Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1907-01-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.


1850 ~~s &~~~"
Another chapter in the rather
stormy history Of the Panama canal
commences with the retirement Of
Chairman Shonts from the Panama
Canal Commission and his success
sion by John f., Stevens, now the
chief engineer of the Canal. Mr..
Sbonts this week gi res up bis $780,
900 job as the president Of the Com.
mission. to accept something which
Is reported 70 be between $50. 600
and 800. 900. for the management of
the New York subway. the Belmont
Ryan institution, which can afford
to pay any sum IL chooses to get q
suitable man. The severanceo Of Mr..
Shont's connection with the canal
enterprise was NOT marked by any
Of the unpleasant accomplishments,
such as were made public when
Chairman Wallace resigned the same
position about q year ago. Chairman
Shont's letter Of resignation was
sent to the President and was &C
cepted ia an entirely friendly spirit
and be was given the good wishes
of the Administration in his coming
work.
John F. Stevens, the present chief
engineer of the canal has succeeded
Mr. Shonts as the head Of the Canal
Commission. Il Is generally under
stood that both the President and
Secretary Taft consider Mr.. Stevens
fully equipped in every respect TO
carry on the work aud an effort will
be made in the near future TO reduce
the number of the Canal Commits
sioners to three, possibly even max
ing it a one man power concern,
with Mr.. Stevens in entire charge.
-"
Considerable scandal has been
created by the publication in Wash
ington of the fact that the Navy has
maintained an effective lobby here
this winter for the passage Of the
personal bill. There are q number
OF executive orders against govern
ment employees of any sort lobbying
in favor Of bill which affects their
own department. aud there is a par
ticular order that any petitions of
naval officers either for or against
Legislation affecting their service
shall be transmitted to Congress
through the Secretary Of the Navy.
This procedure has not been follow
ed in the case Of the personnel bill.
Ii might also be news TO the War
Department TO learn that similar lob
bies have been maintained this win
ter in favor OF the Artillery Bill and
the Medical Bill. both Of which are
now pending, for the War Depart
ment. In fact, IL is said, in case of
the artillery bill that personal re-
quests were circulated from high
officers in the service to ell of their
subordinates asking them to bring
whatever pressure they are able to
bear on both senator's and repres.
entatives favoring the passage Of
this bill.
-
There is standing rule in the
Treasury Department., one OF the
most strictly enforced rules in the
service by the way, against any
employee OF the Treasury accepting
presents or favors OF any sort from
the financial institutions with which
the Treasury has 10 deal. This
matter was brought into promin-
ence this week bv the action of
Treasurer Treat in demanding the
resignation Of Samuel Terry, and
Edware Lee Of the New York sub.
treasury on account OF their having
accepted presents from some of the
New York banks or truss COM
panies. A good dea, Of mystery is
thrown over the action OF the De-
partment in these two cases and IL
is specifically stated that nothing
was found wrong in the accounts of
either of these two employees, but
they-bave violated one OF the cardi.
nal rules of the Treasury Depart
mant and they were made to suffer
for it Immediately.
e.
There was received at the head.
quarters of the Secret Service In the
Treasury Department this week a
big roll Of counterfeit bills whose
disappearance has kept the officers
OF the. Planters Bank in Richmond
In state OF semi-p panic since 1891.
There was passed in that year Law
against the retention by banks
throughout the United States ofauv
counterfeit money. Prior to thas ,
time banks had been In the habit OF |
keeping specimen counterfeits for
the instruction OF their employees.
When the law was passed all OF the |
banks were compelled to turn in |
these counterfeits to the Treasury
ANkw