THE O'NEIL FRONTIER D. H. CRONIN, Publisher. rf'NEILL. ~~ NEBRASKA Marie de Rnbutin Chantal, known to the world os Mme. Sevigne, is supposed to have been born in Burgundy, at the chateau of Boubilly, in 1G26, though both date and place are somewhat Bbscure. In 1644 she married the Mar quis de Sevigne. Her unhappy mar riage was terminated by the death of the marquis seven years afterward In 4 duel. The young widow then devoted berself entirely to her children. When her daughter was married to the .Mar quis de Grlgnan, the consequent sep aration caused the correspondence, which although not intended for pub lication, made her name celebrated, for she associated with the principal actors In the civil war of the Fronde. Gascony, the old province of France. Is a favorite locality to evolve heroes of fiction. It is In the BOuthv.estei n part, and derived its name tom the Vas cones, a Spanish tribe, which crossed the Pyrenees about 580. It is that area of land between the Pyrenees the Garonne and tho Atlantic. in F.52. when Eleanor married Henry P'aiiiag enet, it became an English possession and remained so until 1463. when the French reconquered it. Its jnhn bitants were noted for their slowness, courage and passion for boasting. Aluminum, one of the most abundant «nd widely distributed of all the metals, was little more that? a laboratory curi osity until, in 1886, Charles Martin Hall, then a young man of 22, discovered a cheap way to reduce It. When he made his experiments aluminium cost as much as silver. Few people ever heard of Dr. Hall, yet his achievement is one pf the most notable in American scien tific history. Augusta, Me., has registered its first Chinese voter. Chin llong became piop erly recorded In time for tho recent election. He was born In Seattle 28 years ago and is married, his wife be ing at present In China. Previous to going to Augusta he iived for some lime ill Boston and was at that time a voter. Tiie art of conversation was not al-. ways possessed by literary men. Cole ridge and Macaulay were said to absorb so much time on an interesting subject that they were generally regarded as bores, whereas Robert Browning, with all Ids cumbersome poetry, was fasci nating in his talk. Denver, Colo., has, it is believed, the largest American flag In tho world. It is 137 feet long and 68 feet wide. When 18 "~ary to wash the immense fla.^ it. is hung on the sido of the mu nicipal auditorium and a fire hose turned on it. It takes two hours to wash the flag. Vehicles resembling h^hPautomo biks. but without motors, are used in Borne .Swiss mountain resorts for a Bport resembling tobogganing in snow less seasons. Bo sensitive Is electrical apparatus •“vented by a French scientist that it will detect the presence of one part of blcromute of potash In 200.000,000 parts of water. 1 A submarine tender built for the Brazilian navy can admit an underwa tei boat into its hull and carry it or subject it to extreme water pressure • " iCSl It, Realizing that "bass feel the hot weather, lllbard Raymond placed a cake of ice in a rocky cove in Bake flnokflBh.N Y" aml 80on cau«f‘l eight Sanitary advantage*, as well as safe ty for their contents, are usserted for new steel poultry shipping crates, w'dch are to in- folded flat when empty! A )• ranch aviator lias placed a pneu irmtlc buffer in front of the seat of his aeroplane, to lessen the shock should he strike the ground heavily. To keep a sleeping child covered a woman has invented a combination gatment and blanket, tho former being buttoned about the body of its user. An Englishman has Invented a de vice to enable aviators In flight to pick up messages from the ground by drop m"* a grapnel at the end of a line. For stringing beads quickly an in genious German hus patented a crank operating machine which feeds them on the point of a threaded needle. A new cafe and observation car has large windows at the tables so that duuis may get a broad view of tho passing landscape while dining. The chief American articll sold in t lima Is kerosene The value of this Slagle product exceeds all other Ameri can imports combined. The Philippines assembly"^ put up a substantial prize for a means of de a tobacco insect pest without Injmmg the tobacco. During the last year 79,f'81,7S5 short ofnV'J nd *rraveI- having a value Enlted'states! dU‘ °Ut 1,1 (he Argentina needs sugar. The govern ment has just authorized the admit tance. duty free, of 35,000.000 pounds of refined sugar. A new spring snap for harness and other purposes is made from a single piece of wire, swisted and suitably shaped. Japan is rapidly increasing the pro luetiOH of its r.inc mines and tho de velopment of the zinc refining indus try. China lias sent government agents tbroad to study the manufacture of blegraph and telephone equipment. In Wales the hedge garlic, or, as It la more commonly called, “Jack-by-ths tedge," is often fried with bacon. Woman car conductor* abroad have proved themselves much more adept in letecting bad coins than men. A gold nugget, weighing !« pounds, was found recently in the Chuquniguillo mines, near 1-s Paz, Bolivia. France is taking official notice of the American farm tractor in what is culled ihe "mechanical culture." A patented ruhlier substitute is made t>v mixing geietine with glycerine and a roluticn of camphor in acetone and treating the mass with sulphur A skate strap with a pad for the toe ef the font to relieve the pressure has been patent*.I. Alaska has forbidden tile employ ment ai bora under l. underground in mines. Japanese make * tvateifirnof leather alth tn.<maha, destroyed their uniforms. Guardsmen who turned their clothing fn to the state guard officers were is sued uniforms unfit for wear, some of then; being so ragged, the guardsmen raid, it was necessary to telegraph home or to friends for other clothing, or money with which to buy it. Guards men asserted the uniforms had been purchased by them and did not belong x o the state. Adj. Gen. Phil Hall told the guards men it was a “shame, but orders,” ac cording to several privates, and an nounced all the uniforms would be tak en by the state. Some of the guardsmen cut or ripped their uniforms until they were useless, and others burned them. The fourth regiment returned a week ago from duty on the Mexican border. FULLER PLEADS GUILTY; GIVEN LIFE SENTENCE Omaha, Neb., Jan. 8.— Floyd Fuller, nf Lexington, Neb., who on December 21 shot and killed his sweetheart, J uothy Rader-Carberry, when she I u t him by appointment on a crowded street in Omaha, pleaded guilty to sec ond degree murder ami was sentenced to life imprisonment. A. F. Perrier, of Julesburg, Colo., deputy district at torney and assistant county attorney pf Sedgewick county, grandfather file girl, assisted the prosecution. Me : aid he came to see that "his dead granddaughter got justice." For the first time Fuller broke the silence he has kept since the murder. Me aid to the judge: "l tried for weeks to stave it off. I prayed to God to strike her dead if she vs •* not true to me.” The judge cut short his remarks and « *d\ed him to plead guilty or not guilty. 1 oiler claimed the girl once had been I .s wife. ^—' ‘DROWN ID” OMAHA BOY IS FOUND AT LINCOLN Li.i oin. Ni'i)., .Lin. 5k Whil»: the par-* ints of Pari A’ei ker. a {(-year-old Oma ha md. wt'ic mourning hiui as drowned, i victim of the Missouri river, the yv.nth was enjoying himself as a tem porary guest of the city of Lincoln. The lad was picked up ul the station the other day. He said that he had luken soma money from his papa and he guessed lu* would rather not go home. lie was hi search of u former hoarder, lie was put in the detention home while the hoarder was being .searelied for. Friday morning, a policemen who had handles the ease saw in an Omaha paper that Pari Merker had disap peared from homo and that a com panion had said he saw him slip on the 1 ank of the river and fall into it. The boy’s father was communicated with ami the family grief turned into joy. The father took him home. STATE WIDE OBSERVANCE BY NEBRASKA PLANNED Lincoln. Neb.. Jail. S. Nebraska will celebrate the semicentennial of its en trance to the union this year and plans for a statewide observance of the event are being made. ✓ The hrst program will he held on Lincoln’s birthday, February 12. in ev ery school district in the state. All churches and Sunday schools in the state have been asked to give special programs commemorative of Nebras ka’s statehood entry on February 25. The final program will be held in every county seat in the stato on March 1. Nebraska was admitted to statehood on March 1, 1867, after several attempts had been made in congress to secure the passage of the necessary enabling act. DR. WILD CHANGES REPORT; FILES IT SECOND TIME Lincoln, Neb., Jan. t -Or. Williams F. Wild, who is in charge of the slate hoard of health laboratory, lias filed a second report of bis activities during the year. The board of health is a double barreled concern, with an in spector, who reports to the same body as does the bacteriologist. In his first report, Dr. Wild declared that he bad been unable to get any assistance from ‘"the Individual" who occupies the po sition of health inspector, meaning Dr. Case. He also made statements to indicate his firmly held heiier that the board of secretaries, all doctors, were useless appendages. He referred to one secre tary. Dr. Carr, as listing supported both candidates for on. office, the oc cupant of which chooses the secretar ies. Carr kicked. Case kicked, and did a member of the state board of health. Case is said to have threatened trouble. Anyway, the doctor has tom off the offending page and refiled his report. —f NEBRASKA TOWNS L03E SUIT AGAINST ROADS Washington, D. C„ Dec. 6.—The In terstate Commerce commission has dis. missed a complaint of the Urand Island Commercial club and the Commercial club o' Ila dijigs. against the Mow York Cent!r.l and carious railroads. Aliegst iiic r that rates on carious commodities from centra! and mcpi territories, and from the south t, tlrand Inland and Hastings wee unfaii as compared w.tii tate* to Missoni'* til er e;*.***: n_js *er« not upheld ■rg i_________ IMS . TUESDAY i or ■* s '* .iti; 5 ,! tt V* ***- - w si/ . : ^ i . - i tf Z iLs -*z -JJ >n the S’Tec.nti'v.e, l oth Nc fcr&ska Houses Take Vacation. L?r.< !u, X. b.. Jan. G.—Immediate'V L,\[ wng the inaugural ceromorves "'ll : . a, ho. i: house of tne -r.sliUure pi.: 1 lib :s arut ;u! jouMia.; until i • i y afternoon. Tai.* first \v< > i. was i...a. i\eu by vi leisure ly or; aniaai; n «u‘ the f.oure; but, as it : a l way.4 a h l » part el out ^ Hi' c ommittee i rain . .is *i| ami member •mips, It yras lit* ' :v;.i i y vo take *omi I or mure days for the job. This will not be completed until Monday “r Tuesday. 1'ntil there are committees to whom bills may be referred, it is not considered regular to introduce1 any bills; and. there being nothing more to do, most of the members hiked home. Tuesday was chosen as the day foi meeting again, because members like to stay over Sunday at home, and when they do that they can’t reach Lincoln until Tuesday morning. ocnooi Lanas riijm. Several measures aside from prohi bition bid fair to occupy time and in tention. A big light is scheduled over the renewal of the attempt of western Nebraska to secure the sale of school lands. The land commissioners have fought this effort successfully in trie past, asserting the stale ought to keep them and take the unearned increment to herself, while the western landown ers wont to buy the land now and get the rise in values for themselves. An other fight scheduled is over the mat ter of telephone tolls. Lieutenant Gov ernor Howard thinks a maximum charge should be fixed for long distance calls. The phone companies say that if toll charges are reduced, exchange station rentals must be increased, as both are taken into consideration by the railroad commission when fixing exchange rates. Insurance Agents Have Bill. The insurance agents’ association will be present with a bill to give the state insurance commissioner power to tlx fire rates to prevent discrimination. They are not so keen about this now as at previous sessions, because the big eastern companies that dominate the rate situation have used their com bined influence to stifle competition be tween their local agents. TELLS CURIOUS STORY ABOUT COURT PROCEDURE Lincoln. Neb., Jan. 6. -John P. Price told a curious story in district court todav, where he was seeking his lib erty through the well worn habeas corpus route. Price says that O. L. Clark, a justice of the peace, is attor ney for Jiis wife in a divorce proceed ing. She secured a decree while he was absent from the city and he called upon her to protest. She had him ar rested in Justice Clark’s court on a charge of assaulting her. Clark re fused. he said, to let him send for an attorney, am* on ids ex-wife’s state ment. contradicted by himself, the jus tice ordered him sent to jail for days. He asked the jailor to be al lowed to see an attorney, but was told the justice had given orders that the request be denied, if made. He says it is all a conspiracy to keep him where he can’t make a fight to have the decree sot aside. NEBRASKA HAS OVER $11,000,000 ON HAND Lincoln, Neb.. Jan. 6.—State Treas urer Hall turned over to himself as his successor the sum of $l,615.878.34 in cash and $9,903,648.33 in bonds, which represents the actual wealth of the commonwealth of Nebraska at this date. The cash actually on hand is j $233.68. the remainder being in state depositories that pay 3 per cent inter est for the pleasure of handling the ,-oin. The nearly Si0,000.000 of bonds is owned by the school department of the state, and the interest thereon is distributed twice a y£ar to the various schools for their support. — ♦— CLAYBURN. ELECTED CUSTODIAN THURSDAY, RESIGNS TODAY Lincoln, Neb.. Jan. (>. -Henry ('lay burn. 1 Matte county, two years ago member of the lower house of the state legislature, but defeated this year, was also defeated in the election for ser geant at arms, but was given the ctf fice of custodian of the gallery. 'Phis appointment was made Thursday. Now Mr. Olayburn announces his resigna tion. Mr. (May burn is very English and drops bis ’Mis.” the committee of emploves is made up of three Germans. . 4 _ DAIRY INSPECTOR THOUGHT HE WOULD BE SECRETARY Lincoln. Neb., Jan. 1. J. (\ KllloH. «->:mty a icrney els -i. former p •<*, maste- > cd pro;• i f tr.e West Pob;t llenu ’l *>‘n. been :j •nidnted a member of the city coun.il to Mil the vn'Miiri • .sc j by t!?» dcita of Councilman Ibcvdg of the Met - i end ward. WRST POINT T’l* terms of district j co at for t .e yea” MM7 for t ie Ninth ju- I dki.d district have hern sc-t t > .lodge# A. A. Well h and William Y. Allen, .n fob i lows; Matiir. n ■ • nitty, Januaix '_■?* and j f • >t«*nM>* • *'•; Stanton • oin tv. Mar h * ; ar .1 September 17: f>:' : e auty. .\f: tvh p*. hr.d September LM: Antelo;.** » *. ity. \ta 2 and i letuher 1: (’c'ciajr ■ i. tv April !' an*; (> lob* K*n»x «*>urttv. April U, .< t*< to -r J Wa > i « onr.iy. A il j: Oct- ».*•• A hktult v cases have :• as .gned fo- the tire*, week in each \ ».V1 aid jury ••as** for t # **.- ■■•••I n . P r t repn ter for Judge Alien i« X! - I Ktcvj. * f Norfolk, and it r Ji • ?<. Welch. V* if. Kr.ijf, «»f W%>n«. _ Morehead, In Address to Legis lature, Suggests Many Changes. Lincoln, Neb,, Jan. 6.—In his mes sage to the legislature, delivered to the joint session this afternoon. Governor Morehead took strong grounds in favor of the adoption of the short ballot. He declared that his experience of four years as the executive head of the gov ernment convinced him that greater efficiency and economy would be pos sible if only the more important of ficers were elected and the power of appointing a!! others delegated to these, lie said that all close observers of poli ties were of the opinion that voters concentrated attention only on the more Important officers, and he thought the governor or some board ought to do the governing and appoint ing. Need New Capitol. Governor Morehead gave as his opin ion that the present capitol building is not in keeping with the present de velopment of the state, and that any money expended should he for per manent results. If a wing is decided upon then it should he built with the future erection of a complete capital in view. He recommends the creation of a building committee of public spirited citizens to superintend the ex penditure of tlie money, if it is de termined that a new building is neces sary he suggests a small levy to create a fund that will bring in the needed money in time. The governor is also convinced that in order to safeguard the guaranty de posit fund, the state banking hoard should he given power to absolutely limit the number of banks. He is also id favor of a four-year term for state officers and making them ineligible for re-election. .the governor thinks the primary law' should bo amended so as to attract higher grade men into office, and sug gests a committee to consider the im provement of the law. Separata Schools From Politics. Air. Morehead is also convinced that the schools should be taken out of poli tics and favors nonpartisan nomination and election of superintendents. 11a urges that associate justices of the su preme court be elected by districts. The water power situation, he thinks, calls for attention. Other recommen dations are: Legislation that will unify the health department and give the state better sanitary laws; ample appropriations for the state institutions; the inaug uration of a system of good permanent roads and tiie use of convict labor where possible; consolidation of tlw hotel department with the food, drug dairy ami oil inspection, or at leas! the use of the latter’s inspection force; placing dairy inspectors under state farm dairy department: placing addi tional duties on the printing commis sioner, particularly the purchase of all stationery and office equipment. 1-1 is only pronouncement upon pro hibition legislation is: "At the last election the people of this stale registered their will on the liquor question. By many able law vets. it is held that the constitutional amendment is self acting, and that fur ther legislation is not required. 1 do not take issue U'ith this view; never theless, I feel that some legislation is necessary in order to get the desired results from this amendment, and I urge such action as in your wisdom may seem best to carry out the will of tin* people." 4 4 ♦ TREE GREW AROUND 4j 4 BLADE OF KNIFE 4j 4 - 4 4 Harfington. Neb., Jan. fi.—J. ♦ 4 D. (’lair Smith, the county sur- 4 4 veyor, has presented to the li- 4 4 brary a piece of scrub oak about 4 4 fix 18 inches, which has grown 4 4 completely around the blade of 4 4 an old pocket knife. It is thought 4 4 that the knife was stuck into 4 4 the tree when it was a sapling, 4 4 as only the handle now pro- 4 4 trtides from the tree. Mr. Smith 4 4 discovered the curiosity while 4 4 surveying for the Brooks’ Bot- 4 4 tom ditch and cut out the sec- 4 4 tion in which the knife was im- 4 4 bedded. Judging by the number 4 4 of rings in the wood the knife 4 ♦ must have been there about 50 4 4 years. 4 t* ♦♦♦♦♦< nM-4 -4 IdXrOLN v telegram from Plekrrll, a small town in Gage county, tells of great excitement ih that section because of mysterious rappings and knockings which have* been occurring at the home of Peter Schank. out in the country. It began Sun day evening and has continued at inter vals both afternoon and evening. Its source can not be traced, and the credu lous of rlv* neighborhood are quite sure it Is the work of spirits and portends some thing awful. Mr. Srhank’s mother resides in Germany and he thinks that she is in trouble an per cent. McNamara balky, punished. Sun Quentin, Cal.. Jan. A.—James B. McNamara, serving a life sentence in the state- prison here l4r dynamiting tiie I,on Angeles Times building in 19ib, when -b liv'-s were lost, has been or tiere.fi ii ... me disciplinary dungeon for iuv, to work in the jute mill. Ac <,thing to the prison officials. McNa mara had heekng doing unsatisfactory work in tin laundry, where he hud been employed f'*r three and ,u half years. When McNamaiM persisted in his re fusal to .go the jute mill. Warden .J. A. Job-ton sent hint to the dungeon for three days. HURLEY QUITS TRADE BOARD FOR BUSINESS Washington, Jan. 4 — Kdwar.l X. Hur ley. of • ’hi; ago. chairman «.f the feu dal ‘rad. commission, unexpectedly re jig; ned t« dav, to resume b 3.si ness in ('hie;:t.o. Hr had a personal conference with President Wilson and hie resig nation was accepted. PARIS REPORTS QUIET NIGHT. Paris. Jen. A The night was «ysi tenay's ci Aicial statement. - ’ Mattes, Nebraska City Brewer. Championed Liquor Cause Last Session, Claim. Lincoln. Neb.. Jail. 5.- Prohibition leaders look upon the action of *'he state senate yesterday in selecting Senator John Mattes, of Nebraska City, as notice to them that they have a fight on their hands to get through tnat body the kind of a statute, they desire lo back up the amendment. Mattes was the leader of the liquor forces ill the senate ol two yea's ago. .lie has been engaged for years »n the brewing business. Last year he spent I a part of his time organizing branches of the German-American alliance, an organization that in the last campaign lought prohibition and President Wil son at the polls. Senator Beall, who led tlic unavail ing fight against his selection, declared on the floor that the democratic party was challenging its own good faith in the matter of prohibition when it se lected as its floor leader a man with a liquor record such as Mattes possesses. He was supported by Senator Howell, of Douglas and Senators Sawyer and oberlies. of Lancaster. The other ' “dry" democrats who voted for Mattes had prepared written explanations in which they insisted ihe liquor issue was dead and that the people had set i tied it. Lahners, a "wet" republican, ; voted for Mattes. Made Liquor an Issue. I The Mattes supporters charged the 1 opposition with dragging the liquor j issue into the fight, but to this it was retorted that the "wet ’ issue had been injected by the candidacy of Mattes, which was a direct challenge to the "drys.” The republicans declined to take part in the fight. But six of them voted against Mattes, the others not voting. Mattes served notice before the ballot ing that if the fight was continued against him it would result in an alignment that would last the session through. Clever politics was played by the Mattes men. With the aid of the pre siding officer they pushed through a program that left the selection of a president pro tem to the very last. After they had delivered the offices and the committee honors as per their promise, they called for the vote on Mattes, and put it across with a vote or two to spare. GOVERNOR NEVILLE KEEPS SECRETARY’S NAME SECRET Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 5.—Governor Neville has disappointed a number of ardent democrats by staying away from the state capita] while the legis lature is being organized. He is ex pected to arrive some time during the day in preparation for the inaugura tion tomorrow. He will bring his pri vate secretary with him. The man’s identity is, not known. He has been selected, but the governor has kept si lent about his choice. There are a few' other places to fill, and these the gov ernor is expected to act upon at once. G. P. Cooper, of Omaha, has been named by State Land Commissioner Shumway as his deputy. June H. land mark, of Scott's Bluff will be chief clerk; E. B. Zimmerman, of Lincoln, bookkeeper; Joseph C. Pinker, of West Point, recorder, and Genevieve Chris tenson, of Valentine, stenographer. —f— BOTH NEBRASKA HOUSES ARE FORMALLY ORGANIZED Lincoln, Neb., Jan. ■>.—With the for mal organization of the Nebraska leg islature by the selection of George Jackson, of Nuckolls county, as speak er of the house and John Mattes, of Otoe county, as president pro tem of the senate, both houses have started the active work of the session by the appointment of committees to make selections of the standing committees of house and senate. Interest in coming legislation cen tered in the effort of an influential body of friends of the recently adopted prohibition amendment to tone down the bill drafted last Saturday by the Nebraska “dry" federation. It is claimed this bill is too drastic in its provisions, and if adopted will serve to make enforcement of the prohibition law difficult. LINCOLN—The authorities have been unable to find trace of the relatives of Jack Stearns, the cook who shot and killed Mrs. Nora Nelson because she would not agree to marry him. and then committed suicide. Stearns has lived in Lincoln for a number of years. In his possession were found several hundred letters from the woman, which were signed, “your loving wife.” Mrs. Nelson came here from Edgemont, S. D. TEKAMAH—Levi D. Phipps, a promi nent resident of Tekamah, (lied at his home of cancer. Mr. Phipps served Buit county as sheriff several terms. At the time of his death lie was deputy grand custodian of th* Masonic lodge of Ne braska and was well known over the staie. He leaves a wife and two children —Laurence D. Phipps, of Herman, and Miss Goldie Phipps, at home. RANDOLPH — Much excitement was caused in or.e of the stores when Howard Reppart, who lives in Pierce county, met his wife and gave her a severe heating. Reppart came to the county a short time ago and married a 15-year-old girl. ALLEN—Miss Mabel Krause, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Krause, promi nent farmers residing two miles west of town, was married in Sioux City, la., to day, to Lester Smith. GERMANS CAPTURE TWO TOWNS IN DOBRUDJA Berlin. Jan. 3. (by wireless to Say vill«s>—The towns of Malehin and Ji ji 1mi. in northern Dobrudja, have been captured, it is announced officially. NAMES HIS SECRETARY. Lincoln. Neb.. Jan. 3. Governor Neville this afternoon named Lee Met calfe. son of K. L. Metcalfe, of Omaha. hs his private secretary. The house passed a resolution order ing the railroad commission to get busy and end the car shortage. Both houses met in a joint session thi.s • afternoon to canvass the vote. MANY WAR REFUGEES ARRIVE. New Y a k, Jan. 3—Nine hundred and sixty-five irfogees fr»»ni Belgium and j Russian Poland arrived here last nigjhi { from Roiterdam on the steamship Nieuw Amsterdam, of the flcdland Americnn line The Belgians, numb- - ing 221. were brought here by the Bel gian Relief society, of Chicago. With the Belgians were .'44 Russian Poles, in *-hary.«- of Henry C. Zure. i'bev had been sent over with lh«t aid ..f various polish societies. Many «f • :* children among the refugees were in *dequalely li'bfctd. — . ■— \ An Unusual Situation Develops When Senate Forces Appear Airncst Eveniy Divided on Sheppard Bill. “DRYS” FEAR VOTE FRAUDS Sheppard Predicts Facsage ol Bill, Which Iowa Delegation Supports, and Defeat of Referendum, Tuesday. Washington, T>. C„ .Tan. 8 .^--Whether the District of Columbia is to be “wet” or “dry” will, in large part, be settled next Tuesday, when the Senate Is un der agreement to vote on the Sheppard bill for prohibition in the national capital. On that day, the bill and all amend ments will be voted on, including the Underwood proposition for a referen dum of prohibition to the. people of the district. “Wets” Favor “Dry" Vote. Opponents of the Sheppard bill are lined tip for the referendum on the theory that on a vote the district will r go against prohibition. “Dry” senators uro lighting the referendum, alleging that without any regular election ma chinery in the District of Columbia, it will be impossible to hold an election without fraud. Whether the referendum will prevail is likely to be decided in the Senate by a vote1 or two. In committee of the whole, the referendum was beaten by a tie, blit there will be another test in jU the Senate proper. The Senate is so ~ fclosely divided that no positive predic tion can be made how it will go on the Referendum. That the Sheppard bill will pass the Senate either with or without the referendum is considered certain. House Will Follow Senate. Senator Sheppard predicts passage of his bill and defeat of the referendum. The bill has not yet passed the House, but its advocates say if the Senate passes it it will be driven through the House. Tlie "dry” members of congress and (he “dry" forces pressing the district bill say that a good deal more is in volved than the local question whether the district be “wet” or “dry." In their opinion, a great impetus will be giver, national prohibition if congress makes , the seat of government “dry” territory. t It is for the moral effect nationally, A even more than for the local results. ™ that the passage of the bill is being urged. That explains why both "wets” and “drys” the country over have their eyes fastened on the Sheppard meas ure. If the bill becomes law the "drys” will be much encouraged to press a prohibition amendment to the consti tution to a vote. While Ihis requires a two-thirds vote and probably eaaaot prevail this winter, the “drys" say pas sage of the district bill will tend to re inforce the national amendment. Iowa Delegation For It. The entire Iowa delegation iu cen gross will line up for the Sheppard bill when given the opportunity and, like wise, it is expected to Oppose trie ref erendum. Senators Cummins and Ken yon will vote for the bill and against the referendum, and the House mem bers will do likewise. Representative Steele has declared he will vole for the prohibition national amendment be cause he believes the country should be allowed to settle whether it. wants it and he is also expected to vote for the district hill if the matter is laid before the House. Senator Kenyon has been the leader of the fight for the Sheppard bill on the republican side of the Senate. PITT WINS in CONTEST FOR SPEAKER Harrison County Representative Gets 48 Out of 94 Votes— Ramsey Chief Clei'k. Per, Moines. Tn.. Jan. fi. M. P. Pitt, nf Harrison county, won the speaker ship contest on the first ballot, with 4 8 out of 94 votes. Klwood, of How ard, receive! 28: Shorters, of Tania, 15. and Neff, of Pottawattamie’, 9. Mc Farlane. of Blackhnwk, was elected speaker pro tern on the second informal ballot. \V. B. Ramsay. of Behnond was unanimously chosen chief clerk of the house. A spirited contest developed over the fight for speaker pro tern, and two bal lots were necessary before Me Fariane won out with 50 votes. A. W. ShiUsHit, of Ottumwa, was second with 40 vf woman suffrage, which had h*« > he!*} up through a contest started by her re!ati\ es. Thr Baroness maintains that persons of social standing in Paris to whom she introduced Mrs. Leslie wo.;;l dropped her acquaintance had the baroness interceded. For her efforts in this respect, the baronnes e» ntrnds she is entitled tu compensation. CHIEF OF BELGIAN STAFF DIES. Havre. France. Jan. 6—Hep. Maxi millian Wieimans. chief of the* L.cigiu-w general xtaff. is dead ut pro nmoniu. contracted in the trexeke*.