The National tribune., 1906-03-15

THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: {:
| In his letter transmitting the report
| of the Board 10 the President, Secre-
tary Taft says that the Board estimates
| the cost of completing the defenses at
s5O.s79.39s, or s22,Ss6,6Os less than
the sum proposed by the Endlcott
| Board. The Secretary says the growth
| of the country. the improvements of
| the ordnance and the increase of the
| Navy in the past 20 years have brought
| about a Encouragement of and additions
to the lists of ports made by the Endi-
| colt Board. THE changes that have
| taken place in the system of defense
have been so radical" he says, that
| the one proposed in 1886 is not COM
| parable with the scheme as it exists
| to-day"
| The estimates for the ports added
since the Endicott Board made lis re-
port, in 1856. including Chesapeake
Bay, are as follows:
Eastern entrance to Long Island
Sound; including s2,s4S.557 already
expended, sS,021,263; Port Royal, al
ready expended. $1S2, 1O1; Tampa, in
Guiding s704,4S7 already expended,
S1,21O,377: Puget Sound. including
| S4,2SO.915 already expended, $780,
264; Chesapeake Bay, $6,102,ST1.
| the SO appropriated anu
| allotted is $72,750,5S3. He estimates
the cost for the defense of the insular
possessions, including the naval bases
and coaling stations, at $19,S73,S95 in
addition to the $2,254,920 already ap
propriated. The estimated cost for the
defense of the Isthmian Canal ports,
| exclusive of the cost of land, is $4,SS7,-
| 6S2.
The report is made by the Taft Board
| which was constituted by Presidential
order, and consisted of Secretary Taft
Lieut.-Gen. Chaffee. Maj.-Gen. Bates.
Rear-Admiral Charles NJ. Thomas,
Maj.-Gen. Story. retired; Gen. Greedy,
Chief Signal Officer; Gen. Crozier, Chief
| of Ordnance; Gen. Mackenzie, Chief of
Engineers; Samuel NJ Mills. Chief of
Artillery; Capt. c. i. Sperry. United
States Navy, with Maj. Geo. w. Goeth-
ais General Staff. Secretary.
Tulio Larrlnaga-doesn't that sound
like name out of one of Ouida's nov
els?-wants home rule for Porto Rico
TuliO Larrinaga is the Resident Com
missioner for Porto Rico. He says that
as Porto Rico had home rule under
Spanish rule he cannot see why 1:
should not have it under the American
rule.
1t looks as though women We're gain
ing a little in the Departments. 1t has
always been the policy that no woman
should be appointed to a position In
the Navy Department which drew q !
salary of above $1,000. When a woman
got up TO that she knew she could climb
no higher so far as remuneration for
services went, though she might go
right on doing the work that men got
$1,000 for The other day a woman
stood in line of promotion with the |
highest standing as to ability, for |
$1,000 salary. She was passed over by
the Appointing Clerk, and man below
her in average given the position. The
attention of Secretary Bonaparte was
called to this, and he Immediately had
the man set hack and the woman given
the appointment which her marking
deserved. 1t is said to be the policy
of the President to gradually let women
out of Department work, and that as
fast as women leave a certain place
men shall be assigned by the Civil Ser
vice Commission. This may not be
true, but it is fact that a woman finds
it mighty hard to get the laborers
places now, and men get them without
trouble.
Associate Justice Henry Billings
Brown, of the United States Supreme
Court, intends to retire from the bench,
and has so notified President Roosevelt.
The President offered to appoint Sem
ator Philander G. Knox, of Pennsyl-
vana, to the vacancy, but the latter
declined.
Justice Brown was 10 years old
March 9. Having reached that age. and
served 10 years as a member of the
Supreme Bench. he was privileged to
retire on full pay. Although strong and
vigorous, both bodily and mentally,
Justice Brown has been troubled with
failing eyesight, and he felt that con-
tinuance of his judicial duties might
cause him to become blind.
He will serve through the present
term of the Court, and Will probably
retire in the Fall. He expects to travel
in Europe during the Summer. Justice
Brown was appointed to the Supreme
Court Bench by President Harrison in
1890
Two other members of the Supreme
Court are eligible for retirement, all
being more than 20. and having served
more than 10 years. They are Chief
Justice Fuller. who Is 73, and Justice
Harlan, who is ~. Justice Brewer viii
be 20 in June. 1907.
The House Committee on Banking
and Currency has ordered a favorable
report on n bill that if it passes, Will
enable National Banks to loan money
on farm property.
The National Bank act was passed in
1863 after a hard struggle. The pri-
vate banks of that day antagonized the
proposed National Banking system with
such effectiveness that the law was
finally passed only after the committee
having the matter in charge had agreed
that the new class of banks should not
be permitted to make loans Oh real
estate of any character. The reason
for this was because of the belief that
if permitted to loan money OH such
security all other banks would be driven
out of existence.
In recent years efforts have been
made by National Banking interests to
have the law changed The proposed I
does not provide for loans
on real estate generally, but only upon I
farm lands, and then only half their
value. improvements not included.
bin increasing the pensions of sur
vivors of the Mexican War from $12 to {
$50 a month has been introduced in
the Senate by Mr.. Stone, of Missouri.
The House Committee on Post Offices ]
and Post Roads is up against hard luck.
Chairman Overstreet and the other {
members of the Committee had re- ]
solved to make a reduction Of at least 10
per cent and possibly more in the item !
for transportation of the mail by rail
roads. But their good resolutions are {
being used for pavement in a warmer
than this, according to tradi-
tions, and all because of the law, don't
you know. There is law on the stat