Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1901 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

While the census officials are investigating the cases of clerks who are eiuployed iu another department as well as that branch, some of the War Department employes would be glad to see attention called to favoritism whi h permits certain army officers on the retire! list to draw two salaries, one from the military pay foil and the other as an employe of the civilian branch of the government. One such officer is a I retired captain, who was transferred from the active list on account of disability. He receives $2,100 a year from the government ns a retired army officer, rendering no service whatever for this salary, and he gets nearly as much from the pension office, where he discharges every day, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Pensions, the clerical duties devolving upon him, despite the fact that he was deemed incapacitated for active duty in the army. Another case of dual -employment is that of an officer. retired with the rank of major, and who has been employed as civil engineer >B' the corps of engineers. Even the President of the United States is not paid in advanie. I’robably in view of the fact that the United States Treasurer believes he earns Ins salary, the Chief Executive does not have to wait until the first and middle of each month to receive it, as government employes do. The President is the onlyofficial of the United States government who is paid on a direct individual warrant from the Treasury Department. Each mouth in the year President McKinley receives by mail a warrant covering the money he has earned as his salary. The Treasury officials divide the salary into four quarters of $12,500 ea< h, and under the law could not under any circumstances exceed that, but they pay the President practically the same salary every month in the year, no matter whether the month is a long or shot oue. For two months of each quarter the President’s check is drawn for s4,lfßi.i>7, but the other month sees the check reduced to s4,l<iti.t><>.

The United States will claim about $2,000, the amount of an insurance policy on the life of the late Capt. Howgate. who embezzled thousands of dollars from rhe United States while Chief Signal Officer, and which policy was kept up for twenty years by his daughter, Ida, who never believed he was dead. Howgate died in Washington last .June. Miss Howgate spent about s<loo in this practical, as well as loving, work. Recently she asked for powers of administration on the estate. The power has been granted. The court will allow her the S<M)O, but it is understood the government will take the rest. Miss Howgate must give boni for $3,000. to guarantee the faithful performance of her duties as administratrix. If she had not kept the policy alive she could have saved the st>oo in some other way and the government would not hav.e received a cent. It is alleged that this insurance policy is all the property left by Capt. Howgate.

War Department officials are determined to interfere with the traffic in children which has been going on in certain parts of the Philippines, constituting one of the gravest problems with which army officers in that section have to deal. Reports received at the War Department say the traffic is confined to the natives iu the departments of Mindanao and Joie. The traffic comes as a result of the improvidence of the people, and families who are bitten by famine do not hesitate to seek relief by the sale of their children. Maj. J. 8. Pettit. First Infantry, formerly colonel of the Thirty-first Volunteer Infantry, the commander of the Seoond District in that department, says, however, that he has about broken up the traffic, which has been going on in children of the Tirenarya, a degenerate race south of Cattabado.

The presure upon the Commissh.ner of Internal Revenue from banking institutions for the return of cheeks turned in under the provisions of the act repealing the stamp tax is growing so strong that in self-defense he has been compelled to issue an appeal for time to apply to Gpncress for relief. It appears that the cost *>f engraving, printing and binding the '•hecks issued under the war revenue tax law was so great that the banks, as a matter of economy, are demanding that the checks, after the stamps have been .-edeemed, Ih> returned for further use. It is represented that the stamps imprinted upon them can be canceled and a great staving worked. The commissioner of internal revenue is without authority to act, and request* that he be given time to go to Congress for relief.

July exports were larger than in July of any previous year, and the imports were larger than those of July in any year since 1895. The figures of the foreign commerce of the United States during the month, of July show .total imports of the month. $72,897,087, total exports. $109,031,158; excess of exports over imports, $3(1.134.071, or considerably more than $1,000,000 per day. There is consternation in department circles over the discovery that government clerks working regular office hours in the departments were drawing double salaries by doing night work at the census office. To expedite census reports Director Merriam has been employing two sets of clerks, nnd in violation of law clerks have been working doulde time. Sugar planters of Hawaii have lately used efforts to secure a modification of the Japanese edict so that men from that country may bo allowed. to go to Hawaii Assistant Secretary Taylor told the Japanese minister Recently that desirable Japanese persona will Im* allowed to go Hawaii freely, provided that they do not go under contract, cither verbal, or written, as laborers. The 12-yeur-old daughter of J. M. Bi vim-, of Springtown, Tex., died from lockjaw, ctlised by sticking a pin in her feet.