Condensed News

The most profound Uistress prevails aauong many thousands of peöple in iuba. Starvation not only impends, but is au actual fact. President Meïinley has been informed of the facts 'rom sources whose credibility cannot je doubted. He has gone to the ength oL his constitutional power in calling the state of affaire to the attention of the American people. The department of state has used all of its aüthority to mitígate the conditions there and a letter to the public has 3een seen out by Secretary Sherman setting forth the facts and appealing to he people to come to the relief of the distressed people by sendlng money, iight-weight clothing or food supplies. Women's and children's clothing is most needed and food supplies should be canned goods (condensed milk for chlldren is greatly desired),or other articles not of a perishable cature. Motiey ia needed for medicines, nurses, etc. The Spanish authorities have consented to admit all supplies free of duty and U. S. Consul-General Lee will attend to the ciistributiou. Sapplles for the Klomllkc Miners. Secretary or War Alger is giving much sf udy to the best means of setting in supplies to the mmers in the Yukon country, and has decided to ask bids for the delivery of stores directly at Dyea, Skaguay or Chilcat. Secretary Alger's estímate now is that no less than 3,000,000 pounds of food stores will be required for the expedition. This makes the transportation problem a very serious one. One question that has engaged the secretary's attention is that of securing the consent of tlie govern ment for the passage of the relief expeditions over that part of Canad'au territory which must nccessarilv be traversed in reaching the miners. ïi will be necessary to obtain a permit for a military expedition to pass and also to secure a remission of duties on the supplies that are to be carried in. Secretary Alger is being flooded with applicaüons of men who want to be sent to the relief of the Klondiko miners, but he says that no civiliaus will be sent. The glory will be eonfiued to the Uáited States army. Cabluet Cpholda Civil Service Reform. The senate resolution calling upon the executive heads of the scveral departments of the government for informalion coriv;erning the application of the civil service law to thcir departments led to a general discussion of the subject by the cabinet. All the members of the cabinet were present except Secretary Alger. Thero was no dissent f rom the proposition that the civil service law ought to be and would be upheld. The principie of the system, in the opinión of all, must be maintained, but thcre was sorae differenoe of opinión as to the extent of lts application.