The Madison daily leader. [volume], January 04, 1909, Image 1

About The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current

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HORRIBLE TO
CONTEMPLATE
Suffering of People Still in
Ruins at Messina.
EVIDENCE OF TORTURE
Bedim Recovered B*ar Testimony of
the Terrible Experience* Gone
Through Before Death Came to End
It All—Chaotic Conditions in the
8tricken District Showing the Re
mits of Organized Rescue Work.
Messina, Italy, Jan. 4.—The town Is
Bow thoroughly occupied by troops.
Each quarter has its body of them
divided so that no point in the town
is without protection. A cordon of
soldiers also surrounds the entire
town, which is almost deserted. Only
soldiers sod sailors nw to be seeni
there.
The sufferings of persons still bur
led in the ruins of fallen buildings
here, who are slowly dying from hun
ger, Is awful to contemplate. Dead
bodies have been found which bear
mute testimony of the torture en
dured before death relieved their suf
ferings. Several of these persons had
died gnawing at their arms and hands,
evidently delirious from pain and
hunger. Other bodies brought from
the ruins had portions of shawls and
articles of clothing in their mouths
and one woman had her teeth firmly
fixed in the leg of a dead baby.
The archbishop of Messina has
been found, still living in the ruins
of hiB palace.
SITUATION IS IMPROVING
Authorities Bringing Order Out
Chaos in 8tricken District.
Rome, Jan. 4.—Returning from a
visit to the Calabrian coast north of
Reggio King Emmanuel sent the fol
lowing telegram to Premier Gioletti:
"I visited Cannitello, eight miles
north of Reggio, which was literally
razed to the ground. Villa San Gio
vanni also was destroyed. As at Mes
Bina the rescue work is well organ
ized. The fires at Messina have now
been reduced to small proportions.
Three British and three French war
ships have arrived at Messina."
In compliance with the order of the
king that the royal palaces at Caserta
and Naples be placed at the disposal
of the wounded 100 injured persons
from Messina already are occupying
a portion of the San Ferdinando pal
ace, the royal house providing every
thing. The Duchess of Aosta ha*
transformed into a hospital the large
hall of her palace at Caio ill Monte.
The Duke of Aosta hua now gone to
Reggio, where he is continuing his
work
of
alleviating ctiatrowg.
Watch Repairing.
We believe that our Watch Repairing Department is now
the equal of any in the state. There are now at this store
two workmen who will take care of our repair work and
see that it is done promptly and well.
MR. A. F. LAITY, who has done this class of work in Mad
ison for the past seven years, is now located at this store
and will have charge of the JEWELRY AND OPTICAL
work here as well at a general supervision of the store.
MR. J. N. ANDERSON, who has been here for the past year,
is a very thorough watchmaker and a fine engraver.
WE BELIEVE that NOW you will not have to wait for your
work and that you will find it of a high grade.
Our new store will be the largest of its kind in the county
and we shall be ready with increased facilities to handle
the increased work and trade, and we shall hope to be able
to serve you in this capacity. Yours,
J. H. ANDERSON,
Complete Optical Rooom. A. F. LAITY, Optician.
No news HI the death of any Ann r
i( iins except ir.t A. S. Cheney, the
American consul at .Messina, and bis
wife and the members of the Pierce
family has been received from any
quarter. J. H. Pierce was formerly
American vice consul at Messina.
Stuart R. Luptou, the present Amer
ican vice consul at Messina, is safe.
He was last seen Thursday night alive
und well.
An Italian who has resided forty
years in Messina said he was confi
dent that there were no Americans la
the city at the time of the disaster.
It is stated here that a train which
left Reggio early on the morning of
the earthquake carrying passengers
and of which nothing has been heard
since was overwhelmed by the tidal
wave following the earthquake.
Survivors Will Abandon Homes.
Almost all of the people of Reggio
and .Messina, a is said, are making up
their minds to abandon their beloved
cities.
As an indication of the progress
that is being made in bringing order
out of chaos the railway line from
Reggio to Catanzaro was again put in
operation. There is a break in the
line, however, of 650 feet over which
passengers must be transferred from
one train to another. The distribution
of food also is being made more reg
ularly in the afTected districts and
muuy of the starving have been re
lieved temporarily. Many persons liv
ing along the coasts of Calabria and
Sicily paddle out in canoes to the
large steamers passing through the
straits and request and receive food
from them.
Exact statistics of the dead and the
surviving still are impossible to ob
tain, because all the dead bodies bur
led under the ruins have not yet been
excavated. It is equally impossible
to make any accurate count of the
survivors, for they are scattered from
one end of the country to the other.
The only figures that can be given are
reached by calculating the total pop
ulations before the disaster and stt
tracting therefrom the members that
are supposed to have survived. The
result is of course approximate. On
this basis is made the estimate that
about 25,000 people have left Messina
pud the Messina commune. As the
total population of the city and com
mune was about 155,000 and as there
are about 15,000 people still in the
district the dead probably amounts to
115,000. The victims are Increasing
dally, not only through the dying of
the injured, but also by the many sui
cides committed by desperate sur
vivors whose minds have given way
under their terrible experiences.
IN UNITED STATES COURT
Action Begun to Teat Alabama Pro
hibition Law.
Montgomery, Ala., Jan. 4.—The
fight against the Alabama prohibition
law was opened in a petition filed by
lawyers of this city in the United
States court The petitioners are the
Cook Brewing company of Evansville,
Ind., who allege that the law will
mean a loss to them of $125,000 a
year in business. Judge Thomas G.
Jones set Jan. 7 as a day for hearing
arguments for a restraining order. It
1B alBO said to be in violation of the
interstate commerce act
ELLIS AIDS INVESTIGATION
Assistant Attorney General In back
ing House Probfe
Chicago, Jan. 4.—Wade Ellis, as
sistant United States attorney gen
eral, is here to confer with District
Attorney Sims in regard to the inves
tigation of ±te government into the
packing houses.
Some of the evidence which is to
be put before the grand jury, it is
WADE H,
ELLI8.
said, includes methods by which the
claim departments of various rail
roads have been "tapped" by packing
companies and inquiry is to be direct
ed as to whether they form Indirect
rebating.
The question of claims on railroads
for "damaged Roods" is also to be
gone into.
LILLEY "CASE DISMISSED
Connecticut Corrupt Practices Aet
Unconstitutional.
New Haven, Conn., Jan. 4.—The
case brought against Governor-Elect
George E. Lilley under the corrupt
practices act by George L. Fox
r"
this city, before two judges who wer
to constitute an election court, wr
dismissed. The act is declared to I""
unconstilut'onal in that it contraven*
the state constitution.
Counsel for Mr. Lilley contended
that the defendant, if found guilty as
charged, would be disfranchised by
the finding of the judges, a proceed
ing that would be contrary to the
constitution, which provides that a
man can be deprived of his rights
only after trial before a jury. The
judges, in dismissing the complaint,
held that the right of jury trial is In
violate under the state constitution
and therefore they could not be
clothed with power which would take
away from a man the right of fran
chise. Notice of appeal was given.
"An Unexpected Disgrace."
Washington, Jan. 4.—Minister Roek
hill, at Peking, has telegraphed the
state department confirming the press
reports concerning the dismissal of
Yuan Shi Kai, but making no com
ment on the matter except to refer to
It "an unexpected disgrace."
MAHISON, SOUTH DAKOTA, MONDAY, JAM ARV 4, 190*
MFiiiAGE ON THE
ie exf
URET SERVICE
•4
President Replies to Congres
sional Resolution.
SAYS HE DID NOT HIT AT HOUSE
Language In Annual Communication
Called Objectionable by. Representa
tives Will Stand Analytic, Declares
Executive—He Renews His Argu
ment For Repeal of Law Limiting
Activities of Treasury Agents—Cites
Cases In Which They Have Aided
In Punishment of Violators of Fed
eral Laws.
Washington, J1&, 4.-l« A flptelal
message to the house of representa
tives today President Roosevelt says:
To the House of Representatives:
I have received the resolution of the
house of representatives of Die, 17,
11)08, running as follows:
Whereas, There was contained In the
sundry civil appropriation bill Which
passed congress at its laat session and be
came a law a provision In reference to the
employment of the secret service in the
treasury department and.
Whereas, In the last annual message of
the president of the United States to the
two liouHt-s of congress It ws' stated in
reference to that provision, "It is not too
much to say that this amendment has
been of benefit only and could be of bene
fit only to the criminal elastics," and It
was further stated, "The chief argument
in favor of the provision was that the
congressmen
did not themselves wish to
be investigated by secret service men,"
and It was further stated, "I3ut if this is
not considered desirable a special excep
tion could be made In the law prohibiting
the use of the secret service force In in
vestigating members of congress," It
would be far better to do this than to do
what actually was done and strive to
prevent or at least to hamper effective
action against criminals by the executive
branch of the government and,
Whereas, The plain meaning of the
above words is that the majority of the
congressmen were in fear of being Inves
tigated by secret service men and that
conRTess as a whole was actuated by that
motive In enacting the provision In Ques
tion and,
Wherea3, Your committee appointed to
consider these statements e' ihe presi
dent and to report to the house cannot
find in the hearings before committees
nor In the records of the house or sen
ate any Justification of this Impeach
ment of the honor and Integrity of the
congress and.
Whereas, Tour committee would prefer
in order to make an intelligent and com
prehensive report. Just to the president
as well as to the congress, to have all
the information which the president may
have to communicate now, therefore.
Be it resolved, That the president be
requested to transmit to the house any
evidence upon which he based his state
ments that the "chief argument In favor
of the provision was that the congress
men did not themselves wish to be In
vestigated by secret service men" and
also to transmit to the house any evi
dence connecting any member of the
house of representatives of the Sixtieth
congress with corrupt action In his ofl!
clal capacity and to Inform the house
whether he has Instituted proceedings for
the punishment of any such Individual
by ho courts or has reported aor such
aliened delinquencies to house of rep
resentatives.
"I Cannot Understand Resolution."
I am wholly nt n loss to understand
the concluding portion of the resolu
tion. I have made no charges of cor
ruption against congress nor against
any member of the present house. If
I had proof of such corruption affect
ing any member of the house in any
matter as to which the federal gov
ernment has jurisdiction, action would
at once be brought, as was done In the
cases of Senators Mitchell and Burton
and Representatives Willlnmson, Herr
mann and Drlggs at different times
since I have been president. This
would simply be doing my duty in the
execution and enforcement of the laws
without respect to persons. But I do
not regard it as within the province
or the duties of the president to report
to the house "alleged delinquencies"
of members or the supposed "corrupt
action" of a member "in his official ca
pacity." The membership of the
house is by the constitution placed
within the power of the house alone.
In the prosecution of criminals and the
enforcement of the laws the president
must resort to the courts of the United
States.
Portion of Message Quoted.
In the third and fourth clauses of the
preamble It is stated that the meaning
of my words is that "the majority of
the congressmen are in fear of being
investigated by secret service men,"
and that "congress as a whole was ac
tuated by that motive In enacting the
provision In question," and that this
is an Impeachment of the honor and
Integrity of the congress. These state
ments are not, I think. In accordance
with the facts. The portion of my
message referred to runs as follows:
Last year an amendment was Incor
porated In the measure providing for the
secret service which provided that there
should be no detail from the secret serv
ice and no transfer therefrom. It is not
too much to say that this amendment has
been of benetit only and could be of bene
fit only to the criminal classes. If delib
erately Introduced for the purpose of di
minishing the effectiveness of war against
crime it could not have been better de
vised to this end. It forbade the prac
tices that had been followed to a greater
or less extent by the executive heads of
nrieiu 4NMrtBMi*« (Br mn.
$1000.00
(", i .r any
substance in­
jurious
to health found in food
lesuliuig from the use of
Calumet
Baking
Powder
these pricUees w- h- si-i-urtnR 01
the evidence which enuLiled us to drive
ilrreat lotteries out of business and secure
a quarter of a million of dollars In fines
from their promoters. These practices
have enabled us to discover some of the
most outrageous frauds In connection
p-lth the theft of government land and
government timber by great corporations
and by Individuals. These practices have
enabled us to get some of the evidence in
dlipensnble In order to secure the convic
tion of the wealthiest and most formida
ble criminals with whom the government
has to deal, both those operating In viola­
tion of the anti-trust law and others. The
amendment In question was of benefit to
no one excepting to these criminals, and
it seriously hampers the government in
the detection of crime and the securing of
Justice. Moreover, It not only affects de
partments outside of the treasury, but it
tends to hamper the secretary of the
treasury himself in the effort to utilize
the employees of his department so as to
best meet the requirements of the public
service. It forbids him from preventing
frauds upon the customs service, from In
vestigating Irregularities In branch mints
tind assay offices and has seriously crip
pied '"n. It prevents the promotion of
ernpio ces In the secret service, and this
further discourages good effort. In its
present form the restriction operates only
to the advantage of the criminal, of the
wrongdoer.
The chief argument In favor of the pro
vision was that the congressmen did not
themselves wish to be investigated by
secret service men. Very little of such
Investigation has been done In the past.
Hut It Is true that the work of the secret
service agents wns partly responsible for
the indictment and conviction of a sen
ator and a congressman for land frauds
In Oregon. I do not believe that It Is
in the public Interest to protect crim
inals In any branch of the public service,
and. exactly as we have again and again
tJurlng the past seven years prosecuted
and convicted such criminals who were
In the executive branch of the govern
ment, so In my belief we should be given
ample means to prosecute them if found
In the legislative branch. But If this is
not considered desirable a special excep
tion could be made In the law prohibit
ing the use of the secret service force in
investigating members of the congress.
It would be far better to do this than to
do what actually was done and strive to
prevent or at least to hamper effective
action against criminals by the executive
branch of the government.
Aeke Careful Reading of Message.
A careful reading of this message
will show that I said nothing to war
rant the statement that "the majority
of the congressmen were in fear of
being Investigated by the secret serv
ice men" or "that congress as a whole
was actuated by that motive." I did
not make any such statement in this
message. Moreover, 1 have never made
any such statement about congress as
a whole nor, with a few inevitable ex
ceptions, about the members of con
gress in any message or article or
speech. On the contrary, I have al
ways not only deprecated, but vigor
ously resented, the practice of Indis
criminate nttaek upon congress and
Indiscriminate carderu nation of all
congressmen, wise and unwise, tit and
unfit, good and bad alike. No one real
izes more than I the importance of
co-operation between the executive
nnd congress, and no one holds the au
thority nnd dignity of the congress of
the United States in higher respect
than I do. I have not the slightest
sympathy with the practice of judging
men for good or for ill not on their
several merits, but In a mass, as mem
bers of one particular body or one
caste. To put together all men holding
or who have held a particular office,
whether It be the office of president
or Judge or senator or member of the
house of representatives, and to class
them all, without regard to their in
dividual differences, as good or bad
seems to me utterly Indefensible, and
it Is equally indefensible whether the
good are confounded with the bad in
a heated and unwarranted champion
ship of all or in a heated and unwar
ranted assault upon all. I would nei
ther attack nor defend all executive
officers in a mass, whether presidents,
governors, cabinet officers or officials
of lower rnttk, nor would I attack or
defend all legislative officers in a mass.
The safety of free government rests
very largely In the ability of the plain,
everyday citizen to discriminate be
tween those public servants who serve
him well and those public servants
who serve hltn 111. He cannot thus
discriminate if h« Is persuaded to pass
judgment upon man not with refer
ence to whether he Is a fit or unfit
public servant, hut with reference to
whether he Is an executive or legisla
tive officer, whether he belongs to one
branch or the other of the government.
8aya Massage Is Misunderstood.
This allegation in the resolution,
therefore, must certainly be due to an
entire failure to understand my mes
sage.
The resolution continues, "That the
president be requested to transmit to
the house any evidence upon which he
based his statements that the 'chief
argument in favor of the provision
was that the congressmen did not
themselves wish to be investigated by
secret service men.' This statement,
\rhich was an attack upon no oue» still
Continued on Fourth page.
CHAS. B. KENNEDY
COAL
DR. H. P. GULSTINE,
Office
ia
A Happy New Year
We extend to everybody a happy and prosper
ous year for 1909.
We thank our customers for their help in mak
ing the season 1908 the banner year since establish
ing our Drug and Jewelry business in Madison.
During the past year we have endeavored to
satisfy every purchaser who visited this store and
for 1909 we anticipate q. larger volume of business
and are making preparations to accommodate
everybody in the line of Drugs, Jewelry and
Stationery. Respectfully,
Jones Drug Co.,
CORNER DRUG STORE Phone 260
President
—THE
Madison State Bank
MADISON, S. D.
FARM LOANS AT LOWEST POSSIBLE
RATES
PHONE 256
We handle only the
best and deliver to
all parts of the city
JONES BROS. GRAIN CO.
Successor to Jones & Metcalf.
VAL BLATZ BREWING CO.
MILWAUKEE BEER
on draught at
FRED fcURTH'S,
J. S. MURPHY,
HEAGNEY & MUNSONS
Prioate stock, Wiener style, Bottle beer
at all Leading Saloons in the city.
L. J. AHMANN, Agent.
...DENTIST—
PoateffRt£Mu MADISON. S. DAK
C. KCNNEpY,
Vice PruJdent-
COAL
0R. O. ESTREMl
Physician
and Surgeot
Offkt hi
PMtefktSau
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4IADIS0N, S. DAK
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