The Weather To-Dsy; f Aiß* VOL.XLVII. NO. 144 Leads allMerthGarolmaDailiesimNews aMGroilatioir UNDER ROOD COVER CRONJE EIGHTS ON Boers Burrow in the River Bank Like Rabbits. FOOD STILL PLENTIFUL AMMUNITION', HOWEVER, IS SAID TO BE SHORT. AND SOME ARE COUNSELING SURRENDER Buller’s Advance on Ladysmith >s Marked by Heavy Fighting-. Grobler’s Kloof a Hor net’s Mest. Boers Army Assembling Near Bio ms ntein. London, Feb. 27. —(1:20 a. m.) —The Boers are assembling an army near Bloemfontein, with which to dr spate the invasion of Ixird Rolverts. This intelli gence conn s from Pretoria byway of Lourenzo .Marques. The commandoes are described as ‘-hastening from all quarters of the two republics.” Xo estimate is made of the’r numbers, but the withdrawal of the Boers from most of the places where they have been ini contact with the British, except the district near Ladysmith may raise the resisting- force to 110,000 men. This figure assumes that the 80. rs have be tween (50.0( 0 and 70.000 men in the field. The gathering of this army across the path of Lord Roberts gives significance to General Oronje’s steadfast defense, lie has engaged the corps of Lord Rob erts for ten days now, and, whether he is relieved or not, he has given time for the dispersed Boer factions to get to- ! gether and to prepare positions to re ceive the British advance when Cronje is overcome and Lord Roberts moves forward. It is difficult to conceive that the Beers are strong enough to take tile offensive and to rescue General Cronje from his precarious situation. The War Office Iras nothing after midnight to (indicate his collapse, and he may hold out for a few days. The cor respondents seem to have no exact in formation respecting h’s resources. Some say he has plenty of food but is short of ammunition. Others as-ert that he abandoned his fo< d supplies, but kept abundant supplies of cartridges. General Buller on Saturday faced the last and strongest positions of the Boers who bar his -way to Ladysmith. The strenuous lighting indicates a battle be tw«*en armies, rather than rear guard action protecting a retr< at. On Thursday anil Friday he lost forty-th’ee officers killed and wounded, representing prnbqbly a t* tal loss of from four hundred to five hundred. General Wlrte’s guns worked on Sat urday upon the Boer positions and a hcJiograui from Ladysmith reported that the Boers were retreating and that larger razors were b< ing issued in view of the fact that reli. f seemed at hand. Nothing has been heard from Mafe .king since February 12th. The move ment on the veldt away from the rail way is becoming increasingly difficult fi»r large bodies of iruops as the grass is burned up. Genral French has to wagon forage for his hors; s, and even, the infantry find long marches harder than before, as forage for tin* transport animals must be carried. This requires tin* formation of garrisoned depots. The ordinary campaigning season is over, a.r.d the sickly season for both men and nn’tnals has srt in. Technical military writers take these things into considerate n in forecasting e vi nts. The Daily Chronicle says at learns from private letters that British rifles and .ammunition have be n lauded on the southern coast of Cap* (' deny, presuma bly for the Dutch colonists. Lord Roberts has recently received 72 Edition til pieces of artillery. Whether all have been sent to I’aardeherg is not known. Probably tin* K ghtli division will leave England .next M< inlay. EFFORT TO AID CRONJE. Futile Attempt to Break Through Roberts' Line Paardeberg, Saturday. Feb. 24. —Yes- terday there was a most int resting series of fights along the British front. One thousand Boers, commanded by General Dewet. who were kuoon to be* operating in tlx* immediate front, at early dawn yesterday detenw tied to at tem.pt to break through the British lines w> aid General Cronje. A body of five hundred Boers moved townru* position, but the Borderers were again ready to receive them. The' third re pulse thoroughly disconcerted the Boers, who galloped away in a panic. Later pevee v rg rift her k ]>j ■* ihe Boers moved quickly toward it. 'Hiis kopje was un occupied, but the Borderers, not to lie beaten, raced the Beers for the position and won. occupying the kopje and driv ing off the Boers. A portion of the lat ter ultimately occupied a kopje flanked partially by the Borderers and facing another kopje held by tie* Yorkshires. A vigorous fusilade ensued, the British tiring accurately and succeeding in silencing th c * Boer fire. Meanwhile tlie Buffs were ordered to reinforce the Yorkshires in case the Boers should be reinforced. The British attack worked around to the right of the kopje held by the Yorkshires, where tin* Seventh bat tery was stationed, the Sixty-second bat tery being placed art a farm near the centre of tin* Borderers’ pod ion. A vig orous shelling, accompanied by a British fusilade, completely silenced the Boers. A company of Yorkshires were sent to clear out the Boers but the attempt failed, the Boers opening a heavy fire, amd tin* British having no cover. The British then again opened a heavy rifle tire which silenced the Boers. The Boers made several attempts to run, but the Maxims opened on them effectually and checked them. The Buffs now worked carefully and cautiously around and got within lot) yards of the Boers. Eighty Boers surrendered, but many, it appears, escaped, going singly. Most of the prisoners had just arrived from Ladysmith. They complained of the bad generalship of their leader. Nearly every man carried explosive bul lets and five British were wounded with these missiles. 1 have seen the bullet, of which one Boer carried fifty. There is no longer tin* slightest doubt that the Boers are gradually discarding all rules of civi’ized warfare. The other day they poured tin* contents of a Vick ers-Max m gun into aim ambulance, which happened, however, to be empty, some three hundred yards away from tin* nearest troops. The war balloon is doing excellent ser vice. Early this morning 'it arose to a great height and discovered in the bed of the river four wagons which con tained ammunition. These were explod ed by the British shells an hour after ward. The balloon observer also discov ered a number of horses concealed near by and these also received attention from rln* British shraphnel. The Gor dons are now incorporated in the High land brigade making four kilted regi ments. The Highland Light infantry, who are not kilted and are a fine body of mm, are going to join General Smlth -1 torriens’ regiment. BULLERkS CASUALTY LISTS. London, Feb. 2*s.—*General Buller. in a dispatch from Colenso, dated Sunday, February 25th, reports that the British casualties for February 20th were 12 killed and Iti) wounded, among the Somersets and Dorset!s, and that on February 22nd and February 23rd, 12 officers were wounded. The War Office today issued another list of casualties sustained by the Fifth br’g de, under General B iller. February 23rd and February 24th which include sev« n officers killed, 23 wounded and one missing. General Buller’s dealth list contains tin* names of three lieutenant colonels, Tbackery of th>* First Royal IniMskil)-. ing Fusiliers: Sitwell, of the Second Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and Thorokl, of the Royal Welch Fusiliers. An additional list of the British cas ualties at Fa ari berk, February lStb. is announced and*gives a lieutenant and e’glit men killed, a lient ■ mint and seven men missing and thirty eight men wounded. MOKE CANADIANS ARRIVE. Ope Town. Feb. 23.—The i'anad'an transport Point ranian from Halifax. January 27tli, with another contingent of Canadian troops on board, has arrived here. SMALL BODIES ESCAPE, Roberts Needs Lessons in Close Invest ment From the Boers. London. Feb. 2b.- Dispatches from Fan in lei erg slmw that General Cronje s forces have far more protection from Field Marshal Lord Roberts’ heavy fire than at first indicated. A special dis patch from Paurdeberg. publi led in the second edition of the Daily Chronicle ai d dateiT February 24th. says: “A balloon inis discovered the eiv my well covered by a system of burrowing in the river bank, which resembles a rabbilt warren and affords shell proof posit ions.” It will not be much of a surprise if to day and tomorrow which is th * anniver sary of Mujuba Hill, pass without be ing marked by the surrender or annihi lation; of the gallant band so overwhel mingly hemmed in. though tin* closeness of the investment appears op. n to eriti i < i>m. Small bodies of Boers, apparent ly. are aide to make their oscap*, caus ing comparison here between the Boer methods of investment, with their qui k -1 iy dug, surrounding trenches, impassable hurl <*d wire, etc., and those of the Brit ish. i Lord Roberts holds a position almost analogous with that hi Id so long by tin* Fairs at Ladysmith. As General Cronje is reported to have plenty of food, the plan of starving him out can scarcely avail ;t* Lord Roberts must either wait until lrs ammunition, which is said to be short, runs out. or those of General Cronje’s forces who are coun selling surrender prevail. S * indefinite is the information that either of these alternatives may occur at tuny moment. Meanwhile. Lon! Roberts’ engineers ar<* sapping steadily towards the Boor laager, and ace* rding to a special from laanleberg. dated Sunday, February 2oth. the cordon is gradually drawing closer. General Buller’s march Ladysmith is bbing marked by sharp fighting. A Pietermaritzburg dispatch of today's date saj s he is still heavily engaged in fighting. In Grobler’s Kloof General Duller seems to have discovered a hor net's nest. In Gape Coloney the British arms are steadily advancing. Barkley East is now i n their posses sion. art-ording to a dispatch from that district, the Boers evacuating the place, retreating on Lady Grey and wiring (Continued ou Second Page.) RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, TUESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 27, 1900. TOE REPUBLICANS Hi MORE TIME For Genera! Debate on Porto Rican Bill. IHE TIViE IS GR‘er Cent. Washington, Feb. 2(s.—The general de bate on the Porto Rican Tariff Bill in the House today is extended until tomor row night, on announcement of Mr. Payne (X. Y.), the flour leader, that no compromise had been made with the dbv* satistied Republicans. The speakers to day were Messrs. Boutell (111.). Brown (Ohio). Mondell (Wyo.i, Graham (Pa.), and Reeder (-Ivan.), for the b.ll, and Messrs. Bartlett (Ga.). Lanhum (Texas), Moon (Tom), Williams (111.), Johnston (W. Ya.), Sutherland (Neb.), Jett (111.). Moon (111.), and Wilson (Ariz.), against it. When Mr. Payne preferred the request for the extension of time, Mr. Richard son, the Democratic hauler, said: “This is a remarkable request to come from the majority. Me cun-true it >to be a frank and candid confession that they have brought here a bad bill and an ad mission in open house to the country that they have not enough votes to pass it.” The Democrats, he continued, were al ways magnanimous. They would not strike thsir foes when they were down. He demanded, however, as conditions to an extension a night session tomorrow night ami permission to offer a substi tute in the House on Wednesday when the final vote was to be taken. With these "conditions,” he remarked blandly, the minority would grant the "entreaty” of the majority. Mr. Payne smilingly replied that not to 'be outdone in magnanimity ln* would agree to the conditions. Mr. Barth ti (Ga.) tin n took the floor with ;i half hours speech against the hill. He laid down as an elementary principle <>f international law that whenever a country, whether empire, monarchy, or republic acquired territory by conquest, purchase or treaty, that territo y became a part of such country and subject to her laws. lie pointed to tin* Supreme Court f r consolation on thc constitu tional question in ease the bill passed. Mr. Lanlian (Texas) declared that the Porto Ricans were either Americans or aliens. There could Ik* no such th ng as si-para t ing and dividing the com muni ties and privileges of American citizenship. Mr. Moon (Teun.) was opposed to the bill. Mr. Boutell (111.) followed in advo cacy of the bill. Tin*- people of Porto Rico, he said, had certain fundamental rights, but not tin* rights of Amer.can citizenship. The fundamental rights of American citizenship, he argued, ’would be - itoLcanvassing the situation during the interim between the adjournment of the House at 5 o’clock and the assembling of the conference at eight. Chairman Cannon presided over the caucus. When Mr. Payne submitted the two amend ments mentioned. General Shnttue, of Ohio, made a vigorous inuiry regarding the President's position to which Mr. Payne responded, announcing emphati cally that the President was convinced that the hill was constitutional and that he would sign the hill. Mr. Grow, of Pennsylvania, the venerable ox-Speaker of the House said that the amendments p points ed made the bill an emergency measure again 4 w hich the question of constitutionality ough* not to Ik* raised. Mr. McCall and Mr. Littlefield spoke iu good temper hr.: abated not one jot their individual opposition to the bill. DROP DOWN WITH r our Men KiP* d by Mine Carnage Breaking. The Carriage Sfriki g a Pr jading Shelf, ti e Men Were Precipitated to the Bottom «f the Pit Scranton, “Pa., Feb. 20. —Four men were killed this morning in the Mount Pleasant Mine by the breaking of a mine carriage. The killed are: William Gilbert. Thomas Williams. John Regan, and Frank Woodward. Th * men were descending on the mine carriage to the sixth vein. When it readied the, fifth vein the carriage, which was going down at a rapid rate struck an adjustable shelf which was left pro jecting. breaking the lwattom of the car riage and dropping the nun to the pit, 75 feet below. Gilbert and Regan were instantly kill ed. while Williams and Woodward lived only a short tinto. RAILROAD MAGNATE DIES Hugh M Comer President of the Cen tral of Georgia. Savannah, Ga.. Feb. 2(s—Hugh M. Comer, President of the Central of Geor gia, died at his home in this cty this morning. Mr. (Tomer had l»een ill for some time and his death was not uuex -1 Kitted. Mr. Comer was a native of ; Georgia, and had been long identified ! with Savannah. At the time of his death he was senior partner in the cotton firm hearing liis name. Mr. Comer was 5* years old. * New Mills Chartered Columbia, S. C., Feb. 2(5. —The Wil mot Mills, of Honea Path, Anders'tm Countv, was chartered today. Capital stock .$200,000. The Sutro Mills at Yorkville will dou ble its capacity. This brings the amount of capital projected in cotton mills in this State* since January Ist to nearly throe million dollars, or nearly .$50,000 a d ty. There are several other edacorns which hare not yet crystal’;zed. The Ashworth Electrical Company, of Cheraw, capital .SIOO,OOO, was chartered today. Rhode Island capitali-ts are back of it. Allen Liner a Wreck. Portland. Me., Feb. 2(5. —Tile big Al lan Line steamship California, which hft her dock tit midnight, went ashore nil Ram Island Ledge, just outside of the harbor, a few minutes after her pilot left her this morning. All the passengers are safe, although still aboard. McKinley Namc-s a Tar Heel. Washington. Feb. 26. —Tile President today nominated Frank B. Davis, of North Carolina, to be second lieutenant in the army. \ TILLMAN AGAIN EH ’ERS THE LIST 'he Suffrage in Hawaii and South Carolina. (HE VENAL NEGRO VOIE SOME NITS TOO HARD FOR NORTHERN TEETH. | OPENING OF THE MCTHEW QUAY CASE Mr. TurDy Speaks Against Seating Quay, De claring Under the Constitution the Gov ernor is Powerless to Appoint Him in the C rcumstanc*s. Washington. Feb. 2(5. —Formal discus sion of tin* right of former Senator Quay to a seat in the Senate as a member from Pennsylvania, was begun today by Mr. Turley (Teim.i, in a constitutional argument against tin.* seating of Mr. Quay. Consideration of the Hawaiian j Government Bill brought out a lively | discussion between Mr. Tillman. (S. C.l. j and Mr. Spooner tWis.l. in which the former admitted that bailor boxes had been st tiffed and negroes had been shot in tin* South to maintain white domina tion. An amendment was made to the hill striking out the property qualifica tion lor voters for members of the Legis lature, hut little other progress was made. Mr. Frye (Maine), report til the Ship ping Subsidy Bill. Mr. Turley, who prepared the majority report of the committee on the Quay resolution then spoke. He said the Gov ernor under the constitution wais power less to fill the vacancy and his action was "‘in the teeth of every provision of the t' their duty it’s a place where onr system breaks down.” Mr. Turley then entered upon a de tailed discussion of the constitutional and technical points involved in the ease, his desire i>• ing. he said, to present every legal phase of the question. "Every State.” ho said, “should be notified, in language that cannot be mis taken. that ii- permanent representation in this body shall depend upon its elect ing a Legislature that will do its duty. "Let it once he understood.’’ he con tinued, "that these contests are not per sonal questions and will he decided on legal and con ritution :1 grounds and the bringing of contests here will soon cease. In niycxporience I cannot now recall an honest division of a legislature on party 'titles. There are nearly always three or more ambitious candidates, in tlx* same parti who create all the trouble. In not one single instance in 75 years has a Senator been admitted here who was appointed by the State Executive after tlx* Legislature had had an opportunity to fleet: and never iu the history of the Government has a candidate been seat ed when the vacancy occurred during tlx* session of the Legislature." On unanimous consent the ease was then postponed. When the Hawaiian Bill was taken up Mr. Cullom offered several minor amend j ment« and one striking out the property qualifications of those wlio desired to vote for represent'tives and Senators ; in tin* Hawaiian Legislature. Mr. Tillman argued that his amend ment substituting tlx* suffrage provisions of tlx* constitution of South Carolina was in all senses a better provision 'than that offered by the committee reporting the Mil. Mr. Tillman said: "Tin* people of South C rolina, in their eonstituti<’ii have done their level he-t to prevent the ‘niggers’ from voting. What I now ask you to do is to give tlx* Kanaka* and Portuguese of the Hawaiian Islands the satin* power or suffrage as we in South Carolina have 1 given, the ‘niggers’." Iu reply to a question of Mr. Spooner. Mr. Tilln”’n str’d that the S2OO property oiialifieation had been put into tlx* South Carolina constitution for the benefit of j the negro. “No provision was needed for tlx* whites." said Mr. Tillman, “because the whites would get through anyhow*. We have rfnne conscience in tlw* South as to tn. next of the ‘niggers.’ You have been sneering at us a long time and I don’t like tt.” Mr. Spooner depreciated a disenss’on of tlx* racial question and added: i “The Senator has said that the people i <>f South Carolina have sedulously ex- I eluded the negro vote. They art* now *no | complisning their purpose through the i State Constitution, but they not al ways do it by constitutional amend ment.” ■Adverting to the pending amendment of Mr. Cullom, Mr. Spoonrr said: “I don’t like a property qualification for voters. There is eoTneth’ng of reason iti an educational qualification, but mnti liood suffrage is one thing and dollar suf frage is quite another.” Mr. Tillman r**pli< d that his only rea son for rehabilitating the bloody shirt before it was irrevocably laid at rest was j that he wanted the position of the Soutli- I era people to lx? understood. PRICE FIVE CENTS *T’n» getting fired of these taunt* and sneers!” said he. “You won’t let us alone.” “Tlw* Senator won’t let its let him* •alone," suggested Mr. Spooner amid laughter. * j "In every State,” replied Mr. Tillman, “whore the whites have divided politics between, the Democrats and Populists— | and it is so in^ every Southern State ex cept South Carolina —th** ‘nigger’ hold the balance of jK>wer. As such they stand there as a menace to a pure suf frage and to good government, lH*eause they are a purchasable quantity, edu cated or uneducated. “eW are charged with fraud and cor ruption and 'ballot box stuffing. Finally after the bayonets (had come to us again in IH7<5 wo rose in righteousness and might. We took the government. Wo stuffed ballot l*>x«*s. we bull-dozed the j ‘niggers’ and wo shot ’em. And we are not ashamed of it.” I Leaning toward Mr. Spooner and shak ing his linger at the Wisconsin Senator, , Mr Tillman said: “What would you have done? You ! would have done the same thing, I see it in.your eye.” (Laughter.) The amendment offered by Mr. Cullom was finally adopted. So, too, was the amendment of Mr. Platt (Conn.), which has beeen pin ding for several days, relat ing to the ap|»oifitment and teifure of office of the judges of the Hawaiian Courts. Mr. Butler (N. C.), offend an amend ment restoring to Hawaii the )M>stal sav ings bank system. Without concluding tlx* discussion of the amendment, the Senate, at 5:15 p. in,, adjourned. i Antonio Ferraro Electrocuted. New York. Feb. 2(5. —Antonio Ferraro was electrocuted ait Sing Sing prison to day for tlx* murder of Luciano Muehio, in Brooklyn on April 4th. 181*S. The electric current was turned on at S’:2o a. nt„ and five shocks were admin istered before the attending physicians were satisfied that lx* was dead. He was pronounced dead at N:2S «. m. Robbery of a Bank Atlanta, Ga.. Feb. 26.—A special from Perry, Ga.. says: The Perry Loan and Savings Bank was entered last night and robbed of $3,500. The vault door was blown open as also was the inner money vault by dynamite. The loss is covered by bur glar insurance. BRYAN AT MEMPHIS And Usu i Tnro’gs f'ath r Hound Him. On All the Issues, the Mon**y Question, Tri/s'* and Imperialism, the Republic ins Are on th- Defensive Memphis, Tenn.. Feb. 20.—Hon. W. J. Bryan arrived in Memphis this morning and was given an enthusiastic reception by thousands. The early morning train brought crowds to hear Mr. Bryan and t<» jmn in the celebration of Mardi Gras. In tlx* morning a breakfast was ten dered tilt* Nebraskan by Hon. W. 11. ( Carroll and a reception was hold at the Peabody Hotel in the afternoon. Tonight Mr. Bryan delivered an ad dr< >s at the Auditorium, The huge struc ture was packed with people. >md many were denied admission. Iji an interview Mr. Bryan was asked what the para mount issues in the approaching cam * paign would be. He said: j /"Well, that depends. There are ihr«e I questions before the public—the money ! question, trusts anil imperialism. Men | differ as to the relative value of tlx*** questions, but the Rpubheans are on the defensive on all of them. Events will | do much to determine which i* suc will j exercise the must influence. For in stance tlx* currency bill which is now in conference has emphasized tlx* money question hecßUse it attempts to carry the gold standard a little farther and to turn paper money oyer to national banks, j Eveiy new trust feuds to emphasize tlx* trust question. The Beer war and the Porto Rico "Par Bill an* emphasizing the m-tion of imperialism. But as I said, the Republican party is on the de fensive on all of them, and the fight will he made all along the line. All three of the questions tire alive.” "Is not the free silver sentiment dying out ?’’ asked the reporter. / "No, it is not dying out,” replied Mr. Bryan, “and the editors who continue to say that it is know lietter. The ac tion of the Republican party in amending the Currency Bill, as a last rt*sort, so as to revive the promise of international bi nxttalism, is a confession that the god * standard is not satisfactory, and no ltc ■ publican editor can explain that amend * | incut except by acknowledging that it is *; tut attempt to thrust fraud on the Amer * ican people.” , THE JANE C. HARRIS STRANDED. > Schooner From Washington, N. C. Ashore at Oregon Inlet. * Philadelphia, Feb. 20.—The cargo of the schooner Jane 0. Harris, from Wasli - ington, N. C., for Philadelphia, before reported stranded at Oregon Inlet, will * t probably wash ashore. Tlx* Lewes, Del., lifc-srving station i states that the Wachnprcague Life ! Savers report that the schooner J. T. - Ford, from (‘ape Charles for Chinco teaguc, with household goods, struck the bar at Wnehapreague today, filled ami - sunk. The crew was saved. !, A woman invented the ice-cream freo . zer—and women have kept the thing going ever siuee.