The National tribune., 1904-03-10

surprises 1t is not at all as the politician:
had fixed it up, but it seems to be very
good Commission just the same. 1t i:
comprised as follows:
Gen. George w. Davis, U. S. Army, re
tired.
Frank ]. Hecker, Detroit. Mich.
William Barclay Parsons, New York.
:. William III. Burr, New York.
C. Ewald Grunsky, San Francisco.
Benjamin NJ. Harrod, New Orleans.
1t is a Commission Of engineers, with q
single exception, Col. Hecker, of Detroit
Mich, who is distinguished as being q
man of fine business qualifications. Dur.
ing the Spanish-American War he served
the Government as Director Of Transpor.
tation. The other six members have
made enviable records in engineering an
nails. The law creating the Commission
declared that at least four off the mem
beers should be skilled in the science Of en-
gineerlng.
Rear Admiral Walker will probably be
President OF the Commission, as he has
been identified with the Panama move
ment for so many years as the agent of the
Government in the various Investigations
of Isthmian Canal routes. 1t is thought
that the Senate will not be long about con-
firming the Commission. though there is .
little talk that there will be objections to
Col. Harrod.
mission. The Medical Associations OF the
country strongly and persistently urged
the President to take one Of the mem
bers Of the Commission from the medical
fraternity. 1t is known that the life along
the Panama Canal route is daily jeop-
arded by feyers and agues, and that there
is frightful mortality among officers as
well as laborers. Hence it was urged that
there should be at least one physician of
note on the Commission. The petition
closed with asking the appointment of
Co. w. G. GOrgas, u. S. A., yellow-fever
expert and surgeon in the Army, but the
President ignored the appeal. There is
popular disappointment over this. Other
wise there seems to be no fault to find
with the personnel
Postmaster-General Payne declares that
while he would like to head the National
Republican Committee, his health will
not permit him, and he positively declines
to consider the matter for this reason.
Russia has wilted. When the United
States Government asked permission for
some of our officers to follow up the Rus
sian army and observe the operations of
THE Russian troops. Russia positively de-
:clined to permit anything Of the kind to
<be done She has now taken this back
and has informed Secretary Hay through
our Russian ambassador, Mr.. Mccormick,
that the United States may send such Of
Ulcers in April. The officers selected are:
Col. ]. B. Kerr, Of the General Staff;
Capt. Carl Reichman. 18th Inf; Capt.
George ID. Galley. Artillery Corps, and
Captain William ID. Johnson. The three
former are at present at Manila, but will
so time their departure as to arrive on
the scene Of hositilities at the date set,
about April 10. Capt. Judson will leave
burg. from which place he will go to join
fthe Russian forces.
Col. George r. Peck. formerly of Kan
sas, but now of Chicago. has been men-
toned for Chairman of the National Re
publican Committee. Col. Peck is one of
the most brilliant orators and most mag
is not at all likely that he would accept
such an onerous position. His tastes do
not run that way.
For some reason that has not yet been
explained Russia sent out a report that
when the Russian ship Variag was sink
ing the Vicksburg, which lay near, never
sent q DiI u uclp I'D the uTOWnHS IkuS-
SLAMS. Commander Marshall. of the
Vicksburg. cabled the Navy Department
that the Vicksburg sent three boats and
assisted in taking of all the Russians.
just another Russian ''ain't ST." that's all.
The War Department has decided to
hold its next "war game" on the terri
Y, and Pine Bush, the same State, some
time next Summer. 1t is proposed to have
about 1900 Regulars and 1900 militia
]: to participate in the game.
The Daughters Of the American Revo-
tuition are preparing for their National
Congress which will meet in.this city dur
ing the month Of April. beginning the 18th
I'm all probability. At the last Continental
Congress of the Daughters, which was
held last February during the week in
which the I'D came. the Congress voted
TO SO amend the Constitution OF the Ma
ti0nal body that the time Of meeting
should be changed from February to April.
The openly avowed reason for this was
that the weather in Washington is so per-
fectly abominable in February that none
Of the ladies could wear good clothes un-
less they were rich enough to run the risk
of having them ruined with one wearing.
The weather OF the week Of Washington
birthday anniversary this year was just
about the worst ever. so the change was
really wise one. The change was made
TO the week in which the 10Th OF April
will always come, which is the anniver-
sary OF the battle OF Lexington.
The President and the New York Post
Office are not having a bit nice time. The
Post ONCE Inspectors have made their
report on conditions complained OF in the
construction mp there, and they are pretty
severe on Postmaster VanCott, and just
as good as say that he has been recrean,
to his trust in the matter Of the new Gov
eminent building there, and that he ought
70 be fired. The New York Post Once
and New York Customs Office are always
playing slap with somebody's Presidential
prospects 1t is just too bad.
The first apartment house built in
washington was the Portland which runs
up to Thomas Circle. and was erected in
1880. IL was said then that Washington
people would never live in tenement
houses" for that was what the big, hand.
! some building was sarcastically named
Some way. however, II seemed to a,
right In, and there are at this time In
Washington 400 tenement" houses where
SOU may rent q suite OF three rooms anG
. bath. or 10 rooms and dozen baths, FOL
Prom SS0n 70 Elk n