V " rV".- ' Sribtme. KTif?-L;ifi i cronton rZ7f M.tl9tt,AT.i;: iw ?2SisE' TWO CENTS. SCRANTON, PA.. THURSDAY MORNING, FKRRUA11Y 15, 1900. TWO CENTS. ENGLISH TROOPS MOVING FORWARD General French Crosses the Mod- der River and Captures Three Boer Laagers. A BRILLIANT Owing to the Rapidity of His Movements, but Little Opposition Is Encountered General Gordon Captures Two More Supply Camps Many Men Are Prostrated by Heat and Exhaustion Dust Storm Raging Fight at Rensburg. I.nnilim, Fob. ll.11.r- p. in. Tin- war oilloo has Issued tlif followlnK further message from Lord Huberts, received this evening: "ivkiol's drift. K1). 14, S.in a. m. Ceiiorul French bit tills point at ll.W ycstenluy morning with three brigade of cavalry, horse artillery and mounted Infantry, including several colonial con tingents, In order to seize a crossing oC the Modder. distant about twenty-llv-miles. He reports by dispatch, dated ."."0 p. in., that he had forced a passage at Clip drift and occupied the hills north of the river, capturing three of the enemy's laagers, with their sup plies, while (ieneral (lordon, of the Fifteenth Hussars, with his brigade, who had made a feint at lloiidevnl drift, four miles west, has seized It and another drift between that and i'IIh drill, together with two more laageis. "iiPtionil French's performance in In I II in ii t. considering the excessive heat and a blinding dust storm which rage J durinr the latter part of the flay- "Owing to the rapidity of his move ments. General French met but slight opposition, and his losses were small, l.lei'lonant Johnson, nf the Inlskilllng Dragoons, is the only officer reporled severely wounded. "Four otlleers and fifty-three men bad to be sent last evening In the re turning ox wagons to the railway, pros trated In heat and exhaustion. "The Sixth division was last night on the north bank of the Hiet, nt U'ater val drift, and is moving to support the cavalry. The Seventh division Is here, and will go on this afternoon." Fight at Rensburg. Uenshurg, Feb. 14 (Tuesday). Before dawn yesterday the enemy opened an attack upon Slingersfonteln, assault ing with musketry the hills on the northeast held by three companies of the Worcester under Captain Hovel. The artillery attack began nt sun rise. The Hoers approached In great numbers, and estimated at seven to one. The Hrltlsh. under good cover, sustained the attack throughout the da v. .Meanwhile two big guns on the west opened upon the British at daylight and fired for half an hour, when a British howitzer silenced them with lyddite, the Urltlsh artillery firing with precision. Then another Boer gun, in the north, opened on the Royal Irish lilies, but rather Ineffectually, as the ildes had good cover. The shelling continued all day: and last evening the Hoers brought up a 10-pounder In order to bombard tho camp from a hill to the north. The attempt was plainly visible, as the gun could he seen being drawn up by IS oxen. With the Hoers surrounding the British in overwhelming numbers, and having artillery. It then became evi dent that It would be Impossible to retain .Slingersfonteln. which the Hrlt lsli evacuated under cover of darkness, falling hack upon Uenshurg. The British casualties were lighter than might have been expected In tho clrcuinstuncos. BRITISH PROGRESS. Soldiers of the Queen Inside Boer Frontier for the First Time. London, Feb 15, 1.20 a.m. The Bilt ish arntv, for tho lirst time since tho war began, Is Inside the. Boer frontier. Lord Roberts, with at least 40,000 In fantry, 7,000 cavalry and 1&0 guns, has turned the Mngersfonteln lines, before which the British forces have been eit cain for ten weeks, and with half of ) corps he Is already operating on Free State territory. A bat tit has nnf yet been fought, but large tactical ad. vantages have been gained. The lellef of Kimbeiiey Is wilhln mensurable reach and the way to illomfonteln Is appreciably easier. The dispatches of Loid Roberts fcketch three days' work. The forward movement began on Saturday, when Colonel Hami'iy set out with n brigade of mounted infantry for Ruiiiah, on the PERFORMANCE Hiet, eight miles from Jacubsdnll, one of the Boer supply bases. On Monday General French, with the cavalry division, seized the crossing of the Hiet river at Deklol's drift, south of Jneobsdall and eighteen miles east of Honeynest klopf. He skirmished with the Hoers and cleared the way for 20,000 Infantry, who followed acre's. On Tuesday, with his three cavaliy brigades and the horse artillery, Gen eral French rode to the Modder river, a distance of twenty-live miles, and took three fords, with high ground be yond the river and live Boer camps. He had a few casualties In brushes with the Boer horse. General French has now tlxed himself on General C'ronje's main line of communication with Hlomfontcln, and has 20,dno In fantry with guns pushing up. Io.-d Huberts' dispatches, wired from Inside the Free State and on the Rlet liver, left him Wednesday morning. Ills advance had not beun opposed by the Boers In force. Their patrols melt ed away as the British moved forward. The Boer army Is likely to be felt In u day or two and a battle Is consequently imminent. As to what forces General Cronje has now at his disnosal. and as to where he purposes making a stand against, the Invaders, no one here connected with the war ollice knows anything. The data for conception are wholly wanting. British Casualties. London. Feb. U. The total British casualty returns up to tonight are: Otlleers killed 1,',2 Otlleers wounded IN) Otlleers missing 112 .Men killed 1.177 lien wounded 5,11311 Men miming 2.7M Other fatalities reporled CM! Grand total ..10, ".I."! FLOOD AT ALBANY. Worst Freshet Since 1857 Three Men Drowned Half Million Dol lars Damage to Property. Albany, Feb. 14. Three men were drowned and half a million dollars damage done to property along the Hudson river by the worst freshet which this city has seen since 1S57. The dead are: Thomas Shea, of Bath: William Rlnehait, of New York: Jos, Vogel, of Van Renaesseler Island. The men ill owned were out on the lee when It gave way. MERCkNTILE TAX LAW. Opinion Rendered by Attorney Gen eral Elkins. Harilshurg. Feb. 14. Attorney Gen eral lClkins rendered an opinion today to Auditor General McCauley op sever al questions connected with the mer cantile tax law passed by tho laU leg islature. Mr. Klklns says tlv new law contemplates the payment of mer cantile taxes by the same class of dealers who were required to pay un der the old law and that only thoe persons who can be properly clasd as merchants or dealers hi goods, wares and merchandise, and who have a permanent and tlxed place or busi ness, should be included In the mer cantile appraisers' lists, He also savs that the act of April 20, 1SS7, which provides for the publication of th? mercantile appraisers' lists in news papers still remains In full force and effect. There will be no necessity to designate In the published list the amount of mercantile tax paid by eit-n dealer because there is no such classi fication, Mr, F.lklns says tho list should eon tain the name of each dealer, together with his business address and kind of business he is engaged In. Moro Tuberculosis Discovered, Lancaster, Feb. 11. A ease of cattlo tuberculosis was discovered In the herd of Samuel Showalter, residing near TVrre Hill, and it has been killed. Home time ago a dozen cows belonging to Wengcr Brothers, of Weavertown, were killed al ter having been pronounced Infected by the stnto expert. Farmers aro nlarmed by the fear that tho dreaded disease will spread. Steamship Arrivals, Antwerp, Feb, U. Arrived: Snuthwnrk, from New York, Southampton Arrived: Saale, from Now York for Bremen. Sailed: Alter, fiom Bremen for New York. Cleared: Taurle, for Liverpool, Palled: Kensington, for Antwerp; New Vork, for Southampton, Arrived: Lahn, frum Bremen and S:mthninptou; Oceanic, fiom Liverpool, Noordlupd from Antwerp, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE NEW RAILROAD THE DELAWARE VALLEY AND KINGSTON CASE. Reliable Witnesses Before the New York Commission Demonstrate tho Need of the Proposed Line. Property Along Closed Delaware and Hudson Canal Said to Hnve Depreciated Greatly Villages Dwindled In Population Witness Who Was Sure of His Facts. New York, Feb. II. The state rail road commission today continued the healing on the application of the Dela ware Valley and Kingston rullway for permission to construct 11 railroad along the line of the old Delaware and Hudson canal from Lackawaxen to Kingston tidewater, Tho session was held ut the Fifth Avenue hotel. The application Is opposed by half a dozen railroads, whose counsel contend that there are sulllclent transportation facil ities in the section Ulster and Sullivan counties and that the road can satisfy no public demand. Frank Piatt, of Tracy, Boardmau & Piatt, Is voicing the arguments of the opposition. Thomas G. Shearman and John A, Gurver, for the uppllcnut company. have put witnesses on tho stand who testified that since the abandonment of the canal communities nlong Its route has dwindled to half their former size: that property had depreciated from r,0 to 00 per cent., and that only the con struction of the proposed railroad would revive the former prosperity, and nfford an outlet for tho bluestone quarries, lumber camps and millstone- deposits nwnltlng development. Individual coal ml' ers from the Scrantoli anthracite region have testified to the Inability or unwillingness of the Krle. Pennsylva nia and Ontario and Western railroads to handle all the coal they can produce. They told the railroad commission that If better facilities weio provided there would be a larger output and a conse quent decrease in the price to the consumer.- H. L. Fuller, president of the Individual Coal Operators' association, swniv that his association had guaran teed to the Delaware Valley and Kings ton road, when completed, 2,000,000 tons of coal as freight annually. Mr. Decker's Testimony. .lames D, Decker.of Pond F.ddy. twice in the assembly from Sullivan county and once sheriff, testified today regard ing the reduction In assessment on the canal property and the consequent In crease of taxation to the citizens at laige. "Do you know why that reduction was made." asked Mr. Piatt, In erors exanduatinu. "Why the- property owned by the Delaware and Hudson canal depreciated more than JXOO.OOO, when It became the property of Mr, Samuel CoykendallV" "I know Mr. Coykendall." replied Mr. Decker, who, being seventy-six years old and very deaf, had not caught the question properly. As Mr. Coykendall Is believed to rule with an Iron hand the destinies of Ulster and part of Sul livan county. Mr. Piatt said the answer was singularly appropriate and that he would not press It further. Kverybody laughed. Mr. Coykendall as heartily as anyone else. P. P. Reullng, a merchant of Port .Teivls, was called next. He told of his loss of trade since the through business of the canal was abandoned, and wan about to tell of a popular sentiment In his section when Mr. Piatt objected. "What Is the good of wasting time and rumbeiing the record. We are will ing to concede that all Luinbervllle nnd ... , , , , , ,,, ,, , Highlands would like a railroad to bear .1 snare or tne tons now tnat tne canal is closed" "We are not tnlklng of Lunibervllle." Interrupted Mr, Carver. "The commissioners believe." saJ Colonel Cole, the chairman, "that they are likely to be Influenced by a knowl edge of the public sentiment." "We will concede." replied Mr. Plntt. "that every community along the canal would like a railroad In place of the canal." "We accept that concession," said Mr, Carver. Replying to Mr. Piatt, .Mr. Reullng I said he believed the monthly pay roll j of the F.rlo railroad at Port Jervls to ' be nearly Sioo.oo". Mr. Carver objected, and the commissioners sustained the ' objection, when Mr. Piatt asked the ' witness If a conversion of he Krle's ie--ifiiu n mi- new iiiau nuum 1101 eoill pel the laying off nf a large number of the Krle lallroad employes. He Was President. Peter K. Farnuin, of Port Jervls, dealer In real estate and owner of silk mills on the line of the Delaware and Hudson canal, testitled that the Port Jervls and Montlcello railroad, with Its Summltvllle branch, had been a failure from its Inception. Asked by Mr. Piatt , how he was competent to make so 1 broad a statement, ilr. Farnum replied: "Unfortunately for myself, I was its president." Cross-examined by Mr. Piatt, Mr. Farnum said that coal brought to Port Jervls by the Krle road could be carried to Kingston tidewater by existing lines of railroad, from Port Jervls along the Summltvllle branch of the Port Jervls and Montlcello road to Summltvllle, nnd thence to Kingston on tho tracks of the Ontario and Western, To Mr. Carver the witness said that that route was roundabout and across difficult grades that would make tho hauling of coal very expensive. lie had seep no coal curried that way. Charles F. Inwifjen. president of the First National bank of Port Jervls. was the next witness. Ho Identllled I he names on the petition presented by Mr. Farnuin, and said they represented the leading citizens of Port Jervls. Mr, Piatt objected, on the ground that peti tion cannot be received as evidence, but the commissioners, after a long con sultation, overruled the objection, Asked by Mr. Ciorver why he thought the proposed road would benellt Port Jervls, Mr. Van Inwegen replied: "It would give us it competing road, and competing roads encourage manu facturers. Nominally the Krle com petes with the Summltvllle branch and Its connection with the Ontario and Western, but ptacllcully, as shown by general observation, there Is no com petition." Cheaper Fuel. Among the advantages to accrue to Port .tervls from the proposed road, Mr. Van Ingwen Included a reduction In the mice of coal and the advent of manu facture! s. At Branchport and Goshen, where there nre competing lines, the price of coal Is less than that at Port .Tervls, although both places are sev eral miles further from the coal regions than Is Port Jervls. A reduction of twenty-five cents a ton, the witness said, would be 11 saving of $4,000 to $(!, 000 a yeur to the community. Leland A, Johnson, of Sparrow Bush, about four miles from Port Jervls, on the Delaware river, 11 dealer In little stone flagging and railroad ties, com plained of tho lack of facilities afforded by the Krle railroad, which passes within un eighth of a mile from his place of business, Since the canal had been closed there Is no competition, and. declared the witness, nothing can bring a return of former prosperity but the construction of the proposed road. George J. Smith, formir president of the board of trade of Kingston, and chairman of the Republican central committee, testified that he had can vassed Ulster county and had found the popular sentiment unanimously In favor of the construction of the Dela ware Valley and Kingston railroad. A. S. Bennett, of Wurtsboro, former ly collector of the Delaware and Hud son company, told of the lack of facil ities for the Summltvllh; branch of tho Port Jervls and Monttcello road and presented a petition signed by nil the business men and farmers In the vicin ity of Wurtsboro. Lewis Rhodes, of West Brookvllle, presented n petition In the name of the people of West Brookvllle, and said tho new railroad Is wanted to prevent the extinction of the village. Samuel A. Adams, a coal dealer, of Suminitvllle, testitled that he has to 1 pay $4.60 per ton In cur lots for coal at wnm " , excitement cook piace uner Summltvllle. while at Cornwall, which , tne reading of the report of the corn Is forty-oue miles further from Scran- , ,nl"eo on resolutions, when Delegate ton. the price Is $4.10. A competing rati- Qui- of Illinois, offered an amend road, he thought, would remedy that mpU t0 "" declaration of principles Injustice. ' calling for the repeal of all laws sus- nwlchi tilvlne. a i.i.iiiiif.iefnrr.r nf ! tabling the right of citizens to prl- cutlerv at Kllenvllle, said he employes I 12.", men. Since the closing of the canal the Ontario and Western had carried all his goods. He was unable to get prompt service. The iirw road would ' serve him better than the Ontario and Western, nnd at least as .-ell as the canal did. The hearing was adjourned until to morrow morning. KENTUCKY MTTDDLE. Judgo Taft Holds That His Courts Have No Jurisdiction in Cases. Cincinnati. Feb. 14. Holding that the federal courts had no Jurisdiction in the contests in Kentucky, Judge Taft this afternoon refused to grant the application for injunctions against the Kentucky state board of elections and the Democratic contestants for state offices' other than governor nnd lieu tenant governor. After citing the law showing that the federal court had no Jurisdiction In r 3; :7? nuituic umi jiuii t:vrr cume uuioru I lie attention of a court, and also de nounced In very vigorous terms the conditions that have existed In Ken tucky nnd cited In the bill nf facts. He held that It was a matter of law with the court notwithstanding out rages that are alleged In the undis puted statement nf tho facts of the petitioners. Frankfort, Ky Feb. 14. When in formed that Judge Taft had refused Jurisdiction, Governor Taylor gave to the Associated Press the following statement: The decision of Judge Taft today hold- Itig that his crurt has no Jurisdiction In ilie i-iiM- 01 minor siuie miners uues nui 1 .iiieei ill' ni'-iii.- ! mi.- itie, in- nn t determine that the petitioners had no .?... 1.A ....l.. of ,1.. ........ II. .1...... merits In their eases, but only that his court could not take jurisdiction and right the wrong. If he had held that lie bad Jurisdiction It would have all been over, for the outrages were so glaring that the Republicans would have won Hands down. Tne decision In said cases 1 does not hi the least nffect my case, (Signed) William S. Taylor. Governor of Kentucky, MILITARY INSPECTION. An Improved Knnpsack and New Tents Have Been Adopted. Harrlsburg, Pa,, Feb. 14. Major Gen eral Snowden and other leading otlleers of the National Guard of Pennsylva nia today Inspected the military stores .it the state arsepal. They also adopted on I til iir.M'nrl L'tmliUilnt niwl iiaih i. fr .,. ',. ., fo,. 'tne enIlste(l , Jjeg. Ignated at the arsenal. In the new knapsacks the overcoats will be sus pended beneath the knapsack, instead of the to:i. The new tents will bo eighteen Inches higher In tho wall than those now In use. The party consisted of Major Gen eral Snowden, General Sehall, of the First brigade; Colonel Ralston, Third regiment: Colonel Burchlleld, Fifth leglnient: Colonel Dougherty, Ninth regiment; Colonel Klllott. of the major general's stuff: Colonel Ripple, assist ant adjutant general; Major Wormser, Inspector general of the First brigade; Major Millar, Inspector general of the Third brigade; Lieutenant Colonel Hutchinson, of the Klghth regiment: Captain Finney, and Captain Fisher, of Company D. of the Klghth regiment, ANDREW BREAKS THE RECORD. Defendant in the Suit for Millions Is Flaying Golf. Ferna'ndina. Flu., Feb. 14, Mr. An drew Carnegie, who Is visiting his dster-In-law, Mrs. Lucie Carnegie, at Dungenness on Cumberland Island, spent the day on the Island. Late this evening he telephoned Colonel Page, manager of the estate, from a lodge house several miles away, Mr. Car negie was Informed by Colonel Page that several newspaper men were de sirous of having an explanation from him 011 the Frlck suit, hut his reply was: "Say to the correspondents that I am playing golf and that I broke my golf record yesterday," Military Stores Inspected. Harrlsburg, Feb. II. Adjutant General Corbln and tho general officers of tho Natlunal Guard of Pennsylvania Inspect ed the stnto nrsenul and military stores teduy In this city. ANTI-TRUST MEN ARE QUARRELSOME PROCEEDINGS MARKED BY A BIG ROW YESTERDAY. The Climax Reached When Joe Par ker, a Middle-of-the-Road Man, Surprised the Convention with a Resolution Which Was Objected to by the Friends of W. J. Bryan. Score of Delegates Attempt to Speak The Chairman Becomes Confused and Adjourns the Con vention. Chicago, Feb. 14. Stormy scenes characterized the sessions of the na tional anti-trust conference preceding the llnal adjournment tonight. The climax came when Delegate Joseph Parker, a middle-of-the-road man, surprised the conference with a reso lution pledging the members not to vote for u candidate that does not stand for government ownership nnd the principle of direct legislation. The Democratic leaders Interpreted this as an attack upon W. J. Bryan and were on their feet in an instant to block the movement. A score of delegates took the floor and all tried to talk at the same time. "You must not stifle free speech here," was shouted, "Kverybody must be heard." was the warning that came from a delegate In the gallery. Chairman Monnett was In doubt as to what to do. Disorder reigned for ten minutes, and then Chairman Mon nett used the gavel and temporarily adjourned the convention. Another va,e Property with a view to giving every citizen a free home. A long wrangle ensued over the disposition of the amendment. Captain W. P. Rhick. Tom L. Johnson and others ap pealed to ijtiinn to witnaraw tne amendment, but he refused. After much discussion, during which Qulnn was denounced as a disturber by dele gates on the stage. Chairman Monnett put the motion to adopt the report. He was In doubt and two ballots were taken. Thunder of Disapproval. Finally, he declared the report of the committee adopted and the ruling caused a thunder of disapproval. Dele gate Qulnn, during the uproar, ap pealed from the decision of.the chair and his motion was seconded. The vote was put and Chairman Monnett was sustained by a large majority. A strong attenjptjwas made at the conference today" to offset the partisan effect of the resolutions adopted yes terday, denouncing the pending cur rency bill. Frank S. Monnett, perma- 1 rTX''ur "is public ownership of public, utilities was carried on by the Republican party as well as by the Democratic party, "In the Republican northwest," said he, "five percent, of the public, utilities are owned by the public, whereas In many southern Democratic states less than five are so owned. "I would remind the convention that Ohio, which is the state of the presi dent, is also the state of the author of the Sherman anti-trust act. If we have Attorney General Griggs, we also have an Attorney General Olney." The convention was enlivened also by a talk by Prof. Dcnils on "Universities Whoso Kndowments Come from Trusts Magnates." The professor said the ex professor of political economy at Chi cago university does the best, but can not overcome this handicap. As a remedy, he advocated the establish ment, through the statu legislature, of chairs In state universities devoted to ' the study of these methods. A number of set speeches were heard at tho morning and afternoon session and the night session, which wound up the three days' conference, heard as many of the remaining speeches that bad been prepared as could be read in the time that was left. The conference tonight adjourned sine die. JACOBS' EFFECTS SOLD. Placed Under the Hammer at Lan caster. Lancaster. Pa.. Feb. 14. Tho last of the effects of William M. Jacobs, the leader In the great Jacobs-Kendlg-Taylor-Bredell counterfeiting case.were sold this afternoon at public sale by Deputy United States Marshal Thomas Marple, under an order of the United States court. The articles offered were twenty bunching machines and 20 suc tion tables, used In Jacobs' tobacco business. The bunching machines were sold to W. It. Lyman, representing the John R. Williams company, of New York; the tables to George Miller, of Montgomery county, an uncle of Jacobs, tho total realized being $1,315. Prior to the sale, counsel for John R. Williams company gave notice that tho machines belonged to that company and were used by Jacobs under con tracts that had expired; that tho ma chines aro subject to patents and the obligation lo pay royalties; and that the purchaser.! would be enjoined by law from using them. MINE INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Notwithstanding Strikes, 1899 Was a Prosperous Year. AVllkes-Barre, Pa., Feb, 14. Mlno in spector Williams, of the Fourth an thracite district, has completed his re port for 1S99- The year was a prosper ous one. Notwithstanding the many strikes in the district, the number of days worked was 25.34 In excess of 1S98. With the increase In the output and working days the number of fatal acci dents Is but six greater than In 1SHS, nnd thero is a decrease in the number of non-fatal accidents, which is ninety less than In the previous year. The total shipments of coal for tho year was 8,64&,152.0G tons; number of persons employed, 23,668; fatal acci dents, 81; non-fatal accidents, 1SS, The avprage number of days worked bv col lieries was 1CS.61. Tin; news this mokninu Wcithcr Indication! Today) INCHEABINB CLOUDINESS- 1 General English Army Crosses the Modder River. Kx-Consul Mnerum's Reasons for Com ing Iluine. Day's Work of the National Lawmak ers. Climax In Anti-Trust Deliberations. 2 General Northeastern Pennsylvania. Financial and Commercial. 3 Local Court Proceedings. Referee Van VVormer's Opinion In a Bankruptcy Case. 4 Kdllorlal. News and Comment. G Local Lackawanna Bar's Request Presented to Governor Stone. Appeal for tho West Side Viaduct. Rev. M. P. Flror Installed. 6 Local West Scranton and Suburban. 7 Round About the County. 8 Local Live Industrial News. Dunmore Borough News. BILL TO REDUCE THE WAR TAX Beer, Tobacco, Cigars, Cigarettes and Teas to Be Affected Expend itures of the Government Are De creasingPuerto Rican Tariff Bill Will Go Over Until Monday Spir ited Debate in the Senate. Washington, Feb. II. Representative Levy (N. Y.) has Introduced a bill amending the war tariff act by reduc ing the tax on beer from $2 to $ij fix ing the duty on tobacco at six cents per pound; cigars and cigarettes, $3 per 1,000; repealing the tax on teas, and reducing the stamp taxes. Mr. Lew says as to his bill: "The treasury department repoits that the surplus from revenues of the government will amount to between 130,000,000 and IO,ono,000 this year. The report of the commissioner of Internal revenue for 189'J shows that the esti mated revenues from the special war tax ($100,000,000) was exceeded by over J2,:.00.000. The dally expenditures of the government' are decreasing and will continue to decrease, now that the war with Spain Is over. The need of the $100,000,000 proposed to be raised by the war tax will no longer exist. It Is the aim of this bill to reduce taxation by Internal revenue by nt least JfiO.000,000 or $63,000,000, and the object which It seeks to accomplish Is the restoration of this amount to the pockets of the people, who will put It In business cir culation." U was the Intention of the Republi can leaders of tho house to call up the Puerto Rlcan tariff bill tomorrow, but there was such a demand for time to discuss various questions during the general debate upon the legislative, ex ecutive and Judicial appropriation bill, which was called up today, that Mr. Payne gave notice that he would allow the Puerto Rican bill lo go over until Monday, The debate upon tho legislative bill today strayed far from the bill, touch ing the question nf government de posits In Nutlonal banks, reckless ex penditures for pensions, and finally drifting into the question of election methods in Missouri. Mr. Bartholdt (Mo.) raised the latter question by at tacking the Nesbltt law and provoked a long reply from Mr. Benton (Mo.), who In turn aroused Mr, Pearce (Mo), Some very caustic things were said on both sides. In the Senate. Throughout Its session today the sen ate had the financial bill under discus slon. After 2 o'clock the debate pro ceeded under the ten-minute rule and at times became spirited and Interest ing. Late In the afternoon a test vote. In dicating approximately the majority on the passage of the bill, was taken. Mr. Chandler (Rep., N. H.) offered an amendment to authorize the president to appoint commissioners to any Inter national bimetallic conference that might be called, and It was defeated by a vote of 4.r to 2.". Tho Chandler proposition out of the way, the discussion proceeded on the amendment brought In by the finance committee, providing that the provis ions of the bill aro not Intended to place any obstacles In the way of Interna tlonnl bimetallism. The Democratic 1 senators arraigned the Republicans for reporting the amendment, declaring they were Insincere and that the propo sition was Intended to hoodwink the people nnd to catch votes, No vote on the amendment was reached. The final vote on the amend ments and the bill will be taken some time tomorrow- COAL SCARCE IN EUROPE. Large Margin of Profit Now Offered American Exporters. Washington. Feb. II. The complaints of scarcity of coal In Kurope are be coming more acute and widespread. The representatives nf the state de partment In all of the great manufac turing countries of the continent have already transmitted accounts of tho Industrial distress that has resulted from the heavy Increase of price of coal in England and' now Ambassador Draper at Rome thinks the situation In Italy is worthy the attention nf coal mining enterprises In the United States. His communication on this subject Is published In the consular reports Is sued by the bureau of foreign com merce, state department, and, in brief points to the fact that a largo margin of profit Is now offered to American coal exporters. Meeting of Trainmen. Pittsburg, Fub. It. Prominent officials of the Brotherhood of Railway Train men have been holding a secret confer ence In this city for several days and all attempts to learn tho objects of the meet ing have been fruitless, WEATHER FORECAST. Washington, Feb. 11. Forecast for Thursday nnd Friday: For eastern Pennsylvania, Increasing cloudiness Tliurfday; rain or snow and colder Friday; winds shift- lug to fresh eaucrly. -t"f -t-1 1 1 1 MACRUM'S SECRET OUT The Ex-Consul Explains His Course in the Transvaal. ACTIONS MISUNDERSTOOD He Comes Home to Enlighten the Secretary of State of the True Condition of Affairs in the Trans vaal and Finds That His Official Title Has Been Conferred Upon Another Not Allowed to Unbur den His Mind at the Department in Washington, the ex-Consul Makes a Statement Through the Press Intimates That He is the Unsuspecting Victim of a Secret Alliance Between Great Britain and tho United States. Washington. Feb. 14. Charles JC. Maeruni, former Fnltcd States consul at Pretorln, who left Pretoria for the fnltcd States in the middle of Decem ber after cable correspondence with the state department nnd the reason for whose sudden departure from the Transvaal has been moro or less of a mystery, gave out a signed statement tonight. In the statement which Is quite lengthy and detailed Mr. Maeruni says that shortly after the war broke out the situation in Pretoria became such that he desired to return home and Inform his government of the exact conditions nnd that be cabled for au thority to return. He says he was sacrificing his own self-respect nnd that of the people of Pretoria by re maining there as a British consul and not an American consul, although he adds, there was not a single request made of him through the department of state looking to the care of British Interests In Pretoria, which he did not fulfill and report upon according to his orders. American Interests.though, wore being Interfered with through tho censorship by British offlccrs at Cape Town of all cablrgiams sent by Ameri cans and even his own official cable grams to the state department at Washington wore detained many days. For this reason ho desired to hasten to AVashlngton and hcqualn't his gov ernment of this interference by the British and to enlighten the secretary of state on the true condition of af fairs. In pursuance nf orders received he Issued a statement received from the stnto department that Americans must remain neutral. In the face of this Americans were continually going to tthe front and taking up arms In the cause of the Boers. Many of these he knew were citizens of the United States. Kven his vice consul, Mr. Van Anierlngen. closed up his business, took the oath of al legiance to the republic and went to tho front as a burgher. Tampered with His Mail, Continuing Mr. Maeruni says: It was over four weeks from the time th'i war opeind before I rcci Ivcil a sin gle mall dispatch from my government or a personal letter. The mail for tlin Transvaal had all been stopped at Capo Town by order of the high commissioner. When this mall was finally forwarded to me after Colonel Stowe, the United States consul u'eiier.u at Capo Town, had se cured Its release, 1 had Hie humiliation as the representative of the American government of silting In my office In Pre toria and looking upon envelopes bear big the ntlUinl seal of tho American gov. ernment opened and officially sealed with a stocker, notifying me that the contents had been read by a British censor at Durban. I looked up International law. hut failed to lind any wheie one military power can use lis own discretion as to forwarding official olspatches of a lieu tral government to Its representative in a besieged country. He then tells of his iitble correspond ence with the state department, which has been heretofore published, in which he asked leave to return home, and siifgestid the selection of a Mr. Atter. bury, an American, to occupy his ofllei until his return, and finally of the ar rival at Pretoria, on December 11, ni Mr. Hollls, the American consul at De. lagoa bay, to take charge of the ofllcc, and the receipt of a cablegram from Secretary Hay, saying: "You may come home." He left Pretoria on December 16, hi says, and on arriving nt Washington, February 5, was officially Informed bj Assistant Secretary of State Hill that Secretary Hay's son had been appoint ed In his place and was then on hit way to Pretoria, Out in the Cold. Says Mr, Macrum, in conclusion: Instead of this I find that Secretary Hay, whether acting upon tho reports In the in wpapcrs, or upon ndvieo from tin British government, or some other mo tive, l do not know, saw lit not to wall until I could pi c bene my reasons In per son and has been a silent or counlvlni) partner to dUcredltlng reportb of my otn. rial acts. 1 coniu homo to find an nt tempt has been made to tear down my personal reputation. I wlili to state right hero thut when I accented my post in consul I knew nothing of any secret alt banco between America and flreat Brlt alii, and that I had seen nothing In tin icgulatlons which made the consul of th American republic subject to Win whlir.i and caprice of an Kngllsh military cen sor nt Durban. I came to America wltb a motive of which I am not ashamed. Thero Is not ono soul who can polnj to a slnglo official act of mlno which da parted from tho strictest neutrality. MJ confidential dispatches to tho department contained Information which will show my sympathy for tho republic, but which time will prove to be unbiased as to ac4 tual facts. My acta as a public official are all rn corded at tho department. My acts now as a private man can In no way Involvi the public service, and I simply maki this statement In my own defense ai against thoso which have come from th( department, secretly uud olHclally, , rv
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