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About Lexington wheatfield. (Lexington, Or.) 1905-19?? | View Entire Issue (March 29, 1906)
-LEXINGTON WHEATFIELD S. A. THOMAS, Publisher LEXINGTON OREGON NEWS OF THE WEEK In a Condensed Form for Onr Busy Readers. A Resume of the Less Important but Not Less Interesting Events of the Past Week. Governor Pattison, of Ohio, ia im proving. An alliance of Britain, France and Russia is proposed. The famine in Japan grows worse and disease follows hunger. Anthracite coal operators have split on the wage scale tq be paid miners. Heney says Bristol charges are base less and Bristol will retain his office. Twenty-six miners perished in the Century coal mine disaster in West Virginia. The Interstate Commerce commission is investigating underbilling frauds by shippers. It is claimed that only the details of the Algeciras conference remain to be settled. .Roosevelt is credited with solving the problem. The government has given Hermann a bill of particulars concerning the let ter books destroyed, but his lawyers continue to delay the trial. Attorney General Hadley, of Mis souri, has called a truce on Rockefeller while the latter may visit his new grandson. Hadley says he can get all the evidence he needs without John D. anyway. The German army is reported ready for war. Russia is on the eve of another rebel outbreak. The condition of Governor Pattison, of Ohio, is grave. A snowslide killed six miners near Granite, Colorado. Roosevelt has proposed a compromise in the Moroccan question which does not please France. James A. Fee may be appointed United States district attorney for Ore gon if Bristol loses out. The conference between miners and operators of the anthracite coal district has failed to reach a wage agreement. It is now generally admitted that be tween 40 and 50 persons lost their lives in the recent Denver & Rio Grand wreck in Colorado. The sidewheel steamer Olympian, which was being towed from San Fran cisco to New York, was wrecked in the Straits of Magellan. Latest reports say nearly 2,000 were killed and 6,500 injured by the earth quake in Formosa. All survirovrs are in a stale of extreme destitution. An explosion in a coal mine near Fairmont, W. Va., is known to have killed 15 miners and injured 25 others. From 25 to 75 are missing and their fate is unknown. Ex-Chief Engineer Wallace favors a sealevel canal. Nineteen liveslwere lost in a storm on the Gulf of Mexico. A compromise at the Moroccan con ference is now promised. Daring robbers have taken $432,500 from a Moscow, Russia, bank. The price of bottles is to be increased 5 per cent by the manufacturers. Jerome says giving insurance money to campaign committees is not larceny. Several Bhipwrecks have resulted from the recent storm on the Atlantic coast. Attending physicians now believe John D. Spreckles has a chance of re covering. Total collections in the United States from all sources for the relief of starv ing Japanese now reaches $120,000.. Objection to the appointment of W. B. Hoggatt as governor of Alaska may result in the selection of some one else. Bellamy Storer, recenlty recalled ambassador to Austria, is said to have greatly offended the Jews while in Vi enna. John D. Rockefeller is on the verge of insanity from worry. This ia caused by the sickness of his daughter and brother and the continual dodging of process servera. The forty-fifth annual convention of the National Educational association will be held in San Francisco July 7 to 14. Railroads have granted special round trip rates from all parts of the United States. Those attending from the East have also been given the priv ilege of going by way of Portland one way wiht stopover permits. ' Witte will soon resign as premier of Russia. ADVERTISE NORTHWEST. School Teachers Asked to Enter Com petitive Story Contest. To the teachers of America: To evi dence itsappreciation of the National Educational association's selection of the Pacific coast as the scene of its next annual convention at San Francisco, California, July 9th to 13th inclusive, and to encourage delegates to include Portland and Oregon in their itinerary, the Portland Commercial club offers FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS in prizes for artictes on Portland. Oregon, and this section of the United States, as follows : First prise, $1,000; second prize, $500; third prize, $250; fourth prize, $200; fifth prize, $175; sixth prize, $150; seventh prize, $125; eighth prize, $110; ninth prise, $100; tenth prize, $90; ten prizes of $75 each, $750; ten prizes of $50 each, $500; ten prizes of $25 each, $250; twenty prizeB of $15 each, $300; twenty prizes of $10 each, $200; judges, to be acceptable to the officers of the National Educational association, $300; grand total, $5,000. In order to be eligible for competiton these articles must appear in a regular edition of some newspaper or other publication printed outside of the states of Oregon and Washington, said publi cation complete to be in the hands of the judges not later than October 1, 1906. These articles must be sealed and addressed to: Teachers' Contest, care Portland Commercial club, Port land, Oregon. They will be opened by the judges Prizes will be awarded strictly on the merits of the articles. Contestants can treat any phase of the subject that ap peals to them natural resources, scenery, irrigation, agriculture and horticulture, history, educational and religiouB advantages, climatic or social conditions, etc. or in a more compre hensive vein. The judges will be abso lutely untrammeled in making their decisions. This offer is made, not so much with a view of having the country "boomed" in a common acceptation of that term, as to have the teachers of the country become more familiar with this portion of the United States and give expres sion to their views in such articles as will be acceptable to papers throughout the entire Union. CANNOT EXPEL SMOOT. Two-Thirds Majority of Senate is Re quired, and is Impossible. Washington, March 23. It seems certain, in the light of recent develop ments, that the campaign against Sen ator Reed Smoot, of Utah, will fail. Mr. Smoot's enemies have been hoping to oust him by a majority vote of the senate, but senators who have given at tention to his case find that the consti tution stipulates that no senator shall be deprived of bis seat except by a two thirds vote of the senate. The anti-Smoot senators have been taking the position that the protests were filed against Mr. Smoot before he took his seat, and, inasmuch as he was seated undefprotest, the majority vote can be applied, since it takes only a majority to exclude a senator-elect. But this view is not generally concur red in by senators. Mr. Smoot was seated, and, having been permitted to take his seat, the only way to get him out is to expel him, and this requires a two-tbirds vote. It seems absolutely certain that two thirds of the senate is not in favor of unseating the Mormon senator, prob ably not a majority, and for this reason it is believed the much discussed case will fall flat. Iowa May Oust Standard. Des Moines, March 23. The house, by a vote of 48 to 12, today passed the anti-discrimination bill, which is in tended to oust the Standard Oil from Iowa or compel a revision of its busi ness methods. The bill prohibits dis criminating rates for oil and is pattern ed after the Missouri law. It provides a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for violation. Representative Cummings, the author, in presenting the bill, as serted that the Standard Oil company had made a price of 4 cents a gallon for oil in his home town recently, in order to drive out competition. Italian Island Quaking. New York, March 23. A cable dis patch to the Herald from Palermo says : There have been 21 earthquak shocks on the island of Ustica daring the last three days. The population lives in constant terror. A great valley has been formed in the center of the island and all the houses have been demol ished. The shocks were vertical, not undulatory, and were accompanied by loud subterranean rumblings. The last fhocka, which occured yesterday, fin ished the work of destruction. Panic seized upon the 2,000 inhabitants. ; New Drydock for Puget Sound. Washington, March 23. Secretary Bonaparte appeared before the house committee on naval affairs today and discussed naval appropriations. He urged an appropriation for a stationary drydock on Puget sound. IN THE NATIONAL Friday, March 23. Washington, March 23. Spooner today concluded bis speech in the sen ate on the railroad rate bill, and the fortifications appropriation bill was taken up and passed. It carries an ap propriation ot $125,000 for the erection of a powder manufactory, and Daniel spoke at length in support of the pro vision. He declared that the nation was, entirely at the mercy of a powder truBt, and urged that the amendment should be adopted as a safeguard. Aa passed, the bill carries an appropria-' tion of $5,278,993. Tillman also spoke on the railroad rate bill, suggesting that the Interstate Commerce commis sion should have authority to enjoin the railroads from increaalng their rates. He said the auggesion had been made by a "corn field lawyer" in Ok lahoma. The following bids were also passed: Creating a steamboat inspectors' dis trict in Alaska; providing for filling in the naval station at Honolulu; author izing the Chicago, Milwaukee A St. Paul railroad to construct bridges serosa the Missouri, Yellowstone, Snake and Columbia rivera. Washington, March 23. The con sideration of the legislative appropria tion bill in the house today was e'nliv ened by a small spat between Prince and Tawney, a proposition to buy a pri vate C!r for the president, which waa ruled out of order, and a jeering speech by Smith, of Arizona, about the aup presBion of debate by the rules. An echo of the statehood controversy yesterday resulted in an effort to cor-' rect the journal. Williams maintained he was put in the ridiculous position of moving to instruct the conferees after they had been appointed, a mo tion clearly out of order at that time. The correction was made as suggested. Thursday, March 22. Washington, March 22. The state hood bill was taken from the Bpeaker's table in the houBe today, pl&ced in the hands of three selected conferees and a request made of the senate for a con ference on the disagreeing votes of the two houses. This action was not ac complished without many words and votes. It was developed, however, ihat there were votes enough to carry out the program of the leaders. Then fol lowed 40 minutes of fiery speeches, some of which provoked much amusement among the large attendance of mem bers and the crowded galleries. Then came the final vote on the adoption of the rule, which 175 members approved and 156 opposed. The- legislative appropriation bill constituted the subject for the remain der of the day. Criticism was made of the management of the library of con gress, and Hard wick, of Georgia, found himself opposed by members of both sides of the chamber in his endeavor to restrict the white house appropriation so as to eliminate a social secretary for the wife of the president. Washington, March 22. The rail road rate bill occupied practically all of the time of the senate today. There were two speeches, one by Lodge and the other by Spooner. Lodgi spoke in advocacy of his , amendment, looking to the enlargement of the Interstate Commerce commission, and in doing bo replied sharply to some recent utter ances of Commissioner Prouty. Spoon er devoted his attention (0 the consti tutional powers of the inferior courts, contending that these courts could not be destroyed nor their jurisdiction taken from them. Wednesday, March 21. Washington, March 21. The entire day in the senate waa devoted to the consideration of the railroad rate bill. Culbersan began the proceedings by presenting an amendment prohibiting corporations coming under the opera tion of the proposed law from making campaign contributions and he was immediately followed by hia colleague Bailev, who offered the amendment so long promised by him and followed this action with a speech in which he explained that he would not now pre sent the amendment but for the fact that Dolliver had referred to and criti cised it in an interview. He indicated some displeasure over the interview, but exoneratad Dolliver from discour tesy in the matter. The Iowa senator disavowed any intention to reveal a secret and the incident was closed pleasantly. Both Bailey and Dolliver made speeches reiterating their views and they were followed by more or less Revise Second-Class Rate. Washington, March 20. The house committee on postoffices and postroada reported the postofflce appropriation bill to the house today. It provides for an expenditure of $191,373,848 for the fiscal year 1907, or $913,221 lees than the modified estimates of the Postoffice department. This amount exceeds the appropriation for 1906 by $10,351,755. Legislation for freeing the mails of heavy matter and for gaining informa tion to reclassify mail is included ia the bill. One provision appropriates $10,000 to pay freight on supplies. HALLS OF CONGRESS 1 extended remarka by Tillman, Patter aon, Heyburn and Knox. Bailey wai interrupted in the middle of his speech by the announcement of his father's death, and immediately left tho senate chumber. Washington, March 21. Represent ative George R. Patterson, of the Twelfth Pennsylvania district, died suddenly here today. Heart failure ia ascribed aa the cause of death. The house adjourned immediately af ter it waa called to order, out of respect for Mr. Patterson. The statehood bill will be taken up tomorrow. Tuesday, March 20. Washington, March 20,, In lees than 20 minutea the senate voted away $140,000,000 of the public funds. The sum is carried by the pension appro priation bill, which brief document waa made the subject of very little discus sion. The railroad rate bill waa laid aside for the day and the major por tion of the time waa devoted to the conaideration of the fortification bill. In that connection the question of the necessity for seacoast fortificatipns in the Philippines was discussed at length, with the result that all provis ions for such fortifications in these islands was eliminated. The consider ation of the measure was not concluded. There waa also a brief discussion of the power of the conference committee to amend the bill providing for punish ment for premature divulgence of gov ernment secrets so aa to make the in hibition extend to senators and mem bers of the house of representatives, but the subject was left undisposed of for the time. Washington. March 20. The house of representatives today did business with a microscope in one hand and the bill making appropriations for the sal aries of its officers and employes in the other. The result was that, although b hours were spent in reading the legislative appropriation bill for amendment, lees than 25 pages were completed. The spirit of economy in little things was all absorbing. Points of order were made and many of them were fatal to proposed increases in the salaries of officers, janitors, doorkeep ers, messengers and laborers. A point of order which made the en gine room of tne house cost $270 in stead of $280 a year, as proposed, caused a constitutional debate of more than an hour on the point as to whether the house could do as it saw fit in the matter of fixing the salaries of its em ployes. The conclusion seemed to be that it could, and that it prescribed its own action by ita rules. However, these rules prohibited increasing a sal ary without provision of law. Monday, March 19. Washington, March 19. There were three speeches on the railroad rate bill in the senate today. McCreary, Bailey and Heyburn were the oratora. Mc Creary announced hia determination to vote for the bill whether amended or not, but said that he would not object to a reasonable provision for the review of the Interstate Commerce commis sion's findings. Bailey replied to crit icisms of his suggestion for a prohibi tion of the suspension Of the commis sion's orders by courts below the Su preme court. He contended, that con gress had the absolute power to pre scribe limitations for the, courts which it creates, and cited a large number of decisions in support of his position. Heyburn advocated a review provision, but expressed the opinion that, even if it were omitted, ro person could be de prived of his right of admiaeion to the courts. Washington, March 19. The house today reached a compromise on the question of abolishing the grade of lieutenant general in the army, pro viding that it shall not become effective until October 12 next, in order that Generals Corbin and MacArtbur may be promoted before their retirement. An important bill, declared to be the first step toward a reorganization of the consular service, waa passed. The bill already has been acted upon by the senate. It reclassifies the service and increases the salaries to the extent of $170,000 a year. Silent About Bristol. Washington, March 19. F. J. Heney, when asked tonight about Dis trict Attorney Bristol's case, declined to make any statements. He would not say whether he intended to take this matter up with the president, or express an opinion as to what will be done with Mr. Bristol. i Measure Oregon Streams. Washington, March 20. The Geo logical survey has formed a new hydro graphic district, comprising the states of Washington and Oregon. The head quartera of J. O. Stevens, hydrographer in charge, will be at 351 Washington street, Portland Mr. Stevens is train ed in engineering, and has had several yeara of experience investigating the hydrography work in the arid states of the West. He is well qualified for this important work. The Oregon state surveyor at present co-operates with the government geogaphical survey. SAILORS REVOLT. Avenge Death by Capturing Officers and Burning City. St. Petersburg, March 21. Most sensational reports are current tonight that the execution of ex-Lieutenant Schmidt, which has made a deep im pression throughout Russia, has been followed by an extensive mutinyvof sailors at Sevastopol, the massacre of their offiwrs and firing by the fortress upon the city. The truth of the story ' la doubted, this being the "psychologi cal moment" for the appearance of auch wild reportB. No press dispatches con firming the story have been received, but, if the report should prove to be true, the absence of these might be ac counted for by the imposition of a cen sorship. The alleged news came in the form of two cipher telegrams to a prominent member of the Social Revolutionary party, such as the revolutionaries have sometimes been able to transmit through accomplices in the telegraph offices when the public and even the government have been unable to com municate. Aa translated and displayed at the offices of the newspapers here, the tele gram says briefly that the sailors, in furiated by the refusal of Emperor Nicholas to pardon Lieutenant Schmidt and their fellow eailora, rose in their barracks and seized and imprisoned the majority of their officers. The dis patches added that the city of Sevasto pol is almost entirely in flames. The admiralty affected ignorance as to the occurrence of any susli affair. The papers, in view of the menace of the new press law, which provides that they may be closed up for spreading false reports affecting the army or navy, are afraid to take chances by publishing the story. THE TOPEKA IS CENSURED. Officers Did Not Take Proper Means ' for Rescue. Victoria, B. C, March 21. The find ing of the commissioners appointed to inquire into theaValencia disaster was delivered today. The report found Captain Johnson was blamable in not having recovered his position by Uma tilla reef lightship before attempting to enter the straits and held him guilty of grave error of judgment and also in not having made due allowance for the northwest set of the current as proved well known to coast navigators. Censure was passed upon the lack of disciplne prevailing after the wreck, as well as the cork and cement life pro servers and inefficiency of drill. Those on the steamers Salvor and Czar were found to have been in ignorance of there being lives on' the wreck when they went to Bamfield to dispatch assistance over the trail, the Queen having reported this material fact to the City of Topeka, but not to the Canadian steamer. The Topeka waa found under the circumstances not to have properly stood by, while the Czar and Salvor were adjudged to have acted with due discretion. NEXT ROUND FRIDAY. Lawyers Will Argue Hermann's Latest Dilatory Motion. Washington, March 21. The next round in Representative Hermann's fight against the government will occur before Justice Gould, next Friday morning, when arguments will be heard on a motion made today by Her mann's attorneys to compel District At torney Baker to furnish a bill of partic ulars describing more minutely the letterpress copybooks which Hermann is accused of destroying. Counsel sub mitted with this motion an affidavit signed by Hermann, in which he, in substance, says he is not able to answer the charge against him unless the same be made more specific. From comments made last Friday, during the arguments on Hermann's demurer, it is believed that Justice Gould will direct the district attorney to furnish a bill of particulars, but this can be done instantly, and will throw no new light on the case, Bince the pro secution and defense are both aware what books were destroyed. Today's motion and Friday's argument mean nothing but delay. Dewey Favors Big Warships. Washington, March 21. Great bat tlcships like the 18,000-ton British bat tleship Dreadnaught are the crying need of the American navy, according to Admiral Dewey, who appeared before the house committee on naval affairs today to discuss the future of the Ameri can navy. At least two of the 18,000 ton battleships, with ten 12-inch guns each, should be authorized at once, in Admiral Dewey's opinion. He would use those of American design, and thinks we should be creative rather than imitative in developing the navy. , An Exceptional Sentence. Los Angeles, March 21. Edward B. Thomas, an ex-United States forest in spector, was today convicted -on the charge of having issued fraudulent vouchers and sentenced to. three years in the penitentiary and to pay fines ag gregating $7,000. He was found guilty on ten counta. The amount of Thomas' alleged fraudulent vouchers was lets than $200.