The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-11-24
WASHINGTON
NEWS NOTES,
ITEMS OF INTEREST BRIEFLY
CHRONICLED.
COMMISSIONER HECKER

Resigns on Account of tho Climate of
the Canal Zone. The Nomination
of Crum Among the First to Go to
the Senate.
Washington. Frank J. Hecker has
resigned as member Of the Panama
canal commission. Mr.. Hecker says:
"A stay of Is weeks on the itsh-
mus during the past summer has con-
vinced him that the effect Of the eli
mate of the canal zone is so unfav-
orahle to his health that continued
periods Of residence there. such as the
duties OF the isthmian canal commits
sion make desirable If not imperative
would be at the risk Of a general
break down, both physically and eff
GENTLY Of service. Accepted his res
lgnation with extreme reluctance and
thanked him for the courtesy you have
have shown me in defering it so long
as he has. Stating that he appointed
him because he believed exactly the
type of business man we needed on the
commission. Mr.. Hecker is from
Michigan. President Roosevelt has
not considered the subject of a sue
tessor to Col. Hecker on the commits,
sion. Indeed an intimation is given
that it may be some time before an
announcement is made as to his sue
sessor. The president regards the APP
pointment of the member of the COM
mission Of such Importance as to war
rant very careful consideration. Such
man as he desires is not easy to be
obtained and as the preliminary work
IF the commission is well In hand there
IS no absolute reason that the appoint
ment should be made Immediately.
The president has not minated to
anybody whether he has any man in
mind or not. There has been some
speculation regarding the successor of
Col. Hecker and several names have
been suggested, among them Senator
Cockrell, of Missouri, and Judge
Charles z. Morgan, who is now attor-
aey to the commission.
The annual report Of w. S. Shallen-
berger, second assistant postmaster
general, shows that the annual rate
Of expenditure for all inland mail
transportation service during the last
fiscal year was $67 ,931 ,430. To this is
added $2,516,053 for foreign mails.
The largest items in the postal trans
poration figures are the star routes,
which number 1918, and an annual
rate Of expenditure Of $6,03S, 023; rail
road routes 3,00S in number with 1885,
t07 mileage and an annual rate of ex-
penditure Of $39,177,377; railway
Dostoffice carrier routes numbering
s84 and an annual rate of expendi-
ure Of $5,519,234, and railway mail
Ear service, (office and clerks) H.
IA in number involving an expendi-
lure Of $12,205,373. In Hawaii the
star route and mail messenger service
Ut the various ports is now so arrang-
I'd as to connect with mail steamers at
any time, whether the steamers are
running on regular schedule or at ir-
regular intervals. To indicate the
arge increase in the volume of mails
carrier by the railroads, it is pointed
but that the expenditures for rail
road transportation with railway post
office cars during the four-year period
t9O2-O5, was $42, ASIA an increase
tf over II per cent over the previous
four years period while the revenue
sf the postal service was $139, Isl ,794,
an increase Of over forty per cent
over the previous four years period.
rhe report says 1t is evidently the de-
sire Of the American people to send
parcels Of small average weight
abroad and that our rate Of postage
favor this practice.
A question has been raised as to the
date when the resignation of Pension
Commissioner Ware takes effect The
resignation was dated Nov 13 last,
and accepted by the president the next
day Neither in the resignation nor IN
the acceptance was there any mention
Of time when the resignation should
become operative. The claim is made
that Mr.. Wares occupancy Of the Of
fee terminated when the president
acted upon it, and that no act of the
commissioner since that date is le-
gal When the matter was brought to
Mr.. Ware IS attention he replied that
he had not known that the question
had been raised.
No alarm is felt at the offices of the
Panama Canal Commission on account
Of the recent disturbance on the 18TH