ANNULS STATE LAWS
Supreme Court Sets Aside Rail
road Rate Statutes.
ONLY JUDGE HARLAN DISSENTS
Stats Cannot Foibid Resort to United
States Court—Affects Minne
sota and North Carolina.
Washington, March 24.— In refuging
to grant to Attorney General Young,
of Minnesota, a writ of habeas corpus
releasing him from the penalty impos
ed by the United States District Court
for the district of Minnesota on the
charge of contempt of court in institut
ing a proceeding in a state, court for en
forcement of the railroail rate law after
the Federal court hail prohibited such a
course, and in affirming the decision of
Judge Pritchard, of the United States
Ciri't it cou't for the Western district
of North Carolina, discharging from
imprisonment James II. Wood, a ticket
agent of the Southern railway at Ashe
ville, after he had been sentenced by
the Asheville police court to serve a
term on the rockpile on the charge of
collecting for a ticket on that road a
greater price than was permitted by the
state railroad law the Supreme court of
the United States today added another
to the series of decisions which have
rendered notable the present term of
that oourt.
In both cases the right of states to
fir rates for railroad transportation was
the issue, and both involved conUlets
between the Federal and the state
courts. The decision in each case was
opposed both to the states and to their
courts. The opinion of the court in
both cases w sb announced by Justice
Peckham and, with the exception of
Justice Harlan, all the other members
of the court stood behind him in the
announcement of the court’s finding.
The court decided that by reason of
the enormous penalties provided in the
rate laws by way of fines against the
companies and imprisonment of their
agents and employes, the companies
are in effect prevented from ever ques
tioning the validity of those laws, as
the risk of confiscation of property and
imprisonment of agents in case the
companies failed in their defense was
too much to undertake in order to ob
tain a judicial decision of the question
o f such validity.
The question of sufficiency of the
rates to enable the company to obtain
some return to its stockholders for
their investments hag for many years
been held to be one for the courts to
decide, as it would he a violation of the
constitution of the United States to fix
rates so low as to be confiscatory, if en
forced.
The laws providing rateyfor trans
portation of passengers and freight in
the two cases under consideration have
been held by the courts below to be so
low as to be substantially confiscatory
and should, therefore, not be enforced
until after further trials. The courts
had jurisdiction to make such an order.
M UST LEAVE IT ALONE.
OF ONE O PIN 'O N .
House Committee Votes to Forfeit
Railroad Land Grants.
Washington, March 23.— Two mil
lion acres of land in California and
Oregon vested in the Oregon A Califor
nia Railroad company, owned by the
Central Pacific and controlled by E. H.
Harriman, will be subjected to suit for
recovery of title by the United States,
if action taken by the committee on
public lands is sustained by the house.
The committee agreed to report favor
ably without amendments a resolution
which has already passed the senate,
empowering and directing the attorney
general to oring suits for the recovery
by the United States of the title to tbe
public lands granted to certain Western
railroad companies in cases where the
conditions stipulated in the grants have
not been complied with— such condi
tions, for example, as governed the
grant of land to the Oregon A Califor
nia Railroad company in the sixties.
Under the grant the land was to be
thrown open by tl e company for sale to
bona fide settlers of the United States
at not more than $2 60 an acre and in
paroels not exceeding 160 acres each.
It is charged that some of this land was
sold by tbe Oregon A California railroad
in violation of tbe conditions named.
The refusal of E. H . Harriman, an
nounced by him at the Irrigation con
gress at Sacrinento last year, to sell
any portion of the remaining 2,000,000
acres, led tothe introduction by Senator
Fulton of the resolution which the pub
lic lands committee acted on favorably
today. Chairman Mondell was author
ized to draw the report of the commit
tee, which he w ill do this week.
ROOSEVELT’S PROGRAM.
Undertakes to Get New Laws Through
Congress.
Washington, March 23.— President
Roosevelt has determined on a legisla
tive program the enactment of which
will be urged upon congress in a special
message which he said today w ill go in
this week. Each of the measures to be
proposed involves perplexing difficul
ties and each will have far-reaching
effects on businees and economic condi
tions of the country. Tbe program is
t i e product of important conferences
through which the president has been
put in possession of the views of all in
terests concerned. Likewise the atti
tude of the leadtrs in both branches of
congress has been made known.
Its
success depends upon the combined
effort, which he believes can be brought
to bear in behalf of the whole plan by
those affected especially by some one of
its features.
The program includes:
A declaration in favor of revision of
the tariff in a special season to be held
after March 4, 1909.
An amendment to the 8herman anti
trust law so as to make important con
cessions to combinations of both labor
and capital.
I
Lim iting the powers of certain courts
in the use of the injunction in labor
disputes.
Passage cf an employers’ liability
bill.
Passage of the Aldrich financial bill.
LABOR ASKS CABINET SEAT.
Will Urge Congress to Create Gov
ernment Department.
Federation of Labor Loses Again to
Washington, March 21.— At the con
Buck Stove & Range Company.
cluding session yesterday, of the execu
Washington, March 24.— American tive council of the American Federation
Federation of Labor President Gompers of Labor it was decided to urge upon
and others of that organization were the house committee on labor the neces
permanently enjoined from “ conspir sity for the passage of the pending bill
ing, agreeing or combining to restrain, creating a department of labor, the
obstruct or destroy” the business of the head of which Bhall be a member of the
Buck Stove & Range company in a de president’s cabinet.
I t was decided to make a vigorous
cision rendered by Chief Justice Cla-
baugh, of the Supreme court of the effort to secure the passage of laws in
District of Columbia today, making the various state legislatures for the
A memorial
permanent the temporary injunction of abolition of child labor.
Justice Gould against the federation in of protest similar to the one presented
that case. The federation’s counsel to congress yesterday is to be sent to
immediately noted an appeal to the organized labor and the public general
ly; it will be prepared by a committee
District ccurt of Appeals.
Today’s decision bars the federation consisting of President Gompers, Secre
from In any manner calling the atten tary Morrison and Vice President O’ Con
tion of the public to the business of the nell.
The council was not notified that the
Buck Stove A Range company or the
putting of that company on the "unfair hill of grievances presented to Vice
list,” and from stating that the com President Fairbanks yesterday was laid
pany's products should not be pur before the senate and referred to tbe
chased either in Missouri or elsewhere. committee on judiciary.
Diamonds in California.
Oroville, Cal., March 24.— Have dia
mond mines been discovered in Chero
kee and Oroville? This is the question
that is on the tongue of nearly every
citizen of the two cities today as the
result of the finding of two diamonds
in Cherokee, near Oroville, and one in
the latter city.
The first two were
found on the property being prospected
in Cherokee by a company of which M.
J. Cooney is manager and the third was
panned out by an Indian on a claim in
Oroville. Experts pronounce the stones
to be of good quality.
Enormous California Crops.
Sacramento, Cal., March 24.— In re
sponse to an inquiry from Rufus P.
Jennings, manager of Alden A Ander
son, of the California fruit distributors,
the biggest shipping concern in the
state, today replied that more than
twice as many men wonld be needed to
handle the fruit crops this season than
last. From all parts of the state come
reports of Indications for enormous fruit
crops which w ill go far toward solving
the great problem of the unemployed.
Profits o f Sugar Trust.
Boston, March 24.— The annual re
port of the American Sugar Refining
company for December 28,1907, was
issued to the stockholders today.
Tbe
profit and loss account shows net earn
ings for the year 1907 of $8,749,291,
Indictments Are Dismissed.
Ban Francisco, March 23.— Judge
Dunne this morning dismissed the four
remaining extortion indictments against
R. E. Bchmits, with the recommenda
tion that the case be submitted to an
other grand jury, and announced that
Theodore V. Halsey will be brought to
trail for bribery as soon as as the court
is able to take up his case. Henry Ach,
attorney for Abraham Ruef, was in
formed by Judge f.awlor that he must
make a complete showing in the matter
of affidavits in the immunity contract
hearing by next Wednesday.
HEAR8 LABOR’S DEMAND.
DOINGS OF THE SIXTIETH CONGRESS
Wednesday, March 25.
Washington, March 26.— A good deal
of progress was made by tbe senate to
day in disposing of proposed amend
ments to the Aldrich currency bill. It
was evident throughout the session that
the bill w ill be perfected in the form
approved by the finance committee, as
no proposition that failed to receive
the sanction of the committee received
any substantia! support. The amend
ments reportad by the committee were
all adopted without opposition and
then one senator after another offered
'additional amendments which, except
In the cases of one proposed by Dupont
and one by Lodge, were voted down.
from R presentative Charles E. L ittle
field, of Maine, tendering his resigna
tion as member of congress, to take
effect September 30 next was read.
After passing a number of measures
relating to the District of Columbia,
among them an amendment prohibit
ing betting on horse races at Benning
ton’s track, the house adjourned out of
reepect to the late Senator Bryan.
Saturday, March 21.
Washington, March 21.— Almost the
entire session of the senate was con
sumed with consideration of the legis
lative, executive and judicial appropri-
»tin bill. The bill finally p sserl car
ried an appropriation of 4o2,946,631,
Washington, March 26. — In the the amount added to the house bill by
course of a bitter denunciation of the the senate being $642,718.
president, on the floor of the house of
Washington, March 21.— Without
representatives today, Btanley, of Ken-
turky, compared him with Alexander being materially amended in any form,
Hamilton, whom he designated “ an the fortification appropriation bill was
obscure adventurer,”
and both of passed by the house today. During the
whom, he said, had profound o n - closing debate the War department was
tempt for the constitution and display oriticieed by several members regard
ed everlasting impatience with its re ing the money spent on fortifications at
straints. The president was a man Subig bay, which, it was charged, was
who relished glamor and who hecame wasted, in view of a later recommenda-
intoxicated by applause. On the other ticn that the defenses at Cavite be
hand, he said, Mr. Bryan had the re strengthened. Criticism likewise was
spect of the country as a statesman and offered to the estimates of the depart
ment, which recommended an appro
was trusted as a man.
When Scott, in charge of the agricul priation of over $30,000,000, which it
tural appropriation bill, today sought waB said could not have been expended
unanimous consent to lim it to five within ten years.
An amendment by Lie Armond to
hours further debate on the bill, Bul-
zer, of New York, objected. That ac allow the secretary of war to buy
tion forced the house to a vote, and t abroad war materials in “ any” quan
was agreed to confine general debate o tity was adopted, despite the efforts of
Republican floor leaders to marshal
four hours instead of five.
A plea for homesteads for farmers sufficient votes to defeat it.
of 320 acres instead of 160 acres was
Friday, March 20.
made by French, of Idaho.
Washington, March 20.— The ship
The remainder of the session was de
voted to brief speeches by Griggs, of subsidy bill was passed by the senate
Georgia, who gave notice of an amend- today. It pays to 16-knot vessels ply
meont increasing by $100,000 tbe ap ing between this country and South
propriation for the investigation of America, the Philippines, Japan, China
soils; by Bell, of Georgia, who favored and Australia, $4 per mile, the amount
governmental aid to public roads; El- awarded by the act of 1891 to vessels of
lerbe, of South Carolnia, who also fa 20 knots only.
The bill was amended so that 12-knot
vored increased appropriations for soil
vessels will receive $2 per mile, which
investigation.
is the allowance under the existing law
to 16-knot vessels. Amendments were
Tuesday, March 24.
Washington, March 24. — Upon the also adopted providing that, if two or
conclusion of Senator La Follette's more lines cf steamships ply from At
speech on the Aldrich currency bill in lantic ports to South America under
the senate today, a plan was decided the provisions of the bill, one line
upon by which Senator Aldrich will shall stop at two ports south of Cape
tomorrow move to take up the bill and Charles and stipulating that no more
continue its consideration until it has shall be paid for subsidies than is re
ceived from suoh service by the govern
been disposed of.
Aldrich asked for unanimous consent ment.
to dispose of the bill before adjourn
Washington, March 20.— More criti
ment Thursday, but to that proposition
cism of President Roosevelt was In
La Follette objected, on the ground that
dulged in in the bouse today, when he
be feared debate would be curtailed by
was roundly denounced by Hardwick,
such procedure.
of Georgia, for failing to send to con
The colloquy which resulted in Ald
gress all information regarding corpora
rich’s announcement followed the con
tions which has come into his posses
clusion of the third and last installment
sion. The president, however, found a
of La Follette’ s speech in opposition to
ready and vigorous defender in Mr.
the Aldrich bill. La Follette declared
Mann, of Illinois, who asserted that
the statement that the Industries of
the president had acted with the ut
this country were controlled by less
most good faith in sending congress all
than 100 men had been a ’ tackedas sen
the information that had come to him.
sational. Declaring that such was not
The fortification appropriation bill
the case, he said that he had been too
was taken up and in the course of de
conservative, and that in fact a much
bate upon it, Bartlett, of Georgia, de
smaller number of men dominated the
nied the claims of Republicans tocredit
industries.
for authorship of the railroad rate or
Washington, March 24.— Determina Sherman anti-trust law. The bill was
tion to conduct a filibuster on all occa side tracked for general debate, which
sions where opportunity presented it continued until adjournment.
self, In order to force the Rebpublicane
to action cn an employers' liability bill
and other measures deemed necessiary
of enactment was announced by Wil-
liamms, of Mississippi, in the house
of representatives today during the con
sideration of the agricultural bill. He
said he had waited until today to see
some evidences of an intention to trans
act business which the people were de
manding, but, finding none, had reach
ed the conclusion that the time was
ripe to force the hand of the Republican
party. The Democrats cheered tbe an
nouncement.
Monday, March 2^,
Washington, March 23.— The senate
today for the fifth time in the present
session adjourned because death had
robbed the body of one of its members.
The untimely death of Senator Bry
an, who was familiarly known as the
“ baby” of the senate, a title which he
took pride in, came home to the senate
with more force than any which had
preceded it. There was no other sub
ject of conversation prior to and after
the session than the fact that the mor
tality record of the present session is
greater than in any previous entire
congress.
Washington, March 23.— A scene
somewhat out of the ordinary was en
acted in the house of representatives
today because of a charge made by
Mann, of Illinois, that Sulzer, of New
York, had put into the congressional
Record what purported to be a speech
delivered by him last Saturday, but
which Mann charged was not tbe one
delivered.
It all had to do with Sulaer’s claim
that he, and not Mann, was the author
of the legislation that brought the de
partment of commeroe and labor into
being.
A letter addressed to Speaker Cannon
Hang Prisoner by Wrists.
Columbus, O., March 23.— 8enator
Lamb, of Toledo, here today created a
sensation by declaring that, while visit
ing the Ohio penitentiary, he raw a
prisoner hanging by his wrists. “ I
was astounded,” continued the senator,
“ and soon saw that the attendants
were trying to keep me away from this
Slavs Appeal fo r Compatriot.
man. I insisted on seeing him, and
Washington, March 2 6 — Representa
the man said to me:
‘ I have been tive Sabath, of Chicago, today laid be
hanging here since Thursday, and they fore the president a petition signed by
only let me down for breed and water.” 470,000 81avs and Bohemians in this
country requesting that the United
Tillman Seriously III.
States make representations to Hungary
Columbia, 8. C., March 23.— United for tbe release from prison of Frank
Sta'ee Senator Tillman is seriously ill Polakvic, a naturalized American citi
at his home at Trenton, this state, zen, who was imprisoned for singing an
The
suffering from a nervous attack due, it objectionable Slavonian hymn.
, is believed by big physicians, to hard p-esident w ill take up tbe matter with
work.
the State department.
Vies Prssidsnt and Speaker Promise
Liability Law.
Washington, March 20. — Speaker,
Cannon and Vice President Fairbanks
today announced their belief that the
present congress will pass an employ
ers’ liability act which w ill meet and
orvercome the unconstitutionality of the
present law pointed out by the Supreme
court of the United States in a recent
decision. These statements were made
unreservedly by tbe speaker and guard
edly by the vice president to a delega
tion led by Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation of Labcr,
from 87 national and international
trade and labor and farmers’ organiza
tions assembled in a national confer
ence in this city. The delegation called
on tbe speaker to lay before the honse
of representatives, through him, a me
morial entitled “ Labor's Protest to
Congress.”
The protest submitted by Mr. Gom
pers and his associates refers to the
Supreme Court decision in the hatters’
case as the “ most recent perversion of
the intent of a law by the judiciary by
which the Sherman anti-trust law has
been made to apply to labor, although
it was an accepted fact that oongieas
did not intend the law so to apply and
might even have specifically exempted
labor but for the fear that tbe Supreme
court might construe such an affirma
tive provision to be unconstitutional.
PROTECT TRULY INNOCENT.
But Railroad Land Grant Must Fits:
Be Forfaltad.
Washington, March 20.— Ih e status
of purchasers of granted land in good
faith from the Oregon A California
Railroad company, and their rights un
der the law, were set forth in some de
tail at the hearing before the house com
mittee. The provisions of the grant
prohibit sales except to actual settlers
in limited quantities and at a limited
price. By necessary implication it per
mits sales of the kind mentioned.
This provision of the grant la a con
dition subsequent for breach of which
the government has right of forfeiture.
However, a condition subsequent la not
self-executing. Upon the breach of the
condition title does not automatically
revert to the grantor.
So that until
the government in some way asserts
rights of lorfeiture, title remains unim
paired in the railroad company, with
full authority to make sales to actual
settlers in tbe manner provided in the
grant. After forfeiture is claimed, no
further sales of any kind can be made
by the rail roar’ company, if the conten
tion of the government is correct. Bnt
all Bales made within the terms of the
grant will be valid and will be in no
way affected either by the Fulton reso
lution or by any suits that w ill be com
menced.
PLAN N A T IO N »L APPLE FAIR
Spokane Proposes to Offer $100,000
in Premiums.
Spokane, Wash., March 20.— A t a
meeting of promineot citizens today it
was decided to make the big apple show
that will be held in Spokane next De
cember a national affair, and such large
prizes w ill be offered that fruit from
all parts of the United Statea will be
entered in competition. It is expected
that the awards that will be given will
attract some of the greatest Iruit ex
perts of foreign countries.
To carry out the plan, a corporation
to be known as the National Apple
Show w ill be formed with stock amount
ing to $100,000, and governed by a boatd
of trustees of seven or nine men.
It is
anticipated that oneof tbe directors will
be Louis W. H ill, president of the
Great Northern railroad, who baa been
requested by wire to accept a position
on the board.
It ia intended to offer from $8,000 to
$10,000 in premiums and to make tltfc
show an annual affair.
Among the
leaders are W . D. Vincent, cashier of
the Old National bank, and David
Brown, president of the Hazelwood
company.
Thursday, March 19,
Washington, March 19.— Resuming
in the senate today his unfinished
speech on the Aldrich currency kill, La
Follette directed himself to the charge
made in his remarks on Tuesday that
the recent financial stringency was
started by great bankers and financiers,
declaring that since he spoke on Tues
day he had secured additional informa
tion proving that hie charges were cor
rect.
There was quite a large attendance
of Democratic senators in their places,
hut comparatively few Republicans.
Occasionally conversations between sen
ators on the Republican side caused the
senator to discontinue tbe reading ol
his remarks. ' On one occasion he re
marked: “ I f there are spy comments
on my remarks, I would be glad to
have them made so audibly that I can
hear them.”
After speaking for more than two
Mothers to Meet In Brussels.
hours and a half, La Follette yielded
Washington, March 20.— The invita
the floor with the statement that he
would resume his speech Monday next. tion of the Belgian government, extend
ed through Baron Moncheur, the Bel
Washington, March 19.— After seve gian minister, to the National Mothers'
ral hours of spirited discussion over the congress to participate in the Interna
proposition to abolish 17 'of the 18 tional congress on the education of the
United States pension agencies and i family, to be held In Brussels in 1910,
consolidate pension disbursements in ' was accepted by the board of managers
Washington, the bouse today passed of the Mothers’ society today. Among
the pension appropriation bill, carry the delegatee appointed to represent the
ing $160,869,000, the largest sum ever United Btatee were the following: Mrs.
authorised by th<s measure.
The Frank B. H ill, Tacoma, Wash.; Mrs.
house, by a vote of 86 to 139, stood by Jefferson D. Gibbs, California; Mis. F.
the committee on appropriations and W. Ashley, Denver.
left unchanged its recommendations for
Askg for Intervention.
one general agency.
Bills were passed authorizing the sec
Washington, March 20.—Tbe.govern
retary of war to establish harbor lights ment of the little African republic of
In Wilmington harbor, California, and Liberia has appealed to America to pro
authorizing the Cutting of timber, the tect her territorial Integrity. The 8tate
manufacture and sale of lumber and the department hsa been informed that fa
preservation of forests on certain Indian delegation is now on its way from Mon
lands in Wisconsin.
rovia to Washington to make a personal
appeal to the president and Secretary
Root to restrain the French from forci
Favor Country’s Ships.
Washington, March 26.— The house bly taking pneseealon of a large part of
committee on interstate and foreign the country lying in the border between
commerce agreed today to report favor Liberia and French West Africa.
ably the senate resolutions to restrict
Governor Guild Very III.
to vessels cf United Btatee register the
transportation from ths United States
Boston, March 20.— Governor Guild,
to the Panama Canal sone of material who has bevn ill for two weeks, is In t
for the canal. The resolution author critical condition. His physician. Dr.
izes tbe Isthmian Çanal commission to B. F. Winslow, found the governor so
purchase or chartes and operate vessel! serloatly ill yesterday that it wvs derid
of the United Btatee for the trafMorta- ed to es'l two other physicians Into
tion of such material and of cankr mail. eooeultation.
WILL VISIT JAPAN
President Accepts Invitation tor
Battleship Fleet.
MAY CALL AT CHINESE PORT
Cordial Reception Promised at Yoko»
hama— All Other Invitations
Are to Bo Declined.
Washington, March 21.— The Amer
ican battleship fleet ia to visit Japan.
The deeire oi the emperor of the Island
Kingdom to play host to the fleet was
laid before Secretary Root Thursday
by Baron Takahira, the Japanese am
bassador. The Invitation, which was
coached in most cordial terms, was
made the subject of exteuded consider
ation by President Rooeevelt and his
entire cabinet yesterday. Mr. Root was
directed to accept the invitation and
the acceptance was laid ,before the Jap
anese ambassador late yesterday. It is
regarded in cfficial circles here as more
than likely that China will be next to
bid for a look at the fleet, and that,
should this be the case, the ^invitation
will be accepted.
Secretary Metcalf and Admiral Pills-
burg, chief of navigation, are arranging
the details of the new itinerary. With
the exception of China, It is deter
mined that all other invitations, should
any be received, will be declined, for
at the best the fleet will not now be
able to reach the Atlantic seaboard be
fore the first of next March.
The itinerary, which seems to be the
most direct, includes stops at the Ha
waiian islands, Samoa, Melbourne,
Bydney, Manila, Yokohama— should
that port be selected as the stopping
place in Japan— possibly a Chinese
port, back to the Philippines, and then
home by way of the Suez »anal, with
only soch stops as aie necessary for
coaling.
Tbe fall target practice has been
planned to occupy a month at Manilla,
either before or after ths visit to Japan.
Although target piaoJce is regarded as
decidedly impoitant, and the custom
la to have the ships occupy a month in
each Bpring and fall in gun practice,
the desire to have the fleet return to ita
home station may lead to a curtailment
of the iqonth planned for Manila.
Japan w ill have the Bhipa a week,
according to the tentative p ans. While
the stops in foreign porta so far made
have been on an average of ton days’
duration, a part of that lime was occu
pied in taking on coal. With a visit to
Manila, no coaling operations will be
necessary in Yokohama.
This wonld
enable the entire stay there to be given
up to festivities and show features of
the visit.
The acceptance of the Japanese invi
tation is regarded In naval oircles as of
considerable importance in the way of
showing the cordiality existing between
Japan and the United States.
The
added trip is nearly equal in distance
to a voyage from New York to Europe.
HINTS DIRE PLOT.
Heney Imagines Effort Will Be Made
to Spirit Ruef Away.
San Francisco,March 21.— Abe Ruel,
indicted on 116 counts, thinks the sum
of $1,116.000 is too much bail, and says
there are 37 counts against him on
which the bail is $370,000, of which he
chonld be relieved, and that the bail on
the remaining counts is excessive. Ruef
was in court on a writ of habeas corpus.
Assistant District Attorney Heney
presented an affidavit stating that Ruef
was wealthy, and that he believed that
there was a conspiracy to get Rnef out
of the country. He cited the attempted
kidnaping of James L. Gallagher, on
whose testimony he said Rnef would be
convicted, and also the attempted kid
naping of ex-Supervisor Lonergan, just
befocre the Tirey L. Ford trial.
Mtirpby pointed out that at the pres
ent rate of progress— over a year and
not one trial— it would take 116 years
to try Ruef on all the charges. He said
a conviction on one or two chargee
would practically send him to the peni
tentiary for life.
___ i-------------------------
Land to Ba Thrown Opan.
Washington, March 21.— By author
ity of the secretary of the Interior, the
public lands in 131,643 arres excluded
from the Blue Mountain forest reserve,
Oregon, by proclamation of January 9,
1908, will become subject to settlement
on June 1, 1908, if not otherwise with
drawn, reserved or appropriated, bnt
not to entry, filing or selection until
July 1, 1908, at the United Statea land
offices at Lams, La Grande and The
Dalles. Sixty days’ notice by publica
tion In newspapers near the lands re
stored has been authorized.
Launch "Ship” Corquaror.
San Franciaco, March 21.— The Sal
vation ship Conqueror went Into com
mission at 3 o ’clock this afternoon with
appropriate ceremonies, over which
Mayor Taylor presided. The Conqueror
was-built by the Salvation Army. The
front represents the bow of a warship.
Ths piace was built for the use of the
men of Admiral Evans’ fleet ns a coun
ter attraction to the gin mills. Read
ing matter w ill be provided for the
sailors and Innch at a nominal cost.
New Battleship In Commission.
Philadelphia, March 21 — The new
battleship New Hampshire, w th Cap
tain Cameron McK. Winslow in charge,
was placed in commission at the Leagun
Island navy yard today. The warship
w ill be ready for sea in about a month.
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