Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1900 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

Assistant Secretary Taylor, in charge of the immigration bureau of the Treasury Department, goes to Montreal to eoufer with XJanndian authorities with the idea of establishing prohibitive measures to .prevent- the rapidly increasing flow of undesirable immigrants over Canadian borders into this country, in violation of the laws of inspection nnd immigration. This subject has been an old sore whish the immigration authorities have attempted to heal. But the situation is brought to a crisis now by the great tide of immigrants now breaking through the lings and settling this side the border. The Russian Jews and Italians form the bulk of these immigrants. Easy channels of admission to this country are afforded by the steamship and railway companies. Secretary Taylor proposes to stop this evil and incidentally arrive at an agreement with Canadian officials to maintain necessary safeguards at various points of entry.

Important survey work of this gov r.mmeut in the West Indies will be continued next year. Four vessels of the navy will probably be used for this purpose, the Yankton and Eagle, now at the Portsmouth, N. 11.. navy yard; the Vixen, now at Norfolk, and the Scorpion, at Boston. The commercial lines which do business with West Indian ports coinplain of the inaccuracy of the old Spanish charts, and naval officers find them dangerously defective in.many The wonder is, say naval officers, that the charts have been of practical service so long. The United States Government has done a great deal already toward correcting the'old charts and has expended a large sum of money in coast and harbor surveys. The work will require two and possibly three more seasons to complete, but all possible haste will be made to issue reliable charts as a result of the surveys now contemplated.

What the statisticians at the Census bureau, are seeking for just now is to establish the probable ratio of increase in the population, and when that is done a good guess can be made as to the total for tbe country. The ratio for the whole country between ISSO and 1890 was 24.86 per cent increase. From 1870 to 1880 it was 30.08; from 1860 to 1870, 22.63 per cent; and from 1850 to 186(1 the increase was 35.58. Tbe low rate from 1860 to 1870 was, of course, due to the war, but as a whole the percentage of increase in all countries is reduced steadily as they fill up the unoccupied lauds. The experts look for a reduction in the r'atio to a considerable extent.. The increase now appears to be only twothirds as much as ten years, ago. Some of the best posted men in the census say the total will be between 74,000,000 and 78,000,000, and rather above than below the mean between those figures.

Of the total of $1,000,000,000 In gold in the United S.tates it is estimated at the treasury that the bulk is locked in the departmentsafesandin national banks. The gold reserve in the treasury amounts to $430,0Q®,000, while the national banks hold a large proportion, so that nearly $600,000,000 of tiie gold supply is withdrawn from circulation. During August Secretary Gage expects so pay out $19,000,000 to redeem the old 2 per cent bonds. Up to the present time $6,000,000 of the 2 per cent issue has been redeemed, and it is believed that the bulk of the $19,000,000 remaining will be tendered for redemption during August, when interest upon the issue will expire. .These bonds were issued on authority iof tbe act of 1876-9. The payment issue will reduce the bonded d.bt of the nation to almost $1,000,000,000.

At its last session Congress appropriated $6,000 for drawing plans for an addition to the White House. Capt. Theodore Bingham, superintendent of public buildings and grounds, is now having the plaits prepared, and there will be an effort to have tbe alterations made in time for the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the location of the capitol in Washington. Congress will be asked to appropriate a million dollars at the short session next winter.

The one member of the cabinet who does not believe it is necessary to leave Washington in the summer is Secretary of the Treasury Lyman J. Gage. He remains at his post the year around, at)d his only change is to move out to his sub' urban cottage at Chevy Chase when the warm weather arrives. From there he comes in every morning on the electric car, reading his newspaper like the rest of the department employes. Word was received at the census office that William G. Pine Coffin nnd Charles M. Robbins, enumerators for the northern districts of Alaska, who were thought to have perished on their way down the Yukon from Rampart City to St. Michaels, had arrived there safely, that their portfolios were in perfect condition, nnd that they closed up their work and received their pay. General Director of the Census Merriam is in danger of getting the writer’s cramp. He is spending nearly ten hours n day now writing his name. There are about 50,000 pay vouchers which have to bear his signature. He says he is getting so he dreams his signature nt night and sees visions of never ending payrolls.

Congress will be naked to provide for further dry docks next year. The naval constructor nt the Norfolk navy yard hns recommended another structure for that plnce. nithough one was authorised by the late Congress. Ft will be necessary to buy additional laud for the dock already provided for, mid it is possible sufficient hind will be acquired by this government to build the fourth dock how urged. A new dock is contemplated at the Mare Island (California) navy yard also. •