The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-10-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.

1 Secretary of State Knox is 10 get an ID.
crease ID salary if Congress adopts the
estimates that have been prepared for the
Legislative, executive and Judicial appro-
priation bill. He now receives $4,000,
but it is proposed 10 make his pay that Of
the other Cabinet officers $I2, 900. When
Congress increased the compensation OF
Cabinet officers there was no discrimina.
tioA against the Office OF Secretary Of
State. That was included 1t was dis
covered shortly after the increase was
made however, that the Constitution was
violated when the compensation of an
Office was increased aud that Office filled
By a member Of the Congress that had
shown such generosity
Mr.. Knox was a member of the Senate
that gave the Cabinet officers their raise.
Therefore, the law was made imperative
so far as the Office of Secretary of State
was concerned. On March a next the
term for which Mr. Knox W elected to
the Senate will expire Those who have
made up the estimates hold that it will
then be within the province of Congress
70 pay him $I2. year, placing him
upon par with his colleagues in Presi-
dent Taft's official family.
~
| Coinage Of gold in the United States
will be suspended for aninde6nite period,
if plans now forming in the Treasury De
partment are adopted. The idea is to
Tissue gold certificates for all gold bullion
and foreign coin turned into the mints,
instead of coming them into eagles and
double eagles.
Two reasons for such step are pointed
out. The first is to save from 5000, 900 to
$500, 600 year in mint expenses. The
second is to stop coming gold at the ex-
psuse of the United States for the con-
veniencc of foreign money markets, which
use il for theaco settlements of CONNER
Ecial balances.
The rate at which American coined
gold is exportedsis well.illustrated by the
situation which now confronts the Treas
ury. In spite'of the fact.that. more Ethan
ST., 900, 900 in gold. was 9coinedF during
August, the mintsat Denverssis now, ssturn-
ing out gold ..coins at the rate of $500, 900
a day; the Philadelphia mint started coin.
| ing gold this month and the San Fran
cisco mint is now making eagles at the
rate of $500. oooa day.
~
| President Taft has fnally approved
plans for removing the wreck of the bat
tleship Maine from Havana Harbor,
which calls for the completion of the
work on or before the thirteenth ami
versary, of the destruction of the war
vessel, February IS next. The work is
to be done according TO plans made by
army engineers and to be under the di-
rection Of an army engineer officer.
The disposition of the old hulk remains
Ito be settled. The army engineers be-
lieve it will be possible to float the after
two thirds of the vessel. The after third,
where the explosion wrought the greatest
havoc and killed the greatest number Of
the crew while theyswere asleep in their
quarters. is believed to be TOO far gone
ever to be taken as whole and the
wreckage will be removed piecemeal.
If Congress approves the recommends
ton of the engineers. the wreck will be
taken ont to sea and given ceremonial
burial in deep water, there to remain
until the end of time. The wreck is now
in rs feet Of water. II has sunk but one
foot in the IaH year. since it went down.
| Underneath the wreck soft mud has
been found to depth of five to eight
feet, and beneath this there is hard clay.
Congress has already appropriated $780,
900 for the work. Twenty or more plans
were submitted for raising the wreck.
None was quite so simple as that adopted
by the army officers.
~
Two interesting bits of gossip cropped
up in Washington to-day, coincident
with the return of President Taft to the
White House after his long vacation in
New England. Neither rumor had any
official sanction. The FIRST was concerned
with the reported understanding" be-
tween President Taft and ex-President
Il
Roosevelt, according 10 which the latter
was in no sense candidate for the nomi-
nation in 1879. and is in reality still
friendly TO the mau whom he chose as his
successor and will give him his support
for second term.
This story was circulated here while
William Loeb, Jr., formerly secretary to