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ESTABLISHED AUGUST 21, 1852. WHEELING, W. YA.. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 22, 1893. VOLUME XLI1?NUMBER 104. ?siw? [ESQ(BDD GDSI^? ??Qo^0DQg H?[p DOQGODDD^CSQD??^ (PDo?ft??a ~ ' 1? -I r~ . . .1 . !*'? A VIOLATION Of Party Pledges Is the Democratic Wilson Tariff Bill . MINORITY REPORT SUBM1TTEE By the Republican Mombora of the Ways and Means Committee. THE BILL IS A PERFECT FARCE 13 Discriminating, Inconsistent, Sectional and Unbusinesslike. ITS NUMEROUS ABSURD FEATURES DIsoasseil by Ex-Speaker Heed, Wlu Prepared the Hoport?Tho Bill Open to All I ho Harsh Epithets Applied by Democrats to tho MoIUnley Bill, Unequal "Taxation** Its Principal Feature?A "Itovonuo" Hill Which Lessons tho Itevonue?It Professes :o Protect tho Manufacturer, bui Strikes a Blow at tho Producer ol Manufacturer's Material?Tho Heport Brings Homo to Mr. Wilson the Illustration Afforded in His Bill's Treatment of Wost Virginia?The Eflect on Wages Discussed nt Length?The Coal, Metal and Woo! and Pottery Schedules. Washington*, D. 0., Doc. 21.?The report of the minority of tho ways and moans committee on the tariff bill waa submitted to the house to-day. The first part of tho roport, discussing the bill l'onerallv. was Dronared bv ex Speaker Hoed. Tho other members of tho minority, Messrs. Burrows, Payno, Dalzell, Hopkins and Geary, prepared the portion of the report dealing with special (enturo. Tho report says: The most surprising thing about this bill, which wo will treat of in detail somewhat later, is the fact that this proposition to raise revenue will lowei tho revenue of the country $74tOOO,OOC below tho rovonue of 1893, which was only $2,1)00,000 above our expensos. This fact and tho othor fact that by this bill tho larger part of the burden of taxation is transferred from foreigners and brought to our own citizons should always be kept in mind during the discuslion. Had tho committee, in making what tho chairman on the tloor of tho house has called a "political bill," followed tho plain uncompromising declaration of tho party which they represent and abolished protection, giving us a tarifl far revenue only, our task in commentin; upon the result of tho committoo'c etlorts would have been much more simple. Tho bill would thon have beon a straightforward, manly attempt to carry out plodges, and would have placed in issue two great principles ana >- ' i . - -i .* 1 navo igu to a ciuur uuu cuiupxciiuuaiuic discussion. a cowardly makeshift. So fnr, however, havo the committee departed from tbo demands of their national convention that wo should have beon much tompted to borrow a phrase from their own platform and designate tho bill as a "cowardly makeshift," were it not that tho results havo been alroadv too eorious for more opithots. Such a phrase, oven thus sanctioned, would he out of placo in a discussion which involves so much of importance to all classes of citizens. It still, how' ever, roraains a fact that the bill pre ented can in no way be justified by people who claim to havo obtained possesion ot all branches of tho government upon a distinct promise which they now as distinctly repudiato. 1 ho committoo, instead of proceeding In its great work of abolishing protection aud preserving the pooplo from tho load of taxation which they have always averred waa the rosult of protection, has presented a bill which is only another tariff tinkering bill, the liko of which has disturbed the conditions of business so many timos in the last thirty years. wherb it fails. 'Ihis othor and froshor plan had all the faults which tho framors of this bill charged upon the old and very few of itf virtues, it is open to all the derisive and harsh epithets with which the present syntoir. used to boovorwholmed. Ii taxes the peoplo with tariff taxos; it creates or rather proposes to maintair what they used to call privilegedclassoi and id defended by its authors by areumenta und expressions strangely like fioso which they used so freely to donounce. A manufacturer is told that tho duty will protcct him, and his claims are listened to on that basis, or are argued with him on that basis, jus! as in the brave clays of old. Tho Democratic district attorney of the northern district of New York comes down, as ho has a right to, and dodares that, from a protection standpoint, barley aud malt cannot go to* gethor under tho same ad valorem, and promptly the committee raises tho tari tl' taxes from 25 por cent to 30, tc protoct tho manufacturer, though it must leisen tho rovonuo. yo. also, som? one has prosonted porsuasively tho caso of boards, planed, tongued, groovod, to tho committee, and, although tho lumber passes in the same plant from tho saws to the planer, tho work of tho men who mtnago the saws is unprotected, while the work of the men who rua tho planes is hioldod by protective tariff laws. Jhese nre but instances of corrections nude where the enr of the committee could be had, and aro keys to tho notions on which tho bill was formed. the fxeb naw material farce. Tho now plan also involves a now method of encouraging manufacturers by giving them what are called "free r,w materials," so that what goes into the mill pays no taxes, and what goes aui? con8UmPt'011 pflys all the taxos. All the manufacturers have no taxos on *hat they buy and the people the equivalent of taxoa on all the purchase. It unfortunately happens also that "free raw material" in an elastic term, and what ia ono man'a froo raw matorial id another man'a finished product. * The so-called free raw materials, free wool, free coal and froe iron, are not put on the froo list with any referonco direct or indirect to raiding revenue. ] Thev aro placed thoro to oncourajje ' manufacturers who are to be compensated for any loss in this market by the j markets of the world, where they will have the chanco to strmju'lo with the cheaper labor of the Old World with whatever energy they may hnvo left after the Btrui^lo at home with that sumo cheap labor, lot into our markets uy a lower tarm wuich dooa not give us tho compensation cvon of a larger ? revenue. All tho objections so often urged by the dominant parly agaiust the existing system, we repeat, lio against this bill. The dilTorenco is only one of a decree. If the present system is "robbery," as these men have iterated and reiterated, tho proposod system is procisoly tho same. It is truo that the consumer will no longer pay tribute to tho western farinor for tho wool of the sheep, but the New England and othor manufacturers aro still authorized to lay tribute upon the citizens of tho United Statos, who must pay, so these men have always said, 110, 40 and 45 por cent to tho manufacturers on every yard of woolens and worsted?, while the country will only receive, by way of rovenue, a lessened sura, unless increased importations signalizes tho death of American production. WUF.BE IT 8TKIKK3 WEST VIRGINIA. It is truo that tho coal miners of Wost Virginia and tho ore producers of Michigan will bo stripped of their ao-callod robber gain3 entirely and the railroads must loso their transportation of millions of tons of freight; but tho manufacturers aro thereby stimulated and aidod so that thoy can, as the committee assevorate, still continuo their profit able business horo and roach ncroes the i ocean for the business of other couni trios, "and foreign trade without limit" Tho doctrine of the Democratic platform that protection is robbery and should bo abolished is coinprehonaible and sturdy. The new movement on bo[ half of mitigated and sporadic robbery is contrary aliko to good morals and public faith. All false pretenses arc unwise, contrary to sound policy and sonnd statesmanship, llence many of I ua who aro sure that the Democratic ! platform was utterly u r.rue, admitted its straightforwardness and directness. The bill, framed by those who repro) wen ted tho platform, cannot recoivo this i kind of praise. It protends to bo a revenue tarlfl and doos not raise rovi enue. It pretends to givo protection, but destroys it in every direct way. it says to tho manufacturer, for you wo have furnished free coal, free iron ore, Ireo wool and tho markots of the world. Instead of tho markots of tho world > it furnishes in tho future a now i crop of enemies?tho men who dig in tho mines and tho farmors who raiso tho sheep?for it really creates what its I enemies nave iaiBoiv cnargeu ugaiuat f Kopublican protection, a privileged class against which the ininea and tho i Holds will both array themselvea, and tho privileged claa3 does not care to bo thug privileged. All it asks, or has ever < asked, is to be protocted, not alono, but i with all other citizens from the deatrucl tivo competition with a lower grado of i social life. Of course, this idea of protection against a lower grado of social lifo is preooHtoroua to a man who sees in a tariff only a tax of $30 or $40 on | each huudrod imposed on aovonty milU ions for tho bonelit of "a few hundred ' thousands," bat whoever thinks this ' question concerns the wealth only of a i nation and does not involve its moral and social well boing is legislating for a very lleeting time. Protection has established tho clus' tors of groat manufacturing and working centres, which have given railroads tho possibility of existence, which no " scattered population could over have created. Tho railroads which thoso great manufacturing towns nod their [ need of transportation of freight have built our sourcoa of enjoyablo wealth, which are not confined to tho protocted industries, but are spread through all tho business of tho United Statos and insure to tho happiueas and comfort of all the people. ' Toko ono example from this very bill. Bituminous coal is one of tho great industries which is developing tho statoof ' West Virginia; upon it tho welfare of that state largely depends, so its Democratic governor testifies and many of its moat respectable citizens, including an ox-senator of honored name. la that development confinod to that state alone? By no moans. With tho ad' dition of tho coal iiold of old Virginia, tho Norfolk & Western, tho Cheiapoake & Ohio obtain from these mines 1 a very valuablo freight in transporting coal to tho seaboard. From other bituminous '.coal'fields | tho Baltimore & Ohio and oven tho 1 great Pennsylvania road obtain no inconsidorablo part of their freight. If | tho coal bo made free, thero will bo tierce competition with tho coal of Nova Scotia, and not only will tho 1 mines of West Virginia, of old Virginia and Pennsylvania suffer, but tho groat ' railroads will sutler eoverely also. To be suro. those nro corporations without soulfl, but the stocks and bonds aro owned by poople with souls, unless modern political infidelity should determine othorwise. Freo raw materials to thoso peoplo would bo a sweet boon indeed. i EFFECT O.V WAGES. Whatoxact olfect tho proposod chnngo would havo on the general rato of wages in tho country can only bo determined by actual test, but it is not 1 difficult to soo that it will bo vory depressing. Upon persons engaged in the industries directly effected the result to 1 bo anticipated seoms to bo vory clear. 1 To thoso of us who believe in protection it sooina boyoud disputo that tho acknowledged risoin wngos in thiacouutry has boon caused by protection, as tho groat stimulator of invention and progross. The comraittoo, howovor, probably r believe the contrary. That higher wages exist, however, or did exist bo1 fore thii bill threatened the country > cannot be disputed. That theso wages are maintained by protoction against lower wages of foreign countries can hardly bo successfully questioned. No doubt other cauaei like the low grade of \ civilization, checking enterpriso and substituting tho content which prevails in tho cant from daily increasing dowand for new luxuries soon to bocorae noee9sitio?, may contribute to prevent the full effect of foreign wagos upon our murkets, yot as agaiuBt foreign factories which have all our capacity for obtain* ing now machinery and which havo accumulations of capital far greater than our own the tariff is tho greater maintainor of wages. Without being guilty of that attempt to press the qucstiou into a nutshell, which is the bauo of economic discussion, it may bo briefly said that every product which goes to marjcot must moet every other like product on equal terms. A DEMONSTRATION. It is true that invention atoncekeops pace with and regulates the domaud for higher wages and lowor prices and fewhours, which are the conditions of our higher plane of civilization, but it cannot do moro. It cannot muot, in addition, tho lower prices of a lower level of civilization. Our inventions aro too quickly absorbed by foroigu countries to permit this. Ilenco, tho result of u rmu&ai 10 protect our muur at us present rato3 must result iu lower waxes. This sooms capable of a rough demonstration: Our goods aro now mot by foreign good?, on our own shores, at a price inado up of raw materials, plus labor and plus tho present rate of tariff, on very nearly equal terms. If tho tariti* element bo lowered, then something must be lowerod on our side, and in tho last analysis it will bo labor aud capital, und, in tho long run, tho loss of capital is also a loss of labor. for capital employs labor, and lost capital sots 110 machinery in motion. Wo must, then, moot tho reduction of price of foroign goods which aro our competitors by reduction of tho prico of labor. lime was when the lower prices and higher wages were scouted as incompatible and absurd, and as things that could not exist together, but to-day both are recognized as reasonable demands, whon reasonably limited. Lowor prices will take caro of thomselvoB and so will higher wages if they aro not interfered with by competition from rogioni where tho fliilgrent social status causes laborers o bo content with lesser results. The consumer will tako care of himself if you look after the producer, for ho is one and tho samo individual. AD VALOREM DUTY. But while this bill in its principle, if it has any, is not unprotectivo, it will bo absolutely so in practice not only in its reductions but also* in its indirect reductions sure to come from the change from specific duties to advaloreui, which is a marked feature of tho bill. An ad valorem puty, ai tho name implies, is one which varies according to tho prioo. If prices could bo exactly dotormiued, nothing would aoem to be fairor than an advalorem duty. But, unfortunately, prices are vory much matters of opinion, on which honest inon may differ much and rogues much more, Inasmuch na tho duty depends on tho price, a cheat on the prico is a choat on tho duty. If a piece of goods is worth $0 a yard and tho duty is 25 percont, the correct duty is $L 50. If tho price bo invoiced at $1 25 and the advalorem, which eoema to bo 25 per cent, becomes about 20 per cont, not only is tho government cheated out of its quarter ot a dollar, but tho manufacturer is choatod out of ono-lllth of the protection his government lias promised hiui. AS A REVENUE RAISER. How tho bill will act as a rovenuo raiser, and how it can act as an injury to tbo government and tho producor both together, is woll exemplified in tbo changes made in tho pottery schedule. Only an amount equnl to two-fifths of the amount of the imports are made here, valuod at $3,800,000. Nine millions and a half are importod. Under existing law the revenue obtained is five millioua and a half. Under tho proposed bill, if tho manufacturer hold their own, and tbo most sanguine friends would not dream of that, tho loss in revenue would bo $2,000,000. If the manufacturers were entirely driven out and all our ware should bo imported the loss in revenue even then would be $882,000. The crockery schedule acorns hardly to be managed with a viow to revenue. * dechba8bb tiis revenues. Anothor serious general objoetion to the bill is that it decreases the rovonuo, according to tho calculations usually mado by tho treasury department as compared with 1893, about $74,000,000. This largo deficit, coming as it doos upon a depleted treasury, is rather appalling in a bill for rovenuo only. How this great hole in our resources as a nation is to bo filled no one knows. At this date not even tho committeo itself knows, unless tho President, anticipating in his messago to Cougross tho re* port of tho committeo on ways and means, shall afford to the committeo itnolf its wished-for clue. Againat the consideration of such a bill creating such a deficit and leaving it unaccounted for, the minority vainly protested when tho bill was laid boforo tho committeo. Who would dare, if of sound and atatoamanliko mind, to creato ti deficit of $74,000,000 and blindly voto it with no plan in sight whereby tho govornmeut couid moot its expenditures? That same protest wo make to the house and to tho country. Tho bill ought not to bo reportod without tho internal rovonno bill, which is to mako up the deficiency. Aro wo to pass tho bill and then bo coorcod into tho other? Who knows if they wero presented together that wo might not prefer to stay whore wo aro? Tho progress of this attempt at what has been called reform has alroady creatod Euch feeling that the country is stirred all over. When the echemo of raisiog taxes by methods used in the timo of war is presented, in addition to those now imposod, there may bo such further revulsion of fooling as will accomplish tho work of defeating this bill. Wo havo not thought it desirable to make any appeals to passion or to prejudice. So far from that wo have takon ihu.i far no notice of the condition of business now, which is terrible, and of tho workingmen which beggars description. presenting itself. Thero is no need for us to prosont this t otho country. It is presenting it self. In one hundred representative citioa where the number employed exceeds two millions and a halt of people, fully one-third, by the most converaative estimates are without employ. These aro engaged in tho protected in dustries. Those who are uot and who thought they were beyond tho touch of the tarifl, now know tho solid fact that all industries aro prosperous or none. Spread this all over tho country as you must, and thu result will startle even the unthinking. It is not necessary for us to bring this to public view. No ingenuity can keep it out of everybody's faco and eye.s. Workingmen all over tho country are expressing their deep and Borrowed feeliug. We will not strive in any way to increase tho turmoil which this bill has already created. An end can ho put to nil this bill by the defeat of tho bill and to tho accomplishing of this every energy should bo bent. Tho beat way to put an end to this agitation is to put an end to tho causes. Tho following are tho important features of tho subjects} treated of specially by tho minority mombora of tho ways aud means committee: TUB WOOL SCHEDULE. In discussing tuu woolou schedule tho committee says: "This schedule as proposed in the committee bill is in tomo rospects tho most reprehensible. It proposes to destroy at a blow tho great industry of wool crowing, which now ranks as seventh in the value of its products among tho several branches of agriculture, and which has heretofore been recognized as an agricultural product, deserving and requiring protection under every administration aud by every tariff act since that of May 2'J, 1824. Nothing short of tho total destruction of this important industry can bo counted upon as tho consequence of placing both wool and mutton on the freo list. It is a fact established by experience, that at tho prices for wool now prevailing in the foreign markets our farmers cannot continue tho business of wool growing without absolute yearly loss. During the past year owing to the impending threat of freo wool and radical reductions in tho duties on woolen goods, tho prices of domestic wools of all descriptions havo fallen from 30 to 50 per cent below tho prices that prevailed a year ago. Even at theso figures there haj been little market for wool and many farmers have still on their hands this season's clips, which at this timo last year was being rapidly converted into goods at milla which now stand idle. Tho value of tho sheep has fallen equally with tho value of the clip. The depreciation in tho value of this speciofl of aj;rioiiltural property from the two sources may bo conservatively stated at ?50,000,000. Tho bill deals with the wool manufacture iu terms scarcoly less radical than those occordod tho wool growing industry upon which it so largely depends. A REVOLUTION PROPOSED. It proposes to revolutionize tho manufacture of woolen goods by transferring it from the basis of dutiable materials to freo wool, a change inoro radical than anv textile industry in any country was evor forced to make, without tho most careful protection for a safe and gradual readjustment. Ignor ing tins feature ot tue situation tne majority would compol our wool manufacturers to mako this lenp in the dark, divested of the safeguard of specific duties and subjected to lower ad valorem* than will oll'bot the dilloronce in cost of production. Wo have secured in the United States a magnificent wool mnnu-; fucturins industry in which over $o00,- i OoO.OOOis invented, makintjeverv variety of woolen Roods and employing more than a quarter of a million operatives. This industry the majoritv oilers up as.a sacrifice on the altar of "tariff reform." The time allowed by this bill is of no morn m>rvic? than no interval at all. Tho manufacturer must loss nn ontiro season, for, if ho manufactures goods, his loss will bo greater than though he kopt his mills closcd. Tho terms of tho bill are equivalent to an edict from tho committee commanding every woolen manufacturer to shut down 'and keep shut down until tho bill becomes a law, and turning millions of employes into tho street. Tho bill has boon carefully I devised, apparently for tho purpose of I crippling tho domestic manufacturer in advance of a now tariff, so that ho will bo left bruised and broicon when the time arrives for him to begin competition for tho market under duties lrom 60 to 75 por cent loss than at present. The punishment moted out to our wool manufacturers for daring to invost this capital in this useful and important industry is severe and condign. METAL SCHEDULE. Tho metal schedule prosents some features that illustrato in a significant way tho illogical character of tho bill. Among these may bo mentioned tho substitution in almost all casos of ad valoroni for speciiic duties, the innking froo a number of articles cnllod "raw materials," tho disregard of tho relations that exist botwoon moro or less finished products, and tho totally inadequate duties named upon certain lead- | ing articles. Sotno ideas soom to have prevailed in tho minds of tUo majority to tho effect thatdutios should bo adjustod in proportion to the advance of tho article in manufacture. Tho idoa does not *eem, | however, to havo boon very successfully workod out. For example, iron uro is mado free, and reckoning p6r cent of metallic iron to a ton of ore tho manufacturer of pig iron is givon an advantage as to duties $1 35 on a ton on his product. On the other hand the amount of protection thereon is reduced about ?4 50. Tho ingots, which are the raw material of steol blooms, are made to bear a duty of 25 por cent ad valorom: the blooms which aro the taw material of steol rails bear the namo duty, and tho steol rails, tho last finished product, bear tho satno also. Such incongruities run all through the schedule and aro apparont to any one familiar with the processos and products of iron and steel manufacture. That which lies at tho baso of oar iron and steel industry is iron ore. The existing duty thereon is seventy-five cents por ton. Tho revenues from its importation aggregated in the last Hsoal year ovor half a million of dollars It Is proposed undor a "tariff bill for revonuo only" to throw away absolutely ovory cont of this large rovenuo by putting iron oro on tho lreo list. Tho bill proposes to put into competition with American ores foreign orei, some of: which are produced at a labor cost of one-tenth, and not ono of them at a labor coat greater than one-fourth of ours. Having sacrificed over half a million dollars per annum of revenue to the vatrary of free trade, the "tariff bill for revenue only" proposes to affect another j lunro source of revenue by sorious reduction of the duties on pig iron. That duty is now $6 72 por ton. The duty proposed is '2'!% per cent ad valorem or about $1 60 to" $1 90 per ton, a lower tariff than was ever before proposed on this article. A SECTIONAL BILL. There are two sections in the bill which, when brought side by side, disclose in a significant way its sectional character. Hoop, or band iron, or steel bars at nd valorem duty of 30 per centum, "except as otherwise provided for." Tho "otherwise provided for" has reference to ties of iron or steel for baling cotton, (lw. fro,, liut Under tho existing iaw, tho duty on tin plat.< is *2 2 cents per pound. The duty at present proposed by tli3 committee was 40 per centum nd valorem, but hua boon changed to a specific duty of 1.2 cents per pound. It will bo observed that tho proposed duty is one cent per pound less than that of tho present law. This means a severe blow to an enterprise which, under existing conditions, has grown to immense proportions and which promises under proper protection to be one of tho great industries of the country. FREE COAL. One of the most amazing propositions ot tho bill is that bituminous coal shall bo put upon tho free list, and tho million of dollars per annum (almost) that wo receive from its importation by way of revenue absolutely thrown away. Coal has little value, save as it gets it from labor. It is worth almoBt nothing in tho hills; would be worth absolutely nothing woro it not for tho prospect ot being mined. It la not a raw material, for it is not worked into any further shape, but ia consumed and done for ut once, rinl 1 it raw matnrinl in tho bill if vou please; it cuts no figure ill a tariff bill. There are few Btatc9 or territories that an interference with it will not affect. Thero is no more splendid illustration of the benefits of our protectivo system than is be found in the manufacture of: plate glass. Amarican enterprise and enor^y in the development of this industry have resulted in u vigorous home competition, so as to bring down the price* of the product to ono-half of what it was ton years ago. Wo have now in operation "in this country twelvo competing plants, having a capital of $12,000,000 and a capacity of IS,000,000 square feet of glass annually. Evory material usod in the manufacture is of American production, excepting soda ash. Eight thousand men are directly employed, and probably with familios, 40^)00 persons are interested in tho maintenance of this industry. EX-PIlttSl DENT IIAilKISON Tnmlurcri :i Grand llccfntlun in I'IiII.kIpI phlti? Mnuy Dlatlnculnlicd Mcu Present. Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 21?The reception of ox-President Benjamin Harrison by tho Union Loaguo club tonight in point of grandeur, attendance and good fellowship far exccedod any similar demonstration in tho city. There were representatives of overy class and of both tho groat political parties present to do honor to tho man who so rocently was tho chief executive of the nation. Both houses of tho foderal government wore represented; the Pennsylvania state executive and his official colleaguos, members of the legislature, stato senate and many prominent citizens crowded tho halts, parlors and rocoption room to grasp tho hand of General Harrison, Whitelaw Koid and other mon of world-wido fame who were gathered there. Mr. Harrison spoke brieflyand .Gov. Pattison paid him a glowing tribute. CONDENSED TELEGRAMS' Fivo hundred thousand wool growers will present a potition to Congress against free wool. No credence is given to tho report that a strike on all railroads between Chicago and Now York is threatened. A plot to kidnap llttlo Ruth Cleveland, the President's daughter, was discovered at Abilene, Kus. It was the work of a crank. A groat naval battle between tho insurgent vessel Aquidabau and tho Brazilian warship America is expoctod at Pernatnbuca to-day. The official canvass of tho votos cast in the Chicago mayoralty election shows the plurality of Hopkins (Dem.) over Swift (Rep.) to be 1,200. Sneaker Crisp again, by a partisan ruling vostorday, cut oil a discussion of the Hawaiian question whon Mr. Boutelle called up his resolution. Joo Choynski and SteveO'Donnoll aro matchod to light for $2,500 a side. It may come oirat Jacksonville tho night before tha Corbett-Mitcholl fight. Allan Cousins, who killed Ills wife, at Knoxvillo, Tonn., last May, for alleged intimacy with hor step-father, was hangod in tho jail thore yesterday. Frank Gordon, of Chicago, was murdered by Mexican robbers a few days ago on tho Mexican Hide of tho Rio Grande, opposite Pecos county, Texas. Schwartz it Graff, tho Philadelphia wholosalo carpet doulers, have assi^nod. They stato it is duo to dullness of trade cansod by threatened tariff legislation. Owing to a juror becoming suddenly insane, tho Mover murder caie, in New York, will have to bo tried over again. This wilt bo at tho Jauuary term of court. The Now York state Domocracy, which aims at tho overthrow of Tammany liall and bossism throughout tho state, met in Coopor Union last night to porfect a permanent organization. Ex-Secrotary of tho Treasury F&irchild was chairman. The former Lehigh employos aro now awaiting the rosult of an interview between the goneral chairman of the federation griovance committee and President Wilbur. They expect Mr. Wilbur to stand by the agreement signed at Bethlehem, and that all present dissatisfaction will thereby bo assuaged. Tax* Simmons Liver Regulator for beart troubles, often due to indigestion. BY fl MIRAGLE It Seemed that Three Hundred Imprisoned Goal Miners ESCAPED II MOST TERRIBLE FATE. A Miner's Attempt to Light a Torch Too Near a Can of Kerosene Imperils the Lives of ilis Follow Work* incn?A Thrilling Experienoe?-PottF Fruitless Attempts at Resone Before Suuccss?'The Hntiro Slino A blare. Mi.vonk, III., Dec. 21.?At 5 o'clock this afternoon a fire, which is still burning in tho mtno oporated by the Chicago undMinonk Mining Company, held two hundred mineru in deadly peril of their lives. All of them made thsir escape and but few wore injured. The mau moat seriously hurt is George ErblanJ, who caused the disaster. Krbland started the Hre by attempt* ing to light hia torch whilo standing near a largo can of kerosene. The gaa from the oil flamod up as Erbland lit hia torch, and in his effort to extin? gui^h tho llainca ho upset the can of kerosene, which at onco gave the flamei great impetus. The liro spread with an appalling rapidity and for a time it seemed aa though tho 300 men in the shaft must porish. Two hundred men were at the bottom of the shaft and tho lire was spreading furiously. It wad found that there was not auffl* cient hose to roach sufficiently far down the shaft to bo of use in extinguishing tho tixmna nnrl thn Tllinnia Pnntrfll ?t once dispatched an engine to Earekt, A fow milos away, for more hose. It caino within a remarkably short time, and two gallant follows at onco made an attempt to doscend tho shaft. Tho Bmoke, however, was pouring out in Buch dense clouds that tho men were dragged back half suffocated and two otheru at once seized tho hose and started down. Thev were drawn back nearly dead. A third at* tempt met with no butter success and ifc was then hcou that unless tho men suocooded in escaping through tho ventilating shafts their hope of life was gone. There are three ventilating shafts. To these the men in tho mino had rushed crazed with fear, burned with falling embers and choked by tho smoke, which was rapidly tilling" the mine. Fortunately every man reached the foot of one of the three ventilating shafts and was quickly drawn to tho surface. Inside of an hour after Krbland attempted to light his torch all tho inen were safo above ground. At midnight the fire is burning and is absolutely beyond control. A REMAIlItABLfc SUICIDE. Tho Woman Who DrovnaKnil Into Her Head Die* from tho Iojury. Abilene, Kas, Doc. 2L?Mrs. Frank Koadsou died last night, bavins com* mittod suicide. Last October she deliberately drove a two-inch nail into tho top of her hoad, pounding it down with a atone oven with tho scalp. She became partially paralyzed, bat survived. The nail was "discovered two days ago and removed, but too late to save her life. -? Tho rivor coal operators in the fourth "Aftl Knt Alia urnontinn hdVA nnn. cedod tl ? two-cont rate demanded by tlio 111 more, anil tliero will bo no stnks in that pool. Weatlior l1 orucnnc for 'JTo>riay. For West Virginia, fair, slightly warmer; southerly winds. For Western 1'ennvylvania, fair, except showera Friday on the lakes; southwesterly wind*, becoming northwesterly. Ohio, generally fair, slightly warmer la the western portion; southwesterly winds. THUTEMPKItlTUltK YESt'KHDAY, as furnished by G. hciiSKPK, druggist, corner Market and Fourteenth streets. 7 a. m.. Z\ I 3 p. m_ 48 y a. in- 33 7 p. m.. 48 1-in ? "? | Weather--Changeable. (sights and scenes"! i of the world, | PART 1. 1 1 COUPON NO. 5. I Q To socure this superb souvenir 1 gend or brine 0 coupons lUc? I H this of dllToront numbers with 1 D 10c in coin to I Aft Portfolio Department, 1 I intelligencer omcE, | G 35 nnfl 37 Fourteenth Street,! mr Thl* coupon not good tori 1 -'World'. Fntr 1'ortloUoi." J WORLD'S FAIR ' jArt Portfolio! 1 ,' ! ,.v | ,i j PART 4. ;! I Coupon No. 5. I ;; i; \ send er bring 6 eoupons like f thlsof different numuers With | \ lOo In coin to J ART PORTFOLIO DBPARTIBHT ! a Intelligencer Office, , 4 So and 27 Fourteenth Street , , a bit This coupon not food lor , I \ "Slirhu and Boenoa of the World" 1 a Portfottoi. | | ( .'!