Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-18
At The WHITE HOUSE
Relations With Panama Dis
cussed by the Cabinet.
Mr.. wYNNE ESTIMATES
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL SUB
MITS TIE FINAL FIGURES.
Recommendations Will Be Based on
Actual Needs Knight Templar
Representative Presented.

The principal subject at the cabinet meet
ing today was the differences between this
country and Panama over various ques-
tions arising in the canal strip. The ques-
tons are in the hands of Secretary Hay
and Secretary Taft, and they will take up
and carefully consider the representations
made by the republic of Panama. They
have talked with the President, who has
had talks with John Barrett, the United
States minister to Panama, and Admiral
Walker, chairman Of the isthmian canal
commission. 1t is the intention to set
tie the differences as much in favor of the
contentious Of Panama as 1t is possible for
this country to CO. but no agreement has
yet been reached and nothing will be made
public for a few days.
There were present at the meeting Sec
retaries Hay, Morton, Taft and Hitchcock
Attorney General Moody and Postmaster
General Wynne. Secretary Taft talked
with the President about the Panama sit
uation and so did Secretary Hay. When
Secretary Taft was asked about the prob
able action of the War Department in the
reported marriage of John T. Smith, a
member of the hospital corps Of the army
stationed at Fort Mott to negro woman,
ne said that he knew nothing officially of
the case. With laugh he remarked: 'I
have not yet adopted the recommendations
of General Corbin as to supervising the
marriage OF young army officers, without
beginning to attempt the same thing as
TO the privates of the army"
A good part of the cabinet meeting was
consumed In hearing report from Secre-
tary Metcalf Indicating what progress he
mad MADE toward carrying out the Presi-
dents instructions respecting the officials
involved In the General Slocum disaster
Post Office Department Estimates.
Postmaster General Wynne took up with
the President the estimates Of appropria-
tons for the Post Office Department, SUBJ
uniting to the President the final figures
or the estimates. The Postmaster General,
with view to holding down the appropria-
tons to bedrock figures, carefully scruti-
nized and revised the estimates submitted
TO MIN by the chiefs of bureaus. Recon-
mendations for the creation Of new offices
and for the increase of salaries have been
d1sapproved in many, instances. The result
Is, as viewed by the Postmaster General,
that the figures to- be submitted to Con-
gress through the Treasury Department will
call for just what the department needs
FOR the proper transaction Of its business
The total amount estimated for the needs
Of the department isa$1S3, 74S. 495. as against
an appropriation for the current fiscal year
or s17o,S45,99S, the increase in the estimates
for the ensuing year over the appropria
ton for the current year being So 500, 1876.
The closeness with which the figures
have been scanned said Mr.. Wynne lis
shown In the fact that in the office of the
Postmaster General the assistant attorney
general, the first, second, third and fourth
assistants and in the Typographical division
the total increase over the present fiscal
year asked from Congress is but S94 600.
For the service in general, which means the
service outside the city of Washington, the
Postmaster Generals force shows no in
crease. On the contrary, there is reduc-
tion of $1,000. In the office of the first as
siStant, where the salaries of postmasters
and rentals are allowed. the increase, which
is $293I 800, is in exact proportion to the
growth of business. based on previous ex-
perience, and the record, which shows
about the percentage of new postmasters
and additional post offices to be provided
for. The increase in the bureau of the sec
Ond assistant for the transportation of
mails, is s., $50, III. This indicates the ex-
ter to be handled during the next fiscal
year. The total estimated for this Office is
SIC, 92S, 800 The increase in the appropria-
ton for the Office of the third assistant
who has charge of the printing of stamps
and stamped envelopes and of the accounts
of the department. is only $130OO0, the total
being 81 .S66500
the fourth assistant includes $1O9, $50 for
post office inspectors, $1,171.575 for free de-
livery service and So, COS, 800 for rural free
delivery service. total increase of
$7.2S7, 425.
Nearly the total deficiency which Con-
gress will be asked to provide for the de-
partment fer the current year is included
in the amount of increase asked for rural
free delivery"
Is Senator Spooner SoreP
Newspaper men and others at the White