The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-11-24

tHe secretary OIL the treasury ana
Gov. Bates of Massachusetts to re-
strain the secretary from issuing a
duplicate warrant for ST. GIL 900 on ac-
count Of a claim Of the State ofMassa-
chusetts against the United States
government. Cotton was employed by
the state as attorney to collect the
claim, and, when it was allowed, the
Secretary of the Treasury issued to
him warrant for the amount involv-
ed. Cotton claims that his contract
with the state calls for the payment
to him as counsel of 10 per cent Of the
entire sum. The state authorities con-
slider the fee too large, and have asked
for settlement of the matter by arbi-
tration. Before an adjustment of the
question could be reached the Secre-
tary of the Treasury had turned over
the warrant. Cotton's suit being for
the purpose Of preventing the Secre-
tary from taking such action.
General G. w. Davis, Judge Advo-
cate General Of the Army, submitted
an opinion to Acting Secretary Oliver
in regard to the legal points involved
III the controversy over the award Of
the contract for making soldiers
clothing at the Schuylkill Arsenal,
was Immediately forwarded to Pres
ident Roosevelt for his information
and guidance. The main question in
volved is whether the Quartermaster
General Of the Army is authorized to
give this work to certain seamstresses
i'll Philadelphia and orphans Of sol
diers and sailors, at the rate of rs
cents for each pair Of trousers, when
the same work can be done by con-
tract for 81 II cents per pair.
The Navy Department is disposed
to encourage, so far as possible, the
practice with small arms, and to this
end intends to establish ranges at sew
eral accessible places along the coast.
Boards Of officers are now engaged in
examining the available sites those
which are convenient to the landing
places of ships of war, such as Patx-
ent River, Lynn Haven Bay, the
mouth of York River and Fox Island.
The range at the Naval Academy will
also be inspected with a view to i'm
proving it. 1t is planned to have such
a team Of marksmen representing the
Navy at Fort Riley next year as will
insure keeping the Hilton trophy in
the, corridors Of the Navy Department.
The president has promulgated reg
ulations for the appointment of I'M
skilled laborers in the civil service and
for the selection Of eligibles for such
and has authorized the
creation of board to be composed of
a representation from the executive
This board is to be un-
der the general supervision Of the
civil service commission but will OPP
crate on independent lines. It will be
to make examinations for APP
plicants for labor positions in the ser
vice and to prepare list Of eligibles
from which all appointments are to
be made.
The government of the Netherlands
has formally notified Secretary Hay
that it gladly accepts the suggestion
that the Peace Conference be recon-
vened at The Hague. So far no forml
acceptance Of the American invitation
in it's full breadth has been received,
but it is stated that nearly all the
European powers already have indi-
Gated that they accept the president S
invitation in principle, leaving to fu-
ture negotiation the arrangement of
the programme for the conference and
the limitations to be placed upon its
work. s.
One Of the first nominations to go to
the senate at the opening of the SEES
sion will be that Of William d. Crum
for collector of customs at Charleston,
S. C. The president is evidently in
hopes that the senate will take diff
ferent view Of the matter now from
that taken heretofore, and vote its
approval, but he is as resolved as ever
that ii shall either confirm or reject
the nomination.
Secretary Hitchcock recommends
that legislation be enacted authoriz-
ing the sale of land held by Indians of
the five civilized tribes. Under ex-
listing laws only the Creek Indians
are allowed to sell their lands imme-
diately upon securing patents, and
in the otherltribes such sales are post
poned for five years.