DOINGS OF OUR NATIONAL CONGRESS RESUMES. '. ' Short Meeting of Fifty-Ninth Session at Work. Washington, Dec. 4. The 5!)th con gress began its last session at noon yes terday. It took the senate 15 minutes to arrange ita preliminaries and the house an hour. The senate received from President Roosevelt a long list of appointments for ita confirmation, and ..., 4: ....: r . i in executive session of It) minutes de cided, as the nominations had been re ceived before the body had been organ ized formally, to make no confirmations until the president's annual message had been received and the session fair ly started. Senators Penrose, of Pennsylvania, and Foraker, of Ohio, came forward with resolutions of inouirv nvanlimr the discharge of the negro troops of the Twenty-fitfh infantry. One was ad dressed to the president and the other to the secretary of war. After the rip ple of surprise bad passed and Vice President Fairbanks bad suggested that it was unusual to transact any business until the president's message had been received, the n solutions went over by unanimous consent. Senator Dupont, of Delaware, took the oath of oflice. The opening of the two houses was witnessed by an animated throng, which filled the gallaries to their ca- pacity. Hundreds went away disap- pointed in not gaining admission to! wit ncss the session of either senate or. house. j Not in years have a larger number of members-elect of the lower house of congress presented themselves at the .speaker's desk to take the oath of oflice Death has been unusually active among the membership during theclosingdays of the iast session and the beginning of the present, and Chaplain Couden feel ingly called the attention of the body to the work of the grim reaper during the months since adjournment. After the appointment of the usual Committee to wait upon the president and inform him that the house was or ganized and ready to receive any com munication be might desire to make of interest to the public service, the house adjourned out of respect to the memory of the deceased members. The presi dent's message will be received both in the house and senate today. No bills were introduced in the senate. In the house t hree were US public measures and 350 of a private character. Work ot Congress. Washington, Dec. 4. The reading of the president's message consumed two hours and 25 minutes in the house to day and was followed closely by a large number of members, while the crowd ed galleries gave close attention. After the customary resolution relat ing to the printing of the message, the bouse, at 2:5.'?, adjourned until noon tomorrow. Washington, Dec. 4. President Roosevelt's annual message to congress occupied the attention of the senate for two and one-half hours today, to the exclusion of nearly all fit her business. The exception to this was the introduc tion of a resolution fin the Japanese situation bv Raynor, of Maryland, ami the adoption of appropriate resolutions 1 regarding those members of the house of representatives who have tlied since the last session. As a mark of further respect to their memories, adjournment was taken at 2:54 o'clock. Wednesday, December 5. Washington, Dec. 5. The brief ses sion of the senate today resulted in the introduction of many bills, resolutions, petitions anil memorials, and the re ceipt of a number of communications from the executive department. Sena tor Foraker's insistence that immediate action be taken on the pending resolu- , V alia alia and (. oeur d Alene coun tions asking for information regarding ties last night, local coal dealers were the discharge of negro soldiwrs of the Twenty-fifth infantry developed discus toon, but resulted in postponing action until tomorrow. Washington, Dec. ft. The house to day, awaiting the report of the appro priation bills, began its legislative grind by passing three measures: JneorjinrHt ing the National (ierman American alliance; authorizing the sec retary fd the treasury to duplicate gold vcrtificates in lieu of ones lost or de- t roved; and amending the national banking las, permitting national lmnking associations to make loans on real estate as security and amount of such loans. limtiing the Worse Treated In Mexico San Antonio, Tex., Dec. 4. A dis patch to the Express from Eagle Pass, Tex., says: Three hundred Japanese have entered the Cnited Slates from Mexico through Eagle Pass since No vember 1. Thev are leaving Mexico because of ill treatment which they r d at the bands of Mexican employ- ts. The Jaanese say they were hired j into Mexico with promises of good pay and pleasant work en farms. So invit ing were the promises that Japanese immigration societies worked to get Japanese for agricultural work. Utah Coal Land Withdrawn, Salt-Lake City, iHv. 4. The Ctah tdate land lxard has received notice from the general land ollice at Washing ton f the withdrawal from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws of 1S4, 21 acres of land in Vtah. This land had Ih-cii selected by the l lai. land lioard for transfer to private par ties as argicultural land, hut it is now withdrawn by the government on the advice of csjHTts, who pronounce it coal land. BODY OF LAWMAKERS I Thursday, December 6. I , WaHhington, Dec. 0. The senate to- day adopted the Penrose resolution aHk- ing the president for information re garding the discharge of the negro troops of the Twenty-fifth infantry, and alHo the Foraker resolution direct ing the secretary of War to transmit information on the same nubiect. Senator Keveridge introduced a bill , y . me,"i V' mt"'l 1'isj.ection act by requiring that the cost of inspection liy requiring tliat the cost of inspi shall be paid by the packers. Another amendment requires that the date of inspection and packing or canning shall be placed on each package. W....1, 1... Tl.. ItA Tl. . , . i,.. i i t . i by a vote of 1 10 to 104 Unlay defeated the bill of Littlefield of Maine remov- I In uiHcnminatKiiiH against American ' H"1 lui. W8elH ,"' 1 ,e coasting traae. llie debate raged for four hours ana a half and the result of the vote was a surprise to the friends of the measure, who openly charged its defeat to the American Federation of Labor. Friday, December 7. Washington, Dec. 7. By a practi cally unanimous vote the house today passed tt.e hill limiting the regulation of interstate commerce between the sev- i . ......... . . . j oral states in articles manufactured by convict labor or in any prison or re- formatorv. The bill was introduced by Hunt, of Missouri, a practical stone mason, i 1 a -r tiie Wilson Mil, which became a law in 1K90, convict labor- made goods may enter into active com petition with the goods manufactured by "free labor" and under this Federal law a state could not pass a law that would prevent the shipping into the state of prison-made goixls of other i states. The sovereignity of the state was the subject of earnest debate in the house today, growing out of the consideration of a bill to establish a game preserve of nearly7(H),(KKI acres in the Olympia forest reserve in the state of Washing ton. The bill was passed without divi sion. READY FOR WAR. Our Army and Navy Prepared if Japan Wants to Fieht. Washintgon, Dec. 4. Nothing which has been said in the whole range of comment on the possibility of war be tween the United States and Japan has surprised certain Washington officials so much as t he seeming unanimity of opinion in the country that we are ut terly unprepared for a tight with the Orientals. There is a prayerful hope that no war will come, but, if it should come, the strong probabilities are that the pessi mists, and they seem to abound in every section of the land, will find that they have looked upon the prospect with blue glasses. Congressmen have come into Wash intgon fmm every district and all of them seem burdened with the belief that, if trouble comes with Japan over the California school question which is a minor matter or over the enact ment of a Japanese exclusion law which is a major matter the Philip- pines will be lost to us, temporarily it least, within a month The Japanese will not take the Phil ippines, fir, if they do, they will be suc cessful in an exploit that will bring them such honors of war as few people. FRANTIC APPEAL FOR COAL. Spokane Dealers Hear From Entire Inland Empire. Spokane, Wash., Dec. 7. Stimu lated . by the heavy fall of snow throughout the Pig Bend, Palouse, today flooded with frantic appeals from I,cwiston, Colfax, Davenport, Pullman, Wallace and other cities for coal. In response to this demand six .. . .. ' i - i entire territory affected. issued . j . . iii- .i ii - signed statement declaring they had i.. .t i. ....jr...: ... - :.. . . ...... ...... ..v., ... ... r-,.,,- I ply the entire Inland Empire, but that ;the (. R. & N. and Northern Pacific 'railways were refusing fir were unable to furnish cars with which to deliver the coal. They criticised the railway for placing them in a false light by ad vertising reduced rates on find and an- iiounccd their intention of appealing to , the Railwav commission for an l nves- I tigation. Must Appear in St. Louis. St. 1niis, Dec. 7. The clerk of the I'nitcd States Circuit court today re ceived notification from the 1'nited States marshal's ollice in New that service had beci ordered on Yor k i John D. Rockefeller and oi l ers in the gov ernment suit against llie Standard Oil company recently tiled in St. Louis. In addition to Rockefeller, ti e follow it joint defendan's with hnn were served: Henry H- Roger- William Rockcf 1 John D. Arcbbold II. M. Flagler and Oliver II. Pavne. Thev will In i i-d to enter an appearance liete. n q iir- Lesson to Free-Traders. L union, iVe. 7. The Daily Mail comments this morning upon the "Tale of American Prosjierity" told in Sccr" tary of the Treasury Shaw's report. It says the striking fact a Unit this daz zling prosjierity is that it prevails in a country which l'.rit isb free traders. 15 years ago, predicted would U' ruined by protection. The Daily Mail regard Mr. Shaw's currency proposals as a I mll statement, not feasible except for the $(0,UI0,UIU duties collected. SHOWS BIG DEFICIT. j Washington, Dec. 11. The annual n a. i r a. . a, d. d.i.!-j r i report of Postmaster General Cortelyou shows receipts for the past year were $17,!).'52,782.!)5, while expenditures were $1 78, 44!), 778.8!). The deficit is $10,516,995.94. Th postmaster general discusses the deficit hut says he is less concerned about that than aliout the efficiency of the department. He attributes the failure to show a profit to the growing public demand for increased postal fa- ..... . .. ...... .... , , dimes, ine ueucn in miv uiaigeu w anv one branch of the service The remarkable efficiency of some departments is commented upon, par ticularly of the registry service. For half a century all causes of loss , . in- eluding burglary, theft and fire, have shown a loss of only three one-thousandths of 1 per cent. Mr. Cortelyou recommends that a deputy postmaster general be appointed, who shall relieve the burden borne by the postmaster general and his four assistants. The department has .'!20, 000 persons in its employ and it is recommended tl at the deputy's position be made permanent and that lie shall be general manager of the postal service, (ireater accuracy in m . statistics is recommende.l and Mr. Cor- telvou asks that nrovision be made for expert statisticians and accountants. llie congestion f i man m .New orK to tlje ,,ew postofliee building, a site for i V II I C it v is indicated and attention called winch lias lieen acquired at the pro nosed terminal station of the Pennsyl vania railroad. FROM PRESIDENT'S VIEW. Gives Reasons for Dismissing Former Ambassador Storer. Washington, Dec. 11. President Roosevelt tonight made public a long letter addressed to Secretary Root, giv ing correspondence between the presi dent and ex-Ambassador Bellamy Stor er, in which lie says that Mr. Storer's refusal to answer his letters and the publication of various private letters justified the ambassador's removal; that Mr. Storer's publication of private correspondence was peculiarly ungentle manly and that he (the president) had stated with absolute clearness his posi tion, the reason why it was out of the (piestion for him as president to try to get any archbishop made cardinal, though expressing his admiration fur Archbishop Ireland as well as leaders of other denomination. The president's action follows the publication of a "confidential pamph let" which Mr. Storer last week sent to the president, the cabinet anil the sen ate and foreign relations committee. PRESIDENT CASTRO ILL. Chief Executive of Venezuela Removed to Seacoast Town on a Bed. Fort de France, Martinique, Dec. 11. Reliable advices here from Venezuela set forth that President Castro was moved down to the little seacoast vil lage of Macuto, near La (iuayra, last week. The president is described as being very ill. lie made the trip from Caracas in a bed. When be arrived at Macuto, he -appeared to be absolutely unconscious. It is generally believed that he has no chance of recovery. Violently worded posters have leen circulated in Caracas declaring that no one is today deceived regarding the gravity of President Castro's illness, and insisting that the exercise of the executive power lie assured through a vice president, which is provided for in j me constitution. lor a long time, past the poster continued, only routine government matters have been attended to, and imjxirtant questions are being hel in alieyance. General Parades, an ex-revolutionists, now in exile, is organizing a seri f 'us insurrectionary movement, and , ., . , . . ., .. , ciarcs wiai in' will soon rake Tin , - . , . r . . field. .....in.- mi,.- a..,'v'v. inn-r- at his disposition. Ten Days' Time to Refund. Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 11. State Commissioner of Insurance R. E. Folk today sent telegrams to the Mutual Life and New York Life Insurance compan- ies giving them ten dins in which 1o refund certain ainount- of policy hold ers' money. The Mutual, he charges, has used several thousand dollars as compensation and expenses for agents to electioneer for the admini-t nit ion ticket. The New York Life officials are given ten days in which to cover it ""eanry money spent for print ns: and circulating Mm administration ha I Ms. Sale of Mexican Mine. El Paxil, Tex., Dec. 11. News was received today of the consummation of the sale of the hvn mud famoii- go'd aed silver mining properties in the st ate of Sonora. Las Chi-lia. a 'a-n-o'is producer, has Wen void t -a New York ;ii Paris syndicate for C.iMin.ood Jiesos ($:LOO0.OO0 goldl. The I'.adi.an ora mines, in the same district, one of the most famous of the Antiguas groir-, has been sold to D. F. O. Pea-e, of Chi cago, and his associates. Sampans Sunk in Squall. Tokio, Dec. 11. A miiiiU'r of sam pans (small harlwtr Uiat' U-longing to the Japatiee cruiser Chitis were sunk in a squall here twlay while kbe was returning from a trip. A tininUT of the Uiats were overturned and 0 men were drowned. NEWS ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST FROM THE STATE OF OREGON BUSINESS PARALYZED. Car Shortage Causing Heavy Losses to Shippers. McMinnville To say nothing of the air shortage for the immense lumber tni(ie jn this county, shippers are at wist ;w (5ir(J Hlort. A McMinnville honbnver said that the growers in this part of the county are already losers . .... by $;.'u,UOU on account Ot not lieing able to get cars when they had a chance to sell, and little relief is in sight. Wool shipments have been delayed, ami the farmers put to great inconven ience and loss. The potato crop is waiting shipment with no fairs. A great part of it is on ! the sidetracks and a freeze would re ' suit in great loss. A prominent ship ! rier Kii id : ..The company not build enough keep up with the wonderful in- ' crea8P of business, and what they have aro poorly handled. For instance, cars mm(i in nere (JV,.rv (j!iy from f)le East) arp uni0il(ied here and are sent empty to Portland, after staying here for two !, .!... ,i..u ti, ,.,.,.,, 1,1 .,0 .n ii ii x (Jti n . Jiii vuiiM u.?l tirs nrw : hm, for vporthtrii. The car ' ,.i...4 :.. .i i i: i . jusint,sa this section of country has ! eVer suffered fro n Lane Could Use 3,000 Cars. Eugene The Willamette valley car shortage is seriously affecting the busi ness of Lane county lumber concerns. The Booth-Kelly company's big mill at Wend ling has closed down on that ac count, forcing between 250 and 400 men into idleness. The company's Springfield mill is running only in the day time, the night shift having been laid off several months ago, forcing 100 men to seek employment elsewhere. The company at the present time is short 1 , 7(H) cars, and it is estimated that the total shortage in the county is 3, OW cars. The Mohawk Lumber com pany's mill has closed down. Brownsville Feels Gloomy. Brownsville Inability to obtain cars for transportation of lumber is jmralyz ing the business of the lumbermen of this section. The shortage has existed for seven weeks, during which period not a single car lias been loaded at this station, the railroad company absolute ly refusing to supply cars at all. That no relief is in sight is jvitent from the fact that a conference, held in Portland a few days ago, between Mayor W. P. Elmore, of this city, and J. P. O'Brien, of the Southern Pacific, in reference to the car shortage, failed utterly, no encouragement whatever being offered. Linn Needs 50 for Grain. Albany There is great suffering from the car shortage in towns on the branch lines in this part of the state. Being a railroad junction and a distri buting point, Albany is more favored than any other valley city, but condi tions even here are very bad. Shippers can get cars for Portland, but absolute ly nothing for the south. The greatest need is for cars for grain and farm pro duce on branch lines. Shippers are un able to fill orders, and the demand for cars is growing greater every day. At least 50 cars are needed now for grain alone. ' Inconvenience at Grants Pass. Grants Pass The Southern Pacific will not furnish cars for California Doints. evcetit fur fruit. The California Pine Box & Lumber company is also hand icanned bv nut heimr able to .t,,f lumber shipped from outside points. 1 l,t tl,. .,.....,,- rnin.r ita 1 ! force, and is putt ing in full t ime. The i Fruit Growers' union has been able to get all the cars needed to ship apples both to California and the East. Merch ants have been inconvenienced. Woocburn Wants 58- Woodburn If relief does not come soon there will be considerable loss ; from the car shortage here, if a freeze comes aim the contents ot warehouse are affected. Among the cars needed are H5 for potatoes, "0 for hay and 22 for hops. Of these ftS cars, some were ordered before November 1. Farmers are anxious to sell, but the commission houses cannot buy so long as they , can not get cars. Clackamas Wants Better Roads. Oregon Citv Commendable interest in bringing alwmt an improved condi tion in many of the highways of the county is lwing exhibited by the taxjuiy ers r siding in several of the inijwirtant road districts. Several meetings have been held in different sections of the county, when a special tax has been or dered levied, the proceeds from which 'will K utilized, together with what may lie appropriated by the county, in placing in substanital reair the thor oughfares in such districts. At a meet ing of the taxpayers of the Highland road district a swcial tax of (i mills was ordered levied for this purpise. Irrigation at Freewater. Freewater Winter irrigation of the Hudson Hay district. 10 miles below thi" city, is now in full prorgess, irri gation from the big P.urlingame ditch and its laterals covering an area "f about L'lt.tKX acres of fruit and rich al falfa land. At this season of 1 he year all the waters of the Walla Walla'and the Tuni-a-lnm rivers lie low the Pea cock and Eagle mills in this city are available for irrigation, which has proved to be a successful plan in this particular district. EVERY COUNTY PAID IN FULL. Oregon is Out of Debt, and Will Be Until Early Next Year. Salem For the first time in the his tory of the state every county has paid its state taxes in full. In the last three or four years the payments have been prompt and only two or three counties were delinquent and only for eomjiaratively small sums. Now, how ever, that the last half of the state tax from the several counties is delinquent, a balance of accounts has been struck and not a dollar is found to be due the state. Until a few days ago fine county had not paid, but the county treasurer remitted before delinquency started the accumulation of interest. Though the finances of the state are in excellent condition and the state has not a dollar of debt, it is apjiarent that the treasury will be depleted early in 1!)07, and that for some time warrants must be indorsed for want of funds and the state must pay interest thereon. No more state taxes will be due until April. Corn in Benton County. Corvallis On old wheat land in this county, John Whitakcr, living 12 miles south of Corvallis, grew this swi.son 1, XHj bushels of corn on 14 acres of ground. The yield is more than 70 bushels per acre, which is understood to be a satisfactory yield in the corn belt of the Middle West. The soil is sandy loam, but has been cropped for many years to wheat. The success Mr. Whitaker has had this and other years will lead him to plant a larger acreage of corn next season. Will Colonize Big Tract. Oregon City Judge T. F. Ryan has made the sale for II. Grim, of Texas, of 800 acres of land, four miles north east of Molalla, U W. II. Pair, of Can by. This farm will be subdivided into small tracts and disposed of through a plan of colonization. Only 80 acres of the large tract are under cultivation, but the rest can easily be cleared by the individual purchaseas of the tracts. The land is rich and productive and is one of the most fertile sections in the county. Can Factory for Astoria. Astoria Articles of incorporation of the Kendall Can company have been filed in the county clerk's oflice. The incorporators are George W. Sanborn, F. P. Kendall and G. C. Fulton, and the capital stock is $K0,OOO, divided into 1,(H0 shares of 100 each. The company is making arrangements for the erection of a plant that will be equipped with the most modern machin ery for the manufacture of all classes of cans. Favor Phonetic Readers. Pendleton The sixth annual conven tion of the eastern division of the State Teachers' association, adopted a resolution requesting the State Text lniok commission to adopt some series of readers based on a system ot pho net ics. Cold Weather in John Day. Canyon City John lav valley resi dents have experienced a sharp taste of winter, snow falling in the mountains until some of the roads werealmost im passible. No stock was lost, and there is no fuel famine here. PORTLAND MARKETS. Fruits Apples, Common to choice, 5( H-r 75c per box ; choice to fancy, $1W 2.; grapes, $1.6.VS2.25 per crate: pears, $ 1 (i 1 .50 ; cranberries. $126il3 l(-'r 1,am'' : persimmons, $1. Super box. egeuo.ies v aooage, i -4 ... i -s. . cauliflower, 1 .(. per dozen ; celery, o (n Mk' per dozen ; lettuce, head, .'10c per dozen; onions, 10(i 12L2c jier dozen; bell peppers, 8c; pumpkins, l?4f per pound; spinach, 4fr ftc per pound; squash, l(.i l.c; turnips, SiOcf$l per sack; carrots, l'0e(.! $1 per sack; beets, $1 .'Jft(v 1.50 per sack; horseradish, !(" 10c per pound ; sweet potatoes, '2l(n 2L2c per pound. Onions Oregon, 75efi$l per cwt. Potatoes Oregon Hurhanks, fancy, flfVi 1 .10; common, 70(f !HV. Putter Fancy creamery, '27t0' 32Kc j er pound. Eggs Oregon ranch, .17 .,e per dozen. Poultry Average old hens. UV.?1.V per pound: mixed chickens, 2 l-l-flc; spring. 1 '1 l..fi 1.1 lc; old roosters, Sf.i 10c; dressed chickens, 14(" 1-V; tur keys, live. KrtlT'ji': turkeys, dressed, choice, Ll(i L'l'ljC; geese, live, 10c: thicks, l.V Die;. Wheat Club, f.:V.i t',4e: bluestem, (.7( iSc; valley. litiCi l!7c; red. (Uf i CLV. Oats No 1 white, fLV.i L'V-iO; gray, f-4.o0( i J"i ht ton. Harlev Feed. f2 1?1 per ton; brewing. -,L'.ft0; rolled, $2:.ftii(.f 24. Rye $1.40d 1.4ft per cwt. Corn Whole, $2(1; cracked, $27 jht ton . Hay Valley timothy, No. 1. $llf-12 per ton; Eastern Oregon timothy. $14 (i lii; clver. $7(.i S; cheat. $7.ft(V.i S..riO; grain hay. $7.ft0f . S.ftU; alfalfa. $1 1 .V; vetch hay. $7r- 7..M. Veal Pressed. S'gf.i Se per pound. IVef Pressed bulls. U.i 2c per pound : cows. 4'.i.V; country steer. .V.. ."i '.,. Mutt n Pressed, fancy. Sm SO..C ivr jmund: ordinary, ((" 7c. Pork Dressed. ((. Sc per jimnd. Hop 11ifl4c per pound, according to quality. Wo-il Fa-tern 0-egn a cage bet, 13. if lSe p t pound, mv T lirg to -) r:r.k age; valley. 20(n21e. :'" r ! i"g to fine ness; mohair, choice, 2!'nfi 2-' PROBE HILL ROADS. j empire uunucr la iicai inuiudio c : d -1 -i i' ki . r .j: ,j for Commission Griddle. Washington, Dec. 10. An investi gation of the operations ai d manage ment of the railroads coi.tr died by James J. Hill and associates, including the North'-m Pacific, Great Northern and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy is in conternplatif n by the Interstate Commerce commission. After certain preliminaries have been arranged and counsel for the commission selected, formal announcement of the proposed inquiry will be made. As in the case of tl e proposed inves tigation of the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads of the Ilarriman sy.-tem, the inquiry is not the outgrowth of any specific complaints of violations of the interstate commerce law, but it is to be undertaken by virtue of the general inquisitorial powers conferred upon the commission by congress. The inquiry will lie broad and com prehensive, with a view to ascertaining the exact condition of affairs regarding the jailroad's compliance with the in terstate commerce act. A member of the commission, in speaking of the pro posed inquiry, said: "Although there has been outward, compliance with the decree of the Su preme court in dissolving the Northern Securities company, yet there has been n difference in the rates given upon the united system." WOULD WELCOME CITIZENSHIP. Viscount Aoki Says Japanese Are Eager for Naturalization. Washington, Dec. 10. Favorable ac tion by congress on the recommendation of the president in his last annual mes sage that an act be passed specifically providing for the naturalization of Jap anese who come to the L'nited States intending to become American citizens, will go far toward securing a continu ance of the traditional friendly rela tions between this country and Japan, is the opinion Jof Viscount Aoki, the Japanese ambassador. "Of course," said Viscount Aoki, to day, "no nation likes to see its subjects leave to take up a permanent abode in a foreign land and lose all relation with the fatherland, but in many cases it cannot be helped." The ambassador expressed the belief that there were not so many Japanese in this country to take advantage of naturalization if it were granted, but he thought that such an opportunity should he afforded them along with the citizens of other countries. He said he did not think it probable that those Japanese who were emigrating in large numlier to Hawaii and the Pacific coast would aail themselves of natur alization, because of the fact that they represented the poorer classes, and most of them ultimately returned to Japan. Viscount Aoki said he had every confidence in the outcome of the test case which will be brought in the California courts. FIX LUMBER PRICE. Senate May Inves.igate Manufactur ers Who Control Industry. Washington, Dec, 10. An investiga tion of the lumber combine, as pro posed in the resolution introduced by Senator Kittredge, of South Dakota, will lie productive of more good to the people, in the opinion of some Western senators, than any inquiry instituted in recent years. Mr. Kittredge has collected considerable material, and, when it is presented to the senate in connection with details Senator LaFol lette and other Western senators will bring fait, a strong majority is expect ed in favor of the resolution. In many respects the "gentlemen's agreement which controls the price of lumlier is like that which was alleged in the lieef packing industry. There are several associations, such as the Hemlock association, the Pine associa tion and the Hardwood association, whose representatives meet once a month, discuss the conaitions and fix price-:. There are no records and no docu ments that would nici limnate, but tl r nigh an agreement of "gentlemen" th output is regulated and prices fixed. East River Tunnel Bores Joined, New York, Dec. 10. Manhattan and Hnxiklyn Imroughs were connected tin ier the Fast river t.nlay by the piercing of the last section which separated the ends of the north tulie of the tunnel of the Hrooklyn Rapio Transit extension. The East river tunnel extends from the Hattery to Joralmon street, Brooklyn. It will form part of the Subway Rapid 'T,r;iiiit vtom from Kill', Hriih. ti-i Hrooklyn. Elect l i" cars of the Long I-land railroad w ill also run through the tunnel. At the point of connec tion the tunnel is 7ft feet under water. No More Postal Franks. New York. Dih 10. Clarence II. Maekay. president of the Potal Tele- g-av .V Cable company, stated today that the lioard "1 directors of that com pany had pasM-d the follow ing resolu tion: "Rc"ivcd, That owing t changed condit ion, it has Uvn found necessary to top all free transmission of messages and this company will al solntely dic.ntinue it iie li-t on and after January 1, 1'07." There arj nianv frank outstanding. Wealth From Montana Mines. Rutte. IVe. D. Montana pr.wli.-ed in the calendar y ar . f iveft. eopjw-r, silver, gold and lead to the value of $7i,.'i7r.fts:'.. The-e value came from ft. ooo. 000 tone . f or-, and the ajg-e-tM-'t pr.i-lucti n wa greater bv $lo.. 0S-;.7.'!'i than the vilue of the on'n it f l! '4. which was approximately $10,. (KM, 00 thfi ti e e.ir U-f :v.