The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1904-07-21
At Washington.

The secretary of state has received
notification from the French embassy
that, on the occasion of the French fes.
tival of the fourteenth of July the gov
eminent of the republic had conferred
upon him the dignity of a grand cross of
the Legion of Honor in recognition of
the services rendered during the last six
years by the American Department of
State toward the maintenance of the
peace of the world The secretary of
State, who has heretofore declined all
propositions of this nature, felt that he
could not refuse 80 signal an honor from
the great European republic, considering
the motive which prompted it. He
thereupon sent to the French embassy
a note expressing his grateful apprecia-
ton of the offer which he accepted,
SUBJECT to the approval of Congaess
An official in Paris said 1t was evidence
of Foreign Minister DELI asses high re-
gard for Mr. Hays conduct of foreign
affairs during the past six years. This
had constantly strengthened Franco
American relations, the latest being
American recognition of French para
mount authority in Morocco under the
Franco-British agreement.
States in the fiscal year 1904 is the
largest in its history; the exports of
manufactures are larger than in and
preceding year, and the exports of do
mestic products exceed those of any
other country. This is the substance
in single sentence, of the record of the
years commerce just announced by the
department of commerce and labor
70 of or
shows, taking up the figures ih detail,
that the total exports during the year
ended June 30, 1904, are 81, 400, 800 $50,
against l, APO, 141 ,67q in the fiscal year
1908, an increase of $40, 687, $50; that
the imports for the year are 5000, 745,-
0e4, against S1,025 10 237 III 1908, a
decrease of $34 974, 1913; and that the
excess of exports over imports is
sac, 084, 455, against 1904, 422 442 in
1908, an increase of sra, ,013 in the
excess of exports over imports
cuba having made contract with a
man to raise the wreck of the battleship
Maine in Havana harbor, the contractor
inquired of the navy and is informed,
that Congress alone can dispose of any
Uncle sans vessels, hfloat or sunken
The new salary schedule for rural
mail carriers has been completed The
NV schedule applied from July l. The
last Congress raised the maximum
salary from 5000 to S720 year. 1t was
found that the maximum route was "a
miles long pnd to CARR, r. on routes of
this length numbering about y, 900, the
maximum salsry will be paid. The salar-
les of carriers on routes shorter than the
maximum was fixed by deducting S18
for each mile less than "a.
The insular bureau of the war depart
ment, issued ci cular inviting pre-
posals for the sale of SO, 900 600 of Phi
lippine per cent one-year bonds The
bids will be received until 2.30 r. NJ
Aug. IL, the proceeds to be applied for
the retirement of the outstanding Phil
ippine bonds
Regarding the report that Count Cass-
mi, the Russian ambassador, presented
to the state department protest again
st the alleged intention of this govern.
ment to dispatch war squadron to
Turkish waters to assist in the settle
ment of certain claims, it can be stated
positively that no such protest ever was
made and that the subject was not dis
cussed even informally by the Russian
ambassador with the secretary of state.