The Springfield herald., 1909-09-10
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.

Postmaster General Hitchcock had
an important conference with Presi.
dent Taft regarding the plans he had
formulated for cutting down the ex-
pense In the postal department He
told the President that the PostCtfice
Department will show deficit for the
fiscal year ended June 30th last Of
more than s2O,OOo,0CO. the largest the
service ever knew.
Leslie Coombs. United States min
lister at Lima, Peru. has reported to
the State Department under date of
August 3rd that London syndicate
composed of the Bank of London and
Peru, the London Bank of South Amer
lea and Mexico, w. Il. Grace & Co.,
and Barring Bros. sharing with the
have taken some s1.500,00O of the
bonds of the Electric Tram and Elec-
tric Lighting Company of Lima upon
favorable terms.
Secretary Ballinger will go to Bev-
erly to see the President as soon as
he can familiarize himself with the
merits of the controversy between the
Interior Department and the Forestry
Bureau relative to the Cunningham
coal claims in Alaska. The reports of
the various officials involved will be
placed in his hands as soon as he
reaches the department. Assistant
Secretary Pierce announced today that
he had completed his work and Land
Commissioner bennett and his assist
ant. Mr.. Schwartz. have placed the fin
ishing touches on their documents.
The reports are all voluminous and
the Interior Department officials ex-
press confidence in the outcome.
There was an increase in the value
of both the imports and exports of the
United States during the month of
July over that month last year, ac.
cording to the monthly statement OF
the country's foreign commence issued
by the bureau of statistics of the de-
partment OF commerce and labor. The
value of the imports for July was
s122 2,4SS,354, an increase of S2G,052, ,S62
over July year ago, making the total
value OF imports for the seven months
ending with July, $3.50, GAG, which
is an increase of 1921, ,59S,99S over the
same period for 1908. Every class OF
imports showed an increase for July
except foodstuffs in crude condition
and food animals. The increase in
the value OF exports for July
stuffs, all other classes of exports
showing an increase.
Surgeon General Wyman of the Ma
rine Hospital Service was advised by
cable of the appearance of yellow fe-
Yer at La Guayra, Venezuela.
The case of the United States vs.
William B. Hammers. involving the
question whether desert land claim
may be assigned before the work of
reclamation is completed was docketed
in the Supreme Court of the United
States. The case was decided in Ham
mers' favor by the United States Dis
trict Court for the southern district of
California, and the government ap-
peals.
According to a statement issued by
the secretary of the interior almost
G5,000,000 acres of land have been des-
ignated as subject to entry under the
enlarged homestead act providing un-
der specified conditions for the appro-
priation of 800 acres under the home
stead law instead of l6O acres as here
tofore. The lands thus designated are
distributed as follows: Colorado, 90.
$50. 900 acres; Montana, 10000 900;
New Mexico. 1.550,000; Oregon, 1,3OO,,
00o Washington, 3,5OO.00O; Wyoming,
II 100000.