Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-05-14
NEWS FROM OUR
NATIONAL CAPITAL
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SAYS
HE Is SCPRENIE-GIVES
HIS VIEWS.
AS COMMUNICATIVE Chief, Asserts He
Had Authority to Discharge
COlOred Soldiers.

ROOSeFelt within the last few DAYS
declaring his supremacy as comman-
der in chief, in all matters referring
TO the control of the army and navy.
The letters have created intense feel
Ing In the Senate. and il Is not un-
likely they will precipitate a confer
ence Of Republican members.
The letters in every case are in
defense Of his course in discharging
without honor the negroes he be-
lieved to be guilty Of shooting up the
town OF Brownsville, Tex, and his
action in banishing Colonel William
F. Stewart to an abandoned military
post In desert section of Arizona.
None of the Senators who have
received letters from the White
House have decided whether they
will make them public.
Several Senators said today that
the letters would have the effect of
complicating the situation in regard
to legislation in the interest of the
innocent members Of the battalion
of negroes discharged on account OF
the Brownsville affairs. There are
two bills before the Senate looking
to that end. 1t Is believed that the
Republican Senators will hold a eau
Gus for the discussion Of the entire
question, including the President 8
letters, next week.
The officers and enlisted men of
the army have won their fight for
increased pay, when the House, after
a debate of two hours, agreed to the
conference report on the Army ap-
preparation bill. An appropriation
of 100000 was made for the pur-
pose, $5,000,OOO of which will go to
the enlisted men. Nine hundred Of
ficers on the retired list also will
benefit by the increase. The army
appropriation bill carries an aggre-
gate appropriation of $95,3S2,24
The principal item of increase is the
100000 additional pay. With
the various changes made in confer
ence, the bill represents a total in
crease of $3,263,115 over amount
authorized by the House.
Senator Fulton proposed an
amendment to the sundry civil bill
appropriating 100000 for repair
ing the dredge Chinook. The Sena-
tor had a conference with the Chief
of Engineers, who is anxious that
the Chinook be again placed in COM
mission and set to work on the Co
lumbia River bar. 1t is doubted if
100000 is needed for repairs, but
an estimate will be had in a short
time.
Senator Hepburn proposed the
following amendments to the sundry
civil BILL Providing for a survey
of all unsurveyed public land in Ida
no, Oregon, Montana and California,
whether in forest reserve or not; APP
propriating $4,000 for resurveying
the Idaho Washington boundary;
appropriating $4,000 to establish a
fish culture station in Idaho.
A notable array Of speakers has
been selected for the conference of
Governors on the conservation OF
the National resources at the White
House next week. For the discus
sion of each topic was selected the
most eminent expert known to the
advisers of President Roosevelt
Among the most prominent speakers
will be Andrew Carnegie, James J.
Hill and John Mitchell, former pres
ident of the United Mineworkers OF
America.
A ban has been placed on rats
and mice in the Panama Canal Zone
in efforts to prevent bubonic plague
from gaining a foothold there. 1t
has been demonstrated that the
plague is communicated by means
Of fleas. The fleas get it from the
rats and mice and communicate 1t to
human beings. With the extermina-
| ton of rats and mice, it is stated
there will be no danger from the
bite Of flea so far as plague is con-
cerned. Canal employees have been
Instructed to kill rats and mice.
Owners of timber in different Sec
lions of the country are organizing
associations to protect their hold
ings from fire by means Of system
of patrol by rangers resembling the
work done by the United States for.
est service, in guarding against and
extinguishing fires. In the Pacific
Northwest the new Washington Fire
Association has begun work for the
year with 100000 acres under it,
are.