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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 1900)
w'fe Jr , - VOL. XL 20. 12,230. PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1900. PRICE FIVE CBNTS. I' HOBBl V'YiMiJIT Li 1 1 I L LI III 3mSB9mL II I I 1 II 11 1 L I e 1 1 L ANY QUANTITY. MACKINTOSHES. RUBBER AND OIL CLOTHING ANY SiZK. ANY STYLE. Goodyear Rubber Company Rubber Beets and Shoes. BtKinj, Packing and Host. Largest 8feit eem-plete assortment of all kinds of Rubber Good. E R. H. PEASE. Vice-Pro. tod Manager 73 and 75 first St. Portland. Or. THE MOST COMPLETE STOCK OF Photographic Good In the City at Retail and Wholesale. Newest Best and Up-to-Date Goods Only. Agents for Volgtlaender CoIUncar Lenses. BLUMAUER-FRANK DRUG CO., 144-148 Fourth SL, Near Morrison Furs! Furs! Furs! Manufacturers of Exclusive Novelties In Fine Furs, ALASKA OUTFITS in Fur Robes, Fur Overcoats, Caps, Gloves, Moccasins, etc. Highest price paid for Raw Furs. G. P. Rummelin & Sons, Stubbornly Resisting the British at Paardeberg Drift. GENERAL ROBERTS IS SILENT General MacDonald Seriously Wound edBoers Flocking From Natal Bullcr's Movements. CAPE TOWN, Feb. 2L A special cor respondent of the Cape Argus says: "General Cronje Is surrounded at Paar deberg drift, but is offering a stubborn resistance. The British are shelling the Boers vigorously, and expect to capture the whole force." LONDONDRS WORRIED. Roberts' Silence Gives. Rise to Ap- t®en Phone Main 4L. 126 SECOND ST., near Washington. Established 187a HOTEL PERKINS Fifth and Washington Streets . . PORTLAND, OREGON EUROPEAN PLAN First-Glass Cheek "Restaurant CenReeted With Hotel. Single rooms 75c to $1.50 per day Double rooms $1.00 to $2.00 per day J. F.DAVies, I'm. C T. BELCHER, Sec. and Treas. St Charles Hotel ""' CO. (INCORPORATED). FRONT AND MORRISON STREETS -PORTLAND, OREGON American and European Plan. American plan..... ..$1.25, $1.-50, $1.75 European plan 50c. 75c, $1.00 SHAW'S PURE MALT E. HOCH, 110 FOURTH ST. Sole Distributor for,Oregon SKA.'WS 'FOSE MALT. When you .are, tfrea of Rostrums and ready to "throw tffcfijSffjSg BERNHEIM BROS. Owners and Controllers PURE MALT ST POULTRY NETTING AT LOW PRICES We have 300 rolls of netting 3J feet wide we are selling- at $2.00 per 100 feet; special prices in all widths; discounts to dealers. Farm fencing, bank and office railing, wire and iron fencing, fruit tray cloth, graders, etc. BUY FROM THE MANUFACTURER PORTLAND WIRE & IRON WORKS 7th and Alder Streets To Lease on Long Time Suitable mention for sawmill, warehouse or other manufacturing purposes. Deep water Unmiage. Astoria & Columbia River railroad main line passes through ceuter of prop arty. Splendid Facilities for Export Mill Centrally Imatoa. Tnte property is in one body; no streets or alleys. Good local olij- trade. OsM or aMconc WEST SHORE MILLS CO. prehensions. LONDON, Feb. 22, 4 A. M. Lord Rob erts list of 49 killed and wounded officers, including two generals, in the engagements up to Sunday evening, causes anxiety, es pecially as In the officer s list neither the losses of the Welsh and Essex regiments nor those of the mounted infantry are included. This is about the number that fell at Colenso, where the noncommis sioned officers and men brought the total losses to 800. It is considered strange that, when send ing his casualties. Lord Roberts gives no Information as to the result of the fight ing. If he has made such a report, the war office is withholding It Moreover, nothing Is known as to what took place Monday, Tuesday and yesterday. The ab sence of details from Lord Roberts dis patch, contrasted with his rather full nar ratives during the first part oc nis opera tions, produces uneasiness among military observers. All the comment in the morn ing newspapers, both editorial and critical, is threaded with the disturbing sugges tion that, despite hard fighting. General Cronje has been able to beat off his pur suers, has escaped and Is being reinforced by rail from Ladysmlth and by forces on foot and horseback from Northern Cape" Colony, as well as the Tate beleaguers of Kimberley. As the correspondents with Lord Rob erts are siient, the telegrams from Boer sources receive some countenance. The latter aver that Cronje, while the British were endeavoring to surround him be tween Paarderberg and Koedock's rand, received reinforcements under De Wit, and that together the Boer commanders fought the British to a standstill. However all this may be, public opinion here will not be reassured until the war office Issues explicit statements of suc cess, which, of course, would clear away the Catherine doubts repectlng the unin terrupted success of Lord Roberts' for ward movement No one doubts his ulti mate success, but there is a fear of tem porary disappointment, and that a lot of hard fighting is yet ahead of the British. The latest report regarding General Bul ler circulated in the houseofcommojjg, lastvening-was" tharWHfgffiFT 'the De Beers company had received a cable gram from Cape Town, which must have passed the censor, to the effect that Gen eral Barton's fusilier brigade had reached the hills commanding Ladysmlth. Quite apart from this, however, and from every other rumor, the early relief of the be leaguered garrison Is thought Inevitable. Many distinguished persons, on the way home from the theaters and clubs, called at the war office to Inquire for news. The ladles' lobby was open until midnight The arrival at the war office of several prominent people after 11 o'clock gave substance to a report that important In formation from Lord Hoberts had been received, but an announcement was soon forthcoming that no further bulletins would be posted during the night. Spencer Wilkinson, reviewing the mili tary situation in the Morning Post, says: "Sir Redvers Buller can hardly be ex pected to follow up the Boer army to or through the passes, but it is rather sur prising that he should have allowed the Boers to make good their retreat from Natal without a desperate effort either to hold them fast or to convert their re treat into a rout. The net result will be the addition in a week's time of from 18,000 to 30,000 men to the Boer army confronting Lord Roberts. The latter probably has 20,000 men available at Paardeberg. "A prolonged fight from Friday to Mon day seems to argue something like a bal ance between General Cronje's and Lord Roberts forces. The question therefore is which side is able to ga,t the largest immediate reinforcements. The most sub stantial reinforcements available for Lord Roberts are the divisions now In Natal, but It will take time to move them. Would that the Eighth division had been held ready at Cape Town Instead of at Aldershot The purpose of the British government is to crush the Boer army, and this purpose implies possession by its commander-in-chief of an assured and growing numerical superiority." away by recent successes Into a belief that the war ,1s practically over. Noth ing could bo more fatal to a satisfactory prosecution of the war, and, above all, to a satisfactory settlement of the whole country after the war, than any relaxa tion of mljitary acUvity, any stoppage of reinforcements, any temporizing or bar gaining with the Free State or the Trans vaal through mistaken Ideas of magna nimity toward an assumedly beaten foe. The highest authorities and the sound est opinion here say that the war has really only just begun in earnest Indeed they say that the real struggle will only begin when the present military opera tions end. "I have the best reasons for asserting that an attempt is likely to be made by Boer supporters in the colony to force easy terms for the Free Staters, now or soon, by holding out a threat of a Dutch rising in the colony. Any idea of leaving the Free State Its Independence would be fatal to British interests. The British people must not deceive themselves into thinking that it is now only a walk-over. They have a dangerously subtle and pro gressive foe to deal with in more ways than it would be politic to discuss pub licly. "There should be no halting in sending out troops. A quarter of a million of British troops will be none too many. The more we .have and the sooner they are here, the quicker will be the end of the war, and the surer will be the settle ment that is to mean justice to every one, Dutch and British alike and lasting peace and certain prosperity to South Africa." WAR' NEARLY ENDED Operations in the Philippines Drawing to a Close. POLICE WILL REPLACE SOLDIERS BOER. ACCOUNTS. Part of the Official Report of General Cronje. PRETORIA. Feb. 19. A portion of the official report from Cronje, dated Sunday, has been given out, as follows: "Yesterday morning about G o'clock, while Temoving the laager near Scholtz' Nek, we were attacked by the British. The fight lasted until 7:30 in the evening. Although on the whole the British were driven back, they each time resumed the attack. The loss to the British must have been considerable. Thus far the Boer losg has been eight killed and 12 wounded. This morning the British shelled us with cannon. Chief Commandant Ferrerelra's force was too small to stop the cavalry from entering Kimberley." Tuesday. Official reports have been re ceived as follows: Commandant Steyne says that Saturday and Sunday, near Koedoc's Rand, he fought the British, who tried to encompass Cronje's laager, and drove them oft. They fought until late Sunday evening. The Boers had one man killed and one wounded, and cap tured booty and 21 horses and mules. General DeWit says that on Sunday af ternoon he arrived before Paardeberg and Koedoc's Rand, in which direction there has been heavy firing since morning. He stormed several kopjes, which the British vacated, leaving their dead and wounded and 40 prisoners In the hands of the Boers, who captured the kopjes. The Boer loss was two killed and four wounded. The fight lasted until late in the evening. March' 2. In the papers it is argued that Puerto Rtoo Is a part of the territory of the United States, and the action is brought not only to enjoin the collector, but to compel him to repay the amounts which the Puerto Rlcan merchants have been obliged to pay. Is tnte instance amounting to 9500,000. DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. Gendarmerie to Be Organized to Pre- Rerre Order in the Islands The New Policy. "WASHINGTON, Feb. 21. According to information received at the war depart ment from Manila, at the end of the pres ent expedition of General Bates into the two provinces at -the extreme southern part of the island of Luzon, military opera tions In the Philippines will close. After ward, it Is stated, there is nothing to do but to undertake to maintain order I through a police system. Attention is now being given to that subject, and steps are being taken to form a thoroughly mobile, lightly armed gendarmerie, some thing on the order of the Canadian mount ed police, to cover the islands at all points and conserve the energies of the regular troops. The arrest of Tagals on the charge of be ing guerrillas as reported from Manila yesterday, it is said at the department, marked the initiation of another policy towards the insurgents who still remain under arms. As- the summary punishment of guerrillas cannot be had until some action has been taken to declare' the ter mination of the application of the rules of war, it is assumed at the war depart ment that General Otis has already Issued some kind of proclamation or notice to the natives, warning them that If they defy the rules of war and pursue preda tory warfare they will be treated as guer rillas when captured. The president is devoting special atten tion to the formation of the new Philip pine commission, acting on the advice that the army has reached the end of its func tion in the Islands and that the time is ripe for the establishment of civil gov ernment throughout the archipelago. It is hoped that the personnel can be completed before the end of next week. It appears that Mr. Denby was obliged to decline re appointment as a commlsaisoner on ac count of physical inability to stand the hard work that will be- Involved through out the visit to all the islands and the setting up of local governments. WHIPPING Ifi VOTES Republicans Working Hard for the Puerto Rico Bill EVACUATING NATAL. Boers Leaving to Oppose Roberts' Advance. BERLIN, Feb. 21. The Tageblatt pub- Jishqs special dispatches from Brussels which say the Transvaal legation mere announces that all the Boers are evacuat ing Natal, their positions in that colony being no longer tenable. General Joubert, it is added, has ordered concentration oL all available forces to oppose Lord Rob erts. The siege of Ladysmith, it is said, will be raised, and Buller will enter the town at the end of the week. BRITISH CASUALTIES. Generals MacDonald and Knox "Were Wounded. LONDON, Feb. 21. The following dis patch has been received at the war office from Lord Roberts: "Paardeberg, Tuesday. Between Febru ary 16 and February 18, Major-General Knox was wounded; Major-General Hec tor MacDonald severely wounded, and Lieutenant-Colonel Aldworth killed." These casualties occurred near Paarde berg. An admittedly Incomplete list of recent British casualties gives nine officers killed 'and 39 wounded and one missing. PHILIPPINE TAXES. Robert Porter Commissioned to Es tablish a Schcdnle. WASHINGTON, Feb. 21. It is under stood that when Hon. Robert Porter, who recently returned from an official trlD to Cuba, was; in "Washington the other day the president spoke to him in reference to becoming a member of the Philippine com mission. Mr. Porter's private affairs and his work in connection with Cuban tariff! matters make It Impossible for him to be absent from the United States for a couple of years, but he has been requested by the president and Secretary of "War Root, as soon as a ,siabl&geEament has been formed in the Philippines, to do the same work in connection with the customs and Internal revenue taxation in those islands that he has done In Cuba and Puerto Rico. As soon as a government is estab lished in the Philippines, it will be neces sary to arrange for revenue and a worka ble fiscal system and this duty will largely devolve on Mr. Porter. P. O. BOX S. ASTORIA, OR. $3 Wo L, Douglas .50 Men's Shoes An Easy Test. ALL mJBK. ONE PR I OK. WOLX AGENTS. LCGoddard&Co. OREOOttlAN BUfLDirG - "While you are reading, cover first one eye and then thee other. It may surprise you. There are hundreds of people with one good eye and one poor one. If you find a difference in your eyes see to it at once. It means an injury to both. The good eye is doing double duty, and the poor eye is losing Its powers from disuse. Lenses correctty fitted will make them equal. If it isn't too late. WALTER REED Eye Specialist 133 SIXTH STREET OREGOMAX BUILDING Roberts' Operations Incomplete. LONDON, Feb. 22. The Times says edi torially: "The silence of Lord Roberts is sus ceptible of more interpretations than one, but it certainly indicates that the serious operations in which he is engaged are not yet complete. Our correspondent at Lourenco Marques mentions a serious re port, which may be another version of the Boer story regarding General De "Wit that comes from Pretoria, or of the cap ture of the Riet river convoy. If the two events have occurred, it would be a curi ous coincidence." THE CLEANER 'TIS, THE COSIER 'TIS." WHAT IS HOME WITHOUT SAPOLIO MORE TROOPS NEEDED. Winston Churchill Urges the Neces sity of Men, Gnns and Supplies. LONDON, Feb. 22 "Winston Churchill, in a dispatch from Cheveley, dated Feb ruary 20, says he still expects fierce fight ing before Ladysmlth Is relieved, and he again urges the imperative necessity of "pouring a continual stream of men, guns and supplies" into the Cape. He declares that soldiers are wanted In South Africa, and not at Aldershot. Meanwhile he sees many "encouraging signs that the Boers are wearying of the struggle." The Times has the following from Lou renco Marques, dated February 22: "According to a Boer account General De "Wit claims to have captured, In an attack upon the rear guard of General French's column, ISO wagons of provisions and ammunition, 2S00 oxen and 5S men." The Dally Mall has the following dis patch from Lourenco Marques, dated Feb ruary 21: "Boer newspapers, dated February 19, report that General De "Wit won a bril liant victory over the British troops at Modder River. General Dutoit reports being defeated by the British cavalry col umn which got into Kimberley. He re treated to Riverton, 16 miles north of Kim berley, with all his guns lost and soven men killed. According to the same papers, General Cronje succeeded in getting through a. message to Koffyfontein with the news that he is holding all his posi tions, and that the Boer cordon is around Kimberley again. The Boers expect a general engagement at Tugela. All is quiet in Ladysmlth." A dispatch to the Times from Cradock, dated February 19, says. "It is believed here that all danger of a colonial rising is at an end." STRUGGLE ONLY BEGINNING. Invasion of the Free State Docs Not End the War. LONDON. Feb. 22. The Cape Town cor respondent of the Dally News says: "It is of the very gravest Importance that the British public be not carried Women's Laager Fired Upon. . LONDON, Feb. 21. The Dally .Mall prints the following dispatch from Mafe king, dated Tuesday, Feb. 21: "The houses in the women's laager are riddled with bullets, notwithstanding the Boer promises. A woman who was stand ing with a suckling child was shot through the breast, while among 400 women and children. An explosive im pounder shell burst in the laager, a piece fixing Itself in the spine of a 9-year-oldi boy. The explosive caused blood pdison ing, and he lingered several days In agony." General Otis' Casualty List. WASHINGTON, Feb. 21. General Otis cabled the war department the following list of casualties: Deaths Malarial fever, January 2, Ar lington Mays, Twenty-second infantry; February 10, "Willis McMartln, corporal, Forty-fifth infantry; February 12, Azariah Harron, Thirty-eighth Infantry. Drowned, January 15, Albert Jay L. Perry, Thirty-second infantry, bathing In Rio Grande Florida Blanco; 15th, Joseph F. Carey, Thirty-fourth infantry, Rio Agno, near San Nicholas, accidental; Feb ruary 9, Daniel P. Jenkins, Twenty-second Infantry, gunshot; January 29, William Crawford, corporal. Twenty-fifth infantry; Angeles, Luzon, fell on dagger worn by him; gunshot in action January 27, Amos O'Nell, Thirty-ninth infantry. Heat prostration, February 9, Frederick Hegwein, Twenty-seventh Infantry. Pneumonia, February U, John P. Hill, Twenty-ninth Infantry; variola, 5th, Por ter McGuyer, Forty-fourth infantry; 12th, Cyrus B. Brittaln, Thirty-sixth infantry; dysentery, 14th, Andrew Anderson, Thirty fifth Infantry; Carl Nessel, Fourth caval ry; typhoid, 16th, Clarence van Borger, corporal. Thirty-seventh Infantry. Kansas City Likely to Get It Com mittee Meets Today. "WASHINGTON, Feb. 2L On the eve of the meeting of the national democratic committee, which assembles here tomor row to fix the time, and place for holding the democratic national convention, Kan sas City and Milwaukee are struggling earnestly for the honor of entertaining tho convention. Although there is some desultory talk of Cincinnati as a com promise, the fight is between Milwaukee and the metropolis of the Southwest, with the chances tonight seemingly in favor of the latter place. Milwaukee has raised a fund of $100,000 for the entertainment of tho convention. The amount which Kan City is expected to expend has not been disclosed. Senator Jones, chairman of the com mltttee, Is holding aloof from the fight and not throwing the weight of his influ ence either way. The Milwaukee boomers are making much of the political effect of holding the convention in Wisconsin for its effect upon the Germans,who, they as sert, are disposed to be hostile to the administration's expansion policy. After counting the noses tonight, Kansas City claimed a clear majority of the votes, but the Milwaukee contingent were equally certain that they had a majority. The consensus of opinion is that the convention will be held before the repub lican convention, early in June or the lat ter part of May. THE KENTUCkY TANGLE. Agreement by Both Sides to Expedite Legal Proceedings. FRANKFORT, Ky., Feb. 21. The con tests over the state offices are very much simplified by an agreement entered into between the attorneys for the republicans and the democrats today, representing both sides, and straightening out the legal tangle over the multiplicity of injunction suits for the title to the governorship. The agreement Is that there will be a speedy trial by the courts, on an or ganized case involving all the issues, the first to be before Judge Emmet Field, at Louisville. The suits now pending In the state courts are to be consolidated, all be dng heard together, and the same evidence to apply in all the cases. It is agreed that the pleadings shall be made up by next Tuesday, and that every effort shall be made to expedite the proceedings. All parties to the suits agree to request the court to docket the cases and advance them for hearing. It is further agreed that if tfoere shall be an appeal to the court of appeal or to the United States supreme court, all the parties in interest shall endeavor to secure the earliest pos sible decision, and shall unite in an ap plication bo advance the proceedings. It Is also agreed by the parties to the suits that they will submit to and abide by all the orders and Judgments of the courts made in these suits, reserving, how ever, the legal right to stay proceedings on such orders or judgments ia'ao-y-man-J ner proviaea oy law. xne agreement is signed by the attorneys In behalf of con testantsi Ex-Chief Justice W. S. Pryor, one of Governor Beckham's attorneys, said to night he thought it probable that the agreed case would be settled, so far as the state courts are concerned, within three weeks. The attorneys on that side all say they have no fear that the su preme court of the United States will grant a writ of error to that court after a decision by the court of appeals, but the republican attorneys are laying much store by the belief that the supreme court of the United States will take jurisdiction and hear the case. SUPPORT OF TH PRESIDENT Hermann and the Senators! Oojee tion to Leasing' Bills The Pop ulist Committee Meethis. Latest Nevrs From Ladysmlth. LONDON, Feb. 22. The Morning Post's second edition publishes a dispatch from Ladysmlth, dated February 19, which says that the bombardment continues with un usual persistence and activity from Bul wana and Blaauwbank, but Is doing small damage. The garrison is in good spirits over General Roberts' success and the ad- Vance of General Buller, which Is now visible. A Gain for Civilization. LONDON, Feb. 22. The Valparaiso cor respondent of the Times says that the United States minister to Chile, Henry L. Wilson, congratulating the British min ister, Audley C. Gosling, on the British successes in South Africa, described them "as a gain for the world and civilization." Captain of Missouri Suspended. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2L Captain Dillon, of the hospital-ship Missouri, has been suspended by Colonel Long on charges preferred against him by Major Arthur, executive officer of the ship. The charges against the captain consist prin cipally of acts of Insubordination. There was trouble on this account during the entire voyage, and when the vessel reached here Major Arthur wanted the transport service officials to Investigate the matter. His request was denied, for the reason that the Missouri is in charge of the medical department. Now an or der has come from Washington com manding an Investigation, pending which Captain Dillon will stand suspended. WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Surgeon-Gen-eral -Sternberg received the following to day from Major William H. ArthuY, of the medical department at San Francisco, in charge of the hospital-ship Missouri: "All newspaper reports about Missouri absolutely false. They have been spread by a dissatisfied ship's officer." The reports referred to grew out of a controversy between Major Arthur and the captain of the ship as to tho manage ment of the vessel. THE PHILADELPHIA ELECTION. Victory for the Candidates of the Municipal Lcagne. PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 2L Returns of yesterday's election in this city did not come in from some of the outlying wards until almost daylight today. Sixteen mag istrates were voted for, and the result shows a decided victory for the candi dates nominated by the municipal league, in opposition to the regular republican and democratic nominees. While the republi cans elected by reduced pluraltles the M candidates they were entitled to under the law, only two of the .six democrats were successful, the municipal league electing the other four. The four men elected by the municipal league are: Albert H. Laren, William Easenbrown, J. H. R. German and John M. O'Brien., German, before whom ex-Senator Quay was first arraign ed, was denied support by the republicans. Easenbrown is the magistrate before whom all of the ballot-box stutters have been arraigned and held in heavy bail. Buller Crosses the Tugela. LONDON, Feb. 2L The war office ha3 received the following from General Bul ler: "Cheveley Camp, Wednesday. The Fifth division clossed the Tugela today by pontoon, and drove back the enemy's rear guard, our naval 12-pounder silencing all the enemy's guns." Boer Commandant Killed. LONDON, Feb. 2L A dispatch from Pretoria, dated Tuesday, announces that Commandant Ferrerrelra was killed Mon day, adding that his death was believed to be the result of an accident Still Spanish Islands. WASHINGTON, Feb. 2L Upon repre sentations, of the Spanish government to the effect that some of-the Islands south of the Philippine archipelago, which had been taken possession of by the United States gunboats, were really the prop erty of Spain, the authorities of the state department have examined the charts and concluded to direct the withdrawal of our claims" to the islands of Caygayen, Sulu. and Subutu, both of which He without the boundary lines laid down by the treaty of Paris. Texas Legislature Adjourns. AUSTIN, Tex., Feb. 2L The Texas leg islature, after a 30 days' session, adjourned tonight near the midnight hour sine die, without having accomplished the object for which it was convened. The session was convened to pass a tax-adjustment law, which has entailed what is called the greatest lobby legislative fight ever fought In Texas. The bill was kept in the house all of the 30 days, and little progress was made in its consideration, owing to the successful attack of the filibusters. Gov ernor Sayers declined to reconvene the legislature for another SO days, on the ground that he had no assurance that it would pass a bill. the Denver Gambling Houses Closed. DENVER, Feb. 21. The fire and police board this afternoon ordered the chief of police to close all gambling houses in this city. TO RECOVER DUTY. Suit Brought by Importers of Puerto Rlcan Goods. NEW YORK, Feb. 21. A. S. Lascelles & Co., of . this city, dealers in Puerto Rican products, have commenced an ac tion In the United States circuit court to enjoin Collector of Customs Bidwell from collecting duty on goods brought from Puerto Rico, on the ground that Puerto Rico is not now a foreign country, and Bryan nt Jacksonville. JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 21. Will iam. J. Bryan addressed an audience of 6000 people here tonight The meeting was held in the open air. o General Brass' Birthday. CHICAGO, Feb. 21. A special to Record from Fond du Lac, Wis., says: General E. S. Bragg, commander of the Iron brigade, kept open house yesterday in honor of his 73d birthday, and flags floated from air public buildings here in honor of the event In the evening a dele gation of the Iron brigade members, head ed by General Wheeler, of Milwaukee, and Colonel C. H. McConncli, the former ot the Second Wisconsin regiment and the latter of the Twerty-fonrth Michigan, made the formal pilgrimage to General Bragg"s house, where congratulations were extended, speeches made and toasts drunk. Scores of telegrams of congratulations were received. WASHINGTON, Fob. . Members of the way aad means coauatase favoramn to the Puerto Rica, tariff at Insisting: that the prooMoat is taking an acttoo hand in support of that proposition, and assert that ail of the doubtful ropubUcaM. with few exception, will bo socare by being called In by the prooidont and uraoc to support what a majority of tho party want This cannot yet bo vortfiod. hot the confident manner in which the advo cates of the bill amort it Is hsvta? a tendency to weaken the opposition. The position that Senator CuHom took today, by Introducing an amendmont to tho soli ate bill for free trad, gives tho howM members a little strength. Among those engaged in the "wmpptes-in" proeoss on the house side Is Chairman Payne, of the ways and meaas committee, and ho to ir ritating some of tho oppooitloa becaaoe of his method. Payne, as floor leader of the majority poaty, inrst Introduce a bill for absolute free trade with Puerto Rico, and then, as ehatnaan of tho earn mlttee on ways and moans, reports aad supports a tariff measure. It Is bates pointed out that such curious methods will not tend to strengthen tho ropasHeaas in their coming campaign. Hermann and the Senatorshln. One little matter of political iatorest to Oregon crops out hi a report that was current in the delegation to tho oJEost that Commissioner Hermann was endswr oring to secure delegations which would support him for senator in tho Oregon legislature. Commissioner Hermann was asked today if ho had authorised tho use of his name in connection with tho sona torshlp, and whether bo intended to make a run for the senate. "I have authorized no one to use my name lit that connection," ho repUoa. "I am too busy with my official dntteo to give any time or consideration to state politics and have tahon no steps toward securing the election. Whatever my taionda and the people of Oregon may havoono or are doing fe altogether Independent ot me, and for their actions I am not respon sible." Leasing of FhbIIo Ranges. Although boos of tho bills providing for leasing- tho pubUc ranges bavo yot boon referred to tho Interior department for recommendation, tho secretary and com missioner of tho general land office have considered the question quite fully. "If those bills come to mo for recom mendation," said Commissioner Hanaaan, "they would go from this offieo so muti lated and ebanaod that their authors jroujdjatkj6w -Skaawl MmintMrnM opposed to a general leasing of tho public ranges, I shall do my best to dofeat such measures." The commissioner will report adversely on all the leasing bills before congress, especially the Foster bill, for ho says the ultimate result of leasing would be to throw the public ranges into tho hands of corporations, and his first object te to protect the settler and small sheepowaers. As a matter of fact no leasing loglstaUon will be pushed at this session. Popnlist Committee Meeting. The rape of tho populist party, accom plished at Lincoln; was planned by the democrats, for the men who wore prin cipally instrumental in carrying it out were Butler and Alien, who wont away from here knowing what tho democratic leaders wanted, while Weaver of Iowa was in close consultation with Chairman Jones, of the democratic commtttoe, tho day before he left for Lincoln. It is understood that tho mWdlo-of-th-Toad men can do no damage, as their chief strength lies in tho Southern states, which are to be counted for tho demo cratic party, while tho fusion populists of the Northern states will assist In carry ing Nebraska, Kansas and other states which are necessary for domoeratio suc cess. Woodruff's Western Trip. The Western trip of Lieutenant-Governor Woodruff, of New York, Is an evi dence that Piatt has not abandoned mak ing him the vice-presidential candidate with MeKinley. Tho administration la still inclined to have Bliss named; but "Woodruff is going West to see what kind of an impression ho can make, and if bo creates anything like popularity, Banna, who opposes him, may relent However, this is not likely, as Bliss seems to bo selected, and Piatt will probably have to accept him. In a convention which will be as absolutely controlled by tho admin istration as that which le to bo hold at Philadelphia, It Is useless for any poli tician to attempt to have it do anything that is not satisfactory. Mcltlnley's- Influence. Favorable action on tho French reci procity treaty today indteatos tho presi dent's influence when ho really sots about having congress move. He determined that the treaty should not be allowed to sleep longer in tho foreign relations com mittee, and after talking with a number of senators and sharply indicating his views, the treaty was at once reported. It is not known whether ho will bring tho same influence to boar m favor of tho Nicaragua canal treaty, but ho could no doubt secure a favorable report if he should make it apparent that it was his earnest desire. LESLIE E. KEELEY DEAD. The El Paso Riot. WASHINGTON, Feb. 2L The war de partment has received the following re port from the commanding officer at Fort Bliss as to his progress In discovering the perpetrators of the El Paso assault: "Everything quiet; have leader beyond doubt, believe I will have all the guilty parties shortly. I have sent Lieutenant Colonel Roberts to make a complete in vestigation and report" Evicted Tenants' BUI Rejected. LONDON. Feb. 2L The house of corn- there Is no authority to collect any duties. mons has rejected at Us second reading .. I !! .1.4 -mv4M "Kill Jt a wntA "kT Paners will be served on the collector Fri day, and the motion will be heard Triday, the Irish evicted tenants' bill, by a vote of 232 to 136. Inventor of the CHre for tho Llanoy Habit. LOS ANGBLBS, CaT. Fob. 3L LosHo H. Keeloy, the inventor of tho Kesley cure for the liquor habit, died at bis homo in this city, at 7 o'clock this morning, of heart disease. Mr. Keeiey bad. been ill with a severe cold for two days, but noth ing serious was feared rom it. Barry this morning, while going to his bathroom, ho had an attack of heart failure, but re covered and later said there was nothing serious the matter with Mm. Dr. West hughes, a specialist in heart diseases, was called, however, but before he reached tho Keeiey residence, Mr. Keeiey had bad a second attack, aad died. There were with him his wife and Judge Swing, the noted Christian Scientist of Chicago, who has been staying at the Keeiey homo for several days. Mr. Keeiey was 88 years of age. He left a wife, but so children. The only heir to his estate, besides his wife, is his sister, who lives at Dwight, 111., Keeley's former home. The estate is valued at $l,J,ee. The body will ul timately be taken to Dwight for interment President of Perdue 'University. LAFAYBTTB, lad., Feb. 23L Bev. James Smart, president of Perdue university, died today.