Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1898 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

The first appropriation Lili to be introduced at the approaching session of Congress will be one to carry forward the expenditures on account of the war with Spain. By the explicit terms of the bills passed at the last session, making provision for the army and navy, authority to expend the money appropriated expires on Dec. 31, so that it will be necessary to prepare and enact, before the holiday recess, legislation extending the period to June 30 next, the end of the fiscal year. This is the view of Chairman Cannon of the House Committee on Appropriations. The President and Secretary Alger haveagreed to make the same recommendation in regard to the proposed increase of. the regular army. Secretary Alger, in his annual report, and the President in turn, in his annual message to Congress, wills recommend that the standing army beplaced on a permanent peace basis of 1 100,000. The President’s decision to advocate an army of 100,000 is taken as an, indication that he thoroughly appreciates* the necessity of properly garrisoning thenew possessions and dependencies with. United States troops. In his annual report the Secretary of’ War will recommend an increase of thenumerical strength of the military academy to not fewer than 500 cadets, and hemay decide to ask an increase to 700,. which is the maximum capacity of thebuilding. The number of cadets at West Point now is 370, but if the army is doubled in strength it will be necessary to double the number of officers, and for the-, same reason the number of cadets. The Government has decided to investigate the race troubles in South Carolina, in respect to the interference with the* duties of Federal officers. This is the onlyextent to which the Government can go,, as it is considered that the other difficulties are merely local, and therefore nob within the province of the national government. The investigation will be conducted by the Department of Justice. A heavy and continued demand exists* for American corn in south Africa, according to United States Consul General Stowe at Cape Town, who has made a special report to the State Department on< the subject of American trade in that section. Corn is quoted at $3.52 per hundred pounds in Cape Town and $4.44 in, Johannesburg, and the supplies do not satisfy the demand. ? President McKinley has practically-, completed his message to Congress, forwhile it is not all written the remainderis carefully outlined. It will deal almost exclusively -with the war and will give thereasons for the pronounced advocacy of 1 expansion by the administration. Attention is also called to the necessity for an, increase in the regular army. According to a ruling made by the Postoffice Department' the postmasters* throughout the country are prohibited from passing but mail matter to children, while going to and from school. The department made this ruling on account of’ the numerous complaints made of mails matter lost by children. The positive statement by Chairman. Dingley of the House Ways and Means* Committee that there will be no revision, of the existing war revenue law short of' a year, renders it certain that the Government will have an unusually large amount of cash to expend during the next twelvemonths. ’ There are evidences that the influential people behind the monetary commission, will bring pressure to bear on the President to call an extra session of Congressin the early spring. They want the currency reformed on the lines laid down by the Indianapolis conference. Attorney General Griggs has rendered* a decision that a person may draw money on a check without a revenue stamp provided the check be payable to himself from his own funds. The first state dinner of the season was, given at the White House Wednesday evening, when the President and Mrs,. McKinley entertained fifty guests in honor of the Anglo-American