Morning Oregonian., December 28, 1906, Image 1

VOL. XLVI.-NO. 14,3T0.
PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1906.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
PULTON
ANSWERS
NQRCRQSS STORY
Says it Is False and
Malicious Slander.
PROSECUTE ALL CONCERNED
Land Exchanged Was Rich
Farming Country.
HITCHCOCK APPROVED DEAL
Terms Arranged With Secretary and
Indian Commissioner Before Bill
Introduced I?upp Declares
Seal Good for Indians.
ORBGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington, Dec. 27. Upon reflection Senator
Fulton today decided to make an answer
to the charges made against him appear
ing in the current issue of the Cosmopoli
tan. In this article Mr. Fulton Is alleged
to have secured the passage of a law at
the last session of Congress which en
abled the Weyerhaeuser lumber syndi
cate, to exchange over 100,000 acres of
worthless land for a choice tract of
85.000 acres of timber land on the Kla
math Indian reservation. In the state
ment which he gave The Oregon
ian correspondent today, Mr. . Fulton
absolutely discredits the Cosmopolitan
article, which was written by the head
of the Hearst newspaper bureau in this
city. The Cosmopolitan magazine is
owned and printed under the direction
of William R. Hearst. In answering the
charge, Mr. Fulton said:
"Coterie of Expert Liars."
"I thought I would say nothing about
this matter, for I find It very hard work
to attend to my duties here and expose
all the slanders the' little coterie of ex
P"rt liars who are busily engaged In at
tempts to besmirch my character can put
Into circulation. O'i s c u U V.iV-
ever, it occurs to me that it is due the
. people of Oregon that I should state the
facte, In order that it may be known
how absolutely false and malicious the
charge Is.
"It is stated in the article referred to
. that at the last session of Congress I
secured the adoption of an amendment
to the Indian appropriation bill whereby
311,000 acres of worthless land owned by
the Weyerhaeuser people In Klamath
County were exchanged for 55,000 acres of
valuable Government timber land, where
by the Weyerhaeusers made a profit of
over J3.OC0.00O. The article was written by
one Charles P. Norcross. I never heard
of him before, but I know him to be a
deliberate and malicious Uar. Let the
facts witness.
Story of Klamnth Land.
"The general Government several years
go 'granted to Oregon a large tract of
land to aid the construction of a wagon
road. The state granted the land to a
company in consideration of its construct
ing the wagon road. That company In
time conveyed the land to a corporation
called the California & Oregon Land
Company. The land grant extends
through the Klamath Indian reservation.
The Interior Department held that the
land grant did not attach to Indian land
and was so strongly convinced of the cor
rectness of that view that it proceeded to
ignore the claims of the company and
allot a large portion of the most valu
able land claimed by the company to In
dians in severalty. Years afterward the
question reached the Supreme Court of
the United States and that court sus
tained the contenHon of the company and
held that the grant attached to Indian
land.
"In the meantime the Indians had Im
proved and cultivated the land and con
verted it into splendid farms. Any per
son who has over visited 'that reserva
tion will testify to the great beauty and
value of that farm land. The Govern
ment became concerned to secure a set
tlement that would allow the Indians
to retain their farms.
Terms of Settlement.
"The Booth-Kelly Company had In the
meantime become owner of the stock of
the Oregon Imd Company. A represen
tative of that company came to Wash
ington and with his attorneys. Britton &
Gray of this city, reached a settlement
with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
and the Secretary of the Interior, where
by the. company agreed to release its
title to 111,000 acres, Including the allotted
land, In consideration of '87.000 acres In
another part of the reservation. The land
grant was every odd-numbered section
and In consideration of being permitted
to select 87,000 acres in a compact body
the company surrendered 111,000 acres In
lieu thereof.
Deal Approved by Hitchcock.
"Having reached the settlement, the
attorneys for the company came to me
with a bill they and the Interior Depart
ment had agreed upon and asked me to
introduce and have It pasted. The bill
simply authorized the Secretary of the
Interior to make the exchange In his dis
cretion. Before Introducing it I took it
to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
and asked him If it was all right. He
said it was, and that he hoped It would
pass. I then Introduced it and had It re
ferred to the committee on Indian affairs
and that committee, in accordance with
Its practice, -called on the Secretary of
lie Interior for a report on the bill and
he in writing reported favoring its en
actment and it was accordingly enacted
as part of the appropriation bill.
"Now, Mr. Norcross could have as
certained these facts had he called on
the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
He did not want facts. A copy pf the
Department's letter approving; the bill
is on file in the office of the commis
sioner and the letter is on file with
the committee. Any one may see it.
Furthermore, as I have said, it was
by law left to the discretion of the
Secretary of the Interior to make the
exchange or not. as he saw fit. If it
was an improper exchange, he would
not have made it. I am Informed the
exchange has actually been made.
They called on me to introduce the bill
simply because it was an Oregon mat
ter, and I was a representative, from
Oregon. 1 knew nothing about It until
they brought me the bill, and I have
heard nothing of it since the bill
passed until this article appeared.
Will Prosecute Slanderers.
'Tf Weyerhaeuser owns the land I
have never been so Informed. But, had
I known he did. my conduct could not
have been otherwise. It was an Ore
gon matter. Both the t Interior De
partment and the land company de
sired the legislation. How could I
have done otherwise than I did? Sure
ly the people of Oregon will not ap
prove the constant attempt to mis
represent a representative who is, at
least, trying to do his duty.
"I intend to refer the Cosmopolitan
article to the prosecuting officer of
this district and, if there is any law
whereby the author and publishers can
be reached, I shall see that they are
prosecuted."
Leupp Says Bill Was Good One.
Mr. Fulton today called the atten
tion of Indian Commissioner Leupp
to the Cosmopolitan story and tfle
Commissioner tonight forwarded a
note to the Senator inclosing his fa
vorable report of a year ago on the
bill in question. In his note Mr.
Leupp says: -
"I should not know, without refer
ring to the Congressional Record, who
stood sponsor for this bill. All I
know was that for the benefit of the
Indians it was considered by this of
fice a very g;ood one, and left the en
tire disposal of the question In the
hands of the Department."
Mr. Leupp's official report on the
bill addressed to Secretary Hitchcock
contains this language:
On the whole I consider that the provi
sions of thta hill are advantageous to the
Indians and will tend to their advancement.
It seems also to convey as liberal a proposi
tion aa the company coujd be expected to
make. It (the company) simply offers to
give 24,383 acres for the Immediate settle
ment of the matter, knowing; well ihat ul
timately it could acquire title to the entire
111,000 acres. We must not overlook the
fact that, though the change In the loca
tion of the company's land, giving it com
pact bodies instead of alternate tracts
Joined at the corners, would be advantageous
to It. the work of administration would be
eased thereby. The bill makes the exchange
discretionary with the Secretary of the In
terior, so that It is possible to safeguard
the Indians' and the Government's Inter
est in every way. It Is therefore believed
that the legislation Bhoulrt meet with your
approval and 1 so recommend.
Mr. Hitchcock subsequently ap
proved Mr. Leupp's recommendations,
and on his approval the bill was incor
porated in the last Indian appropria
tion bill.
GOVERNOR EXAMINED THE BILL
Found Interior Department Had
Prepared Measure.
SALEM. Or., Dec. 28. (Special.) The
Cosmopolitan Magazlpe article attack
ing Frederick Weyerhaeuser and inci
dentally referring to an amendment of
fered by Senator Fulton to an appro
priation bill, has aroused great interest
In State Land Office circles here. Gov
ernor Chamberlain is particularly in
terested in this part of the magazine
article, for he entered an objection
to the bill Senator Fulton had intro
duced for the purpose of allowing the
Klamath indemnity selections and later
withdrew the objections after reading
the bill.
Governor Chamberlain was assured
by Senator Fulton that the bill had been
prepared by the Department of the In
terior, and that the department wanted
It passed. It was with this assurance
that Governor Chamberlain withdrew
his objections. He now says that If
the bill was passed as submitted to
liim, any injustice that may result from
it is chargeable to the Department of
the Interior. .
April 3, 1906, Senator Fulton Intro
duced in the Senate a bill to allow the
owners of the California & Oregon Land
Company grant in the Klamath reser
vation to exchange their land, aggre
gating 111,000 acres, for other lands in
a compact body aggregating 87.000
acres. The Oregonian's dispatches from
Washington made mention of this bill
the next day, and on April B Governor
Chamberlain telegraphed both Senators
Fulton and Gearin to delay action on
the bill until he could investigate.. It
was the general understanding that the
land then belonged to the Booth-Kelly
Lumber Company, and in the corre
spondence it was so referred to.
Both Senators responded by wire that
action would be delayed, and in re
sponse to the Governor's request for a
copy of the bill, Senator Fulton sent a
copy, together with an explanatory let
ter under date of April 6. This letter
is important, because it states the at
titude of the department. The letter
says:
I enclose you herewith a copy of the bilt
authorizing the Booth-Kelly Lumber Company
to select land In lieu of holdings In Klamath
reservation. The bill has been prepared by
the department, I understand, and It simply
authorize the department to arrange for the
selection, as you wlrt see.1 The department de
sires the bill enacted. C. W. Fl'LTON".
Upon receipt of the copy. Governor
Chamberlain and State Land Agent Os
wald West examined it carefully and
discussed its various features. The bill
was as follows:
That the Secretary of the Interior be. and
Is hereby authorized. In his discretion, to ex
change the whole of the odd numbered sec
tions and parts) thereof In the Klamath In
dian reservation in the State of Oregon, now
held In private ownership under the final de
cree and decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States, affirming the title of the
California and Oregon Land Company there
to. In the suit of the United States against
said company, as reported In volume 1I2, at
page 855. of the decisions of said court, and
aggregating 111.8S5 acres, for other lands not
exceeding 87.01X1 acres, situated In one or
more compact bodies, in townships 31 and 32
South, of ranges 11, .12 and 13 East in said
reservation, said lands so taken in exchange
to he selected, subject to the approval of the
Secretary of the Interior; and in order to fa.-
1 Concluded, on Page 4.
AFTER ELECTION
IN CUBA, WHAT?
Insurrection of Losing
Party Feared.
WHAT MAY MEAN ANNEXATION
Roosevelt Would Have Hard
Fight in Congress.
MANY OPPOSE INEVITABLE
Object to Annexation, but Insists on
Adequate Government, 'Which.
Means Indefinite Occupa
tion by Our Troops.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27. (Special.)
Occasional rumbling or rumors of little
sideshow Insurrections popping up in cer
tain provinces of Cuba are tending to
keep the United States from forgetting
the problem It has to deal with down
there. There are some angles in this
problem that have received little atten
tion as far as the public is concerned,
but ' which have occupied and' are now
occupying much attention on the part of
high Government officials and Adminis
tration advisers among the members of
Congress. I have been given an insight
into some of these hitherto unpublished
complexities of a situation that will call
for more delicate treatment than ever
perhaps before the present Winter is
over.'
Insurrection Still Smolders.
It is a fact not generally known that
our Government entertains grave fears
regarding what may happen fqllowing
the Cuban elections in January. A great
many have believed that intervention by
the United States will have accomplished
its purpose as soon as a new government
has been chosen by the Cuban people;
that our forces would withdraw after
Inaugurating this new government with
tranquility established, and that then
Cuba would proceed to work out Its
destiny unhampered by outside interfer
ence. That la the rosy view of the situa
tion, and everything would be lovely if
our high Officials were sure It would
work out Just that way.
But they are not sure. President
Roosevelt, It is understood, has grave
doubts about the effect of the coming
election on the defeated party. There -is
said to be the fear that the defeated may
not abide by the will of the ballot and
may start trouble anew. There is no
knowledge that another Insurrection is
smoldering, ready to break out as soon
as the ballots are counted and the victors
are installed in office. But there is just
enough of uncertainty to cause worry.
Some Would Force Annexation.
If we be forced to do any more inter
vening, there will be an effort by a cer
tain element to force annexation, which
some of our ablest statesmen insist is
something that comparatively few people
in this country want. The administration
recognizes the embarrassing situation
that may confront it and, after President
Roosevelt's warning to Cubans to "be
good" In the future or take the conse
quences, the question Is Just what course
ON NEW YEAR'S DAY
i
shall be pursued if the .Cubans don't
stay good.
Oue of the most significant things about
the present crisis in Cuban history, yet
one that scarcely would appeal to the ob
server until pointed out and explained.
Is the fact that the election in the island
is set for a time after the sugar crop has
been harvested and stored. In his annual
message to Congress the President stated
that the harvesting of this great crop of
the island was about to proceed. The far
sightedness of fixing this relationship be
tween the harvesting of the crop and "the
election may be understood a little later,
in the event that trouble breaks out when
the moral and physical sustaining force
of the United States Is removed.
May Mean Hard Fight.
Between the sentiment for annexation
that Is waiting to assert Itself forcibly
and the belief in certain influential
circles that the people of the United
States do not want Cuba annexed, but
that we owe a duty through our treaty
with Spain to protect life. liberty and
ft - - vTV " 1
I w f" V" .1
Dr. Adelaide Wallerstein, New York
Woman, Who Give I'p Society
v for Medicine.
Dr. Wallerstein has Just turned
her handsome home, . No. 121 West
Elghty-slxfh street, New York, Into
a physician's office. Rich, socially
prominent and accomplished. Dr.
Wallerstein, still a . young woman,
has relinquished many of society's
pleasures for' her professional and
charitable work. From pouring tea
and presiding over the welfare of
the 400 members of the ' Rubinstein
Musical Club, Mrs. Wallerstein went
into the dissecting rooms of the New
Tork Medical College and Hospital
for Women, and after a course there
went into the hospital wards and
operating rooms of Bellevue and
other New Tork hospitals.
property in the' island, there lies the
problem, regarded as so delicate, which
may have to be met more squarely than
ever within the next few months.
If we do not annex Cuba, according to
some statesmen who have studied the
Cuban character, we will have to assume
a military occupation for an indefinite
future period, and in these two horns of
the dilemma may be seen the anxiety of
our high Gdvernment officials regarding
the uncertainties hanging on the result
of the coming election. It is understood
that the President wants the people of
this country to understand thoroughly
conditions beneath the surface in Cuba,
so aa to make it easier for him to take
action as seems best In the event that a
greater crisis than the one already en
countered looms up suddenly. Should he
deem it best, or in fact the only solution,
to put annexation up to .Congress, it is
safe to say he would precipitate a harder
fight than any that has fallen to his lot
to start during his entire administration.
Tet it must be bo'rne in mind that the
strong influences which oppose annexa
tion declare against -our- province to In
tervene as a referee between rival parties
in Cuba and at the same .time assert our
obligation to preserve "an adequate
government there." The question arises
as to what ls the difference, really, be
tween annexation and a -practically per
manent military occupation of the island.
THE WATER WAGON WILL START
f .. to
'T
AFFORD OYSTERS
Unconscious Humor of
Billionaire. .
HIS FINANCIAL STRUGGLES
Spencer's Understudy Be
comes His Champion.
SCIENTISTS TALK MONEY
Assault on Huge Fortunes and Plau
to Limit Them Startles Big Con
vention Conant Says Nation
Needs More Currency.
NEW TORK, Dec. 27. The concentra
tion of wealth in the hands of compara
tively few was vigorously denounced and
earnestly defended at the opening ses
sions today of the 57th annual meeting of
the American Association for the Ad
vancement of Science.
Henry Laures Call, of Washington, D.
C, attacked the right of John D. Rocke
feller to his fortune on the ground that
it was not the result of natural causes,
but had been created through corporate
activity, which the speaker termed "vi
cious." During a subsequent session on "The
Evolution of Property," Louis G. McPher
son, assistant to the late Samuel Spencer
as president of the Southern Railway, re
plied to Mr. Call. He declared that Mr.
Rockefeller had had his financial strug
gles and had done much good which was
generally lost sight of in the criticism
which came with success. He told of Mr.
Rockefeller's early attempt to obtain J2500
with which to construct a pipe line for oil.
One man who refused aid met the finan
cier when the pipe line had been laid. To
him Mr. Rockefeller said:
. Rockefeller's Pitiful Wail.
I built that pipe line to make oil
cheaper, and I succeeded. I cut the cost
more than half. And yet they find fault."
Mr. McPherson told then less seriously
of a dinner party several years ago at
the Rockefeller home, when Mr. Rocke
feller explained the absence of oysters by
saying:
"We like them, but are too poor to have
them."
This was to Illustrate Mr. r McPherson's
point that a man can be worth $100,000,000
and still be short of ready cash if he
keeps his factories, in operation.
Wealth and railroads were but two of
the many subjects discussed by the speak
ers. After convening at Columbia Uni
versity, where they were welcomed by
President Nicholas Murray Butler, the
scientists separated Into various groups
and many discussions were opened. Dr.
W. H. Welch, of Johns Hopkins Univer
sity, the new head of the association,,
talked on medicine and Charles A. Co
nant, of this city, on currency.
' Will Give Busts Saturday.
The general session was called to order
at 10 o'clock today by the retiring presi
dent, Dr. C. M. Woodward, of Washing
ton University, of St. Louis. He intro
duced the president of the year. Dr. W.
ON ITS ANNUAL RUN
PODRJOHN D
H. Welch, of Johns Hopkins Unverslty,
who responded to an address of welcome
from President Nicholas Murray Butler,
of Columbia.
The sections devoted to special sciences
began immediately by the read
ing of a papor by the vice-president in
charge of each of them. The sections
will meet for business every day, and
one of the most interesting of the general
functions" Is to be the presentation to the
American Museum of Natural History of
the busts of ten scientists by Morris K.
Jessup on Saturday afternoon. J. P.
Morgan will preside.
Among the distinguished men attending
the meeting are Simon Ncwcomb of
Washington; President Pritchett, of the
Carnegie Foundation; Whltelaw Reid.
Cornelius Vanderbllt, Dr. Simon Flexner,
of Rockefeller Institute; Bishop Greer,
Dr. Robert Woodward, of Carnegie In
stitute; Dr. C. H. Ward Stiles, of the
United States Public Health and Marine
Hospital Service: Dr. L. O. Howard, of
the United States Entomological De
partment, and Dr. George Bruce, of the
State Normal School, Greeley, Colo.
Conant on Currency.
At the meeting of .the section of social
and economic science Charles A. Conant,
vice-president of the Morton Trust Com
pany, who presided, discussed "Aspects
of the Currency Question." He said that,
although it was too much to expect Con
gress to pass at once a satisfactory
measure for banking reform, yet in due
time sound legislation must result. Other
wise, our prosperity will be arrested, our
rapidly absorbed currency will prove in
adequate and we must be put at a great
disadvantage at home and In competition
with foreign nations. The proposed bank
note reform, he declared, was not in
tended to aid the banks, but to relieve
restrictions on credit."
' Limit Great Fortunes.
Henry Laures Call of Washington. D.
C, read a- paper on "The Concentration
of Wealth." He said:
Industrial society Is practically divided
into two classes, the enormously rich and
the miserably poor. These conditions come
from a monopoly of land and mineral re
sources, of money, of transportation and
other public utilities as also of Industry, and
to law must we look for their correction.
The corporation should be made co-operative
instead of, as now, the instrument of pri
vate greed. The ownership of public Utili
ties should be In the public, as also the
control and distribution of money. The co
operative principle and function should bo
extended to mines, as also to land in cltle
and elsewhere quartered for Joint use and
occupancy.
In this complex situation the most Just
solution should be to fix some maximum as
the limit which any man can be said to
have acqulrod honestly or which he could
have acquired under Just conditions, all
above such reverting to the public. It would
conform our Institutions to the present so
cial co-operative nature of Industrial society
and inaugurate the. one solution of our so
cial and industrial problems practical, sci
entific Socialism.
HARD ON CIVIC FEDERATION
Accused of Aiding Employers to
Smother Child Labor Bill.
PROVIDENCE, K. I., Deo. 27. Inter
national law was considered today by
the American Political Science Asso
ciation, and Professor Charles Gregory,
State University of Iowa, discussed
"The Three-Mile Limit," in the interna
tional fisheries question.
Ihe Economic Association and the
Sociological Society held a Joint sectional
meeting this afternoon. A paper on child
labor was read by Samuel M. Lindsay,
of the University of Pennsylvania, secre
tary of the National Child Labor Com
mission. He said:
"The National Government should do
more to give its citizens adequate In
formation concerning the ills of child
labor, which has so many ramifications
in matters of the greatest public con-
(Concluded on Page 3.)
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 46
degrees; minimum, .14.
TODAY'S Fair; easterly winds.
foreign.
Austrian Archduchess Joins strange sect
which lives in caves. Page 4.
Riots In Belgrade about loan for King Peter
Page 4.
Terrible storms In Europe. Page 4.
Details of massacre by Yaquts In Sonora.
Page 2.
National.
Cuban problem threatens to cause struggle
In Congress. Page 1.
Harrlman's criticism of Roosevelt said to
have caused merger inquiry. Page 1.
Fulton answers Norcross' attack. Page 1.
Dubois delays vote on Smoot case for polit
ical effect. Page 6.
Plnchot declares Hitchcock's action In re
serving Indian land legal. Page 5.
Politics.
Bryan tacitly admits .candidacy for Presi
dent. Page 4.
Science congress discusses swollen fortunes
and learns Rockefeller is poor. Page 1.
Domestic.
Moh at Las Animas, Colo., lynches Leber
Page 2.
Negro soldier assaults woman and El Reno
Is in fever of anger. Page 2.
Grand nephew of Pullman found starving
and In rags. Page B.
Commercial and Marine.
Healthy position of hop market. Page 15.
Wheat advances half cent at Chicago
Pago 15.
New York stock market strong, but quiet
Page 15.
Fair trading In local stocks. Page 15.
Prospects good for an open season on Snake
Klver. Page 14.
Factflo Coast.
Chester Thompson was rhlded by college
friend for verses written to Miss Whit
tlesey. Page 6.
Trainman sent to prevent lnterurban wreck
lost his flag in the woods. Page 6.
Miss Frankie dates, of Medford. Or., disap
pears In San Francisco. Page 6.
Little Lewieton boy plunges into deep mud
hole to save a baby. Page 7.
Oregon's public purse is very nearly emp
tied, rage a
Portland and Vicinity.-
Charter will have to be amended to secure
low water rates. Page 10.
City experts prove -costly. Page 11.
Portland Elks give annual Christmas tree.
Page 10.
Taxpayers of . Port land scfiool district vote
levy of 2.5 mills. Page 10.
Mount Hood Power a Electric Company
files on Bull Run water rights, but denies
that city water supply will be endan
gered. Page 14.
I. L. Patterson, Collector of Customs, whose
term will expire Monday, will go Into
business In Ran Francisco. Page 11.
Boy of 4 fatally scalded by escaping steam
at sash and door factory. Page 16.
Harrlman system will soon build Clearwater
line to Grangevllle. Page 14.
Dealers predict price of fir wood will soon
reach $7 a cord. Page 11.
Street committee of Executive Board awards
contracts for East Side fills. Page 10.
Would-be competitor says business of posting
bills Is In the hands of a trust. Page f.
HARR1MAN STIRS
ROOSEVELT'S IRE
What Led Up to Inquiry
Into Merger.
FIREBRAND AND IRRESPONSIBLE
Railroad King's Words Carried
to White House.
HARRIMAN HELPED HEARST
Refused to Contribute to Republican
Campaign Fund and Denounced
Roosevelt, Who Stormed on
Hearing His Words.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 27. fSpecial.) n
H. Harrlman. who controls the Harrlman
system of railroads, is being punished by
President Roosevelt because Harrlman
harshly criticized the President. This
action on the part of Harrlman is de
clared on reliable authority to be respon
sible for the Investigation which will be
begun by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission in New York January 4, which It
it believed will lead to the dissolution of
the Harrlman merger.
What He Thinks of Roosevelt.
During tho late Congressional campaign
Harrlman was not even lukewarm In his
support of the Republican ticket and he
supported the Hearst ticket in New York.
Harrlman, who is by no means an ad
mirer of Theodore Roosevelt, not only
declined to contribute to the Republican
Congressional campaign fund, but ha
went to a member of the Republican
Congressional campaign committee and
told that official exactly what he thought
of the President.
This opinion was anything but compli
mentary. In general Harrlman stated
that Roosevelt was a firebrand, that he
was irresponsible and that his adminis
tration of the office of President had
been responsible for much trouble ex
perienced by the business world.
Slakes Roosevelt Furious.
The member of the Congressional com.
mlttee lost no time in going to the White
House and Informing the President what
Harrlman had said about him. This re
port displeased the President and in
characteristic Rooseveltlan style he shook
his ,flst in the face of the member of the
Republican Congressional committee and
asked:
"Did Harrlman say these things about
me?" Upon being" assured as to the truth
of the statement, the President said:
"All right; I will attend to this mat
ter." .
Merger Inquiry the Sequel.
Shortly after this incident the Inter
state Commerce Commission ordered an
investigation of the Harrlman merger
and It is declared by the administration
that all the power at its command will
be exerted to bring about a dissolution,
of the merger.
PENSIONS FOR SANTA FE MEN
All Fifteen Years in Service or Over
65 Years Get Them.
TOPEKA. Kan., Dec. 27. Commencing
January 1, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa
Fe Railway Company will place In opera
tion a system of service pensions on all
lines of the system, from Chicago to the
Gulf and the Pacific Coaat. All employes
of the company who have been in Its
service continuously for 15 years and who
have either reached the a-ge of 65 years
or have become permanently disabled
will be entitled to pensions.
The pensions will be based on a per
centage of salary or wages received. The
minimum will be $20 and the maximum
$75 per month. In exceptional cases the
pension board may increase the allow
ance by not more than 20 per cent. Im
morality on the part of an employe will
be sufficient cause for the revocation of a
pension.
The pension board of the road will have
complete charge of all pensions and their
revocation. The first board appointed by
President E. P. Ripley consists of J. W.
Kendrlck, George T. Nicholson. W. B.
Janson, Robert Dunlap and W. E. Bailey.
GRAIN BLOCKADE IS BROKEN
Railroads of Northwest Rush Crops
to Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS'. Minn., Dec. 27. The
backbone of the grain tie-up will soon be
broken, as hundreds of cars of grain are
now coming Into the city daily, partic
ularly over the Great Northern, North
ern Pacific and Soo Railroads.
Great Northern officials assert that they
will have handled more than 6000 grain
cars locally by the end of December, as
against 3001) in November. The Northern
Pacific will have handled between 1200 and
1500 care, as against 553 In November.
Greatest Year Since 1888.
CHICAGO. Dec. 27. More miles of rail
way were constructed in the United States
during the last year than have been built
during any year since according to
the Railway Age. Since January 1 last.
6067 miles of track have been laid on SS?
lines in 44 states and territories, making
the country's total railway mileage 223.
139. The largest amount of rail way 'building
during the year was done in Texas, where
701 miles of track- were laid. Louisiana
and South Dakota are almost tied for
second place, with 391 and 353 miles respectively.