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rf LAST EDITION "WEDNESDAY EVENING. TOPEKA, KANSAS, JUNE 6, 1900.. WEDNESDAY EVENING. TWO CENTS. 4 JZz?r J . - TOO EASY. Roborts'Occupation of Pretoria Without Resistance Gives Rise to a Suspicion of an Understanding BETWEEN LEADERS. Eritish Commander Again Has Cause For Hegret. Thirteenth Imperial Yeomanry Captured by Boers. T.ondon. June 6. 10::'..- A. M. Lord Huberts telegraphed to the war office as follows: Pretoria, June 5 r.:3r. P. M. The oc cupation o the town passed off mot satisfactorily and the British flag is now hoisted on top of the government, offices. Th- troops met with a much more en thusiastic reception than I anticipated. The third battalion of the Grenadier guards lined the square when the march past took place. "Oowinff to their having been on duty at some distance around the town very few cavalry and infantry were able to take part in the ceremony. Several of our officers who had been prisoners were among the on-lookers. SUSPICIONS AROUSED. : New York. June 6. A Tribune dis patch from London says: The facility with which Johannesburg and Pretoria have been taken leads many military men to suspect that Iher-'- has been a seceet understanding between President Kruger and the Brit ish government by which the war will be brought to an end without unneces sary losa of life and wasteful destruc tion of property. This theory wnne plausible cannot be proved since neith er President Kroner nor Lord Roberts will admit that there has been any se- i-ret intrigue, or that the closing scenes of the war have been prearranged in any sense. The safer generalization is that the Boers have fought gallantly nnuinst the resources of a mighty em pire, and have been finally overwhelm ed bv superior numbers and energy and i hat" Lord Roberts has worked out an intricate piobb'tn" in the dynamics of war. He has known how much force was needed on the advance line and what kind of force, and how to protect his lino of communications most effec tively by operations un the eastern flank under Gen. Bundle. There are many signs that the strug gle will end in the course of a fortnight, liiiI the (1. tails' of the surrender of Pre toria, communicated by Lord Roberts at midnight, support this view. HOW PRETORIA WAS TAKEN. . London. .Tune fi. The war office has Iteeive.i the following from Lord Rob erts: "Pretoria, June r 12:.", P. M. Just before dark yesterday the enemy were beaten back from nearly all the posi tions they had been bidding and Ian Hamilton's mounted infantry followed them to within 2. wo yards of Pretoria, through which they retreated hastily. "Inl.isle then sent an officer with a flag of 1 nice into the town demanding its surrender in my name. Shortly be Jore midnight I was awakened by two officials of the South African republic, Sandierg, military secretary to Com mandant General Botha, and a general officer of the Boer army, who brought me n letter from P.otha proposing an armistice for the purpose of settling the terms of surrender. "1 r .plied thiit I would gladly meet the commandant general the next morn ins?, but that I was not prepared to ciis c uss any terms, as the surrender of the town must lie unconditional. I asked for a reply by daybreak, as 1 had nrderud the troops to march on the town as soon iis it was light. "In his reply Botha told me that he I had decided not to defend Pretoria and he trusted women, children and pro perty would be protected. At 1 o'clock . m. today, while on the line of march, J was no t by three of the principal of ficials with a flag of truce, stating their wish to surrender the town. "it was arranged that Pretoria should be taken possession of by Her Majes ty's troops at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Mrs. Botha and Mrs. Kruger are both in Pretoria. Some few of the British pris oners have been taken away, but the majority are still at Waterval. Over a hundred of the officers are in Pretoria. The few 1 have seen are looking well." O VI 1UWHKLM ED BY' BOERS. London. June 6. Lord Roberts re ports to the war office that the Thir teen'h baltalion of the Imperial yeo manry (Irish) was "overwhelmed by the Boers at Lindley." Lord Methuen made a "magnificent march to the rescue." but was too late. follow mg is the text of the dispau h from Lord Roberts announcing the dis aster to the Thirteenth battalion of the Imperial yeomanry: "Pretoria station. June f, VI :T p. m. I regret to report that the Thirteenth Imperial yeomanry had to surrender to a very superior force of the enemy on Hay I'l near Lindley. On receiving in formation of the battalion be ins at tacked I ordered Methuen to proceed With nil speed to its assistance. "Methuen was then in march on Hol ibron side of Kronstad, and half an hour after the receipt of my telegram on June' 1 he started off. By p) a. m. of tne following day he had marched forty-five miles in twenty-five hours, hut he was too late to rescue Colonel tpr.'igg's yeomanry. "Methuen attacked the Ro-rs. who si for g. and five hours alter a running light of completely routed the -nomy. "It is a very regrettable circumstance but 1 trust it will not be very long be fore the Irish yeomanry are released from captivity." KKUGKR GOT AWAY WITH THE CASH. London, June 6. Queen Victoria, sur rounded by the Duke and Duchess of York, Princess Christian, Princess Vic toria and many other notables of her court, drank to the health of Lord Roberts and the army, at Balmoral last evening". A great bonfire, lighted at hermajecty's command, blazed on Craig gown mountain, illuminating the coun try for mile? around. The nation joins in the toast, glorifying Lord Roberts and turbulently rejoicing in his vic tory. The dispatch, of Lord Roberts telling ot the incidents before the surrendering of the capital by three civilians, stand alone, as the correspondents with him Mve fiut had their turn with the wires. Lord Roberts' postscript announcing the loss of the yeomanry battalion came too late for the public to know it last evening. The newspaper com mentators considered the incident de plorable, but as having no weight to speak of in the results. The battalion numbered between 400 ana 500. General Botha and most of his men got away from Pretoria. This is inferred from Lord Roberts' message, but the presumption is that the Boer commandant general can not escape the British dispositions without a fight. Operations elsewhere seem to have dwindled to nothing. General Baden Powell joined General Hunter on Sun day at Liehtenburg. Sir Redvers Bul ler has not moved. Bernett Burleigh, wiring from Johan nesburg, says President Kruger took 2,oii0,000 pounds in cash to Middleburg. Mr. Burleigh and Guy H. Scull, an American correspondent, entered Johan nesburg the night before Lord Roberts occupied the city and made a tour of it unmolested by the armed burghers. CIILERKATED ALL, NIGHT. ijondon. June 6. England celebrated j last night the fall of Pretoria, very ii'uii, ts .-. utr uiu toe leiiei. o: .uai-:iu,. I rtrnkepntss has been a trifle less than wnen Ruden-Powell was the hero of the moment, but in London and in other large towns the scenes last evening were practically a repetition of those which marked the other victories, and long after midnight uproarious yelling the tooting of horns and discordant chants ascended from city streets usu ally at such an hour as silent as the grave. During the evening processions marched along the Strand, Piccadilly and other leading thoroughfares. In fact so great was the crush that the easiest method of locomotion was to join one of the processions for whose i strident choruses and waving flags all traffic was stopped. Coaches and cabs were freely chartered in honor of the joyful occasion and these were soon so packed with invited and uninvited guest that they assumed the aspect of living pyramids of Bachanalians. Babies in arm, white haired women, girls of the street, club men in evening dress and White Chapel coster mongers inter mingled along the flaring thoroughfares bent upon celebrating the victory. Into the faces of all were continually thrust huge peacock" feathers described for no known reasons as "Kruger's persuad ers." Girls were indiscriminately kissed, jostled and tossed around amid the ec static jubilation of the crowd. A spec ies of confetti which stuck to the cloth ing of the recipient proved a popuiar form of showing one's exultation, until the stores of the peddlars ran out. Then the night grew older and rowdy ism of the worst form held sway. From almost every bar room came sounds of inebriate attempts to sing "God Save the Queen." and "Rule Britannia." At the music halls and theaters last evening the mention of Lord Roberts at Pretoria brought every audience to its feet in a second and it was almost im possible for the performers to hold the interest of those in front of them. Every building possessing" an illuminating de vice used it for all it was worth until the metropolis was ablaze with, light. The clubs of Pall Hall -were lit up with huge torches and the staid old street of murky buildings was scarcely recogniz able. BOTHA AND BTJLLER MEET. London, June 6. A special dispatch from Lorenzo Marques dated Tuesday, June 5, says: "General Buller and Christian Botha met at Laings Nek at Puller's request when a three days ar mistice was agreed upon." The dispatch adds that the British have evacuated Utrecht. BOER ATiMY IS INTACT. London, June 6. Until the situation in the neighborhood of Pretoria is en lightened, teh officials here as well as others will find difficulty in prognosti cating Lcrd Roberts immediate pro gramme. It appears evident that the Boer commander in chief. Gen. Botha, with all his guns withdrew in good or der, probably along the Delagoa Bay railroad with the view of joining Presi dent Kruger. So the Transvaal forces remain practically intact with Presi dents Kruger and Steyn with General Botha and Secretary of State Reitz, all safe and in a position to continue di lection of affairs. The more optimistic see in the fact that President Kruger's wife and Gen. Botha's were left at Pretoria, an indi 1 cation that the president does not count j on a long resistance. In any case it will ! probably take Lord Roberts at least a week to organize a campaign of pur suit. The military authorities antici pate that the next important news will come from Gen. Buller's direction, plenty of time has elapsed to complete the1 turning movement at Laings Nek. A belated dispatch from Mafeking da ted May 31, announces the Britlvh oc cupation of Malmani, where 200 Boers surrendered. AT A STANDSTILL. St. Louis Strike Presents Ho New Developments. St. Louis, June 6. There is no change today in the street railway strike situ ation, negotiations between the strikers ! and the Transit company are at a stand- still. The posse comitatus is constantly growing in numbers. Sheriff Pohlman I now has nearly 1.200 special deputies, under arms and before night expects to increase that number to 1,500. City Counselor Schnurmacher has delivered an opinion that the municipal assembly has the right and power o repeal any franchise or grant made by it since the present city charter went into effect providing it is a self-evident fact that the holder of the specinl pr'v ilejiv. has neglected to carry out th ob ligations assumed. Bills are pending in both branchi'S of the municipal assem bly to revoke the Transit company's charter for failure to run cars accord ing to schedule. One line in addition to those in oper- I ateo eteru;iy ii running; cais tout., j under police protection but not a car has run over the Transit ooropany s system at night since the strike uean. General Manager ISaumhoff, of the Transit company said today: "No sane man would think of operat ing street oars in St. Louis at night while conditions remain as they are. "1 am very anxious to run cars after dark, but I feel that in doing so. I would be jeopardizing the lives of the company's employes and passengers. "1 believe the public realize"? that on several divisions it woulti be unsafe for passengers to ride on the cars at night. As soon as it is possible to .do so without risking lives and without en countering wire cutters we will operate all of our lines after dark." Japan "Wants American Cattle. San Francisco. June G. Japan is seeking American and European cattle to intro duce among native herds "and improve the general stock on the islands. Four Jap anese government officials especially com missioned to sell and purchase fine stock have arrived here. They will inspect the herds of this state before going east and to Kurope. They propose to get the best grades of breeding stock known. Battle Between Boxers and the Chinese Soldiers. Fought Almost Under Walls of the Capital. JAPAN CALLS A HALT. Forbids Russia to Land Troops at Taku. Orders Hurried Mobilization of Her Fleet. HELENA ORDERED UP. Admiral Kempff to Be Rein forced at Once. Battleships Indiana and Massa chusetts Made Ready. Shanghai, June 6 The soldiers dis patched to attack the Boxers have fought an engagement quite close to Pekin. Many were killed on both sides. In consequence of the representations of Japan, the landing- of a large Russian force at Taku is alleged to have been stopped. It is believed here that should Rus sia persist in sending a preponderating military force to the front a collision' with Japan will inevitably result. Alarming reports are current here of the hurried completion of the mobiliza tion of the Japanese fleet. BOXERS CLOSE TO TIEN TSIN. London, June 6. The Pekin corre spondent of the Times, telegraphing Tuesday, says: "Mr. Norman, a missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, was cruelly murdered at Yung Ching on June 2: The viceroy of Pe-Chi-Li has officially notified the fact to the British minister. The murder was undoubtedly due to the complicity of the Chinese govern ment in the disturbances caused by the boxers. A secret edict, issued two days ago, forbade the soldiers to fire upon the boxers. The soldiers who were killed at Huang Tsun offered no re sistance and were simply guarding the railway. It is indisputable, that the chief sup porters of the boxers include Prince Tuan, the father, and Hsu Tung, the guardian of the heir apparent, as well as Tung Fuh Slang, the general com manding the hordes of Kan Su soldiers, who have long menaced the safety of foreigners in Pi-Chi-Lt. It is imper atively necessary that the Tien Tsin railway should be immediately pa trolled, and patrolled by British guards. Tien Tsin itself is apparently quiet, but there is much suppressed excitement. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Chronicle says: "In official circles here it is believed that the situation in China has grown worse. The powers are now exchang ing dispatches regarding the appoint ment of a single commander of the united European and united American squadron. A dispatch to the Daily Mail from Tien Tsin. dated June 4, says "The situation is very serious. The boxers are approaching Tien Tsin on all sides." The Shanghai correspondent of the Daily Mail, telegraphing yesterday says: "The boxers are witMn three miles of Tien Tsin. In addition to the ma rines, tne tlerensive force includes vol unteers under the command of Major Higgs, late of the Sixteenth lancers. The town is practically under arms." The Daily Express has a dispatch from Shanghai, dated Tuesday, which says: "Russian troops have been ordered from Fort Arthur to the neighborhood of Pekin to punish the boxers for kill ing two Cossacks and wounding two." BLACK AND ALARMING. Berlin, June 6. The latest news re garding the boxers has reached here both bv private ana orlicial telegrams. ! all pf which think the situation black ana alarming. ine uerman loreign office considers a recontre between the boxers and Russians an event probably fraught with the greatest danger. News has also reached here that sev eral German and Catholic missionaries in the province of Shan Tung have been pillaged by mobs supposed to have been incited by the boxers agitation. BURNING BRIDGES. TienTsin, June 6. via Shanghai. Last night passed quietly but Tien Tsin is in a very excited state this morning. About 100 more foreign troops are ex pected here today. Trains cannot get throush to Pekin on account of the burning bridges. News has just been received from the viceroy through the men sent to Tung Ching that .Mr. isorman, ot tne Mortn China mission, was murdered Friday or Saturday. It is thought that the vice roy knew of Mr. Norman's murder at the time of Mr. Robinson's. TWO BATTLESHIPS READY. Philadelphia. June 6. Under orders from the navy detjartment the battle ships Massachusetts and Indiana at the League island navy yard are being pre pared for sea. The orders give no clew as to what service the vessels may be called into, the notice to Commandant Casey being simply to get the ships ready and dispatch them as soon as possible to Hampton Roads, where they are to await further orders. The war ships were this morning piloted out ot the reserve basin around to the Dela ware river front where preparations for departure were finished. Both vessels were practically ready to go to sea- when orders came, having been thoroughly overhauled at the Brooklyn navy yard before their ar rival here. The two vessels are loaded with enough coal to make a trip across the Atlantic, and they- contain large supplies of ammunition. There are 120 men in the reserve crew of each ship, the balance of the complement of 405 sailors and 80 marines having been dis tributed among various naval stations after the vessels reached here from Brooklyn. The full crews were filled out with the 525 men who came here on the frigate .Hartford from Hampton Roads and the other details ordered here from New York and Boston. The Hartford's crew included 400 landsmen who have just been brought around from San Francisco Recruits were also taken from among the 60 landsmen and apprentices on the receiving ship at League island. RUSSIA IS EAGER. Shanghai, .Tune 6. The Russian min ister at Pekin, M. Degievs, has made another attempt to induce the Chinese foreign office to formally request Rus sian assistance to, restore order, but the offer has not yet been accepted. Violent dissensions are reported to ex ist between the Chinese commander in chief of the forces, Jung-Lu and Prince Ching-Tuan, who, in accordance with the wishes of the dowager empress is strongly supporting the cause of the boxers. The mobs who murdered the English missionaries, Robinson and Norman, mutilated and disemboweled the bodies. The station at Yan-Tin, three miles from Pekin has been burn ed. The British minister. Sir Claude McDonald, is reported to be quite ill. REINFORCEMENTS FOR KEMPFF. v asnington, June b. Baa news con tinues to come from Minister Conger and thfe American naval force in the Pei Ho river has been ordered to be reinforced. The minister cabled today that the situation was worse at Pekin. and thi3 statement taken in connection with Admiral Kempff's alarming cable gram of yesterday announcing that an engagement had begun, decided the state department to strengthen the naval forces nearest the scene of the trouble. Accordingly a cablegram was sent to Admiral Remy at Manila di recting him to dispatch at once to Ad miral Kempff's command the gunboat Helena, or if that craft is not at Ma nila ready for immediate service, then some craft of correspondingly light draft and power: The purpose is to place at Admiral Kempff's disposal are efficient warship capable of ascending the Pei Ho river as fat up as Tien Tsin. Admiral Kempff's flagship, the New ark, drawing 23 feet of water, can not ascend the river safely beyond the Taku forts near the entrance, but the little Helena, drawing only 11 feet, can safely ascend to Tien Tsin, forty miles above. She was specially designed for service in these Chinese rivers, and so is likely to prove much more efficient than any other of the foreign warships which can pass the Taku forts and reach Tien Tsin. She carries a battery particularly adapted to dealing with such half organized mobs as the boxers. Besides her eight four-inch rapid fire guns she cariies four six-pounder rapid hrers, four one-pounder rapid nrers. two Colts and one three-inch rapid flrer field gun. She is commanded by Com mander Swinburn and her complement is ten officers and 166 men. In view of the service ahead of her, it is expected that Admiral Remy will add to this one or two companies of marines. II is gathered from Admiral Kempff's advices that the boxers are about to at tack Tien Tsin, so that the Helena will be a particularly welcome addition to the foreign fleet in that part of China., If she leaves Manila today she should reach Taku next Sunday night or Mon day morning. Secretary Hay cabled Minister Conger at Pekin an authoriza tion to call for reinforcements from Admiral Kempff, and to make such dis position cf his r.aval force as he deems proper to protect American interests generally. The administration is still determined that the United, States government shall continue in its course respecting the Chinese situation, though willing to go as far as possible to aid in the restoration of peace and order in China. Therefore Admiral Kempff has not been instructed to join the other naval com manders in the Pei Ho river in con certed action. A NEGRO PARTY. Colored Men to Organize For the Campaign. Will Name Candidates For Pres ident and Congressmen. Philadelphia, June 6. The first steps looking to the organization of a na tional negro party have been taken in this city. Prominent negroes! bishops, ministers, editors, and lawyers at a meeting decided to place a presidential ticket in the field with .negro candi dates. The plan is to organize the party in every state cf the union and nominate candidates for state and con gressional "offices. An executive committee has been ap pointed to draw up a call for a conven tion and distribute circulars outlining the reasons for the formation of a na tional negro party. Bishop Levi J. Cappin, the newly elected head of the A. M. E. church in this district, presided at the meeting. The names mentioned for president were ex-Judge E. J. Walker, of Boston, with P. B. S. Pinchback. ex-lieutenant governor of Louisiana, as vice presi dent; Bishop V. B. Derrick, of New York, with Prof. Deboise as rice presi dent; Bishop Grant, of Illinois, with the Rev. Dr. J. P. Sampson as vice presi dent; Bishop Turner with Booker T. Washington, of Alabama, as vice presi dent, and Bishop Walters with T. T. Allain of Louisiana as vice president. FBEIDB1CHS SCORES. Old Topeta Man Gets a Good Place in Alaska. "Washington, June 6. The president sent to the senate today the following nominations for the new judicial offices in Alaska under the new law: Judges Melville C. Brown. Alaska: James VVickersham. Washington; Arthur .hi. Aoyes. Minnesota. Mars halls James M. Shoup, Alaska; Cornelius L. Vawler, Alaska; G. G. Perry, Iowa. Attorneys Robert A. FYeidrichs. Alas ka; Joseph K. Wood, Montana; A. M. Post. Nebraska. John G. Brady to be governor of Alaska. DR. STORKS DEAD. Passed Away at His Some in Brook lyn Aged 79. New York, June 6. Rev. Dr. Richard Salter Storrs, pastor emeritus of the Church of the Pilgrims, Brooklyn, died last night at his home, aged 79 years. For many years Dr. Storrs was pres ident of the home missionary society. CLOSING DAY. Congress Enters Upon Its Final Daily Session. Both Houses Worked Nearly All Night. MUCH BUSINESS DONE. Military Academy Bill Sent to the President. The House Met at Eight O'clock This Morning. Washington, June 6 Congress has en tered upon what undoubtedly is the last day of the present session. The mem bers of both branches looked tired and wan as they reassembled this morning after their arduous work of yesterday, the house meeting at 8 o'clock and the senate at 10. While the sessions lasted practically all night, the exciting scenes and incidents of former days were miss ing. The senate held a short executive session at 11:40 after which conference reports on the sundry civil appropria tion, the naval academy and the general deficiency bills were presented and adopted. The sundry civil bill was a complete agreement except one item, relating to rvevaaa .claims. The naval conferees, were deadlocked on the armor plate provisions. There was a complete agree ment on the deficiency bill. The mili tary academy bill was passed and sent to the president. At 2:30 o'clock this morning the senate went into executive session after which a recess was taken until 10 o'clock. The house during the early hours of the morning was without a quorum un til 3:30 o'clock. A reces was then taken until 8 this morning. IN THE SENATE. Washington, June 6. At 10 a. m., to day the senate reconvened to prepare - for final adjournment. A score of sen ators only were present, but the cham ber rapidly filled. The naval and sun dry civil appropriation bills remained in conference, all the others having been agreed to. The usual routine business of the senate was practically abandoned today, only two or three new billa and resolutions were presented. Mr. Carter secured the passage of a bill providing for the increase to $375,- 000 of the limit of cost for the public building at Helena, Mont. A recess was then taken to await the presentation of conference reports. When the senate reconvened at 10:30 Mr. Allison reported from the commit tee on appropriations the house concur rent resolution providing for final ad journment at 3 p. m. .today. The com mittee had made no amendment.. It was permitted temporarily to lie on the table. Mr. Hale presented a conference report on the naval appropriation "bill. It was a disagreement upon all ques tions that have been in dispute for three or four days. Mr. Hale explained that the armor plate question was the great stumbling block to agreement. No price had been agreed upon by the conferees because the house conferees believed the price should be left to the discretion of the secretary of the navy. Mr. Hale said Mr. Penrose had a proposition to offer, which he would be glad to have the senate pass upon. Mr. Penrose then offered the follow ing proposition: "That the secretary of the navy is hereby authorized to procure by con tract, armor cf the best quality for any or all vessels above referred to, pro vided such contracts can be made at a price which is now. in his judgment, reasonable and equitable, but in case he i;? unable to make contracts for armor under the above conditions, he is here by authorized and directed to procure a site for and to erect thereon a factory for the manufacture of armor and the sum of $4,000,000 is hereby appropriated towards the erection of said factory." A sharp and extended debate followed the reading of the Penrose amendment. Senators Tillman and Teller attacking it bitterly and Senator Hanna defending it. Mr. Teller said he did not believe "that any scandal in our history will equal that which will grow out of a surrender now to this robber combine." Other senators took part in the debate. At 2:20 o'clock Mr. Hale asked for a vote upon the pending proposition, but Mr. Butler addressed the senate in op position to a surrender by that body when it was on tne verge of victory. After some further debate the amend ment was put on passage and carried. 33 to 3d. Following is the detailed vote: Yeas Allison, Baker, Carter, Clark, Cullom, Davis, Deboe, Depew; Elkins, Flair- banks, Foster, Frye. Gallinger, Hanna, Hansbrough, Hawley, Hoar, Kean, Kyle. Lodge. McBride, McComas. Me Enery, McMillan, Mason, Penrose, Piatt N. Y.), Piatt (Conn.); Pritchard, Proc tor, Quarles, Ross, Scott, Sewell, Shoup, Thurston, Warren, Wetmore, Wolcott 39. Nays Bacon, Bard, Bate, Berry, Bev- eridge; Butler, Chandler. Clay, Coek rell. Culberson, Daniel, Foraker, Har ris, Heitfeld. Jones (Ark.),, Kenney, Lindsay, McLaurin, Mallory, Martin, Money, Morgan, Nelson, Perkins. J?etti grew, Pettus, Rawlins, Simon, Spooner, Sullivan, Taliaferro, Teller, Tillman, Turner. Vest 35. The senate then took up the sundry civil bill, the Nevada claim being the contested point. IN THE HOUSE. Washington, June 6. A handful of members were on hand when the house reassembled at 8 o'clock this morning after being in recess only a few hours. Speaker 'lenderson went home about 4 a. m.. and was again in the chair at 8 o'clock, showing no signs of fatigue. The conference report on the general deficiency bill showing a complete agreement was presented and agreed to. Mr. Cannon announced that the contest over the sundry civil bill was about concluded, only one item being in con troversy and he deferred reporting until the attendance increased. As the atten dance was so slim a recess was taken until 9:30. Additional members had come in when the house reassembled. The joint resolutinn expressing gratification over the unveiling of the Lafayette statue at Paris was agreed to. Mr. Cannon then submitted the con ference report on the sundry civil bill showing the item covering the claims of Nevada to. be the only one in dispute. Among the important items struck out were those for the memorial bridge across the Potomac river and a light house vessel for the Pacific coast, for a branch soldiers' home in Idaho; lega tion buildings in Korea and Siam; and statue of Rochambeau. Among the important Items retained were those placing under the supervis ion of the secretary of the treasury the execution- of the Chinese exclusion and immigration laws, gauging water sup ply of certain streams $100,000; provid ing plans for the enlargement of the White House and development of sur rounding grounds; appropriating $25, 000 for outer pass of the Mississippi riv er, providing for the settlement of Spanish war claims arising from mili tary use and occupation. The Mis sissippi, Missouri and Columbia river items were retained, the Mississippi item, for the lower river, being reduced to $2,250,000. The provision as to state claims was compromised by an amend ment that certain federal claims against these states would not be prosecuted. The forest reserve provision was amended that lien land selections shall hereafter be made from surveyed lands. Mr. Cannon explained that the senate had added about $5,000,000 to the orig inal $61,000,000 of this bill and that by this report the senate yielded about $1,000,000 and the house $4,000,000. Considerable debate followed on the various items. The sundry civil con ference report was agreed to and on the one item, still open, appropriating $462. 000 for claims of Nevada, Mr. Newlands of Nevada" moved that the house concur with the senate amendment. This brought on a short debate on state claims, Mr. Moody (Mass.) urging that the Nevada claim would set a prece dent for other like claims aggregating about $5,000,000. The approach of the closing hours of congress began to be manifested as the morning were on. The galleries filled and floral gifts began to come in for members. Mr. Heatwole was particularly honored with a huge rose bush in full bloom. Mr. Moody contended that the pay ment of Nevada's claim would estab lish a dangerous precedent. It was for extra pay given to Nevada's soldiers during the civil" war. California, if this claim were paid, would have a valid claim for $4,000,000 and Oregon for near ly half a million. Mr. Newland s motion to concur in the senate amendment was lost 45 to 97. The house further insisted on the amendment and the bill was sent back to conference. . The house passed a few bills of minor importance during the afternoon by unanimous consent. Many requests for unanimous consent were preferred, but Mr. Lentz (O.) objected on the ground that his perscftial rights wfcre being invaded by the refusal of the majority to allow the printing of the Coeur d'Alene testimony. The house spent most of the time in recess. DOCKERYNAMED Nominated For Governor of Mis souri by Acclamation. Kansas City, June 6. When the Dem ocratic state convention was called to oi der this morning the credentials com mittee, which had blocked the work of the gathering all day yesterday, was ready to report, and the prospects for rushing through the deliberations were bright. The committee had been in session, till after midnight and found against -the- police machines, both here 17 EX-CONGRESSMAN DOCKERT. and in St. Louis. The report was read by J. J. Butler, of St. Louis, chairman of the committee. " The credentials committee report was adopted without debate, and the plat form read and adopted with a whoop. THE PLATFORM. "We reaffirm and endorse the nation al Democratic platfrom adopted at Chi cago in 18S6 and declare our continued fealty to the utterances therein enunci ated upon the free and unlimited coin age of silver and gold at the establish ed ratio of 16 to 1, and we denounce as 'unwise and dangerous in the extreme the single gold standard bank act of the present session of congress, which places the control of paper circulating medium in the hands of the national bank- corporations. "We denounce as one of the most try ins evils of the day the present tenden cy towards monopoly and the destroy ing of cpjupetition, particularly the in dustrjafecmbination known as trusts. 'We arraign the Republican party as guilty ot the grossest hypocrisy in the treatment of this question, in that be hiS :n ascendency in congress, it has steadlastly refused to pass any of tne le;rislation which has been proposed to curb the power of trusts; has failed to withdraw tariff protection from trust made goods; has constituted the leaders o trusts as the leaders of its party in the nation, and accepted from them con tributions of millions of dollars to its gigantic corruption fund which fact in itself is a menace to the stability o. our free institutions.".. The platform reiterates adhesion to the Monroe doctrine and deprecates the departure from its principles which have been made by the Republican ad ministration in its war for conqu?st; insists that the government restore Cuba to the Cubans at the earliest mo ment possible; favors the construction of the Nicaragua canal, the upbuilding of the merchant marine; "extend our earnest sympathy to the people of the Boer republics," and continues: "With renewed faith in the ability, patriotism and courage of the Hon. William J. Bryan, believing him to be the greatest exponent of the principles for which the Democratic party ptands and satisfied that power would not daz zle, nor wealth blind him to the duties which he ow es to the people and we ex press it as the wish of this convention that the delegates from Missouri to the national Democratic convention shall oast their votes for him as the -nomines. of Democratic party for president of the United States." The nomination of state officers was (Continued on Sixth Page.) tar- -w w A. M WON'T DEFORCED Corporations Refuse to Comply With Kansas Law. Secretary of State Powerless to . Enforce .Provisions. XO BLANKS ARE SENT. Those That Have Not Reported Left Off List. Only Feel Effect of Law When They Are Sued. The Bush corporation law, passed by the special session of the legislature, seems to command little respect of cor porations, which are required to make annual reports showing the condition, of the business to the secretary of state. Tip's law was originally passed with the view of preventing the watering of stocks and to also prevent illegal prac tices in the conduct of the business of a corporation. It was contended when the law was being considered in the legislature that the passage would be valuable to the taxpayers of the state who by reason: of these annual reports could at any time acquire positive information con cerning .the responsibility of corpora tions in which they were interested, either as patrons or stockholders. The law so far as it was designed to answerthis purpose is a failure. Cor porations which were aimed at have paid not the slightest attention to the law. They have ignored its provisions in every particular, going so far as to fail to answer the letters, of inquiry ' sent out by the secretary of state. There are 5,000 corporations on rec ord as chartered institutions in the office of the secretary of state. Of this number 700 are dead, reports of this condition having been received from officers formerly connected with them. One thousand corporations have com-' plied with the provisions of the law requiring annual reports, while 3.300 have ignored the letters of the secretary of state demanding these reports. There is but one penalty attached to this violation of law and it is one which has no terrors for the average business enterprise. It is a provision to the effect that if a corporation be sued it can not defend itself in court unless such annual reports have been made to the secretary of state. So long as a corporation has no lawsuits the protection of this law is not nec essary. And. in the event of a law suit arising, it would be an easy mat ter for "the corporation to make nut. and file its report, thereby placing it self .'ln.;tne ' position required ..by law for proper defense - The secretary- of state has Sfmt out, the necessary blank forms, upon which these annual reports for 1SS9-19W are to be" made, the returtr being - due 'be tween June 1 and August 1 this year. The secretary of state has long ago ' given up in despair the effort to secure reports from the corporations which have ignored the law, and this year blanks have been sent only to the 1,000 concerns which last year complied with the law by filing the prescribed reports. The secretary of state is given no power in this matter. He can not un der any construction of the law force these corporations to make the reports called for, and the only duty w hich can be performed in this connection is one of pleading. The law is very lame in this particular, and while 1 contem plated, probably, a wise purpose when it was framed, the lack of proper au thority conferred upon the secretary of state makes it practically a dead letter upon the statute .books. The law governing this matter is one section of the Bush corporation law which created also the state charter board. The law makes the following requirements In the report: "First The authorized capital stock. "Second The paid-up capital stock. "Third The par value and the mar ket value of the stock. "Fourth A detailed statement of the assets and liabilities. . -"Fifth A detailed statement of the receipts and expenditures for the year preceding. "Sixth A full and complete list of the stockholders and the number of shares held by each. "Seventh The names and addresses of the pfficers, trustees, directors, to gether with a certificate as to the time and manner of their election." The provision outlining the duties of the secretary- of state follow: "The secretary of state may at any time require a supplemental report which, shall contain information and data upon such matters as the secre tary of state may specify. It shall also be the duty of the president and secretary of the corporation, as soon as any sale or transfer of stock i9 made, to file with the secretary of state a statement of such changes of owner ship and the par value and the amount of stock. No such transfer of stock shall be legal or binding until such statement is made. "No action shall be maintained or re covery had in any of the courts of this state by any corporation doing business in this state without obtaining the cer tificate of the secretary of state that the statements provided for have been properly made." Banks, insurance and railroad corpo rations are exempted from the provi sions of this law. MOORS 'MASSING In Preparation For an Attack on the French. London, -June 6. Special dispatches received from Algiers protray a serious situation. Thousands of Moors ; are : massing at Figuig and in the neighbor hood, . preparing for a determined at tack upon the advance posts . of the French. The French columns have join ed hands at Zoubia, but the men suffer terribly from heat and thirst arid hun dreds of camels died. : The French are - preparing entrench ments and are confident of their ability to repeal an attack and even to take the offensive against Figuig if necessary. , c Weather Indications. Chicago, June 6. For Kansas Fair and cooler tonight and Thursday; brisk northwest winds.