Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], March 05, 1914, Page 8, Image 8

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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SPRINGFIELD, THURSDAY. MCH 5, 1914.
SIXTEEN PAGES.
. — . —•—
Sir Horace Plunkett and Ireland.
“Being a man of leisure and means.
‘I have for a quarter of a century occu
"pied myself Who in this country
would venture so to begin a discussion
of a grave political problem? Even if
means did not disqualify, leisure infallibly
would. But to Sir Horace Plunkett, who
thus opens his notable article on home
rule, published in the Times of London,
leisure does not mean golf, shooting or
tango teas. What he has done for Ire
land in the quarter century to which he
thus modestly refers everybody knows,
and his views are of the greater import
ance because to a sympathetic and inti
mate knowledge of the country, south and
north, he adds something of the detach
ment of the amateur, the detachment that
can see both sides of a question because
it has a friendly interest in the people !
who are quarreling and .knows that both
sides are sincere in their convictions.
The core of Sir Horace Plunkett’s
article, elsewhere reprinted in the Repub
lican is worth careful reading. His
solution, including the right of seces
sion by local option after a fixed period
for giving home rule a trial, has at
tracted much attention, and of all com
promise schemes offered his seems to be
the most equitable and statesmanlike. It
may not suffice, but at all events no one
has yet pointed out a better way. But
of no less importance than his suggestion
of a way out is his discerning analysis
of the elements of the problem, which
in the heat of current controversy is con
fused by needless imputations of insincerity
and bad faith on both sides. As he sug
gests, to Ulster unionists the Irish ques
tion overshadows everything else, and the
Parliament act is looked upon simply as a
high-handed measure for forcing through
a home rule bill; whereas to the English
radicals it appears to be a necessary
means of overcoming the opposition of the
House of Lords to the whole liberal pro
gram, in which social reconstruction is
even more vital than Irish home rule.
Thus the Ulster unionists, however mis
taken, are sincere in their belief that to
pass such a bill under such circumstances
without, an appeal to the country would
be unconstitutional and that resistance
would be fully warranted, and Sir Horace
Plunkett gives this grave warning: “These
‘men are in many essential qualities
‘among the best of my countrymen—caps
‘ble, hard-working, honest, pious. I can
‘well excuse those who do not know them
‘for thinking they must be ‘bluffing’; for
‘those who do know them, as I have
‘known them for many years, to say so is
‘criminal.” And there lies the heart of
the matter; it is not merely that the Ulster
unionists are opposed bitterly to home
rule, but that they feel home rule to be
forced upon them dishonestly, by uncon
stitutional methods which they are bound
to resist by force if force should become
necessary. Grave as such a contingency
would be at any time, it is doubly serious
just now, when Europe is an armed
camp and India seethes with unrest. In
one way or another the problem must be
solved without civil war, and the lamp
held up by Sir Horace Plunkett throws a
useful light
Rlehard Strap**’* Plan tor Opera.
There should be much interest in the
plan proposed by the eminent composer.
Richard Strauss, for alleviating what he
calls “the operatic misery” of Germany. It
is not what would be recognised as misery
in this country, for American cities of 50.-
000 or so inhabitants, the class for which
he suggests relief, do not aspire to opera,
and feel it to be so far beyond their reach
that they hardly miss it. The well-to-do,
if they have musical or fashionable taste*,
make it a point to visit the nearest operatic
center, Nev York. Chicago or Boston as
the case may be, and the rest do without
unless an occasional performance is given
by a visiting company—usually bad and
sometimes bad to the point of burlesque.
But in Germany the secondary cities
of 100,000 or more inhabitants, cities like
Springfield. Worcester. Hartford and New
Haven, have a municipal opera, and in
many cases a very good one. It is the
towns a little smaller than thia which are
aicuggUng along..Md for which Daßtrauas
would provide. His scheme calls for the
organization of operatic leagues—‘‘minor’’
or "bush” as the case may be—each com
posed of three neighboring cities of from
25,000 to 50,000 people. These would pool
their funds and engage a first-class direc
tor. which would cost some $12,000 a
year, who would organize a good company,
giving a nine-months’ season, to be divid
ed among the cities either evenly or in
whatever proportion their interest and re
sources should suggest.
Such competent companies would take
the place of the barn-storming organiza
tions which he thinks are vitiating German
musical taste, though they are better than
the average traveling repertory company
in this country. They would give a field,
too. for the activities of competent musical
directors, and would provide a training
school for young singers. If it occurred
also to the composer of “Salome" that
such companies would be able, as the
barn-stormers are not. to give ultra-modern
works, it is no cause for reproach: many
great composers. Beethoven included, have
been good business men.
Dr Strauss's plan would not work in this
country, at least in cities of the size to
which he refers, because such American
cities would not feel able or willing to pay
even a third of the expenses of a good opera
company, and nothing but a good company
would answer at all. If not so musical as
Germans, we are quite as critical, and in
some ways more critical. We may not know
what we want, but we do know when what
we don't want is not up to’the mark, and
it is useless to ask us to take cheap substi
tutes for the real thing. For both reasons
the operatic problem is more difficult in
America; opera is not so strongly craved
and to interest the public it must be more
lavishly given.
Yet while for the smaller cities here the
project would not work, it might conceiv
ably be made to work in the larger cities,
the cities of from 100,000 to 300.000 or
more people which do not feel ready to
support a local opera. Practically this has
been done in a few cases, as in the season
which Philadelphia shared with Chicago;
if that did not work it was because of spe
cial reasons, and in any case these cities
are both large enough for local opera and
could hardly be bound together by a sense
of mutual dependence. To make the plan
satisfactory the cities should be neigh
bors. somewhat similar in size, resources
and tastes, and not too jealous of each
other. These conditions might not in very
many cases be found in combination, but
where they exist it would be well worth
while to try Richard Strauss's scheme of
a tri-city operatic league. Not only would
it greatly increase opportunities to hear
opera well given outside of the largest cit
ies. but it would give a field for American
singers which has hitherto been lacking,
and would supply the stepping stone to
the great metropolitan opera houses which
young American aspirants haye had to seek
in the secondary cities of Europe.
Bonds for Sale.
The state treasurer of Massachusetts still
has for sale “over the counter” about
a million dollars’ worth of state bonds.
The public has been buying slowly of late
for reasons which are familiar to those who
understand the bond- market but which in
no possible way reflect upon the soundness
of these securities as an investment.
The Republican strongly recommends the
bonds of the commonwealth of Massachu
setts to the people of Massachusetts as an
investment of the very highest quality, so
far as the safety of the principal and so
far as the regular payment of the interest
are concerned. No state in the Union has
higher credit than ours, a fact demonstrat
ed by the rejected syndicate bid for the
present issue.
These bonds are a safer investment than
deposits in savings banks; and no one
looking simply for safety can do better
than to communicate with Treasurer Fred
erick W. Mansfield, state-house, Boston.
The Republican is animated by motives
of the highest patriotism and state pride
in thus appealing for support of the drag
ging bond sale. God save the common
wealth of Massachusetts.
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT.
He Will Tell Congress To-day That
Canal Toll* Exemption Should Be
Repealed.
President Wilson will personally ad
dress a joint session of Congress in Wash
ington to-day, advocating the repeal of
the clause in the Panama canal act which
exempts American coastwise shipping
from the payment of tolls. White House
officials last night arranged with the ma
jority leaders in both houses for a joint
session at 12.30 p. m. to-morrow. The
president has prepared a brief address in
which he sets forth his opinion that Con
gress should reverse itself and keep the
obligations of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty,
which he believes were violated by the
Panama canal act. The president holds
that the national honor of the American
people is at stake and that European na
tions should not be allowed to get the im
pression that treaties made by the AmerL
can government are not adhered to both
in letter and in spirit. The exemption
clause, he points out, was passed on the
assumption that while the Hay-Paunce
fote treaty guaranteed equal treatment to
all nations in the matter of tolls, the docu
ment was to be interpreted as meaning all
nations except the United States.
Last Day for Income Tax Return*.
Monday was the last day for the fil
ing of income tax returns, but no official
count of the number of individuals who
are to pay the tax, nor estimate of what
the nation will collect from them will be
available for at least 48 hour*. At the
time the tariff was in debate in Congress
it was estimated that the income tax
would bring in about $50,000,000 and that
about 400,000 individuals would pay. Of
ficials in Washington last night were hope
ful that these figures would be equaled
or surpassed.
Philippine Independence.
The Philippine Assembly Sunday night
adopted resolutions urging the American
Congress to provide at the present session
for the independence ot the islands, ac
cording to a cablegram received by Dele
gate Quezon at Washington Monday.
By resolution of the Senate at Wash
ington Monday, Senator Stone of Mis
souri was made chairman of the foreign
relations committee, succeeding the late
Senator Bacon.
Edwin D. Mead of Boston, a director
of the world's peace foundation, gave a
lecture in the Westfield state issrmal
school assembly hall Friday nigbt on “The
United States as a world power.” This
was one of a series of lectures arranged
bv the women’s clubs of the town.
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY. MARCH 5, 1914.
TENSION IS EASED
THE GREY STATEMENT
I
I a
CO-OPERATION IS ASSURED
PRESIDENT MEETS CARDEN
MEXICAN AFFAIRS DISCUSSED
Fear That United States May Ba
Forced into Drastic Action Be
moved by British Foreign
Secretary.
Great Britain's pronouncement through
Sir Edward Grey that the United States
was in no way responsible for the recent
execution at Juarez of William S. Ben
ton, a British subject, and that the Ameri
can government would not be asked to re
sort to force as a result of the incident,
was the chief factor in the Mexican situa.
tion at Washington Tuesday. President
Wilson in a conference Tuesday with Sir
Cecil Spring-Rice and Sir Lionel Carden,
the British minister to Mexico, is under
stood to have expressed his approval and
appreciation of the friendly sentiments
uttered by the British foreign secretary
in the House of Commons. Tension which
had been felt in Washington over the
killing of Benton arose largely because
it was believed Great Britain might press
the United States into taking drastic
steps to secure reparation. The British
yiew that the United States is not obli
gated to demand reparation for Great
Britain relieved this tension to some ex
tent. although it is clear that the Benton
incident has developed an intention on the
part of the American government to take
a more aggressive attitude toward the con
tending factions jn Mexico.
The entire situation was discussed at
length by the president Tuesday at his
conference with the two British diplomats.
It was the first time the British embassa
dor had called on the president since the
Benton execution, all his conferences on
this matter having been with Secretary
Bryan. He went primarily to introduce
Sir Lionel Carden, whose intimate knowl
edge of the political and diplomatic situa
tion in Mexico City enabled him to give the
president first-hand information on condi
tions there. White House officials said aft
erward the conference was “for mutual in
formation” and that no glans had been
suggested by Sir Lionel. The latter, who
is going to London, had been attacked in
the American press as “unfriendly to the
American policy in Mexico." His meeting
with the president was most cordial. The
president received his visitors in the pri
vate parlor of the White House. Later
Secretary Bryan attended a dinner in hon
or of Sir Lionel given a^-the British em
bassy. ...
Sir Edward Grey’s statement in London
was received through the press in time to
be read at Tuesday's cabinet meeting by
the president. It produced a most favor
able impression, some of the cabinet offi
cers referring to it as a "high-minded dec
laration." The day's developments were
accepted as showing dearly the close co
operation between the United States and
Great Britain in the Mexican situation, a
circumstance which it was believed would
make a deep impression on the Mexican
factions.
While definite information was lacking
as to the fate of Gustav Bauch, an Amer
ican citizen supposed to have been killed
by constitutionalists, and Clemente Ver
gara another American reported murdered
bv Mexican federals, it is certain there
will be no diminution of efforts of the
American government to secure complete
investigations. There were practically no
dispatches of importance to the state de
partment from Mexico Tuesday. Word
was still being awaited from Gen Car
ranza as to whether he would persist in
the attitude he took in his notes last Sun
day denving the right of the United States
to inquire about a British subject which di
rectly resulted in the halting of the expe
dition of commissioners who were to exam
ine the body of Benton.
No reply has yet been made by the state
department to Carranza's notes, but his
friends in Washington who know the atti
tude of the American government have
been telegraphing the constitutionalist
chief advising a change in his position.
No word had been received by them up to
late Tuesday from Carranza at Nogales.
These phases of the situation and Car
ranza's attitude occupied much of the time
of Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. Some ad
ministration officials expressed the opinion
that while Carranza may not have intend
ed to be unfriendly to the United States
in denying the right of this government to
make inquiries about foreign subjects, he
had produced an embarrassing situation.
Failure to comply with the American
viewpoint in this case’, it was agreed,
might lead to serious complications as
other nations might not feel disposed to
be as tolerant as Great Britain.
Secretary Daniels announced that th*
1000 marines on board the Hancock would
be kept at New Orleans indefinitely. His
policy, it is known, is to keep as mady
marines as possible in gull water* at this
time. Representative Mondell of "Wy
oming made another speech in the House
Tuesday attacking the administration’s
Mexican policy.
SIR EDWARD GREY’S ADDRESS
INTERVENTION IS UNTHINKABLE
British Foreign Secretary Tells House
of Commons American Efforts in
Benton Case Are Satisfactory.
The British government's view that no
immediate action could be taken by it in
connection with the deadlock over th*
investigation into the death at Juarez
of William S. Benton, the British ranch
man, was made quite plain in London
Tuesday in the House of Commons by
Sir Edward Grey, the British foreign sec
retary. Sir Edward was, however, equally
explicit in pointing out that if Great
Britain failed to secure satisfaction
through the United States the British
government reserved to itself the right to
secure reparation whenever It was able to
do so.
The promised pronouncement on the
Mexican situation from the foreign secre
tary had been anxiously awaited. It was
delivered before a keenly interested gath
ering of th* members of th* Houm of
Common*, while the entire nation looked
forward to a declaration of the govern
ment's policy in regard to Mexico.
I Intense resentment has been displayed
I throughout the British Isles over what
■ is regarded as an attempt on the part of
Venustiano Carranza, the constitutionalist
leader in Mexico, to sow discord between
i the British empire and the United States,
and also over the repeated dernys in the
investigation of the circumstances of the
death of Benton. Sir Edward said in
part :—
“All the efforts that have been made
hitherto have failed to secure an investiga
’>on . into ^e facts respecting the death of
M illiam S. Benton. The persistent diffi
culties put in the way of such an investi
gation create the strongest presumption of
a desire and an intention to conceal the
truth on the part of those in Mexico who
are responsible for what has happened.
"Communications with the government
of the United States are still proceeding,
but I would repeat what 1 said last
week—that these communications do not
! imply that the government of the United
States has any responsibility for what has
taken place—by which I mean, of course,
the death of Benton. While, therefore,
we shall welcome any action that the
United States is prepared to take to secure
justice, we have no title to demand as a
right that the United States should itself
resort to the use of “orce.
"So far the United States has shown at
least as much interest in the death in
Mexico of a British subject as it has in
the case of outrages on American citizens
—for I understand that several Americans
have been killed in Mexico. And the
United States has shown every desire to
use its influence to secure protection for
British subjects in the Mexican territory
controled by those described as constitu
tionalists.
“I would, therefore, sum up the situation
by saying that if the United States thinks
it proper to take further steps either on
behalf of its own citizens or of a British
subject, we will gladly await the result.
But if. for reasons of its own. the United
States does not think it desirable to take
such steps we must of course reserve to
ourselves the fight to secure reparation
whenever there is an opportunity to do so.
“Our general policy toward Mexico and
the Central and South American repub
lics is confined to commercial interests
which we keep within nonpolitical limits.
As a rule, therefore, all questions that
arise between those republics and our
selves are settled by diplomatic means,
or can be referred to arbitration.
“But the violent death of a British sub
ject and the refusal by those responsible
in Mexico to allow the circumstances to
be investigated make it incumbent upon
us to do what we can on our own behalf.
Assuming that the United States desires
not itself to take any responsibility for
intervention, it has been urged upon me
that we should take immediate action,
without, however, giving me any sugges
tion or indication of what action we can
take at the moment.
“I must repeat what I said last week—
that there is nothing we can effectively
do under present conditions. The govern
ment in Mexico City has no control over
the territory where the death of Benton
took place, nor over those responsible
for his death. We cannot, therefore, un
der the present circumstances secure
reparation through that government.
“We have no intention of engaging in
what on our part would be such a fantas
tic attempt as the sending of a force —
which to be effective would have to be a
very large force—into any part of Mexi
co. Under ordinary circumstances we
might have taken action at a port or by
way of blockade. Under present condi
tions if we took such action and it had
any effect, it could only result in giving
assistance to the contending party in north
Mexico.
“To take action that would positively
help those from whom we demand repara
tion. simply for the sake of appearing to
do something would be worse than futile.
But we do not intend to let "the matter
rest and as soon as by any change of
circumstances it is in our power to carry
the matter further'. we shall take what
ever steps mav bo practicable.” Further
question brought the statement from Sir
Edward Grey that no assurances had been
obtained from Provisional President Huer
ta regarding the protection of British sub
jects in Mexico.
CARRANZA ORDERS INQUIRY.
He Appoint* a Commission to Investi
gate the Benton Killing.
A commission to investigate the Benton
case was appointed at Nogales, Sonora,
Tuesday by Gen Carranza. The de
cision was taken after a long session of
the provisional cabinet. It was said that
the death at Juarez of the British subject,
William S. Benton, has occupied practical
ly all the attention of Carranza and his
advisers.
The members of the commission are
Ramon Fraustre, constitutionalist military
attorney-general; Miguel Silva, physician
and ex-governor of the state of Michoa
can. and Miguel Lara, lawyer and ex
governor of Hidalgo. These three men,
it was explained, already are on their way
to Juarez by way of El Paso, although
they have not been advised of their
mission there.
Why Carranza Declined Information
Abont Benton.
Gen Carranza declined at Nogales,
Sonora. Mex., Saturday to furnish in
formation to the state department at
Washington regarding the killing at Juarez
of the British subject. William S. Ben
ton. At the same, time he gave as
surance to Secretary Bryan that he would
investigate the disappearance near Juarez
of Gustave Bauch, an American citizen.
This strongly defined stand came after
three days of negotiating between the
American secretary of state and the Con
stitutionalist commander-in-chief, through
French Simpich, American consul at
Nogales, and Ysidro Fabela, acting secre
tary of foreign relations in Carranza’s
provisional cabinet. Until Saturday aft
ernoon Gen Carranza had remained silent
regarding the request of Secretary Bryan,
made three days before for information of
Benton’s death. It is apparent that Car
ranza hoped, by this attitude, to obtain
virtual recognition by Great Britain.
BULLETS IN STOMACH
Ended Benton’s Life—Washington Has
Facts.
William S. Benton, the British subject
slain at Juarez, Mex., was unarmed and
was shot to death in Villa's office, pistol
bullets through the stomach ending his
life, according to conclusive information
which has reached Washington officials.
While no statement to this effect was
forthcoming at Washington Saturday,
slackening of official interest in the pro
posed post-morten on Benton's body was
evident, the belief being that the examina
tion would be useful only in that it might
serve to supplement the evidence of timid
witnesses who possibly would withdraw
otherwise their oral statements.
Benton carried no arms when he ap
proached Villa's offlee in Juarez, accord
ing to information. He spent two hour*
waiting fsr the interview that ended in
bi* death, walking back and forth in front
of the offlee building. He was shot, through
the stomach after he entered the office
and deceived other wounds afterward al
though the first was mortal. The post
mortem, it is said, may serve to confirm
the character of the wounds, though the
probable state of the body in a tropical
climate 11 day* after death may defeat
even this purpose,
General instructions as to the method of
examination to be pursued were issued
Saturday by the state and war depart
ments jo their representatives at Ei Faso,
It is realized that local conditions must
determine the details, and only broad lines
were drawn in the directions.
VERGARA REPORTS CONFLICT.
Wife of Missing Texas Jlanchman
Stiil Hopes He May Be Alive.
Conflicting reports concerning the disap
pearance of,Clemente Vergara, the Texas
ranchman, with the possibility that he
still w-as alive, apparently aroused hope
in only ope person in the neighborhood
of his home at Laredo, Tex., Sunday.
That person was his wife. “I do hope
it is so,” exclaimed Mrs Vergara when
she heard that Gen Guarjardo. federal
commander at Piedras Negras, Mex., had
said he received an official report tha»
Vergara escaped his federal guards and
had joined the constitutionalists.
S. J. Hill. Vergara's brother-in-law. and
others connected with investigation of the
ease still hold to the belief that Vergara
was executed when taken from the Hidalgo
jail, presumably to be transferred to Pie
dras Negras. They pointed out that noth
mg has been offered in explanation of the
arrest of Vergara and that the ranchman
had not taken sides in Mexican politics In
order to determine the matter friends of
the missing man Monday night were plan
ning a demand on the government to obtain
Vergara’s body if it lies in the newly made
grave in Hidalgo cemetery noticed by Mex
icans soon after a swinging body was cut
down from the plaee of its execution near
the city. Consul Garrett has received no
further iastructions from the state depart
ment on the subject of recovering the body
He is continuing his investigation.
BAUCH UNDOUBTEDLY DEAD
Gen Villa Say* American was Prob
ably Assassinated by. Enemies.
Gen Villa at Chihuahua, Mex., Tuesday
indicated his belief that Gustave Bauch is
dead when he said that Bauch, an Amer
ican, was liberated at Juarez and “doubt
less was assassinated by some of his ene
mies. V ilia said Bauch had many
enemies and added: “Of course, I can’t
be held to blame for that.”
Gen Villa’s expressed belief that Gus
tave Bauch, who was arrested at Juarez
as a spy two weeks ago, was the victim
of an assassin, occasioned no surprise in
r where Bauch's sister. Mrs
J- M. Patterson, and others interested in
the case have been resigned to the conclu
sion that Bauch was slain at Juarez Fri
day, February 20. They scout the per
sonal assassination theory.
Repeated assertions have been made by
certain Juarez rebels, talking confidential
ly to friends on this side of the border,
that Bauch was executed, and the stories
all agreed on the date of the execution,
which was the day that Gen Villa depart
ed for Chihuahua. For a week official
Juarez maintained that Bauch was in Chi
huahua, but Chihuahua declared and in
formally proved that Bauch was not there-
Mrs Patterson asserted that her brother,
a locomotive engineer, had no enemies.
His statement before the alleged court
martial that he went to Juarez “to get
drunk” was accepted by Mrs Patterson as
the truth.
GEN VILLA IS INDIFFERENT.
He Snppreaae* Report of Benton Kill
ing Prepared by Repre»entatlve ot
Foreign Government.
Gen Villa said at Chihuahua Monday
that the orders delaying the Benton in
vestigation commission which was halted
at Juarez Sunday were issued by Gen Car
ranza, who has determined to handle all
diplomatic subjects himself. The opinion
was expressed in Chihuahua, Mex., Mon
day that Benton's body, if it is buried
there will have been too long in the ground
to disclose much to the examining com
mission. Why the body was taken so far
from the border and when and how it was
buried are subjects on which Villa re
fused to talk. None of the foreign con
suls has been able to learn the where
abouts of the grave. The Pantheon de la
Reglar, where Villa said the body was
buried, is about two blocks from the Unit
ed States consulate and only one block
from Villa’s residence.
Gen Villa, while attending bull fights,
cock fights and balls, has shown indif
ference to international complications aris
ing from the Benton execution and the
Bauch disappearance and once said he had
“cut the wires on the subject.” A rep
resentative of a foreign government who
took one version different from that which
Villa had given to the press, wrote it out
and attempted to forward it to his gov
ernment. Villa suppressed it. The repre
sentative said to him- “Gen Villa, you
can suppress my telegrams; but vou can
not prevent me from telling the truth and
I am going to tell it.”
SECRETARY BRYAN TO COLQUITT
He Suggests That Application Be
Made to Governor of Nuevo Leon
for Apprehension of Vergara’*
Slayer*.
Application to the governor of the
Mexican state of Nuevo Leon for requisi
tion of Mexicans alleged to have kidnapped
Clemente Vergara from Texas soil was
suggested by Secretary of State Bryan in a
message to Austin, Tex., Monday night to
Gov O. B. Colquitt of Texas. Secretary
Bryan’s message was in reply to a tele
gram from Gov Colquitt in which he asked
a specific answer as to whom he should
recognize as the regularly constituted gov
erning authority in Mexico in seeking ex
tradition of Vergara’s assailants. Secretary
Bryan said further in relation to the
proposed requisition: “You have no doubt
observed that the treaty requires the
record of judicial examination with the
evidence duly attested to be forwarded
subsequently to the proper executive
authority of the country in which the
fugitive is found for ’determination by that
authority of the question of surrender.”
Texas Citisens Appeal to Governor
for Protection From Bandit*.
An urgent appeal for Texas rangers at
Lyford and other points along the border
near Brownsville was-received at Austin,
Tex., Monday by Gov Colquitt from bor
der residents there. They allege that Mex
ican bandits cross the Rio Grande, steal
cuttie or commit other depredations at
night, then return to the Mexican side.
Gov Colquitt has not made a decision.
British Residents Protest.
Impatience over the delay in investigat.
ing the recent killing of William S. Benton
at Juarez was manifested Saturday at a
mass-meeting of British subject* at Mex
ico City, and a vigorous protest was sent
to Sir Edward Grey, the British foreign
minister. Sir Edward was urged to rse
his influence to induce the British gov
ernment to assume full charge of the in
vestigation for fixing responsibility ' for
Benton's death.
Move to Free Fnfugees.
Asserting that there is no warrant of
international law or treaty under which
ths 5000 Mexicans who fled to the United
States after the battle of Ojinaga and
who are interned at Fort Bliss can be
held, representatives of the Huerta gov
ernment in El Paso. Tex., are preparing
to institute habeas corpus proceedings to
obtain their liberation. Harris Waltbal
and H. It. Gamble are acting for the
Huerta government under the immediate
direction ot Miguel E. Diebold. Mexican
conaul-general-at-larga. .
DEMOCRATS WARNED
MUST NOT DODGE SUFFRAGE
A HEARING IN WASHINGTON
OPPOSITION SPEAKER HISSED
New Jersey Woman Declares That
Next Administration Will Be
From Party Supporting Suf
frage for Women.
All phases of the woman suffrage ques
tion were presented to the House judiciary
committee in Washington Tuesday, ac
companied by cheers, jeers, hisses and ap
plause. Deserting sentimental phases of
the suffrage argument, Mrs Crystal East
man Benedict and Mrs Mary Beard. New
York lawyers, threw down the gauntlet
to the democratic party in no uncertain
terms, warning the committee that the
political wrath of the 4.000,000 women in
suffrage 'states would be visited upon the
party unless favorable consideration was
given the constitutional amendment for
woman suffrage.
Antisuffragists told the committee that
woman suffrage would be harmful "not
only to women, but to the country " At
the conclusion of the hearings. Dr Mary
Walker, trousered and sijk-hatted, pre
sented to the committee what she called
“the crowning constitutional argument’
to show that women already have the
right to vote under the constitution. In
the meanwhile debate on the suffrage
amendment was continuing in the Senate.
The suffragists who appeared before
the committee were divided. Mrs An
toinette Funk, Mrs Med'll McCormick and
Mrs William Kent, representing the na
tional woman suffrage association, urged
that if the committee would not report the
proposed amendment it report an amend
ment to allow the suffrage question to be
decided by referendum in the various
states, instead of by the Legislatures.
Mrs Benedict. Mrs Beard, Mrs Glendower
Evans of Boston and Dr Cora Smith
King, for the congressional union, de
clared the time had come to make the
suffrage question one of political expedi
ency.
“It is because I have the interests of
this administration at heart,” said Mrs
Evans, “that I hope the democratic ma
jority in the House will see its way clear
to reconsider what after all was a some
what unconsidered action of the demo
cratic caucus.” Mrs Evans and Mrs
Benedict warned the democrats not to
“dodge the issue," and declared that ac
tion on the suffrage question must be tak
en at this session of Congress.
Democratic Inconsistencies.
“Gentlemen,” said Mrs Beard, “you
cannot answer us by shaking in our faces
that tatterdemalion of a state’s right
scarecrow and then expect us not to read
the newspapers when you repudiate your
platform and violate expressed state's
rights in the matter of a presidential pri
mary. Ypu cannot tell us that the plat
form will not allow this suffrage discus
sion because it is silent; but will permit
the repeal of the canal tolls exemption
which it expressly, forbids.
“It is underestimating our resources to
suppose that we cannot put these facts
into the hands of 15,000,000 voters, in
cluding over 3,000,000 free women. The
political party which will enter into posses
sion of the federal government on March
4, 1917, will believe that woman suffrage
is a matter of national concern and trans
cendent national importance.”
The representatives of the national wom
an suffrage association disclaimed par
ticipation in the political warning of the
congressional union, and for some time the
committee room was in confusion with
half a dozen women trying to explain
things. At times during the hearing the
spectators who crowded the room gave
vent to their feelings. Representative Hef
lin of Alabama, who spoke against suf
frage. was frequently hissed.
Opponents Are Heard.
Mrs Arthur M. Dodge, president of the
national association opposed to woman
suffrage, conducted the opposition to the
amendment. Mrs Henry White of Bos
ton declared woman has succeeded in get
ting all of her legal rights without the bal
lot and that the ballot was unnecessary.
Miss Margery Dorman of the wage-earn
ers’ antisuffrage league of New York, said
working women did not need the ballot.
She said women in the labor world were
“transitory and accidental” and could not
have the experience necessary to cope with
government problems.
* Senator Bryan of Florida made the first
extended speech against the amendment.
He contended first of all that the states
should be allowed to deal with the ques
tion. saying that California bad no more
right to say whether the Negro women of
Florida should vote than Florida had to
say that the Japanese should vote in Cal
ifornia. _________
SUFFRAGE VOTE IN SENATE SOON.
Senator* Voice Opposition to Proposed
Constitutional Amendment.
Action by the Senate within a few days
on the proposed woman suffrage con
stitutional amendment seemed assured in
Washington Monday night, after a day of
debate during which the measure was
made the "unfinished business.” An im
mediate vote seemed imminent at one time
when there was a chorus of demands for
a roll-call, but Senator Shafroth and others
held up the vote to continued debate.
Senator Shafroth’s speech in favor of
the amendment drew forth hostile inquiries
from Senators Bryan and Martine. Sena
tors Clark of Wyoming and Works ex
pressed doubt as to the propriety of the
federal government forcing equal suffrage
upon states that did not desire such. Sen
ator Borah declared the amendment should
not be adopte.d if it was not to be enforced
in the southern states. He quoted speeches
to show that the proponent* of the amend
ment had contended it would not interfere
with the “grandfather clauses” disfran
chising Negroes in southern states.
FOST-OFFIfcE BILL PASSED.
Efforts to Limit Power ot Burleson
Fall.
The Senate at Washington passed Sat
urday the largest appropriation bill ever
to meet the approval of either house of
Congress when it sent to conference the
post-office measure, carrying $311,492,067,
an increase of nearly $840,000 over the
bill as it was reported by the post-office
committee. All efforts to limit the power
of the postmaster-general to regulate parcel
post rates, zones or weights were defeated.
Ilie last amendment of this nature was
proposed by Senator Cummius of lowa. It
provided that no package of-morc than 50
pounds should be carried unless the inter-
state commerce commission • should decide
the rates represented the cost of the serv
ice. It was lost. 29 to 20.
Senator Bristow of Kansas proposed a
new system of pareel post rates reducing
pay to railroads for this service, which also
met defeat. Increases of salary from S2OO
to SSOO were inserted for railway mail
division superintendents, assistant superin
tendents and chief clerks: rural mail car
riers received an increase of SIOO a year
on standard routes; and substitute carriers
and clerks from 30 to 40 cents an hour.
The Norris Resolution Tabled.
The Senate last week put a quietus on. the
Norris resolution calling on the attorney
general to make public the terms of the
agreement about the Boston and Maine
trusteeship. Mr Reed of Missouri, quite
to the surprise of New England senators,
moved to table the resolution and it car
ried. 33 to 23. Important as this action
was in terminating a so-called “interfer
ence ' with the department of justice it
caused much satisfaction to the New En
glanders because it was a rebuff to a
coterie of western radicals who welcomed
an opportunity to “play” with the trans
portation troubles of a distant section and
Kain Poetical notoriety. Only one New
England senator. Hollis of New Hamp
shire, voted for the resolution. Both Mas
sachusetts senators were against it. Sen
ator Lodge made quit* an extended
speech, declaring his inability to “see what
business the Senate has in plunging into
executive departments before they have
acted and intimating by resolutions that
they cannot be trusted unless we look
over what they are trying to do.”
Naval Appropriation Bin I* $139,364,-
333.
The naval appropriation bill carrying
$139,964,333 for two battleships, six
torpedo boat destroyers and other small
craft, was reported Saturday to the
House. The two battleships are to cost
$15,000,000 each and will be built at
private yards by contract. A minority re
port filed by Representatives Btichanau.
Gray, Hensley and Witherspoon denounced
the naval increase appropriations as “use
less expenditures, inexcusable ex
travagance and criminal waste of the pub
lic funds.” The report, asserted that there
is no need for more battleships.
Bill for Hudson River Bridge Passe*.
The House at Washington Monday
passed a bill authorizing the Hudson river
connecting railroad to build a bridge across
the Hudson river between Castleton and
Schodack Landing. Tae bridge is to pro
vide a connection between railroads on
the west shore of the Hudson and the
Boston and Albany road.
COL G. W. GOETHALS HONORED
PRESIDENT HANDS HIM MEDAL
Washington Pays High Tribute to the
Builder ot the Panama Canal.
Washington paid tribute Tuesday night
to Col George W. Goethals, builder of the
Panama canal. The occasion was the
annual banquet of the national geographic
society with Col Goethals present as the
guest of honor and to receive from the
hand of President Wilson a special gold
medal awarded him by the society i:q rec
ognition of his wonderful achievement.
Secretary Bryan of the state department
was toastmaster and gathered about the
banquet table with the distinguished sci
entists of the society were President Wil
son and his cabinet, justices of the supreme
court, members of the diplomatic corps,
high officers of the army and navy, lead
ers in both houses of Congress and other
notable figures in the life of the national
capital. The medal Col Goethals received
was of heavy Roman gold. It was given
as an expression of appreciation by the so
ciety and the nation of the army en
gineer’s distinguished service. Its presen
tation was the final act of President Wil
son’s first year as chief executive of the
United States. Inscribed on the medal were
the words: “The medal of the National
geographic society is awarded to George
Washington Goethals to whose ability and
patriotism the world owes the construction
of the Panama canal, March 3, 1914."
Presenting the medal. President Wilson
said: “The engineering profession is one
of the few creative professions. Those of
us who hare attempted to be literary men
conceive that we have created conceptions
of the mind, but we never can produce
them in court. They are never visibly
upon exhibition. But the mbgic of the
engineer is that he can change the face
of Nature and show the work of his hands,
and that it is in some deep sense creative
in character. The life of mankind on.
the globe is altered, for example, by the
cutting and the use of the Panama canal.
The Greatest Engineer Alive,
“We have, therefore, to honor to-night'
the greatest living representative of this
extraordinary profession. It seems to me
to be natural, if I may say so, with apolo
gies to some of our friends present, that
the greatest engineer should come from
the United States. The United States has
made the world very uncomfortable but it
has least done so by the exercise of extraor
dinary dynamic qualities. It is not one
of the statical nations of the world. It is
one of the nations which has disturbed
equilibrium, which has cut new path* for
the thought and action of mankind. And
now there is to be elevated, and kept al
ways on high, this new name upon which
men are to enter the roads of new experi
ence, a name which will not be blotted
out until and unless the whole civilization
of the world should change, the name of
Col Goethals. The government of the
United States lent him to the world and
he has done this thing for the world. For
it is our proud boast that we have cut
this highway for all th* seagoing ships of
the world.
"I take it for granted that we do not
to-night forget that distinguished group
of men who have been associated with Col
Goethals —that gallant and devoted soldier
who gave his very life to see that the great
work was done at Culebra cut: that man
who made go much of this work possible,
Surgeon-Gen Gorgas, by knowing how
to hold disease off at arm's-length while
these men were given leave to work; Col
Seibert, who built the walls of Gatun dam
and created Gatun lake, making it look
to the eyes of the beholder as if Nature
had done the work over which he himself
presided; and Col Hodges, who made the
locks and the machinery by which these
great things are administered. But weare
merely acknowledging the presiding char
acter and genius which drew all the ele
ments of this work together, which made
it a work done by co-laborers. not by rivals
—work done as if it were the conception
of a single mind, and work done in the
spirit of service as self-effacement which
belongs to a great service of a great gov
ernment. There is nothing selfish in the
eminence of Col Goethals. It is represen
tative of a great profession. It is repre
sentative of a great government; it is
representative of a great spirit.
“So I esteem it a real privilege, acting
on behalf of this society, to present to
you. Col Goethals. this very beautiful
medal. It is made of mere gold, and gold
is pf no consequence in this connection,
but it speaks in the most precious metal
we know, the gratitude and the admiration
of the world.”
Col Goethals received the medal and
stood silent, evidently overcome by emo
tion. Finally, words came, at first slow
and punctuated by pauses. Gradually he
regained his composure and feelingly ex
pressed his appreciation. “It is easier to
build canals.” he said, "than to find fitting
words to express my gratitude,” He made
it cleat to all that in accepting the medal
he riiil it iu the name of every member
of the canal army.