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DECEMBER 25, 1902.
The Commoner.
Condensed Ne
A one thousand dollar flno for illegal acts as
a corporate body was imposed on December 12 by
Judge Holdom at Chicago on a labor union com
posed of press feeders. The union was found
guilty of contempt of court for violating an in
junction recently issued restraining It from in
terfering with the business or employes of ten
printing firms in the city of Chicago. This ac
tion by Judge Holdom established a precedent in
such cases, it being the first time, in this country
that a court has fined a union as a corporation. An
appeal was taken.
ws of the Week
The strike, situation in Colorado does not
seem to improve in any way. It is declared by
the strikers that there is no truth in the report
that the strikes in the Cripple Creek and Tellur
ide districts will be called off. A protest from
some citizens and the chamber of commerce of
Cripple Creek has been transmitted to the presi
dent of the senate in Washington against the
resolution recently introduced by Senator Patter
son directed against the action taken by Gov
ernor Peabody of Colorado in regard to the strike
situation.
According to the semi-annual report of the
state auditor of Nebraska, recently filed with
the governor, the interest-bearing debt of the
state has increased more than $250,000 within six
months. The total interest-bearing debt of the
state is given as 2,282,993.71.
What is said to be one of the worst blizzards
of many years swept over a large section of the
country on December 12, affecting Illinois, Michi
gan, Wisconsin, Missouri and Iowa over a largo
extent. There was a marked decline in the tem
perature and a great amount of snow fell.
It was announced on December 12 that the
Westminster Abbey authorities had declined to
permit the ashes of Herbert Spencer, who died re
cently, to be interred in the abbey.
In an address upon "The Wage Question,"
made at Philadelphia on December 13, Carroll D.
Wright, United States commissioner of labor, ex
pressed the opinion that the only remedy tor la
bor troubles lies in profit-sharing and co-operation
on the part of capital and labor. Mr. Wright
also advocated a policy of insurance for workers
against accident, illness and old age, and speak
ing on this subject made reference to the plan
used in Germany, which plan is also being taken
up in England. According to this plan, tne em
ployer pays one-fourth the cost of such insur
ance, the employe one-fourth and the govern
ment one-half.
In a wreck near Albia, la., on December 13
three people were killed and ten injured. A pas
senger train became derailed in some manner on
a bridge and five cars were wrecked by collision
with the steel girders of the bridge.
It seems that the Standard Oil company is
meeting with much opposition in its efforts to
obtain a footing in Roumania, as that country is
opposed to the formation of a petroleum monop
oly. It is said, however, that because of its be
lief in large and valuable oil fields at present un
discovered in Roumania, the Standard Oil com
pany will make an effort to obtain some of them
for its European trade.
A company to be known as the Fremont Canal
and Power company, and organized for the pur
pose of building a large hydraulic plant for gen
erating electric energy for light, traction and gen
eral power purposes in and around several of the
large cities of Nebraska, was recently incorpor
ated under the laws of the state with a capital of
$4,000,000. The construction of this plant will
begin in the spring and is estimated to be com
pleted In about two years.
Four factories In the Fox river manufacturing
district in northern Illinois were shut down on
December 14 because .their employes, about 1,500
in number, refused to promise in individual agree
ments not to strike.
According to a ruling recently made by the
Missouri supreme court, the legality of hundreds
of arrests and convictions of boodlers recently
made In St, Louis and Missouri Ib questioned and
a great many guilty persons will escape punish
ment. The court holds that information against
persons charged with crime must be sworn to by
prosecuting witnesses in the case and that circuit
attorneys or prosecuting attornoys can only swear
to information from personal knowledge of tho
XtXCLS
An Associated press dispatch dated Boston,
Mass., December 14, says: A reduction in wages
averaging 10 per cent and involving 6,000 opera
tives, was made today in tho cotton mills at
Adams, North Adams, Mass., and Norwich, Conn.
According to advices from New York, undor
date of December 14, the United States steel cor
poration will cut the wages of employes number
ing about 150,000, from 0 to 20 per cent, begin
ning January 1, 1904.
In the municipal election at Boston, Mass., re
cently the democrats won by an overwhelming
victory, the present mayor, General Patrick Col
lins, being re-elected by 27,000 majority. Tho
board of aldermen for next year will be solidly
democratic and that party will have a largo ma
jority in the common council.
Tho first wage reduction in ton years wns put
in force in the coke regions of Pennsylvania on
December 15 when a cut in wages averaging 17
per cent and affecting 30,000 men was made. Tho
reduction so far affects the men in tho Connells
ville, Pa., coke region.
According to a decision rendered by the su
preme court of Nebraska on December 10, the
stato revenue law recently passed in tho state
and the validity of which has been questioned,
is declared valid and legal. The opinion to this
effect was written by tho chief justice of tho court
and concurred in by tho two associate judges.
On December 16 former Colonial Secretary
Chamberlain addressed two largo audiences at
Leeds, England, making the last speeches of his
fiscal campaign for the present. Tho speeches were
on the same lines as those he has previously made
in regard to the fiscal policy of England.
An Associated press cablegram from Manila,
under date of December 17, says: An agreement
has been reached by Governor Taft and the friars
providing for the settlement of the friar land
question. Tho popo has given his approval of
the terms of the settlement and the approval of
the war department Is awaited. Tho settlement
provides for the purchase of 403,000 acres, com
prising all the agricultural lauds and buildings
of tho friars with the exception of 12,000 acres
including a farm near Manila, which has been sold
to a railway company, and also one sugar planta
tion. The price agreed upon is $7,000,250. Tho
friars originally asked $13,000,000. Governor Taft
offered them $6,000,000.
W. Bourke Cockran will be selected by Tam
many to succeed Mayor-elect McClellan of New
York city, as representative from the Twelfth
district of the state as soon as Mr. McClellan re
signs his seat to take tho position as mayor.
According to a cablegram from St. Peters
burg under aate of December 16 it was said that
sea of Azof is disappearing and remarkable scenes
are in course of enaction. In one place the wa
ters have receded to such an extent during tho
last five days that the bed of the sea is visible,
leaving vessels high and dry. Work In the fac
tories depending for their motive power on tho
water of this sea has had to bo reduced to a
minimum.
A dispatch from Havana on December 16 re
ported that the Havana arsenal had been looted
and a considerable amount of munitions of war
had been taken and turned over to Colombians
who are planning an attack on Panama, for the
purpose of restoring Colombian authority. Presi
dent Palma has announced that ho will prosecute
the filibusters.
It was given out from Paris on December 18
that Colombia will try through a commission to
induce tho United States to recognize Colombia's
rights under the treaty of 1846 over the isthmus
of Panama. If this method should fail, it is said
an effort will be made to have the matter sub
mitted to The Hague for arbitration.
A reduction of wages will soon take place
among the employes of the Jamison Coal com
pany operating in Pennsylvania and it In likely
that more than 200,000 minora would be affected
by such a reduction.
Sixteen hundred llvorjr drivers, backed by ev
ery toamator' union In Chicago, struck in that
city on Docombor 18, and as a result nonrly 400
livery stable are completely tied up. Tho drivers
demand an lncroaso of wnges.
Sir Thomas Upton of England has boon pre
sented with a fine silver sen-Ice purchased by
American friend. It Is mid that Sir Thomas
will challenge onro more for tho Amorlcan cup,
in the famod yacht races.
A cablegram from London, dated Docombor
18, says: Tho Shanghai correspondent of tho
Dally Telegraph sayi that, according to the man
darins, the Poking govornmont ha again warnod
tho provincial authorltloi to proparo for Imme
diate hostilities, owing to tho offensive action
taken by Russia and her allies regarding far oast
crn affairs.
Tho federal grand jury after a session of
thirty-eight days at Omaha, Nob., concluded its
hearings on Decomber 17. Tho rosult of Its de
liberations Is that more Important caBcn are pond
ing for trial In tho Unitod States court than over
before in tho Nobraaka district. Indictments were
returned as follows: Senator Charlos H. Diet
rich, for profiting as a momber of congress by a
contract entered into with the government. Gen
eral L. W. Colby, for embezzling, approximate
ly, $3,000 of government funds; thirty-eight
counts. R. M. Allen, president of the Standard
Cattle company, for tho Illegal fencing of public
lands. Dan W. Gaines, president Rock County
bank, for perjury In securing fraudulent home
stead entries. Elliott Lowe, for conspiring with
J. C. Mitchell of Alma to bribe Senator Dietrich,
and accepting $1,000 for that purpose. J. C.
Mitchell and W. M. Erwln of Alma, jointly and
severally, for conspiring to defraud tho govern
ment by fraudulently increasing tho Balo of
stamps at tho Alma postofllce; so as to secure
Mitchell, as postmaster, an Increase in salary. Im
portant indictments returned in previous reports:
Senator Charles H. Dietrich, for bribery and for
conspiracy against tho United States. Jacob
Fisher, postmaster at Hastings, for bribery, and
for conspiracy against tho United States. Bart
lett Richards, W. G. Comstock, Frank Currle and
other cattlemen, for tho Illegal fencing of public
lands. Elliott Lowe, former stato representative
from Harlan county, for conspiracy to bribe Sena
tor Dietrich. Alfred Olson, stamp clerk in the
Omaha postoffico, for embezzlement.
The United States cruiser Atlanta returned
to Colon on December 17 after a voyage in search
of the detachment of Colombian troops reported
to be marching on Panama. The detachment,
numbering about COO men, was found and some
negotiations were entered Into, the Colombian gen
eral requesting the withdrawal of tho American
ships from Colombian waters. This request was
Ignored by the AmerLan authorities. There is a
strong probability that the Colombians have not
yet given up tholr designs on Panama, but are '
awaiting superior orders as to their course.
At a meeting recently of the finance commit
tee of the board of regents of the University of
California, it developed that a former secretary
has taken iX least $40,000 of the university's mon
ey, most of which amount was from private ben
efactions to tho institution.
It was announced from Paris on December 17
that M. Dreyfus will be reinstated in the army,
with the rank of lieutenant colonel, and that the
officers who express dissatisfaction oecauso of
this course will be harshly dealt with by the
council of the war office.
At Godfrey, Kas., on December 21, an open
switch wrecked a fast train, resulting in the
death of eight people and tho injury of many,
others.
The independent starch factory of Hubbard
Bros, at Keokuk, la., was destroyed by fire on De
cember 21. The loss Is $150,000 above insurance.
This was the largest independent starch factory
in the country.
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