LEXINGTON WHEATFIELD
S. A. THOMAS, Publisher
LEXINGTON . . . OREGON
NEWS OFTHE WEEK
In a Condensed Form lor Our
Busy Headers.
A Resume of the Less Important but
Not Less Interesting Events
of the Past Week.
Taft says the people favor a contract
system for the Panama canal.
. A personal feud may cause war be
tween Guatemala and Salvador. -
Harriman says he may seelt a job on
the Interstate Commerce commission.
The San Francisco chamber of com
merce is said to oppose separate schools.
Cubans are talking of fighting Ameri
ca because the rural guard have been
increased. ,
The country home of Wanamaker,
near Philadelphia, has burned, entail
ing a loss of $1,000,000.
Japan has asked permission to decor
ate the American ambassadors to Rus
sia and Japan during the recent war.
Fulton has asked the government to
provide two dredges for the Pacific coast,
tone for Oregon and one for Wshiangton.
Hill says he may double track the
Great Northern its entire length in or
der to accommodate the fast growing
business.
Both the Russian and Japanese gov
ernments will erect memorials at Port
Arthur to their fallen soldiers in the
defense and capture of that fortress.
The Brazilian government it to send
a squadron to the United States for a
friendfy call. It is announced that all
negrose will be taken from the ships
before they start.
The French cabinet proposes an in
come tax to relieve the poor.
The price of all grade of diamonds
has been advanced 5 per cent.
Rebels are reported to have defeated
government forces in Argentina.
Egyptian explorers have found the
mummy of the famous Queen Teie.
Rain is increasing the discomforts of
the Kingston earthquake sufferers.
There is not a wheel turning on any
railroad between- Spokane and the
coast. '
Alton B. Parker believes the presi
dent right in his stand in the Browns
, ville affair. '
Troops have been called to stop rict
ing among Japanese miners in Japan.
Many have been killed. . "
The project to connect Lake Washing
ton and, Puget : sound , with a' canal 'has
been revived in congress.' t '
.Tfihn T). Rockefeller has e-iven 432.-
000,000 of first-class securities for. gen
eral education througtiout tne united
States. ". ,. ' ' V,- ."
More than 5.000 1 bushel of seed
. wheat has ' been donated by Oregon
growers' to be used in the famine dis
trict of China. .
The temperature is 5 , below zero at
, Kansas pity. ,
The Thaw trial is now fairly begun.
Insanity is the plea of the defense.-
vi . New Jersey Republicans have nomin-
ated Frank. O. Briggs as United States
senator. , ' " ' ; , .
Many reports are being received of
people being frozen to death in North
Dakota. ' ' ' ,
Snow and slides have blocked all
trains on the Northern Pacific so that
no Eastern mail can reach Tacoma.
The raise granted postal clerks will
add $68,000 to. the salaries of those in
Oregon and $100,000 to thisoe of
Washington. . .' .
The O. R. & N. between Portland and
The Dalles is in worse shape than for
years. Several work trains are hem
med in on both sides.
During the January just passed twice
as much excavation was done on the
Panama canal as in any January when
the woik was under French control.
Southern Pacific trains, while still
running, are all behind time and have
to proceed carefully on account of soft
tracks and uncertain bridges and em
bankments. Besides fighting for territory in the
Northwest, the Harriman and Hill
managements have entered into a wordy
war regarding the merits of the nieth
ods employed by each, which does not
appear to furnish more cars to the
shipper than the territory fight.
The king of Siam is to visit the Unit
ed States.
An explosion of gasoline started a
$100,000 fire in Chicago.
China is to resuscitate its navy. Ten
million dollars is to be provided yearly
for the work.
OPPOSES CONTRACT PLAN.
Ceief Engineer Stevens Wants to Dig
Panama Canal.
Washington, Feb. 8. Chief Engi
neer John F. Stevens wants to dig the
Panama canal, and if he cannot dig the
big ditch without the medium of a con
tractor, there is likely to be another va
cancy at the head of affairs on the isth
mus.' This is understood to be the se
cret of the mysterious holding up of the
award of the Panama canal contract
that has excited interest and curosity
for the last two weeks.
Everybody has been wondering why
the administration has been delaying
action on the Olliver bid for digging
the canal. One theory has been that it
was due to a fight between rival finan
cial interests, those represented by the
contractors underbid by the Olliver
firm being credited with the efforts to
throw out the lower bidder and take
the prize. There have been tangles re
garding Mr. Olliver'e partners. Fin
ally a positive decision from President
Roosevelt, Secretary of "War Taft and
Chairman Shonts, of the Canal pom
mission, has been postponed for two
weeks longer, ostensibly to complete
a full examination of the Olliver bid,
but in reality, it is believed,' to solve
the problem presented by Mr. Stevens'
position. '
OPPOSED TO DISCRIMINATION.
Los Angeles Chamber on Separate
Schools for Japanese.
Washington, Feb. 8. The president
today received a telegraphic copy of a
resolution adopted yesterday by the Los
Angeles chamber of commerce upon the
Japanese school question, which ex
presses the belief that the public senti
ment of California, especially of the
southern part, upon the question of the
exclusion of the Japanese from the
general public school system of the
state has been to some extent misrepre
sented and is largely misunderstood.
The sentiment is expressed that on the
main question, whatever may be the
diversity of opinion upon the constitu
tional and legal phases, the board is
assured that "the general trend of pub
lic opinion in Southern California is
decidedly adverse to any discrimination
against the Japanese as a people in the
matter of public school privileges, aud
the belief that this opinion is based
upon consideration of equity and justice
is held altogether independent of any
attitude which the Japanese govern
ment has assumed or may assume in
regard to the question."
CALLS BOOKER SENATOR.
Foraker Takes a Fling at Activity of
Negro Leader.
Washington, Feb. 8. Five witnesses
were examined today in the Browns
ville inquiry by the Senate committee
on military. All were members of the
discharged battalion of negro soldiers
except ex-Sergeant Luther Thornton,
of company B. He testified that, when
aroused by the firing on the night of
August 13, he was under the impres
sion that the barracks' were being fired
upon by the people of the town.
The next witness called for by Sen
ator Foraker was Winter Washington,
and, Senator Overman asked if he had
said Booker Washington.
"No," said Mr. Foraker, "Booker
Washington is too busy attending to
his senatorial duties to come here.
He referred to the interest of Booker T.
Washington in the question of having a
negro appointed to a federal position
in Ohio, patronage which has been re
garded as belonging to the senators
'from Ohio. , '
Washington's idea of tne Browns
ville affair was that ''Mexican Greas
ers" and "Texas cowboys" had done
the shooting in order to make trouble
for the negro soldiers.
Mausers Smuggled as Books.
Victoria, B. C, Feb, 8. iMail advices
from Shanghai state that, owing to an
accident at the wharf there, the discov
ery has been made that arms and am
munition have been smuggled through
Shanghai to the disaffected districts
where rebellion is in progress. ' A Chi
nese newspaper reports that 50,000
Mauser rifles and 5,000,000 rounds of
ammunition have been imported into
China from Japan by the revolutionary
party. Dr. Sun Yat, who is one of the
prime movers of ttie rebellion, .is at
Tokio, as head of the rebel junta there.
' More Money for Pacific Lights.
Washington, Feb. 8. The senate's
commerce committee reported the house
omnibus lighthouse bill with amend
ments added giving $20,000 for re
building the lighthouse at Cape Arago
and $120,000 for a lighthouse vessel at
Oxford Reefs.
Right of Way Across Fort Columbia.
Washington, Feb. 8. The senate to
day passed Senator Fulton's bill au
thorizing the Ilwaco railroad to build
across the Fort Columbia reservation
and quarantine station grounds on its
way from Ilwaco to Knappton.
Earthquakes Change Island.
Montevideo, Feb. 8. A report has
reached here by passengers on the
steamer Elka that earthquakes havec
hanged the appearance of New Year's
island and that a portion of the island
has sunk several meters.
IN THE NATIONAL HALLS OF CONGRESS
Friday, February 8.
Washington, Feb. 8. A new high
record in the way of passage of pi ivate
pension bills was made by the house
today, when 725 bills were passed in an
hour and a half.
The naval appropriation bill, carry
ing $95,425,000, was taken up and un
der the order of general debate speeches
were made by Lamar of Florida on the
railroad rate bill, lliggins of Connecti
cut favoring the creation of the White
Mountain and Appalachian forest re
serves, and Mondell of Wyoming on
the ' limitations of Federal authority"
and the withdrawal of coal lands from
entry. . - - .. v. .
Washington, Feb. 8. The senate to
day passed the Indian appropriation
bill. Frazier made an address main
taining state's rights, after which the
army appropriation bill, carrying a
total of $81,500,000 was taken up.
The army measure was partly read
for approval of committee amendments
and adjournment was taken shortly be-
fc re 6 o clock, when it became apparent
that considerable debate was to be oc
casioned by an amendment to permit
the government to receive reduced rates
fiom the railroads for the transporta
tion of troops and supplies for the army
and to allow army olticers and their
families to accept free transportation.
The adoption of this amendment would
be a modification of the railroad rate
bill passed at the latt session of con
gress.
Thursday, F bruary 7.
Washington, Feb. 7. The house to
day completed and passed the river and
harbor appropriation bill, carrying
more than $80,000,000, with sundry
amendments, all of which were sug
gested by the chairman of the commit
tee, Burton. Among the important
amendments adopted were:
For the maintenance and continuing
of the improvement of the Chicago
river, $200,000, being an increase of
$180,000.
A survey of the Missouri river was
authorized, flora its 'outh to bioux Uity.
A 1 ill amending the naval appropria
tion bill was taken up and made the
continuing order.
Washington, Feb. 7. The Indian
appropriation bill received rough hand
ling by the senate today. The amend
ments of the committee, ' especially
those suggested by the special commit
tee which went to the Indian Territory
last summer to investigate conditions,
were nearly all rejected on points of
order.
The provision which allowed full-
blood Indians of the Indian Territory
to sell their surplus land was defeated
by a vote of 31 to 32, which leaves in
force the provision of the law known
as the McCumber amendment, prohib
iting the alienation of such land for 25
years.
The debate on the bill today was con
fined to the amendment allowing land
alienation. Stone made the principal
speech for the amendment and Spooner
the principal argument against it.
Wednesday, February 6.
Washington, Feb. 6. The Indian
appropriation bill again was in the sole
topic of discussion by the senaet today,
but little progress was made. The day
was spent in a discussion of the propo
sition to repeal the restrictions on the
alienation of Biirplus land in the Indian
Territory. No conclusion was reached
on this matter when the senate ad
journed. Washington, Feb. 6. The advocates
of a 14-foot channel for the Mississippi
river from Chicago to St. Louis and the
gulf met defeat when the house in com
mittee of the whole, during considera
tion of the rivers and harbors appro
priation bill, voted to stand by the re
commendation of the committee in op
position to the , project . Although
there was much speechmaking on the
part of the friends of the measure, they
secured only 43 votes for the amend
ment, as againBt 415 against it. '
Earlier in the day Dalzell of Penn
sylvania offered an amendment provid
ing for the continuance of work on dam
No. 7 on the Ohio river,but it was de
feated on a test vote which showed that
the chairman of the rivers and harbors
committee, Burton, had a large major
ity of the house with him as to any
amendment to the bill. '
After completing 72 pages of the bill
the house adjourned.
Tuesday, February 6.
Washington, Feb. 5. The senate
Steamers in Dire Peril.
Halifax, N. S., Feb. 6. Two un
known ocean steamers, one of which is
known to be disabled and the other
thought to be, are anchored tonight in
a dangerous position at Keteh harbor,
a few miles west of this city, and the
lives of those on board are In peril. The
ships are less than a quarter of a mile
off shore and within 100 yards of the
breakers. A tremendous sea is running.
The steamers have fired several guns
and are fending up rockets, but owing
to the terrific sea no aid could be given
the vessels tonight.
spent the entire day in considering the
Indian appropriation bill, but without
concluding the quostion of amendments.
The army appropriation bill was re
ported and will be taken up as soon as
the Indian appropriation bill has been
disposed of. The bill carries $81,500,
000. The principal items in the increase
in the military bill are: Washington
Alaska cablo, $1110,000; signal service
in, Cuban pacification, $50,000; con
tract surgeons, $00,000; regular sup
plies, $51)6,643; barracks and quarters,
$1,372,227; transportation, $702,064;
increase incident to the passage of a
bill extending and promoting the efli
ciency of the artillery corps, $0,221,
160. Washington, Feb. 5. Several test
votes were taken by the house commit
tee on public lands to determine the
attitude of the committee towards Pres
ident Roosevelt's policy of leasing gov
ernment coal lands. The committee
voted against the .general leasing sys
tem for coal lands, but by a .vote of 5
to 4 favored a bill to lease such lands
in limited areas.
Another vote showed that the com
mittee favors the renting instead of the
present system of selling land, but with
modifications in the present plan,
which will make fraud more difficult.
Monday, February 4.
Washington, Feb. 4. The senate oc
cupied the first two hours of its session
today in perfecting the house bill per
mitting the government to take an ap
peal on points of law in certain crim
inal cases. The bill is intended to
reach cases similar to that against the
meat packers .
The bill was laid aside to permit
further discussion of Carter's resolu
tion aimed at the recent order of the
secretary of the interior preventing the
issuance of land patents to entrymen
until after an examination on the
ground by a , special agent. Heyburn
continued the remarks he began several
days ago and Newlands followed in de
fense of the secretary.
Bacon made a brief statement in
tended to show that Beveridge had been
in error regarding the operation of the
child labor law in Georgia.
Washington, Feb. 4. The house
passed a number of important hills to
day, including the McCumber service
pension bill, the omnibus lighthouse
bill and the omnibus revenue cutter
bill;. The omnibus lighthouse bill car
ries a total apropriation of $1,598,500
for the lighthouse establishment and an
additional sum of $195,000 for addi
tional lightkeepers.
The house, by a yote of 10 to 65, con
curred in the senate amendments to the
urgent deficiency bill, loaning the
Jamestown exposition $1,000,000 and
safeguarding the loan by a lien on the
gross receipts.
Bills providing for the protection of
game in Alaska and .authorizing a re
fund of certain taxes continued under
the revenue actof 1898 were also passed.
Saturday, February 2.
Washington, Feb. 2. Two hours
were spent today by the house on the
rivers and harbors appropriation bill,
speeches against the measure being
made by Hepburn, Clark of Missouri
ana Kiefer. Impressive eulogies were
delivered on the late Senaator Gorman
of Maryland. Out of respect to the
memory it the late Representative
Flack, whose death was announced, the
house at 4:05 adjourned until Monday.
Washington, Feb. 2. The senate de
voted most of the day to the reading of
the Indian appropriation bill for the
adoption of committee amendments.
Several bills authorizing the construc
tion of bridges and one exending the
terms of leases in the Yellowstone Na
tional Park were passed. After a brief
executive session the senate adjourned
at 3:30 o'clock out of respect to the
memory of the . late Representative
Flack, of New York.
Reducing Lewis County Debt.
Chehalis Last week County Treas
urer Summersett paid off $10,000 of
the old funding bonds of Lewis county,
and took up interest coupons amount
ing to $2,750. The county commission
ers expect this year to materially cut
into the old debt of the county, it be
ing possible that the reduction will
amount to between $30,000 and $40,
000. Last year's tax-roll footed up to
$213,809.69, while this year's total is
$291,799.05, an increase of $77,989.36.
Seeks a Ternvnus.
Sin Francisco, Feb. 6. Strakenou
chi, manager of the Osaka Shoshen
Kaisha Steamship company, arrived
festerday on the America Maru from
Yokohama for the purpose of selecting
a Pacific Coast terminal for his line.
The company operates freight steamers
from Japan to Vladivostok, Corea,
Shanghai, Formosa and Hongkong, and
is desirous of extending its line to this
coast. Manager Strakenouchi will look
into the facilities here and will also
visit Portland, Seattle and Tacoma,
and perhaps Santiago, before deciding.
RAISt ALL RATES
General Advance in Freight Inaugu
rated by Eastern Lines. "
Chicago, Feb. 6. Tlio first step was
taken here today in a-p'lau"to inaugur
ate a general increase in : freight rates,
throughout the country In such a man
ner as to bring millions of dollars add
ed revenue to the railroads and at the
same time greatly facilitate the move
ment of trallic.
As the result of a meeting-, which
was attended by executive olliclals of
railroads east of Chicago, and having a
total of more than 100,000 miles of
lines, a vote is being taken upon a"
proposition to increase the rates of
nearly all of tho main cominoditte)
fully 10 per cent by decreasing tho
minimum which it is permitted to load .
into a froight car.
The railroads interested in the ini
tial movement extend through all the
territory east of Chicago and nortli of
the Ohio river, clear to the seaboard
and north into Canada. In this terri
tory freight rates are controlled by tho
association known as tlio Central
Freight association. The action will
undoubtedly be followed by tho lines,
south of the Ohio river, and then by
the lines west of Chicago to the Pacific
coast.
It is difficult to estimate how much
the proposed increase will bring tlio
railroads in added revenue, but the sum
will be a big one. Traffic ollicers,
however, state that it will not be suffi
cient to offset even tho increased ex
pense to the railroads occasioned by in
creased wages, estimated at between
$100,000,000 and $110,000,000 annu
ally. DISAGREE ON FAIR BILL.
Washington Senators and Represent
atives at Cross Purposes
Washington, Feb. 6. On Thursday
the senate committee on expositions
will meet in the room of Senator An
keny to consider and probably report
the Ankeny bill making an appropria
tion for the Alaska, Philippine and Ha
waiian exhibits at the Seattle exposition
in 11)09. If the bill is reported its
passage by the senate is certain to fol
low. The house members of the Washing
ton delegation disapprove of the course
of the senators and have urged that no.
action be taken on the bill this session.
While it can pats the senate, it is abso
lutely certain that it cannot get through,
the house this session, for the chair
man of the house committee is not only
opposed to this exposition appropria
tion, but has said he will not call his.
committee together to consider the bill
Moreover, having appropriated liberal
ly for Jamestown, 4 he house leaders,
will not consider the senate bill this,
winter.
In view of this situation the house
members charge that the senators are
placing them in an embarrassing posi
tion by pressing the bill at this time,
but their protests are falling on deat
ears.
HEYBURN PUSHES THE ISSUE.,
Moves Resolution and Amendments;
Dealing With Land Question.
Washington, Feb. 6. Senator Hey
burn yesterday introduced a resolution
compelling the secretary of the interior
to disregard the order of the president
and issue patents on all land and min
eral applications where the proofs sub
mitted show full compliance with the
requirements of law, and where no pro
test has been filed against the granting
of such patents.' The senator expressed
the opinion that by the adoption of
this resolution a large percentage of the
land business of the country will be re
sumed, being now tied up.
Mr. Heyburn also introduced art
amendment to the sundry civil bill
providing for the completion of the
survey of pubjic land in Idaho to be
made by a rectangular system of sur
vey, without waiting for the requests
or demands of settlers, and appropriat
ing $200,000 for making the surveys.
He also proposed an amendment to the
agricultural bill providing that none of
sections 16 or 36 shall be included in
any forest 'reserve where such sections
were granted to the states by the act of
admission to the Union, or the enabling;
act, and that land more valuable for
grazing than for timber shall not be
included within the forest reserves.
No Excitement In Japan.
Tokio, Feb. 6. The view taken here
of the American-Japanese situation
arising from the San Francisco school
incident, is illustrated by the following
official statement, which was issued to
day: "Since the talk of war was first
transmitted from America we have
carefully watched the development of
feeling here. There has not been the
slightest excitement anywhere in the
country. The talk of war is completely
Ignored here, and implicit confidence is
reposed in President Roosevelt and his
government."
Snow Smothers New York.
New York, Feb. 6. For more than
24 hours New York has been in the
grip of a fierce northeast snowstorm.
Ten inches of snow fell in the 24 hours
ending at 8 a. m., equaling the amount,
that has fallen within any similar per
iod for several years.
I