The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-02-29
NEWS FROM OUR
NATIONAL CAPITAL
PRESIDENT Not Convinced Gov.
eminent Could Make TeIe-
grams Cheaper.

iormed congress in message that he
ia not approve Of Postmaster-Genera
Hltchcocks suggestion that the gov
eminent buy and operate all telegraph
lines as an adjunct of the postal sys-
tenn. MIR. Taft said that if it could
be shown that the public would bene-
tit by receiving service at a less price
than is now paid he might think diff
ferently Of the plan, but that he was
not convinced that would be the eff
feet.
Mr.. Taft approved the adoption of
parcels post, recommended by Mr..
Hitchcock; said the placing of assist
ant postmasters in the civil service
should be followed by the placing I'M
der the classified service of postmas-
ters, and commended the postal saw
ings system. Preparations are being
made, he said, to establish this system
at about 10000 fourth-class offices.
President Taft also approved and
forwarded to congress the report of.
matter, recommending that the postal
rate on magazines and newspapers be
raised from one cent to two cents a
pound. Postmaster-GeneraI Hitch
cock originally recommended a four
cent rate, but later changed this to
two.
Senate Tariff Plans Unsettled.
The tariff programme in the senate
will be framed at conferences which
the Democrats, the progressive" Re-
publicans and the regular Republicans
are planning to hold soon after the
finance committee concludes it's hear
ings on the house steel revision bill.
That will be early in March.
Democratic leaders virtually have
decided to make a first stand for the
house measure, with perhaps modi-
fication that would not interfere with
party solidarity in congress, and then,
having gone on record for the straight
Democratic bill, to endeavor to reach
some common ground with the pro
gressive" Republicans.
Progressive" Republican senators
have talked over the situation infor-
mally, and while no conclusion has
been reached, the plan of those not
active is to make some concessions
to the Democrats. The progressive"
Democrat is for reduction of duties,
but not such reduction as will carry
the tariff below the protective point
Taft PLEADS For Two Batt!eships.
President Taft, speaking at the
peace meeting of the Navy League,
declared that the time had not come
for this country to be economical at
the expense of an adequate naval es-
tablishment; expressed the hope that
the present congress would authorize
the construction of two battleships,
and said that:
"In order to keep up with other
nations, | don't think two battleships
are too many, and l am partly respon-
sible for the government and l am
entirely willing to meet the RESPONSE
bility by signing a bill for two battle
ships"
River Appropriation Bill is Completed
The river and harbor bill carries
the following items for the North
west: Mouth of Columbia River, ST.
100000; Cello canal, $600,000; Col
nd of TO hn1
$15O,000; Willamette, above Portland
and Yamhill, $4,000; Tillamook Bay,
5000, 900; Willamette, Portland to Ore
gon City, $4,000, and $4,000 additional
for maintenance; Columbia, Cello to
mouth of Snake, $50 900; Snake River,
$25,OOO; Stuslaw, $4,000; Coos River,
$4,000; Tillamook, maintenance old
project $4,000; Clatskanie, $1,000; Col
umbia, Bridgeport to Kettle Falls,
$4,000; Lewis River, $780, Skagit
River, $4,000; Puget Sound and trib-
utaries, $4,000; Hoquiam River, $12,-
900.
National Capital Brevities.
Hearings will be held by the house
interstate commerce committee on
March Z on the SuIzer apple box bill,
which is very similar to the Lafean
bill of the last congress.
With the passage of the chemical
revision bill by the house another
Democratic tariff measure was added
to the senate calendar.
The house has passed the Taylor
bill, which provides that no qualified
entryman, who prior to June 25, 1910,
made bona tide entry upon land in any
government irrigation project and
who established residence in good
faith, shall be subject to contest for
failure to maintain residence or make
improvements prior to the time when
water is available for the irrigation OF
his entry