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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (June 23, 1906)
VOL. XLYI.-XO. 14,209. PORTLAND, OREGOX, SATURDAY, JUNE. 23, 1906. PRICE FIVE CENTS. HOLDS STANDARD GUILTY . OF CRIMES Government Decidesto Prosecute. MOODY DECLARES PURPOSE Will Accuse Oil Monopoly of Taking Rebates. MAY INVOKE SHERMAN LAW Greatest of Trusts Will Be Attacked Xext, by Order of Roosevelt. Special Attorneys Probe Further Into Crimes. WASHINGTON. June 22. Formal an nouncement of the purpose of the Gov ernment to prosecute the Standard Oil Company was made today by Attorney General Moody. It appears from his statement that the proceedings in the first instance will be had under the terms of the Elklns law, which prohibits re bates In interstate commerce. The Attorney-General, however, gives notice that in all probability, should the inves tigation ho is still making justify it, he will bring further action against the Standard Oil Company under the terms of the Sherman anti-trust law, and also will take steps to insure against the continuance on the part of the company of discrimination in trade and transpor '!". tation not now a subject of prosecution under existing law, but especially pro vided against in the pending rate bill. The Attorney-General's statement fol lows: Criminal Charges to Be Made. "After full consideration of all infor mation now available, including the re port of the Commissioner of Corporations and the evidence taken by the Inter state Commerce Commission, I have reached the conclusion that criminal pro ceedings against the Standard Oil Com pany should be begun in certain cases where there appears to have been a vio lation of the laws regulating interstate commerce and prohibiting rebates and other unlawful discriminations. Accord ingly such proceedings will be begun at once in the appropriate judicial districts. These cases are regarded and will be treated as of Importance. "It seems clear that, insofar as the Standard Oil Company has obtained mo nopolistic control of interstate trade, the control has been in large degree made possible by discriminations in transpor tation rates or facilities, the discrimina tions being in some cases in violation cf the law, 2nd in other cases, though Injurious to the public welfare, not In violation of law, and therefore subject only to such correction as may be af forded by the railway rate legislation now pending in Congress. May Proceed Under Sherman Law. "I shall continue the investigation of the affairs of the Standard Oil Com pany and of such complaints as have been or may be brought to the atten tion of this department, with the view of ascertaining whether or not there has been any violation of the anti-trust act or any other Federal law. This inves tigation will require the assistance of the department and I have employed as special counsel Frank B. Kellogg, of St. Paul, who was one of the counsel for the Government in the recently term inated litigation against the Western pappr organization, and Charles B. Mor rison, of Chicago, now United States At torney for the northern district of Illi nois. Mr. Morrison will in the near fu ture resign his place as District Attor ney. "The course of action I have stated has received the approval of the President and all the members of the Cabinet." GIBBON'S SUIT THROWN OUT Colorado Judge Gets No Damages From Military Commissioners. DENVER, Colo., June 22. Judge R. E. Lewis, in the United States District Court, today dismissed the suit of Michael Gibbon, ex-Police Magistrate of Victor, Colo., for $30,000 damages against the mil itary commission appointed by Sherman Bell, Adjutant-General of the Colorado National Guard, to investigate the cases of prisoners who were thrown into the bullpen during the labor war of 1904 In the Cripple Creek mining district. Gib bon accused the defendants of conspiracy to compel him to resign his office, of falsa arrest and Imprisonment. In a statement to the court. General Sherman Bell said the commission had acted solely in an advisory capacity, that the Commissioners had no authority to order arrests or take any other action except to advise him. As commander un der the Governor's declaration of martial law. General Bell said he was wholly re sponsible for the acts complained of by Gibbon. After hearlnpr this statement. Judge Lewis said it would not be necessary for the case to proceed any further, and he instructed that a verdict be entered In favor of the defendants. Judge Lewis de- cided, in effect, that the court had no au thority to go behind the Governor's dec laration of martial law. Labor Leaders Talk Politics. WASHINGTON, June 22. The executive Council of the American Federation of Labor finally adjourned today. The subject of a universal label for' the various international unions was taken up. President Gompers was authorized to sound the attitude of the unions and to report the result to the executive coun cil for action at the next general conven tion. The executive council discussed the po litical programmes already inaugurated, and President Gompers, Vice-President Duncan and Treasurer Lennon were ap pointed a committee to report their views to the executive council, and to keep the workmen of the country and tiieir friends acquainted with the political movement. Federation Bars Coalminers. DENVER. June 22. By a unanimous vote the executive board of the Western Federation of Miners has turned down the application of the coalminers of Ohio and Illinois, affiliated with the United Mineworkers of America, for admission to the federation. Acting Secretary Kir wan, of the federation, said today that as the Interests of the coal and metalliferous miners are identical, it is only a question of time before the two organizations must consolidate. To taka In the coal miners who have applied, said Secretary Kirwan, would mean a fight between the two or ganizations which might end disastrously to one or both. For this reason the exec utive board decided to await a time when the organizations can get together on some mutual basis. Jucketmukers Go on Strike. NEW YORK. June 22. A general strike of the Children's Unbasted Jack etmakers' Union, which is an inde pendent organization, went into effect yesterday for a nlno-hour work day. There are about B000 members in the union, which takes in the whole city. Denounce Idaho Authorities. MILWAUKEE, Wis., June 22. The In ternational Boot and Shoeworkers" Union today passed a resolution denouncing the authorities for prosecuting Moyer, Hay wood and Pettibone for the murder of ex Governor Steunenberg, of luaho. POPE OPPOSES NEW IDEAS ( Will Issue Encyclical Urging Strict Observance of Dogma. BRUSSELS, June 22. (Special.) Bel gian missionaries returning from Rome say that the Pope is preparing a new encyclical urging stricter observance of religious dogma and prohibiting all tendencies toward the modern spirit of non-Catholicism which is infecting and causing its present troubles. The Pope, they assert, is under the influence of intransigeant advisers who do not realize French conditions and who are much in favor of dogmatic conservatism and resistance. The Pope told the Belgians that French Catholics ought to imitate their Belgian brethren, who are united, well disciplined and powerful. MADE HOMELESS BY FIRE Two Blocks Burned at Golconda, 111., and Sufferers Need Tents. SPRINGFIELD, 111.. June 22--Secretary of State Rose this afternoon received a telegram from Golconda, 111., stating that fire today had destroyed two blocks of the city, excepting two houses, part of which were business houses and part dwellings, and saying that 26 families were homeless. Request was made that Gov ernor Dineen send tents to Golconda to shelter the homeless. AdjutantGeneral Scott dispatched 25 tents by express. CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 72 dep.; minimum, 45. TODAY'S Fair and warmer. Northerly winds. Foreign. Report of Douma committee on massacre at Bialystok. Page 5. Douma blames government for massacre and calls on Cabinet resign. Page 5. Coronation of King Haakon and Queen Maud. Page 4. National. Government announces prosecution of Standard Oil Company. Page 1. Senate passes bill for President's traveling expenses. Page 3. House has warm debate on pure food. Page 2. Confesses adopt report on rate bill, but Tillman refuses to sign it. Page 4. Danger of diversion of irrigation fund to drainage. Page 1. Fine and Imprisonment for rebaters. Page 5. ' Domestic. Expelled Massachusetts Legislator turns state's evidence on fellow-grafters. Page 1. Insurance companies refuse to pay losses on Santa Rosa. Page 3. Transcontinental Insurance Company can only pay 10 per cent of losses. Page 3. Sport. College boat races at Poughkeepsle today. Page 7. MIsr Sutton wins tennis match in England. Page 5. "Western golf championship decided. Page 5. San Francisco defeats Portland. 9 to 1. Page 7. Pacific Coast. Hoquiam box factory buya entire township of fine timber land in Ctlehalls County, "Washington. Page 8. Linn County pioneer picnic closes. Page 6. Montana cattle barons indicted for fencing public lands. Page 6. Joint rate hearing at Colfax comes to abrupt close; railroads ofTer no testimony. Page 1. 1 Commercial and Marine. Stronger demand for hops. Page 15. Two reactions in Chicago wheat market. Page 13. Stock market closes firm. Page 15. General trade of immense volume. Page 15. Freight piles up at local docks on account of lack of transportation. Page 14. United shippers believed to have rejected Mayor Schmitas' plan of arbitration. Page 14. Portland and Vicinity. At least 12 and possibly 14 men Save been Indicted for election frauds in Sellwood precinct. Page 11. Word makes gain of eight votes, reducing Stevens' lead to two in the recount and seven In all. Page 10. Daughter taken from mother when 5 years old, now young lady of 19, rejoins her parent in Portland. Page 14. Hawthorne avenue may be paved for 37 blocks. Page 10. Ladd tells of his administration of the Johnson estate. Page 10. Government ready for land-fraud trials. Page 11. Rose show given at Grace Methodist Church. Page 11. Executive Board dismisses Patrolman Isak. on, fines Klenlan one month's pay and refuses to insure City Hall in any six-bit company. Page Id. Fish Warden Van Dusen expects to keep his office. Page 11. Young woman ends her life with a bullet. Page 18. Governor Chamberlain and other members of the Land Board pleased with in spection of Crook County land and plans to irrigate them. Pag J, , GETHRO TURNS ON OTHER GRAFTERS Many Bay State Legis lators Tremble. HE GIVES EVIDENCE TO MORAN Receivers of Bucket-Shop Bribes to ; Be Indicted. FIFTY MEMBERS GUILTY District Attorney Secures Aid of Ex pelled Grafter in . Punishing Men Higher Up Perjury Will Be Charge. BOSTON, June 22. (Special.) Frank J. Gethro, who was yesterday expelled from the House of Representatives as a result of the recent star-chamber investigation of the bucKet-shop bill bribery scandal and other scandals of a similar nature, today, with his counsel, called on District At torney John B. Moran. After a confer ence of nearly two hours, in which Gethro and his lawyer placed in Mr. Moran's hands a large bundle of documents, let ters and other papers, Mr. Moran, while declining to give any particulars of the Interview, Intimated that he believes he has in his possession evidence which will secure the Indictment of a large batch of State Representatives, nearly all Repub licans. Will Indict for Perjury. The cases will be laid before the July grand jury, which will convene July 2. and the charges In the Indictments will be chiefly, perjury. Mr. Moran holds that, under the state law, those who appeared before the star-chamber investigators are Immune from prosecution on the charge of briber"- or bribe-taking, as that was the specific purpose of the inquiry, but if he can show that any were guilty of per jury in the statements made before the investigating committee, he can and will prosecute them. Gethro's action was not unanticipated. It was the fear that he would make a clean breast of the whole affair that caused a bitter fight in the House yester day against his expulsion. Today Gethro was extremely bitter against those who voted for his expulsion, and alleged that, as a Republican majority had decided to make a scapegoat of him, he would tell the whole story and compel those who deserted him to abide by the conse quences, as he must do. Gethro's speech in the House yesterday, virtually hurling defiance at the members to whom he had talked, who dared to vote for his expul sion and cast the burden of the entire scandal upon his shoulders, clearly evinced his determination to tell what he knew at the opportune moment. Gethro and his counsel today were reticent as to Just what Information they gave Mr. Moran, but it is understood that the evidence the District Attorney pos UNCLE SAM FINDS THAT ill mm? sesses hits the Republican members of the House harder than the Democrats, for It comes from an authentic source that whatever dealings Gethro had In regard to the bucket shop matter were chiefly with Republicans. The names of the men were all given to the District Attorney. The situation in the bribery investiga tion that the District Attorney has been conducting has thus taken a decidedly new turn. At first things looked bril liant, then the action of the Legislature In conducting an Independent inquiry dampened the ardor of the District At torney, for it tended to checkmate his movements, in that immunity from pros ecution was accorded to all who testi fied before the committee on rules. Mr. Moran practically determined to abandon further action, because of the fact that all the members of the House and the lobbyists likely to know anything about the bill had testified and were thus Im mune from prosecution. Finally the main source of information oper.ed and prac tical results never appeared more prob able to the District Attorney than at present. Will Convict Men Higher Up. "It will be a conviction or a disagree ment in every case not an acquittal in any,'' said a close friend of the District Attorney, who is in a position to know whereof he speaks. Mr. Moran left his office tonight in a delighted frame of mind. In the few words he would say he plainly intimated that the prospect of getting at the "men higher up" in the bribery scandal. In stead of a mere scratch at the little fry, pleased him Immensely. All statements agree that 50 men, all members of the House, nearly "all Re publicans, were concerned In the bucket shop affair, and, if these names are all laid before the July Grand Jury, the sensation will be of proportions unpar alleled in this state. GEARIN SAILS FOR EUROPE Suddenly Decides to Accompany Sweeny on Automobile Trip. OREGONIAN NEWS ' BUREAU, Washington, June 22. Senator Gearin sailed from New York for Europe yes terday in company with Charles Sweeny, of Spokane, and others. The party will make a tour in an automo bile of the British Isles and the Conti nent, returning In September. Mr. Gearin decided suddenly to spend the Summer in Europe. Last week he thought of returning to Portland be fore Congress adjourned, but went to New York Monday, and there met Mr. Sweeny and his party, and accepted their invitation to accompany them on an automobile trip over Europe. The Senator will go at once to Portland when he returns, to this country in September. SETTLE OREGON'S WAR CLAIM Fulton Asks Senate to Authorize Court to Adjudicate. -. OREGONIAN ' NEWS BUREAU. 4 Washington, June 22. A resolution will be reported to the Senate tomor row by Senator Fulton, referring to the Court of Claims for a finding the claim of Oregon, amounting to $335,000, on account of bounties, extra pay and interest on money advanced to troops enlisted in that state during the Civil War. If the Court of Claims approves the claims, an appropriation by Con gress will follow in the natural course of events. EARTHQUAKES IN CUBA. Two Slight Shocks Do Small Damage in Santiago. SANTIAGO. Cuba. June 22. Two earth quake shocks half an hour apart, the first occurring at 2 o'clock this morning, slight ly damaged many buildings in this city. Several persons were slightly injured by falling articles. Thousansd of persons re mained In the streets the rest of the night. ROOSEVELT IS NOT SELLING HIM LIGHT WEIGHT GOODS.' xi FARCE COMES TO A SUDDEN CLOSE Railroads Offer No Evi dence at Colfax. ONE LONE FARMER ON STAND Puget Sound Millers and Grain- dealers Vent Spleen. ALL JEALOUS OF PORTLAND Attorneys for Transportation Com antes Protest Confidence in Rail way Commission, but Reserve Testimony for Appeal. BT B. W. WRIGHT. COLFAX, Wash., June 22. (Staff Cor respondence.) The celebrated joint-rate hearing of the Washington State Rail road Commission came to a sudden close this afternoon when the Commission con eluded the examination of its witnesses. As was expected, no evidence was of fered by the railroads. In flinging a few oratorical bouquets at the Commission, they Intimated that they had great con fidence that august body would not sub ject them to the injustice of the Joint rate but at the same time they retained their testimony for future use in a higher court. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the hearing was the fact that among the 17 witnesses examined but one farmer appeared. Two were railroad men and the other 14 were Puget Sound millers or graindealers, whose grievance was that the Portland dealers were better located for securing large quantities of wheat than those on Puget Sound. Portland Mills Make Money. The peculiar grouch of the millers was that the Portland Flouring Mills were riaaking more money than the mills on the Sound, and the graindealers, or middle men, who do not export, but are forced to sell what they buy to the exporters, or millers, testified that the competition of the big fellows was forcing them to the wall. , Fred Hayfleld, a warehouse man at Farmlngton, was the etar witness for the Commission, acting for those who are suffering from lack of a joint rate and the competition of Kerr, Gifford & Co.. Balfour, Guthrie & Co. and T. B. Wil cox. He said he formerly bandied 100,- 000 bushels of wheat each season, but his business had run down to 10,000 bushels per year. He attempted to blame Port land and the O. R. & N. Company for It, but cross-examination developed the fact that he was trying to make a profit of from 2 to 5 cents per bushel and that his closest touch with the market prices was through circular letters. Nothing in It for Farmers. He admitted that he was not Infrequent- Iy forced to sell his wheat to exporters, J who were buying In competition with him, for all of which Portland and the O. R. & N. was blamed. The testimony through out the hearing was of a nature which would hardly inspire any farmer with the belief that he was to be much of a gainer by any action which might be taken by the Commission. "I. guess the farmer will get it in the neck, any way," remarked Mr. Savage, of Pullman, the only farmer who testi fied. It was the Whitman County farm ers who were clamoring the loudest for a railroad commission, but none of them was in attendance at the hearinir. al though hundreds of them attended the Elberton Dlcnic. which hna for three days, only six miles up the road, and a large number of them were in Colfax discussing the coming county convention. Among the latter there seemed to be a general reeling that thev were not tret- ting the worth of their money out of the 176,000 appropriated for the Commission. Wants to Reach Bellingham. C. D. Francis, a eralnrtenlor of Son. kane, was the first witness called, and was sufficiently unbiased to admit that wheat prices at competitive points were practically the same at all times. Mr. Francis was less Interested in the joint rate, as afTecting the Portland market, at this meeting: than he was at the meet. Ins held last Fall, but hn wnn vrv nn.- ious to secure a terminal rate and also a Joint rate to Bellingham Bay. He said tnere was an Insufficient amount of feed stuffs grown on the Great Northern and Northern Pacific to supply Bellingham .Bay. He was followed on the stand by J. G. Woodworth. traffic ern Pacific, whom Attorney Wik pumped dry of his Information regarding lormer Joint rates. The Commission kept H. Blakely, West ern freight agent of the same road,' on the aidna over tnree hours, endeavoring to prove that the trackage tween the Hunt road and the Northern .facinc and between the Central WAihinr ton and the Great Northern via the Adrian cut-on were. In effect, iolnt rates Thomas Savage, a farmer living near Pullman, testified that he had hauled his wheat several miles farther to ri-srh Northern Pacific warehouse in preference to the O. R. & x., because he believed prices were higher than on the Portland roaa. Price Higher in Tacoma. Louis .Llndstrom. a Fairfield ht buyer, complained that he waA unnhlo tn secure as much for wheat In Portland as in Tacoma. G. D. Brown, a Waterville miliar whn Is desirous of starting a mill at Beiling- nam, lesiined that it would be Impossible for him to do so unless he could secure a joint rate and also terminal niu n.i lingham. His complaint was seconded by H. M. White, rjresident nt s.m 1 Bay Chamber of Commerce, who modest ly .uiiea mat his city, with a terminal rate, would become as great a city as Se- Attorney Gordon asked Mr. White if he mougni u the province of th T?ii-o,f Commission to correct the error made by me original locators of Great Northern terminals on Puget Sound. Bellingham Man's Testimony. George E. Brand, a RBmn,.m , merchant, failed to make the customary l Romano, but was as anxious for a joint rate and a terminal ,-. . , Bellingham Bay hay and oats out of the muraei as Mr. Hayfleld was to get the rate for the purpose or putting Palouse hay and oats into the Bellingham market. The testimony of H. M. Adams, of the Great Northern, and W. Fl rvrr,a O. R. & N., taken at the hearing last Fall. was aummea as nart rt , ;. he. state completed the examl lta witnesses. Judge Gordon, ?h .. f f f the ""roads, announced I , M ' w"u,u rest- e then made a brief argument, mostly devoted to the Bellingham demand for terminal rates. He said it was unjust to expect the Great Northern, whinh . lions for terminal facilities at Seattle, to u Luio eame ior Bellingham. and even should the company do so there would be other ports with the same claim for rec ognition. Unfair, Says Judge Gordon. He said the demand for a joint rate out lerniory was most unfair as the road would nni 1 , , 1 J w Ll't'I IV fU of the revenue to which Its enterprise in iunui.,s euuuea 11, dui it would also suf fer by being deprived of the use of its cars for manv wpfkn a-tiiio .v. going over the mountains empty and re- Luuiuig luauea. Attomev Knencer nf rk t l it called attention to the fact that all of me cumpiainE was) coming from the mil lers and middlemen and not from the farmers, who he ailprod warn nt- lng an injustice at the hands of his '" no reseniea tne assertion that the O. R. fir N. hmsra r.t Dl were less prosperous than those on the big roads crossing the mountains. He wanted to know why, if Portland was such a poor market, that year after year at competitive points from 75 to 90 per cent of the wheat was shipped over the O. R. & N.. instead of over the mnnn. tain roads. Farmers Would Be 'Injured. He asserted that if all lines were man acled together by a joint rate bv the railroad commission, the Portland and Puget Sound millers would combine and every .farmer in the Pacific Northwest would be at their mercy. He called at tention to the testimony of one witness who had stated that a Portland firm had paid three cents per bushel more for. wheat for Tacoma shipment than it nald on the same day for Portland shipment. 1 want to know. asked Mr. Spen cer, "whether when the railroad commis sion has eliminated all competition the buyers will pay the high or low price for wheat." He called attention to the butldlnsr of the Hill North Bank road as an admis sion that the water level route was the natural route of commerce and asked if it was right that it be thwarted by the Seattle millers, who demanded the appro priation of the O. R. & N. to build up Seattle and injure Portland. Mr. Cannon, for the Northern Pacific. spoke for five minutes on the iniustiee of making a feeder out of the roadi that opened up the country, and also argued that the precedent, if established, would cause all roads' endless trouble and ex pense. Attorney Falkner, for the commission, made an excellent speech defending the constitutionality of the measure and at tacking the arguments put forth by the railroad attorneys. The commission adjourned at 4:30 P. M. to meet at Walla Walla Monday and take up the distance tariff matter. GREAT DANGER TO I Diverting Fund to Drainage of Swamps. HANSBROUGH STARTS SCHEME Bill Appropriating $1,000,000 Passed by Senate. MAY SLIP THROUGH HOUSE Movement to Use Western Money to Drain Private Land in East and South Gains Impe tus in Congress. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wsh ington, June 22. Early in the present ses sion of Congress Senator Hansbrough. of North Dakota, introduced a bill author izing the expenditure of $1,000,009 out of the National reclamation fund for drain ing swamps in his state. When the bill went before the committee on lrrijation. It was found that every acre to be bene fited was In private ownership, and th bill, if enacted, would not open to entry a single acre of public land. Notwith standing these disclosures, the Senate committee ordered a favorable report out of courtesy because Hansbrough is a member of the committee. , It was then stated that a majority of the committee believed the bill a bad one, and it was stated by several Senators that it would never be permitted to pass the Senate. They did not oppose It in committee, how ever, because they did not want to offend Hansbrough. May Sneak Through House. Hansbrough is no fool, and he knew RRIGA 0 WORK when he had a good thing. Once his hJ.V and at the first favorable opportunity called it up and passed It, not a voice being raised in opposition. Then tho hill went to the House. It should have been referred to the romniittea on irrigation, but Hansbrough had found this committee unfavorable, so he ararnged to have it referred to the committee on public lands, which has reported a great deal of shady legislation during the present session. Now that committee has reported the bill, and, if the North Dakota members stand in with Hansbrough and are shrewd enough to pick a psychological moment, they are very apt to pass the bill through the House. Whether they can get the President to sign it remains to be seen. Other Swamps Enter Claims. At the time the Hansbrough bill was introduced, attention was called in these dispatches to the danger that lurked be hind tho apparently innocent measure. Unjust as it is in Itself, the chief danger lay In establishing a precedent for divert ing money from the reclamation fund for draining crreat swamps. It was then pre dicted that, if the bill met with favor, bills would be introduced to divert mora money from the reclamation fund for re claiming the Dismal Swamp, the Ever glades of Florida and every other big swamp that is now uninhabitable and non-productive. That prediction has been partially fulfilled. A bill Is now pending to divert $1,000,000 from the reclamation fund to drain the Dismal Swamp in Vir ginia and North Carolina: another is pending to divert $3,000,000 io drain the Everglades of Florida; only a few days ago a hill was introduced to take another $3,000,000 and expend it In draining the big swamps of Arkansas and Missouri, and, in addition, there are two bills pending for the drainage of swamps In Minnesota, and three general bills providing: for the Government drainage of swamps in all parts of the United States. May Combine to Rob West. If the Hansbrough bill passes. It will open the way for these other measures of similar character, and it will be only a short time before the greater portion of the reclamation fund, instead of being used for irrigating the desert lands of the West, as originally Intended, will be ex pended in reclaiming swamps in states that have contributed not a cent to the reclaamtion fund jind never will contrib ute. This legislation is a rank, injustice to the West, which is counting on using Its own public land receipts for the recla mation of its deserts, and unless some- bod-" calls a halt, the work of Government irrigation will soon be brought to a stand still. It must be remembered that, once this precedent is established, it will be easy for delegations from the East and South to combine and force through bills for the drainage of the swamps in the non-arid states, and if the East and South ever do combine for this purpose, the West will never have votes enough to check the on slaught. Excuse for Hansbrough Bill. The Hansbrough bill received the votes of all but two members of the House com mittee, including Chairman Lacey, Mon dell (Wyo.), Martin (S. D.), Dixon (Mont.), French (Idaho), Gronna (N. D.) and Tyn- dall (Mo.). Smith Cal.) and Robinson (Ark.) were the only members opposing the bill. The report of the majority goes on to say: The Red River Valley has been for several yeara suffering from excessive rainfall and want of drainage. It is proposed by this bill to reclaim the wet land in the Red River Valley by a plan similar to that adopted Concluded on Page 2J. V