FOR A NEW RUSSIA
THE STANDARD REPLIES
PASS RATE BILL
iNOT ONE WAS LET LIVI
SENATORS CONCLUDE A STKUOOIjE
op si any weeks
Vote is Almost Unanimous
TDK EE MEMllEK.S-l'OKAKEH 3IOK
(IAN AND I'ETTUSOl'l'OSE
More Attention ilvcn to It Tlinti Any
Mcnitnre for Mnny YcnrnUiiilcr
Consideration Since Feb
ruary lit!
WASHINGTON. - After seventy
days of almost continuous delibera
tion the senate passed the railroad
rate bill by the practically unani
mous vote of seventy-one to three.
The three negative votes were east
by Senators Foraker, republican of
Ohio, and Morgan and Pettus demo
crats, Alabama. There was a some
what larger attendance of senators
than usual, but the attendance in the
galleries was by no means abnormal
and there was no manifestations of
any kind when the result was an
nounced. There was, however, an
almost general sigh of relief among
Ecnators.
The bill has received moru atten
tion from the senate and from tho
country at largo than any measure
that has been before congress since
the repeal of the purchasing clause of
tho Sherman act of 1893.
It was reported to the senate on
February '20, and was made tho un
finish d business on March 12. From
that time tho bill was under general
tli.so.us ion without limitation on the
duration of speeches, fifty-eight of
which were delivered. Many of these
were prepared with great care and
two of them consumed more than a
day's time in delivery. Senator
LaFolctte, the junior senator from
Wisconsin, spoke for three days and
Senator Daniel of Virginia for two
days. Senators Bailey, Foraker,
Lodge. Ravnor. IJolliver and others
spoke .for one entire day.
For twelve days tho bill was under
consideration under a rule limiting
speeches to fifteen minutes each.
Tho debate has at all times been
earnest and animated, but for the
most narf devoid of personality as
between senators, tho last few days,
however, having called out some
caustic criticism.
In addition to passing the bill, tl o
proceedings consisted in concluding
the consideration of tho amendments,
and the delivery of a number of
speeches on tho bill. Tho only
amendment adopted was the one
sflered by Senator Teller eliminating
the words "in its judgment" fn in
the power given to tho intersta o
uomnierce v commission tj fix ratts.
Cnr nml Court. Unzud
ST. PETERSBURG. The critical
moment, which will decide whether
there will bo peace or war between
the crown and tne people, apparently
arrived wit'i tho adoption by tho
lower house of Parliament of its
reply to the speech from tho throne.
President. MouromtselT haB gone to
Poterhoir to present tho reply to tho
mporor and his majesty's response
is awaited with great anxiety. Popu
lar opinion considers that tho govern-
ment has no option between sur
render or war. While cvontB during
the last week followed each other
with extremo rapidity, the issue now
raised is not likely to be decided
quickly. Tho Russians generally
believe that tho emperor, court and
government undoubtedly have been
dazed by the blunt, direct fashion
with which Parliament has spoken
out, and their policy naturally will
be to gain time.
The emperor personally, is in a
bencficient frame of mind and for
tho present will not listen to tho
counsels of those who adivse him to
dissolve Parliament and fight.
Nevertheless, he is resolved not to
yield anything like all that Parlia
ment demands. It safely can bo
predicted, .therefore, that ho will
presume a temporizing policy with
partial amnesty as tho first sop
thrown to the country.
The constitutional democratic
leaders, whose program would bo
upset by tho dissolution of Parlia
ment, are quite as anxious as the
emperor to avoid tho precipitation of
n conflict. They would regard the
failure of the government to declare
war as a big preliminary victory of
which they would take advantage by
forcing through their agrarian pro.
ject, upon, which they count to
strengthen themselves in the country
before the final battle opens.
A rREACIlEU, WIFE AND
SEVEN CIIII.UKEN
Monte Set on Fire by Sliycr nml ltodloi
Cromitcl-Cltlens Knitting Mon
ey to Apprehend Mur
derer FENSAOOLA, Fla.-Ono 'of the
.most horrible crimes in tho history
of this state, if not of tho entir
'south, was committed ten milci
north of Milton. An itinera".'
preacher named Aokerman, his wift
and seven children, the eldest abou'
fourteen years old, were killed, ano
their bodies cremated in their home.
which was burned by the assassins
The crime was discovered the nex'
morning by parties with whom Acker
man had an appointment. They fount:
the house in .ruins and tho charred
bodies of Ackernian and tho eight
other members of their familj
icattered about among the wreckage
Examination by physicians showed
Hint. Ae.kerman and his Wife had
been struck on the beau with some
blunt instrument, their skulls being
crushed.
The citizens of Milton have raised
more than a thousand dollars which
will lie offered as a reward fur the
apprehension of the assassins, and
Governor Broward has been nppealed
to oiler a reward for the state.
Afkerman is not known to have
hail any enemies.
Our jMny Ylolil
ST. PETERSBURG. Former Pre
mier Witte again took a prominent
oart in tho conferences of members
of the council of the empire, success
fully insisting that the adoption of a
reply to the speech from the throne
Mionltl bf postponed until a regular
meeting of the council at which
representatives of the press shall be
pres'.'iii in order that the country
may :c mi formed n to the argument?
advanced ui either side. Nevorthe
jet- the projected reply to the
speech Irom the tnrone, which will
probably be adopted, already has
been drarted, and has been seen by
the Associated press. Though deli
cately expressed, the reply virtually
I'ontiiius a demand for the. amnesty
or political prisoners who are not
guilty of murder or robbery.
In other respects the only reply
feruist to be especially designed to
ilii-arm the suspicions that it is to be
ihe role of the upper chamber to
t.lock legislation proposed by the
lower house. After expressing the
deepest loyalty to the emperor, the
reply of the council of the empire
contains these three principal points:
FirstAn unequivocal endorsement
of a liberal regime.
Second Declaration of the inten
tion to work in harmony with the
lower house for large rooms.
Third Amnesty, the suggestion
being so worded as not to wound tho
sensibility of the emperor, calling
pi tent ion to the fact that, all remark
able occasions in Russian histoty have
lif-en marked by an act of grace, and
urging the strong claim to clemency
nf those who, in striving for liberty,
transgressed lawful limits without
being guilty of crime.
Alter struggling the whole day
until late in the evening over a draft
of the reply to tho speech from the
throne, the members of tho com
mission of the house postponed tho
work of phrasing until 11 o'clock the
next morning. Tho prospects are
that, full accord on several points
may not be readied before the open
ing of the house and therefore the
reply may be thrown into the full
house for final discussion. The
struggle has centered mainly on tho
agrarian plank, in which the peasant
member?,' found that tho reconir
mendations of the constitutional
democratic convention, though call
ing for a large measure of forced
rxpropriation, was not sweeping
enough. Tho peasants wished the
abandonment of inpst of the limita
tions and qualifications of the right
of expropriation.
The debate on the address will be
protracted, probably occupying two
days Besides the'points of universal
ftmncsly and abolishment of the
leath penalty, laid down in the
Instructions ol the lower house, the
document "adroitly introduced the
objects of abolishment of tho council
of the empire and ministerial
'csponsibility.
A crisis over the question of grant
Jng amnesty already confronts the
fmreror, who will be compelled to
peld or have to accept the gage of
jattle. Almost every family in
Russia contains a member or relative
iho has suffered or is now suffering
3t his political opinions ,
VICTIM
HOUSE OF 1'AIU.IAMENT WOULD
SET OLD OH11EU
Demand Served Upon Czar
VI ME KIl'E FOR
KEOENEKATION
EMI' I HE
OF
THE
Amnenty, Abolition of Dcntb 1'eimlty nml
.Htiftoutmlon of 3Inrtlul Law
Urirett Upon- the Em
peror ST. PETERSBURG. -After an
afternoon spent in discussion of rules
of order, the lower house of parlia
ment began the debate on the address
in answer to the speech from the
throne, and adjourned at midnight
after speeches by M. Roditohell and
a dozen orators of lesser calibre.
Tho discussion, which will bo
resumed showed that the main attack
on the address will bo delivered
rrom tho left. Tho leaders of parlia
ment have more to fear from tho
radicals than from the conservatives.
Tho evening's debate was tame.
Even the periods or M Roditohell,
tho best orator among the constitu
tional democrats, explaining and de
fending the address, brought only a
faint ripple of applause. Tho only
scene of real enthusiasm was duo to
a reference to tho absence from the
address or a plank on the subject of
woman's sulTrnge, which brought hair
of the members or tho house to their
feet cheering.
Other radical members demanded a
paragraph asking for the punishment
of ollicials guilty of excesses in past
acts of repression and a fuller and
plainer statement of the demand for
a constitutional order.
Several conservatives essayed to
speak, but the houso was in no mood
to listen then. Princo Volkonsky, a
loading Oetoborist, refused to con
tinue his speech, and left the
rostrum with a bitter fling at denial
of the right of Tree speech.
Two features of the session de
veloped outside tho regular debate.
The first was tho adoption of a rule
relativo to the previous question,
under which fifty members niay pre
vent the stoppage of a debate, open
ing the door to sucessful filibustering
by a determined minority of one
tenth of the membership of tho
house. The other feature was tho
appearance or a conservative group
among tho supporters of the govern
ment, forty-four peasant members
signing a motion for postponement of
the debate.
The meaning of the maneuvers was
at first not comprehended by the
members of the houe, but when in
reading tho list of supporters of the
motion, the name of Yerogin, a gov
eminent deputy and organizer of the
scheme to provide for peasant
deputies in lodging houses was
reached, a low whistle of surprise
and comprehension ran around the
benches. Count Hoyden and other
members of the right supported the
motion, but it
was overwhelmingly
defeated.
While partial
made a deep
amnesty might have
impression had the
emperor signalized the occasion of
tho assembling of parliament, by
such an act of grace, its favorable
elToet will be largely destroyed when
thus forced from his hands.
There was a long wrangle at the
opening of the session, over the
question of parliamentary procedure,
etc., no rules to govern the house
having been adopted.
The following is the text or the
address in reyly to the speech rrom
the throne.
"It has pleased your majesty in
your speech addressed to the people's
representatives to express your de
termination unshakingly to preserve
the institutions whereby the people
have been called to exercise legisla
tive power in conjunction with their
monarch. The parliament regards
ino monarch's formal promise to the
people as a sure pledge of that con
solidation and further develope.ment
of order and legislation in accordance
with a strictly constitutional basis.
''The house will for its part make
every effort to perfect the principle
of popular representation, and to sub
mit Tor your majesty's assent a bill
relating to such representation bas
ing it, in accordance with the unan
imously expressed will or tho people,
on universal sulTago. "
The parliament holds it to be its
duty to point out that the conditions
under which the county lives render
really fruitrul work for the renova
tion of the best powers of tho nation
impossible.
OII COMFANY OOMIT.AIMS OF COM
MISSIONED tJAKFIEI.H
ClnIlonc' Htm to I'roiliiro n Slnclo
Ntiinco Wlicrn ttHmten Hutu
lleen Kfcrlvoil From
the Itiillroiut
I n-
NEW YORK. -The Standard Oil
company issued to its shareholders a
statement in reply to the special
message recently sent to congress by
President Roosevelt, and the report
on the country's oil industry by Com
missioner Garlield of the bureau of
corporations, which accompanied it.
riie statement is signed by 0. M.
ratt secretary and was issued by
order of the board of directors. It
enies positively the charge that the
Standard OP company benelltted by
secret rates for tho transportation of
its products.
"Whatever measures of prosperity
it has enjoyed," says tho statement,
is not traceable to illegal or
reprehensible methods, but to its
economic nnd elaborate industrial
organization, covering, as it does,
every detail of transportation, manu
facture and administraton."
The statement declares that the
estimates that the company saves
$750,000 a year through tho operation
of a certain freight rates could only
Hive been arrived at by theorizing
The statement in part says:
"On a recent date the president of
tho United States submitted a special
message to congress transmuting a
report to him by Commissioner Gar
field of the bureau of corporations,
in which tho commission charges
that this company has habitually
received from tho railroads and is
now receiving secret rates and other
unjust and illegal discriminations,
"Preliminary disclaimers wore at
onco made to uointnissionor i.tar
field's allegations, but we feel that
you may naturally anticipate a more
laborate and technical reply, which
wo submit hero under.
"The largo sums of money which
.Mr. Garfield sets down as one year's
savings" to tho Standard through the
operation or certain freight rates-
sums which tho president aggregates
as $750.000 could only have been
arrived at by theorizing.
"If the claim o! Commissioner
Garlield was true that the Standard
is ravored by open rates, it would
involve not only collusion between
the railroads and the Standard Oil
company, but collusion by tho rail
roads with each other. It would also
involve the consent or a railroad not
reaching Whiting lnd., ror example
to the establishment or rates not or
that point at which the consenting
r.iilroad was receiving traflic. To
bring about such an arrangement
would be impossible. It may bo said
generally that there is a competing
relinerv in almost every section of
tho United States where the Standard
has a refinery, except at Whiting, J nt
"No rates can be made applicable
to the Standard's competitors.
"After an investigation of ship
incuts during a period of about
iirtecn venrs 'over more than two
hundred thousand miles or railway
the commissioner is not able to show
that the Standard Oil company rv
ceived a single rebate on its inter
state shipments, lie has only
instances or when the rate situation
in his opinion required explanation.
This explanation was freely given,
and we believe would bo satisfactory
to any man familiar with tin trail. -portation
problems.
"If the commissioner had any
doubts as to the regularity of these
rates, he might have brought them
to the attention of the interstate
commerce commission, when the
question at issue could have been
heard and determined. In the
absence or such determination, it is
surely not within the limits or fair-
ness Tor the bureau or corporations
to cast aspersions upon a eat cor
poration.
"The company owns and controls
only a very moderate percentage or
tho crude production or the United
States, and with at least 125 rival
rellneres in existence, it is a ilpa
ble absurdity to call it a monopoly.
For tho last quarter of century
more than GO per cant ofits output
fins been shipped to foreign countries.
In creating and sustaining the vast
foreign trade the company has en
countered innumerable'' obstacles and
incessant compotitioi from other
petroleum industries' possessing the
advantages of geographical location
and cneaper labor, and which are
oftentimes developed under the fos
tering care of their reBpectivo governments.
! NEBRASKA NOTES 2
Mr. Leo Rogers, of Arkansas, is in
Falls City, making arrangements to
locate a vinegar factory at thnt place.
Thompson Wilkinson, of Beatrice,
who was recently injured by a sorero
fall at his home, Is in a serious con
dition. Ho Is 80 years of ago.
I. E Roiiners, tho younger member
of the firm of Relmors Bros, of tho
city meat market at Stella Iisih re
turned from Keokuk, la., with life
bride.
The Methodist people at Papillion
are thoroughly overhauling tho
church and when the workmen tiro
through it will have the appearance
or a new building.
Word has been received at North
Platte or the death or Frank W.
Bryant, i roriuer clerk in tho United
States land olllce of that place. Ho
died at hong Reach, Oal.
A charter has been granted tho
First National bank of Tronton, Neb.,
with a capital of 25, 000 and with.
W. S. Collott president. A. If.
Thomas vice president nnd Ethyl
Hal) cashier.
Donald, the 0-year-old son of Fred
Walridge or Tekainah, has been
kicked in tho race by a horse. It-
required seven stitches to sow up tho
wound and while it is not considered
serious, it Is very painful.
T. 0. Kirk of Boomer, made a ship
ment of cattle to South Omaha re
cently. Mr. Kirk is ono or tho heav
iest stock feeders in that section nnd
Is vice president of tho Boomer Stato
bank.
R. M. Criohton of Auburn, for sov-
. i. ,. i...
erai years uooKKoepor, uns oecn
elected assistant cashier of tho Carson
National bank to succeed R. O.
Boyd, who has resigned to becoino
cashier or tho First National bank oT
Johnson, Neb.
Work on the largo school building
at Spencer will bo resumed within n
short time tho suspension having
been caused by tho contractor drop
ping out when the building was
changed to brick instead of content
blocks.
William Morford, the 15-year-old
son or Jacob Morrord or Beaver Cros
sing, was badly hurt by a mule im
his father's barn. A younger brother
canio up behind tho mule- and bciwa'.ui
tho animal, causing it to injure tlio
boy.
W. A. Smith, cashier of the First
National bank or Roomer, has just re
turned rrom a business trip to north
western Nebraska, wlioro ho has been
negotiating for several sootloiiH of
Sherman county land near Rushvillm
and Gordon.
Thieves are apt to carry away any
thing in tho realm of portable o fleets
but the limit seems to have boon
reached at Sidney the other night
when burglars stole several full seta
of teeth from tho dental oillces of
Drs. Murlless and Bcebu.
W. II. Horn and a force of men aro
at work taking down tho main build
ing of the old starch works plant nt
Beatrice. This will remove tho last
vestige of his famous relio of boom
days. Tho balance of the buildings
were purchased some time ago by
Aaron Palmer of that city.
A premier was seen by Neel Roberts
near Richfield, walking around near
f. Roberts' barn during tho night.
Mr. Roberts got his shotgun- :uid
watched the follow. When he tried
the stablo door Mr. Roberts Hred at.
him and filled his legs with, tino- hvrd
shot. Mr. Roberts went to-Papillion
and took out a dog which he will
chain near the stable.
A. L. Scutt broke ground for tfi
erection of a new brick store build
ing at Leigh. The structure will bo
L'OxSO feet, two stories and basement.
Leigh is experiencing quite ait
activity in the building lino at pres
ent. Another brick store will soon
bo erected, besides several line resi
dences. Joseph Baker, of Omaha, who pur
chased the 1 Unton ice plant under
mortgage now has a largo force of
men at, work there cleaning the placo
up and adding boiiio new machinery
with a view to operating the plant in
Falls City. It was located in that
city three years ago by Mr. George
Ilinton, but was only operated by
him for a few months and since then,
has been standing idlo.
William Flack, a 10-year-old boy,
residing a few miles northwest oi
Auburn, was accidentally shot in the
leg. He, with two companions, vrero
riding in a spring wagon with tho
gun Jying on the bottom. The gun
was jolted against a largo wrench in
tho wagon, which discharged it, the
load striking the calf of the leg, but
only ailesh wound was caused, which,
is not serious.