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JANUARY 8, 1904.
The Commoner.
Condensed Ne
The situation in the far east between Russia
and Japan seems to be slowly approaching a crisis.
It -was announced on DecemDer 26 that Japan had
massed a fleet of twenty-five steamers at Port
Arthur for the purpose of conveying soldiers, mu
nitions of war and supplies, and that tte situa
tion between that power and Russia is reaching
the straining point. Not much information is to
.be gotten from the seat of operations, however,
as a strict censorship is being exercised over the
press. On December 29 news came from London
that Japan had bought two warships now ncaring
completion at Genoa, having outbid the Russian
government. jTor the same. Credence is given lo
the war rumors also by the purchase recently by
Russia in this country of more than 3,000,000
pounds of beef and the packing companies of the
country are more or less interested- in filling the
shipment, many people believing that this is a
sign that Russia is preparing for hostilities.
Helen W. Evarts", widov of the late William
M. Evarts of-New York, died at her country home
near Windsor, Vt., on December 27, in her 84 Ih
year. -
ws of the Week
Because a signal light was extinguished by
the strong wind, "two trains met on the same track
near Grand Rapids, Mich., on December 26, ana m
the collision 22 persons were killed and more than
thirty more or, less injured, some fatally.
, General John Newman Andrews died in Mont
pelier, Vt., on December 27. General Andiews
was 64 years of age and has been failing in health
for some time. He was graduated from West
Point in 1860 and served through the civil war,
being retired as brigadier general in 1889.
After months of patient work among various
window glass companies and manufacturers, the
scheme- to form a window glass trust with a capi
tal of $100,000,000' -and baving absolute control of
the product of at least 1,500 firms, has been aban
doned. -
A" trust' and-savings bank, with a capital and
surplus of $1,250,D00,' .is being organized in Chi
cago. Am'o'hg the capitalists interested in the" rie.w
bank are several from the east; as.. well as bank
ofltcials from several sections and spates in the
Union. '-
t -
The investigation into charges against mem
bers of the board of education of Kansas City,
Kas., still goes on and it ,was recently made
known that charges of soliciting bribes for the
appointment of, teachers to public schools have
been instituted against the members of the board.
At Ironton, O., on December 28, three thou-'
sand blast furnace workers were given notice of
a proposed reduction of 10 per cent in wages, to
take effect on January 1. Reductions in wages
have, also been made in other manufacturing dis
tricts of. tlie country and the cut seems to be al
most general.
According to an order from the chief of the
fire department of Chicago, all firemen belonging
to unions in the city must withdraw from such
membership or retire from the city service. Jan
uary 15 is set as the limit for such action, as af
ter that day any member of the fire department
belonging to a union will be charged with viola
tion of orders.
L. F. Loree, late president of the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad, was elected president of the Rock
Island company of New Jersey, on December 29.
The latter company controls the various railroads
in the Rock Island system. Mr. Loree will be
succeeded as president of the Baltimore & Ohio
by O. G. Murray, first vice president of the com
pany. The fifty-third annual convention of the
American Association for the Advancement of
Science began at St. Louis Mo., on December
wlth,between 700 and 1,000 members present, com
prising some of the most notable men in the coun
try. The convention was divided into nine dif
ferent branches and separate meetings were nelcl
in addition to the regular convention routine.
Former Premier Zanardelli of Italy died at
his homo near Rome on December 26 Premier
Zanardelli has served as president of the chamber
of deputies for some time and also filled other Im
portant offices before being appointed to the pre
miership of Italy. On account of his poor health,
he resigned in October last. He was 77 years of
age.
On December 27 the elections for membors of
the constitutional convention took place in ev
ery part of the republic of Panama, and reports
indicate that the candidates proposed by the pop
ular junta were elected. It was said that this
was the first time in the history of the Isthmus
that the elections in the city of Panama were
conducted without any attempt to bribe the vot
ers or institute other irregularities.
Notices of a reduction in wages were posted
on December 29 at all the local points of the
United States steel corporation, according to a
dispatch from McKeesport, Pa. The cut includes
every employe from the heads of departments
down to laborers, no less than ten thousand men
being affected by the reduction. At New Haven,
Conn., the employes of the National Wire cor
poration's factory have also suffered a 11 per cent
reduction of wages.
Rumors are afloat that the Jews in Russia,
particularly in tho Kishineff district, are in fear
of another massacre in the near future. The ap
proach of January 7, the Russian Christmas dy,
is awaited with terror by the 40,000 Jews In
Kishineff, many of whom bellevo that all the
Jews will be killed by the Russians. An appeal
has been decided upon by the Jews to tho United
States and England asking them to interfere be
fore it isT too late.
The situation in San Domingo is again at
tracting some attention. Hardly had the new
government, recently instituted, been set up be
fore dissensions arose and now another full
fledged revolution in progress. The provisional
government seems to be very weak and It is re
garded as certain that more trouble will be forthcoming.
Sir William Allan, the well-known marine en
gineer, ship-engineer and member of parliament
from Gateshead s,lncul893, died recently in Lon
don. He was born in 1833. and served as chief
engineer on a blockade runndr'-durlng the civil
war in the United States, being captured' and
lodged In prison, but was afterwards paroled. Ho
was well known throughout England.
M.rs. Alexander Sullivan, well known on both
sides of yie Atlantic as an author and editorial
writer, died at Chicago .on December 28. Mrs.
Sullivan was E6 years of age and had been con
nected with the editorial department of the
prominent papers in Qhicago, also during the
lifetime of Charles A. Dana, contributing to the
New York Sun. ,fc
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At the annual meeting of the Westorn Com
mercial Travelers' association, which-meeting was
held at St. Louis recently, Charles .W. Sargent
of that city was elected , president. The. annual
financial statement of the association showed a
cash balance of $122,666 and a reserve fund of
$90,783. 'n
Seventeen additional members of Joseph
Chamberlain's tariff commission were recently
appointed and, this list includes representatives
of colonial interests. It is announced that Sir
Robert Herbert, formerly under secretary of state
for the colonies, has accepted the chairmanship of
tho commission.
It was announced from Moscow, on Decem
ber 29 that the Russian government is consider
ing making the sale of tea and sugar a state mo
nopoly, according to a plan proposed by M. Witte,
while he was finance minister. This action is
much opposed by some interests, but because of
the pressing need for mony, it Is believed that
Mr Witte's plan will be adopted. It Is said that
the present brandy monopoly yields upwards of
$300,000,000 yearly, about one-fourth of the rev
enues of the empire, and the monopoly on tea
and sugar is expected to be even more profitable
as the expenses of its operation will be small.
A terrible disaster took place in Chicago on
December 30 when fire broke out in the Iroquois
theatre, the newest and largest building of that
sort in the entire city, and 634 people perished.
It is believed that the fire was caused by some
defect in the electric lighting and because of
the failure of the asbestos curtain to work, the
fire gained such headway that the loss of Wo
was Inevitable. As near as can bo estimated them
wero about J ,300 people ih the thealro at tho tim
of tho fire, among tneso being many women and
children and the mortality among them I thu
greater.
The United States circuit court for the district
of Massachusetts In a decision rendcrod at Don ton
on December 30 sustained Mrs. Robert G. Ingci
soll in an action against Joseph A. Coram and
others to tho effect that fees to tho amount or
$110,000 were earned by the Into Robort G. Ingcr
soil for scrvlceg rendered by him In the fcotlit
ment of an estate belonging to the Into Androw
J. Davis of Butte, Mont. The decision given on
Docombor 30 aottlofi only the question jf lien and
leaves tho amount due tho plaintiff to bo HctflWi
before the United State .'Irrult court.
Between 150 and 20i of tho most Influential
republicans of Nebraska mot In Oinnhr.' on De
combor 30 for tho purpose of perfecting an or
ganization to piiBh tho claims of John U Web
ster, a prominent attorney or Omaha, 'Neb., to
tho vice' presidential nomination oZ the, republi
can party. The meeting woh a very enthusiaisliu
one and an executive committee composed of
some eighty odd members wa appointed lo
launch the Webster boom.
It wns anuouncod from liking on Dooombcr
30 that the Chinese government has promised
United States Minister Conger to soon forward
tho Chinese copy of the treaty to Washington lor
the exchange of ratifications. It Is nocoraary first
to obtain the emperor's sen I, and as soon as the
treaty is ratified tho porta of Mulfden and An
tung will be opened to the commerce of the world.
A Now York dispatch carried by the Asso
ciated press and dated December 30, says: Im
migration at this port In 1903 has passed all prev
ious records. During tho calendar year now end
ing 619,980 immigrants steerage passengers ar
rived here, as against 517,197 In 1902, an Increase
of 72,783. It is estimated that some 2,000 more
foreigners will land before January 1, so that
tho total Increase probably will be close on to
75,000. The year of 1902 was a record breaking
year, the Increase over 1901 having boon about
139,000.
The recent report that the Harrlman Inter
ests had taken steps to acquire tho Chicago &. Al
ton railroad has given rise to many rumors In im
pending changes In tho railroad system of the
country. According to a dispatch in the Chicago
News, It Is planned to consolidate five railroads
Into one system.
The many reports from European sources. In
regard to the uncertain condition of the licalth ol
the German emperor seem to bo In a fair way lo
be disproved by tho announcement from Berlin on
December 29 that Emperor William will Imnic
diately resume work and will give up his vacation
in tho south of Europe as it is said he no longer
feels the need of rest from public business.
professor Maximilan Herzog, who Is profes
sor .of -pathology and bacteriology In the Chicago
Polytecunic Institute, was recently called by the
United , SXdtes government to go to tho Philip
pines and" atudy disease germs and investigate
Asiatic maladies. He left San Francisco on De
cember 30 oh bid way to the Philippines.
ft
The National Union of Women's organizations,
with Mrs. Frederick Schoff of Philadelphia as
chairman, on December ($! issued x circular an
nouncing the formation of a preliminary organi
zation "to protect tho country against the treason
able and polygamous teaching? and practices of
Mormonism, and to maintain Christian Ideals of
marriage." This circular is regarded as the open
ing of a campaign against United States Senator
Smoot of Utah.
A strike of engineers was declared in Chicago
on Decomber 31 against 125 office buildings in Ihj
city, and reports aro to the effect that twenty,
more buildings will be also involved in the strike.
The business managers' association refused to pay
the scale demanded by the eirgineers, 3i cents
por hour, and It Is said that the strikers expect to
shut off the local coal supply to these buildings
and thereby force their closing, at least for a time.
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