Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-28
Judge WiIfIey's Case Consid-
cred by the Cabinet.
HE PRESENTS-HIS DEFENSE
Is Exonerated in the Eyes of the
Administration.
BEvERIDGE Is OPTIMISTIC
Hopeful That His Bill for a Tariff
Commission Will Pass
the Senate.

| The cabinet meeting today considered
the case of Judge l.. r. Wiley, the
United States judge at Hongkong. China.
who is under charges filed in the State
Department. and whose threatened inn
parchment is before a committee of the
House The matter came up through the
presentation of the defense of Judge
Whitley. who is in Washington, and espe-
cially by reason of a statement he filed
with the President explaining a decision
made by him that proved offensive to the
| Catholic Church and its dignitaries. So
far as practically all the charges are con-
cerned Judge Wiley stands exonerated
rim the eyes of the administration
He is highly regarded by Secretary
| Root. Assistant Secretary Bacon and all
the officials of the State Department.
They feel that he accomplished immense
good in Hongkong in Kidding that city of a
number of undesirable Americans. whose
criminality and corruption had brought
| disgrace upon the name American. He
| was picked out because his square jaw
and determined face indicated that he
| would do what was wanted by the adj
| ministratiOn. Except for the decision
! which is objected to by the Catholic
Church the administration has exonerated
Judge Wiley and will stand by him. His
| statement before the President and cab
met today dwelt at length upon the deci-
| sion. 1t pointed out that in passing
| upon a probate case before him it was
necessary to review the common law and
| its history for many years back. This
| review negotiated quotation from
Blackstone, who said some harsh things
| of the Catholic Church and its head.
Judge Whitley explained that his whole
jurisdiction in Hongkong is founded upon
| the common law. as there is no statute
| law applying to his court. Consequently,
| in determining whether he. should take
| jurisdiction of a probate case. he entered
into the common law at great length.
| He assures the President and Secretary
| Root that he had no intention of Offend
| ing the Catholic Church or personally
| attacking it, realizing that the court has
| no ground for religious attacks.
1t is pretty we'll understood that the
statement, or apology. will be satisfactory
| both to the church and to the administra-
| ton. Representatives Bourke Cochran
| and Driscoll. both of New York. have been
in conference with the President and Sec.
| rotary Root and have been disposed, 1t
| is said, to accept an explanation from
Judge Wiifiey along the lines indicated.
Beveridge Hopeful on Tariff.
Senator Beveridge, whose bill for the
/
ing before the Senate finance committee,
| is optimistic about progress at this ses-
| sion of Congress of reform legislation. He
| was at the White House today and when
asked about the status of his bill said:
when Congress began its work we heard
a great deal that tariff talk would not be
| touched upon during this session.
yet q significant speech was made in
| the House a few days ago by Representa-
1 N IN yx-I,i lob ,oyiy md
minimum tariff was advocated. That was
a great step forward. There will be
great deal more before the session is
over"
| 1t is supposed that the Indiana senator
referred to the probability that his tariff
commission bill would be reported favora-
1 bly, out Of the finance committee and pos
sibly pass the Senate. Members of the
optimistic. A few of the members say
that the bill will probably remain Enacted
upon throughout this session, as it Is not
proposed to let the tariff problem come
before Congress between now and adj
journment.
Among the Alaska Natives.
The work that the bureau Of education
is doing for and among the Indians and
Eskimo in Alaska, particularly in the
construction of new schoolhouses and the
improvement of sanitary conditions In the
hope of lessening the scourge of con-
sumption was discussed with the Presi-
dent today by Elmer E. Brown. commits
| sioner of education. accompanied by H.
Cpdegraff. chief of the Alaska division Of
the bureau For the present fiscal year
| Congress appropriated 100000 for the
plans of the bureau, and the question of
| how best to spend this money was under
| consideration at the White House. A con-
siderable portion of 1t is to go into new
le,oI 41,S@,
| construction and to be built before the
year is over there will be about fifteen
new buildings in which the natives of dis
| tant Alaska will receive instruction in the
| English language.
| Commissioner Brown is hopeful of ac-
| complishing much good and believes that
! the natives will ultimately be brought
around to be self-supporting. The physi-
cal welfare Of the people is serious prob
lem. BY reason of insanitary methods Of
consumption and infectious diseases
| Measles kill hundreds of children each
| year. Smallpox and other diseases aris
ing largely from filth take of thousands.
Bristol Holds the Fort.
The Oregon delegation some time ago
agreed upon asking the President to with
| draw from the Senate the nomination Of
| Christian Schuebel United States at
! torney for that state and substituting for
it the name OF Thomas J. Cleaton, Schue-
bel to be Endorsed for assistant attorney
Schuebel was the candidate Of Senator
Bourne but was fought in the Senate by
Senator Fulton. who. last year. prevented
| the confirmation of w. G. Bristol as
| United States attorney. Bristol was OBJ
| noxious to Senator Fulton. who agreed
that he should continue in Office until he
| had wound up some land fraud cases, but
would not permit his confirmation as the
| regular man.
The opposition of the senator to Fulton,
| however, has not prOfited much, as Bris
toll continues to hold the job. and Is likely
not to be interrupted the way the dele
cation Is split up. If all OF them can
| agree upon Cleaton, as now seems posi-
BILE, Bristol may hang on. but the opinion
is expressed that something will happen
to keep Bristol in office. The Department
of Justice is looking into Mr.. Cleaton's
| qualifications and seems in no hurry to
1 report to the President