.. -.—
^TAFT GIVES VIEWS ON
THE YEAR'S CAMPAIGN
Still Defends the Tariff Law,
but Will Help Revision of
Some Schedules.
HIS LETTER TO ' M’KINLEY
New York, Aujf. 29.- The letter of
■President Taft to Chairman McKinley,
■ of the republican congressional com
mittee. on the issues of the fall cam
paign. was made public at the New
York headquarters of the committee
■yesterday. It is as follows:
1 assume that when this letter Is given
publicity the lines will be drawn, the party
• candidates will have been selected, and the
question for decision will be whether we
■ shall have In the House of Representa
tives a republican or a democratic major
ity The question, then, will be not what
•complexion of republicanism one prefers.
but whether tt Is better for the country
to have the republican party control the
legislation l’or the next two years and
further redeem its promises, or to enable
a democratic majority in the House either
to interpose a veto to republican measures,
•or to formulate and pass bills to carry
•out democratic principles. Prominence
has been given during the preliminary
•canvasses just ended to the differences
between republicans; but in the election
tojrm such differences should be forgotten.
Differences within the party were mani
fested in the two sessions of the present
•congress, and yet never In its history has
the republican party passed and become
responsible for as much useful and pro
gressive legislation. So while issues will
doubtless arise between members of a re
publican majority as to the details of fur
ther legislation, the party as a whole, will
•chow, itself in the future, as in the past,
practical and patriotic in subordinating
Individual opinions in ordei^o secure real
progress. Hence it is important that after
republican congressional candidates have
been dulv and fairly chosen, all republic
ans who ‘believe in the party principles as
• declared in its national platform of 1908
should give the candidates loyal and ef
fective support. If this is done, there will
be no doubt of a return of a republican
majority.
Democratic Repudiation.
Th* only other alternative is a demo
cratic majority. It is difficult, very diffi
cult. to state all the principles that would
govern such a majority in its legislative
course; and this because its party plat
form.- have presented a variety of planks
not altogether consistent, and because in
the present congress, leading democrats in
tie- Senate and the House have not hesi
tated to repudiate certain of their party
ph-dges and to deny their binding char
acter. We may reasonably assume, how
ever, that a democratic majority in the
House would reject the republican doc
trine of protection as announced in 1908.
What, therefore, lias a republican who
believes in protection, but objects to some
rates or schedules in the present, tariff
•act. to hope for from a democratic ma
jority which, if allowed its way, would
attack the protective system, and halt
business by a threatened revision of the
whole tariff on revenue basis, or if pre
vented by the Senate or the executive
would merely do nothing?
Such a legislative program as that set
forth in the republican national platform
•of 19*i8 could not he carried out in full by
one congress. Certainly if all its prom
ises are executed In one administration.
1t will be within a proper time. The prec
•ent congress has not only fulfilled many
party pledges, tmt. it has by its course set
‘higher the standard of party responsibility
f’or such pledges than ever before in the
itstory of American parties. Hereafter
■those who would catch voters by declara
tions in favor of alluring remedial legisla
tion will not make them except with much
f more care as to the possibility of its enact
ment. In view of the history of the pres
ent congress, the return of a republican
majority in the next congress may well
inspire confidence that the pledges still
'unredeemed will be met and satisfied.
The Tariff.
T.et us consider, summarily, the prom
ises made and the legislation enacted by
the present, congress: First and of pri
mary importance was the promise to re
vise the tariff In accordance with the rule
laid down in the platform, to-wit: That
the tariff on articles imported should be
•equal to the difference between their cost
of production abroad and that cost in this
•country, including a reasonable profit foi
the domestic manufacturer. A very full
Investigation—full, at least, as such in
vestigations have been conducted in the
past—was made by the ways and mean?
•committee e>f the House to determine w hat
rates should be changed to conform to this
k rule. A reduction was made in *)G4 num
l>ers, and an increase in some 220, while
3.150 remained unchanged. The bill was
•amended in the Senate, hut the proportion
of increases to decreases was maintained
The president here incorporates the
memorandum on the bill, which accom
panied his approval of it, and con
tin uos:
'The bill has been criticised for certain ol
tfts rates and schedules. Some of tht
•criticisms are Just and some are wide ol
the mark and most unjust.
The truth is that under the old protec
tive idea the only purpose was to make
the tariff high enough to protect the horn.
Industry. The excess of the tariff ovei
the difference In the cost of productioi
here and abroad was not regarded as ob
jeetionable because it was supposed thal
■competition between those who enjovet
the nigh protection would keep the prict
for the consumer down to what was rea
fsonable for the manufacturer. The evi
of excessive tariff rates, however, shower
Itself in the temptation of manufacture?
to combine and suppress competition, and
then to maintain the prices so as to tak»
advantage of the excess of the tariff rate
over the difference between the cost 01
^production abroad and here.
The Payne tariff bill is the first bil
passed by the republican party in whirl
the necessity for reducing rates to avoi<
ibis evil has been recognized, and it i?
therefore a decided step in the right direc
tion and it ought to be accepted as such
■On the whole, it was a downward revision
particularly on articles of necessity ano
On raw materials. The actual figures oi
the first year's operation of the law deni
onstrate this It. must also be remembere*
that the tariff rates in the new law or
Imported liquors, wines and silks were in
•creased substantially over the Dinglej
rates, because these were luxuries and i
was intended to increase the revenue.
The charge that the presen; tariff is re
sponsible for the increase in the prices o1
necessities is demonstrably false, because
the high prices, with very few exceptions
affect articles in the tariff upon whirl
•there was no increase In rates or in re
apect to which there was a substantial re
•duction.
Tariff Board.
Perhaps more important than any on<
feature of the operative part of the tarif
law is that section which enables the ex
•♦‘cutive to appoint a tariff commission o
board to secure the needed lnformatior
for the proper amendment anci perfec
tlon of the law. The difficulty in fixing
the proper tariff rates in accord with th<
principle stated in the republican plat
form, is in securing reliable evidence a;
to the difference between the cost of pro
•ductlcHi at homo and the cost of produc
tion abroad. The bias of the manufae
tuier seeking protection and of the im
porter opposing It weakens the weight o
their testimony. Moreover, when we un
derstand that the cost of production dlf
fers in one country abroad from that li
another and that it changes from yea
to year and from month to month, w
must realize that the precise difference ii
cost of production sought for is not capa
ble of definite ascertainment, and that al
that even the most scientific person cai
d«* in his investigation is, after considera
tion of many facts which he learns, to ex
eicl.se his best Judgment In reaching ,
■conclusion.
'Hie commission, however, already se
4ected and at work, is a commission o
disinterested persons who will ascertai:
tht fads, not in a formal hearing by ex
amination and cross-examination of wit
masses, but by the kind of investigate
that statisticians and scientific investiga
tors use When the commission complete
Its work, either on the entire tariff or o
any of the schedules in respect to which
issue has arisen, and the work of the com
mission shows that the present tariff is
wrong and should be changed, I expect to
bring the matter to the attention of the
congress with a view to Its amendment
of the tariff In that particular, ©f course,
this will be Impracticable unless congress
Itself shall adopt the parliamentary rule,
as I hope it will, that a bill to amend one
schedule of the tariff may not be subject
to a motion to amend by adding changes
In other schedules.
It will thus be possible to take up a
single schedule with respect to which it
Is probable that a great majority of each
house will be unprejudiced, to admit the
evidence, and to reach a fair conclusion,
and this method will tend to avoid dis
turbing business conditions. For these
reasons it seems to me that all repub
licans—conservative, progressive and rad
ical-may well abide the situation with
respect to the tariff until evidence now
being accumulated shall justify changes
in the rates; and that it is much better
for them to vote for republicans than to
help create a democratic majority which
would be utterly at war with the protect
ive principle, and therefore would nave no
us© for the findings of the tariff commis
sion, as we may certainly Infer from the
solid democratic vo}e In the present con
gress against the necessary appropriation
for the commission’s work.
Kesults of Payne Law.
One great virtue In the new tariff law,
including the corporation tax, is. that
taken with the current effort of the ad
ministration, to keep down or reduce gov
ernmental expenditures and to reform the
methods of collecting the customs reve
nue. it has, by its revenue producing ca
pacity, turned a deficit In the ordinary
operations of the government of J5S.000.000
for the year ending June SO, 1909, to a
surplus in the first full year of the law,
ending August 5, 1910, of $36,000,000. From
a revenue standpoint, then, there can bo
no controversy over the effectiveness of
the new law. Increased revenue Indicates
increased Imports, and an examination of
our imports during the past year will dis
close a most substantial increase In man
ufacturers’ material, from which, in the
making of finished products, whether for
exportation or home consumption, has
come a larger volume of employment for
our wage earnors, a larger purchasing
power and a greater consumption of the
products of our farms and fabrications of
our factories. So far, then, as such im
portations do not displace home produc
tion. they must be of oeneflt to all. Gen
erally speaking, a full tneasuro of indus
trial activity in production, transporta
tion and distribution has accompanied the
operation of the new law. Under the
maximum and minimum provisions we
have concluded treaties w;th all foreign
nations, gaining the best possible terms
for entrance to their markets without
sacrificing our own. By the Payne tariff
law we have at last done justice to the
Philippines by allowing the producers of
those Islands the benefits of our markets
with such limitations as to prevent injury
to our home industries.
Again, the present law in Its corpora
tion tax Imposes new kind of tax which
has many of the merits of an income tax.
Tt taxes success, not failure. Unlike a
personal income tax. It Is easily and ex
actly collected, and by an Increase or de
crease in the rate enables congress with
exactness to regulate its Income to its
necessary expenditures. More than this,
it furnishes an indirect but effective
method of keeping the government ad
vised as to the kind of business done by
all corporations. It is one of the most
useful and Important changes in our rev
enue laws, as the future will show. In
spite of the criticisms heaped upon It at
its passage, no party responsible for rev
enues or anxious to retain every means
of legitimate supervision of corporations
will repeal it.
Interstate Commerce.
The next most important work of the
present congress was the passage of the
amendment to the Interstate commerce
bill. The republican platform favored
amendment to the interstate commerce
act with a view to giving greater power
to the Interstate Commerce commission
in regulating the operation of railroads
and the fixing of traffic rates, and also
favored such ional legislation and su
pervision as would prevent the future
over-issue of stocks and bonds by inter
state carriers. After the adjournment of
the congress at its extra session 1 invited
two of ray cabinet and a member of the
interstate Commerce commission and a
member of congress to make recommen
dations as to the needed amendments to
the interstate commerce act. These gen
tlemen reported to me, and in September
last, in a speech in Des Moines, 1 fore
shadowed their recommendations as I
intended to make them to the congress
for the amendment of the interstate com
merce act.
First, by the establishment of a com
merce court; second, by empowering the
commission to classify merchandise as
well as to fix rates for classes; third, by
giving the right to a shipper to designate
the route by which ids goods shall be
transported beyond the line of the initial
carrier; fourth, by empowering the com
mission to consider the justice or injus
tice of any rate without the complaint or
initiation of a shipper; fifth, by empower
ing the commission to suspend proposed
increases of rates by carriers until the
'-‘orrmission shall have a chance to pass
upo.i the reasonableness of the increase;
sixrii. by provisions for the federal regu
lation of the Issue of stocks and bonds
by interstate railways; seventh, by a
clause forbidding an interstate commerce
railway company from acquiring stock in
a competing road: eighth, by a section
permitting the making of traffic agree
ments between competing railroads limit
ed in point of time and subject matter,
and subject to the approval of the Inter
state Commerce commission.
These amendments were in accordance
with the text of the republican platform.
Subsequently, bills were drawn embody
ing this recommended legislation, in
which, while the principle was main
tained. there were limitations introduced,
as justice suggested, after a conference
witli all the parties interested. The bill
was submitted to the congress and after
a great deal of discussion both in the
House and the Senate, it was enacted
into law, with many amendments which
did not materially change the effect of
the recommendations except to strike out
certain provisions promised in the repub
lican platform, to permit traffic agree
ments between railways in spite of the
anti-trust law, to forbid one railway com
pany to acquire stock in a competing
company, and to secure supervision by
the Interstate Commerce commission of
the issue of stocks and bonds by inter
state railways.
For this last was substituted a provi
sion authorizing the appointment of a
commission to consider the evils arising
from the overissue of stocks and bonds,
and the methods of preventing such evils
by congressional regulation. In addition
to the purposes already recited accom
plished by the bill, the so-called long and
short haul clause of the existing law—
the one forbidding the charging of a
greater rate for a less distance included
in the greater distance, than for th*
greater distance—was amended so as tc
vest in the commission somewhat wider
discretion in enforcing the clause than
has been permitted by the supremo court
| decisions under existing law. Moreover,
interstate telegraphs and telephones, a?
instruments of commerce, have beer
brought within the regulation of the com
mission. The bill as at present in force
is an excellent bill. It is not enacted in
; a spirit of hostility to railroads. hut it
i submits them to a closer and more ef
fective supervision by the Interstate
i Commerce commission to avoid injustice
in their management and control.
The Important part that railways pla>
■ as the arterial circulation In the business
of the country, the 1,500,000 of their em
’ ployes and the 1,000,000 of their stockhold
• ers, the importance of their purchasing
power as affecting thr- prosperity of gen
i eral business—all require in the public in
• terest that no unfair treatment should be
* accorded them. But I am glad to not*
i that the railway managers have ac
- quiesced in the fairness of the preseni
1 bill, and propose loyally tn comply wit!
i its useful provisions. Tt was supported
- by the whole republican party In con
. gross, and that party is entitled to credl
i for Its passage. The whole democratic
strength was exhibited against it In both
. houses. It was a performance of a pledge
f of the platform, and only needs time rr
j vindicate the wisdom of its enactment.
Postal Savings Banks.
The postal savings bank bill has a slmi
i lar history. It is one of the great con
gressional enactment*?. It creates ai
’ epoch. It institutes a system which wll
* work effectively to promote thrift amoiq
the poor, by providing a depository for
their savings which they properly may
consider absolutely safe, and will also turn
Into the channels of trade and commerce
a large volume of money which otherwise
would be hoarded. By specific, provision
it will stimulate the investment of savings
in government bonds of small denomina
tions, for w'hlch the bill provides. Like
the tariff bill and the railroad bill, this
w'as put through each house of congress
by a republican majority, and was signed
by a republican president.
The legislation of congress in respect to
the navy department Is a full compliance
with the promises of the republican plat
form. In spite of a proper desire to keep
down appropriations, congress saw the
necessity for a continuance of our pres
ent naval policy and regulate strengthen
ing of the navy by the addition of tw*o
more battleships. More than this, it has
enabled the secretary of the navy to car
ry out a reform In the business manage
ment of the department and a reorganiza
tion of the bureaus and staff of the navy
so as to contribute materially to Its
effectiveness as one of the military arms
of the government. Although the demo
cratic national platform apparently fa
vored the increase in the navy, a large
majority of the democrats both in the
House and the Senate opposed the policy
when presented in the form of concrete
legislation.
Labor Legisla'Jon.
iflB rcpuuncun party at trie last session
of congress again exhibited Its deep and
sincere Interest In the general welfare of
the -working men and women of the coun
try by adding important enactments to Its
already long record of legislation on this
subject. Practically all classes of em
ployes, especially those engaged In occu
pations more or less hazardous, are the
beneficiaries of laws which should operate
to lighten the burdens which naturally
fall upon the shoulders of man. The re
publican party recognized tho necessity
of reducing the dangers under which hun
dreds of thousands of miners work by cre
ating the bureau of mines. This bill was
passed for the purpose of establishing an
efficient government Instrument for In
vestigation, examination and report to the
world of the kind of safety appliances that
will prevent the awful losses of life In the
operation of mines, and especially of coal
mines. A second purpose of the bureau
Is to perform tho same office In respect to
the great Industry of mining that tho de
partment of agriculture performs In re
spect to tho farming Interests of the
country; that Is, by experiment and Inves
tigation to determine the most effective
methods of mining and the best means of
avoiding the deplorable waste that now
obtains In the present mining methods.
No more Important legislation In the In
terest of human life has ever been enacted
by congress than the laws of the recent
session giving to the Interstate Commerce
commission ample powers to define the
needed safety appliances for the preven
tion of accidents to employes and passen
gers, and after a hearing, to require their
adoption by Interstate railways. Other
legislation, with respect to the Inspection
of locomotive boilers and the removal of
dangerous overhead obstructions, awaits
the consideration of the next session of
this congress, and I hopo that It may
speedly be passed. The employers' lia
bility act was perfected by needed amend
ment so as to enable Injured employes
more easily to recover Just damages.
But In one sense the most forward step
taken In the Interest of the worker was
the creation of a congressional commis
sion to report a practical bill for tho fix
ing of workmen s compensation for In
juries received In the employment of in
terstate commerce railways, as risks In
the business, to be fixed by speedy arbi
tration and to be graduated according to
the extent of the Injury and the earning
capacity of the injured person. This Is
Important, not only as affecting Interstate
commerce railways, but If adopted, as
furnishing a model to the country for a
beneficial change In the legal relation be
tween employe and employer. This re
form would put an end to the vexatious
; and costly litigation through which an In
jured employe must go In order to recover
damages—litigation which on account of
the poverty of the employe frequently
serves to defeat the ends of Justice, and
In other Instances leads to exorbitant and
unjust verdicts.
Conservation.
One of the great questions which has
been made a national Issue and aroused
public Interest through the assistance of
President Roosevelt Is that of conserva
tion of our national resources. From the
federal standpoint, tills concerns the
preservation of forests, the reclamation ot
arid lands of the government and the
proper treatment and disposition of our
government coal lands, phosphate lands,
oil and gas lands, and of the lands known
as water power sites at the points on the
streams where the water power must be
converted In order to be useful. During
Mr. Roosevelt’s administration millions of
acres of lands Included within the classes
described were withdrawn In the United
States proper and In Alaska, In order to
await proper legislation. Doubt arose as
to the executive power to make these
legality, should they be contested In court.
The present administration continued the
executive withdrawals, but suggested, as
a matter of wise precaution, securing from
congress express power to make them. By
republican majorities in both houses a
withdrawal bill for this purpose was
enacted, and now over 70,000,000 of acres
have been re-withdrawn of lands Included
within the classes described. Much of the
land reserved as coal land Is valuable foT
agriculture, and therefore congress adopt
ed an entirely feasible and useful plan by
which the homestead laws were applied
to the surface of the land, while the coal
in the ground Is still reserved as the
property of the government. This is a
new departure in our land laws and Is
highly to be commended. In addition to
this, it was deemed necessary, In order
that certain reclamation projects of the
government should be completed within a
reasonable time, that an issue of $20,000,001
bonds should be authorized with which to
secure w'ater for the settlers upon gov
ernment lands within the promise of the
project, the bonds to bo redeemed by the
water rents for the service rendered. In
this way hundreds of settlers who have
been patiently waiting for the completion
of the projects and suffering great priva
tion will be rehabilitated. At the same
time, the law authorizing the bond issue
prevents the expenditure of any of the
proceeds of the bonds In any of the pro
jects until a board of army engineers shall
report the same as worthy and feasible.
Moreover, additional provision has been
made in the appropriation laws for money
with which to carry on surveys of unsur
veyed public lands, a crying need in cer
tain states and in Alaska. Thus it is not
too much to say that most important steps
have been taken toward the proper con
servation of our resources In the legisla
tion of the present congress. There re
mains to be considered and settled the
question of the method of disposing of
these lands so that the government may
retain sufficient control to prevent a
monopoly In their use and to secure the
public against extortion for coal, oil, gas,
phosphate and water power on the one
hand, and yet may give to private cap
ital sufficient Inducement to bring about
a normal development of the wealth con
tained In these lands to aid in the build
ing up of the country'. Neither the demo
crats of the House nor the democrats of
the Senate as a body, although their plat
form formally declared In favor of con
servation, have taken any active part or
can be counted upon to assist materially
In the solution of these complicated ques
tions.
Another subject of pressing Importance
is that of the improvement of our water
ways. The present congress has enacted
a rivers and harbors bill, appropriating
more than $41,000,00i> for the carrying out
of a number of well defined plans for the
permanent improvement of rivers and har
bors within a certain period, and in addi
tion authorizing contracts to be entered
into subject to future appropriations by
congress, aggregating over $10,000,000. The
bill was subject to criticism In that It still
continued the old piecemeal system and
appropriated something for nearly every
project recommended by the army engi
neers. It is hoped and believed that in
the next session and thereafter the engi
neers w’iil so make their recommendations
as to Indicate the projects of greater im
portance, so that adequate sums may be
appropriated for their completion within
a reasonably short time and tne piecemeal
policy of extending the construction of im
provements of this kind indefinitely for
years may be abandoned.
Other Pledges Rodeemed.
The republican platform promised thal
, It would admit to statehood the territories
I of New' Mexico and Arizona, and thal
. promise has been redeemed w'lth suitable
provisions for securing good and sen*
constitutions of the states by requiring
their adoption In advance of tho election
of state officers, and their submission to
congress for consideration, and possible
rejection at one of Its sessions.
All this long list of useful enactments
was promised in the republican platform
and has been put through by republican
majorities.
Congress has also enacted into law, In
accordance with the promise which I made
as a candidate for the presidency, a bill
requiring the publication by the congres
sional committees of detailed statements
of the money received by them and the
money expended by them in the political
canvass of each congressional candidate.
In addition, the presents congress has
appropriated $100,000 to enable the execu
tive to Investigate and make recommenda
tion as to the methods by which the cost
of running the government may be re
duced. I regard this last as one of tho
most Important parts of the admlnlstra
! tion's policy. I am confident that If full
: opportunity is given, and a republican con
gress Is elected to assist, the cutting down
, of the national expenditures by the adop
1 tlon of modern economic methods In do
ing the business of the government will
; reach to a point of saving many millions,
How much the expenses can be curtailed
it is Impossible to approximate at this
i time. Tiie problem before the admlnlstra
] tion Is to get full value for every dollar
Is disburses.
| The appropriations for the last year
I were more than $20,000,000 less than the
I appropriations of the year before, and tn
the actual execution of tho law $11,000,000
were saved in the operation of the post
office department, for which appropria
tion had already beon made.
Future Legislation.
A number of other promises remain to
be kept. I have already alluded to the
provisions to regulate tho le-ue of stock*
and bonds by interstate commerce rail
ways, to which the democratic minority
In the Senate gave Its solid opposition on
the ground that the central government
has no constitutional power to make and
enforce such regulation. In addition, there
is the promised procedure to determine
how preliminary lnjunotlon shall Issue
without notice, and when. In substitution
for this the democratic platform proposes
an amendment to the exlsltlng law which
would create a privileged class of lawless
workmen, and would seriously Impair tho
power of the courts of equity to do Justice.
Then there Is the measure to promote the
merchant marine engaged In foreign serv
ice, to which In previous congresses the
democratic party has always opposed an
almost solid front. There la the measure
forbidding tho acquisition of stocks by one
railway company in a competing line, and
there are also those bills, already referred"
to, to Recure further safety appliance on
railways and to establish a basis for
workmen’s compensation. Thero Is also
the promise of the republican platform to
make better provision for securing the
health of the nation. The most tangible
and useful form that this can take would
be the establishment of a national bureau
of health to include all the health agencies
of the government now distributed In dif
ferent departments.
Finally there Is the Appalachian forest
reserve bill, which passed the House bv a
republican majority. Is on the calendar of
the Senate, and will probably pass at the
coming session of the congress.
In view of what the present republican
congress has done In the fulfilment of its
promises, and In view of the standard that
it has set in respect to the sacredness of
party pledges, I have no hesitation in urg
ing all who are In favor of the perform
ance of tho remaining pledges, who are In
favor of progress, In favor of practical
conservation, in favor of economy In gov
ernment, In favor of the lost regulation of
railways and of interstate commerce cor
porations, in favor of a bureau of health.
In favor of a proper limitation of the pow
er of equitable Injunction, and who are In
favor of measures to promote the mer
chant marine engaged in foreign service,
to vote for the republican candidates for
congress In order that their wish for all
this progressive legislation may be grati
fied.
Conclusion.
In closing, it may not be inappropriate
for me to Invite your attention, ana that
of all (hose engaged In advocating the
republican cause In the coming election, to
the fact that it Is of the utmost Import
ance to make this a campaign of educa
tion as to facts and to clear away the
clouds of misrepresentation that have ob
scured the real Issues and have made it
difficult to secure for tho republican ma
jorities In congress the real credit due
them from the country for the tremend
ous task they have accomplished. If tills
is brought clearly homo to all voters, and
especially to the young men now voting
for tho first time, and they become im
pressed, as they ought to lie by this rec
ord, with the difference in the govern
mental efficiency und capacity of the re
publican and democratic parties, they will
enroll themselves with the party of con
struction and progress rather than with
tho party of obstruction and negation,
and the resulting legislation of the Sixty
second congress will vindicate their
choice.
News Brevities
»..................................
COLUMBUS, OHIO—A Leonard
avenue car Saturday ran over a half
pound stick of dynamite on Jefferson
avenue, near the Columbus barracks.
For some reason It did not explode.
The dynamite was turned over by a
soldier to Police Chief Carter, who
threw It Into the Scioto river. A dozen
cases of shooting at and from cars was
reported but no one was hurt.
COLUMBIA, S. C.—For the last 20
years the liquor question has been
more or less the dominant Issue In
South Carolina politics. In the demo
cratic primaries, to be held throughout
the state Tuesday, the Issue Is clear cut
as between state wide prohibition and
the present local option law, under
which 37 of the 43 counties In the state
have prohibition. In tho six wet coun
ties liquor Is sold under a county dj
pensary system, with strict regulations.
BOSTON—The political attention of
the country gradually Is being focused
on New England where, early In Sep
tember, the first measuring of strength
between the republican and democratic
parties In the state elections of 1910
Is to take place. Vermont on Septem
ber 6, and Maine on September 12, will
elect state officers and congressmen.
On the same day as tho Vermont elec
tion New Hampshire will hold her first
state wide primaries and the first
under a direct primary law affecting
an entire state to be held In the east.
CHICAGO—Charges that tho Pull
man company Is aiding the defense of
Lee O'Neill Browne, minority leader of
the Illinois legislature, In Ills trial on
the cWtrgu of buying votes to elect
William Lorlmer to the United States
Senate, were made In court Saturday
by State's Attorney John W. Wayman.
The charge was followed almost Im
mediately by subpenas for the appear
ance on Tuesday before u special grand
Jury of numerous officials and clerki
of the Pullman company, Including
John C. Patterson, division superin
tendent.
MANAGUA, NICARAGUA—Jose De
lores Estrada, to whom President Mad
! rlz turned over the administration of
, the Nicaraguan government before
fleeing the country Saturday, retired
; from the presidency In favor of General
T.ouls Mena, who was designated by
him as action president of the republic.
1 This change of administration was In
accordance with Instructions from Es
| trada’s brother. General Juan J. F.s
trada. the head of the provisional gov
ernment and leader of the successful
revolution against Madrtz. General
Mena Immediately took possession of
the presidential mansion.
-■■ — .
A Near Neighbor.
From 1,1 fe.
I "Waft your husband kind to you dur
ing your Illness
"Kind? Oh. Include, mum. M1k^» wus
more loike a neighbor than a husband.'•
BRADSTBEET AND DUN
REPORT ON BUSINESS
More Failures in August Than in
Any Month Since Last
March.
New York, Sept. 6.—Bradstreet's
Saturday said:
Best reports as to fall jobbing trade
still come from the lending western cit
ies, and there Is apparently a fairly
free movement of staples und an ap
preciable Improvement In collections in
the centers feeling the Impetus of the
unexampled movement of grain to mar
ket. At a few southern centers, too,
there Is a trifle more activity, but from
some southwestern points advices are
that early buyers have returned home
ami that house trade Is quieter.
There were more failures In August
ihan In any preceding month since
March. The total, 934, was S per cent
larger than In July this year, or than
in August last year, though 7 per cent
smaller than In August, 190S.
Liabilities aggregated $11,933,579, an
Increase of 42 per cent over August
last year, but 53 per cent below Au
gust. 1908. New York city has 23 per
rent more failures than In August a
year ago. Business failures In Canada
for the week ending with Thursday
last number 25, which compares with
35 for last week and 33 In the like week
of 1909.
Dun's review of trade today says:
Tile week's improvement In Iron and
stoel Is notable, the heavier demand for
pig Iron being especially a proof of Im
proved conditions. In the dry goods
trade, notwithstanding the multitude of
Idle cotton spindles, due to the high
cost of production, there appears to he
a better distribution of merchandise.
The hide market Is also more active.
Wool remains very quiet. Statistics
ror bank clearings for August revealed
at oneo the speculative dullness, and
the fact of n heavy movement of
products. Railroad earnings In three
weeks of August Increased 6.1 per cent.
The most striking event of the week
was an advance In August cotton to 20
cents, the highest price In a generation,
due to covering by Bhorts, but other
months were not affected, and the crop
advices put the cotton condition ns
considerably better than last year with
a larger acreage. The condition Is,
however, under that of last month.
OFFICERS DETAIN
CHEROKEE SUSPECT
W. J. Hunter Is Held by Sheriff
Pending Investigation of
His Movements.
Cherokee, la., Sept. 6.—W. J. Hunter,
a retired farmer ol this place, la being
held by the sheriff, pending further
examination on a charge of dynamit
ing the home of Guy M. Gillette
Wednesday night.
While the evidence against Hunter
Is not considered conclusive, the au
thorities Incline to the belief that he
may have perpetrated the crime.
A possible motive which might ac
tuate him to the deed Is found in the
fact that he was recently In court dver
which Mr. Gillette presided as justice,
charged with having kicked his wife
out of bed and otherwise mistreating
her. He was given a Jail sentence of
25 days without the option of cash
payment, and appealed the case. He
Is said to have cherished Ill-will toward
Gillette because of the penalty attached
In his case, and Is reported to have de
clared with some emphasis that he
would get even with Judge Gillette.
REBEL LEADER IS
LANDED IN PRISON
Head Man in Philippine Upris
ing, Simeon Mandac, Now in
Hands of the Lav/.
_
Manila, Sept. 6.—The uprising in
Nui'Va V izchvli led by funnon jvu.inhu,
former governor of Hocus Norte, col
lapsed today when Mandac. who had
been seized by the people of the prov
ince among whom he had sought to stir
up trouble, was turned over to the
constabulary.
A few of Mandac’s right hand men
also were arrested and his other fol
lowers dispersed. It is estimated that
the band of outlaws originally num
bered 500. but It dwindled soon to 200,
and these had but few arms.
An Interesting feature of the upris- !
ing was the co-operation of the natives ;
in running down the disturbers.
Mandac will now - robably serve the
14 years’imprisonment sentence which
lias been hanging over him sine*- his
conviction for killing a prisoner while
ho was governor.
HOBBLE SKIRT MAY BE
CAUSE OF A FATALITY
New Girl, Wearing One, Falls
Down and Has a Brain Con
cussion.
New York. Sept. 6.—Suffering with
concussion of the bruin as a result of
a fall while wearing a hobble skirt,
Marion Stone, a girl in her teens, Is
in a critical condition today in a lo
?al hospital.
Miss Stone, who is a member of a
theatrical company giving perform
ances in an uptown theater, stumbled
while descending a flight of stairs lead
ing from her dressing room in the
theater late last night. She fell nearly
the entire length of the staircase, strik
ing on her head at the landing below.
Her recovery is doubtful.
WASHINGTON.--Corporal W. H.
Brinkmeyer, 2947 McRae ave., St.
Louis, died Tuesday at Hindi* Ids,
Nicaragua, from injuries resulting
from a boxing bout, according to a
wireless dispatch received at the navy
department from Commander Davis,
of the gunboat Tacoma. Brinkmeyer
was assigned to the gunboat Des
Moines, but for some time has been
serving on land at Bluefields. He en
listed in the marine corps in 1904 and
re-enlisted in 1909
Nearly one-third of the economic ac
tivity of Germany rests today on fem
inine shoulders.
LABOR UNIONS ARE
SUED BY C. W. POST
Injunction Asked For to Stop
Agreement With the Buck
Stove Company.
St. Louis, Sept. 6.—C. W. Post, of
Battle Creek, Mich., today filed suit in
the United States circuit court tor the
eastern district of Missouri against the
American Federation of Labor and the
Buck Stove & Range company, of St.
Louis, to restrain the officers of tho
latter from carrying out an alleged ten
tative agreement with officers of the
former to make the St. Louis Institu
tion a closed shop.
The case Is a suit In equity, and In
cludes among the defendants Samuel
Gompers, president; John Mitchell,
vice president; Frank Morrison, secre
tary and other officers of the federation
and some 60 others prominently Identi
fied with union labor In America. Tho
Injunction feature of the case will be
heard by Judge Smith McPherson In
chambers at Red Oak, In., Monday
morning.
The action grows out of tho meeting
held In Cincinnati, July 19, at which ar
rangements were perfected between
Gompers and his associates and the
officers of the stove company to have
lifted the boycott which had been In
force during the life of J. W. Van
Cleave, who died May 15 of this year.
Tho complainant. Post, states In hie
petition that he Is a stockholder of the
Buck Stove company, and that his In
terests and those of the company will
suffer by reason of the proposed agree
ment. A meeting between the Ameri
can Federation leaders and the stove
k-ompany officers has been set for next
Tuesday, and It was to head off possi
ble action that tho suit was filed to
day.
LATE KING PROVIDED
WELL FOR AFFINITY
Mrs. George Keppel’s Finances
Were Looked After Before
His Death.
London, Sept. 6.—It has only Just
oecome known that In his last hours
King Edward's thoughts were of his
old friends. Sir Ernest CaBsel was
among the last to see Edward in his
conscious moments. It was on the
morning of his death, and the king’s
last and only words to the famous
financier were to look after and make
proper provision for Mrs. George Kep
pel.
This has undoubtedly been done, but.
notwithstanding Sir Ernest’s continued
close friendship and support, Mrs.
Keppel and, for that matter, Cassel
himself, are no longer shining lights In
royal circles. In fact,'all members of
that exclusive set—notables who enjoy
the favor of the present king and
queen—know of their majesties’ dis
like of the Keppel group. Taking heed,
they have "cold-shouldered” the latter
With the result that In the few social
functions which have taken place dur
ing the period of mourning Mrs. Kep
pel has been conspicuous by her ab
sence.
RED HAIRED SIREN IS
DISAVOWED BY TRUST
John D. Archbold Denies That
She Is Employe of Standard
Oil Company.
New York, Sept. 6.—Ami now it'*
two to one In the mysterious case of
Standard Oil's red-haired siren.
First, Mrs. Lillian Hobart French,
who does not care If Fritz Helnze did
wed another If he pays her that $25,000
"loan," told of the flaming haired
beauty who had wormod all Helnze's
United Copper secrets from him for the
exclusive Information of the Standard
Oil coterie.
Then Thomas W. Lawson, of Boston
rushed Into print with the assertion
that ho knew of the red-haired fascin
ator employed by Standard OH to gain
Inside Information of deals Inimical to
the "system."
John D. Archbold, vice president and
director of the Standard Oil company,
was Informed of the statements of Mrs.
French and Mr. Lawson. Through his
secretary, Mr. Archbold made this re
sponse :
"Standard Oil does not employ red
haired sirens In its business. These
statements are a tissue.of falsehoods,
ridiculous upon their face and unseem
ly. I cannot make my denial of these
reports too emphatic. There has never
been any basis for these absurdities re
garding a woman such as you describe
acting as a secret agent for the Stand
ard Oil company.”
T R U STToMP MtTmA N
HALED UP FOR CONTEMPT
Rochester, N. Y., Sept. 6.—rBecken
ridge Jones, president of the Mississippi
Valley Trust company, St. Louis, whe
was brought here yesterday from his
summer home at Cazenovia on a bench
warrant issued because he failed to ap
pear as a witness In a telephone suit
was taken before Judge Benton late
yesterday afternoon. It was learned
today that at the conclusion of a
lengthy hearing the court decided not
to punish Mr. Jones for contempt, but
discharged him in the custody of his
counsel who is to produce him In court
next week.
FIGS UNDER THE BAN
Barlettta, Italy, Sept. 0—Following
the promulgation of an ordinance pro
hibiting the eating of tigs because ol
the cholera scare at Bari, 33 miles west
of here, today a mob of 2.000 persons
attacked and wrecked the local sani
tary office and beat the employes. Car
bineers interferred and in dispersing
the rioters wounded 23 persons.
WASHINGTON. D. C.—Approxi
mately 070,555 acres of land In Ari
zona and New Mexico, eliminated from
the national forests by President Taft
as being chiefly valuable for agricul
tural purposes, have been opened tc
settlement under the homesetead laws
by authority of the secretary of the
Interior. The lands will become .-.ub
Ject to settlement November 22, but
not to entry until December 21.
Indian exports in 1910, fiscal year
March 31. amounted to $630,000,000 and
her Imports to $50,000,000, a total over
seas trade of $1,150,000,000, an increase
of $143,000,000 over 1900
