The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-11-09
OUR WASHINGTON
n JAND NOTES
ITEMS q INTEREST BRIEFLY
tRONICLED.
Whose Duty it Will Be to See to Bet
ter Conduct of ATairs-Taft's Pur-
pose to Increase Coast Artillery
Causes Alarm.


fees Monday. At the conclusion it
was announced that no matters under
consideration had been brought to a
final head and therefore could not be
given to the public. The meeting is
the first to be held since the promul-
gatron of the order adjuring members
not to discuss with correspondents of
newspapers questions not fully set
tied and therefore mo effort was made
to interview members when the session
closed. 1t can be stated on authori-
ty, however, that the only important
subject given serious thought was
raised by Secretary Root OF the State
Department, and was not concluded
when the meeting adjourned. Secre-
tary Root remained with the Presi-
dent after his colleagues had retired,
and was a guest at luncheon. The
case of United States Circuit Judge
Baker of Indiana, charged by the Civ
I'll Service Commission with soliciting
campaign contributions, received some
more attention, and it was the general
understanding that no further pro-
oeedings are practicable under the cir
cumstances. An official statement of
this case will probably be made in the
next few days.
Secretary Taft's known purpose to
increase the coast artillery to a
strength sufficient to man and operate
the newly installed and expensive
coast defenses has led members of the
general staff to fear a revival of Sen
ator Warren's bill of last winter to
make over five of the present regi-
ments of cavalry into artillery. Sen
ator Alger, who is a member of the
Senate Committee on Military Affairs
and an old eavalryman, working with
the general staff last session, succeed
ed I'm keeping the Warrea. bill in the
committee and smothering it. IF the
proposal should be advanced again at
the coming session the fight will be
renewed. Changes in the Senate com
mittee that will be made to fill the
vacancies caused by the death of Sen
ators Hawley Of Connecticut and Bate
of Tennessee and the retirement of
Senator Cockrel of Missouri NAV OPP
crate to bring the bill before the Sen
ate. The eavalrymen were very much
wrought up last winter over the pro-
posal. They argued that only two OF
three men attached to each big gun
must have any technical knowledge,
and that the others are mere laborers
and ammunition haulers. The gen
eral staff Is opposed to converting the
cavalry into artillery for number of
reasons, and vii contest any proposal
of the Secretary's that includes such
a scheme
1t is announced here that Secretary
Wilson some time ago ordered the Gre
atlon of committee of personnel"
whose duty 1T will be to carry into eff
feet certain rules for the better con-
duct of affairs in the department. with
a view to preventing the occurrence
of any irregularities. Other depart
ments have had such committee in
the past, but this is the first time that
an organization of the sort has been
created in the Department of Agri-
culture. The new committee will con-
sist of Assistant Secretary Hays, the
solicitor of the department and the
chief clerk. 1t will especially take
charge of cases where outside work is
undertaken by members Of the de-
partment and allowed to, become too
important and lucrative at the ex-
pense of their efforts for the govern
ment.
The Washington Post says: Cunt
ed States Circuit Judge Francis E.
Baker, of Indiana will not be called
upon to plead to am indictment charg-
ing him with violating the civil SER
vice law, which prohibits the collec-
ton Of campaign assessments from
government employees. This is the
crux of report submitted to the
President by the Department of JUS
tice, which has concluded an inves-
tigation of the charges against Judge
Baker of the Civil Service Commits
sion. Civid Service Commissioner
Green charged in his recent official
statement of the case that several
clerks employed In the postoffiee at
Goshen, Ind, had been urged to sub
scribe per cent Of their salaries to
the Republican campaign fund three
years ago.
The Lighthouse Board has received
a report from its officers aboard the
Magnolia at the time she collided with
tho f1~1if ataarnar Eonor.+o 1Ge NJ