Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-11-26
FROM WASHINGTON


mittee OF Indian affairs into the Nc
Murray and other contracts with the In
dams Of the Five Civilized Tribes
practically came to an end today with
the conclusion of the testimony OF
Richard c. Adams, the Delaware In
dian attorney who holds an interest 10
the McMurray contracts. The investi-
CATION will not be closed in order that
one or two witnesses may be called to
give testimony on minor points. The
committee will be in session during the
Christmas holidays to give McMurray' s
counsel and opportunity for argument.
The report OF the committee will be
made TO the House as soon after Jan
uary as possible. The trend OF the
inquiry today was to throw additional
light upon the relations Of McMurray
and Adams who arranged a contract by
the terms Of which Adams is to receive
five per cent of McMurray's in case OF
the approval of the contracts. Adams
refused TO admit that his activity in Sc
curing the approval OF the contracts was
subsequent to the signing OF his con-
trast with McMurray. He was at some
difficulty also in explaining the nature
OF the work no was to have done TO
Justify the large fees he was to have re-
ceived.
There is constant reiteration here
of the question: Why doesn't the
United States, the greatest republic in
the world, aid the struggling republic OF
Portugal by extending it recognition
Why CAM we do as much for it as the
monarchical governments of the old
world ? That question was answered
today by an official Of the State Depart
ment. In the first place" he said,
Portugal has not been recognized by
either the mOnarchies or the republics
OF Europe. 1t has never been recog-
nitcd by any country except one-Nic-
aragua, which is about AS much OF a
republic as there is in Portugal. AS
a matter Of fact there is no republic Of
Portugal to recognize and as soon az
there is one it will be recognized and
the United States will certainly be one
Of the first countries TO do so. Portu-
gal today is under a dictatorship. 1t
is undoubtedly a mild and benevolent
form OF dictatorship, as the peace OF the
country seems to show, out it is dicta-
torship nevertheless and without one
semblance OF republicanism in it. The
first essential of a republic is a constitu-
ton. Portugal has no constitution
that has been adopted by the people.
The provisional government has never
been approved by the people. No cleo
ton has ever been held and indeed no
conclusive proof has so far been given
b. the provisional republic that an
election will he held in the near future.
1t is far from sure that the people
of Portugal could conduct a republic.
They are the most illiterate people in
the world. That is a statistical fact
and repubicanism is very complicated
form of government that requires an
unusually high standard Of general ed
ucation to conduct. What the lead
ing powers Of the world have done is
simply to permit their agents TO trans
act the necessary international bust
ness with the provisional government
whom they recognize as the de facto
authority OF the country, that is the
authority responsible for the preserva-
ton of foreign interests. No other
country. save only Nicaragua, itself
a republic in name only and still under
the dictatorship of Estrada, has recog-
nized the republic Of Portugal and it
is safe to say that recognition need not
be looked for until conclusive evidence
has been given that there is repub-
ican government established and ap-
proved by the people. "
The autioneer's hammer today ended
the tragic official history of the Inflated
gunboat Bennington, whose log carries
a tally OF death seldom equalled by any
warship in time Of peace. The Ben
nington was today sold to S. Leichten-
stein, of Oakland, California, under bid
for 81, go. On July 20, 1905, boiler
explosion on board the Bennington
which was then lying off San Diego,
California, killed outright over so men
and wounded AZ others, two of whom
we're officers. The death list against
the Bennington is now; killed, one Off
Ger aud 80 enlisted men; wounded, two
officers and As enlisted men.
Road and school funds oil the coun-
try soon will be increased by $685.
194.5t, according to an announcement
made by the Agricultural Department
today This sum is to be paid to the
states as an offset to the loss in income
from taxable property caused by the
withdrawal OF forest lands from entry
by the government 10 the western states.
The total is SCI, 492.0S more than last
year, or an increase Of ID per cent.
A contract was today awarded by the
Navy Department to the Riverside Con-
struction Company, of New York, for
the construction OF a pier at the Boston
Navy Yard for s27 ,9ls, The depart
mept accepted the bids OF the Coast
wise Dredging Co., Of Norfolk, Va, OF
$40 for the converted yacht Eagle,
In behalf Of the holders OF life in
surance policies whose interests he
said would be damaged, in case rail-
road bonds should be deprecated IN
value, George Z. Ide, Of New York,
today urged tho Interstate Commerce
Commission in the freight rate bearing
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