Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-16
Cabinet Officials Expect War
in the East.
FEELING FOR JAPAN
NO FIGHT AGAINST POSTMASTER
MERRITT.
President May Go to Alexandria on
Washington's Birthday-Pardon
Cases Acted On.

Secretary Hay had a brief conference with
the President this morning, but it was
declared that the situation In the far east
was not the subject. Representative Hit,
chairman of the foreign relations committee
Of the House, was later in conference with
the Presient, spending some time with the
chief executive, and the two men are be-
licved to have talked pretty thoroughly/of
the outlook In the east.
The State Department Is not expecting
anything further in the Russian-Japanese
situation for severai days, pending the con-
sideration of Japans answer by Russia.
When the developments do come they are
expected to mean war. No other view of
the situation is taken in official circles here.
Japan has freely outlined her position to
TINS country, communicating her answers
and demands to Russia, as If this country
was interested in the outcome. This con-
| fdence has aroused a most kindly feeling
| for Japan in official government circles; in
1act, SO far as personal sympathy goes.
Japan Will have the good will and best
wishes of high officials of this government
should she declare war on Russia and mako
night against the aggressions of the Rus
| sian bear.
| The President, Secretary Hay and all the
officials of the State Department who are
watching the situation closely and keeping
informed. see nothing IN the future but
wal huSSid cries peace and
procla1ms her desire for peace but shorn
| OF all diplomacy, 1t is recognized that Rus
| STA will relinquish nothing and will make
Japan crawl in the dust If that country
WIN 90 so. Japan, however does not in
tend to do any such thing now and the
threatened war is merely being DELAYED
awaiting the most propitious moment for
| the opening of hostilities. Japan herself
IS not as fully prepared as she will be with
IN short time. She is securing supplies
from all parts of the world, and has spent
millions of dollars in this country in the
last few months buyinp food ard uyar s,,,,
plies
Treasury officials continue to receive in
formation OF the arrival Of Japanese gold
at san francisco. This is most Frequently
deposited in the sub-treasury a San Fran
CISCO ana made payable Immediately in
New 1ork That Japan has the money TO
pay as she goes is shown by the influx OF
the yellow money from the little country.
1t is estimated that 5000 0lO JanapaSs
gold has arrived in the United States 10
| pay for wheat and munitions of war with
IN the last two weeks. More gold is com
ing. Many of these supplies are now on
the water for Japan, and this probably ac-
counts Tor the fact that the officials OF
that country have put off from day to day
the hostile step which they now feel must
De taken first by them Russia has also
Deen puying heavily in the United States
These large purchases are said to account
to some extent for the large increase in
exports In December
The Case Of Postmaster Merritt.
The inactivity at the White House and
the Post Office Department in the case of
Postmaster Merritt of Washington causes
no uneasness to his friends it is ie-
clared, and has not resulted in any fight
being made upon Mr.. Merritt, as usually
follows the slightest indication of weakness
In candidacy or the forces OF a candidate
The President is leaving the nomination
a TO "
the hands of Postmaster General PAYNE
who is so overrun with other cases of a more
pressing nature that he has not had time
to take up this one. Mr.. Payne has not
even gone through the papers in the case
and will not do until he has sufficient
spare time to take it up. Mr.. Payne. who
fs familiar with the reports of Charles J.
Bonaparte and Holmes Conrad and with
the use of Mr.. Merritt's name in connection
with the post Office scandals is not under
stood to have discovered anything re:iect-
ing upon Mr.. Merritt in way to prevent
his being given another term. With this
favorable view of Mr.. Payne to start with.
Mr.. Merritt has a good part of the oatte
won as his own successor.
President Wants an Explanation
The only thing now standing In the way
of Mrs. d. D. Russell. wife of ex Governor
Russell of North Carolina, for postmaster
at W1lmir gton to succeed Miss Darby. is
that the President has given the hackers of
Mrs. Russell to understand that q clear
and full explanation must be made to him
of the affidavit of Miss Darby that she paid
to Ex-Governor Russell S100 as expenses 10
come to Washington to work in her inter
ests, and that he came here and worked
for his own wife. Miss Darby has filed a
note from Ex-Governor Russell asking that
she send him S100. He declares that he
wrote Tend" The entire republican organ
ization OF North Carolina ex-Sen tor Ma
vi pIlt1 incl cd lne haA Yir,O =
the White House for Mrs. Russell but the
President has given them to understand
that there must be a satisfactory eXplana-
ton of the charge against Ex-Governor Rms
sell before he will appoint Mrs. Russell.
May Go to Alexandria.
President Roosevelt may go to AleXan-
dria, Va, on Washington's birthday. He
was invited to attend the annual celebration
of the event., and said he would take the
invitation under consideration. He has con-
sistently refused all invitations to go away
from Washington this year, owing to the
fact that politics might be injected, but N
the case of Alexandria he could probably
not be accused of making politics should
he go there and make an address on Wash
ington's birthday, and so near the old home
of Washington. The invitation was ex-
tended to the President today by delega-
ton from Alexandria, presented by Repre-
sentative Rixey. The delegation consisted
of A. D. Brockett, U. S. Lambert. +. J.
Paf c. b. Marshall, ]. Y. Williams, #. q.
Howard, Capt. j. e. King and 2. w. van
de Westelaken. For many years the
niversary of the birth of Washington has
been celebrated at Alexandra in peculiar
but beftting style, and If the President ac-
cepts, the event will be made an unusually
important one this year.
Gen. Black Makes Call.
Gen. John c. Black, the new member of
the civil service commission, called on the
President today to pay his respects. Ais
though using a crutch from a severe rheu-
matte attack. Gen. Black said that he had
greatly improved recently and felt able to
assume the duties of his office. Gen. BLACK
was accompanied by Commissioners Greene
and Cooley.
Senator Quay called on the President
With Alexander P. Brown of Philadelphia.
Gov. Hill of Maine was one of the callers.
Gen Breckenridge and Admiral Bartlett,
members of a committee from the local
commandery of the Loyal Legion invited
the President today to attend the annual
observances of the commandery on Linz