Nebraska Newspapers

    City
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IiOUP CITY. NEBRASKA. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 2<>. 1!Kls' ; NUMBER 15
•-• - — ■ . 1 .. '■ —. .. ’ — - : ••__!
CLOUD IN BALKANS
RUSSIA ALARMED BY AUSTRIA
AND GERMAN MOVEMENTS.
VIEWS OF FOREIGN OFFICE
* 'v '•
1 Action Regarding Railroad Violates
Agreement Entered Into and
May Cause Trouble.
St. P>y rsburg—Baron von Aehren
thail’s rein-ration of the determination
of Adstria to build a railroad through
Novipazar. a connecting link for the
:\ustrfan'viine through Bosnia with the
Turkish line to Salonki. and the an
nouncement by the Owrnan foreign of
. fige.ot its financial support to this
plan! have left no illusions here re
garding the fate of the agreement
looking to joint action in the Balkans,
negotiated by Emperor Nicholas asd
Emperor Francis Joseph at Muerzes
teger in tite autumn of lfH)3, which
was the ground work of the subse
quent. program- of reforms in Mace
donia.
* The attitude of the Rus-ian foreign
office as learned through an inspired
[tress is that. tfcA agreement, which is*
regarded as already violated in spirit
by the Austrian foreign ministers' ef
forts -to extend and consolidate the
Austrian spherd of influence by a pri
vate : bargain’ with the sultan^for the
construction pf.tbe railroad- should be
anbiogated. Russia is now left a free
hand to work.out its own-policydin the
' near east. ’ Negotiations are still be
ing conducted ho the end of inducing
Austria to withdraw its railroad
scheme, but -no hope of their success
is held out on either the Austrian or
the Russian side. The principal efforts
at present are being devoted to at
ranging a new grouping of the powers,
it being thought' here that Russia and
tireat Britain might enter into, an
agreement for joint action in Mace
donia and that these two powers would
he supported by France and perhaps
by Italy.
The def€*ction of such an important
power as Austria, which -on account
of its geographical position, shared
with Russia the leading role in Hie
r-.fforts *to sett)-' ffit Macedonian .prob
lem. readers the outlook dark. Since
the seriousness of the Russian oppo
sition to Austria's plans has become
evident, hints have been thrown oitt
from Vienna that Russia and Italy," as
tiic powers most directly interested,
would be allowed in the way of com
pensation to construct railroad lines,
Italy one through Albania and Russia
a line from the Danube to the Adriatic
. it. Both .powers, however,* decline
t- accent this proposal.,
_*_L_ - i
NAVY'S CRITICS ANSWERED.
> • >. . ' '
Admiral Converse Reports on Its
Fighting Condition.
V, ?immon—By direction vof tit ■
i r sident, Secretary Metcalf hj mad'
public the report of Admiral Converse
0:1 ihe fighting ships of the American
navy. caHfti forth by "many criticisms,
recently published in' magazines .rand
otherwise. This report was prepared,
primarily-. :o satisf^Vhe president as
to the exact state ot our naval ships,
compared with those of other navies,
and its publication is authorized with
the design to reassure the American
sailors as to the quality of the weap
ons with which; they must go into
battle.
THE COLLEOTORSHIP' FIGHT.
Ross Hammond Recommended by the
Nebraska Delegation.
vYashington-^The fight over the
United States internal revenue coilec
torship for the district of Nebraska
has been finally ended by the recom
mendation of Editor Ross L. Ham
mond of Fremont as the choice ijf the
Nebraska delegation in congress. It
follows as a matter of course that the
president will make tife appointment.
CHARLES W. MORSE ARRESTED.
Promoter and Banker-Taken Into.
Custody on His Arrival.
New York—Charles \Y. Morse, finan
cier and promoter of many .large com
j binations, including the so-called ice
trust and a merger of nearly all of
the coastwise steamship lines, ‘ re
turned Sunday front his brief trip to
Europe, was arrested in hig .stateroom
when the ’steamer Etruria reached
quarantine.
Wilt Shut Down March 1.
Paterson. N. J.—The Rollers'' loco
motive works, branrb of the American
Locomotive, company,*will shut down
March 1. it was stated, unless there is
a revival in the .industry before that
time.
Flowers for Assassins. .
Lisbon—Republicans, who.' were T.ot
permitted to show' their respect for
the assassins of King Carles and the
crown prince at the funeral of these
men. went in large numbers so the
cemetery and laid flowers on tlieir
graves.
' PRESERVATION of coal lands.
'■a •" ' _
Steps'Taken for ^Lessening of Specu
lation.
Washington—The records of the
general land office disclose some in
teresting data, especially with regard
to the' sale of coal lands under the
act of March 3, 1873. up to and includ
ing June 10, 1907. __
During the year 19d0 practically all
I of the coal lands in the public land
1 states were withdrawn from appro
priation pending their classification,
i based on the distance of the land from
constructed lines of transportation
and the grade of the coal such lands
contained. The imsition was taken
that the remaining public coal lauds
! should be conserved apd that the coal
land law. which hail kjsf its effective
; ness through'subterfuge on the part
i of many applicants desirous of secur
, ing such lands, restricted the sale of
such lands to such an extent that
| lands known to be coal lands and
chiefly valuable for such were taken
under other laws. In this connection
figures showing the area of coal lands
! sold since the passage of the act of
1873 up to June 3d, 1907, have been
compiled, from which it appears that
during that time, or thirty-four years,
but 3.032 purchases.' embracing 429.
007 acres and for which $6,463,507.69
was received, have been made of both
public and Indian lands -containing
1 coal, such purchases of Indian lands
having only been made in the state
of Colorado.
At the time of the withdrawal of the
•probable and known coal area, in 1906,
I. it is '• estimated that approximately
I 66.900.240 acres were withdrawn, at
w hich time it was also estimated that
approximately 24,683.520 acres within
; the area had been patented or were
embraced in pending entries made un
der some other law than the coal land
law. with very few exceptions. vThe
figures, as complied, plainly show that
many -acres of coal lands have been
disposed of under Laws other than the
coal land law. which is accounted for
•largely because of the provisions cf
the coal land law. which tend to les
sen the sales‘under it on account of
the small area one person or associa
tion of persons ran purchase tan area
nut sufficient to justify the necessary
expenditures incident to the develop
ment of a paying mine, and the price
per acre at whic-li coal lands arc sold,
these lands being the most expensive
of at! public lauds i During the last
summer all but approximately 14.dud.
0«d acres of the area withdrawn in
39uG have been classified, valued and
restored, some of the lands with
drawn. after being examined in the
fluid, having'' b n found to be nou
coal.
DIVISION OF MILITIA AFFAIRS.
.. ox_:
New Department cf Army Service
Created for Sts e Relations.
Washington—In recognition of the
growing intimacy between the regu
lar army and the national -militia, act
ing Secretary of War Oliver has is
- tied-au order creating a new division
<i. parmeut, to. be known as the di
vision of militia affairs.
Colonel K. M. Weaver of the coast
artillery has been named-as chief of
thernew division. The jurisdiction of
('!••■ new division involves the arma
ment. equipment, discipline, training.
duration and organization of militia,
conduct otncamps of instruction and
jmlijcipation in the.field exercises and
malit inert ‘ of i he regular ‘array. ’aud
Hit mobilization and the .relations of
the-militia to. the regular array in
time of, peace. •
_ .
MEMBERS SAVE THE MILEAGE.
Crumpacker Seeks to Cut it to Eight
Cents.
Washington—The reading of the
executive, legislative ami'.judicial ap
propriation bill-, for amendment was
begun in the house. Mr. Crumpacker
(Ala.) offered an amendment reduc
ing the mileage allowed to senators,
members-and delegates from 20 cents
a mile to 8-cents, but on'an objection
by Mr Eirgjebright-(.Cat.) it was re
fused on a point'of order.
-—n—*
Experimental- Farm Scheme.
Washington—Representative;.' So>tt
of Kansas, 'elrairmatt'.cif the houi:e
committee on agriculture.has con
ceived a novel plan which he be
lieves. if adopted, will enable the
farmers of the country to produce bet
ter and far larger crops than hereto
fore; Mr. Scott's proposition involves
the establishment of 100 experimental
farms of one acre each in .every county
in a group of four western agricul
tural states for the purpose of giving
the farmers a practical demonstra
tion of the best methods of growing
different crops.
Opposition to Burkett Bill..
Cheyenne. Wyo.—George S. Walker,
secretary of the National Wool Grow
ers’ association and the Wyoming
Wool Growers' association, left for
Washington. D. C., where he will lay
before the house and senate commit
tees on public lands the protests
passed by the associations he repre
sents against the passage of the
Burkett hill or any ciher measure pro
viding for leasing of the public range.
MAP OF ROUTE OF 20.000-MILE AUTO RACE.
Some of the longest stretches in the New York to Paris trip are be
tween East cape and Moscow, one covering 3,500 miles. The distances be
tween East cape on follow:
Miles.
From East cape, on the Bering strait, along the shores of the Arctic
ocean to the Bay of Kotlutschin and the Bay of Tschaun.1.000
Thence to the mouth of the Kouyama river . 600
Through Nishne. Kolymsk and Svedne Kolymsk .. 324
Thence to the city of Verchojansk.1,500
Then on to Vakutsk on the Lena river. 620
Following the Lena river to Irkutsk on the Siberian railroad.2,000
From Irkutsk along the line of the Siberian railroad to Moscow.3,500
From Moscow to Paris..1,800
EMYEB'S LIABILITY BILL PAY FOB IRRIGATED LUNDS
IT IS BACKED BY THE LABOR
ORGANIZATIONS.
Measure Is by LaFollette and Pro
vides for Recovery of Damages
by Injured Employes.
Washington—A comprehensive em
ployers' liability bill was introduced
in the senate and house by Senator
La Foliette of Wisconsin and Repre
sentative Sterling of lllions. The
authors say the bill has the endorse
ment of the Brotherhood of Locomo
tive Firemen and Engineers and
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
and is . intended to mce the recent
decision of the supreme court ill
which the employers' liability act of
June u, i;h)i'„ was declared unconsti
tutional.
Every common carrier while en
gaged in interstate or foreign com
' nieree or commerce he; ween the pos
■ sessions of the United States is made
•liable to its employes . who are in
jured while employed in such com
merce. when such injuries are due to
the negligence or mismanagement
of any officer or employe of such car
rier. or when due to defects or insuf
ficiencies ill equipment. This pro
vision is made equally applicable to
carriers in the territories, the District
of Columbia and the Panama canal
zone and carriers engaged in the
transportation ‘ of the United States
mails. - •. .
The hil! recognizes the doctrine of
"comparative negligence." as it is
now recognized in the states of Wis
consin. South and North Dakota. Ne
vada. Georgia and Florida, and in the
act of congress which was declared,
unconstitutional. It permits an em
ploye to recover damages if he had
been guilty of contributory negli
gence. but says the jury shall dimm
ish the damages In accordance with
the amount of negligence they may
find is attributable to such employes.
It is provided also that an Injured
employe shall not be held to be guilty
of contributory negligence in any case
where the violation of law by the car
rier contributed to such injury; also
that questions of fact relating to neg
ligence shall be for the jury lo de
termine.
lu the event of a verdict in favor of
the employe ..it is required that the
court shall allow as part of the costs
a reasonable attorney’s fees not ex
ceeding an amount eqwl to 2a per
cent of judgment recovered, and an
additional fee equai to 5 per cent of
the amount finally recovered for each
appeal. it is made a misdemeanor,
punishable by a fine not exceeding
51,000. or imprisonment not to ex
ceed six months, for an attorney to
exact or receive any fee or compen
sation other than or additional to the
amounts so allowed by rhe courts.
FARMERS ARE FOR CORN SHOW.
Burt County Growers Endorse Project
of National Exhibit.
Craig. Neb.—The Burt County Farm
ers’ institute closed a most successful
two days' meeting Thursday. In a
resolution presented by Senator
Joseph Hall, the farmers pledged their
hearty support for the National Corn
exposition and promised to organize
and he there with the goods in De
cern iter.
RULING ASKED IN REGARD TO RE
CLAMATION SERVICE.
Senator Burkett Interesting Himself
Concerning a Matter of Import
ance to Nebraskans.
WASHINGTON. — Senator Burkett
has been interested through friends
o' his in Nebraska in, securing from
the reclamation service some definite
rulii\g as to payments on the North
Platte project, now about due. It has
been the senator's contention that the
reclamation law was weak in demand
ing payment from entrymen at the be
ginning of the first year of his taking
up th>- land and water rights on the
ditch. Recently the senator received
a letter from M. E. Getter, who had a
holding on the North Platte project,
asking for an extension of time in
which to begin payments upon the
lands taken under that project and
■which promises to be one of the'great
enterprises which the government has
undertaken for the benefit of tiie
people in the arid or semiarid regions
of the country.
Director Newell, in a letter to Sena
tor Burkett, states that on July 29,
1907, the secretary of the interior
gave notice that water would be fur
nished for certain lands in the North
Platte project at the opening of the
irrigation season of 190S and the first
installment would be $3.90 per acre,
consisting of the building charge of
$3.50 per acre on the basis of a total
cost of $35 per acre and charges for
operation and maintenance of 40
cents per acre. Vnder these explicit
directions no payment is necessary un
ti: 1909. on the theory, as Director
Newell states, that the reclamation act
provides that two payments must-be
in default before an entry can be can
celled. Accordingly, the entry will
not be subject to cancellation on ac
count of the failure of payments un
til after December 1. 1909.
The question of graduated payments,
which has been a subject of serious
thought on the part of Director Newell
and his associates, especially the
twenty-payment proposition which Se
nator Burkett has had in mind, does
not meet with the approval of the
reclamation service. Mr. Newell
teresely says:
'Experience has shown that no mat
ter how easy the terms are there will
be a considerable portion of the men
in a new country who will not suc
ceed and who will ask further favors.
In fact, we are even now asked to
endeavor to have the law amended
to make payments in twenty annual
installments, but with this concession
it will not be possible to carry to
completion many of the works now
planned out.”
In the judgment of Director Newell
this year—1908—is the most crucial
year for the reclamation service, be
cause returns are exjtected to come
in to the reclamation fund and the
success of the act is largely depend
ent thereon.
Indian Bill is Passed.
Washington—The Indian appropria
tion bill, after days of consideration
on the floor, was passed by the house
of representatives practically in the
form recommended by the committee.
The bill carries a total appropriation
of approximately J8.bon.ooo.
| THE LAW MUST BE OBEYED, r#
’ ' _I „ • \ f *•
! So Says a Ruling ‘of’-Interstate Com
*• " . mission-. ‘ - :
WASHINGTON-—An important an
nouncement as made by the Interstate
Commerce commission • respecting its
attitudq toward t!re'*request re^fnily
made by the operating vice" presi
dents o'f the railroads*"of the -United
Slates that tin so-called •-liiije-ljo.iiriLa'iv
relating to the -w jijd'jiioiit' of train’
tl.ispachers: hUgryiph-.;»pcratois and
tower men be suspended by the.'com
mission until such time a?, the law
could be amended to meet t^e
t of all co.ncerped. -The reA&feii-ssfon
• hobls in brief, that' it 'Jin's no author if
tv to extend .the time *<?£'suspend the
j operation of the law except in a par
tie;;;;!; case or in cases where a hear;,
ing lias been held and good cause
shown for the extension ashed. . «
Following is a pdrtibn of tl%;'text. of
the commission’s .announcement:
■'Thousands of "letters, and tele
grams received within the ^.iijt^few
days indicate widespread misappre
hension as to the power-of the com
I mission to ‘extend-(he. .law,' whicl}.
goes into effect March 4. next, limit-1
ing the hours of service-.o& emplo.-^eg.
engaged in the rnov'enient of trains
upon interstate- railroadp .{
"The only anrhorrtV ifl’ tile record is
expressed ia. the - law.' as .follows:
"Tlie Interstate Commerce commis
sion may after full heating in a par
ticular case and Xpr good cause"
shown.' extend the period within
which a common carrier shalle.cory1
ply with the provisions of this proviso
as to such case.
“The proviso referred to is', that part
of section i which provides that no
employe who handles train orders by
telegraph or telephone shall be „re
quired or permitted to-be on Vt&fy
more than nine hours out of the
twenty-four_at offices continually ope
rated night and day. tier mofe *than
thirteen hours out of the twenty-four
at offices, operated ‘only during the
daytime.' except in case of emer
gency. when four additional hours
may be required on not more than
three days'in any week. •»-.
“No other provision of the Rtw can
be extended or modified-- Py the com
j mission. • ■.- ...
"The j lower to extend under this
proviso is extremely limited, .Tills -is
j evident from the plain .import of the
j language above quoted, from the eon*
j text to which-it relates and front the
[ obvious puriibse of the entire—enact
! meat. It seems clear to its that no
thing more' was intended than to
authorize the commission in excep
tional instances, where conditions are
unusual or are unforseen.’ to enlarge
somewhat the time allow-d .to .pre
par • ttnftl ance.”.’ .
i FIFTY -THOUSAND DISAPPEARS.
Safety Deposit Box Containing Valu>
able Papers is Missing.
Minneapolis—A safety deposit box
j containing louds and securities valued
at $50 000. the personal property erf
Daniel C. Hopkins, vice-president of
I the Hopkins Land company,. nas dis
j appeared Croni his office iri'lhe Met
: roi-olitati i.ife Insurance building.
MANY PASS SUITS ORDERED.
Railroad Commission to Proceed at
Once Against Nebraska People. (
Lincoln—Following close ujion -the
! submission-of lists of passhoiders by
i the Missouri Pacific and .Union Pacific
railroads, the Nebraska Kailroad com
mission has directed Attorney General
i \Y. T. Thompson to take • necessary
steps to prosecute the.. railroads is
stting the passes and the persons who
have received them in cases .where
the law has not been obeyed. -The
anti-pass law provides a penalty.-of-a
fine of from $100 to $1000 for of
fenders. Suits are to be brought' by
the county attorneys of Hie counties
having jurisdiction. - •
SENIOR GOMEZ LOSES HIS SEAT*
Filipino Member of Assembly Un-'
seated at Manila..
Manila—After a*'series of exciting
session'*. Sen or Gom6z was unseated
by a vote of 4u to 35. Senor tlorn^z
mace a sensational appeal on February
10 in which he accused party leaders,
of playing him false. The speaker,
was compelled to call him to order
this morning before the ' vote was
taken. The action of the assembly
declares his election void.
TAFT SWEEPS OHIO.
All Delegates from Buckeye State
st’-ucted for Secretary.
Columbus—The net result of the re-'
publican primaries held throughout
Ohio Tuesday was in favor of William
H. Taft. Four delegates-at-large. forty
two district delegates to the national
convention in Chicago and a list of
delegates to the state convention, to
be held March 3. which will'be unani
mously in his favor, were selected.
Hardin county held no primaries. No
opposition worth mentioning devel
oped during the day.
A More Aggressive Policy.
Madrid—The press of Spain is at
present occupied with recitals .of an
alleged divergence of views between
the governments of France and Spain
rlative to the inauguration of a more
aggressive policy in .Morocco.
s. sJ. -g, ■
COMMISSION ADVISES CONGRESS
f„V :• TO WAK^ ;mXnY CHANGES.
OFFICIAL TO BE IN CHARGE
Principal AssiS^snt^ tji.'Be Permanent
.t A£ po i h Ab*« nSii ipi^Conducting
Postal'. ■Matters.
i r. Wash+ngtdn—Congress received a
preliminary report from the joint com
mission appoitljed during the last con
1 gress 11> inve-tigatp... the business
methbds of the postoffice department
and postal sei vice juuHsuhniit recom
mendations for legislation to effect
s changes in their- administration. The
qoiimission. consisting* of Senators
Penrose. C’arler and Clay, and Repre
I seutatiyes. Overstreet. Gardner (New
! Jersey), pad Moon, points out many
■ objectionable features to the business
: methods of both departments.
Chief among the . recommendations
is a-plan iff place* the actual direction
of the business of the postoflice de
partment and service in thy hands of
an officer, vcith^necessary 'assistants,
to-be appoifLted'thy the president, "hv
ajnid. with'-rtle .'dilviee and consent of
the senat^." for "long terms, so as to
insure ..the* continuity of efficient ser
vice, Ti*<h-r this plan the postmaster
; general, as a anember of t{ie cabinet,
it chargeable with general supervisory
crotjtr.o! And the-deterimdation of ques
. rions of police. . . ,
, The commissfotf (also jeMnimends
that The -business of the department be
decentralized so “as ib avoid the con
gestion at the,n»f ionab Capitaf. which
! impairs the efficiency and increases
the cost of the service; that the book
keeping. auditing., and accounting be
simplified, unified a«d centralized to
secure greater accuracy. mofe^prompt
methods and elimination of duplication
or work; and that the.,praqtice of re
quiring needless detailed reports from
small post offices be discontinued. The
moderate application of (he non-ac
oountiug system to small, -offices w*tll
eliminate about.-:hrffit*e..,bJ£ nearly one
tthlf-.'roT all tW pbstotece accounts free;
the pneseuf complex rrjiq/T and bo k
; keeping?* dvsfiem. or w ould at • cast
ir greater-simplify the same.
TbA‘commission'says: ■ "
"It appears too obvious to require
argument'That the.'; most efficient ser
vice can expected as long
as the directici^jf the business is. as
at present’jp^jgjfjtcd to a postmaster
general and certuin-assistants selected
withoui special ■ refereWe to exper
ii nee and qualifications --and‘••IPjject
:-th*i‘mjuent change. Under such con
ditions" a large commercial or indus
trial business would in* vitaUlv«gBWno»
■w
bankruptcy, and the postoffice depart
ment has averted tha je only*' be
cause the United "States treasury has
been available to meet deficiencies.
POSTOFFICE, CHANGES VITAL.’1
Commission Recomijie-.de phange»:ta
. y.Tatjjs^.DepaMii'Sifl: $r$m Politics?’
’ Washington—Congress received a
prelimina^v yej)uit>_frora the joint com
mission'appointed during the Ja^Spn
gfess'to invtetigate the business meih
ods of the ■.ppSToffir-p/departitrenrYimf £
postal service and submit recommen
dStions for legislation jffo. ...ysfie’ct
change ini’ thbiVaiimitifstration'? 'The
ebmtnission points out many objec
tionable features <to j t^efub’usiness
nfeth^fes" of both "departments. ..v;
.ChiefH-mong ’ the ’tWotiini’endaJions^
is. a "plan to pla^e .the. actual direction
of the’ business of the postoffice de
. part men t and service. in the hands, of
aa officqc:-’.-wijh .necessary assistants?
to be appointed by the presidenL '.’by
anti. wifth the advice and-*consent of
.the senate” {or long terms sop as .to in’--’
stire-the contfeuity of efficien{ service^
t X^val Offiggys Are Afloat.'
. Wa^ngipn—Responding to a re
qni'j’Hy *£fre' president.’ Secretary Met-.,,
calf on Monday,Bejrtfftft ,.
statemettSSeimiri-lrc the" number *of f fW
offieers or the navy ashore and afloat..
The--purBPS*‘*t«f • tne' StateiftSrf fs fo .
refute the charge U)at-.has*-be"eri ritiuir**
to. the senate committee fin af-*
fairs--tbaU.iwaily one-half ofL tha-offi-.
pers have- been' Aunneshed Y>v " social
pnirhand. are enjoying-, “sofr bcrt-hs” *
in .Washington and at ;U^8. variojls ■".?*
"navy- rJrfcHC-throUgliout th£ country. .. ^
Suffragists Will Parade.
Xew York—Advocates' of suffrage
for women are ^pjeparingifor a mon
ster paratle whiph will take: place next
Sunday. The line of march will he
-along Fifth avenue from Union square,
to Centra! park.,; .iris exacted that’
there will be a "large number of wpmeh
"in line.
Government Aid to Banks.
Copenhagen—The members of the
financial committee of the Folkthing.
excepting the social democrats, have
approved the proposal that the gov
ernment guarantee the liabilities of
the Freeholders’ bank and the Detail
handlers" bank, v.hich are in difficul
ties. -"
*• ^