Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-11-17
From Washington
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, ID. O.. Nov. Il.


tary Root regarding the status of his
clients case. The matter has been be-
fore the department for over a year
and it is regarded there as being a strong,
clear case against the present Venezuela
administration. 1t is being considered
now by Secretary Root in' connection
with the general settlement of all ques-
ions pending between this country and
/ Venezuela which it is hoped may
be secured as a result OF the recent
visit to Caracas of Judge Calhoun,
the special confidential emissary OF
the President. Critchfeld and his as
sociates some years ago secured a con-
cession from the Venezuelan govern
ment for the mining of asphaltat place
some distance removed from the asphalt
lake of the New York and Bermudez
Company. They built railroad and
took other steps to develop their prop
erty. Under some pretext, which the
company's representatives claim was en-
tirety fictitious, President Castro or
dered the seizure of all of the company's
property and the cancellation Of the
mining concession. Under these cir
cumstances the company appealed to the
/ United States government for the resti-
tuition of its rights and presented acclaim
against the Venezuelan government for
damages incurred through the stoppage
of their work and loss Of their property.
The q. S. cruiser Columbia, under
the command of Capt. Bowyer, has been
designated to convey a detachment Of
two hundred marines to the Islhmus Of
Panama to relieve those who have been
stationed there They will sail from
Philadelphia December 10th. The
marines will be under the command Of
Mai. Chas. G. Long who will relieve Col.
Long in charge Of the isthmian de-
tachment.
Congressman William Alden Smith,
of Michigan, called at the White House
this morning to talk with the President
about local political matter "lf there
is to be any tariff revision" said Mr..
Smith, somebody else will have to Go
it for / am opposed to it and shall resist
it in every possible way. was elected
/ to Congress twelve years ago to succeed
democrat in great agricultural and
manufacturing district, and ten years
ago assisted in the passage of the pres
ent tariff law. 1t has brought to the
country unparalleled prosperity. Most
countries of the world are protected bv
tariff laws and ours will be as long as Il Q
prudent business men of the country
have a voice in the matter" Speaking
IF the German tariff, Mr. Smith said:
"Any trade arrangements that we can
make with Germany consistent with the
most favored nation clause of cur
treaties with other countries, ought to
be made, but we should be very careful
that we do not lose more trade than we
get in return by hasty and sentimental
concessions"
1t was officially announced at the War
Department this morning that the resig-
nation of Lieutenant Granville Fortescue,
a distant relative Of the President, will
be- accepted. 10 his letter of resigna-
ton Lieutenant Fortescue gives as his
reason bis desire to enter business life.
There will be nothing in the formal ac-
ceptance OF the resignation in the, way Of
reference to his unfortunate entangle-
ment in the Taggart divorce case, which
is supposed here to be his real reason
for getting out of the army. II is stated
positively this morning that 50 far as the
War Department is concerned, no re-
quest was made for the officers resigna-
ton. Whether or not Lieutenant Fortes
cue received a personal hint from the
President that it would be best for him
to leave the army is not known here.
Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock is
after the scalp of Judge Baxter, district
attorney at Omaha, because the after
permitted Bartlett Richardson and w.
G. Comstock to plead guilty OF illegally
fencing in 2l2, 600 acres of government
land in Sheridan county, Nebraska. As
a result of the plea Of guilty, the men
escaped with nominal punishment,
the federal Judge sentencing them TO re-
main in the custody of the United States
marshal for term of six hours. Presl-
dent Roosevelt is said to share the indig-
nation ofSecretary Hitchcock and The lat
ter has presented the case TO the Depart
ment of Justice. He indignantly scores
the action of the District AttOrneg, who,
in his opinion, should have fought the
case to the bitter end and insisted upon
adequate punishment The Department
OF the Interior has devoted four years to
and expended thousands OF dollars in
the pursuit of these offenders and expect
ed results that would act as a warning to
those engaging in the practices complain
ed of on a smaller scale. Secretary
Hitchcock will personally urge that Bax-
ter's case receive full consideration and
that drastic action be taken if his con-
duct shall seem to warrant it.
Rear Admiral John Rodgers, U. 5.
navy, retired, who is President of the
board OF naval officers appointed some
time ago to make recommendations con-
corning the needs of the various navy
yards and particularly the New York
navy yard, was at the Navy Depart
ment today for the purpose of placing
before the officials there information re-
garding the fight to be made by a syndi-
cate of Brooklyn land owners to obtain
from the government the right TO use
land belonging to the navy yard as an
approach to certain reclaimed land in
the vicinity of Cob dock. Admiral Rod
gers reported that this syndicate had re-
quested the navy yard authorities to
grant them the privilege of using