The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1908-02-14

railroads from putting into service
"bluff'' trains with view to capturing
mail tonnage and later abandoning
them. This fact is disclosed in the re-
port Of the department regarding the
transportation Of the mails for the cur
rent year. 1t is alleged that prior to
the reweighing periods, which deter
mine the routes and compensation ev-
cry four years, 1t has been the custom
trains with view to capturing the
mails. Having been successful, such a
road, under the present law, must re-
ceive pay for that mail during the sue
ceeding four years wehther 1t contin-
ues to carry 1t or not. Accordingly
some of the railroads have been accus-
toned to take off their bluff" trains
soon after the reweighing, allowing the
mails to be diverted to another road,
but continuing to receive pay for trans
porting them until the next reweighing
eriod, when the trick is repeated.
| 49,.
| Speaker Cannon announced his ar
rangement Of the new committee on
appropriations, with Tawney Of Mime
sofa at its head and Livingston Of
Georgia as the ranking Democrat. Taw-
ney has come out squarely for the pol
icy Of retrenchment; which the Speak
OF was known to favor, and he will be
the recognized watch dog Of the treas
ury" during the life Of this Congress.
In a statement Chairman Tawney re-
ferred to the estimates for the next
years expenses being over 100000 600
over the estimates for the current year.
and said this would mean a deficit of
SS3,00O,OOO. Hence the necessity of
cigid economy and the avoidance Of
new enterprises.
The roller skaters of Washington ar
an interesting sight. There are 10000
children Of skating age in Washington
and 10000 are whizzing around the
streets mounted upon two skates, while
the balance of them, more or less con
tent with an equipment Of one skate 8
child, are doing complicated hoT
whizz, undismayed by the frequent
streets are really a temptation moi
easily resisted, and after dark the roll
er skaters seem to have grown sudden
" and mysteriously taller.
| -
In order to make army service more
attractive for the enlisted men, the
War Department has determined upon
certain reforms, some of which may
be put into effect by executive author
ity and others only with the co-opera
ton of Congress and increased appro
priations. One of the changes proposed
is that the soldier shall receive his
first razor, tooth brush, soap and sim
liar articles from the government with
out charge, but after the first supply
he must maintain his toilet kit at hi:
own expense.
In the Senate the committees hav,
been changed so as to fill vacancies ant
make places for the new members
Knox goes to the front, as expected
by becoming chairman of the rules com
mittee, where he will have the duty o
defending the legality of the measure
proposed by the majority. Other I'm
portant chairmanships are: Appropr:a
tons, Allison finance. Aldrich; foreigl
!. relations, Culom; Interstate commerce
Elkins; naval affairs, Hale; postotfices
uenrose, and Philippines, Lodge.
49,
Postmaster General Meyer believe
that his work in efficiency Is impaire,
by following the custom of sitting a
desk. When he was the presiding off
Ger of the lower branch Of the Massa
chusetts Assembly he used massiv
desk, made Of walnut, highly EN-
bellished, and standing more than fou
feet high. This has been brought t
washington and installed in his Office
This he will use hereafter, standing Vi
at his work.
-
> The cash balance in the treasury ha
been reduced to about $17,OOO,OOO b.
the distribution Of funds among ma
tional banks during the recent crisis
and the officials have decided to Gu
down the amount Of the balances stand
: ing to the credit of disbursing officers
> Thus, by a simple act of bookkeeping
the available cash is increased for tn
: lime being by many millions Of dollars
Before the swearing In Of tho tw
) new Senators from the new State Q
3 Oklahoma they drew lots in the pres
ence of the Senate to determine while
should have the long term and whic
: the short. The blind Senator, Cor,
? drew the two-year term, and smilingl
congratulated his colleague, Senate
Owen.
q The act of President Roosevelt
ordering federal troops to assist til
= Aero Club Of st. Louis at its recent II
ternational balloon races was, in til
II opinion Of Gen. George B. Davis, juds
advocate general of the army, uncol
:, stitutional. This opinion is also share
, BY Acting Secretary of War Oliver