Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1905 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Political and General Gossip of the National Capital. Special Correspondence to The Democrat: Au important change has been made in the administration of the State department by which the handling of cipher dispatches has been taken out of the chief clerk’s office and turned over to the chief of the bureau of appointments, Chas. R. Deau. The switch was made on the initiate of acting Secretary Loomis. Mr. Loomis’ alleged reason for making the change is that there has been a serious leakage in the department’s secrets. It is said, however, that while it is probably true that there has been a leakage, the real reason back of the change is the personal hostility of Secretary Loomis to Col. Michael, the chief clerk. It is known that Col. Michael inclined to the side of Minister Bowen in the recent Loomis-Bowen controversy and that this is one way in which Mr. Loomis is getting back. However that may be, the action is a hard blow to the chief clerk, who has held his present post under two administrations and is generally regarded as an upright mid trustworthy man It is also known to those on the inside that the codes of nearly all the great powers are in the hands of their rivals, so that it is not very remarkable if some of the State department’s telegrams have been deciphered where they should not have beeu. The question of leakage has been raised several times before, but it was found ouce that Secretary Hay himself had inadvertently let out some news that should have been kept secret, and on another occasion Secretary Olney had done the same thing. It is possible that in view of the present 'disturbance in the usually placid current of State department affairs that the government will get a new code, which it has been thinking of doing for some years. t t t The navy department is getting busy over the preparations for the reception of Prince Louis of Battenberg, who will arrive in this country about November 1. The announcement of the Prince’s coming was made by the British minister, Sir Mortimer Durand, and everything will be done that is possible to make his Serene Highness have a good time while he is here. The British squadron is now in Canadian waters and will be at Annapolis from about the Ist till the Bth of November. About the second or third the Prince will go to Washington, • where he will be received by the I president. The blue jackets of'

the North Atlantic squadron are also arranging in their owgi way to show the British tarza a good time. The American and English fleets have met at different times in all quarters of the globe and sometimes the sailors have'cracked bottles with each other, and sometimes they have cracked heads But while the English sailors are in this country everything will be iloue to make pleasant the stay of both officers and men The English squadron will sail from Annapolis to New York about the ninth of November, and the Prince will be received by a special committee of the municipality. From New York the squadron will proceed to Gibralter. t t t There has been considerable satisfaction in the war department over the action of the conference of army surgeons who recently recommended the re-establishment of the army canteen. The canteen in the army was abolished some years back, as will be remembered, by act of congress. The congressmen who passed the bill did not believe in it, but they did not have the moral courage to stand out against the preesure that was brought to bear on them by a great many good but mistaken people who were earnest advocates of temperance and who did not think that the United States had any business to sell liquor. About the same time the same influence was used to prohibit the selling of liquor at the House and Senate restaurants in the Capitol. Now both restaurants are nominally dry. But anyone, who has the combination can get any sort of liquor they want served to them in a teacup with a spoon. It was a good deal more serious with the army posts. They did not have congressmen among their patrons, and they abolished the sale of beer and light wines to enlisted men. The officers in charge of the posts knew just what would happen, for they knew the peril of “The Blue Goose.” That is the army name for the groggeries that spring upon the outskirts of every army post where there is no canteen. The soldiers, when they had the canteen, spent their money for drinks there. They got pure drinks and there was about 75 per cent, profit in it. This profit went to the “mess fund.” and the men were able to buy themselves things to eat That were not on the regular ration list of the army. But as soon as the canteen was abolished, the “Blue Goose” sprang up again. The soldiers had no place of meeting and they bought vile liquor and got none of the profits. The recent conference of army surgeons declared flatly that the bulk of the disease and desertion in the army could be traced directly to the abolition of the canteen, and they urged its re-estab-lishment. Army officers, after three years’ experience of doing without the canteen, hope that the recommendation of the surgeons will be heeded. But there will be a great howl from the temperance advocates if it is. The question is shall soldiers drink wine and beer under decent home restraining surroundings, or shall they drink rot-got in a brothel? t t t

There is some talk of appointing ex-President Grover Cleveland as the head of the American delegation to the new Hague conference. It is said he will be appointed if he can be induced to serve, aud a great many people who admire his sturdy personality, irrespective of politics, hope that be will consent to act