WILL WEAR
ENGLAND OUT.
Transvaal State Secretary Pred
iction Is for Ten Years War.
Cattle Captured Sold Threa or Four
Time Over to tha Government,
Price Increased Eaoh Time.
-A--opy C-a let! er
a recently discovered In Pretoria,
addressed by Transvaal State Secre
tary Reitz, at President Kruger's re
quest, when war became Inevitable ,to
certain member of the volksraad (con
gress) whose determination wan doubt
ed. Tilts letter advised them that if
they entered Into the war at all it
should be with a stout resolution lo gee
It through, an It would last ten years.
The letter Ptated that the officials of
the republics aid not hope lo defeat
England Jn the field, but their plans
nd resources would enable them to
wear Kngland out In that decade.
One prediction has a particularly
ominous significance just now, In view
of the discoursing dispatches this
week from the Pretoria correspondent
of the Times, who reflects Kitchener's
views. These dispatches warn t he
government that the war cannot be
ended by the blockhouse system in
the face of an enemy so mobile as the
Boers are. Provisioning and garrison
ing the blockhouses Is straining the
British transport and relief resources
to the breaking point, although it is
admitted that Hottentots are being em
ployed largely In connection with the
blockhouse system.
The waste of the army from disease
in January, the worst month for en
teric fever, included ten officers and
S2 men dead, while eleven officers and
144 men were killed in action, the total
casualties being eighty-seven officers
and 2,663 men.
The war department remnant scan
dal, the treasury having been swin
dled out of many millions of dollars,
betrays only one of the many direc
tions In which Incompetence and cor
ruption have conspired to bleed the
British taxpayer in connection with
this awful war.
From South Africa conies the posi
tive statement that the bulk of the
vast herds of cattle captured from the
Boers were sold by the military au
thorities to the South African Cold
Storage company at from 4 to 6 cents
a. pound, the cattle selling the cattle
back again to the military after a ((
weeks at from 14 to 13 cents a pound.
In some districts In Cape Colony, It
Is alleged, loyal colonial farmers, act
ing In collusion with certain military
officials, contrived to sell horses and
cattle to the British military authori
ties three or four times over.
These scandals were discovered some
months ago. but the war department
quietly cashiered the officers Implicat
ed, instead of Imprisoning them, hop
ing by that means to escape exposure.
The government's present policy is
to postpone all inquiry till the war
ends, trusting that It may find some
further pretext to evade it altogether,
or, at the worst, by one huge chaotic
Investigation, to confuse the Issues and
dissipate the responsibility. These
moves are. recognized and feared by
the government's own supporters, but
their hands are tied by dread of en
couraging the Boers If the government
Is embarrassed.
FLOODED BY MANITOBA WHEAT.
Minneapolis, Winn., Feb. 12. The
Immense crop of wheat rained in Man
itoba last year has caused a demoral
ization In the market and had severe
effects on the milling interests of the
northwest. Foreigners are able to
buy certain grades of Manitoba wheal
at 3 cents a bushel cheaper than
American wheat, with the result that
It Is being purchased, made inlo flour
Jn Europe and sold in competition
with the American flour at prices that
the Minneapolis millers cannot reach.
As a way to put an end to this com
lietition the Minneapolis mills have
considered i'm: pimsltility of br'r.z'.nz
Manitoba wheat to Minneapolis in
bond, grinding in local mills and re
shipping to Canada'. Inquiries re
cently made of the revenue depart
ment developes the possibility of im
porting by paying a duty of 3 cents a
bushel, which will h lefuiitled when
the manufactured product has been
returned to Canada.
IMMENSE 6L0C0SE TRUST TO FORM.
New York, Feb. 12. An official
statement regarding the formation of a
new glucose trust, Is expected from
the banking house of J. P. Morgan &
Co., this afternoon. The new com
pany, which Is to merge all the glu
cose and starch manufacturing Inter
ests In the "United States, secured Its
Jersey charter today. It will be known
the Porn Product company, and Is
to have a capital of $30,000,00.
It Is understood that John D. and
William Hockerfeller, Marshall Field
and Norman It. Beam have Joined
hands with Morgan In financing the
new trust. .
Carnegie Library For Grand Island,
tirand Island, Neb., Feb. 12.-A letter
lias been received from Andrew Car
negie of library fame by the author
ities of the Grand Island city library
to the effect that a city of this size
should have t least a $20,000 library,
and It Is taken that If the city can
assure 12,000 a year for maintenance
a gift from Mr. Carnegie will be se
cured. According to the present rnte
of assessment, the levy would provide
but tl,M. and an effort will no doubt
to made to secure guarantee f
A REEELUCI CCXSftSACY IN IRELAtt,1
London, Feb. 11. The government If
preparing to strengthen the troops li.
Ireland, and as soon aa the Boer war
cornea to a close the present military
forces In that island will be at leant
doubled. The government Is convinced
from secret investigation in certain
districts of Connaught, there is a con
spiracy at work to incite a rebellion In
Ireland, and that leading ( Boers In
Europe have done much to foment the
Irish hatred of England, and to urge
the discontented Irish to rise against
the crown.
The conspirator are working with
system and deliberation and are or
ifanizip g compa n legtobe ready when
the time comes to slilke a blow. The
young men especially are pledging
themselves to the movement, and war
between England and some other power
is looked forward to as the opportunity
for Irishmen to rise.
The leader of th movement Is re
ported to be an Irish-American, who
goes from one part of Ireland to
another, appealing quietly to those
whom he thinks he can trust to join
the ranks of the patriots. The govern
ment has been successful In getting at
the facts of the conspirators, and will
be in readiness for any developments.
KNOWS NOT OF PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
Washington, D. Feb. 12. Senator
Jones, chairman of the democratic na
tional committee In a discussion rel
ative to the future policy of hlH party,
declared that while anti-Imperialism
might not be the paramount issue of
the next national campaign, he be
lieved It would be a most prominent
one. The senator would not concede
that the party leaders were perfecting
plans for the entire elimination from
that campaign of those policies that
have been indelibly stamped with the
Imprint of Bryanism.
"No one can at this time," he re
marked, "predict absolutely what the
future policy of any party, will be. It
may be that the democratic party will
find it advisable to eliminate certain
policies of the past. If so, It will be
done. I have authorized no one to de
fine my belief as to what action will
be taken."
This assertion was In response to an
ntervlew given out In Boston by Ir
ving Winslow, president, of the New
England Anf.t-Imperiallstle league. Mr.
Winslow gives Mr. Jones as his au
thority for the assertion that Bryan-
sm will be dropped, and Imperialism
made the paramount issue.
MR. HAY IS SEEKIN6 AN ANSWER.
Denver, Colo., Jan. 12. The News
says that a demand has not been made
upon Governor Orman by Secretary of
Plate Hay at Washington for an In
vestigation of the destruction last
summer of the buildings of William
Kadcllffe. an Englishman, located on
Grand Mesa lakes in this state, by a
mob. rtadclifTe appealed to British
Ambassador Pauncefote for redress.
demanding $55,000 damages of the state
of Colorado. The trouble grew out of
a dispute between ranchmen and Rad-
fTe over fishing privileges and cul
minated In the killing of a ranchman
mimed Womack by one of Radellffe's
guards. A few days later the build
liiK on the lakes were destroyed by
lire, it Is claimed, started by friends of
Womack .in revenge for his death. Th
mutter was originally referred to Gov
ernor Orman early In January, and, a
cording to the News, communication
from Secretary Hay has jtiHt been re
ived, asking what had become of it
THE SCHWABS LEAVE FOR HOME.
London, Feb. 12. Charles M. Schwab
and Mrs. Schwab left London for
Southampton on their way to New
Yoik. Mr. Schwab said concerning his
reception ty King jviwaru:
'I was honored by being received by
King Edward. Beyond that I cannot
say anything on the subject, nor have
I said a word more to anybody."
"Have you enjoyed your trip to Eu
rope, Mr. Schwab?" the correspondent
Inuulred.
'Never In all the years l have seen
coming have I enjoyed it more."
'You do not appear to have had
much of a rest," It was suggested
"You have had a busy time."
"Oh, I could not sit still and no
nothing," Mr. Schwab replied. "That
would not be rest to me. I find rest
In change of scene and occupation. I
have found It and never felt better."
Mr, Schwab certainly looked well and
was In high spirits.
A MILLION SUBJECTS ARE IN PRISON,
St. Petersburg, Feb. 12. Russian
prison statistics lately published reveal
some startling facts. Four years ago
the number of prisoners In Russia was
761,373. Now It has risen to 842.729. If
the Inmates of the military prisons, the
peasants In houses of correction and
the prisoners in trans-Caspian jails
were counted, It would be found that
1,000,000 of the subjects of the czar are
Incarcerated, not Including the Siber
ian exiles, who number 77,180, nor the
3,328 convicts In the Saghalln prison.
The budget appropriates about $8 per
prisoner a year, the expenditure aggre
gating (7,500,000, of which amount $33.25
Is squandered on books and papers for
a million prisoners.
To Merge th Salt Inerest.
Chicago. 111.. Feb. 12. The Interna
tional Bait company, with a rapltal
stock of $1,000,000, was Incorporated at honor the memory of President Lln
Hprlngfield today. coin during his stay In Chicago by for-
The new company will take In the mally placing a wreath on the nmn
National Salt company and the refln- ument of the martyred president In
Ing Halt company of New York. Joy Lincoln Park, An expression of thin
Morton A Co. of Chicago and several wish was conveyed today to Dr. II. A,
other companies not yet named. J Weaver, the Imperial German consul
Besides Mark Morton, Daniel Oilman In this city, and was reported by him
and Daniel Perkln of Chicago arg to the committee having In charge ar
named as Incorporator. - rangements for the prince's reception.
GOOD FOR
STRATEGY.
Danish Islands Offer Strength to
Commercial Interests.
By the Cession United States Doe
Not Assume Obligations of the
Larger Sugar Companies.
Washington, Feb. 12. The recent fa--VOFa
ltl wfMrt hyhe netmle lonunit
tee on foreign relations of the treaty
for the e-ssion of the islands of the
Danish West Indies was accompanied
by a written statement made by the
committee to the senate. This report
contains a small diagram showing the
location of the three inlands and tht
positions relative to Porto Rico and
gives numerous interesting facts rei-
tlve to the islands.
It shows that during the year 1900
the Islands exported to the United
States sugar, molasses and distilled
spirits amounting to $.".8,954, and that
during the same period the exporta
tlons from the United States amounted
to $624,524. The annexation of the is
lands was sought by the United States
years ago, but Inmark declined to
sell the islands for $5,000,000, but asked
$13,000,000. Secretary Seward offered
$7,000,000, which was declined. He af
terward agreed to pay that amount
for the islands of St. Thomas and St.
John, but the trade fell through be
cause of complications which arose.
At that time Denmark insasted that the
consent of the people of the islands
should be formally given before the
sale should be consummated and w hen
the vote was taken there was only
twenty-three out of a total of over
1,200 ballots against the cession.
When the treaty was returned to the
senate of the United States It was
tied up there for two years and ul
timately failed of ratification.
Continuing the report says:
"These islands together with Porto
Rico are of great imuovtance in a
strategic way, whether the strategic
be military or commercial. St. Thomas
Is the natural point of call for all
European trade bound to the West
Indies, Central America or northern
South America. These islands, to
gether with Porto Rico, form the
northeastern corner of the Caribbean
sea and are of great Importance In
connection with the American Isthmus,
where a canal will be constructed be
tween the Atlantic and the Pacific.
They are of first importance in con
necllon with our relations with the re
gion of the Amazon and with our con
trol of the Windward Passage.
"In view of the Isthmian canal and
European settlements In South Amer
lea every additional acquisition by the
United States is of value. Porto Rico
Is densely populated. Its roads are
poor. It has a long coast llnu, with
out ports for large vessels. It Is con
sequently very difficult of defence
San Jaun Is the only harbor capable
of fortifications and this Is only
suitable for vessels of light draught,
Explaining the provision in -the
treaty for continuing the pensions to
retired local functionaries, it Is stated
that the total amount required annu
ally for this purpose would not ex
ceed $25,000. Explanation Is also made
of the pledges of this government to
protect the concessions of the Danish
government to the St. Thomas Flout
Ing Dock company, the West Indian
Panama Telegraph company and th
St. Croix Sugar company, mentlned in
the treaty as the Fallessukkerkoferlcr.
With reference to the flouting dock
company it Is stated that the en"-
of the treaty provisions to secure the
company in the enjoyment of Its fran
ohiseuntil 1916, and it Is further ex
plained that the company is not sub
sidized by the Danish or the Insular
treasury, but that services are ren
dered by the company to the govern
ment and paid for according to the
approved schedule.
The explanation Is added that the De
partment of State is advised by the
Navy department that the floating
dock is equipped to perform all re
quired services and thut the use? of its
facilities will be of pi aiiicu'oli: w to
the navy.
Explanation Is made of the relation
ship of Denmark to the sugar com
pany to the effect that Denmark
originally made; a loan of 1,414,7X1
crowns at a stipulated Intel est to this
company. The interest not havlr.z
been paid after twenty years the Dan
ish government" took possession of t Im
properly and assumed all obligations
growing out of this relationship. The
object of the closing provision of ar
ticle 1 of the treaty is to discharge
the Insular treasury and government
of the United States from all reliabil
ity by reason of the non-payment of
the guaranteed interest. It Is under
stood to be the purpose of the Danish
government to put itself In position to
wind up the aflalrs of this company
as soon as possible. An explicit as
surance Is given that "no responsi
bility or obligation of any kind rests
on the government of the United
States or the Insular ereasury In con
nection with the Ht. Croix Sugar com
pany." To Honor 'Lincoln' Memory.
Chlcngo, III., Feb. 12. Prince Henry
of Prussia has expressed a desire lo
FIVE SNIPS ARE TO IE FILLED.
New York. Feb. 12.-F1ve ship loads
of American agricultural machinery
will be forwarded from New Yorlc
and Philadelphia, to the Black Sea
within the next six weeks. These
shipments will represent not less than
36,000 tons, which Is an excess of
about SO per cent over the entire di
rect consignments made last year to
the same part of the world.
Wilson liners will carry the ma
chlnery. The first steamer .the Othello.
will sail from Philadelphia next week.
This vessel will carry more than 10,-
000 tons of reapers, mowers, harvesters,
rakes, etc.. to Odessa for the South
Russian markets. The MeCormick
ompany-of Chicago will-nrrrp y
Othello nearly 9,000 tons of its harvest
ers. This firms shipment win muse
the largest cargo of machinery of any
descripttan that has ever been for
warded from this country to a foreign
port, the record shipment to date
being 7,000 tons, which was made to
the Black Sea by the Castello last
Februaiy. The remainder of ' the
Othello's cargo will be made up of ma
chinery turned out by the Deering
Harvester company of Chicago and
the Johnson Harvester company of
Batavia, New York.
Freight engagements have already
been made with the Piano Manufact
uring company of Chicago for 3,000
tons. The Aultman Miller company of
Akron, Ohio, will send 2,000 tons, and
1.200 tons will be forwarded by the
Deering Harvester company of Chi
cago. BAD FIRE IN A KANSAS TOWN.
Horton, Kan., Feb. 12. The great car
works of the Rock Island Railroad
located In this city were swept by
fire today. Two lives were lost and
property worth $250,000 was destroyed.
The flames were first discovered in
the hair sorting room of the cabinet
department and spread with alarming
rapidity. Employes on the second
floor leaped through the wondows,
clamored down fire escapes and there
were many narrow escapes. W. H.
Davis, the oldest employe of the fac
tory, was penned up and unable to get
out. P. H. McKeon, superintendant,
of the board of education, plunged into
the burning building and endeavored
to rescue his old friend, but both per
ished together.
Several of the employes in Superin
tendant Studer's office were injured In
their efforts to escape. The wails of
the car shops fell twenty minutes
after the fire was discovered. The loss
on the building is $50,000, machinery
$100,000, material $100,000. The engine
house was destroyed, but the new
$75,000 boiler plant was saved. The
fire is still raging In the lumber yard,
which contains 5,000,000 feet of lumber.
The buildings, machinery and materail
that escaped are valued at $2,000,000.
The company will rebuild the car
shops at once.
CAPITAL IS TWO HUNDRED MILLION.
New York, Feb. 12. Oeorge Rice of
Morietta, O., the foe of the oil trust,
In a letter declares that the actual
capitalization of the Standard Oil com
pany is over $200,000,000, and not $100,
000.000, as generally supposed. Rice
says:
"John D. Rockefeller, president of
the Standard Oil trust, in 1SP9 swore
that there were only twenty corpora
tions In the trust, with an aggregate
capitalization of $102,2.",3,000. On June
14, 1M9, one of the five companies be
longing to the Standard Oil trust the
New Jersey Standard Oil company
increased its capitalization from $10,
000.000 to $110,000,000, which increased
the capitalization of the Standard Oil
trust by $100,000,0001,000,000 more
shares, par value $100 each, making
the trust's present capitalization not
less than $202,233,000. and at the av-
nige market price of $763 a share, this
Is equivalent to an investment value of
$1,543,043,000.
"It follows thai the 20 per cent div
idend Just declared amount to $40,000,-
000, instead of $20,000,000, a stated in
all the newspapers."
Rice points out that at the average
market price the steel combine ag
gregates an investment of $757,900, 000
less than half that of the oil trust." He
alleges that the public has been de
ceived when II was Indirectly given to
understand that the total capitaliza
tion of the Standard Oil company wits
to be transferred into the New Jersey
Standard Oil company.
HOUSE AND SENATE PLANS.
Wanliliigton, Feb. 12. O!"om"ro;ni Ine
Is on the bill of fare for this week.
and unless appropriation bills Interfere
the much discussed measure will reach
a vole neiore naiuitiay. i ne jnoiitii
,.r,tii-lnllnn hill will hIho com,. ltl for
" ' I
consideration and a big batch of war i
claims will be passed. I
At 1 o'clock Saturday the house will
listen to eulogies in memory of the
late Representative Burke of Texas.
The consideration of the Phllliplne
tariff bill will be resumed In the sen
ate and will probably occupy all of the
week. Turner will finish his speech
and will be followed by Teller, Bailey,
Mitchell, Dubois, Culbertson and Pat
terson. It is confidently expected that the
bill will be passed toward the close of
the week.
Fireman Lose Control.
New York. Feb, 12. Fire broke out
shortly after midnight In the carsheds
at Paterson, N. J., and the flames, 1
driven by a brisk wind, spread to sur- 1
rounding buildings. The First Baptist
church has been completely gutted. '
The office of the Pnterson Ouardlnn Is
burning and that of the Call Is threat
ened. The electric lighting system Is
disabled and the town Is In darkness.
The damage will amount to hundreds
of thousands of dollars. The fireiriCD
have no control of the fire, I
CONDITION
OF CUBA.
Sugar Is Now Selling Below
Cost on the Island
General Wood Declare that Low
. Price of Sugar I Responsible
For Island's Condition.
Chicago, eb. 12. home lime ago a
e-UagiLsmLmerclaL. house addressed
a letter to General Leonard Wood, mil
Itary governor of Cuba, asking these
questions:
"Why is it that Cuba is not much
more fortunate now with freedom from
Spain and from Spanish enormous ex
actions, than ever before? Has she
not a free field for the sale of her
goods as before, and is she not reliev
ed from a corrupt administration and
from the necessity of paying large
tribute to support it?
"What is the commercial reason
that Cuba cannot prosper better now
than prior to 1898, even it we give no
tariff concessions to her?"
General Wood's response was as fol
lows: LOWER THAN EVER BEFORE.
"The great difficulty with Cuba at
the present time is that the principal
product, sugar, is now at a lower price
than ever before known. The enormous
output of European bounty-fed sugar
has brought the price of sugar down
to a very low figure in fact below the
cost of production.
"If we can get a moderate reduction
in duty (not less than 33 1-3 per cent)
Cuban sugar can be marketed at a
profit. Today, as a matter of fact, most
plantations are selling their sugar, be
cause they have no reserve funds, and
cannot afford to hold it, taking prices
below the cost of production.
"Sugar which used to be 5 reals per
arroba (a real is 12! cents, and an
arroba 25 pounds) Is now selling as low
as 3 1-4 reals. This is the gist of the
whole matter."
HE DECLINES TO HONOR HIMSELF.
Washington, D. C, Feb. 12. The
president has approved, with one not
able exception, all the recommenda
tions made by the army brevet board,
of which General MacArthur was
president, for the bestowal of brevet
rank on all the officers of the army.
who rendered especially meritorious
services during the war with Spain
and in the subsequent campaigns In
the Philippines and Cuba.
The exception noted is in the case of
Theodore Roosevelt, who was awarded
the brevets of colonel and brigadier
general for distinguished services at
San Juan and Santiago. Under the
law these brevets require the confir
mation of the senate, and the nomi
nations have been made out for trans
mission to that body, but ,as already
stated, the list will not contain the
name of the president.
It is expected that the medals of
honor and certificates of merit rec
ommended by the board for individual
gallantry, which also have been ap
proved by the president, will be an
nounced at the war department next
week. These awards Do not require
the sanction of the senate.
SWEDEN TO FIGHT MINING TRUST.
London. Feb. 12. News comes from
Stockholm that an exciting legal con
teat Is imminent between the Swedish
government and International trust
which has managed to secure tempo
rary control of the Lapland iron fields,
the most valuable mines of the kind in
Kurope.
While the government was negotiat
ing to take over the deposits, the own
ers disposed for the next ten years,
of the output of theh mines for 150,000,
000 francs ($28,950,000). The securities
the government sought to obtain were
hurried off to a arbnk in Paris.
Mr. Odelgerg, the minister of agri
culture, proposes to attempt to get con
trol of all the mines, on the ground
that the conditions laid down for the
concession of crown lands, the mining
rights liava been violated. Jf the fic
tion succeeds, the shareholders will be
at the mercy of parliament for com
pensation for their holdings.
DES MOINES MAIL IS FUMI6ATED.
Chicago, 111., Feb. 12 The aid of the
federal government has been Invoked
by the health department to compel
the authorities of Des Moines to sup
press smallpox, and to protect Chica
go from the ravages of the disease,
which Is said to have 400 victims in
the Iowa capital.
Chief Medical Inspector Spalding has
written to Postmaster Coyne, suggest
ing the advisability of fumigating the
mall from Des Moines. The fumiga
tion when done by the United States
government Involves a delay of not
less than twelve hours, according to
Secretary Prltchard.
Postmaster Coyne may at once com
municate with the postofflee depart
ment and urge the necessity for In
tercepting the dungerous germs.
Say He Ha Lived Two Centuries,
Washington, Feb. 12. Half a dozen
members of the Kaw tribe of Indians
called at the White house this morning
to shake hands with the president.
They were Introduced by Representa
tive Curtis of Kansas who, himself, Is
of Indian forefathers. The red men
were led by Chief Washuna, dressed
tn full costume, from feathers to moc
casins. Washuna told the correspondents In
the president's ante room that be was
t07 years old.
TRE CENSUS GROWTH IS CEIERAL
Washington, D. C. Feb. 12. The dl
rector of the census has mode the fol
lowing statement of the Increase of
population of places of less than 4,00e
inhabitants east and west of the Mis
sissippi river and the counties which,
have decreased in population:
The increase of population In the
states east of the Mississippi river waa
18.7 between 18S0 and 1890 and 18.2 be
tween 1890 and 1900.
In the same area the increase In
population, meaning thereby all places
of more than 4,000 inhabitants, Was
53.1 per cent between 1880 and 1890 and
only 37.2 per cent between 1890 and
1900. Both of these statements could
not be true unless the population of
places having le8StharI4,0WrTnlrat)
itants had been growing more rapid
ly in the last ten yeara than In the.
preceding decade. Such is the fact.
Between 180 and 1890 the population
east of the Mississippi and excluding;
places of more than 4,000 increased 4.9
per cent, but between 1890 and 1900 8.T
per cent.
To throw further light on this In
creased prosperity of the small towns
during the last ten years a study ha
been made by 'the census office of those
counties which actually decreased In
population during either decade, after
making allowance for changes in coun
ty boundaries. Counties of this class
are predominantly agricultural, and
usually have lost through migration to
more favored localities of the natural
increase of their population by births
over deaths.
CENSUS BUREAU BILL IS INTACT.
Washington, D. C, Feb. 12 The
house bill making the census bureau
permanent, has received final consid
eration at the hands of the committee
on census. Senator Quarles was au
thorized to report the bill and to make ,
an effort to secure immediate consid
eration of it.
The bill was not materially chang
ed. The amendment was made look
ing to the requirement that the pres
ent clerical force of the census office
should take an examination before be
ing placed withinWhe classified service,
but on the contrary the committee rec
ommends that there shall be an ex
plicit declaration that all the members
of this force who are on the rolls at
the passage of the act shall be includ
ed in the classified service, "without
further examination."
The Bection of the bill relating ta
the civil service also excepts super
visors .enumerators and special agenta
from Its requirements, but there la an
explicit provision that in the future all
new appointments to the clerical force
of the office shall undergo civil service
examination.
As amended the bill provides for four
instead, of three chief statisticians, and
for four instead of three chiefs of di
visions. The director's salary is rais
ed from $5,000 to $7,500 per annum.
The fact was brought out In the
hearings on the bill that there are
now about 1,000 persons employed In
the clerical force of the office who
would be legislated into the classified,
service if the bill should immediately
become a law.
MR. WU. EXPLAINS HIS POSITION.
Washington, D. C, Feb. 12 The Chi
nese minister, Mr. Wu, made a state
ment intended to correct what he re
garded as a misinterpretation of his
attitude toward the laboringman In the
United States in regard to the Chi
nese exclusion act. The minister said:
"There seems to be some misunder
standing with regard to the letter I
wrote to the state department con
cerning the' Chinese exclusion act now
before congress. I am told that the
impression prevails that I antagonize
the laboringmen of this country. That
Is not true. I have never said any
thing to cast the slightest reflection
upon the laborers of America, who are
useful members of the community
Why, even in China, according to our
classification ,the workingman ranks
higher than the merchant and trades
man. This shows how China appreci
ates him, and nothing was further rrom
my thoughts than to say anything that
could be construed as reflecting upon
this class."
TO TAX THE JOHANNESBURG MINES.
London, Feb. 12. The terms which
the government is willing to grant the
Roers are substantially confirmed by
the official explanations of the corre
spondence with the Dutch government.
They are a surrender, and a repre
sentative government, whenever Eng
land Is ready to grant It.
Meantime ,the Johannesburg adven
turers, including a number of Amer
icans who brought about the war, are
striving to get into their possession
the mining properties of the Roers not
already in the hands of foreigners. The
British taxpayers will probably demand
that the mines be made to bear a part
of the burden.
They are immensely rich, and could
doubtless meet a large share of the
interest on the lioer war debt.
Mining Interests of the west are
evincing great Interest in the bill re
cently Introduced In congress by Wood,
of California, providing for a cabinet
minister of mining.
Young Girl I Murdered.
San Francisco, Cal Feb. 12. Late
this afternoon the body of a young
girl was found on a bed In a vacant
house on Huter street, where It had
evidently laid for several weeks. A.
man who rented the house from a
real estate agent Is suspected of being
the murdered. It Is believed he killed
the glr lelswhre and scured the houan
fo rthe purpose of concealing the body.
It waa only by accident that th corpse
of the victim waa discovered f
