Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-04-18
vSaggE7llI|SI|l|gzbnh
;zf|ffIs!ll! ElS
gBNgIIp"''

idleiy DeSuu SeilOuSly 10 ulSCuSS Tue
need of permanent officers in the diff
ferent executive departments, to man
age the work under the direction of the
members of the Cabinet The Cabinet
changes so often that the conduct OF
the government business is not so eff
Gent as it might be. There are prac-
tically permanent assistant secretaries
in some of the departments who are
familiar with what has been done in
the past, hut there are not enough Of
them. In the British Cabinet there
are permanent under-secretaries to
whom the cabinet minister looks for
information and guidance in details,
while the minister himself attends to
the large questions of policy, and is not
confused by a multiplicity of details.
One of the propositions seriously ad-
vanced in Washington looks TO the ap-
pointment of a superintendent of posts
who shall be appointed for his execu-
tive ability and shall be free from the
vicissitudes of political and administra-
tive changes. 1t is believed that such
an officer could reform many abuses
that now exist in the postotfice admin
istration, besides assisting in reducing
the expense of the department
-
The Postoffice Department has APP
proved the design for one-cent and
two-cent postage stamp as one of the
series commemorative of the James
town Exposition. The cent stamp will
bear the likeness of Capt John Smith,
and the date of his birth and death,
with the profile of PocahontaS in the
upper left-hand corner and of Pow
haitian in the upper right corner. The
two-cent stamp will be an engraving
of the landing OF the first settlers at
jamestown. The bureau of engraving
and printing is now at work on this
series and the stamps will be on sale
throughout the country on April 20,
the day of the opening of the EXPOSE
ton.
Extraordinary expenses to the Uni
ted States to date caused by the send
ing of an army of pacification to Cuba
aggregate about $25OO,OOO according to
figures which have been prepared by
the war department. The navy has
made no extraordinary charges for the
part it has taken in the maintenance
of peace in the island, but the marine
organization of brigade of marines to
assist in preventing trouble. 1t has
not been determined exactly when this
money will be collected from Cuba by
the United States. Congress authorized
the collection of as much of this money
as Cuba can spare and practically al
lowed the war department to exercise
its own judgment.
Milwaukee has the distinction of be-
ing the first city in the United States to
have complete automobile equipment
for the collection of mails. The cars
are constructed on the plan of regular
railway mail cars, being strong COM
pact and capable of high speed. They
are 10 feet long, ) feet wide and Q feet
high. The drivers seat is protected by
a closed front. The inside is so ar
ranged with racks and mail bags that
the men may sort letters en- route to
the postofiice. The system is expected
to give many additional collections in
outlying districts.
About 35,0OO,000 acres out of the
G0,000,000 of reputed public coal lands
which have been withdrawn from sale
and presumption by order of the Presi-
dent, are to be restored to the public
domain, as it has been found later that
they do not contain coal in commercial
quantities. The land restored does not
include any of the forest reservations.
-
Secretary Taft says 'there is every
reason why the Notifications of Ha-
wall should be made ready" but on the
principle that he who gives reasons is
lost, the Secretary refrains from stat
ing why he considers it necessary to
fortify the islands at the present time.
-
Chief Justice Fuller thinks that the
newspaper men are little previous
in their announcements of his pending
resignation from the Supreme Bench.
He says that when he is ready to re-
tire he will himself be the first to hear
of