The Springfield herald., 1908-05-01
CONGRESS AND THE CAPITAL

CONGHESS ANU ne SNFt Al
| Senator Guggenhem' bill for the re
survey of certain sections of land in
Routt and Rio Blanco counties passed
the Senate Saturday.
Again replying to an inquiry, Sen
ator Hale said the President, as com
mander in chief, had command of the
| fleet and may order 1t where he Will in
| the absence of law and regulations, but
| of course. Congress. If ii desired, could
regulate the control of the fleet.
The London postal authorities have
learned that two bags of mail from
| London, containing securities and val
uables worth 100000 were stolen H.
New York the latter part of March
Both bags disappeared in transit be,
tween the steamers and the postoftice,
Arguments in favor of the Presi-
| dents program for four battleships
consumed most of the session of the
| Senate Friday Senator Piles of Wash
ington, opened the debate declaring
that the Asiatic situation affecting the
Pacific coas1 was menace to that sec
ton. us war clouds might quickly rise
there over some clash between Amer
| leans and the Japanese. He wanted
a fleet kept IN the Pacific.
THE story is wholly unauthorized,
declared Secretary Taft when his Mt
| tention was called to the statement
| from Havana and Thomas p. Egan of
| Cincinnati, in an interview. was quoted
as saying that Taft would resign imme-
diately if nominated at Chicago and
that Governor Magoon of Cuba would
succeed him as Secretary of War. The
Secretary added that so far as he
knew there was 10 foundation for the
statement.
A strong recommendation for the
appointment of an officer TO be known
as chief of cavalry" has been made by
a committee of cavalry officers at
| tached to the army staff college. 1t is
argued that the chief should be a mem
Der of the general staff and head of the
committee considering questions relat
ing to the cavalry. having power TO
inspect that branch of the service for
the purpose of ascertaining and of bet
tering where the standards of efficien-
cy recommended may be obtained.
An earnest appeal was made by Sen
ator Piles of Washington. in favor OF
an authorization for four battleships.
This, he declared, was measure OF
peace and not of war. He came. he
said, from the section of the country
that must he the storm center of any
conflict in the Pacific ocean. The peo-
pie of the Pacific Were in favor of four
battleships. He sent TO the vice presi-
dents desk statement of vote of
1G2 editors attending n meeting in
New York, which he said showed 12G
in favor of four battleships and the
Presidents policy for naval expansion.
Senator Guggenheim has been max
ing an earnest effort TO have such an
a1 a1 oI cd tn ho nj
completing the Gunnison tunnel irriga-
tion project as would ensure beyond
all doubt that water will be available
for the irrigation season of 1903. In
addition to calling personally upon the
director o. the reclamation service. the
secretary OF the interior, and writing
them. the senator called upon the
President and urged an increased allot-
ment for this work. In response Sen
ator Gugsenheim has received letter
from the President. enclosing report
from the secretary of the interior,
which indicates that II will be impos-
sible to expect the desired increase O:
allotment
Seven. and possibly eight, new bish-
ops will be elected at the approaching
session of the Methodist General Con
ference at Baltimore. Only twice be
fore has so large a number been
chosen-in 1872 eight, and in 1904
seven. During the last quadrennium
four of the active bishops have died:
Joyce, McCabe. Fitzgerald and Fow-
Ter. One man chosen bishop at the
last general conference declined to
serve. and as his place was not filled
there now are five vacancies in the
episcopacy. In all probability one or
two of the present bishops will be put
on the retired list next month. and it
is customary to elect an emergency
bishop-hence the prospect for so
many new bishops.
Mr. Hale laid before the Senate
statement of battleships and other fea-
lures of the American naval program
which he said showed that as large
fleet as is now in the Pacific can be
kept there and at the same time there
would be ships for still larger fleet
for the Atlantic. He said that there had
been authorized. including the author
zations of the pending bill, thirty-one
battleships and a great many cruisers.
many of them as large as battleships
Il do not think" said Mr.. Hale that
senators and representatives have ap-
preciated these facts. We are not com
PEELED to build another great fleet in
order to have protection on either
coast"
The sundry civil appropriation bill.
as reported, carries s55.000 for double
cavalry barracks at Fort Logan: So
900 for the Leadyille fish hatchery:
$500 for the protection of the Mesa
Verde National park and $4,000 for
cavalry barracks and officers quarters
at Fort Russell.
Senator Bacon asked Senator Hale If !
ne had positive knowledge that the /
fleet now in the Pacific was to be sent I
around the world. and Mr.. Hale re-
piled that he had no direct and posi- 4
tive knowledge. but that from legisla- /
tion that had been recommended. he |
was sure the fleet was prepared I.
sircle the globe. /