The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-08-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Dense mystery is preserved at the War
Department regarding the progress of the
investigation into army irregularities in
the Philippines, but additional evidence
of the searching character of the inquiry
now under way has been obtained.
Four quartermasters have been ordered
back to Manila to assist in covering mat
tiers long concealed regarding the imposi-
ton on the Government by officers of high
rank of large expenses for furniture, SOU.
venirs, repairs to houses, &c., which they
should have paid ont of their private funds.
The officers who are to probe the scandal
are Captains Fredenall, Cole, Kimball
and Nugent.
They are now en- route to Manila and
will assist Colonel Wood, the Inspector
General in charge of the probing of the
Government construction shop. 1t is said
that it would be difficult to find an officer
of high rank who served in the islands
for the last seven years who is not involv-
ed in the scandal.
The situation is very similar to that
which prevails at the Capitol here, and
especially in the Senate. There are large
sums expended by Senators for which no
accounting is made, and much of this ex-
penditure would not stand the light of
day. 1t is petty and official graft, and
yet if it was to be published it would be
dropped. 1t is limited that the affairs
cannot be without embarrassment for
Secretary Taft himself. He was Gov
error of the islands while much of these
irregular accounts were piling up.
~
For the first time in - years the Gov
eminent has announced its purpose to
purchase silver for coinage purposes.
Tenders are invited at the Office of the
Director of the mint in this city on
Wednesday, August IS, up to I O'Clock
P. M, and every Wednesday thereafter
until further notice. These tenders are to
be for delivery at the Philadelphia, New
Orleans or Denver minis, settlement TO be
on the New York basis of bullion guaran-
teed .eeo fine. The Treasury reserves the
right to reject all tenders, or accept such
part of any tender as may suit its
convenience.
1t is understood that, anticipating that
its temperance as purchaser might
temporarily disturb the market unduly,
the Treasury has obtained control of con.
siderable amounts for future delivery, so
that it is in position to drop out of the
market for several months, if desirable.
The average requirements of the Treasury
throughout the year will probably not
exceed 100, 900 ounces week, and it will
be the policy of the department, while
keeping reasonable amount in hand, to
so distribute its purchases throughout the
year that its demands will be uniform and
not an element of uncertainty in the
market.
From the resumption of specie pay
ments in 1879 down to the year 1900 the
constant increase in the stock of subsi-
diary coin required by the growing pop
piled by the recoinage of old and incur
rent subsidiary coins, which accumulated
in the Treasury under the Resumption
act. In 1900, as this stock was running
low, authority was granted in the None
tary act of March ID to the Secretary of
the Treasury to divert bullion, purchased
under the Act of July, 1890, Tor the coin
age of silver dollars, to the coinage of
subsidiary pieces. Under this authority,
about $33, 900, 900 has been coined
since 1900.
The stock of bullion in the Treasury
was exhausted more than year ago, and
since then no bullion has been available
for subsidiary use.
~
According to census just taken by
the health department of the Isthmian
Canal Zone, the population of the zone is
22,I37. AS the inhabitants of the zone
are constantly moving, it was impossible
to enumerate all of them, and it is esti.
mated that the number missed is probably
about 5000. bringing the total up to
27,I37. A census showed that the city of
Panama had 22,547 population.
Blacks outnumber the whites in all the
settlements on the Canal Zone. AT Guile
bra there are ST. whites, 1886 blacks and
I5S yellow persons, giving the town
population of a. Sol, and showing it TO be
far the largest town in the Zone. The
census of Colon and Christobal showed
the actual population of the two cities to
be 1875. The census taken in April of
this year shows that the total number of