Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-13
WASHINGTON CHAT.

military affairs to learn that the
soldiers wanted as witnesses in the
Brownsville inquiry, which opens be-
fore that committee next week, are
scattered from Maine to California
Most of them are without funds and
the Government must bring them to
Washington to testify. All this will
entail much expense and trouble, the
cost Of the investigation being estima-
ted at $75, ,OO0-
The Secretary Of War and members
of the committee have been in con-
ference for the purpose of coming to
an agreement, so that the demand for
certain witnesses would not conflict
with the same witnesses at court
martial of officers of the battalion dis
charged. 1t was finally agreed that
the witnesses wanted for the court
martial should first testify at Browns
vile and then come to Washington as
early as possible
Just now the telegraph wires are
kept hot in the endeaver to locate
many of the discharged soldiers in
order that the investigation may be
completed and report made to the
Senate in the few remaining days. of
the session.
While the President has committed
himself to the proposition for an in
crease in the salaries of government
employees, he has mot yet endorsed any
particular plan for proportioning the
increase. 1t is thought, however, that
he looks with favor on the bill which
provides for increases as high as 240
per year and from then on up the
increase grows smaller until it reaches
those receiving $1,000 to $500, when
the increase is from to 10 per cent.
One thing about which the President is
firm is that army and navy officers and
enlisted men shall be included in. any
bill making an increase.
The bill favored by the President and
by many Representatives and which is
likely to receive some consideration be-
fore the close of the present session,
would increase the expenses of the
government about $l5, 900, 200 a year,
as rural and city letter carriers, railway
mail agents and all classes of govern
ment employees would be included.
While the question of increase is up,
some talk is heard of placing an amend
ment on the bill which would prohibit
the employment of both man and his
wife in the government service. This
question has been up before but action
was never taken upon it. Ever since
the members of Congress obtained an
increase in salaries, the army of Uncle
Sans clerks in most every state, and
especially those here in Washington,
are pressing the point for salary in
crease and the outlook for success is
considered bright.
Considerable interest is manifested
throughout the country in the co-opera-
tion for the improvement of roads and
for road building, recently authorized
by the Postmaster General for the
Secretary of Agriculture. Reports re-
ceived by the Postofice Department
from many states indicate forcibly the
immediate need for carrying on this
work with the utmost dispatch, for
in some states the country roads are
almost impossible and the rural mail
delivery is impeded seriously. This has
resulted in numerous complaints reach
ing the Department from people along
the rural routes and while the object of
the postal officials in cooperating with
the Agricultural Department and with
the various state and county road COM
missioners, is primarily to facilitate the
delivery OF mail, the resulting road
Improvements incident thereto are of
great benefit to all the people of the
communities affected, in maintaining
ready communication between the
farms and the towns.
All applications received for Govern
ment advice in the matter of road
building and improvement are given
prompt attention and should be ad-
dressed to the Postoffice Department.
After the applications have been con
sidered by the postal authorities, they
are then referred to the public roads
division of the Agricultural Depart
ment.
Year after year, the big pillars on
both sides of the Treasury building
have been crumbling and falling away.
In late months they have become a
menace to the safety of the structure
and to the thousands of people who
daily enter and leave the building.
Now, the officials have awakened to
the necessity of doing something to
protect the pillars from further disin-
tegration and it is probable that the
sundry civil bill will carry an appropria-
tion of $3.50, 600 to replace the old sand
stone columns with blocks of granite.
At present these columns are so black