The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-11-13
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
Especial Correspondence.)
Constitutional Question Involved

The question where the constitution Of
the United States applies in criminal
cases in the Panama canal zone is in
yolyed in the case OF Adolphus Coul-
son, who Is under sentence OF death
on the charge OF numbering his wife,
His appeal TO the supreme court is
based on the ground that he was de-
MED jury trial In presenting a mo-
ton for dismissal Solicitor General
| Hoyt took the ground that the consti.
tutional provisions do not extend %
| territory possession such status as
that OF the canal zone.
Need Naval Bases in lslsnds.-At.
tentiOn is strongly invited I'm the an.
nual report Of Rear Admiral Pillsbury,
chief of the navigation bureau, to The
lack Of a defended naval base i'm sithcr
the American insular possessions in
the east or i'm the Caribbean sea, the
probable theatres Of action in any war
IN which the navy might be called
upon 10 engage. So important is this
question believed 10 be that in Admi-
raj Pillsbury's opinion, all apprOprid-
tions for new improvements at naval
stations or for the defence OF the coast
ports should give way 10 the estab-
| lishmcnt and the defence Of naval bas.
IS i'm the Philippines at Pearl harbor
and in Cuba at Guantanamo, for these
bases are vital 10 our success i'm war.
Wireless Army Telephone.-lt Is
probable that the first army wireless
! telephone system 10 be put into opera
! tiOn i'm the United States will be in.
stalled along the New England scoast
10 connect the artillery districts from
! Portland to Boston. Gen. Allen, chief
signal omccr. has returned from Eu-
rope with considerable wireless tele-
! phone apparatus acquired abroad while
! he was attending the international
| electrical congress in France. 1t Is
unlikely that the equipment will be
! put into operation within six months,
although experiments with 1t will be
! conducted Immediately. II is under.
stood that II will be- put to its first
practical use al Boston. although moth
! ing definite has been decided upon, and
/ the signal corps is seCrctiyc about the
! natter The wireless telephone system
| Gen. Allen has obtained can be opcr-
atcd at a distance of 40 miles, much
! further than is possible now i'm wire
! less tclephoning between ships of the
navy. This comparative great distance
| vii! enable all of the headquarters
posts in the Boston, Portland and
! Portsmouth districts TO be connected
| and instantaneous communication can
! be established between all the strate-
| gctic points on the New England coast
Dirt Flying on the lsthmus.-At the
end OF October. according to figures
/ given out at the Office of the lsthmlan
canal commission. the United states
since beginning to make the dirt fly
! had taken 53.7SS,593 cubic yards OF ma
! terial from the canal cut Thc keep
| ing of records was begun on May l,
| 1904. at which time 1t was estimated
| the task before the canal builders was
! the removal of lt2.10O, 100000 cubic
Yards OF earth and rock. AT the rate
of progress shown since the keeping
! OF records the canal should be finished.
so far as the main cutting Is concerned
/ late i'm 1913. Lieut.. Col. Goethals, pres
ident of the commission, during his re-
cent visit to Washington, said he ad-
hcred TO his original estimate which
was that ships would be passing
through the canal on Jan. |, 1915. He
pointed out that there would be 70
good deal Of work To be done even
after the ordinary excavating was fin
ished Besides, he has always insisted
! that prudent engineer should allow
| himself "A margin SO that when he met
unexpected obstacles he would not
have 10 do any explaining. The report
! shows that another record was broken
durinc October by the men who do the
actual digging.
plans For Next Cabinet.-Now that
/ MIR. Taft has been elected the two
things that most interest Washington
are his cabinet and the revision of the
tariff. to which Mr.. Taft stands
pledged So far as the cabinet is con-
cerned there will be many changes.
! Mr.. Root can remain at the head OF
the state department II he cares 10,
although it is generally believed here
4, that he will leave the state department.
and 20 into the sosate as the successor
of Mr.. Platt next January. In that
case IL is the general expectation
that he will he succeeded by MIR. Mey-
| cr. who has not only taken an active
part In the campaign. but whom Mr.
Taft personally likes and greatly ad'
mires. MIR Meyers linguistic abilities
and his diplomatic knowledge admira-
bly, ft him for the state department.
and his appointment would he pleasing
TO the various foreign governments
represented here through their ambas-
sadors and ministers. with all Of whom
Mr.. Meyer is ON friendly terms In the
event that Mr.. Root should not leave
the state department Mr. Meyer will
| ~ L., II