Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-01
The Seamy Side of Life as Revealed by the Doings
of the Coroners Office and the Police Depart
ment---Fires and Fire Losses of Twelve Months
Work of the District and Juvenile Courts.

having detectives on its trail. and that
the proposal to restrict the activities OF
tho secret service was an invitation to
crime and the protection of CRIMINALS.
Congress came back by administering a
rebuke to the President. and there the
matter now rests.
The large number of mine disasters IN
the past year led the government to take
a strong interest in safeguarding mine
workers. special bureau was organ
lied in the geological survey to study
mine protection, and the government IN
vited experts from the British, french
and German governments to go over the
country and compare the methods IN use
here with those abroad The report of
this foreign commission has not yet been
submitted.
Public Land Drawings.
IT is not often that the government
goes into the lottery business. but there
was one case of this sort in the past year.
when drawing was held for lands that
were to be opened in South Dakota. where
there were many more applicants tor
homesteads than there was land to supply
them. The drawing was held August -.
and seemed to be an entire success In
apportioning the homesteads
The government took great interest in
the development of wireless telegraphy,
and to supplement the regular cable serv-
between San Francisco and Honolulu
September %. This Is the longest stretch
between permanent stations In the world.
The signal service also used wireless TO
a considerable extent in reinforcing the
land lines in Alaska, where it was OF
great use. especially in the winter months,
when wire trouble was frequent and re-
pairs sometimes almost impossible.
Another of the activities of the govern
ment was in connection with the sup
.rf- g I1A
Chinese government is anxious to abolish
the practice of opium smoking and opium
raising altogether, and there is to be a
conference Of the powers on the subject
in Shanghai. DR.. Hamilton Wright was
appointed the United States representative
to the conference.
An order Of the President which created
considerable comment was the abolition
of marines on board of ships NoNem-
Der Z. Hereafter the men of this service
will be used only for garrison and patrol
duty on shore.
This country experienced an epidemic of
foOt-s nd-mouth disease among cattle.
The outbreak first appeared in November
among the cattle In Michigan and spread
rapidly to New York, Pennsylvania and
Maryland 1t was controlled by the De-
partment of Agriculture in a few weeks;
but in that time 1000 infected animals
We're slaughtered. The outbreak cost the
government about half a million dollars.
December ii was announced that the
United States would evacuate Cuba Janu-
AIRY IS next. This follows an occupation
of the island by this government for al
most d year.
There has been much interest in the
personnel of the coming Taft cabinet. but
the only authoritative announcement that
has been made was by Secretary Taft
December 10. when he said that he would
have Senator Philander Knox of Penn
sylvania as his Secretary of State.