Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-02-14
From Washington.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.
Washington. d. c.. Feb. IA.

Correspondence of the Alexandra Gazette
Washington. D. c., Feb. IA.
All kinds of complications are liable
10 follow the decision of the Senate
judiciary committee that there was no
constructive recess between the ending
of the special session and the beginning
OF the regular session ofCongress at mid
day of December 7lh, 1903 The two
sessions merged at that noon hour, but
the President, supported by high legal
advice. contended that constructiyely
there was an interval. And taking adj
vantage of that supposititious, infinitesi-
NAL space of time, the President issued
recess appointments to Leonard Wood
as major general, to 1853 other army
officers whose advancement followed
Woods promotion, to w. d. Crum as
collector of customs at Charleston, and
to several other government officials.
In General Woods case he would have
become a brigadier general with the re-
duced pay Of that rank but for the
Presidents action. In Crum's case he
would have ceased to be collector. The
effect, therefore, of the Presidents deci-
sion was to give all of those appointees
more salary than they would have
been entitled to if there bad been no con-
structiye recess. The Senate some months
later confirmed all of these appointments,
but the judiciary committee now asserts,
by what is understood TO have been
unanimous vote, that there was no con-
structiye recess and therefore that the
Presidents action was illegal. That
brings in question the legality of the
payment 10 all the officials involved of
the difference between the salary Of the
grade they occupied and that to which
they were promoted by the President.
If that point is pushed it will cause
tremendous confusion in the accounts of
the Treasury, and consideration would
be involved. 1t is thought, however,
that the Senate will content itself in the
matter to prevent similar incidents in
the future and will let the question of
salaries drop. It is possible, however,
that it may be decided TO adopt special
legislation legalizing the action of the
discussing officers in those cases. The
report of the judiciary committee, which
was prepared by Senator Spconer and
concurred in by the other members, will
not be made public until next
Monday when the committee holds its
next meeting.
The select subcommittee Of the House
committee on commerce TO investigate
the affairs of the Panama Railroad Com.
pany, it was learned this morning, has
been to New York and examined the
books, reports and papers of tie COM
pany and placed an expert at work on
them to investigate. The company's
looks show that Admiral Walker, Presi-
dent Of the Canal Commission, holds in
the commissions name 90S shares of the
stock, not owned by the government;
that Attorney Cromwell owns six shares
and that the directors each own one
share.
The House committee on naval affairs
today authorized favorable report on the
Rixey resolution, calling on the Secretary
Of the Navy for his reasons for CANCEL.
ing the contract with the Midyale Com
pany to furnish 5000 tons of armor at
1898 per ton and for rejecting another
bid of the same firm for 7, 1913 tons of ar.
NOR and executing the contract with the
and Carnegie Company at an
advance price ofS200, 900.
The general impression about the
Capitol is that the Sullivan Hearst
flair yesterday was most unfortunate
occurrence and should never have been
permitted on the floor Of the House.