Omaha Daily Bee
WEATHER FORECAST.
For Nebraska Fair and coldrr.
For Iowa Fair and colder.
For weather report see pro 2.
THE OMAHA DEE
goes to the homes It read by the
women Bella goods for adiwtiMrs.
OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 20, 1910-TWELVE TAGES.
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
VOL. XXXIX-?'
The
COAL AND IRON
POOLSMASHEi
Columbus & Hocking Stock "Make
Sensational Drop of Nearly
Sixty Points.
Is in Panic
up to Death
V During Fire
Fou.. Dead and More Dying as Result
of Blaze in Philadelphia
Factory.
CHARGE OF FRAUD MADE
TWO FIRMS ARE INVOLVED
i
PHILADELPHIA. Jan. 19. Four persona
J. M. Fiske & Co. and Lathrop, ere dead ana several are nyma- in nospnnis
TT 1 Bl fl C J following a wrnt.ii utii uy.-.. a louiui;
HaSKinS & tO. Upena. building at Second and Chancellor streets
shortly before noon today. The known
dead are all girls and three of them were
killed by Jumping from windows. About
100 employes were In the building:,
There are nearly twenty persons In hos
pitals.
The negro elevator boy employed In the
building was taken Into custody hy the
police pending an Investigation Into the
origin of the fire.
The fire Is said to have started on the
third floor. Those on that floor were
thrown Into a panic and . the cry . of fire
was spread. When the excitement reached
the three upper floors a wild rush for life
ensued.
The people on the first and second floors
and most of those on. the third floor made
their escape, but those In the upper part
of the building were blocked at the third
Creditors Allege Preferential Trans
fers and Concealment.
ENTIRE MARKET IS AFFECTED
fl.va la Weak. with Valaee at
Low Ebb Rumor that Other '
Firm a Will Baapenel
Today.
NEW YORK. Jan. 19 There was an
episode In the New York Stock exchange
today more spectacular In many respects I a of nam
i nan in tvvvih nwuvn. ibihuu hhw. am
IIUGHES TALKS TO
INSURANCE MEN
Representatives of Twenty Million
Policyholders in Conference at
Washington.
HONEST COMPANIES ARE SAFE
State Control Will in No Way Inter
fere with Their Interests.
DAY ft' OF C0RRUPH0N PAST
aaaaaaaa
People Can Better Be Trusted Than
Legislators Who Can Be Bribed.
FEDERAL CONTROL NOT LIKELY
Executive Sara that Supervision by
Valted States Is Impossible
trader ' Recent Decisions.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 19.-At the third
annual meeting of the association of life I
insurance presidents today. Governor
iinanes is. Husiies or New York. ad-
Merchants hurriedly brouhgt out large ar,gej the executive officers of life In-
inarM rt mnvai llelprl tn PnvW DfOdllCA i t v aaa nnn
. . - um rt nnintst thA uru w., uiTHwi wiw executive omcera 01 ma in-
n t t ?Lr ?rJ.Jln",u,kTt of Canv" U,ed l C0Ver Prod,,CBlurance compnles. representing 20.000,000
called Columbus & Hocking Coal and Iron 1, . .t . ... tnr tho .(.,. . , . M . "
at night and held thorn for the girls to
Jump Into. It Is said about twenty made
the leap from different floors. One woman,
Clara S warts, died on the way to a hospital.
pool was smashed,, two stock ' exchange
houses were forced to suspend and the
market generally underwent severe de
clines. Involving the heaviest trading since
the day of Edward H. Harrlman's death.
Total sales aggregated 1,634,500 shares. A
rigid Inquiry by the governors of the ex
change will probably be the aftermath.
The firms Involved are J. M. Flake ft
Co. of 4 Broadway and Lathrop, Hasplns
& Co. of CO Broadway. The failure of both
was caused by th collapse of the pool and Buildine in Which Parliament Sits
ill VU1 Ull l a. J yciiMUiia wv '
Turkish Palace
Ruined by
Fire
filed against both of them.
In the case of J. M. Flake & Co. the
liabilities of tlia firm are placed by cred
itors at 1750,000 with assets of 1400,000.
Counsel for the firm, however, estimated
the firm's liabilities at 82,500,000 at the of Cheragan. where Parliament slta. was
and Finest in Country Acci
dentally Burned.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 19. The palace
close of business on Tuesday afternoon,
with assets of $2,900,000. He did not estl-
practlcally destroyed by fire of accidental
origin today. The Chamber of Deputies
again.
mate the firm's financial resouroes after was burned out and the senate hall was so
oduvs deveioDments. badly damaged that it cannot be occupied
Fraud Is Charged
in tne petition against in urm creuuuia Th(1 of cherairan waa built bv
allege tho prefentlal transfer of property SuUan AMul AleI waa the nne8t of
to one or more creditors and further the pajaegg on the Bosphorus. It was
charges that the alleged Dansrupta per- constructed of marble and the interior waa
mltted a considerable portion of their remarkabie for tha beauty of the-orna-
property "to be concealed or removed, with ments in marble and wood,
Intent to hinder, delay and aeiraua crea- For many years it was the home of the
ltors." J deposed sultan, Murad V, and Inaccessible
Judge Hand, in- the United States dls- to visitors. It was occupied by Parliament
trlct court, appointed a receiver tonight when' the body waa formed a little more
Assets and liabilities are not stated In than a year ago.
the petition filed against Lathrop, Haskins i
ft Co., although it Is alleged that the -r i
claims of creditor on stock accounts ag- JVanSSS ppC3lS
sM Vni A A mlaaUn f lnunlironrV
also alleged. No receiver had been ap- CjUaTantV V-l SC
iA tni ihla firm tonlirht. ''.... -
Th nnlluiu In . tha ixxj today ..ai I"
ffZXZ rinV." Attorney General Jackson Will' Seek
stock aa collateral and the inability or
failure of thoee who were long of It to
make good impaired margins. The suspen
sion of the two firms most vitally con
cerned was, therefore, a natural result.
to Overturn Adverse
Decision.
KANSAS CITY, Jan, is! Alleging that
Several individuals also are said to have the United States circuit court had no Jur
lost heavily. isdictlon and that error was committed by
Entire Market Affected. I Judge Pollock on December 23 last In
In all, about 46,000 shares of Columbus panting a temporary Injunction prevent
Hocking changed hands at a range of from lK the stale bank commissioner from
88tt to 28. The stock closed at 33. a net enforcing the provisions of the Kansas
loss of M points. The entire maVirket closed bank deposit guaranty law. Fred S. Jack
weak, with prices at low ebb. son, attorney general of Kansas, In Kan
With the breaking of the pool there wera sas City, Kan., this afternoon filed an
reports of an immediate investigation into appeal .to the United States circuit court of
the operations by the Stock exchange au- appeals. Judge Pollock, today granted the
thorltles. This was officially denied, but appeal from his previous order, which late
It seems more than likely that clrcum- was a virtual declaration that the law was
stances will force the exchange to take unconstitutional.
some cognisance of the matter. In fart.
soma of the principals of the pool were be
fore the governors during the day, and a
statement dealing authoritatively with the
matter probably will be Issued tomorrow,
According to common belief, James R.
Kecno was active in the market movement
of Columbus and Hocking. Some of his
assoclatea said, however, that the Keene
Interest In the stock had been withdrawn
some time ago. The pool had been in
rxlatenoe ofr about a year.
United States Steel was the feature of
the market today in point of activity. COFFEKVILLE. Kan., Jan. 19. A fire
Trading In this stock totalled SG1.000 shares drill here today probably saved many lives,
School Children
March to Safety
Fire Drill Used When Roof of Build
ing Collapses at Coffey-ville.
policy holders and nearly $4,000,000,000 of
assets', declaring his faith In life Insurance
as an American Institution. He Insisted
that no life insurance organisation which
is honest and economical In Its arrange
ment need fear state control nor expect to
suffer from legislation.
On the subject of legislative sorruptlon
e said:
"I hope the time has gone by when It will
be necessary to protect the interests of
life Insurance policyholders ,by efforts to
corrupt legislators. Publicity, discussion,
fair understanding of what you have In I
view and what Is essential to the proper
conduct of this business, those are your
guarantees and those are the securities of
the policyholders you- represent.
Trust the People.
You are not handling our moneys but
the savings of the people. You are not
responsible for legislation and you have
no duty In any way, by any method, which
will not stand full and public discussion
to thwart any attack upon Interests com
mitted In your care. You can much better
trust people, if the understand the situ
ation, than you can trust those who are
purchasable and run the risk In the future I
of reaping the harvest which 1b inevitable Aged Chicago. Banker Becomes Cott'
f ViAM h. ann.n In n.... Innlnl n ,1 , a" halt. I
.h. ...a. , : I vict 6861 at Leavenwortn.
We must have insurance supervision
supported In public opinion. 1 have been
strongly in favor of control by the state
of various activities, but as one has re
alized more than I how Important it is
that control should be fair and Impartial."
The governor declared he believed that
extension of national activities would be
needed soon to meet the increasing popu
lation, but, referring to the expressed de
sire of soma of the Insurance officials to
'tit- W
DIVISION AMONG
COAL MINERS
Most Powerful Labor Organization in
the World Devotes Day to
Playing Politics.
LEWIS REGIME IS ATTACKED
Opposition Charges President with
Packing Convention.
STRONG DENIAL IS ENTERED
Mr. Lewis Defend His Actions in
( Most Vigorous Language.
OBJECTORS . WIN ONE POINT
Oraraalaera Who Are Delegates Will
Hot Draw rr from General
Treaaary Dnrlna; the
Convenlloa.
Back On the Main Track.
From the New York World.
WALSH BEHIND PRISON BARS
WARDEN OLD FRI
,0F BOYHOOD
Entrance Inte Cent niaruea nr
DUplar of 8eattaajat Koraaal
Rood-Bra to Worn aa
8onla-La
LEAVENWORTIT. Jan ' IX Maintaining
bring the companies under control of the I ,h ..m brave attltudei'tUM he-baa oJ-
federal government, said he believed thai pittyed ever since the tret Indictment John
would not be possible In the face of deola- wiBh today began his flvsyear sen-
tons of the supreme court of the United Uence In the federal-prison here, for- mis
states. l .v. f,,nrtr,r the Chlcasn National
1jij nB
Dlar Toll to Diverse Unri, bank. '
From $16,000,000 to 120.000.000 a year is the I Despite the long night ride from Chicago
toll paid by life Insurance policyholders of and the natural weakness of his advanced
this country as a result of the lack of unl- age 72 yeaj-s h- gave o more . sign of
formity in state insurance laws and prac- worry or distress than If he had- came
tlces, according to L. Q. Fouae. This Is at here to transact a business matter, intteaa
least 6 per cent of the yearly payments to of starting a prison term. He stepped
policyholders and beneficiaries, he figures, briskly Into the office on his arrival.
Mr. Fouse, who is president of the Fidel- Throughout the preliminaries, which, pre-
Ity Mutual Life Insurance company of ceded hla Imprisonment proper," he passed
Philadelphia, made these figures known to- calmly, without a trace of jiervouaness or
day In an address before the meeting of the undue excitement. '
association. He is a member of the execu- At 12:00 p. m., John R- Walsh, banker,
tlve committee of the association. financier, builder of railroads and news-
"Over one-third of the population," said I paper owner, arrived at the prison; twenty
Mr. Fouse, "has a direct interest in life minutes later the one-time master of mil
Insurance and more than one-half of the I lions, but now simply convict No. 6861, was
remaining two-thirds an Indirect Interest, marched away under a guard. The gTay-
It Is exceedingly Important that waste and haired man had begun Ms sentence,
unnecessary taxation be stopped while ex- I Fate decreed that the aged bank wrecker
tending ample security and protection to I should be registered In as a criminal at
the interests Involved. the penitentiary by. a friend of hla boy-
"Sonie would seek to accomplish the de- hood days. Warden R. W. McClaughey,
or apporxlmately 25 per cent of the day's
business.
It was reported tonight that two other
stock exchange firms would be forced to
suspend tomorrow. It was expected In
some quarters that the failure of the two
additional firms would be announced be
fore the market closed, and there was
talk of the filing of a third petition In
bankruptcy, but this was not done up to
the close of the United Btatea district
court.
when, following the collnp.se orvthe roof j
over a portion of the McKlnley school
building, 350 children formed tn line and
marched from their rooma in safety. Not
one of them was hurt. ' '
Workmen were repairing the roof, when
the walls settled, permitting it to drop. Four
men were hurled forty feet to the ground.
One probably waa fatally hurt and three
othrrs were more or les9 seriously hurt.
I
Final Report on
Cook's Records
Copenhagen Confirms Former Find
ing that Claim of Explorer is
Not Sustained.
COPENHAGEN. Jan. 19-The committee
of the t'nlvemlty of Copenhagen has com
plete! its examination of Dr. Frederick A
Cook's original notes and today confirmed
lis previous conclusions that not the slight
est proof that tho explorer reached the
North pole had been submitted.
BOARD FOR NATIONAL PEACE
Chairman .Nicholas Murray Batler
a me a Committee to Brine
fcorlrttra Tosiether.
NEW YOKK. Jan. 19. Nicholas Murray
lluller, chairman of the Xjike Mohonk con
ference on International arbitration, today
announced the names of the committee to
consider plans for a national council for
arbitration and peace, whose purpose will
be to bring Into to-upeiatlon the different
peace and arbitration societies. Following
la the committee: Elihu Koot, Andrew
Carnegie. Albert K. Hnilley. Henjamin F.
Trueblood of lloston, E. I). Warfleld of
Easton. Pa.; layman Abbott and Edwlu D
Mead of Huston, Gorge W. Klrchwey of
New York. James Urown Bcott. solicitor
of the Department of State, and Nlcholj
Murray Butler.
DAHLMAN FIRST AT LINCOLN
ataba Mayor Senda Affidavit of Al
legiance to Democracy to Sec
retary of State.
(From a Btafi Correspondent.)
IJNCOLN. Jan. 19. (8peclal.)-Mayor
Dahlman of Omaha today filed his applica
tion for a place on the primary ballot as
a candidate ror governor, lie swears In
his affidavit he affiliates with the dem
ocratic party and doesn't file as a populist.
sired end through national laws and super
vision; others through the harmonizing of
state, laws and practices. For the present
we are particularly Interested In the latter.
It is a fact that cannot be controverted,
t!: the lack of harmony In tans and prac
tices has been a detriment to the business.
In recent years, however, we have been
drifting towards uniformity and harmony,
and there are many who believe that the
laws of the various states can be made con
sistent and homogeneous, and that It would
be better for all concerned that the busi
ness be conducted under such Improved
laws rather than under a centralised ad
ministration. . Hence, If the uniformity
hoped for can be accomplished there will
be no need of national laws and supervision."
FINE FOR TRUNK SMUGGLER
New York Dressmaker Pleads Gallty
and la Aaseaaed Five Hundred
Dollars.
NEW YORK, Jan. . 19. On her plea of
guilty Mrs. Angela C. Qulnlan, one of
twenty-seven dressmakers recently Indicted
for participation In the "sleeper" trunk
smuggling conspiracy, was today fined 1500.
Mrs. Qulnlan admitted that 112.000 worth
pf the Paris gowns recently seised . be
longed to her.
Forest Rangers Just Hear
"Our Boss" Has Been Canned
Two of Uncle Barn's forest rangers swung
off a train at Union station Wednesday
morning and learned the news that Qlfford
Ptnchot had been dismissed by President
Taft aa the head of the forestry bureau.
"Ity hek," said one of them, "our boss
has been canned for nearly two weeks, and
this Is the first we heard of It. Don't
that beat allr".
The men are James H. Burton and
Charles H. Clay, who have baen stationed
for two yeara in the Holy Cross National
forest in Colorado. They are now off on
leave of absence and are going back east
to visit friends until the snows are gone
from the mountains and the pasture lands
are open for graalng. ,
Since Thursday the two rangera have
been traveling eastward from the moun
tain fastesses of the western slop and
the newa of Mr. Plnchot'a removal was
naturally slow In reaching them.- Their
cabin Is located up In the Capitol creek
district of Pitkin county, twenty miles
irom a railroad station. They see the
daily papers up there on an average of
once a month.
"I was always strong for Plnchot policies
myself." said Clay, "but the mountaineers
were opposed to bis methods. The stock
raisers of Colorado now pay 26 cents a head
yearly to allow their cattle to grass on the
national forests. In years gone by there
were no charges, as the land la government
land and supposed to be free. Ths rangers
give the ranchers all the protection possible
and often are the mean of preventing seri
ous forest fires, but the western stockmen
for the moat part will be glad to see the
end of the ironclad rules."
Hurton Is a graduate of the College of
Agriculture of the University of Illinois
and Clay took the forestry course at the
University of West Virginia,
former chief of police of Chicago.. He and
Walsh were chums In their youth in Chi
cago. They had not seen each other In
years until today.
As Walsh entered the warden's - office
Major McClaughey arose and offered his
hand.
Within twenty minutes aftef the ward
en's office had been reached the prelimin
ary arrangements for WaJnh beginning his
sentence had been arranged. He shook
hands with his son, John W, Walsh, his
son-in-law. Dr. L. Blake Baldwin; his at
torney, E. C. Pltsher and United Btatea
marshals Hoy and Mlddleton', who accom
panted him.
"Good by," he said, firmly, and then
there were a few words between them such
as friends would exchange upon a casual
meeting.
That was all. The aged prisoner did not
seek to take advantage of his friendship
with the warden by asking the warden for
special favors during his Incarceration. N6
favors Will be accorded him. His treatment
will be the same as that of any prisoner.
Easy Night on Train.
Walsh passed an easy night on the train
between Chicago and Kansas City.' He re
tired at 11 o'clock, after having chatted,
laughed and Joked with friends for several
hours. He ate two lunches on the train
before retiring.
At T o'clock Walsh was out of bed. Jest
ing with the other members of his party.
He ate a hearty breakfast. The Chicago,
Milwaukee 4 St. Paul J rain upon which he
was traveling was forty-five minutes late
Into Kansas City, but this did not perturb
him. While the train crept through , the
yards he sat In his apartment and read.
Walsh asked his companions to protect
him against a battery of newspaper pho
tographers gathered at the Kansaa City
Union station and tn an effort to shield
his father John W. Walsh mixed with
Benjamin Wright, one or the men with a
camera. Wright leveled his camera at the
banker aa he stepped from the train.
Young Walsh perceived the move and im
mediately - rushed at Wright. ' As he ran
he hurled his suit case at the camera. The
case struck the machine with a crash
smashed it to bits and hurled the photog.
rapher against the side of a passenger
con;h.
' During the melee Walah, piloted by Dr.
L. Blake Baldwin, his son-in-law, escaped
Into the waiting room of the station. Ar
rangements were made for the prisoner
to occupy the invalids' room until a train
started for Ieavenworth. Although t lit re
waa a cot In the room, Walsh did not
make use of It. He stood up by the cur
tain and conversed with bis attorney, E
C Rltcber.
Qcrman Tariff ,
Negotiations
Arc Still On
Berlin Newspapers Aroused Because
that Country is Omitted from
Taft Proclamation.
BERLIN, Jan. 19. The government has
decided that in the event of an agreement
upon reciprocal tariffs between the United
States and Germany Is not reached by
February 7. when the running arrangement
xolrea. Germany's general tariff . rates
must, under the law, be applied to Ameri
can Imports at present oomlng In under the
conventional tariff. One hundred and
twenty-seven articles will be affected. It
was, however, seml-offlctally declared to
day that the tariff negotiations with the
United Btates had not been broken off and
it was added that time remained ror a
settlement of the differences between the
two countries.
In the absence of such a settlement the
generat tariff rates will go Into effect auto
matically at midnight on February 7.
The imperial consultative commercial
board. Composed of manufacturers, finan
ciers and economists, has been summoned
to meet on January 24 and consider the
trade position taken by the United States.
The government wishes to explain to the
board the attitude which it has assumed.
Last night's speech of Privy Councillor
Goldberger before the American Association
of Commerce and Trade, , In which tha
speaker Indicated that Germany was not
disposed to give way to the United States,
was based. It is learned, upon Goldberger'a
personal inquiries In government quarters.
The newspapers today note with some
concern that Germany was omitted from
President Taft's proclamation of yesterday
of the countries tq profit by the minimum
rates at United States ports, . .
TELEPHONE MERGER PLANNED
Manmm.
New Independent System to Absorb
' Smaller Lines of State. ,
COMPANY TO INCORPORATE SOON
Wire Association Chooses Officers at
Convention and Hen re Addreaa
About Bonds j-Meettnar In
Blaf fa Today.
SIX THOUSAND STREET CAR
MEN VOTE T0G0 ON STRIKE
Philadelphia Traction ' Employes
Charge Discrimination Aaalnst
Union Pratt la Charge.
' PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Jan. 19. Aa the
result of a series of disagreements between
the grievance committee of the local union
and the management of the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit company, 4,000. motormen
and conductors, members of the Amalgam
mated Association of Street and Electric
Railway Employes laat night and early this
morning voted to strike at the call of the
executive board of the union. The men
claim that the management of the company
haa violated the terms of the agreement en
tered Into at the close of the last strike
and that members of the union have been
discriminated against In favor of members
of a rtew rival union.
C. O. Pratt, national organiser, advised
against the strike, but said that If the men
felt that It was needed to clear the atmos
phere the national body would stand by
them.
Under the by-laws of the union the reso
lution to strike must be endorsed by the
national executive committee of the as
sociation and it is probable that that body
will make an effort to arbitrate before
they give approval.
Call Douglas 238,
the "Want-ad
Number."
Ask for the Want-ad Depart
ment and your ad will be tak
en carefully and will appear
in the next edition.
Probably you have something you
should advertise a room or houae
for rent need help aomethlns; to
sell something you want to buy.
Do it now while you have it
in mind. Telephone it
Immediately following the adjournment
of tlie''kebta"$1fed''ftMepndent Telephone
association convention - Wednesday after
noon a: preliminary meeting for the pur
pose of. arranging for the Incorporation
of the Independent Telephone System of
Nebraska waa called, with C. J. Carlow of
Columbus aa chairman.
A list of the several companies repre
eenttng' all parts, Of the state waa read
as ugreliiH to enter tha incorporation, fifty
shareholders responding, which was more
than tl'.e requisite quorum for incorpora
tion purposes.
A bonrd of directors of fifteen was pro
vldxd to carry out the work of the incor
poratlon, Twelve , wefe chosen at thli
meeting and the remaining threo are to be
selected at a meeting' of the twelve di
rector to be celled within thirty daya by
the executive committee ' of the assocta
tion. .,
These twelve diiectors were elected: W.
E. Bell of ork, F. H. Woods of Lincoln,
C. W. Battled ol Fatrbury, F. B. Lyman
of HaKtings, W. Piatt, of Kearney, W. J.
Sladi'lman of Norfolk. Q. J. Carlow of
Columbus, J. H. Ritchie of Beaver Cross
ing, C. L. Richards of Hebron. E. C. Krem-
sou of Elm Creek, George E. Becker of
Pawnee City ond W. H. Daubendick of
DeWltt.
It In piwposed lo merge the association
into the lirdeicndent Telephone System
of N(tbruka n trie next annual meeting of
the aauotia'.'.on.
It is proposed to fix the stock of the
"system" at 110,000 divided into 400 shares
of a each, and to, If possible, absorb all
the . Independent telephone companies of
the state. The life of the Incorporation is
to be 100 years from the time the articles
of incorporation are filed with the secre
tary of state.
ballots Cast for Officers.
Officers were chosen Wednesday after
noon as follows:
C. J. Garlow of Columbus, president
George K. Coddlngton of Auburn, vice
president.
R. E. Mattlson of Lincoln, secretary and
treasurer.
C. J. Garlow of Columbus, F. H. Woods
of Lincoln. B. H. Towle of Falls Ulty, u
C. Deering of Omaha, W. J. Stadelman of
Norfolk. W. T. Ball of York and P. W
Bartlett of Falrbury, executive committee.
The next meeting of the association will
be left to thee xecutlve committee to select
the time and place.
The other business of the association
during the afternoon was the presentation
of addresses by various member on tele-
phone subjects based on varied experiences
and the report of miscellaneous commit
tees and the adoption of the report of th
committee on resolutions. These latter In
eluded a vote of thanks to the local com
mlttees, to Mayor Dahlman for his we!
come address and to the press of Omaha
The association will attend the meeting
of the Iowa association In Council Bluffs
this morning. Prior to going to Council
Bluffs the pew 'executive committee will
meet In room Dl in. the Rome hotel at
8 30 this morning.
Telephoue Finance Done.
Colonel C. J. Bills of Lincoln In replying
to the address of welcome of Mayor Dahl
man at the Second day's session of th
Nebraska Independent Telephone asaoula
tlon announced that plans are practically
completed for the financing and extension
of the Independent telephone system of
Omaha.
"Omaha bullded better than it knew when
It granted a franchise to the Independent
Telephone company," said Colonel Bills.
"I know that financiers locally and abroad
have banded themseivea together and that
this company is at this hour reorganizing
and that Omaha will have the finest tele
phone system In the entire west."
Frank H. Woods of IJncoln, president of
th National Association of Independent
Telephone companies, verified the slate-
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind., Jan. 19.-The moet
powerful unified labor organisation in the
world, the United Mine Workers of North
America, played politics bitterly all of to
day In It convention it) this city and finally
rebuffed Its International administration.
The "flllbusterers," so called by President
Thomas Lewis, succeeded In carrying by a
large majority to suspend during the con
ventlon the salaries of the International
organisers who are in attendance aa rep
resentatives of local unions, and to put
upon the unions the expense of their sup
port aa delegates.
The delegates divided in the debate on the -motion.
The leaders of the Insurrectionists
were Frank J. Hayes, who probably haa
been elected International vice president,
and who now Is secretary of tha Illinois
district of th union; William Green of
Ohio, Lewis' opponent In the election for
president; John H. Walker, president-elect
of theIlllnols miner and Lewis' defeated
rival for the International presidency last
year; Duncan McDonald, now the president
of the Illinois district, and Francis Kes
han, president of the Pittsburg district.
The antl-ad ministration speakers charged
that International organisers, being under
the control of President Lewis, had been
called Into the convention In the expecta
tion that they could' further the Interests
fthe administration; that some of them
had solicited delegates' credentials from
local unions, supposed to be unable to send
delegates, and that they should have re
mained In their distrusts attending to the
duties for which they were paid.
A dangerous centralisation of power re-
suited, It was maintained, which threat
ened the lights of the Individual district.
Levrla Defends Acts.
After his opponentshad plead their causes,
President Lewis made a statement flatly
denying that he had asked international
organisea to help him forward his policies
the convention or that he had ever
caucused -the organisers. He had called
some of them to the convention,, he said.
so that the delegatus might .have flrst-
and Information of (he progress of organi
zation In non-union" coal mining fields.
Continuing, Lewi Bald:
"But It Is ot the international organizers
that are bothering these men. In their In
tense desire to protect the financier of the
workers in the mines, what have some
of them done? Read the scurrilous clrcu-
ars that have been Issued assailing my
character and my work. Ever Since the
miners of this country placed a gavel in
my hands my enemies have done all In
their power to discredit my admlnlntratlon.
The have sowed the seeds of malice and
disruption In tha organisation." -
In defense of the Integrity and devotion
of the international organiser President
Lewis declared) "If you would know the
perils that beset these men go Into the
fields of Alabama, Hopkins county, Ken
tucky; Elhart Ridge, West Virginia; the
mountains of Tennessee and parts of the
fields of Pennsylvania, Missouri and more
that I might mention. If you are sus
pected of being an organizer you will give
gooj account of yourself or you will be
escorted out by armed men, and If you
resist you will stay there crippled."
After President Lewis had closed hi
speech there was further argument until a
motion to end the debate was curried by
vote of 638 ayes and 467 noes. The
original motion then was put and carried.
The reports of President Lewis, Secre
tary-Treasurer Edwin Perry and Vice
President McCullough were read and the
convention adjourned for the day.
(Continued on Second Page.)
Report of President.
The application of common sense
should be the basis of the new method of
promoting Industrial peace in the mining
regions," according to the annual report
of President Thomas L. Lewis.
President Lewis declared that an Im
portant problem before the organization
waa how to organize the mine workers in
the nonunion mining district. He said:
South and east of the Ohio river in the
states of Maryland, West Virginia, Ken
tucky, Tennessee and Alabama, nearly
120,000 mine workers are employe. Of this
number, but a small per cent of the total
are organized, and what la true of the
states named also applies to a large sec
tion of the bituminous and anthracite dis
tricts of Pennsylvania as well as Colorado.
Costly and unsuccessful efforts have been
made to organize these district through
the medium of strikes. The amount spent
for aid alone In support of KtrlUes In the
states of Maryland. Went Virginia, Ken
tucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Colorado
since the year lfiOO amounts to nearly
13,000,000, and to this luige sum should be
added the amount of money apentTo main
tain a number of organisers in thtme dis
tricts." ,
In denying a widespread belief that the
mine worker seek to organise in th
states named to curtail the shipment of
coal went, President Lettts said: "We
should declare In the most emphatic man
ner that It Is not our purpose to organize
the nonunion mining districts to curtail
their coul pioduction. We must convince
the operators of those states that we are
sincere in our position.. We will then have
removed the greatest obstacle In the way
of organizing West Virginia and the other
states nnmed."
The report states that the anthracite
roal region ot Pennsylvania employs 174.109
mine workers, about 80,000 of whom rre
organized, and explained the condition hy
saying, "An Investigation and study of the
anthracite situation convinces me that
tho inactivity and the failure of the mine
workers to be better organised Is due
principally to their own IndlfCorence."
Mr, I-ewla declared that th wug agree
ment now In effect tn the anthracite region
does not ' provide a prow r standard of
wages and Is not what the mine workers
desire, And, in regard to the present aaiea-
