v" r Omaha Daily Bee THE OMAHA DEE goes to ihfl homes Is read by tba women sell3 tcods 'or advertiser. WEATHER FORECAST. For Nebraska Ilr and warmer. Kor Iowr Fair and warmer For weather :"inrt rp papc I. VOL. XXXIX XO. 24(5. OMAHA, FRIDAY MORNING, APKIL. 1, 1910-TWKLVK PAGES. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. RAILROAD BILL . GOOD, SAYS ROOT Proposed Measure Strongly Supported by New York Senator in Three Hour Speech. )EFENSE OF THE HERGES CLAUSE Wyoming Coal HANDY WORKERS COAL STRIKE IS IN FULL BLAST Lands Wanted By Uncle Sam Tracts Were Secured by "Dummy" Entrymen, Avers Government, and "t is Filed to Recover. FOR INSURANCE William H. Buckley and "Andy" Hamilton Are Exposed as the Two Twins in Passing Bills. Two Hundred Thousaud Kintrs Enst of Mississippi River Leave Work ings at Nijhtfall. WELL PAID EMPLOYES, IS SHOWN TIEUP SLATED FOR SIXTY DAYS HE m Big Improvement Over Present Law, is Speaker's Statement. TRAFFIC AGREEMENT IS GOOD This Section is Approved on Grounds of Fairness. COMPETITION INSISTED UPON Senator Root Sara It Most be Hern iated, Dot Not to Decrees that Will Work an Injury. WASHINGTON. March 31. Commanding Che careful attention of a majority of his colleague, Senator Root today consumed three hour of the time of the senate In continuing his speech In defense of the administration railroad bill. He again failed to conclude h remarks. He defended the merger provision, of the 111 as a great advance over existing law, Jn that It made the purchase of one com pany's stock by another an offense. He argued, however, that such acquisition was not now Illegal, except as pant of a con. eriracy. lis also seuported the traffic agreement section, but expressed a willing ness to require such agreements to be de pendent on the a-pproval of the Interstate Commerce commission.' Mr. Root emphasised the provision as of especial Importance. He declared the pres ent prohibitive act provided Its own viola tion. This course was most demoralising and should not be encouraged by failing to put In the power of the railroad to ob serve the law and will make their agree ments. It was better to have the railroads voluntarily conform to the law than to have them forced to do eo. Insists I'pon Competition. "We Insist upon competition." he con tinued, "but we prohibit such competition as -we think Injurious and we lorget that the railroads themselves may be better able to enforce the low than can any of ficer In Washington." He argued that In many matters the rail roads were practically required to enter Into agreement, and so long as this was true, he said. It was absolutely necessary that the roads should be authorised to come together. To do this would bo to wipe out an anomoly and abu.se. In reply to an Inquiry from Mr. Rayner, Mr. Root said he would favor an amend ment requiring that agreements among rail roads should have the approval of the In terstate Commerce commission before going Into effect. 'II did not, ttowever, regard 1!io addition as of particular importance. Tbe nnly reason for its Insertion would be a desire to avoid misunderstanding. The concession, however, was considered by the opponents of the bill as Important. Mr. De pew advocated amending the bill so as to require governmental approval. He said he had held to that position fur many years before lie entered the senate. 'And I believe that is the attitude of ery railroad man 1 nthe country," he added. The Commission's Power. Senator Clapp eald he would Insist thnt the bill be so worded as to make agree ments unlawful unless approved by the commission. Mr. Root said he never would consent to give the commission the right to suspend a rate fixed by a railroad without Investigation. He would not consent that any official should fix the railroad rates, but was willing that the government should su pervise rates. To do more would be to change from the American to the Euro pean system, he said, wtlh government ownership Inevitably following. "We all desire the extension of our system, but we will never say to the capital of the country that we encourage its Investment only wtlh the end In view of concentrating Its control In Washing ton," said Mr. Root. Mr. Cummins asked whether there was any difference In principle In giving the commission the power to suspend rates for sixty days for the purpose of in vestigating and In giving it power to make an Indefinite suspension. "The power to render Indefinite sus pension la the power to render, final Judg ment," responded Mr. Root, "whereas the nnwer of temporary suspension Is like the granting of a temporary Injunction. The power to suspend indefinitely In volves the right to suspend without any Investigation." Bacon Doesn't Agree. Mr. Bacon took Issue with Mr. Root's assertion that the fixing of rates by the got eminent would lead to government ownership. He said for thirty years the railroad commission of Georgia had had such power. Mr. Root replied that there would be found to be a vast difference between Btate and government control. The chief function of ownership was the fixing of rat. said. 'and he argued that if the state could fix rates It could so con trol them us to reduce them to a point where It might be necessary to take ab solute control. Mr. AUlrleh asked Mr. Root whether he wan in favor of giving the Interstate Com merce commission power to fix the rates on all railroads of Georgia. Mr. Root replied he would not favor turning over control of all the railroads to the commission. Mr. Root contended ttat Ihe merger eec- nm cf the bill did not interfere with the i.iiiutUm of the anti-trust act. He de emed the supreme court, in the Northern Securities caw had not held the purchase of stock to be contrary to the anti-trust law. On the contrary it had explicitly held that congress could not control the mere acquisition of stock of a railroad corpor at ion. The offense was in the conspiracy and U might not always be that the pur chase of stock was In pursuance or a con spiracy, or if so, It was not always easy to prove the fact. He ?td this bill would it-lleve the government of the necessity of finding a conspiracy. From Theory to Practice. This la no advance," he exclaimed. "It it- n.trely an advance from the theory to practice; It la advance from newspaper disweitloiH to definite l.gtulation. The ser ious question U whether, under our eursU tution we can say that the railroad cor- Continued on Second Page.) JE, Wyo., March 31-The gov- er. Sta y filed suits In the United V- here to recover title to thou- art the court WA ore It Ing to Ing, by court li s of valuable coal lands In T- untain district In Corbon r. r ' V N, March 31. The coal and h the government is seek t Cormon county, Wyom a suit filed In the federal ie, were obtained, it was said, at the Department of Jcstlee today, through the medium of dummy entrymen. These entrymen were rharged with hav ing been agents of the Northwestern Land and Iron company, which, with the paten tees, Is made party to the suit. The land and Iron company, It was stated, Is a hold ing corporation for the Denver, Laramie ct Northwestern Railroad company. DENVER, March SI. "Nelthr Northwester Land and Iron compa'.' the Denver, Laramie & Northwe rn Dallroad company Is affected In the suit brought by the government at Cheyenne today to recover coal and Iron lands." said A. J. Spengel, terasurer of the for mer omcpany. The suit Is brought against Judge Mll llken and Charles 8. Johnson as Indi viduals, and does not Involve the land of either company." New Jersey Will Try to Extradite J. Ogden Armour Prosecutor Garven Files Requisition Papers with Governor for Packer Charged with Conspiracy. NEW TORK, March 31. Requisition papers for the extradition of J. Ogden Armour of Chicago, who was recently In dicted by the Hudson county. New Jersey, grand Jury for conspiracy In controlling the prices of meat products, were filed with Governor Fort at Trenton, N. J., to day by Prosecutor Garven of Jersey City. Requisition papers were filed several days ago with Governor Fort for the extradition of Louis F. Swift and Edward Morris. It is understood that before Governor Fort will sign the papers he will hear argument by counsel for the Indicted men showing that they were not In New Jersey at the time the Indictments were found against them and that they are not liable to extra dition. ; Identity of Wreck Victims Two Men Killed Near Sheridan Tues day Morning Are Joseph and William Jande. SHERIDAN, Wo., March 31.-Sp?clal Tel egramsFrom v a. . letter written . to their mother, without postofflce address, It was learned here today that the two last vic tims, making six in all, of the Burlington freight wreck at Ulm, a few miles east of Sheridan, Tuesday morning, were Joseph and William Jande, brothers, aged about 2i and 18, respectively. The letter stated they were enroule to this city In quest of em ployment. They were beating their way in a car loaded with salt. The bodies were found close together, Indicating that they probably were asleep when the freight trains crashed together. The brothers were lying ten feet from the body of F. Coulter, a colored man, who was traveling west from Fort Smith. Ark. An effort Is being made to locate the parents of the brothers. The wrecking crew is still clearing up the debris from the terrible collision and more bodies may be found. INDIANA REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ORGANIZE Association Will Favor indorsement of Payne-Aldrlch BUI by State Convention. INDIANAPOLIS, March 31. At a confer ence of candidates for nomination to state offices by the Indiana republican conven tion It was announced today that an as sociation would be formed endorsing the Payne-Aldrlch tariff law, desp;lte the fact that United States Senator Albert J. Bev erldge voted against the bill. The con ference Is scheduled to take place In this city tomorrow. SOITH BEND. Ind., March 31-The re publicans of the Thirteenth district in con vention here today nominated John L. Moorman of Knox as their candidate for congress. The resolutions adopted Ignore the Payne Aldrlch tariff law; endorse Senator Bev erldge, who voted against the law, and en dorse President Taft's administration. Saloonist and Surety Held for Eye Drunk Man Ruined For the gouging out of his right eye, Ford Smith, a colored man, has received a jury award of $2 000 In damages. The district court Jury which heard his suit against Edward A. Roehrlg, formerly a South Omaha saloon keeper, and the Title Guaranty and Surety company, reached a verdict at 10 p. m. Wednesday. Roehrlg was sued as having sold liquor to Bud and George Weatherford, alleged to have com mitted the assault upon Ford Smith. The surety company Is on Roehrtg's bond. The Jury was required to make a special finding of facts In answer to two questions. The first query was: "Why struck the blew which caused the injury to Ford Smith's eye?" The other question ran: "Was George Weatherford under the Influence of liquor when Smith was hurt?" The testimony showed that it was George Weatherford, If either of the brothers, who assaulted Smith, and to get any action Evidence Indicates that Both Men Received Goodly Fees. WHO ACCEPTED THE BRIBES t Mr. Hotchkiss Want3 Names of New Tork Legislators Who Sold Out. BIG TIM OFFERED TO KILL BILL Charge that New York Senator Asked Ten Thousand Dollars Is Corrob orated More A boat Back ley's Big Bill. NEW TORK. March 81. How William H. Bt ckley. accelerator of Insurance legisla tion, and the late "Andy" Hamilton, keeper of the llfo Insurance "yellow dos" fund of former years, worked shoulder to shoulder oiling the legislative wheels at Albany for good and substantial consideration was brought out today at the fire Insurance Inquiry conducted by William H. Hotch kiss, state superintendent of Insurance. Hamilton, the evidence showed, received no less than 18,999 from certain companies In 1901. Hamilton's name was put on the record through the testimony of Henry C. Wilcox, vice president of the American Surety company.- In 1901, Wilcox testified, the fire In surance companies caused to be introduced In the legislature a bill to exempt the un earned reserves from taxation. Mr. Wilcox wanted to have the casualty and surety companies Included In the exemption and accordingly went to Albany . He tried to get Senator Raines and Assemblyman Lewis Interested, but failed. Then ha hunted up Buckley and told him his troubles. Buckley, he said, told him that Hamilton was the one to help him. Buckley tele phoned to Hamilton and said Hamilton agreed to take it up. Wilcox left Albany and the amendment went through as desired. When It was ail over Hamilton sent a bill for $10,000 to the American Surety company. "Did he tell you he had to pay out any of the money?" the witness was asked. "He conveyed to. me the suggestion that he had assumed obligations which he could not meet unless the full amount was paid." This was as strong as Mr. Wilcox would put It. He thought the bin too large, but as a compromise, he said, he sent three checks to Hamilton, aggregating SS,4flP. Later the National Surety company paid $2,530 to Hamilton. With the resumption of the Investigation, Elijah R. Kennedy, the legislative agent who made the first revelations In the In qulry, was expeotid back for further que Honing. Mr. Hotchkiss was anxloua to learn if the dlsburser of the fire insurance companies fund of 1901 had refreshed his memory sufficiently to remember the names of some other Individuals besides George W. Aldrldge, to whom he made payments while seeking to further the passage of t bill In the Interest of the companies. Superintendent Hotchkiss was also ex pected to go Into the history of casualty and surety company legislation at Albany. He had a long list at witnesses ready be fore the day's session of the Inquiry opened Charge Against Big Tim. George F. Seward's charge that Edward A. Brown offered, In 1S32, in -behalf of , Senator "Big Tim" Sullivan, to have an Insurance bill killed for 110,000, was cor roborated In some -let alls by E. E. Clapp, formerly of the Fidelity and Casualty company, where Mr. Seward Is president. John B. Lunger of Harl;ord, Conn., who Is vice president of the Travelers' Insur ance company of Hartford, testified that the Travelers first employed Buckley In January, 1903. He declared he had never known of Buckley's activity In connection with legislation at Albany. Buckley was retained to get the liability reserve bill through solely on account of his familiarity with Insurance matters. When the bill had been passed Buckley called on the company for the payment of the $21,400. The company thought the bill excessive. "What did Mr. Buckley say to Justify I such a bill?" asked Mr. Hotchkiss. "He said he had been kept busy for sev eral months and had met much opposition, as well as to do a great deal of explain ing." Big Parment for Legal Work. "Did he tell you that he had paid out any money to any one In connection with the passage of the bill," "He did not." "And so your company paid to a lawyer who had been practicing law for less than two years, $2l,4O0 for services covering less than five months?" The witness assented. It was shown that Buckley rendered two bills, one of $10,000 In his New York office and the other of $8,000 from his Albany office, covering about the same period of time. Later the bills for (Continued on Second Page.) against the man who owned the saloon where the trouble occurred, it had also to be shown, the defense asserts, that he had been selling liquor to the assailant. The Jury answered yes to the second question and hedged on the first, replying, "One of the Weatherfords." Judge Kennedy sent the jury back, In structing It to reply whether George or Bud Weatherford struck the blow and If unable to say which one, to state that fact. The Jury coming In again, said It was unable to say which one. The defense will move to have the verdict set aside on the ground that to recover damages George Weatherford must have been shown to have been the man who hit Smith. Bud Weatherford died Monday last during the course of the trial. He had testified earlier and a re-subpoena was left at his house Monday afternoon by Deputy Sheriff Mead. Weatherford died of heart failure during the nl,ht . "Janes teems nil crippled up." Prom tb Cl.vcl.na Plain l-...r. OVER MILLION 0N 'PHONES Heavy Expenditure! Will Be Made by Nebraska Telephone Company. BIG CAMPAIGN OF IMPROVEMENT Aboit Two Thousand Miles of Copper Toll Lines Will Br Iiallt Plane to Hoik l with West Kl k era Union. "Our plans for the present year call for an expenditure of about $1,300,000 on the work of construction and reconstruction in Omaha and throughout the state," says G. E. McFaxland, general manager of the Nebraska Telephone.' company. "We will do an unusual amount of work this year In carrying out our policy to keep up with the growth of the state and stive Its business interests to the best of our ability. The Incrase In Improvements Is notable this year and necessitates more material and large additions to the num ber of employes. ' "About 2.000 miles of additional copper toll lines will be built to use In connection with the existing toll circuits of the com pany In Omaha. "Nearly 1,600 miles of toll pole lines will be reconutruoted. . This is ' an unusual amount of new work In this line and It will be distributed over the entire system. "The oopper circuit will be extended as far west as Broken Bow. It Is now as far west, as Ravenna. The new copper toll circuit, extending to North Platte, has .lust been completed and service is now given North Platte and all intei'-eni points "About thirty exchanging in the state will either be rebuilt ' entirely or recon structed during the year. A ew exchange will be added to the present Douglas build ing In Omaha and there will be a new cen tral office In the rooms now occupied by the nrneral offices, which will be. In this Kennedy building, the top floor of which Is already occupied by us. t Work in the Black tills. "Officials of the company have Just re turned from the Black Hills country In South Dakota. It is expected to do a con siderable amount of work in and adjacent to the Black Hills. The plans - are to connect the exchange In the Black Hills with the rest of our system, but the exact route has not yet been determined upon. "The Nebraska Telephone company ha3 about 0,000 toll lines in Nebraska and the wire mileage of every kind, Including ex changes and toll lines. Is 1G3.655 for Ne braska and the Black Hills country. - "Important plans are being perfected be tween the Nebraska Telephone company and the Western Union Telegraph com pany so that a telegraph service will be available at nearly all, if not all, Nebraska towns for night as well as day service.- It Is planned to arrange the lines so that telegraph messages may be telephoned from a town where there is no night tele graph office to the nearest center where the Western -Union company maintains a night office. We wish to have It so that our service will be available at all timer for public needs and this will be a grea! convenience for emergency service fot people In the smaller towns." PACIFIC RAILROADS REST Harriman Lines Conclude Their fense In Knit to Dissolve Merger. De- NEW YORK. March 31 The defendants in the federal suit to dissolve the merger of the 1'nlon and Southern Pacific rail roads rested their case today and an ad journment was taken until Tuesday. People who can get along very well with second-hand things, are watch ingthe ForSale col umns of The Bee daily. Every day tomeone is advertis ing an article that they do not need, and every day somebody in snap ping up these articles. You have something about the house that you do not use? What is U? It has value. Somebody wants it, and will pay for It. Call Douglas 238 find de scribe it to the ad taker and she will" tell you what an ad will cost to sell it. "Yes, he's been blastin' eat his back South Dakota Butter Makers In Convention Effort Will be Made to Have Law Passed Preventing Discrimination by Larger Creameries. WATERTOWN, S. D., March 31.-tSpe-Plal.) The second annual convention of the South Dakota Dairymen's and Butter makers' association was In session In this city yesterday. The election of officers, one of the first things on the program, re sulted In K. H. Baldwin of Bella Fourche being elected president; C. H. Winn of Castlewood, vice president, and A. P. Ryger of Brookings, secretary-treaBurcr. The two first officers were re-elected. In a general discussion of how the small creamery man can compete with the central plants, It was decided to make an effort at the next sef.slon of the state legislature to have a law enacted t6 prohibit large dealers paying more for cream In one lo cality than In another. It was stated that the large dealers were Inclined to pay high prices where a co-operative creamery was In operation, where in localities where these plants had been shut down, prices much lower were paid. A special committee composed of P. A. Zollman of Alexandria, C. H. Winn of Castlewood and A. Yeamans of Clark was appointed to take up the matter of having steps taken toward the enactment of a law thaf will protect the small dealers. Tuesday evening the delegates were the guests of the local Business Men's union at a smok ir an6 lunch. The North American Storage company has started excavation for a new I3O.000 creamery, which Is ekpected to be In opera tion early this summer. The company has operated a branch here for a number of years, but has -outgrown the present build ings. DANLEY WILL HOLD PLACE AS CHADRON POSTMASTER Cona-ressmnn Ktnkald Succeeds In Placattnnr Postofflce Department Over Irresjnlarttr. (From n Staff Correspondent.) WASHINGTON, March SI (Special Tel egram.) Representative Ktnkald today announced that he had succeeded in placat ing the Postofflce department In the case of Postmaster Danley of Chadron. It ap pears -Postmaste.- Danley Innocently mixed his personal bank account with that of funds belonging to the government and the aostofflce Inspectors preferred charges. These charges were of such slight nature that Judge Kinkaid had little difficulty In satisfactorily explaining to the authori ties here and Mr. Danley will remain post master at Chadron. Senator Eurkett today received affida vits from N. C. Rofiers, C. 8. Rogers and Elmer C. Tldvall, president, cashier ar.d asslttant cashier, respectively, of the First .v'iitlonal bank of Minden, Neb., to ex plain how the STi.OOO gold certificate owned ay the'r bank was destroyed by fire. The affidavits have been duly filed before the finance committee to back up the bill seeking to reissue the certificate alleged to have been accidentally destroyed. TOBACCO - WORKERS STRIKE Keg-roes Employed In Stranirrles I.onisville Start Two Small niota. at LOTISVILI.E. Ky., March al.-Eleven hundred negro men, women and children employed In one of the American Tobacco company's stemeries here struck today for an Increase of one-half of 1 per cent per pound for stemm'ng. The strikers were dlscrdorely to such an extent this morning that the police were twice called to the tobacco district. Nearly 2.000 tobacco work rs are now on strike and other walkouts ere expected. Commissioner Valentine Outlines Creed for Indians CARI.ISKK, Pa., March 3I.-Members of erty. The government Is slowly but the graduating class of the United Htates steadily taking away the artificial condl Indian school at Carlisle received their tl-jns which hsve surrounded my life and I diplomas today from the hands of the com - nilsnluner of Indian affairs. Robert Valen - tine. The commencement exercises hsd been In progress since the beginning of the week and culminated today In the distri bution of diplomas to the twenty grad uates of the c ass of 1010. Mr. Valentine prefaced the presentation of the diplomas with an address to the class. He expressed the belief that the Indian had reached a period In his devel opment where something corresponding to a creed showing the right road to progress In 'the future should be formulated. Out lining his Idea of the material from which each Indian should build such creed, he said In part, it should contain: "The government as my guardian,-cares more for my character than for my prop- w1 vaK " v yard for a vegetable garden." FROST DOES NO GREAT HARM Comes to This Locality, but is Not Regarded a3 Severe. TEMPERATURE GOES DOWN TO 36 It Is Hack Lower Than This Ont la the State, Where the Storm Dirt n Qrrat Anionnt ol keV Mischief. A frost of varying Intensity yesterday was the aftermatii in Omnha of the west ern storm. In the center of the district directly affected by the atmospheric dis turbance weather conditions have Improved giving opportunity for the repair of dam aged telegraph and telephone lines. Train service Is rapidly assuming normal condi tions according to the general reports re ceived by the Omaha railway offices. Complete restoration ot the wire service will take several days yet. "In the district west of North Platte, ex tending through western Nebraska and eastern Colorado north and south for sev eral hundred 'miles, the wires were prac tlrallv all cut down," said William W. Umsted, manager for the Western Union here. "Hundreds of linemen have been shipped into the field, but It will probably take four days yet before service can be made normal. Some wires have been started through the district already." The predicted frost arrived on time in this locality, but can hardly be regarded as damaging or killing. The temperature recorded by the weather bureau was li. which was fOOi 'degrees shy of the freezing point,- l .the top of the ftderal bulldlMj where the weather Instruments are located. But out in the city temperatures were reported ai) low as 22, and frost was dis tinctly manifest In ihe low lying sections Just what damage the frost might have done In this vicinity can only be guested at, depending entirely upon the stage of advance of the early garden truck. While there la quite a heavy fruit bloom, some of the fruit men are of the opinion that the front was not severe enough to cause any great damage. Asquith Galls for Show of Hands Test Motions Will be Introduced in Hons: ot Commons ; Monday. IXJNDON, March 31.-The government apparently has made up Its mind to bring political matters to an Issue early In May. In the House of Commons this afternoon Premier Asquith announced two test mo tions, the first to be made on April 4, al lotting a specific period for the discussion on the veto regulations, and, second, des ignating the time to be given to a con sideration of the budget. The opinion In the lobby today war that this arrangement portended a general election within six weeks. NEGRO GIVE NDAMAGES FOR FALSE ARREST New York Supreme Conrt Reverses RoliDsr of bewer Conrt In Case of Colored Porter. t NEW TORK, March 31. George W. Grif fin, a negro porter, was awarded $1,000 darn agesagfs for false arrest from Daniel M. Brady ,a manufacturer, In the supreme court here today. In a former trial of th case before Justice Dugro the court laid down the dictum that a colored man could not suffer shsme to the same extent as a white man as the result of false arrest. Justice McCall today expressed an opposite opinion. "The tribunal of Justice has noth ing to do with the color of a man's skin," the court said. I restoring me Into the stream of real life . itself to sing or swim as most other people In America, dependent only on themselves have to do. "The three big things I think about when I think of the administration ;of Indian affairs are: That I must help the govern ment to make ma free as an individual; that I must help the government to use my property to strengthen my character; that I must not only know what la right, but I must hav the courage to do w hat Is right "I must do my duty as a citlsm; I must vote for the men and the things I believe to be right; I must develop my land or follow a trade; I must not be above day labor; I must teach my children to be good cltlstna, too. Dispute Over Wnjt3 and "Firing" May be Settled Earlier. ILLINOIS AND IOWA MINES CLOSE Over Seventy-Five Thousand Men Quit in These Districts. DEALERS ARE WELL FORTIFIED Fartorlrs nnd Rnllronds llmr Enough Fori for Two Months and Within that Time Trouble Will be Settled. ni l.I.F.TIX. t-' ' INDIAN A FOT. TP. March 81. Two hun dred tlionsHnd organised miner of the bituminous coal fields of Penn.sylvaniii, Ohio. Imllnna. Illinois. Iowa, Missouri, Kansas. Oklahoma and Arkansas quit work last midnight pending settlement of n new wage scale. Officers of the United Mine Workert of Northe America declared that the walkout was not a strike, but merely a suspension of work because no wago scale had been niiide to replace the old scale which expired with the month of March. The 'itinera demand an Increase of pay In some Instances of 5 cents a ton and in other instances of more, with a car tain change In working; conditions. ST. LOUIS. March 31. Nine hundred coal mines in Illinois closed down thl.i afternoon and tonight and ?5.(HX) inlnuers slopped work. Tae mines will he closed until a new wage scale l.s signed, the old agree ment expiring at 5 o'clock today. When the whistles blew at the end of the day shift the miners walked out with their Implements nnd tho workings were turnud oxer to the pumpmen and onglneers, who will be the only men at work tomorrow morning. The mines will be clorcd for probably sixty days and possllily for lour months, according to statements of members of tho operators' executive committee. O. U. Garrison, president of the Uig Muddy Coal and lion company and a mem ber of the committee, suyb the operators are willing to grant an Increase in watfes, but will not pay the hhot fliers' expenses, and It is upon this latter r.elnt that the negotiations may fall, proluiifcina the cessa tion of work in the mines indefinitely. Although a meeting of tho Joint seals committee of tho Illinois miners and the operators Is called for Monday in Chicago, members of thu operators' committee are not hor'tul of an Iraim'l1" F't'lfi.ieiit. and an adjournment Is thounjlu probable by them. The miners' officials will meet Tues day in Mpringfleld to consider the situation. 'Shot rirlDjt" flone of Contention. The minus, under the contract which ex pired tonight, earned !3.W to IM In a day of eight hours . They demand an Increase ot 10 cents a ton. They alto ask the operators to pay the expense of shot firing. The operators isay if they grant the demands It will mean an increase In expenses of $14,000,000 annually, which the public event ually must pay. No famine in coal Is predicted for the Immediate future. The railroads and big users of coal in this hectlon have supplies to last them two months. President Alfred J. Moorehead of tha Illinois Coal Operators' association has bten In Chicago two days arranging for the Joint scale meeting. He has predicted the mines will be closed for at least thirty days. The period of Idleness, however, is indefinite, he says. Adolph F. Germer, secretary and treas urer of the miners' sixth subdlstrlct of Illinois, this afternoon said several oper ators have signified their willingness to sign a new scala giving the miners their demands. He would not name the oper ators. Iron Mines All Closed. DKS MOINES, la., March 31. (Special Teh gram.) The convention of miners and mine operators of district No. 13 undertook to provide for temporary working of the coul mines of the district, but late today arrived at a deadlock or failure. The operators asked the miners to agrre upon a temporary scale pending the ad justment of all differences, but they re fused. They then asked the miners to con tinue working on the old scale for the next montli and whtn the new scale Is adopted It would be dated back to April 1 and the difference paid the men. The latter re jected this plan. This means (fiat all miners will remain out of Iowa mines tomorrow and until the new scale is adopted, only such men re maining at work as may be necessary to protect the mines. The miners claim that the rules of tho national organization for bid any temporary arrangements. Order Obeyed lit the East. INDIANAPOLIS, M irch Sl.-The 200,000 organized miners of the bituminous coal fields of the United States will strike at 13 o'clock tonight and will stay away from the mines until the operators consent to pay an advance in wages of 6 cents a ton, according to tho announcement today i from the headquarters of the United Mint Workers of American In this city. "I have received no Information that the miners and operators of any district will get together today," said Thomas I,. Lewis, president of tho orxanizutlon. "It Is barely possible there will be Joint conferences In the Indiana Mock coal district and In ths Hocking district before night. We were delayed In the tri-stata conference fit Cin. rlnnatl that there is hardly time for dis trict agreements to be made, before the ex piration o ftlie present working contract at midnight totduht. "It Is tinfirtunate. But district agree ments will bo made speedily and 1 am con fident that the suspension of work lll con tinue only a few days." The executive board of the miners' union is In session today, transacting routine bus iness. The members will leave the city tonight and will go at once to their re spective districts to represent the national administration In the directing cf the local strikes, president Lewis will visit the Illi nois field tomorrow and does not expect to return to his office here until Saturday Dlght. IMttsbnra; Kxpecis Settlement. PITTSBURG, March il.-At midnight te