Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / March 10, 1908, edition 1 / Page 1
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PRICE FIVE CENTS. SUBSCJIIPTION PRICE $8.00 A YEAR. CHARLOTTE, N. C, TUESDAY MORNING, - MARCH 10, 1908. I TO BILN A CORN SPECIAL X. S. PROVIDES TfflS TRAIN ''.fpmU or Two Cam to Traverse Line of Uie Norfolk & South- Jm, With Men Aboard to Deliver ectures An Elaborate Park 6ys- lem Bfffun si iuucigu oaw - Treanrer lJioy Retains from Ari sona In Flue Health Corporation Commissioner Beddingfleld An nounces That He Will Not Stand For Re-Election Telephone Line man by Daring Work Replace What Hazers Destroyed. , ,: , '. Observer Bureau. - , .f The Holleman Building, Raleigh, March 9. The Norfolk & Southern Railway baa arranged for a special train of two cars to be known as the corn special, to go over all the line of j that roHd, leaving here March 22d. There will be four specialists on f board, including Dr. F. L Steven and ; Prof. R. I. Smith. These -will talk, , on the culture of corn and Us preper i fertilization, the beat methods of feed ing the crop, the proper way to har vest It, and will give full instructions as to the selection of the rigni aina of corn for seed. The car will beon the road-for a, went and will go to twenty place. M four points Presi dent .Winston, of the Agricultural and Mechanical College, will speak on Industrial education. This corn special will be a great educator and it shows marked enterprise on the part of the Norfolk Ar Southern toj supply ylt Tht 8tae Is prompt to recognjze. the value of such an op portunity. , . ' FOR GREAT PARK SYSTEM. The people who have bought the well-known - Boylan property here, known as Boylan's. Heights, are mak ing the final arrangements to put It on the market and 99 acres are now being plotted. The matter is of special interest because it Is proposed to make it part of the great park system west of Raleigh which will embrace the grounds ef the Catholic Orphanage, Pullen Park, the Agricul tural and Mechanical College, those of the hospital for the insane and those of the Methodist Orphanage. The plan is to have' winding drive way through these, all macadamised. It is the beginning of the most ela borate park system In" the South, and there is no telling the extent to which it can be developed. Consideration Is 4o be given y the chamber of commerce here to the very- Important matter of utilising the ""great electric power now avail able from the plant at Buckhorn Falls, which is' nearer Raleigh than any other important point. To-day (the work of - improving Capitol Square began under direction of State Auditor Dixon and State Horticulturist Hutt. There will be an entire re-arrangement. - , As yet the military authorities here hive not received -any-more-. definite. news as to the manoeuvre ef the Na tional Guard at Fort Caswell and at Chiekamaugs, but It generally seems tr be taken for granted that Congress will provide" for everything. STATE TREASURER LACT RE- , TURN'S. " - State Treasurer Lacy returned last night from Arizona and says he is in better health than in twenty years. He certainly looks remark ably well.. He will give up his home la this city and will live at Milbrook. on the S, A. L., six miles north of here, A charter is granted the Lincoln Hospital Training School, Incorpor ated, at Llncolnton, Dr. O. A. Crow ell, Mrs. Ra'diant Slstare and others being the Incorporators. Tfiere is no capital stock. ' The ichool will train nurses and give, them diplomas. Another charter goes to the Blue Ridge Granite Brick Company, near Ashevllle, capital stock 125,000, Tench C. Coxe and others stockhold ers, to manufacture brick on the Huenneke system, also tiles, etc. , ' State Superintendent Joynea, left to-day for Greenville to attend a meeting of the trustees of the East ern Carolina Training School. Thurs day and Friday he attends the dis trict convention of county superin tendents at Jacksonville, in Onslow county, and on Saturday makes a speech at Morehead City in favor of local taxation. - . ,- MR. BEDDINGFIELD NOT TO RUN 1 AGAIN. Eugene C. Beddingfleld . to-day made, the following announcement: "I desire to give notice to my friends throughout the State that for rea sons private' and purely personal to myself I have decided not . to be a candidate for the nomination to the office of corporation commissioner at the coming State convention. In do ing so I desire to thank my friends for their loyal support in the past, and especially do I desire to express my grateful appreciation to that not inconsiderable ; number who without solicitation on my part have given assurance of their aid and support In the event I was a candidate for a third term." - This announcement will be quite a surprise to the people of the State, as Mr. Beddingfleld, it was certainly thought, would he In the field and has no formidable opponent. He has had the matter of retiring from J the position under consideration for the past six months, though none knew of this except .lis own family. He became corporation . commis sioner, in 1891. when the office was known as railroad commissioner, and served six years. He was defeated by the Republicans In 1897 and in 1999 was elected by the Legislature .A to- the same position, but the Su- ' preme Court decided against him and in favor of Dr. D. H. Abbott, after Mr. Beddingfleld bad served .six months of his term. He was elected to the Legislature !n 1901 and In 1903 was re-elected corporation com- ; mlssioner. Thus, at 'he end of this year, he will have served something ' ever twelve years. He is a farmer, ' living In this county a few miles north of Raleigh, bu,t- has good busi ness training and has at all times , given his best talent to the duties of . bis poslttion and has won the regard of his associates. It Is suggested that Clerk Henry Clay Brown, who has held that position since the adoption of the commission in 1891, is the log- j leal candidate to succeed Mr. Bed dingfleld. The Supreme Court to-morrow takes up appeals fro mthe slvth dls- trlct. There is only one Stat case, that of the State vs. Tillman, from Johnston, county, he having been convicted fef murder In the second deTee. The Wake county commissioner or d an election April 21st on the Issue . ofJ5 0.000 bonds to Improve the roads - . v - - . I - V. will -1- a heavy majority for the roads. The commissioner also ordered an election in this township on the same day on the question of levying a special tax for public schools, which will borrow $15,000 in order to continue the usual length of time. MAT rOIXfjW VIRGINIA'S EXAMPLE The fact that Virginia has abolished the gallows as the instrument to be used In imposing the death penalty upon crim inals brings to mind the fact that a num ber of prominent North Carolinians have been heard- to say In recent years that they thought all executions should be In the penitentiary here in a. death chamber" and most of those who hold this view say they think electrocution should be the mode. In the old days hanging In this 8tate used to be attended by great crowds of people and in the past year or two, tn defiance of the law, the com missioners of at least two counties have permitted public execution; The next Legislature may be asked to take up this matter. , To-day a telephone lineman climbed the 90-foot flag pole at the Agricultural and Mechanical College and put In a rope for use In raising the national flag. When the haters in January did so much work there they cut the rope, so that since then until to-day no flag could be displayed. The lineman did a very dar ing thing, the pole being slender and only three inches in diameter at the top. HAS RAISED 810.000 ' becretary Walton, of the T. M. C A. of the Agricultural and Mechanical Col lege, says that so far $10,000 has been raised 'add he I very anxious to secure double that sum. It is his hope and ex pectation that work on the building will begin during the summer. ... - The acts of the special session of, the Legislature, publlo and private, were completed to-day and will be Issued by the end of this week. They make one volume of 2S8 pages. The May musical festival here Is to be made a very important event. The Fhll harmonio Orchestra is to be developed to 10 musicians and there will be 140 singers In the chorus, all these being from this city. In addition there-will be profes sional soloists. The programme Is very handsomely arranged and will embrace that grand oratorio, "The Messiah."'. The festival last year proved very attractive. The children's chorus was the feature of It and this is to be so again this season. The pupils ef the pablic schools partic ularly the high . school, will participate In this and about 100 will sing. Raleigh la very rapidly becoming the musical as well as the educational centre of the State, and everything is being done to foster and develop this very Important matter. ... Inquiries made of a number of farm ers show, that farm work is now quite active. It seems to be pr'j certain that the farmers will plant all cotton they can. - They say that there does not seem to be much change In the labor sit uation and that negro laborers are hard to get In all sections except a very few. Some are being secured from the towns and some 'have gone from Raleigh, but as a general thing they seem to wish to herd together, , and there are a great many abandoned eablns In the country,, not only In this section but in others. '" '- - - ... : BAIMST ON ALDRICH BILL. Texan. "In a Two-Hour Speech. Op poses the Measure Senate Spends Some Time on the) Frye Bill. Washington, . March . Sena-tor Joseph W. Bailey, of Texas, a mem ber of the finance committee; which reported the Aid rich currency bill, to day held the attention of his col leagues and visitors who crowded the gaDtrles of the Senate for over two hours with a speech in opposition to that measure. When he concluded his address he was greeted by a storm of applause and . Senators from both sides of the chamber as well as many members of the House crowded about him to extend their congratulations. The Senate also spent over an hour in debating the Frye bill providing that materials and supplies shipped from ithe United States for the Pana ma canal shall be transported only In American vessels. Resolutions of sorrow upon the an nouncement of the death, of Repre sentative Adolph Meyer, of Louisi ana, were adopted and at 4: SO o'clock the Senate adjourned as a further mark of respect to Ills memory. The House was In session but a few minutes, adjourning at 12:12, upon announcement, of Mr. - Meyer's death. MAKES IMPORTANT RULING. Request For Campaign Contributions by Letter Constitutes "Pernicious Activity" According to United States Supreme Court. Washington, March . That a re quest for a campaign contribution made by letter is equivalent to a re quest made in person, where the let ter is received and read, was held by the Supreme Court of the United, States to-day in the case or the unit ed States vs. Edward Thayer, of Dal las, Tex., which in an opinion by Jus tice Holmes was decided in favor of the government Thayer la a mem ber of the Republican State commit tee of Texas, and he was charged with violating the civil service law by sending a letter, to Deputy Inter nal Revenue Collector Wood during the campaign of 190 In which he urged Wood to contribute a portion of his salary In aid of the Republi can ticket. The Fedetal District Court for the northern district of Texas refused to hold Thayer guilty because It was not proved that Wood had read the letter in a Federal bulldrng. The decision to-day re versed that finding. ' . . THREE SHOT FROM AMBUSH. Italian Colony at Tampa Stirred Over What Believed to Be a Black Hand Plot. , ' Tampa, Fla., March 9. Dr. G!o vonnl Grana, a prominent physician, his brother-in-law, John Oroflno. and a friend., Alfonso Mule, were shot fro mambush In Tbor City by four man who had secreted them selves In the grounds of St. Joseph's Convent. Mule will probably die. the others being only slightly wounded. All are Italians and the shooting is believed to be the result of a Black Hand plot. Five thousand dollars was demanded from Dr. Grsna sev eral weeks aro and be had also been notified to leave the city. De mands have also been made on other prominent Italians and much alarm has prevailed In the Italian colony. The police to-day . irrested five Ital ians on suspicion. , Cumberland' Telephone C Advanc ed la Supreme Court. , Washington. March 9. The Su preme Court of the United Stfttes to day advanced the hearing ef lhe case of the railroad commissioners of Louisiana against the Cumberland Telephone Company. Involving the right of the commissioners to fix a maximum rate for telephone charges, and set it for bearing on the first Tuesday of the next term. PBIICHABD CALLS ON TAFT t . ASKS HIM TO MAKE ADDRESS. At the Request of Mr. S. B. Tanner, -of Charlotte, the United suites Court Judge Invites the Secretary of War to Address the American Cotton Manufacturers' Association at Its Meeting- at Richmond In May ' Representative LUley In a Tight Place The Passage of- Some Sort ' of IJqnor Bill Looks FaTorable Garfield's Letter to Foraker Was Misunderstood Congress May" Ad journ In May. . 1 BIT H. E. a BRYANT. Observer Bureau, Congress Hall Hotel, Washington, March 9. . Judge Jeter C, Pritchard, of Ashe vllle, is here for a day.' He called on Secretary Ta ft this afternoon at the request of Mr. 8. B. Tanner, of Char lotte, president of the American Cot ton Manufacturers' Association, and Invited him to deliver an address at the annual meeting of the association to be held In Richmond on the 20th of May. Mr. Tart would not promise that he would go, but he showed a disposition to do so. Judge Pritchard uj-ged him and believes that he will make an extra effort to do It. Hav ing Just returned from the Orient, Mr. Taf t could talk to the cotton manu facturers about the markets of the East and make his speech very , In structive as well as entertaining. Fred L. Wilcox, an attorney of Flor ence, S- C. got Judge Pritchard to ap point receivers for the Kanawah Lum ber Company, of Florence, to-day. Messrs. J. C. Corley, Jr., of South Car olina, and J. M. Howard, of - New York, were named and each was re quired to give a 115,000 bond. Col. A. D. Watts leaves hers 1 to morrow for Raleigh to attend the meeting- of the Democratic executive committee. Among the witnesses named to tes tify in the Lllley investigation is ex Unlted States Senator Marlon Butler, of Washington. The speech made by Senator Bailey, of Texas, In the Senate this afternoon was a masterpiece of oratory. Wrhlle he spoke every seat In the galleries was taken and many persons, women as well as men, stood. ' j LILLET IN A CLOSE PLACE. Representative George L. Lllley, of Connecticut, Is In a close place. No man iri Congress has a more serious problem confronting him. Those who read the papers know that Mr. Lllley has preferred charges against a majority of the members of the House committee on naval affairs, virtually alleging that they were cor rupt. The charges read: "I. propose to show that for sev eral years prior to the Lessler Inves tigation the Holland Company, and Its sueoeeeer, the 'Electric Boat Com pany, maintained In Washington an organized lobby for the purpose of Influencing legislative appropriations in favor of the Holland boat, and that it had under . annual retainer C. E. Creecy, General Bp pa Hunton, . ex Unlted States Senator M. C. Butler, C. S. McNair, Dr. W. R. iCerr, and others. "That for several years Mr. Ellhu B. Frost, vice president of the said company, has been a continuous visi tor at Washington during congres sional sessions, and that he has spent large sums of money in furnishing entertainment to members of Con gress, and that his expenditures along this line amount to thousands of dol lars. "Tliat the Senate amendment to the appropriation bill of - March 2d, 1907, was prepared and drafted by the attorney for the Electric Boat Company, for the - purpose of and with the intention to eliminate com petition in submarine construction, and to prevent the secretary of the Navy from exercising any discretion in awarding contracts for submarines. "That a thorough Investigation by an impartial committee will show that large sums of money have been, by the , Electric Boat Company, its officers,'- or agents, contributed to campaign funds of members of Con gress who favor and have favored the Electric Boat Company's monopoly of submarine construction;, also,., that large sums of money have been spent to accomplish the defeat of members of the naval committee who did not favor the Electric Boat Company." The investigation of these charges was begun yesterday and will con tinue until the bottom is reached. Lllley must make good or he Is ruined. If he proves the charges a number of others are doomed politi cally. Two newspaper men who were Involved by Lllley will sue him for damages. The general Impression It that he cannot substantiate the alle gations. The public here is very much Interested in the outcome of the Investigation. Lllley seems to be hot-headed, reckless and talkative. A LIQUOR BILL LOOKS FAVOR ABLE. Senator Overman Is of the opinion that an inter-State liquor bill will be favorably reported from the .Senate committee, but this does not mean that anything like the Llttleneld bill will become a law. The House is not ready for such a step; Judge Jenkins and his judiciary committee will hold down all objectionable liquor' bills. There have been many hearings but all bills are pigeon-tioied for a time at least. It is a very difficult matter to get around Mr. Cannon's commit tees. If a member changes his way of thinking and becomes too active,: the Speaker will transrer him to some inoffensive committee. Mr. Cannon may be handicapped in getting votes In Guilford county, tut in tne chair or the House he is "some punklns." It Is said that he favors the A Id rich currency bill, and if that be true the House may pass It regardless of the strenuous opposition known to exist there. Anti-liquor bills are not among the Speaker's favorites. QARFIELD MISUNDERSTOOD. , There seems to be a misunder standing in North Carolina as to the declaration of Secretary Garfield, of the Department of the Interior, con cerning .the charges against -the Choctaw-Cblckasaw Citizenship Court of which Chairman Spencer B. Adams, of Greensboro, was chief Jus tice. In his letter to Senator For sker, Mr. Garfield said that it was not true that he had evidence In hand, but he did not say that . the charges against the court were false. The department has never Investigat ed the charges thoroughly. Resolu tions which it is said will be intro duced in Congress will provide for an investigation. It Is twlieved that a committee -from Congress will be recommended to look lgto the matter and the matter will not be permitted to drop until somebody la exonerated or convicted. ITEM CAUSES CHAGRIN. Nothing has caused radre chagrin among the North Carolina delegation recently than did an Item concerning the giving and filling of whiskey pre scriptions in Chartotte, printed In The Post a few days ago. Charlotte, the Queen City of tne South, which had been ', held up as a model ' of soberness and the home of most de vout Pure-ln-Hearis came to the front with enormous sales of whiskey. It will be many moons before the beautiful city of John MeKnltt Alex ander and descendants will recover from that news story. I held my head in shame when I read it. "Pro-high-bitlon has not done hits duty," said William Gorrell juBt before I left for Washington, and I begin to be lieve that he was right. IBut the friends of the Littleflcld and similar bills claim that they would make it possible to prevent the transportation of liquor to pro-high-bltion . territory. However, there is fear that this would not hold down a thirsty people like those in Mecklen- ' burg. With the most earnest prohi bition solicitor in all the land, Meck lenburg should be a model pro-hlgh-bltlon community. If the Llttlefleld bill were passed che old wagon roads to Fayettevllle and other river towns would be re-established. "Where there Is a will there Is ; a way," is an old saying. L CONGRESS TO ADJOURN IN MAT? "When will Congress adjourn?" Is a question frequently asked here. There Is no telling, but It Is generally believed that all will be over by the middle of May. The Republicans are not eager to prolong the session In the face of a presidential election. Democrats, who feel safe at home, do not care what happens. Many of the uneasy ones have already departed for the woods and Instead of making laws are building fences some would-be Governors. WILL ENTER GREENVILLE. Southern Power Company to Furnlnh Power In the South Carolina City Officials of .Company .There Last Night. Special to The Observer. Greenville, ' S. C, March 9. The Southern Power. Company will run power transmission . lines lnto this city. The construction work will probably begin within a month and be completed by September 1st. This statement - was made, this afternoon by Dr. Wi Gil Wylle, president of the company, and by Mr. J. ,B. Duke, president of the American Tobacco Company and a large stockholder ahd director in the Southern, Power Company. These gentlemen 'are spending to night in Greenville, having come on here, this afternoon from Great Falls In company with Mr. Dan Tomp kins, of Charlotte, N. C. Chief En gineer W. S. ,Lee fcnd Assistant En gineer Milmow,- of . Charlotte, are aiso here. An Informal . reception and lunch was tendered the visitors at the Country Club this evening. JUDGE PRITCHARD SEES TAFT. . He Has an Extended Talk With the Secretary of , War Visit Mm No Connection W 1th South Carolina Dispensary Case. .Washington, March 9. United States Circuit Judge PrlteharJ, who was In Washington to-day, announc ed the appointment of F. B. Weth erlll, J. C. Curly and J. N. Howard, as receivers of the Kanawha Lumber Company, of South Carolina, a cor poration organized .under the laws of Virginia. Bond was fixed at $15,000 each. Judge Pritchard was on his way from Ashevllle to Richmond. - He went to the Capitol and saw a number of his former colleagues In the Sen ate. He went also to the War De partment and had a somewhat ex tended interview with Secretary Taft. It Is understood that Judge Prltch ards visit had no connection with the pending dispensary cases In South Carolina. The judge declined to dis cuss that matter. Two Children Burned to Death In a Virginia Home. - Danville', Va., . March 9-.-JMeagre but authentic accounts reached here to-day of the destruction by fire on Sunday afternoon of the home of J. D. Foster, of San Ville, an Inaccessi ble postoffice In Henry county, about (0 miles northwest of here, and the death In the flames of two of Mr. Foster's children. The, parents were away from home at the time of the fire and the origin Is jnknown. Upon their return they found the house blazing and knew that their children were inside. The mother was re strained by onlookers from throwing herself Into the flames in an. effort to rescue her little ones. Doable Murder In Virginia. . Roanoke, Va., March 9. At a dance near Swords Creek, in Russell county, Sunday night Fred Dye, a young white man, shot and killed John Mutler and George Call, also white. Dye escaped, but was captured and taken bark to Swords Creek. It became evident that a lynching Was being planned by the friends of the dead men and an en gine was taken from Richland with a posse of men and Dye was carried to Cleveland, a distance of It miles, from which place be was carried through the country to the county jail at ..Lebanon. Police Find Berry's Ring In a sawn hltnp. New Orleans, La.. March 9. Chief of Police H. Mallory Boush, of Nor folk, Va., to-day had identified a ring pawned by a parish prisoner here as the property of A. H. Berry, h young Georgian, who was killed In Norfolk last October. This prisoner is C. T. Felker. sllaa Oeorge Hamil ton, who. with Charles Weatherbee, was arrested here recently and con victed of several robberies. . Chief Boush found no evidence agalnt Weatherbee. The ring was Identified to-day by H. B. Jones, a jeweler of Atlanta, Oa. - Mrs. Frances A. Dawes Dead Atlanta. Ga.. March 9. Mrs. Frances A. Dawes, wife of Maj. James W. Dawes, L'nled State army, and former Governor of Nebraska, died here yesterday. The body will be taken to Milwaukee for Interment.'- ' ' Major Dawes is attached to the Department of the Gulf In this ity. Funeral of Late Congressman Meyer. New Orleans, !- March 9. Th funeral of Congressman Adolph Meyer, who died yesterday, was held here to-day. Interment was in Metatre Cemetery. 0UB BATTLESHIPS BETTER BUT ARMOR BELTS ARE TOO LOW The Senate Committee on Naval Af fairs Resumes the Hearing Into the Subject of Battleship Construction Letter From Secretary Met calf Admits That Armor Belt Is Too Ixnv, Except In the Cases of Two Warships Admirals Remey and Goodrich Have Some Criticisms to Mske on Technical . Points The American Ships Good. But There Is Always Room For Improvements Lieutenant White Also Testifies. Washington. March 9. Testimony was adduced to-day before the Senate committee on naval affairs, which Is Investigating the criticisms of battle ship construction, showing, that the location of the armor belt of Ameri can battleships was too low. On the other hand, a letter from Secretary Metcalf was read declaring It to 'be the opinion of the board of construc tion and Rear Admirals Evans and Brownson that the armor belt lines or the battleship Delaware and North Dakota were right. The Secretary in hi communication took occasion to declare that American battleship were superior to those of any other navy. The witnesses to-day were Lieutenant Richard D. White, assist ant Inspector of target practice, and Rear Admirals George C. Remey and C. F. Goodrich. Lieutenant White was the first to take the stand. In reference to the location of the ar bor belt, he said that If It were 'pos sible for a ship to get Into action at the -designed load draft, the present location would be about right, but It was his observation that the ships had greater drafts than those design ed. Ha thought the drafts would be still greater under war conditions. His opinion was the same as that of Commander Sims, who is the inspector of target practice. Concerning the construction of turrets, he said that safety demands that the turret prop er shall be structurally separate from the ammunition handling room. The two-stage hoist Is one way to effect this, but he thought It might be pos sible to construct a direct hoist so that the handling room could be Iso lated. He preferred the two-stage hoist' and declared that the shutters now In use In' the direct hoist are "most Inefficient." Describing the shutter he said it is so constructed that grains of powder could easily get thjough the slit for the lift rope In the event of an accident overhead. ' MR. METCALF'S LETTER. Chairman Hale read a letter from Secretary Metcalf stating that after the plans for the battleships Delaware and North Dakota had been approved. an ' officer (Lieutenant Commander Hill) had recommended that the ar mor belt should be raised 20 Inches. The department referred this criti cism to the board on construction and the original designs were declared to be right. The officer made rejoinder and the matter was tnen referred to Rear Admirals Brownsen and. Evans, who also declared that the belt was correctly located. Secretary MetcaIf called attention to the fact that the Delaware and North Dakota are to be equipped with the two-stage hoists, and "there la no -ground for further contention as to the location of the armor belt." Answering general criticisms. Secretary Metcalf said: "Our ships are not Inferior, type for type, In their own-period of con struction to vessels of other navies. On the contrary I concur In opinions ex pressed that our ships are superior." Rear Admiral George C. Remey, re tired, told the committee he would locate the armor belt with reference to the proper load water line wh-n the ship Is equipped to go Into. battle. He thought It the duty of a com mander of a battleship to have full stores on board If possible, In going Into battle. He excepted coal, but thought the bunkers should be at least two-thirds full. He said he never had believed In the open turret and thought the guns should be complete ly. Isolated from the ammunition handling rooms. He said he had no hesitancy In endorsing the Interrupt ed hoist. He opposed sacrificing safe ty for rapidity of fire. , SHIPS CAN BE IMPROVED. Rear Admiral C. F. Goodrich, com mandant of the New Tork Navy Yard, who said In an Interview after the publication of the Reuterdahl article, that he' had called attention years 'be fore to such defects as were alleged by Reuterdahl, asserted that he . be lieved the American ships to be good, and that they could be made better. He was asked by Mr. Hale if h would subscribe to Reuterdahl's statement that if our ships went Into action they would be no better off than the Rus sian ships when they met the Japan ese. "Oh, no, sir." he replied, positively. In regard to location of tne armor belt he aald he concurred absolutely In the testimony of Admiral Remey. Later, the witness said he thought the. Interrupted hoist better than the direct type. He was asked about the German navy In "sticking" to the 11-Inch gun. The admiral said the 12-Inch gun was better than the 11, and the 13-Inch better than the 12-Inch. Senator Tillman called his sttentlon to the fact that Comman der Sims, a few days ago, gave the name of Admiral Goodrich us one of the men who would corroborate him in the declaration that the depart ment wotild not accept officers' criti cisms. - "Have you made reports to the de partment criticising ny matter Of construction?" asked Mr. Tillman. "I have," replied the admiral, add ed that he criticised the location of the armor belt. , "What do you think about It?" asked Mr. Tillman. "I think just as Admiral Remey does. I have adopted his expression," said the witness. The witness said he thought the armor belt line too low. He thought the water line should approximately divide the armor oelt. with half above and half below the water line. It was suggested by Chairman Hale that a chance would have to be ta ken a to the condition of sea at the time the ship went nto action. "The whole naval line, Mr. Senator, Is a chance." the witness lemarked. TILLMAN TO THE BREACH. Mr. Tillman returned to the charge that officers had been discouraged from making suggestions or criti cisms and demanded Admiral Good rich's experience. "I have made several suggestions which have not borne fruit. Do you want a specific Instance?" "I want something tangible." re pHed Mr. Tl'.lrnan. Admiral S1qo1 rlch said that in 1902 he had recom mended tho abolition. of the military masts with their fighting tops. He said these masts were heavy and he knew of 00 instance where they were of value. The ships now being de sfgned, the admiral raid, do not have these fighting tops. "Then the suggestion did not fall on barren ground," raid Mr. TiU maa. ... -....If that m i i Cannot uurr uii. I. ... . ... .a. l,h t Vim leuer naa anyiumis v Hj.llnn tn An inf. With thlS fea- lnr" ill fVi admiral. "At least you can say 1 told you so.'" persisted Mr. Tillman. - "Like the chairman, I have a New England conscience," responded the admiral. "I cannot take the credit. j me neariiia win u" .cbm... morrow. Vote on Aldrlch Bill Possible by Sat urday. Washington. March 9. Senator Al drlch will endeavor to get a vote on his currency bill on Friday or Satur day. The last speech to be made in the Senate in opposition to the bill according to the present understand ing, will be on TkursJay whea Sena tor TjiFnilottB Is to speak. Sena tors McLaurln and Clarke, of Ar- j kansaa, will address tne senate 10 i morrow and Wednesday respectively. I There are so many amenumcni- pendlng that it la likely two days win be required to reach the final vftte after debate has closed. Senator Aldrlch will speak briefly before de bate Is closed, as also wlU Senator Hale. , Bill Extending Extortion Law Re- - ported Favorably. Washington, March 9. The Senate committee on the Judiciary to-day orJ dered reported favorably a bill ex tending to all 'agents and employes of the government or persons pre tending to be such, the penalties al ready prescribed by law for "officers" ... . . i...Ia. 'I . . n .y....lt V ' tn anrh a nrnvisinn arises by rea son of a court decision that a special agent ta not such an "officer" as could be punished under the law re lating to extortion by government of ficials. House Honors Memory of Late Rep resentative Meyer. Washington, March 9. Immediate ly after the House of Representatives convened to-day, Mr. Ransdell. of Louisiana, Informed that body of the death yesterday of Mr. Adotph Mey er, of the first district of Louisiana. He offered resolutions of regret which were adopted, and as a further mark of respect the House at 12:12 p. m. adjourned. TO REPORT WILLLAMS' BILL. Minority Members of House Commit tee on Banking and Currency Be lieve It Superior to the Fowlr Meas ure, and They Tell W by. Washington, March 9. The Demo cratic member of the House commit tee on banking ahd currency to-day agreed to report the minority cur rency bill, introduced by John Sharp Williams, as a substitute for the Fowl- .. Kill In the courss of their report the minority say: , , tv. Annan the bill becaus It v!r tat,, tmm thit government all power to regulate, and safeguard the national banks or me country anu wholly gives over the control of such Institutions to a board of managers which Is selected by the -oanKS tnem stlves." Th. minnritv also takes exception to the provisions of the bill requiring the retirement or greenDacas; .com plains that it makes banks the agents of the government for the transaction of all Its business and urges the inad equacy of the Interest charge. It Is oi.r. rhinoit that under the operation of the proposed law all State banks and savings ana trust companies would Inevitably e driven out of bus iness. "With the banks all organized un der one system, enjoying sole and eomplete power to issue all moneys as they deem proper, will there not be great danger either from contraction or Inflation of the amount of money In circulation?" they ask. "Will It not be In the absolute power of these banks or their board of managers lo make money scarce or to make it plentiful; to make the rate of Inter est high or make It cheap; to cause a depression or to produce a relaxa tion t fiuralv Cona-resa Is being asked to delegate to the banks a most dan gerous and wonaeriui power in giving tbem absolute control of the medium of all values, money, and In conferring on them sole power to Issue monoy In such quantities as they think wise. The minority members of the com mittee say emphatically that this country 1 not ready to delegate such dangerous power. Without doubt the mnat aarlnns nronosltlon with which Congress ha had to deal in many year is tne regulation ana control 01 the great corporations that have wmwn niir.nnr,rfMl and bevond the control of the government. "Tet. while we are planning ways wnereoy we mav wlaalt, and luntlv sublect these great Interest to government regula tion, we are assea V ins rowier bill to create a banking system al nnvarful m-lth romnlpte and undlsnut- ed authority to Issue the circulating medium or the country in quantity, in manner, and at times to please those fortunate enough to enjoy this great special privilege." v nOKE SMITH IN THE RACE. present Governor of Georgia, Con trary to Previous Announcements, Wants to Be Re-Fleeted. Atlanta. Ga., March 9. Governor Hoke Smith to-day opened his cam paign for re-election as jOovernor of Georgia. In a speech at Decatur he referred particularly to the disfran chisement bill passed by the last Leg islature and said the people would have an opportunity to ratify It at the next election. Referring to the franchise act the Oovernor said: "UnJer our new law when ratified, the State will be free of danger at the ballot box from that class of citi zens, who, unwise to govern them selves, are utterly unnt to provide lot the government of others." The Oovernor referred In strong language to lobbylnj , influences on elections and said: "I have no doubt that In time gon by there has been a combination In Georgia between certain railroad In terests and the liquor dealers' asso ciation y-hich put up the money for candidates for the H-vise of Ri-p-rexentatlves and the Senate. I be lieve they put up the money to pay expenses of ranJidates for even more important offices. "The Stat has been deluded with matter, all printed In Louisville, Ky., attacking our reform movement, so far as ral'roads are concerned. No oolUh cry, especially If It came from a Georgian, was unworthy of . notice by Louisville publishers." DEABLNG TO BE EXTENSIVE LILLET ASKS THOROUGHNESS. Connecticut Member Appears Before the Special House Committee Ap pointed to Investigate the Charges Against the Electric Boat Company and Creates a Breeze by Declaring That He la Being Shadowed by De tectivesWants to Act as Prose cuting Attorney, But This the Committee Refuses Insists That the Investigation Must Be Thor ough and Names a Lisa of Wit- . nesses He Wsnts Called Hearing to Begin Thursday. Washington, March 9. The spec ial committee of the House appoint ed by Speaker Cannon at the request of Representative Lllley, of Connec- , tlcut, "to Investigate the conJuet of the Electric Boat Company of New Jersey, and their predecessors, the Holland Boat Company, respecting the methods employed by said com panies In connection with past or proposed legislation before Congress," began Its investigation to-day. The committee which Is composed of Representatives Boutell, of Illi nois, chairman; Stephens, of Minne sota; OlmsteaJ. of " Pennsylvania; Broussard. of Louisiana, and Howard, of Georgia, met at the House office building at. 10:30 o'clock. Before the committee had been called to or der. Chairman Boutell stated that no witnesses had yet been summoned but that Representative Lllley had been requested to appear before the com mittee; that as yet the committee has nothing before It and will not be In position to summon witnesses until Mr. Lllley lays the facts before them. The clerk was directed by Chair man Boutell to read the report of the committee on rules pursuant to which the investigating committee wai appointed. LILLET CALLED UPON. When the reading of the report had been concluded Chairman Bou tell called on Mr. Lllley and asked him if he was preparej to go ahead and state the fact in his possession. Mr. Lllley said he was not prepared to be examined at this time; that he desired to be represented by an at torney and had not yet secured one. He, however, submitted a number of documents to the committee. He stated that he had been shadowed by detectives and said that in order that this shadowing be stopped he would ask to have summoned as witnesses three operatives connected with a lo cal detective agency. He also sub mitted a list of witnesses that he de sired to be summoned as follows: Issac L. Rice, president of the Elec tric Boat Company, to bring with him all the books and accounts showing" payments made to attorneys and em ployes for work performed or to be performed at Washington or in any congressional district of the United States; also vouchers, checks, check books anj other documents showing checks Issued for such employment; also vouchers and memorandums . showing payments by EHhu B. Frost for expenses of every kind and char acter at Washington or elsewhere in promoting legislative appropriations and the procurement of contracts; also all books, vouahers, checks or other evidence of any moneys con tributed by Isaac L. Rice personally to the campaign fund of any political party - or In any congressional dis trict; Ellhu B. Frost, Maurice Bur nett, treasurer of the Electric Boat Company; August Tredwell. Jr., as sistant treasurer; Norman' G. John son, of New Tork, attorney; and 8. 8. McNair, of this city. He also ask ed that subpoenas be Issued for the following: Marlon Butler, C. B. Cree cy, H. W. Creecy, B. F. Sands, all of this city; Dr. S. R. Kerr, of Chica go; Frank L. Edlnborough. of Bay City. Mich., and W. B. Gordon, of Midland, Mich. NOT A GRAND JURT. Mr. Lllley stated that hs did not propose to put himself in the atti tude -of a grand Jury and present an Indictment but he would If permitted by th committee and assisted by an attorney examine these witnesses and help the committee to th fullest ex tent possible In bringing out all the facts. ' He said that to formulate written charges and limit the Inves tigation to these charges would slmpV be to stifle real investigation and make the adoption of the resolution a farce. Mr. Lllley asked that ha be allow ed to name the manner in which the witnesses should be called. Hs dU not wish, he said, to be th first wit res. Mr. Boutell stated that It was th Intention of th commutes to have Mr. Lllley first state what hs knows of his own knowledge con cerning these charges and in order to allow him to procure an attorney, adjournment was taken until Thurs day morning. The committee went Into executlv session to consider Representative Lllley's request in the matter of wit nesses whom he desires to have sum moned. t ; At the executive session' of . the committee it was 'Jeclded. that'-Mr. Lllley should be the first witness call ed Thursday and action on his re quest that other witnesses be called was deferred until an Investigation discloses that the persons named are connected In some way within ths scope of the Inquiry. His request that his attorney be allowed to ex amine and cross-examine witnesses was denleJ, the committee deciding that ths examination ahould be con ducted by a member of the commit tee and that all questions to be ask ed the wlness should be submitted In writing to this member. - Regard ing the charge that Mr. Lllley made that he was being shadowed by de tectives the chairman of ths com mittee was authorized to Inquire whether Mr. Lllley was being Im peded In bringing before the com mittee anything within th scope of Its authority by ths alleged detectives and If In his opinion he was beinx so impeded that the committee would use every effort within its power to protect him as a member of th House and as a witness before ths committee. In addition to the request of Mr. Lllley that his attorney be allowed te examine witnesses ths Electric Boat Company submitted a like re quest. Mr. Martin W. UttMon nl John B. Lindsay, of New Tork. were present at to-day's session as repre sentatives of the boat company. Motion For Neve Trial For CUna . men. Boston, March 9. A motion for a new trial of the nine Chinamen who were convicted on Saturday of rr- der In the first degree for comp In the rival secret coclety feu.i 1 c August In which reveral i - 1 Chinamen were killed, w as f. t - 1 the Superior Court to-day tv c tel for the convicted men. I'r-y 1 -t!on was made on the grnr.".! t the finding of the Jury vsas e . the law and the evidence. 1 - v. - - ' 1
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 10, 1908, edition 1
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