Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-10-18
From Washington.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette'I
Washington, d. c., Oct. II.

Those "princely" gifts which Miss
Alice Roosevelt is about to bring to the
United States, gifts of such value that II
the Dingley duty should be exacted on
them President Roosevelt might have to
contribute about years salary to the
revenues of the government, are now
pronounced to be a collection Of counter
felt phonies, junk, rubbish, or the like.
That is why Miss Alice will be permit
ted to pay the duty on them. II they
had really been worth anything like that
hundred thousand or two, Secretary OF
the Treasury Shaw would have asked
Congress to remit the duty. Secretary
of War Taft told some of his cabinet
friends most all the presents she had re-
ceived when he left her wouldn't Drlng
$3.50 at auction. And those beautiful
pearls. four of them, donated by the Sui
tan of Sulu could he duplicated in the
United States for $50 all four Of them.
1t now seems certain that the board OF
consulting engineers of the lsthmian
Canal Commission, who returned to this
city today from trip to the lsthmus OF
Panama, will recommend that the canal
be of the clock" construction aud not a
sea.level canal. After carefully exam
lining the structure of the land through
which the canal is being cut and the
other features bearing upon the canal
construction, the members OF the con-
sulting board are nearly unanimously OF
the opinion that the canal will have to
have locks and cannot well be a sea-
level canal. The board of engineers are
convinced that the canal can be con-
structed along the lines thus far decided
upon by the United States Government.
There is still. it is said, an apparent
lack of administrative unity In connec-
ton with canal matters and ii is the be-
lief of many OF the engineers that radi-
cal changes will have to be made in the
present organization of the Canal Com
mission and its methods of doing bust
ness. This is, of course, the opinion, OF
the engineers who are not in any sense
of the word members of the Commission,
but who are experts in their line and
have recently had an excellent oppor-
tunity to observe the methods pursued
bv the commission.
Chairman Shou.s, Of the lsthmlan
Canal Commission, this afternoon gave
out statement of his observations dur
ing his recent trip to the canal zone. lie
said that he heard nothing but good
things from the employees as to their
present surroundings and future pros
poets He complimented highly Chief
Engineer Stevens methods and person
atty. Regarding health conditions, he
said the situation was steadily improving.
Henry Sincell, 4S years of age, died at
The Homeopathic Hospital this morning
at 4: 40 as the result of fracture of the
skull received by being struck by a street
car yesterday afternoon at 9TH and I
streets, northwest The COrnOrer, DIR.
hewitt will hold an inquest over the
b dy today. The conductor and motor
man were arrested.
The new order of the President, Issued
Yesterday, whereby Cabinet officers may
dismiss, without hearing, employees OF
whose inefficiency or misconduct the
head of the department is satisfied
personal knowledge OF otherwise
is expected to result in general wedding
out of clerks, and other subOrdinates,
whose work has been deficient, but who |
have hitherto been protected in their
positions. The feature of the civil ser
vice regulations hitherto in force which |
gave the employee the opportunity of a |
full hearing, has considerably handicap |
ped the work of the government depart
ments especially in Washington. 1t is
not always possible, Cabinet officers have
told the President to prove mans in
even when it is patent to the |
chief OF the bureau or department, and
il is not always wise to air the circum-
stances surrounding case OF miscOn-
duct. While the change in the regula-
tons gives TO the President and his cabl-
net officers almost Unlimited power over
the tenure of Office OfemplOyes, the Presi-
dent expects that the prerogative will
be exercised carefully" The publica-
ton of the order has created more or less
among the $4,000 Office
holders here ard it Is generally believed |
that many democrat will be removed |
and his place given to republican.
On schedule time President Roosevelt |
left Washington this morning on his
trip through the South With him were
Mrs. Roosevelt, Secretary Loeb, Surgeon
General Rixey and few guests and at
taches, occupying a special train of four
Pullmans. A squad of blue coats, plain
clothes men and secret service sleuths, |
with Chief John Wilkie and |
Auick Palmer, United States Marshal |
for the District, saw that everything was
correct and safely Insured. Col. l.. ;. |
Brown, general agent of the Southern /
Railway Company, accompanied the |
party. The Presidents car used on this |
trip is the Signet, one of the most elab-
Drately equipped Pullmsns in service.
goodbye the President stood
On the rear platform OF his car, with |
Mrs. Roosevelt Just behind him in the
door smiling, until the train had passed
put of the shed and was on its way to
Dixie.
Mail advices from Hongkong are to
The effect that the visit of Miss Alice
Roosevelt was slightly marred by the
brutality OF cartoon published by
Chinese newspaper there. II depicted