Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-12-05
From Washington.
lCOnsspOn isnce Of the Alexandria Gazstte.l

Washington, Dec. 5.
Luke N. Wright, of Tennessee, pres
eut secretary of war, will be continued
10 the position In President Tatt's Osbi-
net until near the end of next year. He
will then retire, and he succeeded by
Charles E. Magoon, of Nebraska. Mr..
Magoon, is DOW the provisional governor
of Cuba. His services in that capacity
will end January Is, when the govern
meDt Of that island will be turned over
to the newly elected native officials aud
American intervention will cease.
After a month or so OF vacation, Gov
ernor Magoon will be sent to the Philip
pines to make 8 tour of inVestie alton OF
those islands. This, it is expected. will oc-
cupy about six months. On mis- return,
which will be shortly before the meeting
Of the first regular session of the sixty
FIRST Congress, he will be made secretary
of war. President-elect Taft now wants
to avail himself OF the unusual abilities OF
Magoon in his Cabinet as Secretary OF
war, bat he insists that 200 man can
successfully administer the affairs OF that
department, particularly in its impor-
tant RELATIONS to the Philippines, without
having had a personal experience In
th at archipelago. The present admiu-
istrslion Of the Philippines under Gov
eruor General James +. Smith, is en-
tirely satisfactory, and there is no oc-
casion to make Il change. II has, there
fore, been decided that Governor Ma
COON shall, after leaving Cubs, make a
six months tour of inspection OF the
Philippine Islands, in order to make
himself thoroughly familiar with condi.
tions there, and to fit him for the office
oil secretary of war. Governor Msgoon
left here today for a conference with
President.elect Taft at Hot Springs,
and expects to return to Cuba next
week.
Dr.. Harvey W. Wiley, chief chemist
of the Agricultural Department saJs he
is willing to be martyr to the cause OF
pure food, aud de6es the western fruit
men, who ssk him to cease talking
against sulphured fruits until the referee
board appointed TO settle the question
renders the report. DR.. Wiley declared
today that he would not cease talking
against sulphured fruits, and that what
ever action the referee board might take
regarding the western fruit question
would have no effect on him personally.
Demands for free hides have been loud
and frequent at the hearings of the ways
and means committee. The other side
was presented today by Judge S. d.
Oowan, of Fort Worth, Texas, who rep
resented the Oattls Raisers Association of
Texas aud the American National Live
Stock Association He declared that the
arguments of the free hide advocates that
the price ofhides has no effect on the price
of cattle, was absurd. In answer to a
question whether there was beef trust,
Judge Cowau said that the big Chicago
packers acted IS a trust when they could
and were not a trust when they could
not be. He was unable to answer
question by Champ CLARK, who wanted
to know whether the meat packers did
not control the hide supply by having
agents purchase them throughout the
country.
Andrew Carnegie aud James J. Hill,
will both take part 10 the joint coDser-
walton conference, which opens here next
Tuesday, when the rational conservation
commission, with the assistance Of the
governors of the states and its other co.
operators, will get underway the most
Important part of its work so far-the re-
port to The president, due the first of the
year. The two leaders In the industrial
world we're prominent figures in the con-
ference OF governors at the White House
last May, which was the immediate cause
OF the creation of the national conservation
commission, aud both we're later made
members of that body. About half the
state governors have promised to attend
the conference, and the Others will send
representatives,.
Secretary of War Wright today con-
cluded the purchase of the two ships
S1swmut and fremont belonging to the
B)stol TOwbost aud Navigation Com.
ptny which are now lying at Seattle,
Wash. They are to be used az trans
poris for the Panama canal service. The
price paid was 81, l57, Sol.
Mr.. Mejls, the minister from Salvador
to this country, today received cable
gram from President Figueroa of that
country, saying that the reports Of the
revolution there which have been sent to
this country have been much exsgge-
rated.
Representative James r. Mann, of
Chicago, has polled the republican men,
bers-elect of the next House on their
choice for speaker aud has received re-
plies from about tWo-thirds Of them,
all favoring Mr.. Cannon.
The advent OF the fOurteen.lnch gun
into the armament Of the United STATES
navy, has Indicated in the report of
Resr-Admirsl Mason, chief Of the naval
bureau of ordnance, which proposes to
increase the size OF the gun factory at
Wa,hinQton for the manufacture Of these
tremendous weapons OF wsrlare. The fsci-
lities of the gun factory, at present, are
only sufficient to accommodate twelve
inch guns, the largest now in the navy,
aud 1t will be necessary TO enlarge the
plant 10 handle the l4.iDch guns.
Congressman Carin has requested
Chairman Miller of the House claims
committee to give him hearing SIS
soon as possible on the bill now before
Congress to pay to the Mount Vernon
Avenue Association the amount of the
claim due Virginia by the government.
Mr.. Miller will scceed to Mr.. Carlin's
request.