests. There will be few regrets
around the War Department Of Mr..
Roots retirement for he had won a repu-
tation for brusqueness that is not at all
enviable.
The President today sent to the Senate
the following nominations To be Secre-
tary of Legation. William w. Russell,
Of Maryland, at Panama, Panama. To
be Consul General, John Fowler, of
Massachusetts,, NOW Consult at ChefOo,
China. To be Consul, John Todd Hill,
of Connecticut, at San Juan del NOrte,
Nicaragua.
The fourth and probably the last week
of the Machen-G rolf LOrenz trial com
menced today with Diller F. Croft, son
of one of the defendants, on the stand.
The defense will conclude its case about
Wednesday, and there is no likelihood
Of much rebuttal by the government. Ar
guments to the jury will require fully
two days.
The Senate today upon request of Sen
ator G. II. Dietrich, of Nebraska, agreed
to a resolution authorizing the pro tenn.
to appoint a committee of five Senators
to thoroughly investigate the appoint
ment of Postmaster Jacob Fisher, at
Hastings, Neb. and particularly Senator
Dietrich's connection Herewith.
A House resolution, extending the
thanks of Congress to Wisconsin for the
statue of James Marquette, was agreed to.
During the discussion of a printing
resolution, Mr.. Gallinger declared that
the printing of documents was n of
the startling extravagances of the Con-
gress; that committee Don were full,
aud that the barns Of those members who
lived in the country we're crowded with
documents that were never opened.
President Francis, of the st. Louis
Exposition, appeared before the House
committee on Industrial arts and exposi-
tons, aud solicited a loan of S4,-
600, 600, from the government, in
order to complete the work on the
exposition. President Francis pledged
the entire admission receipts to
cover the loan. He said hat when the
exposition opens there will have been
80 nnn mn III. .onnnnn e.