Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1899 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

Herbert Putnam of Boston has been appointed congressional librarian by President McKinley. Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage has resigned the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church of Washington, D. C., in order to devote himself to literary work. Secretary Wilson is making arrangements for letting the government seed contracts in the spring instead of in the autumn, as has been done heretofore. Judge Advocate General Leiber, asked for an opinion as to the authority of the President to enlist general volunteer officers for service in the Philippines, said he thought the President has that authority. The following statement has been issued, showing the total number of deaths reported to the adjutant general’s office between May 1, 1898. and Feb. 28, 1899: Killed in action, 329; died of wounds, 125; died of disease, 5,277; total, 5,731. Washington, D. C., authorities are bending every effort to prevent a threatened smallpox epidemic. There were thir-ty-five eases of the disease in the smallpox hospital the other day, with an aggregate of fifty-two that have been reported since the outbreak.