The National tribune., 1906-03-15

the opening Of letters. is up to date.
At the time OF the REORGANIZATION of
the Department by Postmaster General
COrtelyou there were, nearly q half mil
lion letters remaining to be opened.
Mighty few men would decline an
appointment to the United States SUI
preme Court Bench, but that is exactly
what Senator Knox has done. The
President offered the appointment to
him to take effect when Justice Brown
retires. 1t is. said that Secretary of
War Taft has declined such an APP
pointment twice. and that it would be
offered to him a third time, but it is
known that he prefers, to remain in
the Cabinet. But there will be chances
for both these friends OF the President
before President Roosevelt retires, for
Chief Justice Fuller and Mr.. Justice
Harlan are both past the retiring age
and could now quit on full pay if they
SO desired.
The Third Judicial Circuit. over
which Justice Brown presides, COM
prises the States of New Jersey, Penn
sylvania and Delaware. None Of these
States has a representative in the Su-
preme Court. Justice Brown is from
Michigan. The Judges Of this Circuit
are Marcus w. Acheson. of Pittsburg:
George NJ. Dallas. of Philadelphia. and
George Gray, of Delaware, who stands
a fair show for appointment.
Judge Gray is well known to the
President. He was Senator from
Delaware. a member of the Spanish
American Peace Treaty Commission, a
member Of the British American Joint
High Commission, and is still MEM
Der of the Permanent Arbitration Tri-
bunal at The Hague.
Secretary Shaw has submitted to
Congress an estimate of $4,000 for
the construction of q cable from Key
West. Fla. to Guantanamo. Cuba, and
thence to the Panama Canal Zone. The
estimate was made by Gen. Allen, Chief
Signal Officer Of the Army. who pre-
Taft. A note Enclosed with Gen. AL
lens report states that both Army and
Navy officers believe the cable neces-
sary to American interests.
Gen. Chas. Fl. Grosvenor, who ac-
companied the Taft party to the Phil
ipptnes. gave lecture last Friday night
which was of great general interest.
Mr.. GrosvenOr prefaced his remarks
with the statement that he knew Of no
subject concerning which people in the
United States had been more misin-
formed than the Philippines. and that
he wished in the beginning to disabuse
a great expense to this Government.
Every member Of the House or Sem
ate who went on the trip had paid for
the transportation of his wife or friend
whom he took along. from San Fran
cisco. The Philippine Government had
met all the expenses OF It's entertain
ment for the party, and he would not
have it thought for a moment that it
was q pauper Government. The people
had money, and they were not afraid
to spend it.
The speaker dwelt at length upon TIE
orderly character of the Filipinos. Not
once in the course Of all the different
affairs given in honor of the Taft party
had he seen anything like disorder. 1t
was the universal testimony of the par
ty that no one had seen an Intoxicated
man in the course OF the entire trip,
which fact. he thought would refute
the criticisms made to the effect that
had introduced saloons in
the islands with detrimental results.
In fact, he wished that some Of the
American statesmen who refer to the
Philippines as 1.-The home Of heathen-
ism" would visit Them. Mr.. Grosvenor
spoke of the domestic trait in the Fill
pino, which, he said, was his leading
ready to defend his home and family,
but he did not care to. work for him
self, preferring to hire out.
In this connection the speaker said
that he thought the bill limiting the
of land to be- granted to ore
we're essentially places Tor large grants
Of land, and. until the dreaded COR
were allowed to take pos
Of large tracts. the sugar trade
would not amount to much.
The principal export of the Islands
is hemp, and the United States Is de-
pendent on the Philippines for 1t. as
It grows nowhere else in the world.
A great war on consumption is about
to be made In the various Departments
OF the Government. A determined at
tempt will be made to segregate all
those who show any symptoms of hay
ing lung trouble. tuberculosis in any
form. and no more such will ever be
admitted into Government employ. 1t
will be a pretty sorry test that a great
many have to go through with. because
1t Is weil-known fact that there are
now employed in the Depart
ments here in the District who are
suffering with tuberculosis in different
forms. The President has issued an
order that the rules concerning the
precautions to be taken by those af-
ficted be strictly enforced. and that
any one Of the employees Of the Gov
eminent 50 afflicted who tries to evade
the rules shall be dismissed. The Chiefs
Of each Department are to ascertain
the names Of all those in their Depart
ments who are afflicted with tubercu-
fosis In any form, and present to them
q copy of the rules. When there seems
to be any doubt that person SO af-
flicted has tuberculosis or not. that per-
son is to be examined at one Of the
laboratories. and bring to-
the Chief Of the Department a certif-
cate showing the result of the exam
nation. All Departments Of the Gov
are to be inspected, and dis
infected when a severe case is found
to exist. All insanitary Departments
are to be cleaned up and made SAM
tary. This last is about as important
as any order that has ever been issued
by the President. but, Just the same,
1t will not be fully enforced until Con-
gress unlOoses It's purse strings and
puts up enough sanitary buildings for
the Government employees. At the pres
emit time many OF the clerks work in
rooms into which the sun never pene-
trates. and very little daylight. work
Ing altogether by gas or electric lights.
They are also working I'm old. tumble
down buildings and In Easements that