Evening journal., 1905-05-24
WASHINGTON LETTER
fsneclnl corresnondence.l

somebody while waiting for an audi
ence with the secretary at the war de-
Dartment recently, and the man to
whom 1t was made fell to discussing
the causes Of Taffs particular promi-
nence at this time He recognized that
the president had left nearly all impor-
tant matters In his charge and that he
was not only secretary OF war, but
practically secretary OF state. and was
nc this particular time managing the
prellmlnarles for the construction OF
the isthmian canal
Secretary Taft certainly has very
effective method OF disposing of busi-
ness, and he also has made a great hit
with the newspaper men because he
talks very frankly with them. and none
Of them goes to him seeking lnforma-
ton on questions that have beenagitat-
Ing the public without getting aatraight
/ story Of what has been DONE
Retired List Top HeaVN
Through recent legislation and rapid
/ promotion the retired list Of both army
and navy has become top heavy
There are now 3 lieutenant generals.
20 major generals and $50 brigadier
generals on the retired list OF the army.
In the navy of the three highest
grades there are l23 rear admirals. Is
commodores and "a captains. The act
Of congress two years ago raised many
men on the retired list one rank If they
had seen service in the civil war and
had not been advanced a grade on re-
tirement This swelled the list Of brig
adler generals a great deal. but $50
brigadier generals on the retired list is
entirely out Of proportion TO the size of
the army either now or what 1t has
been during the past forty years, since
the close of the civil war.
Probably fifty OF these men saw dis
tinguished service during the civil war
and others acquitted themselves equal
ly well during the Spanish war and
earned promotion. OF course a great
many men were made brigadler gen
erals and retired in order to get rid Of
them.
The return Of the southern flags, dis
cussion Of which aroused a fame Of
wrath over the north eighteen years
ago. has been practically completed
without arousing a ripple Of protest.
Every flag taken from Confederate
troops which Il is possible to return
has been sent back There are still O
d number OF flags which cannot be iden.
tilted. and General Ainsworth, the mil
itary secretary, is in a quandary. II
has not been decided whether they
should be retained in the war depart
ment or placed in some depository oi
Confederate relics.
Supreme Court Printing.
The supreme court does not facilitatI
the work Of the press in its internal ar
rangements. Note taking IS not allow
ed in the court except by the repre-
= sentatives OF the press associations
Even their facilities are poor. The JUS
tice who delivers an opinion reads
], from a proof which is usually the onl.
? one in existence. This, often with mum
berless emendations. is sent to tn
4 ]
Hot the public printer. but the propri
etor of a small private establishment
: which has always done the business o
the court. Secrecy is in the highest de
gree essential and the court doubles
o feels that it can control the employee
. OF a private concern much better thai
it could those of the national estah
lishment. who should they get into an,
q trouble on this account, might have t
. go to see their senators to save them
! selves from dismissal. The great cour
1, wants a better control over things thai
. that, and so It has its own printer.
4 New Attorney General OF Porto Rice
l. Frank Feuille. who has been az
4 pointed attorney general Of Porto Ric
2 in place of Mr. Stewart. resigned.
from Texas and has been in Porto Ric
II ever since the American occupation
n At one time he was assistant att0rne
e general there. He speaks Spanish fir
s entity and has a wide knowledge O
It Spanish law.
II Mr.. Feuille was recommended b
s Governor Winthrop and the entire el
4 ecutive council.
Is Chief wilkes Trip.
John e. Wilkie. chief of the secre
l. service, has started on three month
p trip to Hawaii and the Philippines
IS He goes abroad 10 preach the gosp'
s OF good money as regards the coin q
l. the realm In the dependencies Of Uncl
r Sam and to impress upon the peopl
It Of those lands the futility Of trying
J. compete with the government in tn
d production Of greenbacks and coin.
e Chief WILKES first stop will be Hoi
a olulu. where he will establish an agel
7 cy Of his division. The authority {
g the secret service division Of the treai
" u.y department does not extend TO ii
n Philippines. and consequently Chic
Ie Wilkie win not establish one OF h
is men in Manila, but he will organize
If secret service for the island govern
d ment and get Il started on the rigl
It track for the detection and punisl
'r ment OF counterfeiters.
II Remains of L'Enfant.
d II is now probable that the body {
Major Pierre Charles rEnfant will I
N removed from its resting place a
$, Greenhill. Md. and reinterred with
1t the limits Of the city which owes muC
of its present beauty and splendor
10 the genius and foresight of this Frencl
u man. The District commissioners hay
II received Information that Lady How
ID ard, one Of she two owners Of Gree