THE ASIATIC TRADE
Hill Says He Is Building It Up
and Wants to Keep It.
AIDKI) 15Y LOW TRANSPORTATION
New Outlet Makes a Hither Price fur
Pacific Const Grain Wants Tur
lir Marie t Fit It.
Washington, April 12. James J.
Hill, president o tlio Great Northern
ruilriKul, and ulso interested largely in
transportation to tliu Orient, has writ
ten u letter to u Western senator in
which ha points out the possibilities of
trade in Chinu and Japan, and suggests
that tariff duties bo so adjusted us not
to prevent trade with tlio countries
across tho Pacific.
President Hill says:
"The Asiatic trade of the greatest
importance to this country, and partic
nlarly to such portions of it as are in
terested in raising wheat. A year ago
last full wheat sold for from 18 to 22
cents per husliel in the Pulouse country,
south of Spokane, and this year it has
sold for from 05 to 70 cents. About
three years ago I sent an agent to China
and Japan to investigate thoroughly
what steps could be taken to introduce
the general use of wheat and flour in
those countries, as against their own
rice, and found it simply a matter of
price. I then took up the consideration
of building steamers for that trade, de
signed to carry cargoes of flour and
grain at low rates. I found that we
could build the ships, but, owing to
the sailors' union fixing the wages of
sailors at (30 a month, and engineers
and other ship employes at about twice
the wages paid by European steamers,
it was impossible for us to compete with
the English, German, Italian and Scan
dinavian ships on the Pacific After
the war with China, the Japanese used
a large amount of their war indemnity
for a subsidy to their merchant marine,
and we opened negotiations with the
General Steamship Company, of Japan,
which is owned by leading men of the
empire. We found their subsidy was
about equal to the oost of their coal
and the wages of their sailors. They
pay thoir sailors $5 a month Mexican,
or $2.50 in gold, enabling them to hire
twelve good sailors for the wages of one
American sailor. After some protract
ed and difficult negotiations, we con
cluded a contract with them for a line
of steamers between Chinese and Jap
anese ports and Seattle, on condition
that they would carry flour from Puget
sound to Asiatic ports at $3 a ton,,
against from $7 to $8 a ton formerly
rliargeil from West coast ports in the
United States. The low rates fixed the
rate for all lines between the Pacific
toast and Asia, and has resulted in
carrying out about 28,000,000 bushels,
or its equivalent in flour, from the last
crop. There is left about 5,000,000
bushels between now and their harvest.
"Thus you will see we have been
able to find new mouths which have
never before used wheaten bread, to
take the entire California, Oregon and
Washington wheat crop out of the Eu
ropean markets. This will reduce the
-amount going to Europe about 20 per
cent, and is three times the quantity
shipped to Europe from Argentina dur
ing the past year. The price of wheat
this year, as compared with last is 20
to 25 cents higher, and I think it may
be said that from 15 to 18 cents of this
rise is clearly due to the withdrawal of
the Pacific wheat from tho European
markets. I see in this morning's re
ports a telegram that European chips
are loading with barley, rye and mer
chandise fiom San Francisco for Eu
rope, ufter waiting months for cargoes
of wheat, and that no more wheat will
go to Europe from the Pacific coast.
"The only way we could bring about
this reduction in the transportation of
flour to Asia was by diverting the tea
and matting business, which has here
tofore gone mainly on English ships,
from Asia direct to New York, and car
rying these commodities to the Pacific
coast, by a low rate, and transporta
tion inland by rail, to distribute the
commodities to points between Minne
sota und New York.
"I have given you the facts, so you
wil understand the situation and be
ablo to see that, unless these ships can
bring their main cargoes of merchan
dise to the Pacific ports at rates that
will compensate them for the traffic,
the business must go as heretofore, to
New York, and the rates on flour to
Asiatic ports will be again at the old
figure, or at an advance of about 50
cents a barrel, which would, in my
judgment, destroy the business that
has just been built up with that coun
try. The province of Amoy alone,
which is near the coast, contains over
80,000,000 people, and, at 20 pounds of
flour per capita per annum, would con
sume the product of 40,000,000 bushels
of wheat. The large districts of Tien
Tsin and Shanghai, both within easy
reach of the sea, would consume about
as much more as soon as the trade
could be fully opened. It is not outside
the range of possibility to say that we
could ship wheat at Devil's Lake or
points west, as long as the demand for
flonr continues to grow as it has for the
past six months."
There are over 2,000 miles of rail--ways
in operation in Japan.
Bebel Stronghold Captured.
Cape Town, April 12. A dispatch
from Vreysburg says Tolunteers have
captured and burned the insuregnts'
stronghold at Ganssepe. Lieutenant
Harris is among the killed.
Wealthy Wnnu'l Saddca Death.
Chicago, April 9. Mrs. Julia Nel
son, 19 years old and the possessor of
$100,000, died suddenly in a cottage in
Wert Erie street today. Asphyxiation
by coal gas is supposed to have been
the cause of death.
SITUATION NO WORSE.
Ilppnrt From the MUlliil Flood
Htrlckon District.
Memphis, April 12. Notwithstand
ing tho high winds and heavy rain
storms reported from tho overflowed
Mississippi delta hist night, the situa
tion in the flood-stricken district is cer
tainly no worse, if not better tonight.
Tho water which has been pouring
through five big crevasses for more thai)
a week is rapidly flowing into the Mis'
sissippi again, nt a point twelve miles
north of Vicksburg, and is sweeping
southward with terrible force. Tho
strain on tho Louisiana levees will be
something terrific for a week, and if
they withstand that length of time, all
will be well.
The Sunflower river is also on a ram
page tonight. Two-thirds of the water
from the Flower lake crevasse is rush
ing into this stream, and a largo area
will be inundated from the overflow.
The Tallahatchie and Coldwater rivers
are gradually falling. At Helena, the
river is slowly falling, and indications
are that the big stream will continue
to decline. The waters below the Ar
kansas Midland levee are at a standstill
tonight.
The number of refugees is increasing
at Helena almost hourly. The steamer
at Helena arrived there late this after
noon with more than 100 flood suffer
ers, swelling the list there to 8.000.
At Rosedale nothing of special interest
has occurred in the situation. After
the stormy night that caused buildings
to rock and sway like boughs of trees,
the sun came out bright and clear in
that section today but a cold north
wind is blowing. In the Bogue Phalia
country, much suffering is reported.
The Rosedale relief committee will
visit that section tomorrow and distrib
ute provisions.
At Greenville, the situation has not
changed. All the lovees along the
Mississippi front safely withstood the
storm of last night. At Memphis, the
river continues to fall, a decline of
one-tenth of a fooi being reported by
the weather bureau tonight.
The railroads, with one exception,
are again open for business and in good
shape, and all trains are being run on
schedule time.
THE POSTAL CONGRESS.
Corcoran Art Gallery Building: Leaned
for the Purpose.
Washington, April 12. The post
office department has leased the old
Corcoran art gallery building, on Four
teenth street and Pennsylvania avenue,
for the use of the postal congress,
which is to assemble May 5. It is ex
pected the cqgress will be in session six
or eight weeks. The entire building
will be fitted and furnished expressly
for the congress.
The union embraces the whole world
excepting the Chinese empire, Corea
and the Orange Free State. These lat
ter countries are expected to join the
union during this congress, and will be
represented by delegates. Each nation
can send as many delegates as it de
sires, but will have but one vote.
The convention will be held with
closed doors, and the proceedings will
be in French, according to the usual
custom.
Cyclone In Alabama.
Montgomery, Ala., April 12. A
si'peial to the Advertiser from Ozark,
Ala., says:
A cyclone passed over a portion of
Dale county last night, leaving wreck
and disaster in its path. Many houses
were demolished. Mrs. Powers was
caught by the falling timber of her
home, and died- before she could be
rescued. The rest of the family were
rescused. This is the only fatality re
ported. For many miles the farmers
are suffering, everything they had be
ing cwept away by the wind or ruined
by the torrents of rain. The citizens of
Oznrk have sent several wagonloads of
supplies to those in need.
The Treaty HHtlllt.il.
Washington, April 12. Confirmation
of the reported ratification by the Vene
zuela congress of the arbitration treaty
has come to the state department from
United States Minister Thomas, at Ca
racas, in the following cablegram, dated
yesterday.
"Treaty was ratified by congress yes
terday." While the treaty provides that ratifi
cation may be exchanged either in Lon
don or Washington, officials of the state
department believe this cermony will
take place in London, as it will thus
serve the purpose of initiating the res
toration of diplomatic relations between
Great Britain and Venezuela, after A
suspension of more than ten years.
American Money for Nonfi in Creto.
Chicago, April 12. Lady Henry
Somerset has cabled Miss Frances
Williard, president of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union, asking
for $1,500 to be spent for the White
Ribbon nurses in Crete. Miss Willard
cabled her consent, "feeling it is all in
the cause of suffering Christians slain
by Moslem swords, and the hideousness
of the situation is incalculably magni
fied because English bullets are help
ing on the slaughter of Christians."
Marbletaead Sailors Drowned.
Key West, April 12. While lower
ing a boat today from the cruiser Mar
blehead, the davits broke, and three
sailors were thrown into the sea. Two
were drowned.
After a Woman Forsethlef.
Colfax, Wash., April 12. The sher
iff is scouring the country in search of
a female borsethief and incendiary.
The woman is Mrs. Jane McDonald, 50
years of age. She ran away from the
poor farm and returned to Sunset, a
former haunt of her family. Here she
is reported to have set fire to two stacks
of hay, the property of farmers she im
angined had wronged her or her child
ren. Later, she stole a horse fron
Fanner Elder and left.
RIVERA WILL NOT BE SHOT.
Spanish Minister Hays Hi Elevation
Vl Never ot-inilitted.
Washington, April 12. Advices re
wived by tho Spanish minister state
that General Rivera, who is lying
wounded near Havana is not in a seri
ous condition, and that hiswounds aro
not likely to prove fatal. Inquiry as
to the status of tho prisoner elicited a
statement by the minister to the effect
that at at no time has the Spanish
government or General Weyler hud any
idea of shooting Rivera.
Havana, April 12. General Ruis
Rivera remains at San Cristobal. He
is recovering from his wounds. In tho
event of a summary trial, it is not
likely he will be sentenced, but he will
be held as a prisoner of war.
A Kuinor That liivei-a Was Freed.
Key West, April 12. News was re
ceived last night that the Cuban insur
gents had mailo an attack on the train
upon which General Rivera was being
taken from San Cristobal to Havana.
Reports say the insurgents wore suc
cessful in their attack, and that Rivera
was freed. It is impossible to get a
confirmation or denial of tho report as
yet, but tho Cuban sympathizers here
believe it to be true und are according
ly jubilant.
BRYAN WAS HURT.
Piazza From Which He Wan Speaking
a Fell Injuries Not Sertoli.
St. Augustine. Fla., April 12. Horn
William Jennings Bryan was injured
here this evening by the caving in of
the piazza from which he was speaking.
Nearly 400 men and women were pre
cipitated about twenty feet to the
ground, and many of them were in
jured, but none fatally. Mr. Bryan
was picked up unconscious, and re
moved to a physician's office, where an
examination revealed that he had re
ceived no injuries of a serious charac
ter. It was deemed best, however, to
abandon the reception to have been
given this evening.
Mr. Bryan arrived at 5:50 P. M.,
and was greeted by several hundred
people. At 8:80 he addressed fully
3,000 people from the piazza of the San
Marco hotel. At the olose of the
speech hundreds of people flocked about
him, and the strain was so great that
one section of the piazza forty feet
square fell through.
Only One Bid Beeelved.
Washington, April 12. The navy
department received today but one bid
in answer to an advertisement calling
for proposals for supplying 8,000 tonB
of armor for three battle-ships, the
Illinois, Wisconsin and Alabama, and
it was irregular in form. It came
from the Illinois Steel Company of Chi
cago, and projiosod to supply 8,000 tons
of armor at $200 a ton, on condition it
be given a 20-year oontract to supply
all naval armor. In such case the re
mainder of the armor would be sup
plied at $240 a ton, the armor to be
paid for in gold coin.
An alternative proposition, contem
plated the erection of an armor plant
by the government and its supply with
steel by the Illinois company. No
awards were made, und the whole mut
ter will probably be referred to con
gress. An American Han the Contract.
Havana, April 12. Miohael J.
Dady, of Brooklyn, N. Y., has seoured
an important contract to improve the
sanitary condition of Havana. It is
said the contruot will involve an ex
penditure of about $15,000,000. Work
will be begun next winter, and it will
give immediate employment to from
4,000 to 6,000 men on sewers and pav
ings, etc. All the preliminaries of the
agreement have been deoided upon,
and it is reported that Mr. Dady has
us security bonds issued by the city of
Havana to the amount of $12,000,000.
Mr. Dady is now here with his engi
neer, Mr. Byrne, and the papers are to
be sent to Captain-General Weyler for
his approval.
Mallcarrlers A-Wheel.
Oakland, Cal., April 12. The post
office at Fifteenth and Broadway will
soon be headquarters for the most con
siderable and energetic cycling club in
the city, for the mailcarriers are to ride
wheels.
The equipping with wheels of Oak
land's mail delivery service means
more than would appear at first. It
means possibly another collection and
distribution of mail matter each day,
and a consequent improvement of the
general service. The hours of each car
rier will be shortened and he will be
supposed to make good time.
It is possible that the territories of
the men will be extended, but this does
not mean a cutting down in service,
rather an enlargement, as the post
master wonld be enabled to extend his
rontes and reach much further from the
heart of the city.
Palmer Cot a Verdict.
Canton, O., April 12. Tyndale
Palmer was yesterday given a verdict
by a jury in the court of common pleas
for $1.50 in a libel suit against he
Evening Repository. The suit is one
of the last of the many similar ones
brought by Palmer against newspapers
using a press dispatch in regard to a
land deal. The petition asked for
$30,000. President McKinley is one of
the stockholders of the paper.
Fighting for Durrant' Life.
San Francisco, April 12. The attor
neys for Durrant today asked the su
preme court for a writ of error. The
petition was denied, and the attorneys
will now appeal direct to the United
States supreme court for a stay of exe
cution pending the preparation of pa
pers for an appeal.
Eagles do not have different mates
every season as do birds generally; they
pair for life, and sometimes occupy
the same nest for many ei
NORTHWEST BREVITIES
Evidence of Steady Growth
and Enterprise.
ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST
From All the Cities and Towns of
the Thriving Sister States
Oregon
Baker City has something of a build
ing boom.
Sherman county has paid into the
state treasury the full amount of that
county's tax for 1800.
Notwithstanding the long and snowy
winter in Hurney county, most of the
horses that were left to winter on the
range are at this time in good condi
tion. Treasurer Kern, of Umatilla county,
had a $12,000 county warrant call pub
lished one day last week, and on the
same day paid out $7,000 on warrants,
included in the call.
The annual report of the county su
perintendent of Linn county shows the
number of persons between the ages of
4 and 20 year) residing in the county
to be 7,210, of which 3,501 are males
and .3,709 females.
The school superintendent's report
in Curry county for the years 1896 and
1807 show a gain of just six children
of school age in the county during the
year ending March 1, 1897 five males
and one female.
News from hop yards in Lane county
is that but little work has been done
toward getting them in shape for oulti
ration. The oontinued wet weather
kept the ground in a condition that
prevented cultivation.
The sheriff of Umatilla county has
begun suit in Pondleton to asoertain
what expenses he is allowed under the
law to incur. The case will be taken
to the supreme court, and the whole
question of the salary law will come up
lor an opinion.
A cheese faotory of 200 pounds daily
eppacity is being built on Roberts hill,
in Douglas county. The gentlemen
conneoted with the enterprise are ex
perienced in the cheesemaking busi
ness, and are confident of success in
their new venture.
A Salem paper says that the Goodale
Lumber Company is dosing contracts
with corporations in Mexico for 5,000,
000 feet of bridge timber. It will keep
the mills running full foroe for several
weeks. The lumber will be shipped
direct to Mexican points.
Two children were playing on the
sidewalk in Empire, Coos oounty, one
day last week, when a band of raoing
cayuses ran upon the sidewalk and
right over the children before they
could move. The children were for
tunately but slightly injured.
A liveryman of Albany says that
there are absolutely no young horses in
Linn county, and few on the coast. He
says within five years a good horse will
command a handsome figure. He is
gathering up a band of thoroughbred
animals to send to a ranch in Crook
county.
Washington.
Sheep to the number of 50,000, from
many ranges, will be driven to WalluJi
to be shorn.
The grass is long enough around
Coulee City now for cattle to be turned
on the range. '
A gentleman of Port Angeles will try
the experiment of cultivating Eastern
oysters in Washington harbor, Clallam
county, Sequim bay.
Thirty-two mining companies have
headquarters in Everett, not counting
the Monte Cristo properties of the
Rockefeller syndicate.
The auditor of Kittitas county last
month received $340.45 in fees, the
largest amount received for any one
month for a very long time.
The "scorcher" has been running over
people in Port Townsend, and now tho
city marshal says he will enforce the
ordinances prohibiting bicycle-riding
on the sidewalks in the business part
of the city.
The Wenatohee Water Power Com
pany is taking advantage of the low
stage of the river to secure the head of
its ditch seven miles above Wenatchee.
The company is putting inariprapping
wall 1,800 feet long, with a slope
ieight of seven feet and u base of four
;eet the most cf the distance, to protect
their ditch from high water.
Professor Spillman, of the Pullman
agricultural college, who has made a
special study of the industry and the
adaptability of the state for producing
dairy products, estimates that 300
creameries could be kept busy supply
ing the market that can be built up for
Washington dairy products by the
proper development of the industry in
the state.
"The reports from Skagit county that
the Italian prune trees were badly in
jured by the extraordinary bad January
freeze were greatly exaggerated," says
Secretary Cass, of the state Iward of
horticulture. "In my own orchard of
nearly 1,000 trees I found the damage
very slight and many of my neighbors
are happily disappointed."
Walla Walla is soon to have a publio
library. The necessary $1,000 to form
the nucleus for a public library sup
ported by city taxes, as provided by the
laws of the state, is at last assured.
Five hundred and fifty dollars was de
posited in the Farmers' Savings bank
some time ago by some one whose iden
tity is unknown, for the purpose of es
tablishing a publio library. Nine
hundred dollars baa been raised by the
ladies of the city, and together with
the old books stored away, the amount
will reach the necessary $1,000.
WEEKLY MARKET LETTER.
Downing, Hopkins & Company's Ilevlew
of Trade.
Buyers of wheat have been slaughter
ed this week and many holders have
loosunod their grip on hitherto well
held lines, believing us they did, in
tho many crop reports telling of damage
in the Southwest, and more particularly
in stories from Indiana and Eastern
Missouri. Their faith appears to have
been misplaced. They received no as
sistance from tho general public, and
IH'opIo who are chronic sellers suw the
opportunity und persistently fought
the campaign, and their efforts have
mot with success. The result lias been
a severe liquidation of tho previously
existing speculative inteicBts, and there
can hut 'bo littlo doubt thut the mar
ket at tho close of the week is more
nearly evened up than at any time in
several years past. Wheat has lacked
a good cash demand for some timo, and
without it there is only the conclusion
to be drawn that value should decline.
The fact that red wheat commands a
high premium has not had the slight
est effect in preventing or even staying
the depression that set in early in the
week and which caused a loss of 5 cents
in the future deliveries and a propor
tionate break in the cash grades. A
great many inclined to the belief that
the break was due to manipulation and
not from legitimate causes. This theory
is rather doubtful and can be ques
tioned. The market is always more or
less subject to manipulation, but to the
extent of the decline thut has occurred
this week does not seem probable. Wc
are of the opinion that the current
weakness is due to disappointment with
the rate of flour consumption, which
is smaller than had been expeoted, and
with the larger arrivals than had been
looked for, and, although the public is
suffering this disappointment, it has no
need to despair, for, at the slow rate of
current consumption, the world ends
the orop season lower in supply than in
any season before since the price was 90
cents a bushel for an average of a sea
son. For various reasons it is apparent
that the present price is to be tempor
aryonly. Market Quotations.
Portland, Or., April 13, 1897.
Flour Portland, Salem, Casoadia
and Dayton, $4.10; Benton county and
White Lily, $4.10; graham, $3.40; su
perfine, If2.75 per barrel.
Wheat Walla Walla, 74 75c; Val
ley, 76c per bushel.
Oats Choice white, 8840o per
buBhel; choice gray, 8789c.
Hay Timothy, $14.00 15.00 per
ton; clover, $ 11.50 12.50; wheat and
oat, $10.0011.00 per ton.
Barley Feed barley, $17.50 per ton;
brewing, $18 19.
Millstuffs Bran, $14.60; shorts,
$16.60; middlings, $20.
Butter Creamery, 40c; dairy, 80
82c; Btore, 17tf80o per roll.
Potatoes Oregon Burbanks,5565c;
Garnet Chilies, 6576o; Early Rose,
80 85o per sack; sweets, $8.00 per
cental for Merced; new potatoes, 8o
per pound.
Onions $2. 00 2. 75 per cental.
Poultry Chickens, mixed, $2.60
8.00; geese, $4. 00 5. 00; turkeys, live,
ll12o; ducks, $0.007.00 per dozen.
Eggs Oregon, 9c per dozen.
Cheese Oregon, 10c; Young
America, 12o per pound.
Vool Valley, 11c per pound; Eastern
Oregon, 79o.
Hops 9 10c per pound.
Beef Gross, top steers, $2.00 3. 60;
cows, $2.258.00; dressed beef, 40c
per pound.
Mutton Gross, best sheep, wethers
and ewes, $3. 50 3. 75; dressed mut
ton, (io per pound.
Hogs Gross, choice, heavy, $4.00
4.25; light and feeders, $2.5O3.00;
dressed $4. 50 5. 25 per owt
Seattle, Wash., April 13, 1897.
Wheat Chicken feed, $27 per ton.
Oats Choice, $2824 per ton.
Barley Rolled or ground, $20 per
ton.
Corn Whole, $19 per ton; cracked,
$19(820; feed meal, $1020.
Flour (Jobbing) Patent excellent,
$4.80; Novelty A, $4.50; California
brands, $4.90; Dakota, $5.65; patent,
$6.40.
Millstuffs Bran, $14.00 per ton;
shorts, $18.
Feed Chopped feed, $18.00 per ton;
middlings, $22; oilcake meal, $30.
Huy Puget sound, per ton, $10.00;
Eastern Washington, $14.
Butter Funcy native creamery,
brick, 22c; select, 22c; tubs, 23c;
ranch, 15 17.
Cheese Native Washington, 12c.
Vegetables Potatoes, per ton, $16.60
18; parsnips, per sack, 75c; beets,
per sack, 60c; turnips, per sack, 60c;
rutabagas, per sack, 50c; carrots, per
sack, 4050c; cabbage, per 100 11,
$1.60; onions, per 100 lbs, $3.25.
Sweet potatoes Per 100 lbs, $4.00.
Poultry Chickens, live, per pound,
hens, 10 10c; ducks, $66.50; dressed
turkeys, 15c.
Eggs Fresh ranch, 12c.
Fresh Meats Choice dressed beef,
steers, 7c; cows, 6Jc; mutton, sheep,
9o per pound; lamb, 6c; pork, fio per
pound; veal, small, 8c.
Fresh Fish Halibut, 4c;
salmon, 6 6c; salmon trout, 7 10c;
i flounders and soles, 84c.
Provisions Hams, large.ll; hams,
small, 1 1 4'c; breakfast bacon, 10c; dry
salt sides, 6c per pound.
San Francisco, April 13, 1897.
Potatoes Salinas Bnrbanks, 90c
$1.10; Early Rose, 6575c; River Bur
banks, 60 70c; sweets, $1.60 1.75
per cental.
Onions $3.00 3. 50 per cental.
Eggs Ranch, 10J12o per dozen.
Butter Fancy creamery, lZc; do
seconds, 1212ic; fancy dairy, 12c;
seconds, 10o.
Cheese Fancy mild, new, 6fc;
fair to good, 8$6c; Young America,
7 8c; Eastern, 14 140.
PRUNING THE ITEMS.
Progress of the Hnnnto Committee Wlthr
the Tarlir Hill.
Washington, April 12. The Repub
licun senators who aro acting as a sub
committee of the somite committee on
finance In the preparation of the tariff
bill ore inclined to postpone the date
of presentation of the bill to the senate
a little beyond the limit originally fixed
by them. They express the opinion
that it may bo two weeks from the
present time before it will be in shape
to bo reported.
The committee is making satisfactory
progress with the bill, nnd many of
the schedules have received final atten
tion, among them being chemicals and
cottons. None of tho more puzzling;
questions, however, have been disposed
of. The committee has deemed it
wisest to leave the rates on wool,
sugar, hides, coal, lead, ore, lumber
and all the other important subjects
until tho simpler mutters can be de
termined. They take the position that
they can settle the disputed points
more satisfactorily ufter the other fea
tures of the bill are thoroughly digest
ed and the probable revenue deter
mined. Many of the smaller items ac
cordingly have been docided upon.
While no detailed information can
be secured, it is understood many re
ductions have been made. The dispo
sition of the committee is to make
quite general reduction, but this is
found to be a tusk not easy to accom
plish, because of the insistence of sen
ators upon having a high duty for ar
ticles in whioh they are interested.
There are indeed many demands for
increase, and some of these are so
pressing that members of the commit
tee find themselves considerably embar
rassed between their desire to satisfy
senators whose votes will be essential
to the success of the bill and their con
viction that the interest of the party
demand reduction rather than increase.
FIGHTING HAS BEGUN.
Greek Irregulars Crossed the Frontier
and Attacked Turks.
Elassona, Macedonia, April 13.
Bands of Greek brgiunds have entered
Turkey at Krania, in the vioinity of
Gervno. Turkish troops have been en
gaged with them and fighting has been
proceeding since 5 o'clock this morning.
At Turkish headquarters the news is.
looked upon as of tho gravest descrip
tion in view of the excitement nere.
Edhim Pasha lias sent orders to have
everything in readiness for an advance
of the Turkish army in foroe.
A dispatch received at Turkish head
quarters here from Grevno says the
fighting between Greeks and Turks con
tinues. The Turks, following out the
instructions of Edhim Pusha, have sur
rounded the Greek irregulars, and the
greater part ot the Turkish division
stationed at Grevno is now advancing-.
It is impossible to distinguish whether
the invaders are supported by any) sub
stantial portion of the Greek army, but
the correspondent is informed that the
moment the Turkish officers asoertain
the presenoeof uniforms of Greek fogu-
lars in the ranks of the aggrossorsi Ed
him Pasha will order an advance of the
entire Turiksh army. The situation is
not serious. I
NOT ON THE MARKET',
Publio Lands In Washington Withdraws
From Sale,
Olympia, Wash., April 13. The
board of state land commissioners made
one of the most important orders today
ever issued by that body. It is to
withdraw from salo all state, granted,
school or other lauds. Henceforth all
applications for purohuse of the publio
lands of tho state will be rejected, and
special deposits already received re
turned. This does not apply to the
purchase of timber and material on
state lands, nor to such applications as
have prior rights under existing laws
to purchase tide lands.
The reason for this step is said to be
that to sell now, in the present finan
cial stringency, would be to take the
lowest price ever likely to be offered,
thus defeating the objects for which
the Beveral grants were made to the
state. The commissioner of publio
lands is ordered to lease all these lands
possible to permanent occupants and
improvers to the fullest extent permit- ,
ted under existing laws.
Sherman Pigeonholed It.
Washington, April 12. The senate
resolution protesting against summary
proceedings by the Spanish officials in
Cuba against the captive insurgent
leader, Rivera, has reached the state
department, through the White House.
Secretary Sherman, regarding it a
merely declaratory of the sense of the
seriate, and offered in an advisory
spirit, has filed it away, and is not
likely to carry out its suggestions and
lodge a protest with the Spanish gov
ernment, particulary in view of the in
formation he has received that Rivera,
is not to be shot.
Will Charter a Merchant Ship.
Washington, April 12. In execution
of the act of congress authorizing the
secretary of the navy to transport con
tributions for the suffering people in
India, Secretary Long has taken steps
to procure immediately a ship or
steamer from the merchant marine.
No naval vessel is available for this
purpose.
Drank Alcohol With ratal Result.
San Diego, CaL, April 12. One
sailor on the cruiser Philadelphia died
today, two others are in a dying condi
tion, and several others are dangerous
ly ill. During the night they tapped a.
chest of wood alcohol, and stole lirga
quantities, which they mixed with,
eggs and condensed milk, and drank.
Boston, April 12. The receipts of
foreign wool at this port this week will
reach a total of 40,000 bales, a reoord
i breaking number.