Department of Commerce and Labor,

Office of the Secretary, Washington, February 11, 1907. Dear Sir:

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 10th instant, enclosing a copy of a joint resolution (S. R. 45)25 for the relief of the Wales Island Packing Company and requesting that all papers, or copies of same, on file in this Department relating to
50 this claim be forwarded for the use of your committee, with the Department's opinion as to the merits of the claim.

It does not appear
75 that any papers in reference to the claim covered by the resolution have been filed in this Department; and as the Department possesses no information
100 whatever regarding it except that conveyed in the memorial of the company published as House Document No. 510, a copy of which
125 accompanies your letter, it is hardly in a position to express an opinion as to the merits of the claim without making further inquiry regarding
150 the facts. If your committee desires, the Department will be pleased to make such inquiry.

Very truly yours, (168)

Hon. Francis E. Walling,

Chairman Committee on Claims, United States Senate.

Gentlemen:

In response to the accompanying resolution of the United States Senate, passed on March 3, 1904, I have the honor to
25 submit the enclosed copies of reports made by the food inspectors and by the inspector of marine products relative to the inspection of meat, poultry,50 game, fish, and oysters brought into the District of Columbia in cold-storage or refrigerator cars.

Respectfully, (67)

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia, Washington, D. C.

Purcell, Ind. T., January 6, 1906. Hon. John H. Stephens, M. C, Washington, D. C. My dear Sir:

I wish you would kindly send me by return mail several copies of the bill that I am advised you introduced in
25 Congress providing for an appeal from the Chickasaw and Choctaw citizenship court to the Supreme Court of the United States.

I am greatly interested in
50 this question, both as a practising attorney and as one who wants to see fair play and justice done. I feel that no greater outrage
75 could be perpetrated upon the hundreds of deserving citizens of the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations than to deny them the right of appeal from
100 the judgment of the so-called citizenship court. The right of appeal, it occurs to me, is a constitutional one, and to say that
125 thousands of people should be denied this right in cases such as the one under consideration, wherein millions of dollars' worth of property is involved,150 is simply outrageous.

Many of these applicants for citizenship have for many years prior to the passage of the act of June 10, 1896,175 made application to the Indian councils of the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations, hut because of their lack of means and ability to " pay the price
200 demanded " were never enrolled by the tribal authorities. This fact is a notorious one, not only in the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations, but also far
225 beyond their limits.

To say that this court should in seventeen days' time vacate and set aside the judgment of the Federal courts in the
250 Territory, rendered during a period of almost seven years' time, without even the right of an appeal to a higher tribunal, is something unheard of
275 in American jurisprudence.

I most sincerely trust you may be able to give this bill your earnest support and attention. No more just measure affecting
300 a particular class of people could, it seems to me, come up for your consideration.

Thanking you for your numerous past favors, I am

Very respectfully, (326)

Sir:

I have the honor to report penalty of $500 imposed on Capt. A. M. Short for violation of the law, by the
25 steamer Waunetta, in navigating from September 30, 1903, until October 8, 1903, after the expiration of her certificate of
50 inspection. The said fine or penalty has been paid and deposited with assistant treasurer of the United States, Chicago, Ill.

I herewith enclose report of
75 same made by Mr. John D. Sloane, supervising inspector, fifth district, and also sworn statements of Capt. A. M-Short and four other persons who
100 were on board

of the vessels during the period of the storm and high wind prevailing between September 30 and October 8, 1903.125

Considering the difficulties under which Capt. A. M. Short was placed in trying to save the raft of lumber said vessels were towing, during the
150 storm and prevailing high winds on the Mississippi River at the time stated, in my opinion he was unavoidably detained through bad weather from arriving
175 at this port in time for inspection.

The said Capt. A. M. Short has been navigating the Mississippi River on vessels as master and pilot
200 thirty years, and has never been known to violate the navigation laws during all that period.

I therefore recommend that the penalty, viz; $500,225 be remitted.

Respectfully submitted, (229)

The Secretary of the Treasury,

Washington, D. C.

Department of Justice, Washington, D. C, November 28, 1905. Sir:

I beg to enclose herewith, for the information of your committee, a copy of a letter dated the 17th instant, from the United States
25 attorney for the eastern district of New York, suggesting an amendment of the law so as to make the detention of seamen's clothing a misdemeanor,50 together with a copy of an act which he has drafted for that purpose.

Respectfully, (G
5)

Acting Attorney-General. Hon. G. F. Moore,

Chairman Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate.

CIVIL SERVICE 219

Mr. Louis J. Wortham,

Oriental Hotel, Dallas, Tex. Dear Sir:

Referring to our conversation concerning the exhibition of Texas cattle at the St. Louis Exposition, I would say that the matter is not
25 within the jurisdiction of this Department, but I should of course be willing to make any representations regarding the exhibition which appeared to me to
50 be desirable. If an arrangement could be made by which the cattle from below the quarantine line could be kept entirely separate from those coming
75 from above that line, and be shown in different show rings, I should recommend that the southern cattle be allowed to go for exhibition under
100 such conditions. I think, however, it would be taking too much risk to allow northern and southern animals to go to the same grounds or
125 be exhibited in the same show ring. The Department would do anything possible in the way of inspection to facilitate the exhibition or to lessen
150 the danger.

Very respectfully, (154)

Dear Sir:

In response to your inquiry in regard to the action taken under the clause of the fortifications act of March 1, 1901,25 regarding the Isham high-explosive shell and the high-explosive "thorite,"' I have to say that after the passage of the act which
50 provided for the purchase of those inventions by the Secretary of War " in his discretion and if in his judgment it will be for the
75 best interests of the Government," I asked the advice of both the Ordnance Department and the Board of Ordnance and Fortification to aid me in
100 form-

ing a judgment as to whether the purchase would be for the best interests of the Government.

The Ordnance Department advised against the purchase as
125 to both. The Board of Ordnance and Fortification advised against the purchase of the Isham shell by a vote of 4 to 2, and divided
150 equally - 3 to 3 - upon the purchase of thorite. Under these circumstances, I have not considered myself justified in making the purchase of either. The
175 Board of Ordnance and Fortification also adopted the following resolution:

" As thorite is the safest and most effective high explosive that has been presented to
200 and tested under the direction of this Board, it is the opinion of this Board that Doctor Tuttle is entitled to a reasonable compensation for
225 his invention; and it is recommended that he be so compensated." This recommendation was approved by me, with the following annotation: "This is understood to
250 relate, not to any power of the Secretary of War, but to an appeal to powers resting in Congress alone."

I approve the recommendation for
275 compensation to Doctor Tuttle because I think his long and faithful labors, in conjunction with many officers of the United States, in seeking to develop
300 a practical high explosive merited reward and were probably of material use in the development of the art to which they related, and I think
325 that a just exercise of the powers which Congress possesses, but the Secretary of War does not possess, should lead to a grant of reasonable
350 and even liberal compensation to Doctor Tuttle's heirs.

The Board of Ordnance and Fortification, since its action above mentioned, has recommended a further test of
375 the Isham shell, and that recommendation has been approved.

Very respectfully, (386)

Secretary of War.