Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-08-24
From Washington
Correspondents of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, Aug. "a.

Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette. ]
Washington, Aug. "a.
Attorney Justice for the State OF
North Carolina tried all the forenoon 10
get Fl. B. Spencer, vice-president of the
Southern Railway, to state to Judge
Montgomery, sitting as master in the
rail way rate case to determine the con-
fiscatory nature of the two and one
fourth cent rate law of that Siste, the
earning capacity of railway passenger
cara. He was endeavoring TO show that
the earning capacity was 200 per cent.
Soeucer said that he was not prepared to
give the figures desired, but told OF whom
they might be Obtained. A large num-
Der Of questions Justice asked were ruled
out.
Reports come from the Philippines
that COL Ernest A. Darlington. U. s. A.,
whom Secretary Taft sent out to probe
the scandals in the quartermaster's
Office, has struck pay dirt. AS soon as
he landed, he selected board to assist
him in looking into the furniture scan
dial. Books of the cabinet making and
carpenter shops are being gone over.
II is reported that besides medicine
chests presented to senators and others,
one was made for the President that cost
1888. One qusrtermaster captain had
handsomely carved lid, bearing the in
sigma of the department and his name
and title, made for a medicine chest,
also a plain top that fitit. When the
board met to assess the officers for the
furniture the captain switched the lids
and obtained comparatively low vslua-
ton. After the board left he replaced
the carved lid.
Brig. Gen. A. L. Mills, in charge OF
the Department Of Iloilo, in the Philip
pines, in his annual report to the
War Department recommends that the
Philippine constsbulsry be increased
and be given a regimenlal organization.
This is supposed to be the foundation for
the report which comes from Japan to
the effect that it is intended to organize
a native Philippine army of thirteen
battalions, under command of regular
army officers.
Treasury officials, with Secretary Cor
telyOu as head observer, will watch with
unusual interest the financial symptoms
of the country this fall as it enters the
teriod of "crop collie" hoping that the
Secretary's new scheme OF advance de-
posit of government funds in national
banks on the weekly installment plan
will prove q perfect preventative Of
psnicky conditions.
Throwing aside all concealment and subter'
fuge, Secretary Of the President Loeb has OF
last made definite announcement that the At
lantic fleet of sixteen battleships is going TO
the Pacific Ocean. Added to this, which has
been public information for several months,
il is also d selOsed that the feet will go by
the way of the Straits Of Magellan instead Of
by the SueZ csual and that they will start
some time in December. The sixteen battle
ships will 20 in divisions of four ships each.
Ii is probable that there will be an interval
of day or two between the departure Of the
several divisions so as TO fatilitate cOaling at
the various ports on the long journey. Their
first stop will be at Guantanamo.
The announcement from Yokohama that
Japan is organizing a Hong Kong squadron
in addition to her present South China squad
ron which is stationed at Shanghai, is believ-
ed here to be that country's answer to the
move Of the United States in sending the bat
tleships to the Pacific. Hong Kong is the
nearest Chinese port - the Philippines.
While it is officially declared that japanese
trade is incress Dg so largely in that direction
as to require more close at ention, it is belev-
Ell to be significant that this fact has just
however, MT be formed for over year.