Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-12-17


sape TO Congress this afternoon urging
the passage Of the naval personnel
bill recommended by Secretary OF the
NAVY BoDararte providing for earlier
promotions Of competent line officers OF
The navy TO the grades OF captain and
admiral, aud establishing the grade OF
vice admiral. The message says that
"under the present archaic syslem Of
promotion without parallel in the navy
of any other first class power, captains
are commissioned at The average age OF
ffty.six and rear admirAls at the aver
age Of sixty"
w. H. Moody, Of Massachusetts,
became member of the Supreme Court
of the United States today by taking the
oath of Office when the court convened
at noon. When the court con 7ened
Chief Justice Fnller announced that Mr..
Moody was present to take the oath and
directed that it be administered BY Clerk
McKenney. As finale to the ceremony,
Solicitor General Hoyt introduced to the
court Justice Moody's successor as At
torney General, Charles j. Bonaparte.
The Christmas recess of Congress may
be said to have already commenced, for
the attendance 10 both houses OF Con-
press WAS smsll today aud will grow
smaller till Thursday when the recess
actually begins. Both Virginia Senators
were in their seats today, but on the
House side not half of the republicans
we're present.
The wide tire bill, in which Alexan'
drisns are interested, will, tits expected.
come up 10 the House tomorrow when
an effort will be made by its opponents
to have its consideration postponed.
The House committee on election OF
the President. Vice Pre- sident and mem
ters 10 Congress today fayorably re-
ported the Tllman bill preventing cor
porations from making contributions to
cam paign funds. The committee also re-
ported a bill putting the secretaries. OF
the departments Of agriculture and COM
merce and labor in line fo5 presidential
succession.
The House committee on industrial
arts and expositions today ordered fay
orable report on the bill loanlDg the
Jamestown Exposition one million dol
lara, with the gate receipts as security
and providing for an extension OF The
time the exposition shall run.
Interstate Commerce Commissioners
CLARK was today heard by the House
committee on public lands in favor OF the
Presidents proposition to lease instead
Of sell the cosI lands Of the public do
main.
Senator HaDsbOrough introduced O
bill reserying TO the government the
title to all coal, Ignite, petroleum and
natural gas deposits within the public
domain, but providing for the opening
of the public lands containing such de-
posits TO settlement and entry under The
public land laws.
The President SAINT TO Congress today
q special message concerning the public
land frauds In the west. He emphasizes
the need of immediate action 10 recast
the statutes on the subject.
Three of the government departments
have new heads this morning, the
changes made by President Roosevelt
taking effect in the Navy Department,
the Department Of Justice, and the De.
partment of Commerce aud Labor.
Victor II. Metoalf who has been Sec
retsry of the Department Of Commerce
and labor since July l, 1904, is now
Secretary of the Navy. Charles j..
BonapaEte, who since July ], 1905 has
been at the head OF the Navy Depart
ment, is now Attorney General. VIII
liam II. Moody, who was appointed At
torney General on July /, 1904, reiirss
to become Justice OF the Supreme
Court. The only new member of the
Cabinet is Oscar &. Strauss, OF New
York, who succeeds Mr. Metcalf as Gee
retary of Commerce and Labor. The
ceremonies incident TO the changes in
the Cabinet were informsl
The Senate broke into broad grin to-
day and the President was the cause OF
lit When assistant Secretary Lstta sp-
peared with batch of special messages
pages were given big stacks of portfolios
10 distribute. They were views taken
on the lsihmus OF Panama during the
Presidents recent trip OF inspection 10
the lsthmus. The portfolio was inteu-
ded to be an appendix TO the message
on Panama but the Sensto:s had en- 10y
Ell its views beforeit was laid before
them
The House committee on Industrial
areas and expeditions today held a hear
ing on The Maynard bill providing FOL
the loan Of one million dollars to the
jamestown Exposition, with the gate
receipts as security Many prominent
men of Norfolk, representatives Of the
capital interested in the exposition, were
heard in advocacy Of the measure. Il
was estimated that five million people
will attend the exposition.
| Chief Justice Fuller announced today
that the Supreme Court of the United
States woeld adjourn next Monday, De
cember "a, for two weeks recess.
The House committee on interstate
and foreign commerce today heard l.
Nv. Stevens, of Columbia, Missouri, ant
| Congressman. elect AshbrOok, OF Johns
town, O., in favor of the Garrett bill
permitting newspapers TO accept railros'
passes as payment for advertisements.
! Justice Moodys first official act wa;
to appoint Charles f. Wilson, Of Wash
ing,On, d. c., his private secretary
lMr. Wilson is praclicing attorney herr
and was formerly private secretary o
Justice Brown.
| The u. $ Supreme Court today at
firmed the decision Of the Mississippi
| ...-L l. ...knl liz liza ,nilrnad nonn 10 :