TJTR OMAITA DAILY "BEE : PHTPAT , FEHRdARY 10 ,
MERCER CARRIES HIS POINT
Omaha's ' Priza Hustler Wins Out on Blair
Public Building Question.
PASSES BILL FOR THE APPROPRIATION
! et I'ortyTlirpe Tlionnnml Ilnllnrn
inr tinrrnjc > c ( anil In
llvcil.
WASHINGTON , Feb. 0. ( Special Tele-
Rrnm , ) After three days of sharp parlia
mentary practice Chairman Mercer of the
piibltB buildings nnd grounds commlttco to
day succeeded In pasMng his bill approprl-
ntlng $13,000 for the purchase ot ft site and
the erection or n public building nt Blair ,
Neb. , but the Incident drew cold sweat from
the urbnno chalnnnn. The passage was ac
complished only after a tacit agreement had
Oiccn rcnchcd that there should bo Riven an
other day for consideration of public build
ing hills , so persistent wa the opposition
to the consideration ot any measure unless
those who xvrro left out should receive fair
treatment. Through all the trying Incidents
of the last few days Mercer hat kept Ills
temper and admirably proven himself an
Ideal chairman , Speaker Heed complimenting
him upon his floor work ami the masterly
manner In which ho handled this most dim-
cult task. Incidentally to the attack on
ttlalr. which came from all tiunrtors seem
ingly , Mercer presented late last night n
report which makes very Interesting rending
a.i to the number ot touns having public
buildings on alt fours with Dlalr as to pop
ulation.
Among the number are Included Dover ,
Delaware , population , 3,001 ; cost of public
building , $7,051. Tallahassee , Fin. , popula
tlon , 2,931 ; cost of building. $83,134. Uolso
City , Idaho , population , 2,311 ; building ,
5200,000. Fort Dodge , la. , population , 4,811 ;
building , $76,570. Opclousas , Ln. , popula
tion , 1,572 ; 'building , $17,555. .Maine leads
nil the rest , with three towns having pub
lic 'buildings far less In population than
Blair , namely : Castlnc , population , 9S7 ,
having a building which cost $20,500. Ma-
culas , population , 20,350 ; building , $36,000. ,
Vanceboro , population , 870 ; building , $6,143. ,
In order to kelp out Mercer the naval com
mittee adjourned Its meeting nnd after voting
ing In Tavor ot Blair went hack to take up
consideration ot making appropriations for
twcUo additional battleships.
At the Instance ot a favorable recommen
dation from the river and harbor commlttco
the committee having In charge the sundry
civil bill reported today $30,000 for expendi
ture In Improvements on the Missouri river
nt Omaha nnd Council Bluffs.
Senator Alien was before the commerce
commlttco today nnd asked for $30,000 to
improve the Missouri river on the Nebraska
side , beginning nt the revetment above the
Commutation company's bridge to a point
opposite Elk Point , S. D. Ho also asked
for $100,000 , for the enlargement of the har-
l > or at Sablno I'asa , Tex. , and advocated the
construction ot water storage basins In the
Hocly ( , mountain region , Insisting that the
waters used should be returned to their
natural channels BO that no appreciable
effect would bo marked In their use on en
tering Nebraska.
Senator Allen's bill authorizing the Sioux
City & Omaha railway to construct and op-
crate a rallnuy through the Omaha and
Wlnncbago reservation , In Thurston county ,
Nebraska , passed the senate today. The bill
was Introduced last December nnd was re
ferred to the cpmmltteo on Indian affairs.
Speaking of the bill , Senator Allen said :
"Thoro Is money back of this hill to build
the railway nnd It behooves the citizens of
Omaha to see that It gets through the
house. "
MrAllen's , bill for the establishment of
ordinary' wagon roads and- animal trails
across Indian reservations was roportcdifa-
Vdrnbly from the commlttco on Indian
nffahs. This Is the bill In which South
Omaha .slocttmen are Interested , as Its pas
sage win materially Increase the receipts
of the yards'
DEFICIENCY IN REVENUES
riiitlriiiiui Cn n no u of Ai | > r < > I > rlatlniiH
Committee of lonn < > IM
Iwitravn grant
WASHINGTON , Feb. 0. Chairman Can
non of the appropriations committee of the
linuso , In the course of general debate on
thq suni'ry civil bill today , sounded a note
of warning against extravagant appropria
tions and practically served notice that
Jiolther the ship subsidy bill nor the
Nicaragua canal bill could he passed at this
session. Although ho specifically disclaimed
speaking for any one but himself , the state
ments ho made , c mlug from the chairman ot
the appropriations committee , caused great
Interest.
Jlr. Cannon made a general stalcment of
the revenues nnd expenditures for the pres
ent As9al year " , Increasing Secretary Gage's
estimates of "tho deficiency In revenue' from
$112,000,000 fo $157,000,000 , , exclusive of the
n'O.OOftJOOO to ho paid to Spain under the
provisions of the treaty of Paris. Mr. Gros-
vonor of Ohio , Mr. Hepburn of lown and
vf. A. Smith of Michigan , although they did
not enter Into any lengthy dlsciiEalon , took
Jsstio with Mr. Cannon nnd maintained that
our revenues might bo sufficient to meet
out expenditures for the next two years
If no now Hues of expenditure were entered
upon.
Hut ho Indicated that It would bo a close
margin and that new expenditures might
mean n bond issue. Mr. Cannon's speech
} > as In ovary way a notable out- , and doubt
less-will furnish the text for a good deal
of discussion during the remainder of the
Th fniThoK ° "orul Oobato UI)0"tho Slin"ry
civil bill
was not concluded today. Uoforo
It was taken up nulto „ , iumbcr of minor
bills wore passed
by unanimous consent ,
to grant UouMor , Colo. , i.goo acres of land
Jn the mountains for a park ; to mnovo the
exUllug dlsablHty of confcdoratca to pre
vent them from sitting on federal petit and
Brand Juries ( this was the last of the polit
ical ( Usabilities of confederates to bo re
moved ) j to reimburse Ge9rge W. MoKensle
postmaster at Kokomo , Ind. , for money ex
pended by him , and for the reHof of the
heirs of the late Edward Do Leon , deceased
late consul general to Kgypt.
At 2 o'clock the regular order was de
manded.
The pending question coming over from
yesfcr < lay was on the passage of the bill
appropriating $125,000 for a public building
at Altoona , Pa. The blir was passed ,
Mr. Cannon , republican of Illluola , in
charge of the measure , made a general
analysis of what It contaJued. It parried
JGZ.O'JS.ZOI , but $20.000.000 is for payment
to Spain to carry out the provisions of the
Paris treaty , Exclusive of that the bill
carries $8,095,758 legs than the estimates
nnd $5,820,311 , less than the current law ,
In connection with the bill Mr. Cannon
jnado a guicral statement as to the condi
tions of the roenucs. The kecrutary of the
treasury In October last , Mr , Cannon said ,
had estimated the deficiency of the revenues
for the fiscal year ending July 1 , 1S99 , to be
$112,000.000 , or a monthly average of $9,333- ,
000. In his judgment , In the light of the
receipts and expenditures for the ilrst seven
months thus catlniitod , the deficiency was
inuph too low.
The uctual deficiency up to February 1 ,
3S99 , wan $93,151,000 , an > crago of 513,307.-
000 jwr month. At this rate the deficiency
for the llscaf yeur yrould be $159.000,000. $
Hut this would not Include the $20,000,000
pro\lik'd by the bill to carry out the provl-
etons of the 1'arls treaty. The rash balance
Inthe treaguiy February li Including the
5100,000,000 sola mm ( was $27 000,000.
Two hundred millions ot that li&il been put
Into the revenues by the war loan. Deduct
ing the monthly estimated deficiency for the
next five months , there would , he aald , bo
In the treasury July 1 , $208,000,000.
This was a conservative estimate. There
would be , therefore- , $108,000.000 to meet the
ordinary expenses of the government on Uhtt ,
date. These figures , ho continued , took no
account of the slaking fund. To arc for
It would requlro $33,000,000 $ additional.
As Mr. Cannon proceeded the most ln
tcnso Interest v.na manifested In Ills state
ment. The secretary of the treasury esti
mated the expenditures for the next fiscal
jenr , exclusive of the sinking fund , lie sold ,
at $041,000,000 , and the revenues $010,000.000
or a deficiency of $31,000,000.
Yet , Mr. Cannon continued , Secretary
Gage could not possible htivo foreseen In his
estimates -for 1900 the changed conditions
which followed the negotiation ot the peace
treaty , the cxpeiidluii"s which necessarily
follow our occupation of the Philippines
and the obligations which we awtmitd lu
Iho pcaco treaty to discharge the peace
claims against Upaln. which claims , he un
derstood , already rc.ich $2pi.Oi)0OU'either
did the secretary's estimate , ho enld , take
Into consideration the Increase of the navy.
It estimated only for the ordinary main
tenance ot the navy. But the nn\al com-
mlttco will report In Its bill provision for
from twelve to fifteen sew battleships and
cruisers. He did not complain. It was a
logical sequence. The army must bo In
creased. It was , therefore , the part o"
wisdom nnd common prudence to fully re-
allyo the condition which confronted us.
With these enormous expenditures upon
us , Mr. Cannon said , wo must plant oui
fcotstcps with care and to sec that no dollar
lar goes out of the treasury oxcspt for an
elllclcnt public service.
"Doit you take Into account In your es
timate , " Interrupted Mr. Dockcry. "tho
Hanna-l'ayno subsidy bill ? "
Mr. Cannon replied that ho did not In
clude In his deficiency of $159,030,000 either
the legislation lor an efficient merchant
marine or the construction of the Nic
aragua canal. Ho favored the regeneration
of Uio merchant mnrlno ( applause ) nnd the
construction ot the Nicaragua canal , ( re
publican applause ) . "But , " he odded , with
great emphasis , "I an not willing to ea
ter upon cither ot these great enterprises
until wo have given them full nnd proper
consideration and wo have provided the
revenue to meet these expenditures. I In
sist that there tliall go hand la hand with
legislation for these projects the legisla
tion necessary to provide the revenues to
meet their cost. "
"Does the gentleman mean , " Interposed
Mr. Carmack , democrat of Tennessee , "that ,
owing to the responsibilities abroad we have
assumed , wo must spend less money at
home ? "
Mr. Cannon replied that nothing he had
said could ba distorted Into such n state
ment , but ho gave It as his opinion that
the United States would ne-\cr again spend
less than was spent lu the year prior to
the war -with Spain. Ho did not stand In
his place seeking to cripple an efficient pub-
llo service for n great and growing popula
tion , but ho "was opposed to entering upon
now lines of expenditures until there had
been full eonsiderntlon and real debate and
not then unlcsa there was already on the
statute booka revenue legislation to meet
the expenditures.
Mr. Cannon proceeded to point out that all
ot the tlmo of the remaining three weeks
ot the session would be occupied nnd that
there would bo no time to give to these
measures the Intelligent and proper consid
eration they should have. The whole house
was aroused by the statement ,
Mr. Grosvenorwanted to know -whether
Mr. Cannon assumed that one of the great
committees of the house ( the Interstate
nnd foreign commerce committee ) had been
idle or derelict In Its duty. It was pre
pared to enlighten the house on the sub
ject of the canal. Mr. Cannon insisted that
nothing ho had said reflected on that com
mittee. But It was simply an organ of the
house. Ho was not charging It with dere
liction , but It It could -multiply itself ten
fold In strength nnd wisdom there was no
time In the next three weeks to place It
self In touch with the members BO that
the house could Intelligently determine the
legislation necessary for the Inauguration ot
that great work.
( Mr. Hepburn , chairman of the commit
tee on interstate and foreign commerce ,
askeJ Mr. Cannon to bo more explicit.
Coming from him a statement meant a
rcat deal. Ho demanded to know whether
Mr. Cannon was to bo understood as saying
that no opportunity waa to bo given for
the consideration of the Nicaragua canal
bill.
bill.Mr. . Cannon disclaimed any purpose ot
speaking for any ono but himself. "I am
but ono member , " said he , 'and ' I speak
only for mjself. I volco only my own
opinion. I do not reflect the sentiment of
others , hut I do say candidly upon my own
responsibility that It Is absolutely impos
sible In the time remaining for us to In
telligently consider either of these bills. "
At the same tlmo Mr. Cannon professed
his friendship for the canal probject and
aroused enthusiasm ns he spoke of the
future tlmo when the United States would
construct the canal upon a zone of tenl-
tory owned by the United States , from
the center of the earth to the sky above.
William Aldcn Smith , republican of Mich
igan , with some display of heat Insisted
that the canal should bo constructed , even
If posterity had to be mortgaged to do BO.
Hut Mr. Cannon replied that ho could not
bo swept off his feet. Ill-conaldered leg
islation now , ho said , might embarrass the
great work In the future rather than ad-
vnnco It. Mr. Smith protested against fore
closure of opportunity to net upon the bill ,
but Mr. Cannon reiterated his statement
as to the Impossibility ot doing It justice
In the time remaining.
"I favor the construction of the canal , "
eaid Mr. Smith , "even If wo have to issue
bonds and mortgage the future. "
"It Is well enough to talk glittering gen
eralities In an after-dinner speech , " re
torted Mr. Cannon , "but when -ve cuter
upon practical legislation we must dot our
I's nnd cross our t's. The bill cannot prop
erly bo considered during the next three
weeks , When you or anybody else can toll
mo what the coat ot this enterprise will
bo , " ho nald , turning angrily on Mr. Smith ,
"and tell mo when we can get title to the
territory and arrange the means to pay
for the canal , I will Join hands with you , "
"In view of the deficiencies In the revenue
which the gentleman has pointed out , " In
terposed Mr , Lewis , democrat of Washing
ton , "does ho anticipate an early Issue ot
bonds ? "
"Wo can aupport the navy , army and per
form our duties here and In our outlying
possessions out of the revenues this year
and the next , " replied Mr. Cannon frankly , I
'but If wo are to accomplish that \\o must )
see to It that no great appropriations go
through lu the Immediate future , If yeTi
take on great blocks of expenditures you
must Issue bonds. "
"Can there be n reduction In the war
taxes ? " asked Mr. Sims , democrat of Ten
nessee.
"Not during the next two years , "
"In your estimates have you Included nny
revenue from Porto HIco or the Philip
pines ? " asked Mr , Doekery ,
"I have not. "
"Vou Insist only that there shall bo full
and complete consideration before there
shall bo legislation on either the canal
project or the merchant marine ? "
"Precisely. "
At the conclusion of Mr. Cannon's re
marks Mr , Mcltav , democrat of Arkansas ,
and Mr MILTS , democrat of Indiana , spoke
earnestly in favor of the Immediate neces
sity for retrenchment and Mr. Talbert , dem
ocrat of South Carolina , In opposition to the
ship subildy bill.
At 6 o'clock the committee' arose and the
Uoubo udjourued. _ „ _ _ _ u
COURT OF INQUIRY IS NAMED
Charges About Embalmed Beef by Miks Now
to Be Investigated ,
POWERS OF THE NEW BOARD ARE OUTLINED
Inquiry In DrulRnril to I'lx
bllHj If Then ; IN Aii > - fin OnicluU
Matctnoiitn to lie
Til U en Up.
WASHINGTON , Keb. D. The president
has appointed n court of Inquiry to exam
ine Into the charges touching the meat fur
nished the American army during the war
with Spain and other matters Involved In
Iho charges made by General Miles ngalnst
the administration ot war affairs. The court
will consist of Major General AVade , Colonel
George W. Davis , Ninth Infantry , and Colonel
nel Glllosple , corps of engineers , now stn-
tloncd In Now York.
The order for the court Is as follows :
WAH DEPAnTMKNT , WASHINGTON' ,
Keb. 8 , lS 3i In accordance with the Instruc
tions of tbo president of February 3 , 1899 ,
a. court of Inquiry to consist ot the following
named officers Is hereby appointed , to meet
In this city on February 15 , 3800 :
Detail for the court : Major General James
G. Wade. First volunteers ; IJrlgadler Gen
eral G. W. Davis , U. S. V. ; Colonel G. ! .
Glllcsple1 , corps of engineers , U. S. A. ;
Lieutenant Calocicfl G. U. Davis , deputy
Judge advocate Bonera.1. U. S. A , , recorder.
The court Is hereby directed to investigate
the allegations of the major general com
manding nho nirray In respect to the unilt-
uess for Issue of certain articles of food
furnished by the subsistence department to
the ( troops la tbo field during the recent
operations , in Cuba and 1'orto JUco. In ad
dltlon to its findings ot fact ithc court will
submit < an opinion upon/ / the merits of the
case , together with such recommendations
of further proceedings ns may be warranted
by the facts developed In the course ot the
Inquiry. The offlcore named will repair to
this city for the purpose herein Indicated
und upon the adjournment ot the court will
return -to their proper stations. The travel
enjoined is necetsary for the public service.
R. A. ALGEH , Secretary of War.
By order of the Secretary of War.
If. C. CORIJIN. Adjutant General.
General Miles , when seen , had nothing to
say respecting the appointment of the
court. He has been accumulating a large
amount of evidence along the lines ot the
Inquiry , but ho has not chosen any counsel
and n largo part of his evidence has been
already transmitted to the War Investigat
ing icommlsslon.
niemlicrd Notified.
Soon after receiving the order from the
president ns to the convening of this court' .
Adjutant General Corbln notified the mem
bers of the court by telegraph of their ap
pointment and Instructing them to "bo In
Washington on or before the date fixed
for the meeting of the court , namely , the
15th Inst.
General Wade , who Is president of the
court , was n , member of the court-martial
which tried Commissary General Eagan , was
president of the Cuban Evacuation commis
sion and at present Is commander ot the
Department of Dakota.
General Davis Is lieutenant colonel of the
Ninth regular Infantry and as brigadier gen
eral of volunteers la in command ot the
Department of Plnar del lUo , Cuba.
Colonel Glllesple la ono of the most dis
tinguished officers of the engineer corps
nnd for some time has been In charge of
the river and harbor works In the vicinity
of New York City.
Colonel George Q. Davis , recorder of the
court , served as Judge advocate of the
Eagan court-martial and Is professor of
lawat West Point.
The court ot Inquiry , It Is said by per
sons versed In military Jurisprudence , will
bo unique , In that It will bo directed In Its
Investigations against n state of affairs nnd
not against -peKon , for although General
Mllco Is named as the author of certain al
legations In the formal order. It Is these
allegations and not General Miles that are
the subject of Inquiry.
The only regulation In the nrmy manual
bearing on courts of Inquiry provides that
they may 1 > e appointed to Inquire Into nny
allegation against the conduct of an officer
or nn enlisted man , but nothing Is said
about an Inquiry Into a state of things. It
Is to bo assumed , of course , that the presi
dent has thoroughly satisfied himself of
the legality of this order before Issuing
It. The court has no power to compel
testimony ot civilian witnesses and In or
dinary cases would bo limited in Its report
to a mere statement of facts developed ,
though the regulations permit the conven
ing authority to add to the Instruction
a direction to express nn opinion on the
merits of the case and to fix the responsi
bility.
Blny Itccomnicnil Treatment of .Mile * .
Tills privilege has been availed of , It
appears , In the present Instance. Therefore ,
the court of Inquiry , should It find that
General Miles' charges are not sufllciently
established , may express nn opinion as to
what course should be pursued toward him ;
In other words , It may recommend his trial
by court-martial for making baseless
charges.
Inasmuch ns the court of Inquiry will
have to take up the whole subject ot meats
furnished the army and ascertain the ex
act state of thla meat as it left the Backers'
hands , ns well as to look Into the prelim
inary operations of slaughtering , packing
nnd canning and refrigerating , a good deal
ot tlmo will be consumed In the Inquiry.
It may bo necessary , also , to call person
ally Ijeforo the court all ( it the officers cited
In criticism of the meat by General Miles ,
numbering between sixty and seventy , In
which case a good deal of expense will bo
Incurred and etlll more tlmo consumed ,
The administration takes the position that
these charges 83 to the character ot the
meat supply shall be thoroughly sifted nnd
It wrong has been done that It shall be
corrected ,
BILLS PASSED BY THE SENATE
NeliriiMkii Uall-miy filveii ItltfJit-of-
AVuy ThroiiKli llv ervntliui of
Oinnlm * * mid
WASHINGTON , Feb. 9. At the opening
of the senate the following bills wcro
passed : Authorizing the Sioux City & Omaha
Railway company to construct and operate
a railroad through the Omaha and Wlnno-
bago reservation In Thurston county , Ne
braska ; to restore to their original status
as to promotion officers of the marine and
nrmy corps who lost numbers by reason of
the advancement of other officers for excep-
tlonnl and meritorious service during the
war with Spain ; authorizing tbo Aranaas
Harbor Terminal Hallway company to con
struct n bridge across the Corpus Chrlstl
channel In Texas , nnd for the purpose of
construction of a launch for tbo customs
service at Astoria , Ore. , to cost not more
than $2GOO. $
_
WAH lUJVKXUB ACT IS AMKM1RD.
Only OneHluinii Tivceimury inr "Vote
.Sot'iiml liy .MortK'iKt' .
WASHINGTON , Ftib. 9. At tbo opening
of the session of the house today a bill to
amend the war revenue act was passed ,
providing that when a 'bond or note was se
cured by a mortgage but one stamp should
be affixed , of the higher rate due on either
Instrument , Mr. Hopkins , on behalf of the
ways and means committee , explained that
the bill was to prevent double taxation. Mr.
Mollae , democrat of Arkansas , called atten
tion to thu fast that In the case of the
leases there was a double burden which
should be corrected ,
Dills were passed to grant to the Fort
Smith & Western lUtlroad company , a right
I
ot way through the Choctaw nnJ Cherokee
Indian reeervallore j to grant a right of way
through Iho Nez forces reservation In the
Btnto ot Idaho ; to permit homesteaders In
Florida driven from their homes by the
storm ot September , 1SSS , to return within
ono yonr an ! perfect title to their home
stead ; to construct n bridge- across the
Mononffahela. river at Morgantown , W. V'n.
OK IXSUljAH 1'OSTAti
of Dctnlln Arc N < ur Al
umni t'nmiilctrd ! > ' UtMuirliiK-iit.
WASHINGTON , Feb. 9. The administra
tion of tUo postal service In Cub * , Torte
Hlco nnd the Philippines Is being well ad
vanced In the plans for reorganisation and
Installation of modern methods , William H.
Elliott of Newcastle , Ind. , who ha.3 been
appointed by Acting 1'ostmnster General
Heath as director of posts ot Porto lllco ,
with functions similar to nil assistant post
master general , will leave next Wednesday
for San Juan to assume charge. Ho will
have n personal staff of two or three assist
ants , Including Juan Enrique Maclas. a na
tive Cuban nnd nephew of the noted Cuban
chloftan , General Mactas , ami Lee Nlxun ,
now private secretary to Representative
Ovcrstreet of Indiana. Maclns Is well In
formed on West Indian , affairs. Ho left Cuba
for political reasons during the revolution
and has been Identified with the Cuban junta
here , which warmly endorsed him.
Ten 1)0-3131 employes arc now cnrouto for
the Philippines to nld Director ot Tests
Valllo In establishing a modern service. This
represents seven bonded jiostsl clerks nnd
three railway mall service experts. They
carry important Instructions ami nmoug
other things are directed to open up the
postofllco at Hollo. One ot their first duties
probably will bo restoring the postal service
nt Cavlte.
The commission which has been Investi
gating postal affairs In Cuba met here to
day , going over Its report , which "will be
piesented to Postmaster General Emory
Sin It'll In a few days. The most conspicuous
fenturo ot the report will bo n recomtnenda-
'tlon ' for placing < ill the principal postofllces
In Cuba , about twenty In number , In the
hands of American postmasters , Iho pres
ent Spanish appointees who nro In clarge
of them to bo retained as clerks. _ This will
facilitate the Installation of American mod
ern postal methods for the Island.
MAY CAIjb A.V IJXTllA. SHSSIO.N.
AliNoluirly KfecHinry CHIISTPCNH Act
un AmiItoir ruiiU.ntloii Hill.
WASHINGTON , Feb. 9. The Post tomor
row will say :
The nrmy reorganization bill must passer
or the president will call an extra session.
The opposition to the bill In the senate
has been frequently referred to In the Post
and the prediction has been made- that some
compromise will bo made. This will not
satisfy the administration. No makeshift
expedient wllf bo accepted. The president
has determined that the passage ot the army
bill shall be made an Issue and there Is no
doubt In administration circles that ho will
be successful. If , however , an obstacle
should prevent action an extra , session will
surely bo held. The condltkm which has
arisen leaves no other course to bo pursued
by the president. A decision was yesterday
rendered by the attorney general that as
soon aa the ratifications ot the pcaco treaty
are exchanged the volunteer soldiers can no
longer be retained In service. Consequently
without the desired legislation the president
will flml himself with an army reduced from
63,000 men to 23,000 men.
ALIIAXCE : HKAFFJIIMS PLATFORM.
Also ainkPH a IMen for Kxteimlon of
Uurul BInll Service.
WASHINGTON , Feb. 0. The National
Farmers' Alllaaco and Industrial union has
completed a two dys' session here , during
which , many questions of interest were dis-
cus&cd. ,
The meeting adopted a platform reaffirm
ing the demands 'made at former gather
ings an3 In addltl&n raado a plea for an
extension of 'tko'.Hiral ' free delivery postal
service. Officers wfere elected as follows :
President , J. C. Wllborn , Old Point , S. C. ;
vice president , J.J. Miller , Waynosboro , Pa. ;
secretary-treasurer , A. D. Welch , Victor , N.
Y. ; executive committee , John Brclney ,
Junction , W. Ya. ; C. W. Gravlt. Mandana ,
N. Y. ; D. P. Duncan , Columbia , S. C. , and
W. A , Gardner , Andrew's Settlement , Pa.
ATTACHIJD'TO AVAR IHH'AUTMENT.
GC I-K < ? 3 1. CiirtlH of Iov n. Hccclvcfi nn
WASHINGTON , Feb. 9. The president
has appointed George SI. Curtis of Iowa , In
place of Lieutenant Curtis Guild , ns ono of
the experts ot the War department and hav
ing to do with Insular affairs.
It waa said at the War department after
Lieutenant Guild declined that no other
appointment would bo made. Dut Mr.
Curtis was recommended by Senator Alli
son as a thoroughly competent and thor
oughly well versed individual. The three
appointees will start for Santiago do Cuba
to report on t'ho ' franchises and concessions
la that part of the Uland , which has been
temporarily , at leas-t , held np by the procla
mation of General Brooke.
lleiiirinliLT CriMV nt Vlrjslnl i .
WASHINGTON , Feb. 0. Senator Money
has Introduced a bill to enable the secre
tary of war to have the remains of the cap
tain nnd crew of tlio Vlrglnlus , who were
oxcputed In Cuba In 1S73. exhumed and re
turned to the United States. There wcro
thirty-six members of the crow nnd sixteen
other citizens ot the United States and
eighteen foreign citizens executed nt the
time , and the bill provides that If the
graves cannot be identified the placeof In
terment bo marked with a monument.
Army Nomination ! * ! > Urt'NliliMil.
WASHINGTON , Feb. 9. The president to
day sent the following nominations to the
senate : Lieutenant Colonel Frank M. Coxe ,
deputy paymaster general , to be nsslstanl
paymaster general , with rank of colonel ;
Major Albert S. Towar. paymaster , to bo
deputy paymaster general , with rank of lieutenant -
tenant colonel ,
TUGBOAT REACHES PRISONERS
1'rovlMlmin Arc Onrrloil Uiiiler IHIIIcuI-
to Four Mfii nt AVuler
lu J.uUf ,
CHICAGO , Fob. 9. The four men who have
been Imprisoned out In hake Michigan at
the city water supply intake off Sixty-eighth
street wore reached todny with provisions
by the tus Merion ) , aft < > r a most rtlfflciilt
battle with Ice. The tug followed the outer
t'lgo of the gigantic Icefloe , nnd then
miueezeil between divisions of tlio flou for
four miles. The remaining half mile wan
covered by hobsleds pulled and pushed by
hand over the Ice Hold In a bitter wind and
temperature of 20 below zero.
When the party returned to the tug to
make- the return trip they found that the
vessel had a largo hole stove In Its bow by
the crushing of the Ice , making the service
of a. second tug necessary.
"Waul llnlii lu California.
SAN FRANCISCO , Feb. 9. California is
enjoying beautiful winter weather , but the
farmers are plnlns for rain. Two weeks
ago mi miner \\cathcr prevailed , < the ther
mometer regli tcrlng as high as 80 degrees
In San Francisco. This was followed by a
slight rain and uevero frosts , but no mate
rial damage to craps haa been reponttd. To
day the thermometer stood at 60 degrees.
Moro rain la badly needed.
lOxiK'liIi ! KulKlitN lit .VtMV Orlrnnii ,
NEW OJIMJANS , Fob. 0 The /rder ) of
Essecilc Knights opened Its couventloJi in
this city toJuy. The visiting knights from
different sections were received by Ixral
committees , reaching hero on a special train.
The bualiit'Ea Kesrlon will commenfo tomor
row. The delegates will bo entertained by
the grand senate of Ixnilnlana until after tbo
festival.
REPORT GIVEN TO PRESIDENT
Investigation Into Oondnct of Wni is "Do.
claicd Not to Bo n "Whitewash.
CRITICISE MILES' STRICTURES ON BEEF
Co in in I union OOP * CM or Ilvli1 iicc
it lilt tinI'rcnlilciit ntiil Innulry
Hour. ! ' * OllU'lnl IXUtciicc
Tlicreuixm Ilmld.
\VASHINOTO.V , Feb. 0. The report of
the War Investigating commission Is In the
hands ot the president and the commission
Is dissolved.
AH the members ot the commission , In
cluding the secretary , \VelRhtmnn , nnd
the recorder. Colonel Davis , met by np-
polntmcnt nt Iho White house nt 4:15 : o'clock
this afternoon and were nt once shown Into
the cabinet room , where- they wcro received
by the president.
General Dodge , chairman of 4he commis
sion , presented the report and In receiving
It Uio president congratulated the commis
sioners on the completion of their task.
Seated mound .the cabinet table , the
members went o\er their work In a general
way and at the request ot the president read
portions of their re-port , which covered
certain points In which he had expressed an
Interest. The conference lasted about an
hour and a half , nnd ns the commissioners
wcro about to leave the president stated
that ho was satisfied that each member
had done Ills whole duty , Ho himself had
rendered them , every assistance possible
and said that they would bear witness that
ho had not sought to Influence them In any
manner In the slightest degree.
Only TWA WilncMNPN m lloef.
The report may be In the hands ot the
president several days before being given
official promulgation , to enable full consid
eration of the document , It consists of be
tween 60,000 and 65,000 words. The general -
oral scope of the report was sent out last
night and renewed attention was called to
day to the fact then pointed out that there
were only two witnesses who made charges
agnlnst the government In the beef Issue.
The I3agan Incident Is passed over with
out material mention , In view ot General
Engan's revision ot the statement that he
originally made to them. The report avoids
all question of the strategy ot the war , that
being a matter regarded ns outside the
functions of the commission. The refer
ences to General Miles' commanding the
army are devoted mainly to strictures on
his course with reference to the beet Issue
as covered in his testimony.
In speaking of the report 4oday to a Star
reporter a prominent member of the com-
slsslon said :
Itriiort IM Uimiiliiiouxly Approved.
"Tho report docs not whitewash. It crit
icises , but not persons or things not war
ranted by the evidence before us. Wo
started out with the assumption that the
conduct of the war was all right and then
wo went ahead to hear and call witnesses
who said It was not. The report represents
the honest opinion ot every member of the
commission. Wo were > unanimous In adopt
ing It. I soy this and I am of the opposite
political faith , and don't expect and don't
want anj-'thlng ' from the administration.
"I know that every line of the report
represents my Individual view and If nny
member tried harder than I did to get at
and out all the facts I have yet to see him.
There was no suppression or concealment
and no point brought out In the evidence
was evaded or glossed over , We never met
be-fore hearing a witness and agreed not to
examine him or to touch upon certain mat
ters 'that might turn out unfavorable.
Everything that a man knew or thought he
knew was the subject of Inquiry and I am
satisfied when the country gets our report
In full that there will be no complaint cither
as to our methods or results. "
"Tho president never saw a line ot our
report before ho received It officially ! not
a single word. Nor , indeed , has ho ever
talked with any of the commission about It.
"Ho has never in any way , by word or no
tion or messenger , evinced n wish to- have
us use anything but the truth.
"Wo have questioned more than GOO wit
nesses and the majority of them bad some
complaint that they wanted to relate. In no
instance can It bo proved that wo have
omitted to call any witness who has been
brought to our attention as having Impor
tant facts to disclose. But had we desired
to 'whitewash' the administration wo could
have had 5,000 u I Incases who could truth
fully testify that the conduct of the war was
all right.
"Of course there were some evils , but
they were to bo expected. The soldiers In
the civil war never had hospitals or medi
cal attendance ns good as was given them
In the war with Spain. And their army ra
tion then was not ns eatable as It Is now.
"Men who complained the most of the
food we found were very generally the
militiamen from the Interior of states nnd
who had been allowed $2 per head for sub
sistence stores while they were In state
camps. When they went Into the active
fighting they expected the same sort ot
thing.
"In questioning these men nearly nil con
fessed to us that they had always received
the army ration. They had no right to
expect any more. I could tell some very
funny stories to Illustrate this.
"There were many complaints brought to
us that on their face were foolish and false ,
but wo wont to every trouble and expense
to inquire into the genuine charges. "
MKS. PINIOIAM'S ADVICE
What Mrs. Nell Hurst has to Say
About It.
Diun Mits. PINKHA.M : AVhen I wrote
toyou I luul not been well f or fl voyeurs ;
had doctored all the tlmo but got no
better , 1 liad womb trouble very bad.
My womb pressed backward , causing
piles. I was in such misery I could
scarcely wall ; across the floor. Men
struation was Irregular and too pro-
fubo , was also
troubled with
leucorrhoca. I
had given up nil
hopes of getting
well ; everybody
thought I hud
consumption.
After taking
flvo bottles of
} Lydia K. I'ink-
ham's Vegeta
ble Compound ,
I felt very much better
nnd was able to do nearly all my own
work. I continued the use of your medi
cine , and feel that I owe my recovery to
you. 1 cannot thank you enough foryour
advice and j-our wonderful medicine.
Any ono doubting my statement may
write to me. and I wi'l gladly answci
all inquiries. Mrs , NEL& Ilimsr , Deep
water , Mo.
Letters like the foregoing , con
stantly being received , contribute not
n little to tha satisfaction felt by Mrs.
I'inkhain that her medicine and counsel
tire assisting women to bear their henry
burdens.
Mrs. I'inkhain'saddrcssis Lynn , Mass.
All suffering women uro invited to I
write to her for advice , which will bo '
given without charge. It is an expel -
pel icuccd woman's udvico to v/otueu.
NEW
BY
Author of "Tho Loavcnwortli Case , "
"Marked Personal , " "Miss Hurclj
an Enigma"Dr. . Jxnrd"X.Y.Z. "
and other successful detective and
mystery stories.
The greatest
American serial ,
entitled ,
HE first installment will be pub
lished on February 19 , following
the conclusion of "The Black Douglas , " V
by S. R. Crockett. The novel con
tains about one hundred thousand
words , and it will be printed in eight
een or twenty installments , without il
lustrations.
We believe that Agatha Webb will
far exceed in popularity "The Leaven-
worth Case , " as it exceeds that story in
the depth of its mystery. The author
has been engaged more than two years
in writing this story , and she regards
it as the best work of her life. It has
peculiar interest because every chapter
is written to a remarkable climax , and
the threads of the narrative are so skill
fully interwoven that it is impossible to
guess the mystery until the very con
clusion of the tale.
At least five different persons are
shown by the very best circumstantial
evidence to be the murderer of Agatha
Webb , and each one of them in turn is
vindicated ,
Besides being an unrivalled mystery
story 'Agatha Webb" is really a clever
piece of literature , one character in
particular , that of Sweetwater. the am
ateur detective , being drawn with great
skill and power.
the First
Iii The