The Saint Paul globe., December 31, 1899, Image 1

About The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
TT\A/O
PARTS
VOL. XXII.— NO. 365.
hope w AnicA
BRITOXS \MI BOBRS II UN TO THE
I KITED STATES IN TIIEMI
EXTREMITY
ESfiliW MAI MS FOODSTIFFS
iiOKHS HIM. |BO HHTHKIt, AM)
MAI ASH I MCL.E SAM TO ACT
as PEACEMAKER
AGENTS TO BE SENT HERE
Will I'rc.sciii Their (;ivr to CungresK.
mc-u In \\ u>iiliiu<ou. and Kriii X
<»ilie>r liilln^ncoN to Kriir-Araer.
it-tin Interference Nut Considered
Probable— Coal Famine la the
Late« 4 DlOlenlty for England.
Copyrighted by the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec 30. — It la strange to note ;
that as the new year dawns for Great
Britain the largest army she ever put in
the field remains passive in South Africa,
1 eld at bay by two of the smallest re
publics on the face of the earth, while
at home. In spite of the large volume
of trade and apparent prosperity, her
financial interests are in a state of in
stability not seen since the Baring
crash. All Europe is yelping: Rt her
heels, and the necessity, for America's
friendship Es recognized on all sides. Pa
pers and people that for years have been
ready with a jibe for America's good
■will r.n longer make any attempt to be
little the desirability of securing her
l'ri. : hi.-! lip.
"America," saj's the Globe, usually
humorous at the expense of all things
transatlantic, "with a crop of 542,000,003
bushels, is especially in a position to help
us."
ECONOMIC SHOE PINCHES.
The economic shoe already begins to
pinch the military foot. Not very se
riously, but enough to suggest grave
cogitations as to what would happen if
Great Britain were at war with a great
power. The fact' that the navy has
chartered so many transports has re
sulted in a rise in the price of bread,
While coal is rising by leaps and bounds
to famine prices. It is such unpleasant
results as these that alienee the scoffer
at things American, and induce such a
vituperative publication as the Saturday
Review to say:
"The Americans have had their eyes
opem-d to the possibilities ©f a foreign
policy and are taking a sounder, broader
lew of the situation. They are not
less friendly to us than before, but the
Insincere element has been eliminated
and has left a substratum of good will."
The Saturday Review, under different
\f ircunistanecs, would doubtless construe
this into damning evidence of the' in
sincerity of American friendship. It
must be Inferred that this view is heid
by many of the sincere English friends
of America, who now point to what they
are pleased to term Its great friendliness
us proof of what they have always main
tained.
COM PEL.S ADM 1 RATION.
"With such a serious outlook for the
coming year it is hardly surprising that
articles are appearing 1 under the heard.
"Are "We Decadent?" and similar strains.
<>!i the other hand there is still a small
section of the press and public which de
votes its energies to senselessly abusing
the Boers and prophesying the speedy
ance of the British into Pretoria. Yet,
on l lie whole, the organs voicing the bet
ter class of opinion face 1900 and its
eventualities in South Africa with an
eveii-niinded, unhysterlcal determination
thai compels admiration. That there will
Vie a day of reckoning for someone is a
certainty that even the most guarded
and conservative do not try t<» conceal.
Whether it be Lord Lansdowne, Lord
Wolseley or Gen. Buller it i.-; impossible
to tell. But all the information obtain
able at :>rosent and the gist of criticisms
point to Lord Lansdowne having to
shoulder the onus for the terrible mis
management.
BOERS TURN TO AMERICA.
While Great Britain feeds contentedly
upon long special cables, showing Ameri
ca l friendship, the Boer agents in Europe
believe sentiment in the United States
has been gradually turning Boerward,
until the time is now ripe to drop it into
material effect. Under this impression.
the 1 Associated Press learns, they are
Lemplating dispatching a special mis
rton to the United States for the purpose
of influencing public opinion, possibly by
open meetings and by personally assist
ing the efforts of those in congress whom
they believe friendly. Moreover, they
consider it advisable to offset what they
declare has ber>n a systematic campaign
of John Hays Hammond, the American
engineer, who was a member of the Jo
hannesburg reform committee, to in
fluence Washington opinion. If the plans
now under consideration are carried out
the mission will include a very prominent
Boer agent and a pro-Boer member of the
British parliament, who intended to sail
this week, bin was prevented by what is
thought to be a temporary hitch in the
arrangement. Their desire is to affiliate
themselves with no particular party, but
by influencing political and public opinion
to secure at least an offer of mediation
from the United States.
A representative of the Associated
Press has made careful inquiries, but
failed to find any circumstances to war
rant the belief that such an offer, how
ever made, would receive the slightest
consideration.
COAT, FAMINE FEARED.
The British government is threatened
v. ith a coal famine, the most serious de
velopment of recent weeks. I'nless the
conditions improve many industrial con
<•( i!is depending upon the coal supply
may have to suspend operations before
February, as their margin of profit Is
rapidly being wiped out. The tr©uble au
pean to be the withdrawal of so many
colliers to take their places in the ranks
of the reserves. Wages have gone up,
but lubor is hard to find.
- The enormous Christinas traffic agg/a
-vates the situation, while the government
need of fuel for warships, transports and
depots on the way to the Cape has created
an unprecedented demand.
Thomas Kite, the old parish clerk of
Shakespeare's church; lias quickly fol
lowed the custodian of Hathaway's cot
tage to the grave. He w;:p ninety-five
years of age and succeeded his father
and grandfather half a century ago. and
•was well known to all dramatic celebrl-
Uee: Amongst those he conduced to
Shakespeare's tomb were Sir Walter
Scott, Washington Irving, Dickens, Em
ereon. Etooth, Keene and Nathaniel Haw
thorne.
Senior .wrangler promises to be a thing
of the past at Cambridge, the board ol
mathematics having recommended the
„ .///
abolition of this coveted distinction. If
the senate agrees, as is probable, the
wranglers will al! be classed alphabetical
ly, ami none Will know who is the clever,
est mathematician of the year. For this
honor men have worked themselves craay,
and it has been secured by some of the
most prominent figures In English his
tcry.
DEATH OF MR. MOODY.
The death of Dwiprht T. Moody is uni
versally commented on here and his vis
its to England have been recalled. The
Times has :i long, editorial comparing the
career of Mr. Moody to that of the Puke
of Westminster. The weeklies, and even
the halfpenny evening Bhcets, all paid
tribute !•■ the dead evangelist. A me
morial «-t-rviee held in London was large
ly attended.
Anioiitr the latest <Mstlns-ul.whe.il men ro-
Irig to South Africa !s Gapt. !T«>h"orrt, who
is one of the closest friends of the Prince
of Wales, and hi* equerry. The captain
saiis Jan. 5, to join his regiment, the Fifst
lilY From 18S8 to 1893 (';ipt. llol
fbrd was equerry to the late Duke of
t'i.u* net', and since then has tx?en equerry
to the Prince of Wii!es. I!t- is a wealthy
land owner and proprie;or of Dorchester
house, London, fr.mou:: for its picture
galleries.
Tlie king of the Belgians goes on a
yachting cruise In the Mediterranean In
January, returning to Belgium in March.
Ring Menelek, ■>'.' Abyssinia, is soon gu
ing tc l.'alro as the guest of the khedive,
tl.us disposing of the stories that lie is
collecting aii army to invade the Soudan.
Neatly all the military men in Dublin
::re wearing mourning for Gen. Roberts'
son.
GEN. WOOD'S CABINET.
Uslsninrnln of Portfolios Are to Be
Indued at Once.
HAVANA, Dec. 30.— The name? of the
members of Gen. Wood's cabinet and the
assignments of portfolios will be issued
tomorrow. It is believed that the list will
be as follows:
Secretary of State and Government—
Diego Tamayo.
Secretary of Justice— "Luis Estevez.
Secretary of Education— Juan Bautista
Hernandez.
Secretary of Finn.nce— Enrique Yarona.
Secretary of Public Works— Jose Ramon
Villalon.
Secretary of Agriculture, Industry and
Conunerce— Gen. Luis Rivera.
All of these names, with the exception
of that of Senor Hernandez, have been
expectfd for the past few days. The
mention of the name of Senor Hernandez
as secretary of education came as a sur
prise, although he holds an important
professorship in the university and is
prominent in Cuban national affairs. The
papers generally have given the gover- j
nor general great credit for the other five
appointments, and from a Cuban point
of view the cabinet is considered a
strong one.
The mayors of all the towns and cities
in the province of Santa Clara have held
a meeting in order to determine for what
they should petition the coming council.
Prominent Cubans and other inhabitants
of San Antonio de los Banos, in view of
the recent attempts to lynch Spaniards,
have formed a committee, called the local
council of general interests, which has
issued a circular paying that "in view of
the lawlessness of some individuals, who
wish to outrage the rights of the people,
the committee is determined that such
outrages shall cease, the committee act
ing as the sentinel of public order."
In Havana there is danger of Cubans
ar,.l other laborers being underbidden in
the labor market by Spaniards, who, com
ing from Spain, where they have been ac
customed to work for almost nothing,
snatch at employment at half the usual
wages. Instead of attempting to swamp
the labor market of the different towns,
the Heraldo thinks, a labor bureau should
attempt to divert the immigrants to the
country, where labor is wanted.
II HUNG CHANG HONORED.
Venerable < liiiiexe Statesman Will
Aot Ke \ km in Degrrmled.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 30-The Chinese
minister, Mr. Wu Ting Fang-, has re
ceived a dispatch from China stating that
I,i Hung Chang has been appointed act
ing viceroy of two provinces in the south
•of China, adjacent to Canton. The minis
ter says this is a marked distinction lo
the venerable Chinese statesman, as the
provinces are among the most, populous
and commercially important in the empire.
Mr. Wu's dispatch clears up a misappre
hension created by a recent unofficial
dispatch stating that Earl TJ would be
made viceroy of one province, that of
Canton, and thac this would be followed
by a degradation. On the contrary, the
minister's advices show that the double
viceroyalty is an unusual honr, said to
be analogous to that of viceroy of India.
The appearance of Li Hung ('hang at
ihe head of affairs in Southern China, it
is believed, will have an important in
fluence in that quarter, where the French
"sphere of iniiuence" is supposed to be
located.
FAMILY POISONED.
Potato Vines Probably Polluted l»j
S|»ra>ln« to Kill Buff*.
ZANESYILLE, 0., Dec. 30.— Hon. F. A.
Durban, Mrs. Durban, Mariet Maillot, a
French maid, and Mary Tysinge, a serv
ant, narrowly escaped death by arsenical
poisoning during the night. At dinner
last evening mashed potatoes were
served. All felt slightly indisposed when
retiring last night, and early this morn
ing Mr. Durban awoke very ill and
weak. He called a physician and six
hours' work were required to get the
family past the danger point. Physi
cians think the poisoning was due to
spraying the vines to kill bugs, the plant
absorbing the poison.
GAVE UP AND DIED.
Well Known Railroad OfHcinl Buds
Hlm Life >>y Mioot iii;.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 30.—Au
ditor Uriah B. Rogers, of the Chicago
& West Michigan and Detroit. Grand
Rapids & Western railroads, committed
suicide this noon by shooting himself
through the head, while sitting at his
desk in his private office. Death was
instantaneous. Despondency over a long
Illness and a severe nervous strain arc
the probable causes of the deed. Mr.
Rogers had been appointed auditor of
the newly consolidated Pere Marquette
system only day before yesterday.
NOW A PRIVATE CITIZEN.
Former President of Vencinela
Makes His Home in l'iivrio Rico.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.— Word has
been received here that Gen. Andrade
.late president of Venezuela, who fied on
a warship when the <"astro revolution
proved successful, is living quietly in
Puerto Rico, where the American rule
affords him every proper protection. Gen.
Andrade has sent back the warship on
which he left Venezuela, together with
every other possession in any way be
longing to the country, and he is now liv
ing aa a private citizen.
Fatal Dynamite* Kxploxlon.
PITTSBURG, Dec." 30. —By an. explosion
Of dynamite in the East end tod.ay, Peter
Antonio and Ambrose Bonriell; two
Italians, were fatally Injured and several
others slightly hurt. The men were en
gaged at blasting and attempted to thaw
out some frozen dynamite.
SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 31, 1899— TWENTY—TWO rAGES.
(MA TO BE OPEN
ALL, POWBRS SAVE ITALY HAVE
RESPOXDEIJ FAVORAHLV TO
AMEHKAX SI (JGEHTIOX
GREAT BRITAII WAS FIRST
OKKMAW CANE NEXT, TKKX
FKAXOE MU.OWK9, A\D FI
NAt>LV Rl T »SIA AXD JAI'AX
ITALY WILL LIKELY CONCUR
Poirerx Were Disposed <o Resent the
Prompt Aciinlesi'fcoe of <«rcjet
HiKain, on the Ground Tlint It
Made the Wkole Arrangement Ap
pear Like Joint Anglo-American
■Uorii-OrlenlKl Trade Aaanred.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-The ne^otla
tions opened by Secretary Hay with thft
great powers of Europe, and with Japan,
towards securing a common understand
ing for a continued open door policy
throughout China, have met with most
gratifying results. The state department
Is unwilling at present to make public
the nature of the replies received, as this
information will be embodied in a special
message to congress. But in other quar
ters, thoroughly reliable, and likely to
have accurate and trustworthy informa
tion, It is learned that favorable re
sponses have been made by Great Brit
ain, Germany, France and Russia (the
Russian communication coming as late
as yesterday) and Japan. There is no
doubt, it Is thought, that Italy, the re
maining country addressed, will make
favorable answer, if indeed it has not
already done so. The position of Italy
Is felt to be assured by the favorable
course adopted by the other great pow
ers of Europe.
The importance of this unanimous ver
dict by all the first-class powers of the
world— Great Britain, Russia, Germany,
France, Italy and Japan, in conjunction
with the United States— can hardly be
overestimated so far as it relates to the
future of China and the commerce of
the world In that empire. The state de
partment is loath to discuss the far
reaching results when the agreement
reaches the stage of formal consumma
tion, for each favorable response is con
ditioned upon the favorable action of
all the other parties, so that in each
case the negotiations may be regarded
as short of absolute finality. But while
the department is silent, the details come
from sources believed to be fully con.
versant with what has occurred.
GREAT BRITAIN FIRST.
According to this Information, the
British ans-wer wafl the Brat to be sub
mitted, and was exceptionally compre
hensive and explicit in yielding to every
suggestion made by the United States
relative to maintaining the freest entry
to the ports of China.
The British answer is said to emphasize
the concurrence with the United States
by adopting word for word much of the
phraseology employed by Secretary Hay
when he addressed his original note to
Great Britain and the other powers. The
wording Is such as to make plain that
the British government concurs for the
present a.,d hareafter, without limitation,
in a policy of free access to China.
Although much secrecy was observed
in the transmission Of. the Bihish answer,
its general purport became known at the
other European capitals, and there was
net a little irritation at what was regard
ed as a precipitate response, purposely
designed to embarrass the continental
powers by showing Great Britain a-id
tlh> United States acting in concert, while
the rest, ot the world held aloof. But this
situation was made much more satis
factory to tha continental powers by
their determination to act for themselves.
GERMANY NEXT.
Germany is said to have been the next
power to answer in the i-tfllrmative. Ac
cording to the information already re
ferred to, the German answer was rather
more vague than the one which had pre
ceded it. but iis general tendency was
favorable, the only condition being that
any arrangement as to free access to
China should be- universal and assented
to by. all of the pcw r ers.
The French answer is understood to
have come next, and the circum«ianees
attending it were rather peculiar, and not
in Ihe nature of a direct answer, although
the result was regarded as most satis
factory. Secretary Hay's note had been
forwarded to Gen. Horace P.rter, the
United States ambassador to France, who
promptly called upon M. Deleassf\ min
ister of foreign affairs in the French
cabinet. Gen. Porter made known his
mission, whereupon M. Deleasse showed
«Te most sympathetic spirit and stated
that h« had already made ample answer
to just such a communication, although
at the time he ha-1 rot int/endtd it as an
answer to the American note. This
answer, M. Deleasse explained, w?.s given
in a speech made by him in November in
the French chamber. The main p^int' of
his speech in reference to Ch'na was that
France desired the most ample freedom
if commerce. M. Dclcasso referred Gen
Porter to this speech, and told him that
it fully gave the assurance which the
United States desired. It is said that. tlie
meeting was gratifying on both sides, and
that the results were cocsfolered to be a
favorable acceptance from France.
RUSSIA RATHER SLOW.
The Russian negotiations have pro
ceeded less briskly, so that it seemed for
a time that Russia's attitude might not
be favorable. This was dissipated, how
ever, by the Russian ambassador. Count
Cass.ini, in the course of interviews with
Secretary Hay. On this occasion Count
Cassfnl pointed out that a hurried an
swer was by no means the best evidence
of a favorable attitude toward the Amer
ican proposition. but that Russia was
proceeding with due deliberation in order
to arrive at some solid ground for a
permanent understanding. The Russians
were desirous of weighing the many' in
cidental questions involved— such as the
effect of the understanding on the ter
ritory -known as "spheres of influence,"
as well as on the territory actually
leased to the foreign powers, such as
Talien Wan, Kiao Chan and the British
and French ports. Besides giving these
assurances Count Cassini showed person
ally the most friendly spirit toward the
American proposition, as well ,';s being
desirou.-. of giving an answer in this case
which woula be another instance of the
friendly co-operation long observed be
tween Russia and the United States.
The Russian position, it is understood,
is similar to those preceding it with the
game condition that -Russia alone shaJl
not be bound, but that all of the inter
ested countries shall join in. the agree
ment to keep the ports of China forevei
open.
In what order in the negotiations
Japan's favorable nttltiui* was made
known cannot be slated, but it suffices
that Japan made her position unmistaka*
ble in favor of the American proposition
with the same reservatitf) as in all the
other casea that unanimity should be
reached.
Although Italy is yet to.be heard fron
definitely, no doubt is fentetjtalned that
this country also wiil be favorable, thus
making- complete the satisfactory re
sponses of all the great powers.
SKXATOR VBBT TO.RF/rillE.
Will X«t Be n fiiniildale for Another
Terntt.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 80.— "My pres
ent term in tlie senate will end my pub
lic career," said Senator A r est, of Mis
souri, today. "I have written a letter
to a friend of mine, an editor In Clay
county, In which I hair* satd tllu this
term Mill bring my public life to a
close. In saying this, however, 1 am
simply lepeating the statement made
to the Missouri legislature which last
elected me, that T would not be a candi
date for re-election."
Senator Vest's letter was brought out
by a request for his views on .the best
method of electing senators, whether by
convention or through primaries. In
declaring in favor of the convention sys
tem, on the ground that primaries had
resulted in party friction, Senator Vest
took occasion to refer to his own lack
of personal concern in the matter by
announcing that he would not be a can
didate again. Ilia term does not expire
until 1903, so that he has three years
yet to serve. At the expiration of that
time he will have been in the senate
four terms, a total of twe-nty-four years.
He took his seat on tbe 18th of March,
1879, having been elected to fiil the va
cancy caused by the death of Senator
Bogy.
ENGINES Q& WAR.
America to Have Battle-
nliipN In the World.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 80.— Designs for
the greatest battleships ever projected
for the American navy were agreed upon
by the naval board of construction to-
N
Father Time— They Want Me to Try Tlmt. Gmss I'll Stick to Winers.
day, after several months of discussion
over the important questions of battery,
armor, speed, coal capacity and displace
ment. The three vessels— to be called the
Georgia, New Jersey and. Pennsylvania
will equal in formidability the finest i4**-e
--of-battle ships yet la hi down by any for
eign power, and with the .additional typi
cal American improvements" w - ill surpass
in fighting force any ships now afloat.
BLANKET INDICTMENT.
Michigan Grnii<t Jury Finally
ReachfH n Fii»<lln;jr.
LANSING, Mich,, ©cc... 30.— The grand
jury returned one indictment just before
1 o'clock today and adjourned till next
Tuesday. As in pi ev ions cases, the pros
ecutor moved that the contents be kept
secret until the party or parties named
therein are arraigned, and the court so
ordered. It is believed*- jflxs document is
a blanket in character and covers throo
or more names.
MRS. MORRISON DEAD.
Exonerated Her HuKlmnr til Her
Ante-Mortem Statement.
NEW YORK, Dec. %).— Mrs. Alfred
Morrison, the wife of the professor of
languages at Mount Vernon, who was
shot by her husband early yesterday, died
from the effects of the wound today.
In her ante-mortem statement Mr?. Mor
rison exonerated her husbands from
blame. She has art son to care for her
sick child and her husband mistook her
for a burglar, firing the fatal shot.
BACK TO BOSTON.
Ki-Banker Cole *tar<K on Hi* In-
pleaanut Journey.
T.OS ANGETjSg, GtA Deo. 3d — Charles
H. Cole, the Roston banker, accused of
embezzling SftOO.Oftfi of the funds of the
Globe National bunk, sf that city, and ar
rested here, started for Huston tonight
in charge at United States Marshal os
borne. Cole's vvil'e and son will accom
pany him.
BOILEE EXPLOSION.
Four Men Killed iintl Scvfrnl Otli
ew 'lnj».ij*etl.
ET.TZABETTITOWN, Pa.. Deo. 30.— FoUP
men were killed ami several Injured by
a boiler explosion today. They were em<
ployea of Keller <fc Crea^qn. railroad con
tractors. The dealt are: Donald llalde
man, of Bainbrldge; Win Bherbahn, of
West Donegal; Burt Harris (colored);
an Italian known as Tony.
Civil S<-rvif*- Ip^2>rMveiwciil.
WASH LVC.Ti.rN: v i >ccs 30. - The civil
service commission, in its animal report,
to be issued next, weefc&wlll say that the
civil service laws arfelbglng mure gen-.
orally conformed to th;«i ever before.. It :
shows that the removals of employes,'
l)is<'d upon its •siatisiu.-P for this year,
now average. .slhjhtbr legs than 2 per cent
of the whole nuofbcf uf. the classified
places. i?
WOULD BE ABSURD
SO **A>S ATTORXEY KEXERAI,
GKIGCSS OP PROPOSED SI IT
A€SA(XST RAILROADS
HAVE 9MU M STATUre
11E< [/.'■MniATIOT; CA-SXOT BK
1" A i 1 1 ■'■ V A H A N :SP HA « t' ! < i \ <l 9
AS i'l-'j l:i si' I,UV
RELiIiT NOT I>T THE COURT 3
Attorney General HoUh Thai S2:ij»
l.vrs *lur;J '3'nris <<» (be l:i(i'i's(«l«'
Commerce ( :>i;. oil', iou — RetiirnM
'I i :ic»f.<-.ii»i «>f fextiuiony to Tbal
I;<ii*>, A c*<' :;ni i: :i nif :1 bj' :t n 10 x
-I:husllvi' .*- i< ;t' n> i n;v I|> ut id*' ( iim 1 .
WASHINGTON, Dec. SO.— Attorney
Gent-:;ii Griggs today returned to t ii*- in
terstate commerce commission the tran
script of the evidence !;;ken at a hearing
before 11-e commission lust wtcK in the
matter <>f the new freight classiiication,
with a view tct action by the attorney
gem nil under the anti-trust Ih-.v, if his
judgment warranted the same. The ai
torney general's letter follows:
"Department of Justice, Washington,
D. C. Dec. 30, 1899.— The Interstate Com
merce Commission— Gentlemen: I am in
receipt of your communication of the 2Sih
instant, and have given the matter such
careful consideration as the limited time
at my command has permitted.
"It appears that, on the Bth Instant,
the interstate commerce commission or
dered an inquiry with respect to certain
changes in freight classification, made by
'official classification number 20,' which la
NOT THIS YEAE.
to take effect Jan. 1, IMO. At the con
clusion of the testimony taken at the
hearing on the 21st and 22nd instants, cerv
tain protesting shippers requested that a
transcript of the proceedings be trans
mitted to the attorney general, claiming
that a violation of the anti-trust law had
been shown. Accordingly, you have
transmitted copies of ■official classifica
tions numbers 19 and 20," a copy of the
order for the hearing, a transcript of the
proceedings, and a copy of the resolution
and petition of certain shippers. You ex
press no opinion upon the matter, but
properly leave me to determine whether
the facts show warrant for me in apply
ing for an injunction to restrain the oper
tion of the new classification on the
ground that iif adopting it the railroad
companies violated the anti-trust law.
"The interstate commerce act went into
effect in 3*s7. To comp.y with Its pro
visions it was necessary for the railroad
companies operating in the same terri
tory to simplify their freight classifica
tion. Accordingly, at a convention of the
railroads, a committee was appointed to
prepare an official classification and sub
mit it to the Companies for their adop
tion. This was done and an official classi
fication was adopted which was tiled
with the interstate commerce commission
and went into effect April !. ISS7. Since
that time nineteen official classifications
have been prepared, submitted to the rail
road companies, adopted and riled.
CLASSIFICATIONS FILED.
"Dining the current year two classifi
cations were died, No. is on Feb. 1, 189-1,
and No. It- (now in force) on July 1, 1893.
It appears from the testimony 'taken be
fore you that this official classification is
used substantially by the carriers operat
ing in that part of the United States
north of the Ohio and Potomac rivers,
and fast of the Mississippi river. There
js an official classification committee,
composed of some fourteen railroad offi
cers from different sections. This com
mittee meets on the call of its chairman,
or upon the request of three member?.
At its meetings suggested changes are
considered, such changes as the commit
tee, with substantial unanimity recom
rr.end, i\r? noted by the chairman and in
corporated into a new official classilica-
Tion, which is then r.uhmittod to each
company for its individu.il action. Same
sixty railroad companies thus independ
ently pass upon the classification. They
signify their adoption to the chairman,
who, after the official classification has
thus been adopted, files It with the inter
state commerce commission in compli
ance with the law.
"The legality of the method of prepar
ing-, adopting and tiling- the official classi
fication liis never before been Questioned,
nor, indeed, was it questioned in the
complaints. leading to your order of the
Bth inst., which were that the changes
made are 'discriminating and wrongful,'
and will subject shippers and shipments
in the territory affected to unreasonable
charts and unjust discrimination and
undue. prejudice and disadvantage.' The
hearing had to permit the carriers to
explain to ih» shippers the reasons for
the proposed changes with a view to an
amicable adjustment of the differences.
During- the course of the testimony it
was repeatedly suggested that your com
mission had no power to take official ac
tion at . that time, bul that after the
Classification had gone into effect it
would be open to shippers to make a
formal complaint invoking the remedy
provided for unreasonable rates and un
just discrimination by the interstate com
merce law. During the courso of the
hearing the shippers who were present
protesting against the changes requested
the carriers to postpone the lime fur
the official classiiieutlon to take effect
BIM.PJTIN OF
IMPOBTANT NEWS OF THE DAY
Weather Forecasi for St. Paul.
Fair; Continued <■«>!<!.
I— America i:iikluih!'h Hope.
<>{>«• n Door tn C'hinit.
DeeJufon by Gritsgu.
S«m?h African M>.r Vrtvt.
li — Keiy <i«:iril Hc'Kinx-itt.
l>f\v«*> Invitctl to St. I'isu!.
Afl4-fi«Ml Shoplifter.
Xt*Tv X rules' ii 3tl <>j-«:«t.
C-ity'jl ('nxlt Ac:'(-iii;|.
."— \ If«i» on !)r. Smith.
\«w Df-tf (•»!•. *>*s Work.
-I—Mdilf1 — Mdilf r»!i'tt(itl (iohkip.
Or. <;h:»jj>e*N < imjj:-
SI — »tiMifloii f;i Ohio.
Condition «.l" IlnnKn.
6— Editorial.
Cltat of I lie Capital.
7— Clone of <li«? Century.
*2;<sij'nJ Note*.
Kcetal Miih.
\ asrrant Ver«e.
S — Vci'i-ter In l):niß<-r.
<•« rmaa \ lv\x «>f War.
>-' —^liiin«ay«tlJ!» Matters.
S«»rtkireMt .'Ww*.
\f«i« «f ItnllrvnilK.
IO — V)Mirl!nj{ Kewi.
<'i»mlp «f the Kiitjs.
Minister in the Itinjr.
II — rim Cottiu n Lffei
World Lpslde Uomii.
12— In the Field of Labor.
Pro-Boer Meeting-.
Coming City < kin pit Ign.
13 — Bnitincss Aimouin-eineiit.
11— Book's of the Hoar,
)t< <<>ii«,u«'<.l itf KeiTfiie.
15-i-Bu»iiiie»>i AiiiKiniK-rincnt.
lO— St. Pa.*] Si.ciHi \ew»,
17 — Subni'ban Social.
I*" 1 — Knnniiin City Divorce Case.
Swindles of 'IHvo Centnries.
19— Gowns fitr Girlu.
Notem for Woinvmu
20-Markrt,i of the World.
New* Of l.oii^e !t(iKUI>.
iil— Popular Wan is.
22— Week «t the Theaters.
Musical Mention.
Romance of Dnse,
OCEAN Li\BRS.
NEW YORK— Arrived Sf. Lfnjte, Souih
acipton. Sailed: Maasdam, I^otterdam;
Mnntcalm, Ijondon.
Q I T EKNSTOWN- Arrived: Etruria New
York for Liverpool.
HAVRE— Sailed: La Champagi'ie, - New
York.
ANTWERP — Sailed: Aragonia, New
York.
LIVFRPOOL-Salled: Lucar.ia, New
York.
GENOA— Arrived: Kaiser Wilhelro It,
New York, via Naples.
HAVllK— Arrived: Steamer L'Aquilaine,
New York.
TODAY IN ST. I'Al L,.
METROPOLITAN — "llumpty Dumpty,"
8:15.
GRAND— "A Day and a Night," 8:15.
Olympic— Vaudeville, 2 and is p. m.
Palm Garden— Vaudeville, 2 and 8 p. m.
Ario'n Singing- society anniversary, Mo
zart halt 1 , 8 p. m.
Entertainment. Social Labor party. As
sembly hall, v p. m.
for sixty days or ninety days. This re
quest was refused, the carriers insisting
that the effect of the changes could only
be determined by experience, and stating
they would be quite willing to consider
complaints and correct changes v. hich
practical operation should prove to be
unjust. It Was after this request for a
postponement had been refused that
some of the shippers presented to the
commission the resolution and petition
which you have transmitted.
EFFECT OF CHANGES.
"That resolution cites that whereas the
changes made by the new official classi
fication by Increasing less than carload
rates over carload rates will greatly in
ure to the benefit of. the large shippers
and to the detriment of the small ship
pers; and whereas, a postponement of
their operation has been refused, there
fore, the shippers petition the commission
to lay the testimony before the attorney
general in order that he may take action
under the anti-trust law to prevent the
official classification from going into
operation.
"In your communication after transmit
ting the testimony and papers which
show the facis above detailed you say:
'These changes Eh classification are to
be made for the conceded purpose of in
creasing the rates on the articles ad
vanced, and thereby increasing the rev
enue derived by the carrier from the
transportation of such articles. The num
ber and variety of articles advanced is
shown by a list of the same annexed as
above state d.
" 'The protesting shippers assert that
increases In rates, to the extent effected
by these changes in classification, are
without justification and will resuk in ex
cessive charges upon most, if not all of
the articles in Question. They also allege
that hardship and Injustice will further
result from the changes which will be
made i:i the relation of rates, especially
from the increase in the difference be
tween carload and less than carload
chargesv'
"It is apparent from the protest*
originally filed, from the terms of your
order of the eighth instant, (rum the res
olution and petition presented by the
shippers and from your own communica
tion that it is the changes made and not
the method of making them which is
complained of. 1 nder the classification
which has obtained for many years, all
freight is divided into six classes. For
these classes the railroad companies fix
graded rates. A change from a lower to
a higher class would Increase the rate if
the existing rates are maintained. It is
against the increased rate thus produced
that the shippers protest. They claim:
First— That the changes will result in un
reasonable rates. Second— ln unjust dis
crimination against the small in favor of
the large shippers. Third— ln charging
more for a short than a long haul.
Obviously those are matters for the con
sideration of the Interstate commerce
commission. A railroad company may
raise iis rates to an unreasonable point,
it may discriminate among Us shippers, it
may charge more for a short than a long
haul, but none of these acts, however
unjust and wrongful, amounts to a viola
tion of the anti-trust laws.
NO CAUSE FOR ACTION.
"To authorize the attorney general
to direct an Injunction proceeding
under this law it must be shown
there is a "contract, combination, • • •
or conspiracy in restraint of trade or
commerce among i he several states?.'
"In the first place there is no con
tract, combination or conspiracy shown.
There Is consultation by representative
railmad men in committee respecting
suggested changes in classification. There
is subsequent independent action by rail
road companies In the adoption of the now
classification recommended by the com
mittee. The testimony taken does not
Continued on Fifth Page.
>ART ONE
Pages i to 1 2
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
SEIZUKE OF A SHIP
IT MAY CAISB SKKIOI S COMPLJm
CATIONS BETWEEN GRRMANY
AND GREAT BRITAIN
BAHIiURG OITIZffIS EXCITED
OWNERS OF BIM)KS»A'IH. T»f3
VES.««EL TVKEX. ASK GOVKRM
MEST TO IXTBRFSRE
INTENSE FEELING IS EVIDENT
Hollandrrn ami Gcrniaim at Le«ren.
KO Marque* Openly Meuonncr A«
tlon of the British— Commander
of the Port of Durban Drellaed
to Give Any Bxpla hh < lon of the
Action Taken by Hi* Govern men t.
LOUREXZO MARQTE3, Delaffoa Bay,
Dec. 80.— The aeitura of the German
East African liner Bundesrath by the
British cruiser Magiuienne ha^ causnj a
tremendous sensation h-rt-. It ,>- ■x
pected that serious complication* will
follow, as the owner.-' of ihe \ e.^t ; as
sert that there was w, basis for the
geieure. The Br4ti3h authoritlea are
silent, but the Bundesrath is in custody
and will be taken before a prizg court
EXCITEMENT IX HAMBURG.
HAMBURG, Deo. 30.— The seizure of
the Bundesrath was referred to ai a
meeting of merchants he id here today.
After a speech byAdolph Woimai.n, presi
dent of the Hamburg Chamber of Com
merce, dealing with tiis great progress
of the German om;ure during the closing
century, Herr Eiffe, speaking in behalf
of the rirms tradmg with South Africa,
asked whether the chamber was doing
all that whs necessary ror the protection
of German trade In that part of the
world. German commerce, he asserted,
had already suffered detriment through
the war in South Africa; and news . i.me
of the seizure of a German steamer by
a British war-hip.
Herr Wormann replied that the cham
ber had already considered the qut--
tion of representations, with a vi«-« „f
taking action in the matter. Mr. chani
berlain had been Informed, he said, that
the steamship company owning the *Hz»-d
vessel had telegraphed to Prino* Hoh*fc
lohe, the imperial chancellor, asking fur
government intervention, and it was de
clared that nothing: whatever had been
done by the company which could in any
way be regarded as a breach of neutral
ity.
DIRECTOR 3 INFORMED.
The directors of ih-- German K;^t Afri
can line have received news of the- arrest
of the Imperial mail steamer Bundesratti.
The commander .<f the port of Durban re-
. fused an explanation of the c"aus< oi the
seizure.
It is declaim! that there was no contra
band of war on b->;i:A, and when applica
tion was made, to tl - German foreign
office the latter immediately promised in
terposition with iki British govern
BRITISH OFFICERS KILLED.
PRETORIA. Friday. Dec. 29.— Three
British prisoners from Malapo report that
Capts. Vernon arid S*ndford, of Col.
Baden^Powell's staff, we're* killed during
the engagement in wLi >h Lords Kdtvanl
Cecil and paverttlißh Bentlflitk were
wounded. The oh lie gortii WJU to
capture B.^er cannon. The loss of the
British was very ."•
The "long Tom ;i Injured m Ladysmiih
has been repaii -<1 arid N being replaced.
The new eoritract reducing the price cf
dynamite Instituted by :r. raad in August
w;is registered Dec. 23 be sveen tht gov
ernment and the :.i story.
PROBABLE BASIS.
LONDox. Dec. 30.- A represeiitatl
the Associated Press I s learned that
there were three German officers
twenty men, attire 1 i i kh; kl, and in
tending to serve the Boers, on i- ..i.i the
Buhdesrath, whi h explains her capture.
Regarding Uaffi g t>n s!m „- cat
coast <<f Africa, the British admiralty ot
ficlals say the Brltis . rament <U- i.e-i
that all ordinary and legitimate trade
conducted by C >: el . v -■•'< shouli
fer as little restriction as p.«ssib'.e.
SKIRMISHES B-REQI ENT.
LONDON, IVo. 31.— Th? war offic< com
municated about mldnishi copie-s ol the
messagrea exchanged between the
and the inhabitants of Klmberley. stat
ir.g ihat no further news ! ;>. , b ir. < Yv
ed up to thai lionr. a:>,i nothing ot i..i
--portaii'-e h«s i.'-Kiie from other soi •■<*
during the nJght. Th s •:•:.-. sk;rii:ish ■«,
recoimolsances m.l bom bare meats -„t va
iio.us points where the Briilch and
confront each other, - ■ far i can b.<
Judired, have had no effe ; ..; ■ the gen
eral situation at the seal of war, wnich
is practically the d.-iue as ii u..s a week
ago. During the nlghl of D c. 28 Lady
smith and Chievelej Camp «rer« in full
communication, he former repo ti
well. While the signaling \v,is in prog
ress the Boera at"temp;ed lo ihu \>\ »• the
messages with flashlights from each ex
tremity of their iong int c iched 1 n, . T:ie
naval brlßr.de took alvantare of th« op
po'rtnnity to shell the Boer pos
which were plainly ri ' the! cwn
iiti-as. The naval battery resumed Ihe
shelling of :he Boer trencl cm on ih< m »*n
int; of Dec. 29, but their tire failed to
elicit any signs of Life;
A dispatch from Cppe Tcwii,
Wednesday, Dec. .'7, announced t'
armored t -■;» I:i had real >red •
tion vvith Dordrethtj Where the Free S'ati
Rag had been hauled dbwh, .ml (hn\ xhh
Boera had been driven from the u>.
itills to Stormberg.
GREETINGS WITH KIMBERLEY.
The war ofHce Issued a dispatch <';i:^ a
('ap«- Town. Friday, Deo. 29, evening,
saying that Col. Kekewiojh wired, tl
the general commanding at Modder river,
Di c. 28, as follows:
"I am desired by th^ may ir and coun
cil to forward the following for trans
mission throußh the proper channel:
" 'To Her Most Gracious Majesty, th«
Cueen:' The Inhabitants of Kimbertey
beg to Bend your majesty New Year's
greetings. The trouble they have pass
ed through and p.re still enduring only
tends to love and loyalty towards y<;ur
majesty's throne and pei
— " 'R. H. Hendro i Mayor,
"'On behalf of the inhabitants.'"
The war office also issu 3 th< following,
addressed to the secretary f»f st;:t«- for
war:
'•Plea?<^ s'-nd the following to Col. Ketee
wich for communication to the mayor
and council from the queen:
" 'I am deeply touched by your kind
and loyal New Sears greetings. I watch
with admiration your determination and
Continued on Eighth I'n^e.