The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-05-24

last 10 years of service for each year
of service, but no one shall DC paid a
greater amount than $1,000 per annum
and all salaries in excess Of $4,000 PEI
annum shall be considered as $2.a0C
for all purposes of the act. Those WAC
are so years of age or over at the date
of the first deductions from salaries
are to have deducted from their retired
annual pay an amount equal to per
cent of such retired pay.
This is the sort of thing which makes
Senator Tillman approve himself and
his course. 1t was adopted by the Stat,
Convention of South Carolina Demo
Gratis last Thursday:
Resolved by the Democratic Con
vention of South Carolina, That the
fearless, able. and consistent course OF
our senior Senator, b. r. Tillman. In
the United States Senate commands our
approval. and we tender to him this ex-
preston of confidence"
A resolution was adopted requesting
"our Senator's in Washington to sup
port the House bill providing that de-
natured alcohol shall be taX-free.''
President Thurmond. in addressing
the Convention. said:
1.-THE Republican Party is a party of
trusts. The President of the United
States is put in the awful and pitiable
position of having preached a solemn
trust, and the senior Senator from
South Carolina has exposed him COM
pletely for violating that trust"
Assistant Secretary of State Peirce's
report on one Consul failed to stick.
Richard 7. Greener, late Commercial
Agent at VladivOstok, has proved that
he was the victim of mistaken iden-
tity" and of Mr.. Peirces bias, and now
the Government will give him some
thing equally as good or better.
Secretary Taft believes in preparing
for war whether there is any prosrec.
OF going to war or not. He has been
urging the necessity of cable between
this country and Guantanamo, Porto
Rico, and Panama, and took the posi-
ton that the chief consideration is mil
itary rather than commercial. Discuss
ing this point, he said:
I'VE are anxious to have direct COM
munication with Guantanamo, where
both the Navy and the Army will have
large plants. This is the most impnr-
tant station outside of the United
States
1--WE also desire to establish COM
munication with Porto Rico. The only
method now is by French cable, and
the rates are exorbitant, and the conf
N case of war.
I'VE are proceeding upon the the
DRY that we are to fortify the Panama
Canal. We have already mad Il report
from the Artillery and Engineering
Board as to the Notifications to De
made there.
cit is said the canal ought to be neu-
ua1, but it will be necessary to have
to protect it against those
who may not observe that neutrality.
with the conditions there as they
are and the United States under the re-
sponsibility of suppressing Instructions
and in country where they have insur-
rectiOnS once year, it makes cOmmu-
nication a necessity.
with war on 1 should think 1t
very doubtful whether, with the cross
ing of a foreign territory as does the
present cable, we could secure the COM
munication we ought to have"
An omnibus bill. carrying about ST.
100000 and providing for about % pro-
jects as lads to navigatiOn," was re-
ported by the House Committee on In
terstate and Foreign Commerce last
week.
The projects include the construction
of lighthouses and other works of in
terest to shipowners and navigators.
In their hours of ease members OF
Congress do certainly like TO poke fun
at each other. Last Thursday the mi
nOrity leader, Mr.. Williams, offered an
amendment to the Naval bill and sup
ported 1T with q speech. He wants this
Naval bill to carry an appropriation
for new battleship. 1t is to be named
the Skeered o Nothin'." Mr.. Williams
declares that it should be of the largest
nnCcihta 90 IF he e
fectiye fighting type. His amendment
provided that after this battleship was
completed, and for the purpose of prov
ing which was the better ship, the
American or the English Dreadnougnt.
the British ship should be challenged
to fight a duel 'outrance" in the wa
ters of Long Island Sound in the i'm
mediate vicinity Of Oyster Bay This
locality was chosen by Mr.. Williams so
that the people OF that island could
witness the result of the strenuous pro-
gram of their neighbor, the President
Mr.. Williams stipulated that when
this duel is fought the President of the
United States and the members of his
Cabinet should have posts of honor
upon the fighting deck of the "Skeered
o Nothin',' so that full and complete
report might be made on the opera
tions of this ship.
Subsequently, Mr.. Williams said that
if it should transpire, as he believed it
would. that his battleship would be VIC
torious. it might force Great Britain
and other nations having a penchant
for large navies to accept the real pur-
poses of The Hague Conference and
bring about a reduction OF the arma-
mcnt of the world.
Continuing, Mr.. Williams said that
after this was done there would be but
one thing essential left to bring about
universal peace, and that was per-
sonal duel between Theodore Roosevelt
and Emperor William. This duel, he
said. should be fought with rapiers.
broad swords, pistols, or even horse
whips or muck rakes, and whichever
weapon was used he was confident the
German Emperor would be defeated
Then after the House had had a
hearty laugh Mr.. Williams withdrew
his amendment.
The recognized dog population of the
District is 9.444, and in the past year
the District has realized $4,000 from
the taxes on the dog population. Dogs
come high. but the people must have
them, no matter what the cost This
a.00O-odd dogs does not include the
homeless, hungry, vagrant ours which
would probably swell the number to
nearer $4,000, but not help the reye-
nues in the least.