The Omaha i Daily Bee
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THE OMAHA DEE .
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VOL. XXX1X-NO. 158.
OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 13, 1910 -TEN PAGES.
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
GRAVES NAMED
PRESIDENT-'
AS PEACl
7;
New Rivers Bill
CATTLE MEN ASK
Will Provide for
Western Streams
F0KF0RESTER
MANYREFORMS
is
Director of Tale Forest School is
Executive Indicates He i
Resolutions Presented to Convention
Appointed Successor to Gil
ford Pinchot.
holding Patronage from
gents Fighting Cannon.
SENATOR BROWN AT WHITE HO
of National Live Stock Associa
tion Will Provoke Debate.
:ee Takes Favorable Action on
asnre Finds it Hard to Be
lieve Situation at Decatur.
OBJECT' TO COMMERCE COURT
POTTER
SUCCEEDS
PRICE
Taft Asks Republicans All to Stand
by Party Fledges.
SPEAKERSHIP NOT ISSUE TO HIM
Main Thing is to Carry Out Will of
the People.
INKLING OF INTENT TO CANNON
President Carries on, Correspondence
with Congressman JVorrU, and
Mar Make Public Pro
nanncement Noon.
(From A Staff Correspondent.)
' WASHINGTON, Jan. 13. (Special Tele
gram.) Senator Norrls Brown jw Presi
dent Taft today and had a talk with him.
There Ih nothing strange or unusual In
either of these statements, for It happens
very frequently, but the rerult of that talk
1 significant. PreHldent Taft In not with
holding patronage from republicans who
are fighting Speaker Cannon and his rules,
as has been alleged, nor will he, but ha
IiisIhIs that Where platform pledges have
been made It Is the business of republlcann
to stand by the administration In Its efforts
to make these pledges effective. Instead of
lidlilluM wlll-e'-tltt-wUp and thereby Im
pairing the solidarity of the party.
President Taft Is not weddd to Speaker
Carnon nor will ho punlnh those who are
Inimical to tho "Iron Duke of Illinois," but
what the president moat wants Is unani
mity of action, frr hi told Senator Brown
there was much to do in the next year or
two and he wanted every republican to
help carry out pre-election pledges.
In an evening newspaper Senator Brown
Is quoted as saying on emerging from the
president's room! "We're Rolng to get
those anarchists before this session Is
over."
"Who do you mean by anarchists?"
Senator Brown was asked.
"I mean the 'regulars' the Aldrich crew,"
he answered.
hen asked about Vein statement Senator
Brown laughingly said It was intended for
a Joke as much as anything. He raid he
had told the newspaper men about the
White Ho uso that he had nothing to say
for publication, but on being "badgered"
had used the words attributed to him. b it
with no thought of their being seriously
accepted!
Cannon find Speakership.
One thing Senator Brown Is Inslstant upon
and that Is the president realises the In
tensity of the situation and will do every
thing possible . to. . bring about honoraole
peace between the contending factions and
It may be that the White House will in
form Speaker Cannon that to persist In his
Intention to be speaker of the Sixty-second
congress will mean a democrat In the place
he now occupies. Run for congress If ho
will in the Danville district, but keep oht
of the speakership fight. -
That correspondence laa passed between
the president and Representative Norris of
Nebraska, one of the foremost of the in
surgents, concerning the situation was ad
mitted by the Nebraska member today, but
In the absence of official sanction he de
clined to make public the contents of the
letters.
President Taft Is said to have written
Mr. Norrls a letter declaring that the ad
ministration wrs making no war upon any
member of the house and that he in no
wise blamed Individual members for acting
In "n Independent capacity in anything af
fecting themselves or their districts.
The president, however, Is said to have
deprecated the action of the republican In
surgents In making such a fight us to cause
the press and the publlo to believe that a
division had occurred within the party,
and that the administration was confronted
with a serious defection In Its own ranks
before It had become a year old.'
IKHS1S BALKS ON SKNATK MOVH
llalllngrr Inquiry Resolution Is Sent
to Conference,
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12. The hous-to-duy
refused to concur In the senate amend-
auy reruse
V (tents to
T id decld.
the Plnchot-llalllnger resolution
elded to ask for a conference.
The speaker named the following con
ferees:
Representatives Dulxell of Pennsylvania,
Smith of Iowa and Fitzgerald of New
York.'
When the action of the house was re
ported to the senate It agreed to the con
ference. Senators Nelson, Clark of
Wyoming and McEnery were named as
conferees. ,
By a viva voce vote the house today
passed the Bennett-Sabath "white slave"
bill.
The "white slave" bill Is the result of an
Investigation of traffic In alien women
made by the National Immigration com
mission. Provision Is made for the deporta
tion and exclusion of Immoral aliens and
for the exclusion and punishment of their
procurers. Trafflo In Immoral women be
comes subject to the restrictions of inter
state commerce laws.
Immigration laws are amended so as to
exclude persons who are supported by or
who receive proceeds from the immorality
of aliens and provision Is made 'or the
criminal prosecution of persons who shall
harbor aliens for Immoral purposes. Ai.y
alien Inmate of a house of ill fame and any
alien who In any way asslste such an In
mate are made liable to deportation.
The measure makes It a crime punishable
by a fine of not more than $5,000 ami im
prisonment for not more than ten years
for any person to procure a ticket for any
person to go from one state to another to
engage In a life of Immorality.
BOTH DOXEYS ARE HELD
Former Column Couple Indicted
for Alleged Murder of William
J. Erder.
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 11. Special Telegram.)
Mrs. Dora K. Doxey and Dr. Loren B.
Doxey are Jointly charged with murder In
the first degree In Indictments for the kill
ing with poison of William J. Erder which
L were returned by the grand Jury In Judge
VoQullllirs court this afternoon. Mrs.
Doxey Is alleged to have married Erder
at Clayton and to have collected Insurance
4 his llf after ha died.
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, Jan. "l2. (Special Tele
gram.) In executive session today the
rivers and harbors committee of the house
vrted for the annual rivers and harbors
bill. The bill, which will in all probability
be introduced about .February 1, will carry
about S.TO.OOU.OOO. It will take care of the
Mississippi and Its tributaries and deal
fairly, according to Chairman Alexander,
with the Missouri from Kansas City to
Hlcux City.
"This bill will go down In history, In my
Judgment, as an Inland waterways bill,"
said Colonel Alexander,
Senator Burkett, who has been Indefati
gable in' his efforts to hold the Missouri
river in bounds at Decatur, Burt county,
where of late years serious washouts have
occurred, said today that Indications
strongly pointed to something being done
by the War department In the spring to
ward fixing the banks. The senator suc
ceeded In getting an allowance through In
the last army bill of Sa.tiOO for repair of the
Missouri's banku In the vicinity of Decatur.
Major Schultx of the engineer corps. In
charge of that district, recently visited
Decatur and reports the river completely
frozen over and giving promise of continu
ing so for several months to come.
"Bad slumps were discovered at this
place," the major says In his report to
General Marshall. "Dike construction Is
needed." He says that this will be begun
as soon as the river is free of ice, and that
material stored at Sioux City can bG towed
to Decatur, thereby saving considerably in
the work of construction.
Work which the government contemplates
through its engineer office will be done In
March and April, and should the appropria
tion not be sufficient, Major Schults says
additional funds will be used which will be
asked for If found necessary.
Senator Burkett has been asked to deslg
note a number of delegates to the Interna
tlonal Good Roads league, which will mee.
In St. Augustine, Fla., January 26 and 2.
This Is an opportunity for Nebraskans pla..
nlng a Florida trip to become officially co..
nected with one of the growing movement
of the day.
Senator Crawford today Introduced a bi.
fixing the salary of the surveyor goner..,
of South Dakota at $3,000 per annum.
Girl and Waiter
Are Taken Back
Roberta de Janon. and Frederick
Cohen Will Reach Philadelphia
This Afternoon.
CHICAGO, Jan. ll-Robefta 'be " Janon,
the Philadelphia heiress, and Frederick
Cohen, ' the waiter with wlu. she eloped
on December 29. left for Philadelphia today
with Detective Sergeants A. J. Emanuel
and James Scanlon. The party la due In
Philadelphia tomorrow afternoon.
The Philadelphia detectives observed the
greatest secrecy in getting the elopers out
of the city. They were taken to the depot
In a closed carriage with the curtains
drawn, were smuggled Into the baggage
room and taken to a room below in a
freight elevator. From here they hurried
aboard the train and the curtains of the
drawing room and and section reserved
were drawn.
Cohen's picture and measurements by the
Berllllon system were taken.
"I suppose they will give me about five
years for this," said Ferdinand Cohen, the
waiter, today to Miss Roberta De Janon,
whom he Is accused of abducting. "But I
don't care. I have made you happy for a
short time, any way, and that la enough
for me."
Cohen and Miss De Janon met at the
Harrison street police station for the first
time since their arrest. They had a nice
little talk together, to use the girl's ex
pression.
Cohen pinched her cheek and told her he
had read In the papers that she thought
mure of her dog than she did of him. She
denied it strongly.
"You know I don't," said she.
''All right, then," said Cohen.
Many Are Hurt
in Vandalia Wreck
Truck Under Tender of Locomotive
Breaks and ; Coaches Are
Derailed.
VINCENNES, Ind., Jan. 12.-A passenger
train on the Vandalia railroad south bound
was wrecked-threo miles north of this city
this afternoon. Many persons were hurt,
but none fatally. A truck under the tender
of fie locomotive broke and the coaches
being derailed, rolled down the embankment.
Peerless Leader is Roasted
by Adj. General Hartigan
Echoes are still resounding from the af
fair at the Omaha Guards' new armory
Monday evening, to which who came not
was Governor Shallenberger.
Friends of General Morton, Colonel Gar
dener and the other United States army
officers are saying what the offloers are
too courteous to ssy about the governor's
failure even to excuse himself.
But the Omaha friends of the "Peerless
One" and he has a few left yet are "burn
ing up," as one of mem expressed It. The
source of their heat, chagrin and cry for
vengeance Is Adjutant General Hartigan.
During his talk to the assembled officers,
guardsmen and their friends General 11 ar
tisan took occasion to say some blunt
things directed straight at the one-time
colonel of the Third Nebraska regiment
"It may be called democratic treason in
some quarters to say it. hut It Is true
nevertheless that mea in high station and
of great Influenoe In the dominant party
In this state used that Influenoe to be ap
pointed to responsible commands In the
Granting of Increased Power to the
Commission is Favored.
FOREST SERVICE IS PRAISED
Lease Law Governing Use of Publio
Lands Advocated.
CAREY AND HEARD SPEAK
Arlsona Man Sara Only Hope
Uraaera Lies la Federal Con
trol of the Oven
Range.
for
DENVER, Jan. 12.-Many governmental
reforms, are demanded in resolutions pre
sorted to the National Live Stock assocla
Lion for adoption today.
The granting of power of the Interstate
Commerce commission to review railway
classifications, to annul changes in regula
tions and to institute proceedings on lis
own motion, as recommended .by President
laft, are favored, but the resolution opposes
the appointment of any interstate commerce
i;ourt. .
The Plnchot administration of the forest
service Is endorsed and recommendations
are made for a lease law governing the
Jse of public lands for grazing. The resolu
tions also favor the continuation of the
light against free hides.
The Future of the Live Stock Industry
n me Range Country" was the subject of
an address by Joseph M. Carey of Chey-
eir.e, wyo. A. D. Meivln, chief of tne
oureau of animal industry of the Depart
.nent of Agriculture, spoke on "Sanitary
wondltlons of Our Live Stock."
A strong plea for the scientific use of the
auge was made at the afternoon session of
..ie American Live Stock association by
wight Heard of Phoenix. He declared that
jrestry. Irrigation and grazing were ln
- parable and that the only hope for grax
. using the public lauds was In federal
r.trol of the open range.
The only fight of the tonventlon will
-line on the resolution framed along the
lies oi Mr. Heard s address.
The endorsement of the Pinchot admlnls--ratJon
will meet with violent opposition
.rom the Colorado delegates.
Herbert W. Mumford of the Illinois Agri
cultural college, and Issa Tamunura, royal
commissioner of live stock Industry of
japan, addressed the convention today.
High Flight
by Paulrian
French Aviator Reaches an Altitude
of 4,600 Feet in an Aeroplane
at Los' Angeles. ..
AVIATION FIELD, LOS ANGELES,
Cal., Jan, 12, Paulhan, In an attempt at
the world's record for altitude In a
heavier-than-air machine, was in the air
50:46V. The aneroid on his machine made
his greatest height at 4,600 feet.
M'CLEVEY JOINS STAFF OF
WESTERN NEWSPAPER UNION
Leaves Position as Chleasro Manager
of American Press Association to
' Take Siew Management.
' W. S. McClevey, who has been manager
of the Chicago office of the American
Press association, has made an engage
ment to fill a position of Importance on
the executive staff of the Western News
paper union.
NONUNION MEN IN MINES
Twelve Workings Will Resume in
Hills at Once I'nder Pub- .
llahed Order.
LEAD, S. D., Jan. 12. Twelve mines, em
ploying about 603 men, today published
otlce that they would resume operations
at once, and that only non-union men
would be employed. Several o( these mine
have been idle for the last six months and
the others have not been operated for two
months or longer.
With the resumption of the Homestake
mine a total of S.OOO Idle miners will be
given employment.
BAKER IS THEJCHIEF SPEAKER
President of National Federation Ad
dresses Western Implement
Dealers.
KANSAS CITY, Jan. 12. Joseph C. Baker,
president of the National Federation, was
the chief speaker here today on the pro
gram for the second day's session of the
convention of the Wesetrn Implement and
Vehicle Dealers association. Exhibitors at
the convention report unusually heavy buy
ing orders.
army, when they had absolutely no knowl
edge of military matters or of the duties
and responsibilities of commanding offi
cers. It is in fact of record that they did
not know the first rudiments of camp san
itation or how to care for the health of
their men."
Mayor Dahlma't. with all his cool nerve,
tightened his lips a trifle when he caught
Hartlgan's meaning. Tom Flynn, with his
fine sense of humor, smiled within while
keeping a serious face. City Clerk Dan
Butler began to look dangerous before Gen
eral Hartigan had finished, and several
vociferous parUsans of Bryan were actu
ally sick at the stomach. There was noth
ing to do but grin and bear It, however,
for Hartigan was there to say what h
had to say regardless.
And what hurts the Bryan men most Is
that they know that Governor Shallenber
ger Is not and never has been a Bryan ad
mirer. Hartigan'! animadversions will
meet his views exactly "and what are
you going to do about ltT"
1 frTC 1 I
-- -''s'
From the Minneapolis Journal.
FLOODS MENACE AT ST. LOUIS
Rain Causes Mississippi to Assume
Threatening Aspect.
GORGE FORMS BELOW THE. CITY
Warning Is Issued to River Mem to
- Be Prepared to Protect Their
Property Kansas Under
Dolugre.)
ST. LOUIS, Jan. li Rain today In Mis
sotirt and northern points caused the Mis
sissippi river to assume a threatening as
pect. I The weather bureau issued a warn
ing to the river men to be prepared to pro
tect their property.
The Mississippi river - is gorged with Ice
from Chester, 111., sixty miles below St
Louis, to this city. -
The Missouri river Is gorged at Hermann,
Mo., and many smaller gorges are reported
north of St. Louis. The river gauge this
morning stood at 21.9 feet, a rise of .7 feet
in twenty-four hours.
TOPEKA. Kan., Jan. 12. Kansas Is being
deluged by a' rain that commenced last
night and which is' continuing today. An
Inch and a half fall was recorded at the
local weather bureau this morning. The
snow has melted and small streams are
rising rapidly.
Jolt for Brokers
by Committee
in Wall Street
Finding of Board Investigating Rock
Island Episode May Involve
Three Firms.
NEW YORK, Jan. 12. The findings of
the governing committee of the stock ex
change In what has become known as the
"Rock Island episode," will occasion much
surprise and no little consternation, accord
ing to statements made In Wall street to
day. Well Informed Individuals declare that
not one, but at least three well known
brokerage houses will be severely dis
ciplined and that the acts proved against
them are all connected with the mani
pulation of Rock Island stock, but ante
date the sensational movement of Decem
ber 27 last.
The governors seem to have discovered
evidence of a long and well sustained
movement In Rock Island common under
circumstances regarded as suspicious on
the stock exchange. One of the accused
members was before the special committee
again today accompanied by his partner
also a board member. A formal statement
probably will be made tomorrow by Presi
dent Thomas from the rostrum of the ex
change. Marriage surprise for Friends.
LYONS. Neb., Jan. 11 (Special.) Un
known to their .friends here, Roy Butlo
and Nettle Peterson were married on New
Y'ear's day at Omaha and spent their
honeymoon at New Hampton, la. They
are both Lyons young folks.
Let us help you
find the room you
want.
On the Want Ad page of
The Bee you will find a list of
practically every vacant room
in Omaha. The people who
have rooms to rent are learn
ing that the way to secure ten
ants ia to advertise the rooms
in The Bee.
Have you read the want ads
today?
Brvan Arrives.
Panic Stricken
Cotton Longs
Are Unloading
Third Sensational Slump in Prices
Since Downward Movement
Began Last Week.
NEW YORK, Jan. 11. There was a fur
ther break in the cotton market , today,
making the third sensational . slump In
prloes since the movement started early
last week. Panlo-strlcken longs In all parts
of the world seemed -to be liquidating their
cotton regardless of prices,- and the action
of the market showed such Intense excite
ment and demoralization as finds a parallel
only In the series of sensational movements
following the collapse of the Sully boom.
. For more than a year the cotton- market
has been steadily advancing and toward
the end of last month prices had reached
a level which, since the civil war, had only
been equalled when Sully was at the height
of his fame, March contracts selling at
16.17c and May at 16.4Sc. But at the culmi
nating point of today's decline March con
tracts sold at 14.60o and May at 14.78c, a
loss from the high record of from 17.85 to
1S.40 per bale, almost all of which has
occurred during the last week.
: The declines from the closing prices of
last night amounted to more than 13.50 per
bale.
' There does not appear to have been any
change In general trade conditions to war
rant the almoat unprecedented slump In
prices. It Is apparent, however, that one
after another of the big bull cliques, which
had been organized independently during
the progress of the big bull market, have
been liquidating. Possibly the selling move
ment was originally due to an effort to
obtain profits on long lines, owing to the
approach of the new planting season and
expectations of greatly increased area,
while the absence of any speculative short
Interest left the market with very little
support. It was reported today that spin
ners were buying more freely In the south
and late advices from the leading south
ern spot markets show no material weak
ness. THREATSInT SALOON FIGHT
Missouri Valley Man and Wife Re
ceive I'nsla-nrd Letters Because
of Activity.
MISSOURI VALLEY. la., Jan. 12. (Spe
cial.) Following the fight on the saloons
of Missouri Valley J. H. South, a merchant
here, Mrs. South and Rev. M. C. Hutch
inson have received several letters threat
ening them with harm unless the fight Is
stopped. Last week, according to Mr.
South, the boiler under his large store
building was tampered with and he be
lieves It was by enemies made In the
crusade In which he has been a leader.
One of the letters was handed Mrs.
South as she boarded a train for Council
Bluffs. It stated harm would come to Mr.
South unless he desisted from the fight.
The saloons were raided a month or two
ago and some of the cases are now pending
In district court at Logan.
Sugar Trust Says No One
Higher Up Knew of Fraud
NEW YORK. Jan. U.-"No attempt what
ever has been made to shield anyone, and
your board has nd reason to believe and
does not believe that any officer or direc
tor of this company had any knowledge of
or participation In this fraudulent under
weighing." This was the answer made by the board
of; directors of the American Sugar Refin
ing company today to the charges that
some one "high up" In the so-called Sugar
trust was responsible for the use of doc
tored scales rm the Williamsburg dock by
which the United States was defrauded
out of more than $2,000,000 In duties.
Stockholders of the American Sugar Re.
INSURGENTS KEEPING BUSH
Ex-Speaker Paul Clark Says Work
Has Only Begun.
ALDRICH MAY BE THEIR MAN
David City Man Declared in Line
with Their Policies Senntorlnl
Fight Lively Among:
;i Democrats.
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
LINCOLN, Jan. 12. (Special.) While a
number of those who attended the meeting
of self-styled progressives la:it Monday
have cut for cover and assured the public
their presence was obtained through mis
representation sb to the object of the
meeting,- John C. Fremont McKesson and
Paul Clark, the one a grand old genuine
standpat progressive and the other speaker
of the house of representatives when pro
gressives were not even thought of, are
still insurglng.
"You bet we are insurglng," said Mr.
Clark last night. "We have Just begun. The
public has not heard the last of that meet
ing we held."
McKesson failed to show up In his ac
customed haunts today, so there Is no
reason to say he has quit InBurgtng. The
genuine progressives give out the hunch
they Intend now to include a governor In
their program and that Senator Chester
Aldrich of Seward will be the man. Aid
rich has announced his platform und as it
includes county option some of the pro
gressives say he should be the running
mate of the man who Is nominated for
senator.
Incidentally the little meeting the other
day has created some peculiar situations.
C. O. Whedon, Frank Harrison and other
antl-D. E. Thompson men carrying water
for D. E. Thompson's paper to help carry
out D. E. Thompson's wishes.
Senatorial Sacrifice."
Democrats of Lincoln are very much In
terested in the announcement of W. H.
Thompson as. candidate for the senate,
which followed this statement In the Colum
bus Telegram, Edgar Howard's paper:
"Within this present year there may be
on sale at Nebraska book stores a book of
fact which will be as strange as any fiction.
The title of the book will be "A Senatorial
Sacrifice," and It will tell the story of a
Nebraska man who willingly sacrificed a
seat In the national senate In order that
his bosom friend might be kept out of the
penitentiary."
It being recalled that Edgar Howard Is
manager of the Thompson campaign, that
Item appears as a threat against some one,
and democrats who have read It are won
dering at whom It is directed.
It Is the general prediction around here
that the fight between Hitchcock and
Thompson will be a red-hot one, and as
both men have been mixed up in politics
together for so long, It Is the general talk
that (he fight w 111 border on the sensa
tional. In the mean-low George W. Beige Is
sounding public sentiment to see what
chance he stands In the fight, while friends
(Continued on Second Page.)
firing company met In Jersey City today
and the company's position with regard to
the sugar underwelgl.lng was made known
In a report of the board of directors.
The majority of the stock of the com
pany, the report states, is held In New
England. In answer to the charge that
the company exercises a monopoly In the
sugar trade the directors said that not
more than 43 per cent of the sugar con
sumed In the Country was refined by tht
American company.
The company has no agreement, direct
or implied, In regard to the fixing of prices
or the regulation of production, and the
company meets with tho keenest competi
tion, the directors state.
Forester and Associate Are Both
Known as Pinchot Men.
RURAL MAIL SERVICE GROWS
Number of Pieces Handled Increases
86 Per Cent in Four Years.
ROADS GREATLY IMPROVED
f '
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Say This Is One of the Indirect
Benefits of Installation
of Service.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-President Taft
this afternoon appointed Henry S. Graves,
director of the Yale Foreet school, as for
ester of the United States to succeed Glf
ford Pinchot. He also appointed Albert
F. Potter, at present acting forester, as
associate forester. Tho new forester and
his associate are both known as Pinchot
men. Both have served under Mr. Pinchot
and both arc In sympathy with his policy
of administration.
It was largely through Mr. Plnchot's ef
forts that the Yale Forest school was
established and Mr. Graves went from tho
post of assistant chief of the division of .
forestry under Mr. Pinchot to become di
rector of the school In 1900. He had served
In the forestry division for two years. Mr.
Graves graduated from Yale In 1892. He
was trained in forestry In this country and
in Europe and has had extensive experience
In the west, having made tho reconnais
sance survey of the Black Hills In 1897.
Mr. Graves will take up his duties aa for
ester February L
Mr Potter, the new associate forester,
who succeeds Overton W. Price, Is a native
of California and had spent all of his life
In the west until he became a member of
the forestry staff nine years ago. He has
had Jurisdiction over all graslng privileges
within the preserves. He Is well acquainted
with western conditions and Is thoroughly
Informed of all the policies and practices
of the forestry service.
Rural Mall Service Grows.
An Increase of 96 per cent In the amount
of mall handled on rural delivery routes
during the fiscal year ended June 80 last
over the fiscal ytar of 1905 Is shown In'
the annual report of the fourth assistant
postmaster. General P. V. Degraw, which
was transmitted today to . the postmaster
general. Commenting upon this fact, Mr.
Degraw says:
"This remarkable increase Is conclusive
evidence that the Institution of rural de
livery has enlarged the amount of the
mails handled and therefore increased iliu'
revenue. ...
"This is true, althoigh 46 per cent of the
bulk of mall on rural routes Is second
class matter, as the Increase applies to all
classes of matter, especially to letters and
postal icards, the latter due to the enormoua
use of souvenir or picture postat cards."
The report shows that (luring the last
year 3,376 petitions for rural delivery serv
ice of mail were filed with the department.
Of this number 361 were pending on June
30, 1909. Of the 3,016 petitions disposed of,
907, or 31 per cent, were rejected and 2.10S
petitions were accepted for investigation.
On June 30, 1909, reports had been made, In
1.400 of these cases, of which 647, or 41
per cent, were adverse to the installation
of the service.
Mr. De (J raw says that the Installation
of rural delivery, as a rule, has been fol
lowed by an Increase In the amount of
mall delivered and collected within the
territories, respectively, covered by that
service.
During the last fiscal year the total ex
penditures for rural free delivery was S35,
661, 034, an Increase over the previous year
of $1,289,096.
"There has been unprecedented Im
provement of the roads traversed by rural
carriers," the report says, "due to the
intelligent and well directed Interest of
postmasters and carriers."
At the dead letter division the receipts
of mail matter for the year aggregated
11.977.32S pieces, a decrease of 1,147,847 from
the preceding twelve months.
The revenue derived from dead matter
for the year amounted to $29,234,
Government and Powder Combine.
Whether the government shall continue
to buy Its great supply of smokeless pow
der from the DuPont Powder oompany,
the alleged "powder trust," or extend the
work of maunfacturlng Its own powder,
was considered by the house naval com
mittee today and officers of the army aand
navy and officials of the powder oompany
gave evidence at length.
F. G. Buckncr, vice president of the pow
der company, denied that the company la, a
trust. He said there weer a dosen com
peting companies In the United States and
Instanced the fact that a rival concern
had recently captured the big government
contract for the powder used on the Isth
mus of Panama. .
Denial was made by Mr. Buokner ot
the charge that his company had raised the
prlco to the government for powder needed
when the Spanish war began. On tho
contrary, h said, prices were lowered. The
glvernmetit now pays 63 cents per pound
to the DuPont company, a decrease from
last year.
It costs the government 6$ cents to manu
facture powder, but labor, salaries and
other charges bring the cost up to the
amount paid the private concern, Brigadier
General Crosier, chief of ordnance, and
Hear Admiral N. F. Mason, chief of the
bureau of ordnano-, offered no contradic
tion of Mr. Buckner's testimony.
Status of Federal Coal Lands.
Of the 122.000,000 acres of western coal
lands 70,000,000 acres still remain In the
hands o fthe federal government, according
to a statement contained In a bulletin
Issued by the United States geological
survey. The report goes on to deul with '
the present scheme of classification and
valuation by the government of Its coal
lands, which Is based on Belling coal lands
at coal prices and fixing the plica per acre
on an estimate of tonnage content and
quality of coal.
In speaking of the effect, of the new
valuation pluns upon government coh!
sales G. 11. Ashley of the survey says the
higher pi Ices seem to have increased rather
than decreased the sales of Coal lanis. In
Hiptembsr last the sales et Salt Ike City
averaged u.ure than $48 an a erg and ia.
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