HAPPENINGS GATHERED IN AND
AROUND
DECLINE TO MEET PINCHOT.
Fulton and Heyburn Unwilling to Sup
port Charges.
Washington, March 13.-In a report
made to the house, Representtaive Lit
tlefield, of Maine, chairman of the com
mittee on expenditures in the depart
ment of Agriculture, defends the Fores
try bureau of that department.
The recent attacks made upon Gifford
Tinchot, chief forester, by Senators
Fulton, of Oregon, and Heyburn, of
Idaho, on the floor of the senate are
held to he disproved by Mr. Littlefield
after an examination of Mr. Pinchot
under oath. Senator Fulton charged
that the Forestry bureau was the "worst
organized department of the govern
ment," and blamed it for the land
frauds in the Far West. Upon exam
ination, Mr. Littlelield fcund only one
iflaw in the entire organization of the
bureau, which was only minor in char
acter, and immediately remedied on his
suggestion. He showed that the land
frauds of which Senator Fulton com
plained were all perpetrated before the
bureau of Forestry was established and
when that branch of the government
was under the control of the Interior
department.
Senator Fulton declined an invitation
"to appear before Mr. Litt lefiebl'a com
mittee and cross examine Mr. Pinchut,
as did Mr. Heyburn, who charged that
at a meeting of the adux:utes of forestry
at Boise. Idaho, lust summer he had
been howled down and openly insulted
by employee of Mr. Pinchot's bureau.
.Mr. Littlefield himself was present at
this meeting, and stated that there
were not to exceed t wenty foresters in
an audience of 1,500 at that meeitng,
and Senator Heyburn had rever men
tioned the matter to him.
PHILIPPINE ELECTIONS IN JULY
1 aft Will Attend Opening of First As
sembly in September.
Washington, March. 15. Secretary
Taft'e proposed visit to 'the Philippines
in September to attend the opening of
the first Philippine aesernbly has direct
ed attention toward the new legislative
body to be created for the islanders.
The assembly will consist of 61 mem
bers apportioned upon the basis of one
delegate for each y.OOO persons, and
provision is made to increase the num
ber to a total of 1(H). It will in a gen
eral way correspond to the American
tiriiiso rif representatives, while the
Philippine commission will correspond i
to the United Slates senate, and the!
acta nf Hip nKSfinblv must secure the
approval of the commission before they
Ijecome laws.
Flections are to be held on July 30.
Secretary Taft will shirt for the islands
in August, and the first assembly will
convene in September, Subsequent
elm-linns for tlifl assembly are to be held
upon the first Tuesday after the first !
Monday of November in o Id numbered :
years, the delegates to hold ollice for J
iwo years.
The election law of the Philippine j
islands requires that voters must be
males 23 years old, citizens of the .
Philippines. The Australian ballot
system is to be used, and heavy penal
ties are prescribed for corrupt practices.
COMPLETES NOBEL BOARD.
President Appoints Two More Com
missioners on Industrial Peace.
Washington, March 18. The presi
dent today appointed Seth Low, of New
York, and Thomas G. Bush, of Birm
ingham, Ala., as representatives of the
general public under the act of congress,
establishing a foundation for the pro
motion of industrial peace, the basis of
which is the Nobel prize fund,- recently
awarded the president of the Norwegian
-storthing. This completes the admin
istrative board. Other members of the
"board of trustees are:
John Mitchell, president of the Unit
ed Mineworkers of America, as the rep
resentative of labor; Marvin Hughitt,
president of the Chicago & Noith west
ern Railway company, representing
capital; the chief justice of the supreme
-court of the United States, the secretary
of commerce and labor and the secretary
of agriculture.
Ammunition Not Guarded.
Washington, March 14. That am
munition used in infantry rifles is not
guarded as closely as has been claimed
by discharged negro soldiers, and that
it is possible for soldiers to obtain ex
tra ammunition was brought out in the
Brownsville ir.quiry today. This testi
mony was given by Captain I). W.
Kilbum, of the Twenty-sixth infantry,
which regiment preceded the negro
oldiers at Fort Brown. The same wit
ness declared that citizens of Browns
ville made threat that they would run
negro troops out of town.
Will Not Draw Color Line.
Washington, March 13. The post--offiee
department does - not intend to
draw the color line in the matter of
white and negro railway mail clerks.
Although an intimation has lieen given
that white clerks in the Middle West
are preparing a request to the depart
ment, to effect a change so as to put the
negroes on runs which will not bring
them in proximity to the whites, it
was stated today that no such discrim
ination could or would be made.
Hospital for Bremerton Yard.
Washington, March 12. The Navy
department is preparing plans for a
$150,000 hospital at the Puget Sound
navy yard to accomodate 100 patients.
WASHINGTON, D. G.
LAND ORDER IS RECALLED.
President Finds Holding Up of Titles
Hardship on Settlers.
Washington, March 14. President
Roosevelt today Bent the following let
ter to the secretary of the interior can
celling his order of February 12, relat
ing to the issuance of evidence of title
under the public land laws:
"My order of February 12, 1907, re
lating to the issue of evidence cf title
under the public land laws is hereby
cancelled for the reason that congress
did not appropriate an amount suffi
cient to enable the commissioner of the
general land office properly to carry out
the purposes of that order, which were
to have such examinations made of all
applications for patent as would facili
tate the issuance of title to bona fide
settlers and homemakers; would reduce
illegal entries to a minimum and bring
the work of the land office up to date.
With the amount actually appropriated
it is not possible to carry out the order
or to provide with certainty for the de
tection of fraud without causing unrea
sonable hardship to bona fide settlers
and homemakers.
"In order to accomplish as much as
can be accomplished with our present
means in preventing illegal acquisition
of public lands, the commissioner of
the general land office wlil detail all
his availuble field and office force in
such manner, by concentration or other
wise, as will as effectively as is possible
with the actual appropriation restrict
fraud, enforce the existing laws and
promote the bona fide settlement of
public lands by homemakers.
WITHDRAWN FROM FOREST.
Large Area in Pend d'Orielle Moun
tains Open to Settlers.
Washington, March 16. The Forest
service has received notice that 372,000
acres of land in Stevens county, Wash.,
have been released from temporary
withdrawal. This land lies between
the Pend d'Oreille river on the east and
the Colville and Columbia rivers on
the west. It is principally unsurveyed
and mountainous. The area was orig
inally withdrawn pending examination
to determnie suitability for addition to
the Friest River national forest.
Its release was recommended by the
forester because of numerous protests
by settlers against its reservation and
because protect ion of the watersheds
was not necessary in order to conserve
any streams used for irrigation pur
poses. Reports of examiners show that
it is chiefly a brush land area much
burned over, though a small proportion
is timbered.
The released land will be subject to
settlement for 90 days before becoming
subject to entry.
Will Transfer Inspectors.
Washington, March 12. Secretary
Straus, of the department of Commerce
and Labor, is greatly dissatisfied with
the present methods of steamboat in
spection, and today announced that
marked reform is to be immediately
inaugurated with a view to increased
efficiency of service and reducing the
chances of disaster. He has directed a
change in the station of all inspectors
of hulls and boilers throughout the
United States and will ask congress
next winter to authorize him to keep
inspectors continually on the move.
Gets Deserved Promotion.
Washington, March 12. No govern
ment official ever earned promotion
more than F. II . Newell, who was to-
; day made director of the reclamation
J per vice, succeeding O. D. Walcott. Mr.
, Newell entered the government service
j in 1888, first undertaking general irri
gation surveys and later taking charge
of the bydrographic bureau, when it
was formed. For 18 years he has de
voted his entire time to studying the
resources and irrigation possibilities
of the arid West, and he is now better
informed on this subject than any other
living man.
Reopen Much Coal Land.
Washington, March 13. President
Roosevelt will sign an order restoring
, to the public domain practically 30,
i 000,000 acres of land recently " with
drawn as coal land. The land was part
of a withdrawal aggregating 64, 0(H), 000
acres. Sine the withdrawal experts of
the Geolog: al urvey have been engag
ed in ascert; in g the coal bearing val
ue of the wiiurawn land and, while
the land to be restored to entry is still
classified as coal land, it is understood
its value as such does not warrant ex
clusion from public entry.
Want To Live With Sioux.
Washington, March 14. An effort
will be made by the Interior depart
ment to obtain the consent of the Chey
enne river Sioux temporarily to locate
on their reservation the memlers of the
Ute land of Indians who left their res
ervation in Utah last year and were
afterwards rounded up at Fort Meade,
S.I). Because t in igat ion works un
der way and of the other reasons, the
Utes say their resenation is not in a
condition to make a living on.
New Bids for Life Saving Tug.
Washington, March 12. Bids will
again be opened April 4 for the con
struction of a life saving tug for for the
station at the entrance of the straits of
Fuca. The department hopes to get
bids from the Pacific coast. In previ
ous competitions Pusey A Jones, of
Wilmington, were the lowest bidders,
at $189,000, but their bid exceeded the
appropriation. Congress hai since in
creased this, and now $203,000 is available.
POINT AGAINST HERMANN.
Answered Letters, but Copies of An
swers Not Found.
Washington, March 15. Evidence
decidedly damaging to Binger Her
mann was introduced by the govern
ment today in the trial of the ex-land
commissioner for destruction of 35 let
terpress copybooks, alleged to have
contained official correspondence.
Charles L. Dubois, chief of survey di
vision; JJ. (J. Sherman, formerly Her
mann's financial clerk, and John S.
Wile, another clerk in the land office,
all identified several letters taken from
the files of the land office, all pertain
ing to government business and all en
dorsed on the back, "answered , by
commissioner.
They all agreed that this endorse
ment signified that Hermann himself
dictated the replies and that his an
swers were press-copied in what were
known as the commissioner's "person
al" letter-books. It was also brought
out by the government that careful
search through the letter-books now in
the land office failed to disclose copies
of the answers to these particular let
ters, thereby strongly intimating that
the letters must have been copied in
the books destroyed by Hermann as
charged in the indictment, and that
the books, therefore, contained official
correspondence.
No stronger evidence in support of
indictment has heretofore been given
during the protracted trial. In fact,
moat of the evidence submiitted up to
this time has been designed to show a
motive for the destruction of the books
and had no direct bearing upon the
actual charge contained in the indict
ment. Today's evidence is very strong
in support of the indictment, and while
it is circumstantial, yet leaves little
doubt in the minds of those who have
followed the case that Hermann's so-
called "private" letter-books in fact
contained much correspondence relat
ing to the business of his office.
MAY PROMOTE IMMIGRATION.
Government Will Not interfere With
Movement of Southern States.
Washington, March 15. Informa
tion received today renders it clear
that the immigration authorities, as
one result of the several conferences re
cently held, in which the president,
Secretary Straus, Attorney General
Bonaparte, Commissioner of Immigra
tion Sargent and prominent men of the
South have participated, will, interpret
the existing immigration law as it was
nterpreted in the South Carolina case.
The attorney general has held that the
immigrants landed at Charleston, S. C,
last November, are legally in the coun
try. They were induced to come to
America by authorized agents of South
Carolina and the passage money for
some, at least, of them was paid by
the state, and others by contributions
of the citizens. Several other Southern
states have decided to seek immigra
tion along the same lines as were fol
lowed by South Carolina and it is un
derstood they will not be interfered
with.
CHANGES CANAL BOARD.
Roosevelt Receives Resignations and
Appoints New Members.
Washington, March 15. The presi
dent today received the resignations as
members of the Isthmian Canal com
mission of Rear Admiral Endicott,
Brigadier General C. P. Haines and D.
M. Harrod, to take effect tomorrow.
To fill the vacancies he announced the
appointment of John F. Stevens as
chairman of the commission to succeed
T. P. Shonts. and as commissioners
Lieutenant Colonel Goethals, Majors
Gaillard and Siebert, Civil Enginneer
Rosseau, Pr. Gorgas and Jackson
Smith.
Ex-Senator Blackburn will have to
await the retirement from the commis
sion of Mr. Stevens about April 1.
Enjoins New Copper Deal.
Grand Rapids, Mich., March 15.--Judge
Knappen, of the United States
Circuit court, today admitted that. yes
terday he issued a restraining order for
bidding stockholders of the CalumeUt
Ilecla Mining company from holding a
meeting to vote proxies in the Osceola
company, and hearing on an injunction j
. I nr 1- oc T i - r- I
wus sei lur iuarcu to. j iuij;e jvimppcu
refused absolutely to discuss the matter.
The action before Judge Knappen was
instituted by Mr. Boynton, attorney for
the Bigelow interests in the Osceola
mine.
Will Enforce 8-hour Law.
Washington, March 15. Secretary
Taft has given orders to the engineer
officers of the War department to en
force to the letter the eight-hour law as
applied to public works under their
direction. This order, which wh is
sued with the permission of the presi
dent, w ill be far-reaching and. it is pre
dicted, will greatly reduce the amount
of river and harbor work that can be
accomplished under the appropriations
made by the last congress.
Sell to Insurance Company.
Milan, March 15. In the town of
Borsano, near this city, 2,000 persons
were today made homeless by a fire
which destroyed the greater part of the
village. The people wete indifferent
to the spread of the flames, leoause
their property was- Insured, and the au
thorities were obliged to force peasants
to work to check the fire. ;
MUST STOP ALL
Heavy Loss to Railroads Caused by
Hostile State Legislation.
Companies Claim Retaliation Is Not
the Aim But Sir.ple Prudence to
Stop Work Until It Is Known
Where Moneo is Coming From to
Pay for Them.
Chicago, March 14. Railroad presi
dents agree that the general disposition
all over the country to attack the roads
by means of hostile bills has reached a
stage where some decided action must
be taken or the country will Buffer se
verely. As a matter of fact, the roads
already have suffered tremendous
losses, but eventually the heaviest bur
den will fall upon the public in dimin
ished and inferior service, general re
trenchment, cheaper equipment and
the abandonment of extensions which
would develop new country.
Tiie greatest danger, according to all
authorities, lies in the great crop of
two-cent rate bills, legardlesa of the
conditions in the states adopting the
bills. In the East it is possible to main
tain good service at this rate. In the
West it is not.
Benjamin Winchell, president of the
Rock Island system, probably best
epitomizes the sense of all the replies
received to messages sent all presi
dents asking for an opinion on present
conditions and what was necessary to
reduce the danger of poorer hervice.
Mr. Winchell says:
"If the Interstate Commerce com
mission does its work wisely and
sanely, as I believe it will do, the rail
roads have nothing to fear. They will
get even justice, which is all they ask.
I am relying on the sound sense of
fairness of the American people to stop
before the situation becomes acute
financially. It is a mistake to say the
rjilroads are retaliating by reducing
their service and abandoning great en
terprises. It is simple prudence, a
bowing to the storm. We are forced
to stop building new lines, buying cars
and other equipment until we know
where the money is coming from. It
is simple business sense, and not retal
iation. "I am heaitily in accord wtih the
plan for railroad presidents to confer
with President Roosevelt. We must
take the public more into our confi
dence and break down the distrust. Co
operation with the government in
laudable reforms is a good thing."
HOPE TO RECOVER THE MONEY
Treasury Theft Has Not Yet Been
Returned, However.
Chicago, March 14. "If the man
who got the $173,000 from the sub
treasury will send it back through the
mail or by express, the chances are that
he never will be detected."
This observation was made yesterday
by a high Federal official working on
the disappearance of the money, and it
represents the hope of the government
authorities, so far as can be learned
from anyone engaged in the investiga
tion. The hope that the money would
be returned in some mysterious fashion
failed to materialize.
Deputy Treasurer Bantz admitted for
the first time that there is a remote
possibility that the cash in the sub
treasuiy is not $173,000 short. He
made it with a reservation.
Defects Found in Dreadnaught.
London, March 14. According to
the Chronicle today, the official ac
counts of the Dreadnaught's behavior
on her trip to Trinidad are not alto
gether supported by private letters.
The engines worked well, but the heat
in the engine room exceeded anything
ever experienced by those on board.
Owing to the great size of the ship, her
maneuvering qualities at slow speed
were not equal to those of small ships.
It is stated that the big battleship can
not keep her station with reciprocating
ships at 20 knots, and that for night
maneuvering without lights, in close
formation, the ship is out of the run
ning. Floods in Ohio Valley.
Pittsburg, March 14. The Monon
gahela, Allegheny and Ohio, rivers are
tonight rising rapidly. A stape of 26
feet has been reached in this city, and
by tomorrow night 28 feet is antici
pated. This stage is six feet over the
danger mark. Reports from upriver
points are alarming. A greater part of
many towns in the Monongahela valley
is submerged, and many persons nar
rowly escaped with their lives. The
property damage is heavy. A bridge
at Harmarsville collapsed, precipitating
a freight train into the water,
Germany Buying New Guns
Berlin, March 14. The appropria
tions committee of the reicbstag today
approved the bill authorizing the issue
of treasury bonds with which to
strengthen the available hinds in the
imperial treasury. The governmeent,
it is understood, since the leginning of
1906 has expended or contracted to ex
pend sums estimated to amount to
$75,000,000 in completing the ie-arma-ment
of the artillery and the improve
ment of the rifle now issue.! to the army.
Pennsylvania Streams Swollen.
Fittsburg, March 14. Dispatches
from all sections of Western Pennsyl
vania report heavy rains last night and
rapidly rising waters. Streams are
already beyond their banks and much
territory is submerged.
GRAFT IN IRRIGATION.
Officials ana ww..luStor in Idaho
Work Suspected.
Boise, March 13. Evidences of graft
in the arid land reclamation service of
the government has been discovered
and is now in possession of the depart
ment of the Interior at Washington.
Action looking toward a number of in
dictments is anticipated. The princi
pal ev idence, so far as disclosed here,
relates to grafts in Idaho, but it is
said that similar conditions exist
throughout the service and that officials
in nearly all the Western states where
irrigation work is in progress will have
to answer.
The Federal grand jury, now in ses
sion here, will probably take the mat
ter up, so far as this state is affected,
if the new secretary of the interior,
James R. Garfield, says the word, and
decides to furnish evidence now in his
possession. Agents of the depatrment
have been conducting an investigation
for some time. Their discoveries in
Idaho are said to typify conditions in
other places, and a reorganization of
the department is said to be in pros
pect. The charges in general are that en
gineers and other officials of the de
partment are "standing in" with fa
vored contractors in some instances,
and in other instances have thrown out
bids in order to make commissions on
the purchase of machinery bythego
ernment and to profit in other ways.
In Idaho the Boise-Payette irrigation
project has been under special scrutiny.
Evidence has been secured bearing
on the rleations of the contracting firm
of Hubbard & Carlson, having head
quarters at Boise, with certain depart
ment officials. It is charged m alh-
davits now on file that this firm has re
ceived many special favors and expla
nation has been asked of the reason lor
this.
EXPLOSION ON WARSHIP.
All France Appalled at Disaster on
New Battleship.
Toulon. March 13. The powder
magazines on board the French battle
ship Jena blew up at 1:35 o'clock yes
terday afternoon, and as a result Cap
tain Adigard, commander of the battle
ship; Captain Vertier, chief cf staff of
the Mediterranean squadron, and irom
70 to 80 bluejackets are dead, while
Rear Admiral Manceron and hundreds
of men are suffering from injuries.
Naval circles are aghast and the public
is stunned bv the appalling catastrophe,
coming so soon after the loss of the
French submarine boat Lutm, in which
16 men met death.
The entire after part of the Jena was
blown to nieces. The bodies of the vic
tims were hurled through the air by a
succession of explosions ana panic
stricken workmen at the arsenal fled
for their lives from the vicinity of the
drydock. Scores on board the Jena
jumped overboard on the etone quays
and sustained serious injuries.
The primary cause of the accident
was the premature explosion of a tor-
nedn. What caused the explosion is
not known, but the powder magazines
of the Jena were set on tire and tne re
sulting explosions practically destroyed
what was considered one ot tne Desc
vessels of the French navy. The Jena
had iust undergone the final construc
tion of her hull and machinery, the
latter part having been partly over
hauled preparatory to joining the
squadron today.
DAKOTA'S CREW PAID OFF.
Sailors of Wrecked Steamship to be
Sent Home.
Yokohama, March 12. The crew of
the wrecked steamer Dakota has been
discharged The Europeans will be
sent to America on the American
steamer Tremont. The Asiatics will
he sent to Hongkong. The majority of
the passengers left here will take the
steamer Siberia. Their hotel and other
expenses were paid by the Gcreat
Northern Steamship company, owners
of the Dak ta.
The American consul has sent $150
to the governor of Chibu prefecture for
distribution among the fishermen who
assisted in the rescue of the American
passengers. No salvage measures have
yet been taken.
An official inquiry has been arranged,
steps having been taken for the preser
vation of evidence. Captain Francke,
of the Dakota, is still at the scene of
the wreck, awaiting the decision of the
underwriters.
Uncle Sam to Make Torpedoes.
Washington, March 13. Admiral
Mason, chief of the naval bureau of
ordnance, has completed plans for the
construction of a torpedo factory at the
Newport naval station, ana expxcis io
advertise nt once for proposals. This
will be the first time the government
has undertaken to make its own torpe
does on a large scale. The new factory
will give emploment to at least -'00
skilled workmen. It is proposed to
make every part of the torpedo except
the steel nask. which contains me com
pressed ail .
Fatal Fall From Basket.
Eureka, Cal., March 13. Martin
Upmall, boatswain of the ill-fated
steamer Corona, was killed today while
riding in a tram basket from the wreck
to the shore. The steel hook holding
the cable to its anchor on the shore
snapped. Upmall struck against the
side of the vessel and his skull was
fractured. Roberts escaped injury and
was swimming ashore when the life
lKiat, which put out to the rescue,
leached him.
Congressmen Arrive at Colon.
Colon, March 13. The steamer Pan
ama arrived today with 53 congress
men, who are desirous of inspecting
the wcrk on the canal.
DECISION IN
LAND FRAUDS
Williamson Biggs and Yan Gesner
Fail In Plea.
Ex-Congressman's Appeal Dismissed
and Biggs and Van Gesner's Writ
of Error Overruled Last Two in
Shadow of Prison Little Chance
for Williamson.
Portland, March 12. Thrice tried,
finally convicted, and facing sentences
of both fine and imprisonment for com
plicity in the Oregon land frauds, J. N.
Williamson, ex-congressman, Dr. Van
Gesner and Marion Biggs have met
with an adverse ruling from the Circuit
court of Appeals, sitting at San Fran
cisco. By a decision handed down yes
terday the Appellate court confirmed,
the conviction of Van Gesner and
Biggs, overruling the long writ of er
rors that they had taken from the find
ings of the lower tribunal. In the case
of Williamson, the appeal was dismis
sed for the reason that a similar appeal
has been taken to the Supreme court
of the United States.
Although through a technicality the
appeal of Williamson is thus dismissed,
the decision is as clearly a victory for
the government in his case as in the
cases of Van Gesner and Biggs. The
ex-congressman's appeal was taken
upon exactly the same grounds as
those of his co-conspirators. In their
cases the decision was absolutely ad
verse, which is equivalent to an ad
verse decision in the Williamson ap
peal, so far as the merits of the case
are concerned.
There was imposed against William
son a sentence of 10 months' imprison
ment and a fine of $500 and a similar
sentence was pronounced against Biggs.
Because of an Gesner a age and im
paired health the court made the im
prisonment in his case only" five
months, but ruled that he should pay
a fine of $1,000.
If the law is permitted to take its
course, the mandate from the court of
Appeals will issue in about 15 days.
Application will then be made by the
Federal authorities to have the mandate
entered in the court here. Following
that an order foi the imprisonment of
Van Gesner and Biggs will be issued
by the United States marshal. The
hearing of Williamson in the Supreme
court will probably occur within the
next three monthts.
HUMILIATION TO JAPANESE.
Limitation on Destination of Immi
grants Resented.
Tnkin March 12. A ciusetion has
a risen regarding the last clause of arti
cle second of the treaty between Japan
and the United States, which has been
cited by the government at Wash ngton
as authority for the statement tnar- me
Japanese government hitherto has been
issuing passports limiting tne destina
tion of emigrants. The pissports sim
ply certify to the nationality ot men
hnlilers and the placing of a restriction
on them by an administrative measure,
is declared here to be unauinonzau uy
law and an infringement of the personal
right to travel guaranteed by the con
stitution. In view, however, of the attitude of
the American government, in-not call
ing for the enforcement ot the clause
mentioned, it is thought that the limi
tation so placed will be left unquestion
ed. Even then Japanese jurists believe
that the action of the American govern
ment in restricting the destination of
holders of passports will not be upheld
before a court. Administrative action
and litigation since the San Francisco
school trcuble have brought the clause
into prominence, and Japan has begun
to smart under the alleged humiliation.
It would be no surprise should pressure
be brought on the government to have
it abstain from issuing passports limit
ing the destination of their bearers.
Will Soon Lift Embargo.
Tacoma, March 12. Indications
point tc an early release from the em
bargo on the shipments of lumber over
the lines of the Northern Pacific and
Great Northern, which was instituted
six weeks ago. Railroad officials report
good progress in clearing up the freight
that accumulated in the yards and side
tracks along the lines during the floods
and snow blockades. Tracks on the
Pacific division are rapidly being put
in goml condition, and traffic is nearly
up to the volume attained before the
washout.
Play No Favorites.
Washington, March 12. No easy
help to Wall street by rushing to the
relief of the money market; no favorit
ism to any clique of banks; no more
"leaks" of important financial infor
mation in advance of action. Such are
the promises of the Cortelyou adminis
tration of the Treasury department.
Secretary Cortelyou intends to put a
stop to treasury leaks that give certain
financial interests inside information
'on intended moves by the government.
Drastic Anti-Trust Law.
Sacramento. March 12. The asscrn-
, b'y this morning pas-ed Cartw right's
ca with the Ohi anti-trust law. It
is drastic in the ptnaltie that it pro
vides for violations, and is sweeping in
its definitions of what constitutes a
trust. The bill now awaits the gover
nor 's approval, and goes into effect 60
days after it is signed.