MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1WU7.
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PORTLAND, TUXRNDAY, FEB. 21, 1907.
THE rKKKONSEI, OF THE COMMISSION.
The Oregonlan has not been In haste
to comment upon tho personnel of the
Dew Railroad Commission. It le aware
that the dark, unfathomed oaves of
ocean bear full many a gem and that
mute Inglorious Miltonei are to be found
in every village. While, therefore. It
discerned small reason to hope from Its
own knowledge of tge appointees that
they would accomplish what the people
of Oregon expected from the commis
sion, Mill It was willing to wait and
hear what others might have to say In
the way of encouragement. The Orego
nlan rather expected that the intimate
acquaintances of the gentlemen ' who
have been selected to perform the high
ly important duties of this great office
would come forward with evidence that
they possessed wide administrative ex
perience and abilities of the first rank.
This expectation has not been fulfilled,
although wo are obliged to say that the
fine record of Mr. West as State Land
Agent justifies high hopes as to him.
From all parts of tho utate, however,
evidence accumulates that the public
w ill be agreeably surprised if the com
mission proves adequate to its duties.
The most optimistic scarcely express
more than a faint hope that with ito
actual personnel it will perhaps eerve
as a tolerable makeshift ointll the peo
ple can exercise their prerogative of
choosing more promising successors.
The method of choice prescribed, by tha
bill was perhaps the worst that could
have been devised. If the commission
proves weak, pliable, futile, nobody in
particular will be to blame. The re
sponsibility is divided among three
men, each of whom can shift it upon
his colleagues.
The bi-partisan requirement is not in
accord with the best thought upon such
matters. Bl-parttean commissions of
all fiorts have been almost Invariable
failures. The notion of partisan, or bi
partisan, politics is entirely foreign to
the duties of the commission, as the
bill itself concedes when it forbids the
members, to hold official positions in
any party. As they stand, one can only
hope that the members will not spend
their energies seeking for party advan
tage rather than in regulating the rail
road. The bill provides that the state
board may remove the members in case
they are Incompetent, but one cannot
expect much from this. Were the rep
utation of a single individual hound up
with their successor or failure, he
might be moved to action by flagrant
delinquency or misfeasance, but a re
sponsibility divided among three offi
cials will not worry either of them
greatly. The present arrangement, of
course, is temporary. The commission
a a permanent body is to be elective;
but the bill contains no provision for
the removal of an unsatisfactory com
missioner who has been chosen by the
people. Perhaps such a provision would
not be constitutional; but its absence
distinctly regrettable and will prove
p. weakness in the working of the plan.
Nowhere has the peremptory power of
removal proved so essential as In rail
road commissions.
When it was Anally decided that we
needed and must have a iRailroad Com
mission, the least we could expect from
the appointive power was that it should
select members who would give the
body dignity and prestige which would
command for it at once the respect of
the railroads and the confidence of the
people. It was certainly not presump
tuous to hope that the first members
would be men well known throughout
the state for their ability and charac
ter. They are to fix the precedents for
the commission, determine the lines
which its future proceedings will fol
low, and wt up a standard of fairness,
determination and Judicial wisdom for
their successors. The present commis
sion may do all this in the most
mlrable manner; but nobody feels as
sured that they will. It is a misfor
tune that they, or a majority of them,
emerge from obscurity to a position of
paramount importance at a single leap.
It is a misfortune no less for the men
themselves than for the puhllc; since,
had they risen more gradually, their
success would have been less problem
atical. Consider what injury to the whole
plan of a Railroad Commission the ini
tial appointees might do ehould they
prove pliable under railroad influence.
To cite a. single point out of many,
they have authority to suspend the op
eration of the demurrage clauses for
thirty days 'and to make their order
retroactive. It ia apparent that this
enables them to nullify utterly the rem
edial Intent of the law If they are so
disposed. In case of another car short
age similar to the present one they
might suspend the penalties of the law
at the moment most disastrous to the
shippers. Men with reputations to lose
would, of course, not wish to imperil
them by such conduct. The present
commissioners might also decline to in
flict euch an outrage upon the state:
but their refusal would not be for the
sake of their reputations, since they
have none, or next to none.
The powers necessarily intrusted to
the commission are very extensive. To
be sure, their orders are subject to Judi
cial review and may 'be stayed by in
junctions; but these remedies are tardy
and often far ' from complete. The
members should be of such standing in
the state that there would be no dispo
sition to look beyond them to the
courts for relief, except in rare and: ex
ceptional instances. Their reputations
should give assurance not only of good
intentions, but also of the ability to
carry those intentions into practical
effect. The commercial welfare of Ore
gon for years to come will undoubtedly
depend very largely upon the wisdom,
courage and efficiency- of the Railroad
Commission. It is regrettable in the
extreme that the men who hold its fate
in their hands are comparatively
strangers to the people of the state.
PRKSTIGE OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
The Port of Columbia bill passed the
Oregon Senate yesterday by a vote al
most unanimous. It is a measure of
unusual interest, not only to the three
counties directly concerned, but to the
entire Colum'bla RJver territory. Of the
necessity for improvement in the tug
and pilot service there has been no
question for many months. It Is the
contention of Clatsop County's repre
sentatives that the plan outlined by the
Port of Columbia bill will not correct
the evils which have placed the Co
lumbia River In bad odor with the
shipowners, on whom we are dependent
for tonnage to move the products of the
vast territory drained by the Columbia
River. No radically new -policy for cor
rection of any disability was ever ini
tiated unless there was at least a slight
element of the experimental involved.
The plan embodied' in the new. law may
not be the "best method for handling
the problem. It is the beet, however,
that could be formulated by men who
had the interests of the Columbia River
at heart.
Unless unexpected obstructions are
placed in the way of ite operations, the
new law will remove the sole remaining
disability complained of by the Interna
tional Association of Sailing-Ship Own
ers and again place the Columbia River
on an even basis with Puget Sound
ports. It Is matter of regret that the
determination of the railroad company
to retire from the service and their
agreement to aoeorb the bar pilotage
on all grain vessels was not announced
a little earlier. The leading Clatsop
County property-owners and the repre
sentative business men of Astoria are
not so narrow-minded as to stand in
the way of any improvement that will
redound to the advantage of the entire
Columbia River. Had there been more
time for consultation and explanation
regarding the merits of the bill, much
of the opposition from Clatsop County
would doubtless have been removed or
quieted.
It will be Impossible for the Port of
Columbia to effect any improvement of
conditions at the entrance of the river
without Clatsop and Columbia sharing
proportionately with Multnomah in the
benefits arising from such Improve
ments. Coming events which have cast
their shadows before In the railroad
world are fraught with great possibil
ities for Clatsop County and the entire
Lower Columbia territory, but the key
stone of the arch on which the commer
cial greatness of Astoria, Rainier, Port
land or any other river town will be
built is the entrance to that matchless
waterway, the Columbia River. We
have emerged from the era of economic
waste through which all new countries
pass in the early stages of their devel
opment. The routes and channels into
which commerce is now settling will
not be temporary or experimental
avenues of trade, but within the next
few years will be fixed for all time.
The Columbia River is in the "pathway
of this stream of trade, which will flow
in and out of the Pacific ports'. Our
share in this rapidly swelling volume of
commerce will depend wholly on condi
tions at the entrance of the river.
If the time ever comes when it is
cheaper to take the cargo to the ship
than it is to take the ship to the cargo,
all of the deep-water shipping busi
ness will be done at the point nearest
the sea. That is a simple economic
problem which will, always be solved
on a dollars-andj-cente basis. The beet
plan now before the people of Astoria,
Portland. Rainier, St. Helens and all
other Columbia River ports is to get
together and work in harmony for im
provement of the service at the point
where improvement is most needed. If,
as is now predicted, the new plan for
accomplishing the end sought is not
perfect, we can by' united effort im
prove it. There is too much at stake in
the vast territory concerned to admit
of any delay in applying a remedy. If
the remedy now at hand does not ac
complish all that Is desired, something
else will be invoked. The commercial
prestige of the Columbia River must
and will be maintained.
CONGRATULATION'S TO MR. RADER.
The headquarters committee of the
Anti-Saloon League has made a final
report upon the charges against the
Rev. Paul Rader. Had the committee
taken the public more generously into
its confidence as this unpleasant affair
progressed, Mr. Rader might have been
spared some disagreeable publicity. The
secrecy which looked like an effort to
conceal or palliate guilt came from
nothing worse than a. preference for
privacy and an excessive dread of pub
lic comment, but the result of it was
misunderstanding andi publicity of the
most undesirable sort.
The report fully exonerates Mr. Ra
der, and The Oregonian takes pleasure
in saying so. It loves to see no man
convicted unjustly and rejoices in tri
umphant innocence. The charges are
taken up one by one, candidly consid
ered and disposed of satisfactorily. If
there is an exception to this statement
it Is the matter of the check alleged to
have been contributed by Mr. Bourne.
According to the committee there was
no such check, end therefore Dr. C. T.
Wilson muet have imagined: the cir
cumstance. This looks improbable.
though it is by no means Impossible.
At any rate. Dr. Wilson seems to have
admitted to members of the committee
that he made a mistake as to the facts
and there the matter must rest-
We have never for a moment believed
that Dr. J. R. Wilson, of the Portland
Academy, would lend himself con
sciously to a scheme of whitewashing
Mr. Rader. He is a man of unimpeach
able integrity, and his presumable con
currence in the tenor of the commit
tee's report still further strengthens
the confidence with which it 16 received.
Unwise as the method of the commit
tee was in conducting the investiga
tion, it has reached a conclusion in
which all must concur, and Mr. Rader
is to be congratulated upon what seems
to be a practically complete vindica
tion. He will resume his work strengthened
by the ordeal which he has passed
through successfully. Henceforth it
will be difficult for the tongue of scan
dal to injure him. The confidence of
the public in his integrity will shield
him from the attacks of malice.
THE RAILROAD TRAGEDIES.
Five separate and distinct investiga
tions have been held or are to be held
to ascertain the causes of the recent
terrible wreck of a New York Central
electric train. These investigations
were Instituted by the Coroner, Dis
trict Attorney, Railroad Commission,
a legislative" committee and by the rail
road company. As this was one of the
worst electric train disasters that has
yet occurred, the result of these numer
ous Investigations will be awaited with
considerable Interest. Practically all
branches of the state, as well as the
municipal government, will figure in
these inquiries, and some or all of them
should contribute something .to the
stock of knor.'ledge regarding these fa
talities which are occurring with alarm
ing frequency. Rapid transit is de
manded more and more each year, es
pecially in suburban trains running
from our large cities. The enormous
prices at which real estate is held In
these cities practically forces the rrian
of moderate means to the suburbs.
To go far enough out from New York
or Chicago to secure the advantages
of cheap homes involves a sacrifice of
time consumed in making the journey
between the office orworkshop and the
home. In order that this time may be
shortened to the extreme limit, there
is a demand for high speed. It is this
demand that brings into existence the
schedule that approaches the danger
line. Competition among the roads in
duces them to insist that the men in
charge of their trains keep them mov
ing at high speed.. The employes, of
course, have strict orders to use due
caution in slowing down at curves and
crossings, but they also generally have
orders to make their runs on time. The
railroad officials who are investigating
this latest horror will hardly be ex
pected to find that all of the blame
rests with their own employes. They
might make such admission In the se
clusion of their offices when the em
ployes were "on the carpet" for repri
mand, but will not make them In pub
lic. The employes themselves occupy a
position not at all enviable. Strict ad
herence to schedule is maintained not
Infrequently by an abandonment of
caution, the man who Is unable to put
his train through on time having only
a slight hold on his Job. It thus seems
reasonably clear- that both the public,
which Is clamoring for speed, and the
railroad companies, which undertake to
furnish it, are to blame for these trag
edies of the rail. There has. of course,
been great loss of life by trainwreck
from causes which were beyond the
power of man to foresee or guard
against, and accidents of this nature
will probably continue to occur at in
tervale, regardless of all the safeguards
which the ingenuity of man can put
into use.
The fastest long-distance trains in
the world run between New York and
Chicago, and, while they have for years
maintained a schedule which practical
ly calls for "a thousand miles in a
thousand minutes," the only serious ac
cident they have ever experienced was
caused by a misplaced switch at a sta
tion. The safety and comparative free
dom from accident of these trains la
due to the strictest observance of rules'
and the exercise of greatest caution
over every mile of road. Tho way for
these fast trains is kept clear at an
expense enormously greater than is re
quired for the movement of slower
trains, for to eliminate all chances of
collision or delay to the fast trains
everything else Is held up to give a
clear track to them. The public pays
liberally for this high speed and the
protection that accompanies It.
Perhaps the numerous accidents on
less carefully guarded trains may be
due in part to an effort to maintain
high speed without proper track equip
ment or caution. If this be the case,
some of the numerous investigations
now on may disclose the source of the
evil. The remedy would then lie in
slower trains or better roadbed, equip
ment or management. One thing is
certain, the railroads should not be per
mitted to continue to slaughter passen
gers as they are ' now doing, even
though the passenger seems willing to
take the chance.
SWEAR NOT AT ALL.
There is reason to believe that the
habit of profane swearing is upon the
increase. Words are now printed in
books which would not have been toler
ated a few years ago, and oaths have
become frequent upon the stage. In
deed it seems that some actors believe
that profanity gives a spice of wit to
the drama that would otherwise be
lacking. It was noticed that the prin
cipal players who lately delighted us
with "She Stoops to Conquer" found it
advisable to interpolate half a dozen
"damns" which Goldsmith saw no use
for.
Profanity has become more common
among boys than it was formerly, and
there are women of refinement, so they
think at least, who permit themselves
an occasional oath to give piquancy to
their conversation. Very likely the
boys believe that oaths add vigor to
their remarks; men occasionally fall
under the same delusion. As a matter
of fact, conversation sprinkled with
oaths gains nothing in vigor and loses
much in decency. Profanity shocks
people of cultivated taste, whatever
their religious views may be.
It is only fair to say that the increase
of profanity is probably merely a pass
ing fad. This disagreeable choice of
expression seems to come and go like
other fashions. In the period of the
Georges, of which Thackeray writes so
entertainingly, oaths were plentiful in
the most elegant society. All the men
swore, and most of the women also.
Alfred Russell Wallace, who worked
with several different young men in
his youth at the surveyor's trade, re
cords 'of all of them that their con
versation, was something frightful.
This was almost three-quarters of a
century ago. One may guess that the
current fashion of indulgence in
"strong language" owes its prevalence
in part to Kipling's recent vogue. His
characters generally choose an oath in
preference to less startling expressions,
and everybody, young and old, has
made their acquaintance. Cowboy
tales have much the same influence
upon language. It may be guessed that
improper people affect us in books very
much as they do in life. But the vogue
of profanity is transient. It is too silly
to last long.
What's the matter with Kansas?
One of her citizens is flying the red
flag of anarchy and predicting a rebel
lion in case Moyer and Heywood are
found guilty of the cowardly assassin
ation of ex-Governor Frank Steunen
berg, of Idaho. Organized labor has
much to contend) with, but one of the
greatest obstacles to its progress is the
foolish utterances of JawBmiths of the
type of Mr. Rolfe, of Kansas, who is in
such a warlike mood. If Moyer and
Heywood are guilty, they will be pun
ished; if innocent, they will be freed.
In either case there is no necessity for
loud talking. ' ,
General Castro is reported to have
suppressed the latest revolution by cap
turing and executing General Parades
and eighteen of his followers, including
three Americans. It is painful to read
of the execution of an American citi
zen by the "peppery" fire-eaters of one
of those chronic war-seeking nations
lying south of U3. If, however, the
Americans got mixed up in the scheme
to displace the duly elected president
of the country, they are simply paying
the pena'ty with their lives for their
bad judgment, and there will be no oc
casion for American intervention to
save them.
The Governor refuses to be execu
tioner for two of Oregon's normal
schools, and the Legislature will take
it all out on Drain. Altogether it is
not a happy year for Douglas County,
for, in addition to other troubles, its
most distinguished citizen is under the
necessity of explaining to a. judge and
jury at Washington some things about
his private letters that he would prefer
to have left unexplained.
The only way we see for Astoria to
get even is to have Gabriel Wingate
move up here and be elected Assessor
of Multnomah County. Mr. Wingate,
it will be recalled, is the broad-gauge
statesman who was once on the State
Board of Equalization and regarded it
not only as his solemn duty, but his
sacred, privilege, to make Multnomah
pay more taxes pro rata than any other
county.
The two Senators from Multnomah,
Messrs. Beach and Bailey, who were so
anxious to redeem their pledges to the
people for revocation of perpetual fran
chises by passage of the Freeman bill,
will fortunately get another chance
when the gas franchise revocation
measure comes up.
Emperor William is quite optimistic
over the outlook for peace, and pre
dicts that the coming Hague conference
"will be qualified to develop further the
laws among nations for the good of hu
manity and of peace." Meanwhile the
Krupp gun factories are working over
time. The orgies of Stanford White were
dreadful enough and indecent enough,
in all truth, but it is doubtful whether
a recital of some of them in detail
would have been shocking enough to
the fine sensibilities of Harry Thaw to
drive him even temporarily insane.
The one great consolation about the
compulsory pass law is that, while the
railroads have to give passes to state
officers, the afqresaid state officers do
not have to accept the passes. Possi
bly this phase of the dilemma had not
occurred to Governor Chamberlain.
A man at Wallace interrupted the
Steve Adams trial long enough to de
clare that he was the murderer of Ty
ler. Of course they rushed him off to
an insane asylum. The only men who
ever confess to murder are the men
who didn't do it.
The army of Honduras has been de
feated by that of Nicaragua. The
monthly drawings of the Honduras
state lottery will not be involved in the
result. It takes place in a reconstruct
ed hole in the wall in San Francisco.
Senator Heyburn thinks Mr. Pinchot
packed the Boise- Irrigation Congress
with clacquere) to hiss him. The Sena
tor was, -of course, mistaken. He was
speaking . in Idaho, where they know
him.
Senator Mulkey's confidential friend,
Mr. Rogoway, refuses to permit him to
run for Mayor. But we should really
like to hear from Private Secretary
Barry Bulkeley on the subject.
Mrs. Thaw is about 21 yeans of age.
She was not 16 when she went on the
stage, yet in that brief time she has ac
quired a little bit the most sensational
past of any woman in America.
The short-weight Jobbers at Salem go
on the theory that the public isn't en
titled to know the contents nor welghf
of what it buys, and what the public
doesn't know won't hurt it.
It is just possible now that a few of
those bar pilots will hereafter have
ALL the time at their disposal to pro
mote the interests of the Astoria Chair
Warmers' Association.
Councilman Vaughn, who didn't get
a railroad pass, being overlooked, will
at least be spared the humiliation of
having the pass taken from him by
the operation of law.
We hear no talk about tainted money
in the great Y. M. C. A.-Y. W. C. A.
J350.000 building fund campaign. Hap
pily, there is no such thing in Portland.
The Thaw case also developed a few
interesting facts about the "pie girl"
not heretofore suspected. Evidently
she wasn't good enough to eat.
Now we hope that the Mormon Church
will not expel Apostle Smoot because
he insists on retaining his seat in the
United States Senate.
No wonder Evelyn Thaw's mother re
mains away from New York and the
witness-stand. She, too, knows a lot
that isn't fit to print.
Senator Dubois has sung his swan
song, and it was all about the Mormons.
BAILEY IX HIS OWN DEFENSE
Senator Explains Deals With Cor
porations and Denies Charges.
AUSTIN, Tex.. Feb. 20. "I gave
them a written opinion in which I
stated that if they attempted to do
business in the state they would be
put in the penitentiary and their prop
erty absorbed in fines and penalties."
This is the answer Senator J. W.
Bailey says he gave the Standard Oil
officials when they asked him about
the chances for re-entering Texas. Mr.
Bailey made this statement today be
fore the legislative investigating com
mittee in explaining his relations with
the Standard and Waters-Pierce Oil
companies. The request for an opin
ion came, said Mr. Bailey, immediately
after the Beaumont oil boom.
Other portions of Mr. Bailey's story
before the committee had to do with
his deals with John H. Kirby, the
Texas millionaire lumberman; S. G.
Bane, president of the Seaboard Na
tional Bank of New York; Henry Clay
Pierce, president of the board of direc
tors of the Waters-Pierce Oil Company;
B. K. Yoakum and other financiers.
Mr. Bailey told an interesting story
of his adventures in the financial cen
ters, and firmly maintained that all
of his acts and deeds had been honor
fable and above reproach. He said he
helped his. client. J. H. Kirby, in re
gaining his stock from Patrick Cal
houn of Wall street, and stated that
the $156,000 he borrowed was because
the Kirby Lumber Company had not
legally assumed the state obligations.
Henry Clay Pierce, he said, gave his
written guarantee for the payment of
this also.
The Senator denied conducting an oil
business In Texas in conjunction with
the Waters-Pierce Oil Company or the
Standard. The concern which he took
over for a debt was known as the
Southwestern Oil Company, a subsid
iary concern to the Houston OH Com
pany. B. F. Yoakum, he explained, had pur
chased the Kirby Lumber Company
stock on his solicitation, which was
transferred to the 'Frisco Railway.
Mr. Bailey went into detail regard
ing his attorneyship of the Tennessee
Construction Company. Mr. Bailey de
nied that he had ever represented
Adolphus Buseh in any transaction. "I
have not concluded my attorneyship
with the Tennessee Construction Com
pany yet." he said. "There are some
matters that ought to be engaging my
attention right now."
He declared that there was not a
shadow of truth in the charge that he'
had accepted money ror political ser
vices rendered the Waters-Pierce Oil
Company.
Regarding the B. F. Yoakum Indebt
edness, Mr. Bailey said that he urged
Mr. Yoakum to buy Kirby Lumber
Company stock in that transaction.
Mr. Bailey denied that his efforts
in behalf of his clients had any effect
upon his public duties. His attendance
upon sessions of Congress was as reg
ular, he said, as that of any other
member. It was impossible for a law
yer who was a member of Congress to
engage In general practice, because of
conflicting sessions of court and Con
gress. Regarding his transportation amend
ment to the rebate bilT and his conver
sation with Mr. Yoakum about it he
said:
"Mr. Yoakum agreed with me that a
common carrier should be nothing
more than a common carrier. If my
amendment had been adopted, he
would not have been able to have any
of the lumber land he had purchased.
Yoakum was willing to obey this law.
If the other roads could be forced to
observe it, too."
Frequently during the afternoon Mr.
Bailey denounced the charges as "lies,"
and his enemies as "liars."
DEMANDS SCALP OF KELSEY
Hughes Says Insurance Superintend
ent Neglected Duty.
ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 20. Governor
Hughes sent to the Senate this morning
a special message recommending the re
moval from office of State Superintendent
of Insurance Keisey.
In making the recommendation the Gov
ernor says:
"With respect to life insurance. New
York is easily the most important Juris
diction in the United States, if not in the
world, and the vast interests involved
imperatively require, and It should be a
point of honor "for the state to maintain
a fearless and efficient administration of
its supervising department commanding
the confidence of the people. I recommend
Mr. Kelsey's removal because, as the head
of this department, he has failed to per
form duties of the first importance, and
his neglect has demonstrated his unfitness
for tha position."
The message was read- and referred
without debate to the committee on ju
diciary. Final Vote in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 20. The plu
rality of Congressman John Reyburn, Re
publican, who was yesterday elected
Mayor of Philadelphia over William Pot
ter, the Democratic City Party candidate,
was 33,003. Hugh Black. Republican, re
ceived a plurality of 32,830 over Edmonds,
the fusion candidate for receiver of
taxes.
Delays Action on Pierce Case.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Feb. 20. On
request of counsel for H. C. Pierce, Gov
ernor Folk today postponed until to
morrow action on the requisition for
Fierce Issued by the Texas authorities,
where Pierce is wanted on charges of
making a false affidavit.
Favors Woman Suffrage.
LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 20. The Senate
adopted a joint memorial to Congress in
favor of an amendment to the Constitu
tion permitting women to vote.
The House today adopted the anti-tlp-ping
bill.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN BRITAIN
Imprisoned Women Released Dilke
Proposes Suffrage Bill.
LONDON, Feb. 20. A dozen woman
suffragists were released from prison this
morning and subsequently were enter
tained at luncheon by their colleagues.
Much enthusiasm was aroused by the
reading of congratulatory messages from
the National Woman Suffrage Associa
tion, which closed its convention in Chi
cago yesterday.
The text of Sir Charles Dllke's bill to
enfranchise women and remove women's
disabilities was Issued this morning. It
provides for enfranchising every man and
woman of full age residing in the area
where an election is being held, and that
nobody shall be disqualified by sex or
marriage from being elected to either
house of Parliament or to local bodies,
or from exercising any public functions
whatever. It is similar to the bill which
Sir Charles Introduced last year and
which was defeated. -
French Angry With Russians.
TOULON, France, Feb. .20. The action
of the Russian squadron, which Is an
chored in the harbor, in buying provi
sions from Greek and German houses has
incensed the French merchants, who have
placarded the streets with denunciations
of France's allies and forwarded indig
nant resolutions to Marine Minister
Thomson,
CONSIDER SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
House Republicans Sign Petitions
for Night Sessions.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 20. Until after
another conference of Republican lead
ers tomorrow. It will not be determined
whether the Littauer .ship subsidy bill
Is to be considered at this session of
Congress. One hundred and fifteen Re
publicans have signed a petition for the
consideration of the measure at night
sessions beginning tomorrow night and
continuing through Saturday night.
Representative Watson, the Republi
can whip, satd tonight that these signa
tures were obtained without any spe
cial effort on his part, and that the
number could readily be increased to
150, if the House were to try to force
the issue.
NAVAL BILL THROUGH SENATE
Increased Allowance for Coal and
Powder Factory.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. The naval ap
propriation bill, carrying $100,727,607, was
passed by the Senate tonight in 52 min
utes. All the committee amendments
were agreed to. The only amendment
adopted added $250,000 to the appropriation
for coal and transportation and $130,000
for a powder plant at the Norfolk Navy
yard. Culberson noticed that the Senate com
mittee had doubted the amount of coal
as stated. He asked if these items had
any reference to the gathering of large
fleets, as the President was in the habit
of doing, or to the forthcoming exposition
at Jamestown. Hale replied that the ex
pense of the Navy in times of peace for
ammunition were large. He did not be
lieve any considerable amount of the
fund would be used on account of the
Jamestown Exposition, although he said
that exposition seemed to be developing
into more of a military show than any
thing else.
Stone said he had ascertained that the
annual consumption of Dowder hv the
Army and Navy was about 5.000,000
pounds; that it cost the Government 75
cents a pound, and that the Government
could manufacture this powder for about
half that amount. He had intended to
address the Senate at some length in ad
vocacy of Government manufacture of
powder, but would content himself with
submitting several letters from certain
powder manufacturers of Kansas City,
Peoria, 111., and York, Pa.
MORE ROOM IN THE STEERAGE
Immigration Bill Affects Mediter
ranean Steamers Chiefly.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. The Naviga
tlon Bureau of the Department of Com
merce and Labor in a statement today
points out that the effect of section 42
of the new immigration act. which has
just passed both houses of Congress and
has been signed by the President . is an
Increase after January 1. by nearly
j.- per cent In the minimum space allowed
f6r each steerage passenger on ocean
steamers coming from Europe. Asia,
Africa, Australia and South America. -The
statement says:
"Generally speaking, the passenger
steamers from Northern Europe do not
carry any more passengers in the steer
age than will be permitted after 190!).
The bill will apply chiefly to steamers
coming from the Mediterranean, which
already carry at times nearly to their
full legal capacity and must, two years
hence, either carry fewer passengers or
increase their accommodations.
"Of 56 steamships arriving at New York
with steerage passengers during Janu
ary, 1007, nine carried more than would
be allowed under the new law."
CONFER ON NATIONAL DEFENSE
President and Navy Board Discuss
Possible Emergencies.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 20. By invita
tion. Secretary Metcalf and the entire
General Board of the Navy called at
the White House this afternoon to dis
cuss with the President questions con
cerning the National defense. It is un
derstood the main point of the confer
ence was to ascertain whether there
was any prospect of developments in
the recess of Congress requiring action
now in. addition to the measures al
ready incorporated in the naval appro
priation act to put the Navy in shape
for emergency.
IMMIGRATION BILL SIGNED
Commission of Nine Created to In
vestigate Whole Question.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 20 The President
today signed the immigration bill.
The bill provides for a commission of
nine to make a thorough investigation of
the whole immigration question. Three
of these commissioners are to be ap
pointed by the President and three each
by the Vice-President and Speaker. Al
ready there are a number of applications
on file for these positions.
It is announced that the President will
not place on the commission any person
holding extreme views one way or the
other on Immigration.
Has No Hospital for Lepers.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 20. The hearings
before the House committee on appropri
ations upon the expenditures for the Ma
rine Hospital Service developed the fact
that there is no hospital in the United
States to which leprosy patients may be
sent without pay. except one in Louisi
ana, which accepts only state patients.
It was also brought out that the proposed
leprosy hospital in Hawaii will afford no
refuge to American patients.
STILL ON THE MARKET
1L rmM
PLAYGROUNDS FOR THE YOUNG
Roosevelt Indorses Movement to Ac
quire Them in Cities.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 20 Municipal
playgrounds within easy walking distance
for every boy and girl In the Iaree cities
were advocated tonight by President .
Roosevelt in a letter and by Representa
tive Boutell. of Chicago: E. E. Brown,
United States Commissioner of Educa
tion; Henry S. Carlis. superintendent of
Washington playgrounds. and other
speakers at a "playgrounds banquet"
given under the auspices of the Wash
ington Playgrounds Association. Mr. Bou
tell explained the object of his bill now
pending in Congress.
The President in his letter expressed
hope that Mr. Boutell's bill for play
grounds in Washington will pass Con
gress, that sites may be secured befor
prices become prohibitive, saying: "I re
gard this as one of the most importanl
steps toward making Washington ths
model 'city which we all feel that the
Capital should be."
He praises the work in this direition
done by Chicago and the High School Ath
letic league of New York, and calls at
tention to the inclusion of games in the
curriculum of German and English
schools and several noted private schools
in America. He proceeds:
"Play is almost the only method ol
physical development for our children,
and we must provide facilities for them
if we would have our children strong and
law-abiding. If we don't allow the chil
dren to work we must provide some other
place than the streets for their leisure
time. If we are to require the narents
to rear the children of the country for
the service of the state, the state should
make the education as plea-sant as pos
sible." He declares city streets unsatisfactory
as playgrounds, and says places should
be .set aside for the purpose within easy
walking distance for all children. Avail
able space should be secured at once, that
it may not be necessary -to demolish
buildings at great cost, as New York lias
had to do. Playgrounds should have care
ful supervision, that "gangs" may not get
possession.
CONSERVATIVES IN MAJORITY
Elect Their Man President of New
German Reichstag.
BERLIN, Feb. 20. The Reichstag to
diay elected Count Udo von Stolherg
Wernifcerode. who wa.s first vice-president
of the House, to be, president. The
vote stnoi 214 for Count Udo asninst 1K4
for Dr. Spahn, one of the Center party
leaders and ex-vice-president of tho
Reichstag.
The two conservative parties, the Na
tional Liberals and the Radical groups,
supported Count von Stolberg Wernige
rode and the members of the Center
party, the Socialists and the Poles voted
for Dr. Spahn. The Center party hereto
fore held the presidency for nine years.
Count von Stolherg Wernigerode has
served in Parliament for 30 years continu
ously. He conies of a distinguished fam
ily and is regarded as having excellent
Parliamentary ability.
Dr. Faasche was elected first vice
president, and Herr Kaempf. Radical Lib
eral, second vice-president.
AGAIN DENOUNCE SWETTEMIAM
Kingston People Say He Refuses
Offered Aid.'
KINGSTON. Jamaica. Feb. 20. A mass
meeting of citizens held Monday night
condemned Governor Swettenham for re
fusing monetary assistance coming here.
The meeting adopted petitions to Parlia
ment for a grant of $750,000 and a loan of
$5,000,000 to aid in the rebuilding of the
city.
Plans are now on foot for rebuilding a
vastly improved Kingston. All principal
thoroughfares will be widened, and Lit
tle Port Royal street, that nearest the
harbor front, will be abolished.
Dead bodies are still being recovered
from the ruins, and while the actual
number of killed will never he known, the
total cannot fall short of 1100.
Nicaragua Gains the Victory.
MANAGUA. Feb. 10. The NicsraKuan
army under Generals Vashuez and Fernos
has defeated the forces of Honduras at
several points, capturing important posi
tions. President Bonilla, of Honduras, has is
sued a proclamation in which recent
events are distorted and appealing for
recognition of the boundary question,
which Nicaragua his not taken into con
sideration since the King of Spain ren
dered his award in the matter.
Hondnrians Whip Nicaragua.
SAN SALVADOR, Republic of Sal
vador, Feb. 20. Dispatches received
here by the representatives of Honduras
say that the Nicaraguan Army invaded
Honduras territory at Portillo del Espino
and that after two hours' righting, the in
vading forces were completely defeated,
leaving 37 men killed and many wounded
upon the field.
Chamberlain a Physical Wreck.
LONDON, Feb. 20. An interesting au
thoritative siatement concerning the
health of Joseph Chamberlain is pub
lished here today. Although it does not
confirm the worst rumors, it shows that
Mr. Chamberlain is completely broken
physically, although he Is mentally alert.
Gunboat- Gloucester Again Floats.
PEN3ACOLA. Fla., Feb. 20. The Uni
ted States gunboat Gloucester, which
was blown ashore here during the hurri
cane of last September, was floated to
day. The vessel is badly damaged and
will go into drydock.
or
From the Washington Post.