t)-
rMnitmm
?
VOL. XL. NO. 12,29-L
PORTLAND, OREGON. WEDNESDAY, . MAT 9,' 1900.
PRICE FIVE CENT&
YELLOWSTONE
THE BEST OF ALL WHISKIES
FOR SALE EVERYWHERE
ROTHCHILD BROS., AGENTS, - 20-26 NORTH FIRST STREET
I CARRY IN STOCK
And can ship at a moment's notice, cooking outfits for
Steamship "Galleys" or Hotels, John Van
Ranges and Steam Tables from 3 to 20
feet long. Q McpHERS0Nj
Heating Engineer, 47 First Street
Ckmerhs
PREMO
POCO
RAY
MONTAUK
CYCLONE AND ADL.AKE MAGAZINES.
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.
EASTMAN'S FULL LINE OF KODAKS.
BLUMAUER-FRANK DRUG CO.
144-146 FOURTH ST., NEAR MORRISON
EXCLUSIVE CARPET
HOUSE.
J. G. Mack & Co.
88 Third St
Opposite Charier e! Cwaerce
PHIIj METSCHAN. Pres.
a "W. KNOWI.ES. Met.
SEVENTH AND WASHINGTON STREETS, PORTLAND, OREGON
CHANGE OF MANAGEMENT.
European Plan:
$1.00. $1.50, $2.00 per Day
SPECIAL DISPLAY
op Ladies'"
Phaetons
Surreys and Light Carriages
UP-TO-DATE STYLES. GREATEST VARIETY. MODERATE PRICES.
We have just received the finest line of Robes
"" and Dusters ever shown on the Pacific Coast
CARRIAGES
WAGONS
HARNESS
Studebaker
.320-335
EAST MORRISON ST.
THE PORTLAND
PORTLKND. OREGON
2
AMERICAN PLAN
CT
11
$3.00 PER DAY
AftU'prarJ.
S3
COST ONE MILLION DOLLARS
HEADQUARTERS FOR TOURISTS AND COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS
Special rates xn4e to families n A bIbkI reatleaacB. Thm aaawK
cat trill be pleased at all times te skew reema and grlve prices. A m-4
arm Tarklib bath eatablUhaseat lm the hotel. H. C. BOWERS, Xftassti.
( Library Association of Portland
STATI SHEET
Icnmt Sevta mt'rm
24,000 volumes and over 200 periodicals
, $5.00 a year or $150 a quarter
Two books allowed on all subscriptions
frOURSFrom 90 AMlo 90 P. M. daily, except Sundays and hoHdrr.
THE CLOSED DOOR
Excessive Customs Tariffs in
the Philippines.
EVIL OF MILITARY ADMINISTRATION
la the Single. Monti eC January
Flonr Alone Paid Duties
AmomntlHs: te $50,000.
MANILA. P. I., April 5. (Special cor
respondence.) The rules and regulations
Issued, by the "War Department undeguk
authority of President McKiniey.A
1S9S. provided, paragraph 20, u
heading: "Harbor and Commercial;
provement Charges," as follows:
20. In addition to customs dues and other
charges, there shall be levied & charge of
2 per cent ad valorem, to be summarily as
certained, on the value of all merchandise.
free or dutiable, imported into or exported
from the Philippines. This regulation was
very fair, and Imposed only & moderate charge
for the purposes named, viz.. "harbor and
commercial improvement -charges," but on Oc
tober 23, 1S90. the military governor of the
Philippine Islands promulgated another set of
rules and regulations, containing amendments
to September 1, in which paragraph 20 be
came paragraph 10, under the same beading,
and reads as follows:
Harbor and Commercial
ment Charges.
Improve-
"10. In addition to customs duties and other
exactions there shall be levied a charge of
8 per cent on the value, as per schedule of all
dutiable merchandise Imported Into the Phil
ippines, and 10 per cent 'additional on the
amount of the import duty."
The schedule referred to In paragraph
19 was made public about the 1st of Jan
uary, 1900, but copies could only be ob
tained by purchase from the Government
at 50 cents each, so that the commercial
people of the United States have not been
supplied, as Is customary with other doc
uments of this nature. The schedule Is
nothing less than the adoption of the
"Official Gazette of Manila, No. 22S, Is
sued by the Spanish Government, August
27, 1896," with a few minor corrections,
and It arbitrarily fixes the value of mer
chandise subject to "customs duties and
other exactions." For Instance, under
"Class XII, group 7, paragraph 253, Ali
mentary preserves, pork, butchers pro
duce, mustard and sauces," the Official
Gazette fixes a value of 51 per kilo (2 1-5
$2 75 gold $560
"Weight, 1SS !bs. (about 90 kilos); val-
ution as per schedule (100 kilos,
$5 GO). $5 04.
Specific duty, 5210 per 100 kilos, 90
kilos 1E3
10 per cent on specific duty 13
8 per cent on valuation of $5 04 40
Landing charges, etc 25
Consumption tax (50c per 100 kilos).. 45
Total .5 8 63
Total exactions, $3 38.
Percentage, 62.
During the month of January the United
Statea collected duty on 15.000 barrels of
flour, a total of 550,700, for bread, from a
people earning 50 cents in Mexican sil
ver per day.
The entire book of valuations and spe
cific duties shows the same Incongruities
and average uniformly excessive duty,
bearing most heavily upon the necessities
of life. Adding freights and the profits
of the wholesaler and retailer, one can
readily see that a people with small earn
ing power, not to exceed 25. per cent ot
the American, laborer and mechanic, can
i shrewdly hinted by a delegate to the
Democratic convention. Is a bid by Ben
nett for the championship of Jthe oppressed
servants of corporations.
The certified platform is being widely
circulated at The Dalles, which Is Ben
nett's home, and other railroad towns, for
$ho purpose of influencing railroad men to
support the Democratic ticket. The Dem
ocrats are pretending that the radical
jclause was inserted at the request of
railroad employes and that it is the duty
of railroad hands to support tho Demo
cratic ticket in return. The whole thing
Is a Democratic-Populist scheme to catch
votes. "
The present contention of the Democrats
Is that tho platform, as- now published
over the signatures of Chairman Chamber
lain and. Secretary Redfleld, is the orig.
nal draft reported by the platform com
mittee, of which Judge Crawford was
chairman, and concurred In by the Po--
George B. Chamberlain, chairman, and ullst conference committee. Granted.
C K. Redfleld, secretary, of the late Deal- ', Many delegates regarded the platform ic
ocratic State Convention,-have Issued and ported by the committee, together wit
A SUSPICIOUS PLANK
Democratic Platform Not Sup
ported by the Record.
CLAUSE ON LABO TROUBLES
Chairman and Secretary Certify to
Declarations "Which Are Not in
the Official Draft.
AT THE ZAND RIVER
Roberts' Army Is Making
Rapid Progress.
EIGHTY MILES FROM BLOEMONTElN
certified to what purports to be the "p!&t- ! tho plank which young Mr. Swett ear-
not purcnase anything that Is imported form In full of the Democratic party of ried to the Porultet convention as ihe
hexcept the cheapest articles of clothing.
hardware, etc. It is the truth that M per
cent of the population are practically
prohibited from eating anything but rice,
fish and vegetables, or wearing anything
but the cheapest of white drills and cot
ton prints
On the articles enumareted, there is an
average percentage of traction amount
ing to 90 per cent, and these articles have
not been selected with the special object
of showing the highest, but presenting
some of the monstrosities of the tariff.
The lowest of the 10 articles shows 23H
per cent; the highest 225 per cent Just
10 times as much.
American trade Is impossible. American
manufactures are of high grade and can
not compete with shoddy European goods.
Our cheap food products are bearing
taxes which prohibit any but the well-to-do
people from using them. "What Is the
Government's plain duty in the premises?
MAKES ARMOR PLATE USELESS
Rcmarlea'ble Shell Invented hy a
Naval Officer.
"WASHINGTON, May 8. Some facts, al
most startling In their Importance, were
laid before the Senate today In eecret ex
ecutive session at the conclusion cf tho
regular open session. They related. It is
understood, to the invention of a shell by
a prominent officer of the United States
Navy, a shell superior to any now in use.
The quality of penetration Is said to bo
so great that no armor has sufficient re
sistance to withstand It The facts, which
were in possession of only a few Sen
ators, were deemed so Important that the
Senate decided to consider them In secret
session.
the State of Orccon, for the camnalzn of original draft of the nlatform. and that !t
1900, as the eamo was finally adopted by was to be the platform of tho Democratic
SENATOR MARION BUTLER.
Today, after the naval bill had been laid
pounds), and under this classification are ' aside for the day, Tillman asked for a
grouped every known variety of preserved
or prepared foods In tin or glass, and
applies as well to the cheapest vegeta
bles. As to tho highest-priced conserves
known to epicurean repasts. Its Injustice
and absurdity can be at once realized
when the value placed upon a case, of
tomatoes worth 51 75 gold In the United
States, is fixed by the Official Gazette at'
424 Mexican on Its weight basis of 24
kilos; and remember that the certified
Invoice value is not considered; that no
allowance Is -made for tare onthe pack
age, and. that It frequently happens that
the containing bottle or jar weighs as
much or more than the contents, all com
ing under this sweeping valuation of 51
per kilo.
This great Injustice- has resulted in kill
ing all business with the United States in
canned goods, and thousands of dollars'
worth of these goods are now lying in
tho bonded warehouse at Manila or have
been abandoned because they would not
sell for the amount of duties Imposed.
To Illustrate exactly how this tariff
works, I will give in detail figures on a
few well-known articles, and to avoid
confusion will give values approximately
correct in. Mexican money:
Tomatoes, canned, 2 dozen tins Mex.
Value In Uiilted States 5 3 55
"Weight. 24 kilos; valuation, 524.
Specific -duty, 20c per kilo ISO
Harbor charges, 10 per cent on spe
cific duty 48
Commercial improvement, 8 per cent
on-valuation of 524 192
Landing charges and conduction
through Custom-house, etc 25
Total 51100
Total exaction, 57 45.
Percentage, 215.
Lard, In buckets, 12-5c Mex.
Value In United States 512 00
"Weight, 27.25 kilos; valuation, J22 per
100 kilos. 55.94.
Specific duty, 15c per kilo 4 05
10 per cent of specific duty 40
S per cent on valuation of 55.94 48
Landing charges, etc 25
Total 517 IS
Total exactions, 5513.
Percentage, &.
Milk, condensed. 4 doz. 1-lb. tins Mex.
Value in United States 5 S 75
"Weight. 22 kilos; valuation, 51 per
kilo 522.
Specific duty, 20c per kilo ; 4 40
10 per cent of specific duty v 44
8 per cent of valuation of 522 1 76
Landing charges 25
Total 515 60
Total exactions, 56 85.
Percentage, 78.
Fruit canned. 2 doz. 214-lb. tins Mex.
Value in United States 5 6 00
"Weight 24 kilos; valuation, 524.
Specific duty, 20c per kilo 4 SO
10 per cent on specific duty 48
8 per cent on valuation of 524 1 92
Landing charges 25
secret session In order that he might
explain to the Senate why he desired
the armor-plate matter to be discussed in
secret "When the doors were closed, ho
explained, that several days ago ho had
offered a resolution calling upon the Sec
retary to send to the Senate for its in
formation the details of tests made by
the department officials of armor-plate at
Indian Head. No answer to the Inquiry
had been received, and in all probability
none would bo received. It seems that
Tillman called at the Navy Department
and was Informed that ft wouldtbeMiRwis&i
at this, time to make public the details
of the tests he had asked for, as it would
place In the hands, not only of the Sen
ate, but of representatives of foreign
governments. Information that properly
Belonged exclusively to the United States.
He was informed that Admiral O'Neil.
Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, had
been conducing for several months a
series of armor tests at Indian Head, the
results of which were very remarkable.
No piece of armor submitted to the test,
it Is understood, was able to withstand
the test The shell fired from high-power
guns penetrated tho armor almost as but
lets from a Krag-JTorgenson rifle would
penetrate green wood. The shell which
was so effective was not described; In
deed, the Navy Department is guarding
jealously all details concerning its con
struction. The argument of Tillman la that with
such a projectile in the possession of the
Government the details of which sooner
or later will Decerns known to other gov
ernments. It would not be the part of
wiodom for Congress to enter into con
tracts to purchase high-priced armor unless
it could be so improved as to resist pro
jectiles of the kind used at Indian Head.
Feeling that more or less of tho matter
WHO "WILL CALL THE POPULIST NATIONAL CONVENTION
FALLS TO ORDER TODAY.
AT SIOUX
the Democratic State Convention, held at
Portland, April 12. 1900."
The third plank of this certified plat
form, regarding which there was confu
sion In the convention and about which
there is now dispute, follows: I
"We are opposed to government by injunction. !
as applied to labor troubles and strikes, and
the rerultlnr denrlval of the richt ot trial by
tury lo men who are charged with criminal"
acts. We believe In the passage of an em
ployers liability act, applicable to rallioad
companies, similar-to" such acts now in force
in. other states, by which the doctrine of fellow
servants and that an employer is not liable to
one servant for the negligence ot another, shall
be abolished. And we also believe that where
the Injury Is caused by the negligence of the
master, the mere fact the employe knew of the
negligence and continued in employment should
not defeat his recovery. And we pledge our
members of the Legislature to favor legislation
along these lines, and also repealing or ex
tending the limit ot recovery for the death of
an employe. We further favor & reasonable
supervision and limitation by the state of the
operation of railroad trains, and of the number
of cars which may be hauled in a train; and
a limitation of the hours which employes shall
work without rest. "We further believe the
Legislature should pass laws by which the
books of a railroad corporation should be open
to inspection by the proper officials of the
state, so that a reasonable rate law may bo
established and reasonable wages secured for
employes.
Chairman Chamberlain and Secretary
Redfleld have certified to a plank which
is not now and never was in their pos
session, nor was it ever In the possession
of the Democratic State Convention. It
was brought into the Democratic State
rnnonnimr th tt. iwmtit mnrfn bv Convention on the night of April 12 by
the Government would be used in the de- lBa:ic Swett, a Multnomah County dele
bate upon the armor question. Tillman sate to the- Populist State Convention,
suggested that it would be desirable to a & Multnomah County member of
consider the subleet in secret The Son- ie platform committee of that conven-
ate agreed with hhn, and tomorrow armor-plate
matters will be discussed behind
closed doors.
New Shell Tented.
"WASHINGTON, May 8. With one of
tho soft metal-capped sheila of American
manufacture developed by the Naval Ord
nance Bureau, a six-inch naval Tifle today
plugged a clean hole through a plate of
Harvcylzed armor 14 Inches thick. The
gun was charyid with smokeless powder.
ARGUMENT FOR DEFENSE.
"Mannish" Style.
Made In Kibo Kid,
Brown Kibo Calf, and
Box Calf.
Hand-sewed welt
extension edge, lew
custom heel.
Queen
Quality
OXFORD5
50
SOLE HCENTS
E. C. GODDARD & CO.
Oregonlan Building
Going to
Nome?
85.
If you are you will need
a good quartz glass
a 'reliable thermometer v
a powerful field glass
a pair of smoked goggles
and a pocket compass
See our window for the
best in these lines.
WALTER REED
Eye Specialist
183 SIXTH STXXKT
OREGONIAX BCILDINQ
Total 513 45
Total exactions, 57 45.
Percentage, 125.
Cheese, weight 33 lbs. Mex.
Value In United States, at 15c gold. .0 00
"Weight. 15 kilos: valuation. 40c kilo.
Specific duty. 15c kilo 2 25
10 per cent on specmc auty zz
8 per cent on valuation of 55 43
, Landing charges, etc 25
Total $13 20
Total exactions, 53 20.
Percentage, 32.
Butter, net weight 30 lbs. gross; 33
lbs. In tins. Mex.
Value In United States at 30c gold..520 00
' "Weight. 15 kilos; valuation, 57i per
100 kilos.
Specific duty, 20c a kilo S 00
10 per cent on-specific duty 30
S per cent on valuation of 510 SO 4
Landing charges, etc 25
Total .24 49
Total exactions. $4 49.
Percentage, 22.
"Watches, silver and other metals
v Mex. Mex.
"Wholesale value in United
States, say $1 to $4 each 5 2 00 5 8 00
Value as per schedule, 56.
Specific duty 2 00 2 00
10 per cent on specific duty.... 20 20
8 per cent on valuation 4S 48
Total $4 63 $10 63
Total exactions on 51 watch, 52 68.
Total exactions on $4 watch, 52 6S.
Percentage on 51 watch, 225.
Percentage on 54 watch, 33 1-3.
Clocks, cheap Mer.
"Wholesale value In United States,
SOc each 51 60
Specific duty 100
10 per cent on specific duty 10
8 per cent on valuation of 51 20 each 10
Total 5 2 SO
Total exactions, 51 20.
Total percentage, 75.
Flour Mex.
Value per barrel In United States,
Coeur d'Aleae Investigation NearlHjr,
an End.
"WASHINGTON. May 8. TheVirgument
for the defense in the Couer d'Alene inves
tigation was made today by John Cheney,
representing the State of Idaho, and in
cidentally defending the course of the
United States military authorities. Ho
maintained that the course of Governor
Steunenberg In declaring martial law and
In appealing for Federal aid was Justi
fiable and in accordance with law. As to
thft stnrlfts of "hull Tien" outrairpfl. Mr-
Cheney declared that they were largely I lain yesterday, and was shown the of
lraaginative and designed to poison the ficlal platform. It is Identical with the
mind of the public and divert attention platform reported by Chairman Crawford,
from the Infamy of the blowinsr up of the . of we piauorm commiitec, u.e uiBul
tion. Mr. Swett's presence In the Demo
cratic Convention at that time Is ex
plained by the fact that fusion of the
Democrats and Populists had already been
practically agreed upon, and the platfbrm I
committees of the two 'conventions had
been In conference for the purpose of
adopting a uniform, platform. After the
nlank referred to had been read, and be
fore It had been acted upon, Mr. Swett
took it back to the Populist State Con
vention. That was the first and only
glimpse the Democratic State Convention
ever had of the third plank. Irater In
the evening, when the plank was under
discussion, the convention was forced to
adjourn until the following morning be
cause the plank wa not in the hands of
the convention. The next day the plank
was still unobtainable, though the Demo
crats knew where It was and that the
Populists Bad it. It was therefore read
from The Oregonlan and not from any
document or record that was before the
convention. If the plank was adopted and
is part of the Democratic platform, why
and Populist parties when they had com
pleted fusion. The other platform, mlnu3v
the Bennett plank, but cdntalnlng the less
radical declaration regarding govern
ment by Injunction and liability of em
ployes, was regarded as th& Democratic
platform.
The action of the convention upon tha
platform Is thus stated in Secretary ua
field's minutes of April 13:
Moved tliat original draft of platform stand
as read and be incorporated In platform; lo3t.
The foregoing motion, it would seem,
defeated the platform carrying the Ben
nett plank.
On the, main question, there Is this
further entry in the Secretary's mln
utea:
Iteport of com (mittee) adopted.
The platform adopted was the platform
reported by Chairman Crawford for the
Democratic convention and as published
in The Oregonlan. It Is difficult to see
wherein The Oregonlan made a mistake
in reporting the platform. It aimed to
give a full and fair account of the pro
ceedings of the convention. Its reports
were widely read, and their correctness
was not challenged by Bennett or any one
else until two weeks after the convention
"had adjourned. Some explanation of
Judge Bennett'e letter and of the. platform
which Chamberlain and Redfleld have pub
lished may be found In the fact that the
platform, of the Democratic convention,
as published in The Oregonlan, did not
satisfy the Populists. They freely charsvl
that the Democrats did not keep faith
with them In the matter of a uniform plat
form any more than they did in the di
vision of judicial nominations in the Sixth
distrlcL
"Whatever course the dispute regarding
the action of the Democratic convention
touching- the platform may take, the fact
remains that the p'atform published oyer
the elgnature3 of C wnberlaln and Red
field, is not a true co.y of the platform in
their possession. It lz fraudulent.
CUBAN POSTOFFICE FRAUDS
The Department Admits a Shortage
of 975,000.
HAVANA, May 8. The postal frauds
have been the principal topic of conversa
tion in Havana today, although as yet
the papers have scarcely alluded to the
matter. The Department of Posts admits
a shortage of 573.000, but further Investi
gation has. brought to light the fact that
In July of last year the receipts showed
a falling off of about 512,000 from the
average of the months previous, and that
this shortage has been kept up ever
since. It appears that about that time
Director of Posts Rathbone gave orders
Bunker Hill milL The latter event he
declared to bo the consummation of a
conspiracy among dynamiters who fqr
years had maintained a reign .of terror In
the Coeur d'Alene district. The action of
General Merrlam throughout the disturb
ance was strongly approved as that of
a high minded soldier seeking to do his
duty.
At the conclusion of Mr. Cheney's ar
gument, the committee decided to allow
Mr. Robertson, attorney for tho prose
cution, half an hour tomorrow afternoon
to reply to the points made today, after
which the long Investigation will be at an
end.
Dewey Goe to Nashville.
MEMPHIS, May 8. Two brilliant recep
tions tonight, one at the residence ot
General Xiuke "Wright, and the other at
the Peabody Hotel, closed the list of en
tertainments "which were arranged by the
Memphis people for the entertainment of
Admiral and Mrs. Dewey. The Admiral
will leave for Nashville tomorrow morn
ing. Skanlclla Acqaltted.
FRESNO. Cal., May 8. J. "W. Shanklln,
ex-City Clerk, was tonight -acquitted of
the charge of embezzling public money.
Shanklln was brought back Ironx Sllls-
I boro. Or., for trial.
fnr tbA rlMtniPtlon Of J411.000 worth of
An nat the minutes of Secretary Redfleld surcharge stamps on account of the issue
show It? "Why le It not in the official ot a new stamp. This work of destruction
copy of the platform now in the posses- I was left In the hands of Charles F. "W.
slon of Chairman Chamberlain? An Ore- 'Neeley and his assistants, but It Is now
gonlan reporter called on Mr. Chamber- believed that none of these stamps was
destroyed, tne tneory neing mat tney were
sent out with the new stamps. The Ha
vana receipts amounted to about 513.C00
a month, according to the books, but the
other offices of the Island showed only
53000 or 54000, amounts absurd. Governor
General 'Wood has ordered that all prop
erty standing la the name of Neeley In
Cuba -shall be placed under Government
control.
of Aoril 12. with the third clause crossed
out by heavy pencil marks, ana running
inserted in lieu of it. There is nothing
in the minutes to show that anything
else was Incorporated.
Judge A. S. Bennett, of The Dalles,
writes a letter to a local paper. In which
He makes the statement that the plat
form published In The Oregonlan April
IS and referred to In the Issue of April
14" as having been adopted by the Demo
cratic convention, was incorrect as to the
third clause. He contends that the third
plank te as printed above. As published
in The Oregonlan, the third plank reads:
"We oppose government by injunction and the
blacklist, and favor arbitration as a means
of settling disputes between corporations and
their employes; and. recognizing the fact.that
a corporation is a creature of law, we believe
and favor a reasonable supervision by state
Inspection of mines, machinery, manufacturers
and railways, to the end that injury to em
ployes be avoided and life rendered secure.
"We favor the passage of a reasonable employ
ers' liability act. similar to those enacted in
other states.
The only difference between the clause
as supported by Judge Bennett and as
published In The Oregonlan Is that the
longer plank Is the more radical. It was
drafted by Bennett, who is a hater of
corporations. It arrays class against
class, railroad men against the companies
which give them employment and, as was
Entire Boer Force Has Retire
North of the RlverItelief Colnraa.
Fashing Oa to Mafeids.
LONDON, May 9, 4:10 A. M Four thou
sand British cavalry watered their horses
at Zand River Monday, 25 miles beyond
Smaldeel, where Lord Roberts continues
to date his dispatches. The scouts whof
have been searching the country for miles
along the stream havo found no Boera
south of the river. The enemy are laag
ered In unknown force on the north, bank.
Thu3 the British advance guard is within
45 miles of Kroonstad.
The "War Office has issued tha following
dispatch from Lord Roberts, dated Smal
deel, May 8:
"General Hutton, with mounted Infan
try, reconnoltered yesterday to the Zand
River, and found the enemy In consider
able force. General Broadwood's brlgada
of cavalry, with General Ian Hamilton's
force, performed the same operation with
much the same result.
"General Hunter reports that he occu
pled Fourteen Streams yesterday without
opposition, owing. In a great measure, to
the able disposition made by General
Paget on the left bank of the Vaal River
at "Warrenton, where his artillery fire ren
dered the enemy's position practically
untenable. A 6-Inch gun was found most
useful. As the Sixth and half of the Fifth
brigades of Infantry advanced under cover
of the artillery, the enemy retired pre
cipitately, abandoning their clothing, am-
munition and personal effects."
The Free Staters, In the expectation
that Kroonstad will speedily become un
tenable, are, according to information
from Lourenco Marques, preparing to
transfer their government to Heilbron, a
little more than 50 miles northeast.
The proclamations of Lord Roberts ap
pear to have little effect upon the inhabi
tants of the Invaded districts. Every
farm is found deserted, except by tha
women and children. All the men are
away fighting.
Correspondents at headquarters are now
wiring freely concerning- the incidents
connected with the occupation of Smal
deel. Some exasperation is expressed at
the' ease with which the Boers escaped
with their transports before the very eyes
of the British. For Instance, when the
British entered Smaldeel, the Boer ox
wagons coolly outspanned only five miles
away, as If In contempt of the ability of
the British to overtake them.
Lord Roberts Is described as rightly
"unwilling to sacrifice his horses for tha
sake of a comparatively minor advan
tage." Nevertheless, the waste of horse
flesh. In spite of all precautions. Is enor
Mnous. Smaldeel is a village of only a score of
dwellings, but It expanded in one night
to a-vast canvas city, and the glow of tho
caropfires was like a scene in an Iron
smelling district. The city Is likely to
fade away In a day by the Immediate
progress of the Infantry to Zand River.
The. tidings from Mafeklng are gloomier
than ever. Everybody there has. an empty
( stomach and a pinched face. The .natives
are no longer given porridge, and tha
whites now have nothing but a quart of
that substance and a pound of horse sau
sage dally. Everything else eatable hat
gone. Insufficient food, wet trenches and
cold nights are deadly to the health of
the garrison. This information comes
from reliable natives. Lady Sarah "Wil
son, under date of April 27, says:
"The Boers now number 4500, Including
young Eloff, President Krugers grandson,
who has sent for six more guns."
The Mafeklng correspondent of tha
Times, who also emphasizes the extreme
gravity of the situation, says:
"It is impossible to ignore the fatal sig
nificance of Colonel Baden-Powell's refer
ence to the hardships endured by tha
women and children, among whom many
deaths have already occurred. The com
missariat is holding a certain stock of
foodstuffs in reserve for use in the direst
extremity."
The British column Is reported to have
reached Taung3, GO miles north of "War
renton. According to Pretoria advices,
the British are nearing Vryburg, which 19
half-way between "Warrenton and Mafe
klng. General Hunter is probably not in
personal command of this relief column.
His forces embrace 20,000 Infantry and
from 5000 to GO00 horsemen, an army far
greater than has hitherto been supposed.
Lord Methuen Is apparently a, subordi
nate. "While the relief column Is-moving
toward Vryburg General Hunter 1s ap
parently preparing an orderly advance
northeast along the Vaal River to partici
pate in the Pretoria advance a3 Lorct
Roberts' left flank.
The Cape Town correspondents learn
that an important movement in Natal la
expected within the next four days. Gen
eral Buller Is rapidly completing his
transport organization.
The president of the Transvaal Volks
raad reiterates President Krugers ,undl
mlnlshed tenacity of purpose. la the
course of the debate he said that, should
he be sent to St. Helena, the republican
cause would still go on. Generals Louis
Botha and Lucat Meyer are In Pretoria
consulting with the Volksraad.
A dispatch from Maseru. Basutoland,
dated Tuesday, May 8 says:
"Lord Roberts' rapid advance has con
fused the Boers, who are holding tha
roads between "Wepener and Clocolan,
along which a continuous stream of wag
ons and cattle has been proceeding- north
ward for days. Monday, some of those
countermarched, and the herds got Into.
an Inextricable muddle, the Boers- not
knowing which way to turn."
NEELEY'S SHORTAGE.
Cuban Fottonlce Emlierxlcment Dis
cussed "by the Calilnet.
"WASHINGTON, May 8. The only mat
ter of Interest which came before today's
Cabinet meeting Is the alleged heavy
shortage In the accounts of Charles F.
Neeley, formerly treasurer of the Post
office Department of Cuba. Neeley has
been arrested In Rochester, N. T., and
the question arose as to whether the
United States or Cuba whs responsible
for the amount of the defalcation. It
seemed to be the opinion of all the mem
bers present that as Neeley was appointed
by the United States, and that In adminis
tering the affairs in the Island this Gov
ernment Is acting In a sense as a trustee,
it therefore Is responsible for the shortage
and can proceed against Neeley's bonds
men for the amount Involved. It was
practflcally settled, too, that Neeley would
be taken back to Havana for trial before
a civil tribunal. It is the opinion of the
Attorney-General that It can and should
be done.
"With. Hunter's Division.
"WARRENTON. Cape Colony, Monday,
May 7. A British camp is now being
formed at Fourteen Streams. The old
railroad bridge can tie repaired in a week.
A Boer prisoner says the burghers, who
number 10.0C0 men, are now on their was;
to Christiana.
FRUIT TRAIN WRECKED.
Two Mea and Two Boys Killed Nea
Rawlins, "Wyo.
OMAHA, May 8. A special to the Bea
from Cheyenne, "Wyo., says:
One of the worst wrecks which has oc
curred in "Wyoming in recent years took
place on O'Neill's sidetrack, 16 miles west
of Rawlins, on the Union Pacific, today,
when an east-bound fast fruit train,
drawn by two locomotives, dashed
through an open switch and down a high
embankment. The dead are: Loui3 Ban
ta and James Johnson, both firemen, o3
Rawlins, and two boys, aged about 20,
who were stealing a ride. Their names
are unknown. The Injured are: Engi
neers Frank Rehemeyer and Andy Sholer,
both of whom will recover. Engineers
Rehemeyer and Sholer Jumped from their
engines before the end of the siding was
reached, and escaped with a few injuries