The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-10-19

of supplies and the making of contracts
by the War Department. and places the
business methods Of the Service under
more stringent rules thaBi ever before.
Hereafter 1t will be impossible to
modify contract once made. even IL,
when the work Is we'll under way It 10
found that the specifications of the con-
tract cannot be fulfilled as sometimes
occurs. But with the approval OF the
Secretary of War the contract may be
annulled and bids invited for a new
contract with the competitors fully in
formed of the changes i'm the require
ments.
Secretary Taft in the order points
out that if notifications are permitted
after contract has once been made,
IL Is unfair to the other, bidders who
made their proposal with the idea that
the specifications advertised would nee
essarily be observed to the Letter.
The last prop of our declining years
is knocked spang from under us, SO 1t
is. DR.. Wiley says that our Scotch
high-balls amt made of Scotch whis-
dulterated corn juice and not old at
that. He just as good as says that not
a drop of real Scotch whisky ever gets
over to this side Of the big pond. unless
it comes in pocket TASKS. Then he goes
on to tell why, and here is the formula
for making the stuff:
Scotch whisky is made entirely of
barley. The malt is prepared in the
distillery and is dried over open peat
fires. The empyreumatic Vapors from
the peat are absorbed by the malt. and
when. finally. after fermentation, the
products are submitted to distillation.
the volatile empyreumatic odors come
over with the whisky, giving the we'll
known smoky taste which is character
istic of Scotch WHISTLES. The distil-
lers rarely ship goods directly to the
United States. The whole Of the pro-
duct is practically taken by the So
called blenders. BY them it is mixed
with what is known as grain, or 's-
lent spirit. distilled in Great Britain
from Indian corn imported from the
United States"
French wines. DR.. Wiley declares, are
pure and excellent. German and Brit
ish Spirits" are no good, most of them
being adulterated, though not with de-
leterious substances or chemicals.
Speaking of the use of coloring mat
ter in canning vegetables for export to
the United States, DR.. Wiley states that
In France only small quantity Of the
Objectionable sulphate of copper is
used for 'greening' French peas and
other vegetables, thanks to the food in
spection laws of this country. A curl
is that sulphate Of copper is only used
on vegetables put up for export to this
country and England, the peas, beans,
capers, etc, packed for consumption in
France and the rest of Europe having
no such coloring matter added to them.
Now wouldn't this frost you? Down
in Santo Domingo, where the attire Of
Adam and Eve would be superfiuity
most of the time. they are striving after
the Simple Life
By an executive decree, dated in the
ed year of independence and the Add
year Of the restoration, Aug. %, the
President of Santo Domingo has Or
dered the translation of the Simple
Life" by Charles Wagner, and the pub
LEGATION Of 5000 copies to be distribut-
ed among the schools and other insti-
tutions Of Santo Domingo.
Secretary Taft tried to get rid Of the
Canal Zone, but he couldn't quite make
1T. Secretary of State Root wouldn't
have the blamed thing as a gracious
gift. Secretary Of the Interior Hitch
cock declared that he had troubles of
his own with land graft, and had no
strings on any Canal Zone. So Secre-
tary Taft will have to keep our ex-
pensive toy, and sit on the lid when
accumulated gas begins to work off,
He has been down once and approved
everything. but he is going again. Sec
rotary Taft will sail on a naval vessel
from New Orleans for Panama about
Nov /. It is not his intention to re-
main long on the Isthmus, his main
object being to talk with Gov. Magoon
and Engineer Stevens and to look over
the situation as 1t now exists In the way
of construction and preparation. At
the conference with the President,
when it was decided to leave the ad-
rninistration Of canal affairs in the War
Department, Secretary Taft made it
plain that If he was to have the respon-
sibility for the canal he would be su-
preme In It's management, with no in
termediary between himself and the
President. The Secretary will take alb
solute charge of all the important bus
mess transactions regarding the canal
construction and it's management, op-
Grating through the Isthmian Commits
sion.
President Roosevelt is declining all
social engagements on his trip South,
all banquets. and everything else which
saVors OF flapdoodle. He says the trip is
purely business one, because the
South has expressed desire to see
and hear him, and that he has not the
time or the strength to waste in useless
social functions. Bravo! Mr.. Presi-
dent. A round of Southern hospitality
would have laid you out cold, sure as
little apples always get to the bottom
of the barrel. The eatables and the
turntables are the real "sho nuff thing,
they is" and for richness and "bou-
quet' can't be beat on the footstool.
George w. Murray, colored, a form
er member of Congress, has been sem
fenced to serve three years in the PEN
itentiary for forgery. Murray, who is
reported to be quite wealthy, was
charged with forging the name of all
old negro on certain notes for land.
At the time of his arrest Murray was
released on $4,000 bond, which it is
thought will be forfeited. Murray was
as black as coal tar, and seemed as
stupid as they grow 'em. How he ever
got into Congress Is a mystery. He
never spoke a word while a member of
the House-four years. He had q good
college education
Mrs Abner Mckinley is married
again. She married Capt. Allen, of
the United States Navy. Abner, the
brother Of the late President, died sud-
denly just few months ago, and left
his supposedly large fortune in a deep
~ involved condition. 1t all went, and
much debt remained. His daughter.
Mrs. Mabel Mckinley Baer, who has a
very fine voice. went upon the sta 20 40