VOL. XXII.—NO. 346. GOLD AS STANDARD UR. DOM.IVER, OF IOWA, CHAM PIONS CURRENCY MEASURE FOR REPUBLICANS DEBATE EXCmitl THROUGHOUT MX. UK ARMOXD, OF MISSOI 111, RBPBBBBNTBD THE OPPOSI TION TO THE MEASURE APPLAUSE WAS GENEROUS Republicans < hnrneil With ,hiKt;Him the Finances of the Country In the interest of the Hank Trust- Mr. De Armond Predicted Defeat of the Majority in ISKJO Upon the i-sue Itaisfd In the Currency Bill. WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.—The feature of the opening day in the debate on the currency bill in the house was the speech of Mr. Dolliver, of lowa. It was characterized by all the wit and eloquence for which the lowan is noted, and held the members, without regard to party, for more than two hours. Mr. Uolliver declared that the la^t doubt of the Republican party as to the wisdom of enacting the gold standard Into law had been dissolved by the ex perience of the business world during the past three years. He scored Mr. Bryan, and generally ridiculed the alleged proph ecles of tha Democrats In 18£6. Mr. De Arrnond (Mo.)was the heavy sun on the Democratic side. He warned the Democrats from the West that they could not deceive their constituents in the coming election that they had yielded to the judgment of their colleagues In caucus. Mr. Overstreet opened the debate for the Republicans, and Mr. Maddox (.Ga.) replied to him. Mr. McClellan (N. V.) was the only other speaker today. He announced his opposition to the bill on the ground that It would contract tha currency, extinguish the bank notes and enhance the value of coin bonds. He appealed to those of bis Democratic colleagues from New York, ■who, it is reported, intend to vote for the bill, not to do so. After describing the various kinds of money in u*e in the Cnited States, Mr. Overstreet said: "The history of government efforts to force legal tender money into circulation. Irrespective of its intrinsic value and without the government reserve, Is a record of failures without a single excep tion. All of the various kinds of money In the United States are based on a com mon standard of value in which each can be measured. The present standard of value in this country Is gold, and has been so recognized in practice for more than half a century.' He then proceeded with an elaborate argument against a double standard and a general review of our monetary leg ation. In the course of his speech Mr. Shafreth [silverite. Col.) interrupted to ask if the bill would not result in contracting the currency to the extent of the $450,000,0v0 in silver Impounded. "It would not," replied Mr. Overstreet, 'becau.se for e\cry silver dollar that goes into the treasury a gold dollar will go out ■nto circulation.' (Republican applause.) FIRST FOR OPPOSITION. Mr. Maddox (Dem, Ga.) was the first speaker in opposition to the bill. Refer ring to former Speaker R eds New York speech recommending the immediate en actment of gold standard legislation be fore some branch of the government got away from the Republican party, he said: "The faithful understand that thi.-s 1-g --islation must be enacted at once or not at all." The enactment of gold standard legls'a tton, hf» declared, had never been an is sue before the people. If gold was now the "existing standard," as contended, it was so hy the unlawful usurpation of the legislative officers of the government. The treasury, under the bill, he predict ed, would be raided. The bill would con vert every obligation of the treasury into a gold obligation, and would compel the government to sell millions of gold to amount of 2."> per cent of all the outstand ing notes of whatever character. He ar gued that under the bill banks with $1 000,000 capital, now required to deposit bonds equal to a third of their capital in the treasury, were required to deposl only $50,000 in bonds, enabling them to contract oi expand the currency at will lip then ass-ailed Republican advocates of the object of the gold standard for apes tacy, and particularly attacked Messrs Hepburn, Iowa; Dingley, Maine, am Grosvenor, Ohio: who, he said, advocated silver coinage by international agreemen in 1897. Mr. Maddox summed up his argu ment by declaring the measure to be a bill designed to legalize the authorit> usurped by the secretary of the treasury to put the country' on a gold basis—to demonetize one-half the final money of redemption, to alter the obligations of the people without their consent Into gok obligation?, to contract the currency a the will of the banks, and to create a gi gantic bank trust for the benefit of a lew thousand people. MR. DOLLIVER'S ARGUMENT. Mr. Dolliver (Io.), the next speaker read from the speech of Gov. Altgeld to the effect that the Republican congres would obey orders and enact gold sand ard legislation. For himself, he saia, he was proud to say that he was obeying orders—the orders of the people of hi district—trying to put the laws of th country into harmony Vith their opinions The pending bill was a compromise, rep resenting the united wisdom of all. "There is something about the pursuit of the science of money," paid he, "that enables every one of its students to com prehend his own ideas without being wry hospitable to the ideas of others." (daugh ter.) This was a bill to get at rest all doubt as to the standard of this country. It should be presented to the business mt-n of the country as a Christmas gift. He (Dolliver) did not want his record and past follies to be brought up against him. He had voted for the Sherman act In ISJK), an act -vhich he now regarded as a piece of unutterable stupidity, in 1893, when, the act came to be repealed) Mr. Dolliver said he was very much per plexed. He saw Sherman, one evening, sitting outside his house, like Abraham outside his tent. "Don't trouble your self about the failure of your predic tions regarding silver," paid the senator, "every prophecy I made about !< has turned out exactly the opposite." (L uigh ter.) "Just as yours will now," interjected Mr. Cox (Term.), amid renewed laughter. Continuing, Mr. Dolliver st:id He believ ed that the result of the campaign In 1596 settled the silver issue. A proposition which received a black eye in lowa and Massachusetts at the same time, in his He E -patil globe opinion, had no future In the intellectual life of the American people. In 1896 the cry of Bryan, he said, was for more mon ey. Money was scarce, It was hoarded. The day after the election it came out from its hiding. "Are you willing now," interrupted Mr. Sims (Term.), "that the mints should be opened to silver if an international agree ment could be obtained?" "No, sir," replied Mr. Dolllver, "I have had my last whirl with silver. I have been humbugged for the last time." Mr. Dolliver said that the cry had been for more money. In three, years of Re publican administration $400,000,000 had been added to the volume of the cur rency, more money than could have been coined by the mints In ten years if the mints had been opened to sliver. "In other words," said he, "we have done for you in three years more than you have done for yourselves. Why don't you get out of the road and let the main procession move on?" (Laugh ter and applause.) Mr. Dolliver recalled Mr. Bryan" s prophecy that the gold standard could not be enacted without a universal 1 fall of prices. "Is there a man in this cham ber," he asked, "who will rise in his place and gay that Mr. Bryan knew what he was talking about?" Not a Democrat arose. Mr. Dolliver paused, reiterated his question and then resumed. "It Is then confessed that in a question which goes to the heart of the controversy Mr. Bryan lacked wisdom." He also called attention to Mr. Bryan's prediction that wages would fall and men would be thrown out of employment, let at the end of three years of Repub lican administration under the gold stand ard there was not an industrious man in ihe country without employment. VERDICT OF PEOPLE. Mr. De Armond (Mo.) followed In oppo sition to the bill. Replying to Mr. Dol liver he said the Democrats had not been overborne in ISM! in the conflict of reu eon, but the Republican party had won by summoning to tlieir aid the corrupt and tremendous power of money and corporations. He charged the Republic ans with deceiving- the people in 1896. They were bimetallists then. If they were honest then, they must be dishonest now; if honest now, dishonest then. The change of he bends from coin to gold bonds, he said, would make a free gift of $J00,000,000 to bondholders. The bill would create a bank trust. He predicted that this measure would overwhelmingly defeat the Republican party in 1900. When the peoplt's victory was won next fall, said he in conclusion, it must not be necessary to go the "vine-clad cottage" at Canton, 0., to ofl'er congratulations, but beyond the Mississippi to that mod est home in Lincoln, Neb., where resid ed that great and stanch friend of the people. (Democratic applause.) Mr. Greene (Perm.) then announced the death of his colleague, the late Repre sentative Ermentraut, of Pennsylvania, and at 5:05, as a further mark of respect. Ihou.se adjourned. SYMPATHY FOR BOERS. . Maaon Call* Ip Hlm Resolution In the Senate. WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.—An appeal by Mr. Mason for an expression of sympathy with the South African republic in Us war with Great Britain was the feature of the session of the senate today. It was the first formal address made in the senate this session, and was the cause of close attention by the senators and a large gallery. By motion of Mr. Lodge the resolution was referred to the com mittee on foreign affairs, Mr. Lodge con sidering it too delicate a question, in view of the position of this government, to be passed upon without serious discus, sion. Mr. Mason's remarks at times were ve hement, almost passionate. He confined himself during a greater part of the time closely to his manuscript, speaking at ttime with force and vigor. In opening The war between monarchy and repub mism began in earnest July 4, IT7G. and treaty of peace has ever been conelud and never will until the question i? tied right. Monarchies, although often quarreling among themselves, have al ways agreed upon one thing—that a ie public is a mistake." After quoting extensively from Dai.lel Webster's speeches in support of his con tention, Mr. Mason continued: "But we. are told that Engiand was our friend in the war with Spain. How? Her people were our friends, because her peo ple are a Christian people; her govern ment has never been our friend except for purposes of its own. I have no desire o twist the lion's tail, but truth corn els the statement, so far as our interests re concerned, for the last half centur> he government of England and the peo le of England have been divided.. Yoi emember 1861? The government did al t could to dissolve the Union, but the rave, starving weavers refused to re o'.ve against us. saying they would starvt >efore they would say a. word for slavery Jut even suppose she were to;lay our b:s riend, are we to be silent and uphold a rong in consideration of that friend ship? We are charged with favoring a ecret alliance with Great Bri'ain. This annot be true, and the vote with which iis resolution is received will demon trate the falsity of that charge." TO OPPOSE WHEELER. Mr. Hnilfj-. of Texas, Will Heneir tbe Old Kiu-ht. WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.—The opposi ion to Gen. Wheelers taking his sea as a member of the house of representa tivos from Alabama is to bs renewed b> Representative Bailey, of Texas, whos resolutions last year brought out a re port from the house judiciary cemmitte that a military and congressional offk could not be held at the same time. Gen Wheeler is now !n the Philippines, but i has been understood that he will-return to take iys seat. The sergeant-at-arm has over $2,000 to the credit of the Ala bama member, covering salary from March 4 last to date, but Gen. Wheeler has not asked for the money. Revenue Ruling ns to Beer. WASHINGTON. Dec. 11.—The commis sioner of internal revenue has rendered a decision in which he holds that persons calling themselves agents of brewers in selling original stamped packages of beer, must show that the beer remains absolutely the property of the brewers In their hands until sold by them for and on account of the brewers, and not on their own account. Otherwise collectors are to report them to the commissioner for assessment of special taxes and penalties as wholesale dealers in malt liquors. New Mexico Seeks Statehood. WASHINGTON. Dec. 11.-The governor of New Mexico, in his annual report, es lmates the population of the territory at 260,500, and says this year's record will exesed almost all former years in the ■pvenue derived from produce, sheep and The report renews the plea for statehood. Aimed at tlie Trust*. WASHINGTON. Dec. 11.—Senator Mor gan, of Alabama, has introduced a joint ■esolution to prohibit combinations be tween corporations to control interstate commerce and transportation. Robert* Committee U Impany will pay in next year. The dog ense receipts, which were estimated a 000 in 1899, are placed at $2,000 for next ar. It is always noticeable that in years preceding a city election the various departments are scaled down by the comptroller to the very lowest figure in the budget. Usually it follows that in the next year"s budget there is always from $10,000 to $20,000 to make up shortages, but then there is no election and there is not so much need of making a good showing. But little business was transacted a the meeting yt-sterday, nearly all the tim being occupied by the comptroller, whos suggestions ran all the way from a con stitutional convention to the proper archi tectural plan for building school houses After ordering the printed copies of th budget distributed, the comptroller com menced by reading the following prepare statement: PREPARED STATEMENT. In submitting the annual budget for your consideration this year, there are some matters to whirh your attention is respectfully invited. The question of tax ation is one which always presses itself forward and demands very careful con sideration. Our general laws on taxa tion by a long series of years of amend ing" and repealing have become a piece of patchwork which needs redrafting, and It is almost absolutely necessary that it be done. The question of municipal govern ment also, in a growing country like ours, Is one in Avhich the municipal laws do not keep abreast with the times. And in the cities of Minnesota, conducting their own affairs in their own way ana no two alike, it would seem as 1 hough the only way to remedy these matters Is by a convention to redraft the state con stitution incorporating therein the re quired powers of home rule. As a municipal corporation the city of St. Paul is in good condition. At the close of the fiscal year (Dec. 81) there will be more money to the credit of the operating departments than of any year in its history, with no unpaid bills, no overdrawn accounts and no floating debt. Ninety thousand dollars of bonds came due this year and have been paid. No bonds weiv> issued during the year. It will be noticed that there is nothing in cluded iv the budget for the payment of judgments, there being no judgments to pay. The year's business has been so conducted that nothing is needed for credit of this account. This is a credit mark for the legal department, well earn ed. It is also the first time in the his tory of the city for many years that a budget was made with this account clos- The recommendations made one year ago that the duties of building inspector be placed upon the engineering depart ment is respectfully renewed. It will also be observed that there is $26,000 in cluded In this estimate to cover losses in suspended banks. Th© money thus lost belongs to the several accounts In the treasury which must be made good in ane of two ways. vi*.: Either charge the accounts their proportion or make It up In the estimate. The latter Is preferred, as the amounts now to the credit of the accounts are all needed and any amount charged now would make a shortage lor those accounts later on. We are in such financial condition that the amount lost need not be made up all at once. There fore, It is proposed to make it up in three years, charging a certain amount each ATTACKS THE SCHOOLS. Following the reading of this statement, which was typewritten, the comptroller, with considerable showing of feeling, said: "Some matters have been brought to the attention of the people recently that I want to resent. It has come from the employes of the school department, and 1 think it unwise to make charges which cannot be substantiated. The superin tendent of schools has stated that the general fund had been used for purposes wholly unauthorized by the charter. This statement is not "true. The gentleman is monkeying with one of the command ments which says 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.' An other employe of the board, who has been in the city about five months, and If placed at the corner of Fourth and Wabasha streets could probably not tell which direction was north, says the trouble with the finances is being made by enemies of the public schools among the city officials, and that it is simply a plan on the part of certain rich taxpayers to dodge taxes. In reply to this I would say there are no enemies of the public schools among city officials, and, so far as I am aware, there is no attempt being made by rich taxpayers to dodge taxes. Another employe places marked copies of a morning paper before the teachers. Articles that have been published for po litical purposes only. These gentlemen are diverting the attention of the teachers to matters that conflict with their duties, and they should not take the lead in s?o advising and misleading their subordi nates, and as a member of this commit tee and a city official 1 desire to enter my protests against such actions. OPPOSES A NEW CHARTER. "I am in doubt as to the successful out come of a new charter. I am not satis fied we want to adopt a charter on the lines laid out for us. The only remedy is by a state constitutional convention, which can make the necessary changes. The fact is the new charter commission was appointed for the purpose of securing money for the schools. We are getting along very well at present. Our credit is good and hundreds of applications have been made for the tax levy certificates of indebtedness, which will be Issued In January. All outside applications "are re jected, as there have been sufficient ap plications from local i>eople to take all the certificates issued. If this charter commission was appointed to secure money for the schools, and this cannot be done, owing to a defect in the enabling act, what are we going to do? 1 will an swer this. I propose the city council shall build two new school houses next year That the council take hold of and repair the school buildings. The buiidings are not the property of the school board, but of the city, the same as the fire depart ment engine houses and the city hall Ihe new buildings should be tliree stories high. The one mistake made in the past was in building Iwo-story school build ings. HERE IS HIS SECRET. "You ask how fa thf£ to-be accomplish ed. I will tell you. We have fen insur ance fund, started some years ago when the city went out of the business of Insur ing its school .buildings. That fund now has to its credit. $30,000. When the fund was created it was authorized and under stood that when there was +25,000 to the credit of the fund, the council could take $20,000 and build a school building We have now $30,000 in the fund. We have 1100,000 In bonds coming due next year They are due Dec. 15, li-00, and the budget which I submitted to you today provides for their payment. If the conference committee and the council agrees with me we will take $50,00,} for the payment of tne bonds and placef the amount to tlw» Idit of the bond account. Then take other $50,000 and fHit up a new school lding for afrd with the remain s3o,ooo repair school buildings which :d repairing. The.: bonds will not be ! until Dec. 15, 1900,. and probably will be presented for 1 payment before Jan. 901. There are no bnnds coming due in , and the $50,000 due late in December, >, can be taken care of if presented payment, and If hot can be included the estimate for 1&01. DAN INCREASE THE PAY ROI/L. If we cannot have a new charter whi h 1 allow more funds for the schools, can erect two ne* school buildings, repair others and keep our hands off the school fund. This will give the school board a chance to use the fund for the maintenance of the schools, and keep them open six or eight months or the whole year. It might appear at first thought as though niy propo.^iti hi was a diverting of the school fund, but we can take money from the general fund for the repair of city buildings, and the school houses are certainly the same as other buildings owtiefl by the city." Aid. Sanborn interrupted the comptrol ler with a query as tjo whether the lim itations of the charter were not such as to interfere with his scheme. "We came to the conclusion last year."' said Aid. Sanborn, "that we could taKe no money from the general fund for the reason that the chaFter expressly says the levy in any one : year shall not exceed 2 1;; mills for all school purposes." DODGED THE QrESTrOX. Without directly replying to this ques tion, comptroller McC&rdy said: "Here is the point. : The taxpayer will not object, and neither, do I think, will the school board. It seems to me we have the ways and means to put up two school buildings next year, and we should avail ourselves of the chance. It may be interesting to know," continued the watch-dog of the treasury, "that only 75 per cent of the money raised for the sal aries of teachers is paid to teachers in the graded schools. It would be right for this board or the councilitto appoint a com mittee to go through the various depart ments and see If there are too many or too few employes. This was done five years ago, and nothing could be lost by having a committee) do this work over At the conclusion. .'of the comptroller's remarks City Englnfeer Claussen bmuarht before the committed the question of a municipal electric lighting plant. CITY'S OWN PLANT. Mr. Claussen paid lie had figured it out that if the a*ty would do Us own street lighting a saving of $60,0C0 per year could be made. This amount was based on recel/ing the same amount of light as in 1898, and on the prices for street lighting for next yetr. He had figured in his estimate on gas1 lamps of ei&hteen crndle power, and gasoline lamps of fourteen-candle pow.-r, and of substitut ing arc lights for both gas and gasoline. With an overhead pple system, such as now lit u.^e, the plant and system com plete would cost jSaip.OW. With orna mental polos and 'rnj the center of tho city ten miles of underground conduits the cost of the plan|fand system would Comptroller McCk^jy suggested that the saving of $GO,OOO «per > ear would pay for the plant in five years. Mayor Klefer lod&ed steadily at the city Continued on Seventh Page. ffl TO PRETORIA PROBABLE FATE OF THE SIX HUN DRED BRITONS CAPTIRED AT SWORMBERG KWffl TO BE PRISONERS BOERS ANNOUNCE THAT THEY CAP TIRED SIX 111 MMil-: 1) AND SEVENTY MEN DEFEAT IS HUMILIATING Pabllc Opinion In London Snp preNmed but Keen—Will Avrnlt <»en. (ia(ncrt'> Report of His OiiNhliiK Reverse—News Received In Part* and Berlin \\ tth Con siderable Wonderment, PRETORIA, Dec. 11.— Six hundred and seventy-two British prisoners were taken at Stormberg. In the fighting at Modder river yester day evening Gen. Cronje maintained his position and captured fifty British sol diers. LONDON, Dec. 12.—N0 further news has been received to smooth the mystery overhanging Gen. Gatacre's retreat from Stormberg. He has not yet forwarded the promised additional message, and ".he censorship has prevented the correspond ents from explaining the matter. While it ?s generally admitted that Gen. Gat acre is inclined to overwork. Gen. Dur ham's remarks are considered as in rath er bad taste. Until Gen. Gatacre has given his explanation, it is felt that con siderable allowance must be made tor the extreme difficulty of getting Intelligence in a country whose inhabitants are in slrong sympathy with the enemy. Stromberg is described as a stronger position than Laing's Nek. The only road winds through lofty hills, and flank ing is impossible. Colesburg is also said « • L.IEIT. GEX. SIR WILLIAM GATACRE. British Forces Under His Command Defeated With Great Slaughter at Storm berg. Cap c Colony. | to be an almost impregnable position;, and as no troops are avai'able to reinforce the columns acting in those directions, it becomes evident that Gen. Gatacre's misfortune, or error, will d^lay the in vasion of the Free State perhaps some weeks. It is exceedingly probable that he wouid be compelled to retire on Queens ton and to wait tor reinforcements, which can hardly reach him until -Sir Charles Warren's division arrives at the ("ape. The first detachments will sail Saturday | next. Even if Gen. French is not coin i pelled to retreat, he will be obliged to I pause In his advance. It now seems certain that the Seventh division, which is being mobilized at Al dershot, will also be sent to South Africa. No news has as yet been received con firming the Boer disposal of the tifty prisoners at Modder river from Lord Me thuen's column. HEAVY LOSSES. It is just two months since the Trans vaal proclamation was delivered. Nine ei gagements have been fought, and The British have lost 566 killed, 2,027 wounded and 1,977 missing or prisoners. The war office has issued a note th^t after Jan. 1 a deduction will be made from the pay of soldiers serving in South Africa, in the case of privates, 4 pence per day for wives and a penny for each child; in the case of sergeants, S pence for wives and 2 pence for each child. These sums have been paid thus far by the government. The order indicates a belief that the campaign will be a long one. It is announced from Cape Town thit the Boers have succeeded in repairing the Leuwfonteln t#idge, near Stormberg and Burghersdorp, which the Birtsh dt-s roy ed on retiring. Commandant Swanpol, who commanded the Boer forces at Stormberg, has been replaced by a Scotchman named R bert son. HUMILIATING DEFEAT. Later details regarding the disaster to Gen. Gatacre's column show that but for the magnificent work of the British artil lery the disaster would have been far more extensive, as the Incessant Boer shell fire in the midst of the repulsed In fantry ultimately led to disorder which only escaped developing into a rout through 1 the batteries of artillery occupy ing successive positions covering the re treat, thus drawing a portion of the Boers' galling fire. Apparently the British were set an Impossible task and were treacherously guided. After a trying march, being un- PRICE TWO CENTS-Jgf v^-C ' £ . TS . BULLETIN OF IMPORTANT NEWS OF THE DAY Weather Forecast for St. Paul: Fair. I—Doings In < ongre««. Effect of Gatacre'at Defeat. (oiiiiitroller Mct'ardy'it Surprise. Seven Persons Drowned. 2—Plans for the Census. To Promote Winter Sports. Boers Have Sympathizers. 3—Minneapolis Matters* Menage a Free Man. Northwest News. Still < basing; Agnlnnldo a 4—Ktlltorlal. Van's Washington (»o»«!p. Collins Pressed to Itim. 6—Sporting News. Local Baseball Situation. Associated Wheelmen Banquet. 6—Markets of the World. Chicago Dee. Wheat, 05 l-2c. Bar Silver, 59 I-2c. Stocks Panicky. 7—News of Railroads. B—Blixt Wants h Pardon. Local Labor Column. OCEAN LINERS. NEW YORK—Arrived: Steamer Am sterdam, Rotterdam. BRISBANE—Arrived: Miowera, Van couver, etc. KIAU CHAU—Arrived: Guernsey, Port land, via Muroan. NAGASAKI—SaiIed: Arab. Portland, Or. GIBRALTAR—Arrived: Ems, New York, and proceeded for Naples and Genoa. TODAY IN ST. PALL. METROPOLITAN—"The Royal Box," 8:15 p. m. GRAND—"The City of New York," 8:15 p. m. Palm Garden—Vaudeville. 2 and 8 p. m. Olympic Theater—Vaudeville, 2 and 8 p. m. - . , Annual election. Commercial club, 32 noon to 7 p. m. Retail grocers meet, 411 Robert street, noon. Grocers' clerks meet, 411 Robert street 8 p. m. Annual meeting Woman's Chrustian home. North street, 3 v. m. Master barbers meet. 245 East Seventh street, 8 p. m. Petschnlkoff concert. People's church, S p. m. Camera club meets, 48 East Fourth street 8 p. m. der arms sixteen hours, they attacked the wrong Dart of the Boer position, where the hill was impregnable, and the burghers weitj estimated to number 6.0C0 men, instead of 2,500, as the spies had re ported. There is little in the story to mitigate the intense humiliation occasioned by the episode, which was almost an exact coun terpart of the battle of Nicholson's Nek. The war office was besieged with anxious relatives, and the successive editions of the newspapers were eagerly scannd. Men and women were equally persistent in pleading for information, but the au thorities either do not possess any or else are not prepared to publish it at present. The affair has caused the most depress ing influence everywhere, not excepting the stock exchange, where cpnsols were at the lowest price in many years, and South African securities? slumped, not so much on account of the military reverse, which is retrievable, but owing to the profound apprehension as to its political effect. No great surprise would now be felt if Gen. Gatacre's reverse resulted in Cape Colony becoming aflame from end to end. The afternoon newspapers, like the morning papers, withhold the apportion ment of blame until they are further ac quainted with the causes, and take the reverse philosophically. The Pall Mall Gazette remarks: "The country's calm will again surprise the continent. If the blow is more seri ous than it appears, neither the crown nor the ministry will be in danger of even a single seditious, vilifying howl in the street. We have confidence in those who are fighting for us and in their di rectors." BOERS TOOK THREE GUNS. PRETORIA (via Lourenzo Marques) — The Boers captured three British guns in tht> engagement with Gen. Gatacre's force at Stormberg. The sortie at Kimberley last Saturday was an attempt to take the Boer position at Kamperdam. and to secure the water works. All the British shots fell short. Details are expected from the Boer out posts in the direction of Modder rlv«»r. Thero is a report that the British art advancing on the place, and heavy fight ing is anticipated. Gen. Prins Loo and Gen. Cronje command the Boer forces. BOERS INTERCEPT DISPATCHES. LOT'RENZO MARQUES, Dec. 11 —The following dispatch has been received from the Boer laager, near Ladysmith: "Several Kaffir runners from Ladysmith to Estcourt have been captured. They re ceived from £15 to £40 for the trip. The Intercepted dispatches show that men and horses in Ladysmith are now «n half ra- Continued on Tnlrd Poise. SEVEN LIVES LOST SKATING SEASON OPEXS IN MINNE SOTA WITH A NUMBER OP DROWNIXGS DEATH TOOK THEM IS PAIRS TWO YOIXG MEN SINK IX A LAKQ NEAR MORA, MINNE SOTA NORTHFIEID HAS TWO VICTIMS A Man Living; a Few Miles From Minneapolis Loses His Tivn Little Bo>.— H.- Had but a Few Month* Before Left the City for a Home In the Country—One Life Was MORA, Minn., Dec. 11.—(Special.) A double drowning- accident oc curred here yesterday afternoon when August Henaen and Henry Heiser, two young men of this place, lost their lives in Lewis lake. Henaen attempted to ircsa the lake on the Ice, which gave way. While he was strug gling in the water Heiser went to hip as sistance and lost his life in attempting to save his companion. Both were un man ied and came here from near Gl«?n --coe. The bodies were recovered. • TWO BOY 3 DROWN. MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 11.—(Special. )— William and Edward Cunniss, brothers, aged sixteen and fourteen, are the first victims of the skating season. Both boys were drowned Sunday afternoon while attempting to skate at Lake Genezerath, adjoining their father's farm, one-half a mile beyond Golden Valley. Sunday the lake was covered with a thin coating of ice, scarcely able to bear a muskrat's weight a few rods from shore. Thinking the ice strong enough to hold them though the boys went down to the shore and putting on their skates started out together. A few rods from the shore the ice cracked and gave way and both boys Sk from sight. Their screams for help -c heard and an attempt was made rescue them, but it was too late, and "when tha rescuers reached the spot Sere the boy* had been seen when they earned there was no trace to be found the bodies. Luke Cunniss, father of the drowned boys, formerly resided in Minneapolis, when* both boys were born. Some months ago he purchased a forty acre farm at Lake Genezerath and moved on to the farm with his family. Coroner Nelson Was notified yesterday and viewed the bodies, but after learning the cir cumstances bedded that no further in quiry would be necessary. The funeral" will probably be held Thursday. The Iri- Kment will be at St. Marys cemetery, Minneapolis. ANOTHER AT NORTHFIKLP. :ORTHFIKLD, Minn.. Dec. JK—(Spe cial.) —A sad drowning occurred at this place about 5 o'clock today. Mark Cham berlain and Drew Stevens, b'.th mem bers of the high school of Northfleld, »re skating on the Cannon river, which sses through Ihls place Mark Chnm beilain skated under the south bridge, where the ice was thin. He suddenly Kko through and h:s friend, Drew yens, seeing his danger qu cfciy came his assistance. His help was unavail , how-over, and they were b rth soon drowned, other assistance bVing too late. Tho search for the bodies lasted utmost an hour before they were recovered. Resuscitation was unavailing In lx>th cases. Mark Chamberlain, aged eighteen, has parents living near the city, while the parents of Drew Stevens, aged fifteen, are residents of Northfleld. The accident is a great shock to thtir parents and the community. ONE DROWNED. ONE SAVED. LITTLE FALLS. Minn.. Dec. 11.-(Spe cial.)—Two boys, aged nine years, sona of E. Como and Levi King, fell through the ice while skating tonight. Young King was saved, but Como could not bred r new transactions at higher rates. One all street bank required from 15 to 25 per cent. Fifteen or 20 per cent of good industrials were accepted on this basis, where Ihe borrower's name was satisfac tory. In all from $33,000,000 to jsn.OOO.OOC was called and paid off. then $2,000,000 or $3,000,000 loaned at 6sj7 per cent: large supplies then loaned down to 3 per cent. Sterling exchange advanced l\ per cent r demand bills. While bankers were puzzled over the oney situation here and abroad, the pre ction was made that demand bills would le higher throughout the week, with no ospect, however, of touching the ex porting point. One of the largi ?1 foreign Change houses reported today's rate as lly 2 rents below the figure at which old under present circumstances could >c profitably sent abroad. POWDER EXPLOSION. 'vro Men Seriously nnd One Other I'erlinp.s Fatally Injnre«l. CAMBRIDGE, 0., Dec. 11.—A terrific explosion of powder occurred in Klnt's mine, eight miles east of here, today, while four kegs of blasting powder were being taken into the mine. Charles Touvles, the motorman, and Jed Cressley were dangerously injured, while Charles Atkinson had his skull fractured and will die The other two may recover. The cause of the explosion is unknown. MOLDERS' STRIKE TO END. Men Will Iteturn to Work VenilliiK a Settlement of Difference*. RACINE, Wis., Dec. 11.—Three hundred and fifty of the 700 striking molders in the different foundries of the city have decided to return to work tomorrow, pending a settlement of the existing diffi culties. The strike resulted because of the failure of the Foundrymen's associa tion to recognize the union.