&m( m "
dm
Mr
WW
VOL. XII.
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, DECEMBER 27, 1900.
NO. 32.
i
. I
SOMEWHAT ASTONISHED
TW fw BpUkH VTb Kad Were
Nearly KmtM Tkoir Feet
fejr Una's Aaaaal Report
Thotinds of republicans honestly
believed that th year 1900 was one of
uEictrn:pt4 prosperity, and most of
thra as bonrtly believed that it all
rf jtf4 from th benign influence of
WillUn McKialey. A good many
wtw net to tlam for such belief for
thy had no Information except what
tb y pet throira republican papers.
But the end of the year made it neces
sary to print a few annua! reports In
ts said republican papers. Thos
w're read the papers auid a few whom
wtt" kicd cefrhlor took the trouble
to show what were in the papers to
the ho do cot read, were aston
itrM beyced measure when they saw
the ft ur-s. for there was what Dun.
the republican authority by whom
thy all cwMr. had to say about the
uunUr of Jailure in ISKM). Ten thou
sand fonr hundred and sixty! They
rojid hardly believe their eyes. And
th- liabilities! f 194,0eS.29! Surely
isarh dire tbJrjrs could not hare hap
pr.d and McKinly in th Whit
hou! But t r was no denying it.
The following is the table that Dan
furnished for the information of the
p-sb!ir. To make the figures look :i
little J-? tartiics. Dun arranged the
failure fsto three clafstes manufac
turing, tradicir and banklme. while
fcfietofore tfcey hate always been
Lushed in one ro'ama. Study the fol
low iaj tabl for a while and then re-f.f-rx
na the tnijen influence of Mc
Kiay upon commercial affairs.
Failures in the United States reported
Manufacturers.
Iron, foundries and nails
Machinery and tools ,
WoolJs. carpets and knit goods
Cot toes, iare and hosiery ,
J-umbr. canisters and coopers ,
tlr.thJnc and millinery ,
Hats, gioves and furs
Ci,-rlrai. dmirs and piuts ,
I'rit.rint and engraving
Mi!l!:.f and baker
I-athr, ho- and harness ,
I.'qjors and tobacco... ,
!aii. rth-nare and bricks
All othor
T'ta! manufacturing
Traders.
iirvcenr. meats and f-h
Hotels and rtu-ns
Liquors at4 tobacco... '.V. ..
Clotting and famisitirg
Dry goo -is and carpets
Shoes. ruM-r and trunks
Dr-srs and paints..,.
J-Ir and clocks
Hifcs and papers..
liais furs ai-1 rioves....
Aii other
Total tra
Brokers and
Total commercial.
Banking
Report covers twelve months from
Sjcares for calendar jevr.
The following is the list of failures
; r H57:
ear. Failures.
JMiJ 422
Liabilities.
$2&1.75V
95.749.W0
C4.2S4.00O
79,.07.(MJ
2071 0.C0)
23.049.0-jO
7.893.9' "0
.379.(H)
17.23.(h0
3.783.000
56,6.0
cz:xtx)
73.034.054
52.00-1
121.036.000
22S.4&9.C0
1 3329, OOv
191.117.00u
1Sm).69.936
234S3.122
58.149.033
C3.732.0CK)
S.l.155.932
101J34764
17274.172
226.343.427
124 .220.321
114.614.119
167.5-i0.944
1229 ,973
14S.7S4.337
1I9.S36.964
l&9.8.3s
114.044,167
344.779 .V
172.996.S36
173.196 ,m0
226.096.S34
15432.071
13).e2.S99
3.S79.8S9
194,06609
3 -S
If 1
1$2
103
14
425
3313
.
m v
.52
l.2
4t5
2t
lhA lMij
17
H
2M'h
1V 2.7:3
HTfi ...
571
i!72 ...
A -
1S7 ...
1 I 4 ...
i7 -..
1177 ...
I S .. .
WTt ...
: ...
Hl ...
13 ...
2,S15
.. 4 .;
.. 2.13
S.Kti
.. 7.70
.. 9,W2
.. slfc72
..19.47S
.. C.CiS
4,723
.
.. SHI
i$4 . io;
3 1.7
1K S34
1-7 S.54
10.67&
1&.SS2
1 10.JK37
11 12.273
::2 ia.344
l-.'.'i 1542
154 13i3
153 , 12,157
W4 IS.ifsS
Ih'jl 12-1
!:-S X2.1
3,327
I0 10.4M
BRITISH OUTRAGES
K !tr!br'a Cir tf4 PUey VTrks
la Cmhtk.
W. T. Stead cabks some borribl?
ttorit from The Hagre in regard to
titrates committed by the British sol
diers cpon the defenseless wives
and
He
children of the Dutch burghers.
tays:
"Pitiaile stories reach Holland con
cerning the fate of reconcentradoed
vomea ta the British camps la the
Trans aaL For Instance, Madam
Harddas of Kimberly reports at the
eci f Octoser:
-Today thtre amve4 eight women
and twenty-four children from Pot
chefstroom, by train. They had a ter
rible tale to tell of how, when they re
fused to leave home, they were
dragged away by Kaffirs and thrust
into jail. After being kept some time
without food, they were taken by sol
diers to Kimberly. When they arrived
here their clothes were In rags, hav
ing teen torn by soldiers. Two of
them were outraged. Some of them
were widows, while two had husbands
In St. Helena. The children, of all
ages, were mostly barefooted. I was
glad to be able to get them some food,
which they badly needed.'
"Another corespondent describes the
arrival of six poor women from the
same district. They were in a miser
able plight. Two of the women, who
had suffered from the violence of the
soldiers, were taken to the hospital for
treatment,
A nursing sister who has arrived
from Africa gives harrowing accounts
of the condition of many of the victims
of British soldiers.
"Another letter relates that two
young mothers who were brought Into
the reconcentradoea camp were not
allowed to take their Infants, aged
four and six months, with them.
"John II. Robertson, one of the
leaders of the peace party In London,
writes an open letter, making direct
accusations of outrages upon Boer
women, and defies the authorities to
disprove them. He says:
" Two Dutch women. Martha Ver
maak and Anna Snoor, living in Chris
tiana. Transvaal, were assaulted on
three occasions by gangs of soldiers:
and had to be sent to the Kimberly
hospital.
" A complaint was made and the
by R. G. Dun & Co.:
Number
Liabilities
1900 1899 1900 1899
28 19 $ 2.430.586 $ 1,205,577
1S9 133 7.036,444 2.684,121
25 29 1.371,719 3,668,760
S 13 64.100 421,909
346 365 11.S82.618 5,277,356
305 233 3.113.673 3,505,470
23 29 272.698 283,190
40 40 877.913 955,567
125 143 1.2S9.493 1,385,752
132 121 770,205 1.395.932
102 103 2.006.201 1.658,472
S! 91 2.386.191 2,514,632
26 43 864,919 967.95U
MS 620 13.309.322 7,788,561
2315 14 $ 47,673,082 f33.713.25S
1125 1238 6.74U74 $ 7,507,244
2058 1884 11.947,651 6,937,227
3S9 264 ; 2 -02,432 : 286,400
878 - 791- S.35ir368' 3,541,331
533 523 4,740,213 4,082,338
429 411 8.858.311 4,770,59!$
318 322 2,604.355 2.372.29;
1K7 186 1,421.164 1,734.537
266 244 3,059.525 1,669,310
263 342 1.415.049 1.751.758
123 139 1.033.438 776,417
56 57 514,128 411,716
37 30 475,664 318,613
i6l 859 12.718,706 7,098,755
7633 7400 $ 63,678.978 $45,958,540
512 316 29.345.884 9,620,952
10460 9700 $140.702.944 $ 89.292,750
60 52 53.363,255 11,755,716
December 1 to November 30; all other
soldiers were
sentenced to
ment.
convicted. They were
four weeks imprison -
"Robertson also charges that the
British attempted to murder Miss Mag
gie Besters of Besters" Station. Natal.
She was standing on the veranda of
her house with her brother. A British
patrol. 300 yards away, deliberately
fired, luckily missing them."
THE LABOR COST
Article cm t Prodnrcd mt the Least
Labor Cott In the United States.
A very Important witness was ex
amined by the Industrial commission
the other day. Mr. John H. Converse,
of the Baldwin Locomotive works. He
testified to the truth of the assertion
that The Independent has so often
made, that the "labor cost" of manu
factured articles in America was less
than it was in Europe, although the
wages paid here were somewhat
higher. Mr. Converse said the wages
of the firm's employes are higher than
those paid abroad.
"In that case," said Chairman
-Clarke, "how can you produce locomo
tives at less cost than the foreign
product?"
.Mr. converse said he believed this
fact to be due to the industry and in
telligence of the American workman
and the much larger use of Improved
machinery here than abroad.
As to the question of speed, Mr. Con
verse stated that the substitution of
steel rails for those of iron permitted
an increase of weight In engines, which
resulted In greater speed. The in
crease In speed and capacity brought
about a reduction In the cost of trans
portation and operation.
Regarding tariff conditions, Mr. Con
verse said that owing to the govern
ment ownership system existing in
most foreign countries no difficulty
was ever encountered In that respect.
Asked as to the condition of the in
dustry. Mr. Converse said It is at pres
ent more prosperous than at any time
from 1893 to 1897.
Mr. Kennedy asked the witness if
any attempt had been made to com
bine all the American locomotive
works. Mr. Converse answered in the
affirmative, but said the effort was un
successful. His firm opposed the pro
ject and he did not believe locomotives
could be built at a lower cost if such
an Idea was carried out
SMYTH REPORTS
Relates Some of His Experiences With
Political Judges Tells How Kill
ings Defeated Justice.
Attorney General Smyth in his bien
nal report gives Judge Baker a merited
scoring. That the state has been pre
vented from recovering something
over $200,000 of Bartley's stealings by
the rulings of Judge Baker of Omaha,
no one doubts. The action of Judge
Baker is claimed to be unparalleled,
but others say that any one acquainted
with what some of the republican
judges have done in years past, would
hardly make that remark.
After reviewing all the important
suits in which he has appeared, Mr.
Smyth takes up the Omaha National
bank case and gives the following ac
count of the three trials before Judge
Baker:
"The state against the Omaha Na
tional bank is a case remarkable in
more senses than one. It is remark
able for the facts on which it rests and
also because of the conduct of the
trial judge. It arises out of the trans
action by which ex-Treasurer Bartley
embezzled $201,884.05 of the state's
money in the Omaha National bank on
January 2, 1897, five days before he
went out of offl.ee. The bank was a
state depository and as such had on
deposit $201,884.05 of state money.
Bartley drew this sum on the morning
of January 2, and delivered it to the
Omaha National bank in payment of
a warrant which the bank had no title
to. The act by which he transferred
the money to the bank was the act
which constituted the crime for which
he suffers in the penitentiary. The
bank's title to the money therefore
rests on this criminal act and is of no
validity in law, and hence the banx
must account for the money. Such is
the law as it has often been adjudged
by the supreme court.
"In the first trial in the district court
of Douglas county Judge Baker ex
pressly refused to follow, the supreme
court and consequently instructed the
jury to return a verdict for the bank.
I brought the case to the supreme
court, where it was reversed and sent
back for a new trial. Under the rules
of the district court the clerk placed
it on the docket from which it went to
the supreme court. Juuge Baker did
not hold that docket when the case
was returned to it, but at his request
the case was transferred to his own
docket. I thought this showed an un
usual desire on the part of a jud ge to
try a case and consequently objected
jto his hearing the case. .But the bank
wanted him to try It, and it said so,
and he overruled my objections and
proceeded to try the case.
"Ingenious counsel suggested to him
that he did not have to try the case;
that it was his duty to enter judgment
on the old verdict, and this he prompt
ly did. I filed a motion for a new trial,
but he refused to consider it, or say
when he would consider it. Believ
ing he had disoeyed the mandate of
the supreme court granting me a new
trial, I applied to that court for a man
damus to compel him to set aside his
judgment and grant me a new trial.
After a protracted fight the mandamus
was issued.
"Although as the record shows he
had repeatedly declared that there was
nothing in the case for a jury to pass
upon he submitted the case to a jury
with instructions which left no way by
which the jury could find for the state.
The result was a verdict for the bank.
"The motion for a new trial was
promptly filed and submitted to the
court. Under the mandamus it was
judge Baker's duty to take up the mo
tion at once and to pass on it with
out allowing other business to inter
vene. But he did not do so. Instead
he held it for more than two weeks
and then showed no signs of disposing
of it. Consequently I applied for an
order to compel him to pass on the
motion. This order was promptly
granted by the supreme court and the
motion for a new trial was overruled
and judgment for the defendants en
tered. I at once took steps to take
the case to the supreme court and the
case was lodged there in time to have
it tried at the January term. I feel
quite certain that the amount sued
for will eventually be recovered."
In conclusion the report says:
"Final judgments have been recov
ered in the sum of $318,120.33, on
which has been paid into the treasury
about $50,000. The total amount in
volved in all civil suits during my
two terms of office was nearly two mil
lion dollars.
"All the serious law questions in the
Bartley bond case have been settled
by the supreme court. The validity of
the bond has been determined al
though it was once adjudged by the
district court to be invalid. Every
dispute about $281,000 of the shortage
has been eliminated and the state will
be entitled to judgment for that
amount whenever the case is called
for trial.
"Had the Omaha National bank
case been accorded a fair trial when it
first came before the district court, or
when it came the second or third tim1?
before that tribunal the state would
have judgment now for upwards of
$253,000. The law of the case, however,
is now so well settled by the supreme
court that the next time the case
comes before that court I think it will
give such a direction to the lower
court that even Judge Baker will enter
judgment against the bank.
"But the cases brought to recover
money and to punish embezzlers do
not represent by any means all the
cases of importance tried during the
last four years. There are many oth
ers involving principles of great im
portance to the people of this state and
of much difficulty. Such for Instance,
as the board of transportation cases,
the Bolln case In the supreme court of
the United States, the maximum
freight rate cases and the Standard Oil
case. We successfully defended the
power of this state to regulate rail
road, telephone, telegraph and express
companies through a board of trans
portation against, four separate at
tacks, three In the. supreme court and
one in the federal court. Then as a
last resort the railroads attacked the
manner of the passage by the legisla
ture of the bill conferring the power,
and they succeeded.
"My judgment is, after a study of
nearly all the cases on . the subject
that the only effective way to regulate
railroads is through, a competent com
mission with ample powers. Such a
bill might be Enacted reducing the
rates of cattle, grain, etc., which
would grant a; great .deal of just re
lief. Discrimination, perhaps, is one
of the greatest evils. This, the com
mission, with: proper powers, and
means of executing them, would erad
icate. The . state - must provide for
some sort of control, or else leave to
railroad freight traffic managers the
unrestricted power to fix such rates as
they please. That they should not
have that power must be conceded, es
pecially when we reflect that the cost
of transportation rarely if ever is tak
en into consideration in fixing a rate.
A distinguished freight traffic , man
ager recently testified in effect that the
rate was governed entirely by the
amount which, the traffic would bear.
"The Standard Oil company through
its counsel made several vigorous as
saults on the validity of the anti-trust
law; they urged that It violated the
constitution of the state and the con
stitution of the nation. So determined
and many-formed were the assaults
that it took a full court a year to meet
them all and have it finally deter
mined that the law was valid. In the
work of enforcing the law against
trusts my. greatest difficulty has been
in procuring evidence, but if the deci
sion on the motion to inspect the
Standard Oil company's books be in
favor of the state, not only will the
power of the state to control trusts,
but also its power to compel them,
whether foreign or domestic, to fur
nish evidence against themselves be
settled. ThiS-will be a long step for
ward and will reduce very materially
the difficulties in the way of the state
in fighting the trust evil.
"In each of the foregoing suits my
office was opposed by never less than
two, oftener three,; and sometimes
eight, of the leading lawyers of the
state. This of course added greatly to
the responsibility and difficulty of the
work.
"My duties have brought me before
courts of every grade, from the su
preme court of the nation to the po
lice court of our cities. I have found
mostcourts fair and fearless, some
lacked "the t50urage necessary to the
proper discharge" of their duties,' but
only one was, in my opinion, such as
to make it Improper to classify here.
We have a law prohibiting judges
from practicing law and we should
have one prohibiting them from prac
ticing politics: But If such a statute
would not be valid we should have the
public sentiment against It so ener
getic and powerful that the judge who
considered the political effect rather
than the justice of his decisions, or
who became even an advocate on the
political stump would be made to feel
that sentiment n the look and voice
and words of every reputable citizen.
Political parties could well afford to
dispense with the services of judges
as political manipulators. Fortunately
there are few to whom these remarks
apply. Most of our judges have the
correct conception of the sacredness
and dignity of their positions. The
sentiment I speak of should exist for
the benefit of the judge who has not
that conception.
"The period of my service as attor
ney general will soon terminate. It
has been a stormy one. Great have
been the interests which I have had to
combat. My only purpose throughout
was to perform my duty and thereby
prove loyal to my clients, the state of
Nebraska. In the performance of these
duties I have no doubt, aroused antag
onism which will follow me out of of
fice. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I
cannot forget what was once said to
me by a just and fearless judge: 'The
offended corporations are awake while
the people sleep.' Never were truer
words spoken. Whether their truth
shall be made manifest in my case or
not. I, of course, do not know, but
whether they be or not, I shall always
carry with me the consciousness that
I have at least attempted to perform
my duty and that shall be enough for
me.
McVEACH OPPOSED
Former Attorney General MacVeagh
was at the White house the other day
and while waiting to see the' president
remarked to those present:
"I have always thought that our
government made a mistake in ac
quiring the Philippine islands as a
result of the destruction of the Spanish
fleet In Manila bay by Admiral Dewey.
At that time our people were carried
away by the enthusiasm of success at
Manila and at Santiago and, to use a
slang expression, 'we lost our head.'
I believe the president would be sus
tained by a great majority of the Am
erican people if he would undertake
to dispose of the Philippine question
by issuing a proclamation declaring
general amnesty In the Philippines
and causing a cessation of hostilities
between the United States forces and
the natives of those Islands. He might
go further by giving the natives of
the Philippines their independence,
with permission to form such a gov
ernment as now exists in Hawaii."
Pop Ideas Pay
An official report shows that the wa
ter plant owned and operated by the
munlcipalitv of Paris netted a profit
of 15,000,000 francs ($3,000,000) during
1900. A small municipal electric light
plant, started as an experiment two
years ago, cleared 900,000 francs
$180,000).
SHALL THE REPUBLIC DIE
The Decision is In the Hands of the Su
preme CourtThe Arguments
Have Been Made and The
Case Closed-
:- The interest In the case before the
supreme court which involves the
question whether congress and the
president have supreme power, unlim
ited by law or constitution, was in
tense from the beginning until the last
argument was made and the judges
gathered up the papers and left the
court room. The case involves the
rights of man, as no case ever involved
them since that court held its first
session. Have men certain inalien
able and natural rights? That is the
question. If tney have, then no con
gress and no president can enact laws
to govern them without their consent.
The claim made by the attorney gen
eral that the American congress or the
American president has unlimited au
thority over millions of people which
Is. hedged about by no constitutional
limitations, is the re-assertion in an
other form of the divine right of
kings. Men have no natural rights
bestowed upon them by their creator.
Congress can send armies to conquer
them and when conquered, they can
be held as vassals forever. That is the
substance of the propositions laid
down by Mr. Griggs. Does the major
ity of the American people believe
that? The votes in the ballot box at
the last election would seem to indi
cate that they did. If the supreme
court says so, then it must stand as the
policy of a people who have soaked a
thousand battlefields with their blood
fighting against it.
Former Attorney General Wayne
MacVeagh of Pennsylvania was among
the unofficial callers upon the presi
dent. While waiting an audience
with the president he discussed the
Porto Rican and Philippine cases, now
before the supreme court. General
MacVeagh said that more than ordi
nary significance should be attached to
the fact that two former presidents of
the United States Cleveland and Har
rison while differing so widely on
many national questions, were in
comparative harmony agains5: the ex
pansion policy of this government. He
said:
"Mr. Cleveland and General Harri
son are both men of more than ordi
nary legal ability, and their judgment
on great "national questions is entitled
to the highest consideration. The fact
that they are unable to concur with the
policy of the - present administration
is - sufficient -reason : for enticing other
less conspicuous national characters
to pause and consider before commit
ting Themselves irrevocably to the
theory of expansion."
In congressional circles the belief Is
freely expressed that the supreme
court of the United States is widely
divided on the Porto Rican and Phil
ippine tariff cases, and that the deci
sion will ultimately ba left to Chief
Justice Fuller. Thus the court stands
either five to four or four to five on
the government's contention. The ad
ministration professes to be very con
fident that the decision will be in favor
of the continuance of its policy. The
confidence of the administration's fol
lowers In the senate and in the house,
however, has been rudely shaken up
by the attitude of Benjamin Harrison
which has great weight with supreme
court, and by the fact that Attorney
General Griggs during his argument
on Wednesday was piled with appar
ently hostile questions by Justices
Brewer, Harlan, White and Brown. If
these judges are hostile to the admin
istration's position and all of the oth
ers are favorable to the administra
tion's position it leaves a narrow ma
jority of one vote.
It is recalled that President Harri
son appointed Justice Brewer, Shiras
and) Brown and President Cleveland
appointed Justice Fuller, White and
Peckham. While no one expects that
any of these judges are likely to be in
fluenced by opinions entertained by
the distinguished former presidents
who placed them on the bench, it is
nevertheless an interesting fact that
two-thirds of the justices of the su
preme court owe their appointments
to former presidents who are now as
sailing the imperialistic policy of the
administration.
After the concluding argument by
Charles H. Aldrich all the papers in
the Porto Rico and Philippine tariff
cases weie takan by the supreme court.
Mr. Aldrich s argument was a general
summing up in behalf of the conten
tion that the United States had no
right to collect duties on articles
brought in from Porto Rico and the
Philippines, but should maintain ab
solute free trade with these territories.
He first directed his attention to the
circumstances under which this gov
ernment came into existence, the
struggle for liberty and the American
protest against England's assertion of
the taxing power over the American
colonies. With this history before us,
he said, it was a remarkal le fnet thnt
the attorney general of the United
States, over 100 years after the great
struggle which founded the American
government, should come into this
court and assert a taxing power more
extreme than had been asserted by th
most ardent defenders of England's
taxing power over the colonies.
Mr. Aldrich spoke of the decision of
Justice Marshall In Loughborough vs.
Blake as of decisive importance, and
he summed up that decision as bear
ing on the present conditions as fol
lows: "That the power to tax, levy duties,
etc., extends to . the entire United
States
"That the term 'United States' em
braces 'our great republic, which is
composed of states and territories. ,
'"That 'it is not less necessary, on
the principles of our constitution that
uniformity in the imposition of Im
posts, duties and excises should be
observed In the one than In the other.'
"It follows from the above that the
rights and obligations of the territory
thus a part of the United States and
the inhabitants thereof are measured
and tested by the constitution "
As to the contention that the Phil
ippines were not a part of the United
States Mr. Aldrich said:
"If the islands ceded by Spain are
foreign territory, . then our country
would have as its commercial repre
sentatives therein consuls, who would
perform the requisite oiflcial acts pre
scribed by our customs laws regard
ing shipments of, merchandise from
any of these islands to any part of the
United States. The court takes judi
cial notice of the fact that our govern
ment has no consuls in the Philip
pines, and that when Spanish sover
eignty ceased in tho&e islands the
United States consuls therein were
withdrawn, and that the consular
agents of foreign powers thenceforth
were the accredited representatives of
the respective foreign governments to
the United States and our govern
ment signed the exequatur of such
consuls. 'What an anomaly it Is to
have Spain send Its consuls to th-.
Philippines if, as contended, for the
purposes of revenue, they are still for
eign territory! . If they are not Ameri
can territory they must still be Span
ish, for it is not pretended that any
other nation foreign to the United
States has acquired any sovereignty
over them, nor is it pretended that
the Philippine islands in the eye of in
ternational law occupy the status of
an independent nation."
After citing Lord Mansfield's opinion
on the limitation of the power of the
king and parliament, Mr. Aldrich said:
"It is a startling proposition that a
power denied o parliament as incon
sistent with liberty and consonant
only with tyranny belongs to the con
gress of the United States in one case
and to the president thereof in an
other; that a power, the assertion of
which justified rebellion and a pro
longed and bitter war to resist was
carefully preserved in the very govern
ment established as the result of such
resistance; that our forefathers denied
an omnipotent parliament to decree
an omnipotent congress; that what
was tyranny as to them in 1765-1776 i3
less than tyranny now, time must be
capable of changing principles if thi3
proposition be true."
Speaking of America's early struggle
for liberty, Mr. Aldrich said:
"The virile '"remonstrances of the
several colonies compare favorably
with any public r document ever pro
duced. These discussions made the
Declaration of Independence easy and
were , a fit. preparation for1 the long
years of struggle and self-sacrifice nec
essary to maintain and establish the
principles of that immortal production.
We have since abolished slavery and
have lived admittedly the foremost na
tion in all history in all that stands
for liberty, guaranteed by laws made
by a free people, .which is our boast
and the object of our adoration. Our
principles, our traditions, our liberty,
our constitution, all forbid that arbi
trary power shall become our charac
teristic. The shaft aimed at the new
colonial policy is tipped with a fea
ther from the American constitution."
Mr. Aldrich closed with an eloquent
reference to the work of our forefath
ers, which was not for their day, but
for all time. As soon as he finished
the court turned to other cases, after
allowing counsel in the Porto Rico
case ten days to file a further brief.
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
Pro-riding for the Children of Kolock and
the Campaign Fund for the Tear
1904.
We the people of the United States
being of unsound mind, and realizing
the uncertainty of (political) life, and
being desirous of perpetuating the God
of Moloch and his children, viz: The
meat trust, the twins, sugar and cof
fee trust, and many others such as
the nail, tinplate, oil, coal, etc. The
family is so large that our space Is in
adequate to give all and more specific
ally we are very anxious for the con
tinuing the several hundred houses of
prostitution, and about 1,100 canteens
that have been so graciously instituted
for the express benefit of our fathers,
sons and brothers in the Philippines,
and whatsoever, would come under
any comprehensible term of etc., etc.,
etc., and for securing andTthe payment
of the most just claim of 100 million $
for the campaign fund of 1904 hereby
make our last will and testament
We hereby bequeath to the God of
Moloch, our homes, our children and
our children's children, to have and to
hold the same forever, and for the
purpose above set forth, and we hereby
appoint the Hon. Wm. McKinley the
executor of this, our last will and tes
tament and hold him to the faithful
performance of the bequests herein.
Witness our hand and seal this day
and year above written.
THE PEOPLE OF THE U. S.
Witness: Hanna and his family
The G. O. P. Forsyth's Chips.
Sixty Millions More
The committee on rivers and har
bors gave out an itemized statement
of appropriations agreed upon for the
present session which will be-embodied
in the bill to be reported to the
house soon after the Christmas holi
days. The total is approximately $60,
000,000, of which about $23,000,000 is in
direct appropriation and about $37,-000,-000
in the authorization of con
tracts for continuous work. Compared
with former river and harbor bills the
present one is the second largest on
record, and after the senate has added
amendments it is expected to be well
up to, if not ahead of, all previous rec
ords. The bill of 1900 carried $39,958,
165, and that cf 1897, which was the
largest oa record, carried $72,275,954.
FOREIGN FINANCES
All the Governments of Europe Seem to be
In Deep Waters And Must Keep
the Peace.
Some of the recent news from Eu
rope has got as far west a3 Denver for
the News of that city comments at
considerable length upon the dark sha
dows that hang over those countries
that were so exceedingly anxious to
"permanently establish the gold stand
ard." The News says that when they
discover what Is the matter with them
the road to . the restoration will be
short and direct. Later news received
by The Independent is to the effe ct
that they have already made the dis
covery, which fact is commented upon
in the editorial columns. The News
says: .
"Foreign industrial and financial
conditions point to the fact that Eu
ropean nations are in no condition for
a general war, and explain why there
is a disposition to reach a common
understanding on the Chinese ques
tion. Over large portions of Russia
there is a crop failure, and the cer
eals are many million bushels short
of even last year, which was more or
less of a failure. In addition there is
a cattle famine In many districts, and
industrial conditions are worse than
usual and will require a relief fund
for the aid of the people suffering. A
sum of $250,000 has alreacry been sub
scribed. ..
"Englana is finding her taxes large
ly increased by the expensive character
of the Boer war, and is also nervous
over the loss of .reserves by the Bank
of England. The financial situation in
Berlin is 'critical, and there is panic
in the air of the whole German empire.
There has been talk of drawing 500.
00j sterling in gold from the Bank of
England to Berlin to assist in tiding
over affairs. One cause of the cur
rency stringency in Berlin is said to
be similar to that occasioned in this
country not infrequently when money
is needed "to move the crops." A Now
York authority gives the following
version of of the German situation:
" 'The state of things in Berlin close
ly resembles 'the complications which
arose In this country a few years ago
regarding western farm mortgages, for
which investors had developed a craite,
until they discovered that they could
not realize principal at maturity. The
result was the failure of many insti
tutions which had engaged in that
class of business. It seems that the
Deutsche bank has had to come to the
aid; of the mortgage banks, which
have been competing with one another
in leni-jf? taehj money on German es
tates. The position of Berlin is now
serious, if not critical.'
"If financial writers would go down
beneath the surface .of things they
would, find, that a shortage of gold in
Europe is the real cause of panicky
conditions on . the continent; that
there Is not a sufficient supply of yel
low coin on which to base their busi
ness. When they discover this fact,
the road to silver's restoration as
world money will be short and direct."
Chinese Loot
A correspondent of the London Ex
press says:
"This China expedition affair has
been the biggest looting excursion
since the days of Pizarro. There are
different ways of looting, and other na
tionalities have not pursued the Eng
lish way, but all are agreed that loot
is the correct card. It had to be. Pekin
was a wealthy and populous city, full
of big houses, busy marts, thriving
banks, large warehouses and crowded
pawnshops. , Half the population
rushed helterskelter. through the
northern and western gates when the
troops entered by the southern and
eastern. Those who fled took with
them what they could carry, and bur
led, or attempted to conceal, the best
part of what they had to leave behind.
"There Is still one other matter
which must be mentioned. There Is
tho matter of private looting. There
has been a good deal of looting by
civilians. But I do not wish to In
criminate all my friends. I mention
the subject only to leave it alone."
Philippine Trade
A statement prepared by the division
of insular affairs, war department,
summarizing the trade of the Philip
pines for the ten months ended April
30 last shows that the imports of mer
chandise during this period amounted
In value to $16,540,255. Gold and sil
ver to the value of $1,714,951 also were
Imported, making the total Importa
tion' $18,165,206. Of this amount $1,
183,486 represented the goods brought
in from the United States.
Manila hemp formed the principal
article of exportation, $9,217,803 worth
being sent out of the Islands during
the period named. Of this amount
$4,285,107 worth went to Great Britain
and $3,096,295 worth to the United
States. The total exportation of mer
chandise, gold and silver is set down
at $17,038,314. European countries
took $7,284,166 worth of this, and ex
ports to the value of $3,284,292 came
to the United States.
War Logic
The theory that war must precede
trade, that we must first thrash people
before we can do business with them,
is doubtless true; at least, fairly good
evidence of Its truth is at hand. It
is reported that Spaniards have given
a Detroit firm an order for 600 rail
road cars. The order must be filled
by . March 1. But price, quality, time
of delivery or other purely business
considerations probably had nothing
to do with the giving of this order.
The order was war fruit. This can bo
proven logically. We never had such
an order from Spain before the war
with them, therefore It is safe to con
clude that but for the war there would
have been no order. Farm, Stock and
Home.