North Carolina Newspapers

f I f i ir 11 vr i WTXMESrGTON. N. C., WEDNESDAY. MARCH TVE 4 k4. 11 S Oil RATES Only Speech of the Da) on the Railway Bill : FAVORS ' HOUSE MEASURE Will Not, However, Oppose Rea sonable Modifications Senator Simmon- Contended That Con gress Has the Right to Confer on the Interstate Commission the lti?ht to Fix Hates He Contravened the Contention Tliat Irotits on Rail road Investments are .Small He Doe Not Object to a Modified Form of Review by the Courts No Doubt Exists. He Declared, as to the Con stitutionality of the Propotsed Law. Washington, March 13. Before tak iug up the railroad questions today the senate passed a nutn!er of bills, some of which were of considerable import ance. One of theni provides for the punishment of government officials for the premature divulgence of secret in formation of government bureaus in Bueh matters as the crop reports; an other grants executive authority in the matter of the construction of bridges over navigable streams, and still an other gives congressional sanction to the effort on the iart of Delaware and New Jersey, to adjust their long pend ins boundary dispute. Mr. Simmons made the only speech or the day on the railroad rate ques tion. Ho announced his support of the house measure, but said he would not oppose reasonable modifications. Mr. Tillman nnnounced.tbat after to morrow he would seek to have the rate bill taken up for consideration each, day immediate!- after the disposing of the routine business of "the senate. instead of waiting until 2 o'clock. Among the bills passed were the fol- between these corporations and the people is that the railroads want the laws affecting them administered by tribunals composed of men appointed for life, and whose amenability to the people is therefore remote. They are not opposed to trusting the powers conferred bv this legislation in the commerce commission, because they do not believe competent and impartial men will at all times compose that commission, but because they fear that the power of the people to quickly call them to account for any forgetruiness of their interest will lead them to put the public -weal above that or special privilege." He announced however, that he had "no objection to such right of review by the courts as does not in e Erect either interfere with the rightful au thority of congress In the matter of rate, or so hamper it in the discharge of these powers through its commis sion as to defeat or render ineffective in whole or in part its lawful purposes with respect to this subject, lie added: "Within these limitations the right of review by the courts ought not be denied and if it doe3 not already exist, it ought to be conferred." Mr. Simmon3 concluded with an ar gument in support of the constitution ality of the proposed law, on which point he declared he had no doubts. THE JAMESTOWN EXPOSITION Contracts Awarded for the Erection of Two Buildings Preliminary Surface and Sub-surface Work Completed. HELP OF BANKS IN CAMPAIGNS Committee Considering Bill to Prohibit Contributions TILLMAN BEHIND THIS ACTION ACCEPT OFFERED WAGE SCALE Telegraphers and Station Agents of the Southern Agree PRAISE FOR ROAD'S OFFICIALS TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE AT SEA French Line Steamer Hudson in Severe Storm Members Think it Unwise to Enter Upon a General Investigation of tne Campaigns, but They Agree on the Companies, but They Agree on the Necessity of Preventing Such Con tributions In the Future The New Scale Does Not Fix a Mini mum or Maximum Wage, but Con templates a General Readjustment of Wages Along the Entire Lines. lowing Authorizing the construction of a bridge across Perdido river, In Bald i j win county,- Alabama. j Authorising the Mobile railway com ; pany to construct bridges across Dog and Fowl river in Alabama. In' his address Mr. Simmons gave I practically all hi3 attention to the right of congress to confer upon tne Interstate -.commerce commission the I power to fix rates, contending that such ' a right exists beyond question. He asserted, contrary to the contentions of Mr. Lodge. Mr. Foraker ami other op ponents of the pending bill, that "ex isting transportation rates an in many instances unjust and unreasonably high and that unfair and fuinious dis criminations are practiced: against in dividuals and localities." He reached the conclusion that if the high grade commodities on which nigh rates are charged are mixed in discriminately with lower grade com modities upon wfiich lower rates are charged, the average cost per ton mile will be Influenced to a far greater ex tent by the amount of tonnage hauled than by the rate charged." 'It is a fact of common knowledge Ihown by statistics and verified by the i reports of the interstate commerce J commission" he asserted, "that during j the period of our great prosperity and business activity, there has leen an increase in the volume of low grade freights altogether mt of proportion to the Increase in volume of high graae freights altogether out of "proportion to down the increase in the average rate per ton mile." He declared that the result was a decidedly large increase in the average rate per ton. Mr. Simmons also contravened the contention that the profits on railroad investments are small. "As a matter of fact." he said. "legitimate railroad profits have greatly increased in recent years." After giving illustrations and assert ing that the so independent railway lines of the country had been reorgan ized into six or eisht groups he said: "Not withstanding this false and fic titious capitalization on ao-ount of the enormous earning capacity of our rail roads, the percentage of railroad stocks paving dividends and the earning ca- county pacity of railroads Das materially in creased in recent years and is still in creasing." ne hoped that the rapacity of both the railroads and the big shippers would be restrained. He did not believe, he said, that the supervision of rates by the govern ment would result in Injury to the roads. ne defended the Interstate commerce commission against the charge of in competency and, coming abruptly to the question of the power that should be given the courts, said: "We had as well look the fact in the face. The plain truth in this contest Norfolk, Va., March 13. The James town Exposition Company has just awarded contracts for erecting its two main exhibit buildings. Each: of these buildings will be over six hundred feet in length and two hundred and fifty feet in width, and will have ap proximately one hundred and sixty thousand feet of floor space exclusive of gallaries. There is a penalty clause in the contract for any delay in deliv ery of the buildings after the first of September, 190G. The administration buildinsr in which all of the principal offices will be lodged, will be ready for occupancy by the company on the first day of Julv and the seven structures in the arts and crafts sections, will also be completed by the same date. The preliminary surface and sub surface work has been completed and accepted by the company. The prepa rations made by the management have been extremely thorough. They have so arranged their streets and laid their pipes, that none of these will have to be disturbed during building opera tions; only connections will have to be made. The subsurface consists of five miles of iron water piping with hydrants at street inter-sections, both pipes and hydrants conforming with the specifi cations of the insurance underwriters. There are over eight miles of sewers and drains and the boulevards and streets already completed total twelve miles in length. A great many of the streets are planted with double rows of shade trees and all of the main boule vards have planting spaces in the cen ter already filled and shaded paths on either side. The architects of the exposition an nounce that they will have plans for two additional buildings reaay tnis week and that plan? for all the main exhibition halls will be fiuished with in the current month. It is estimated by the chief engineer of the company that all the exposition preparatory work, win oe reaay six months before the date set for the opening of the celebration, April 20, 1007. Washington, March 13. The senate committee on privileges and elections today instructed a sub-committee con-, sis ting of Senators Foraker, Knox and Bailey to examine the several bills be fore the senate to prohibit national banks from contributing money for campaign purposes and report wheth er, in their opinion, any of these meas ures if enacted into law would prevent such evils in the future. The commit tee was instructed to draft a bill if the pending measures are not satisfactory. The action taken is the result of a hearing given to Senator Tillman to day in support of his resolution direct ing an inquiry whether, since March 4, 1893, any payments have been made by national banks to carry on any po litical campaign. Mr. Tillman stated to the committee that he had positive evidence that certain national banks had made such payments but he de clined to disclose his evidence. It was the opinion of the committee that such contributions should be effectually prohibited and that there should beta law making it a felony for any officer of a bank to contribute funds of the bank to aid any campaign. Several members of thee ommittee declared that there had- been an un derstanding that banks have been con tributing to campaign funds but that it would be unwise to enter upon a general investigation. The best policy, it was argued, would be to prevent such contribution in the future and witlT that end in view the sub-commit tee was appointed. THREE VILLAGES DESTROYED Eruption of Volcano on the Island of Savaii Continues. Honolulu, March 13. The officers of the steamer Sierra which has arrived here from Sydney, N. S. W., via Sa moa, reports that the eruptions of the volcano on the Island of Savaii, of the Samioan group, continues on a large scale. Three villages have been com pletely destroyed, including Malaeola, where was located the finest cocoa plan tation on the-island. The residences of A. King, and G. Barleley, have been reduced to ruins and are a total loss, The lava from the volcano is flowing Into the ocean in a stream three quar ters of a mile wide and twenty feet deeD at the rate of twenty feet an hour. At night a solid wall of molten j lava five miles long can be seen reach ing far out into the sea. For some distance the sea water is boiling and the surf breaking over the fiery stream. The government recently chartered the steamer Maori to remove women and children from the zone of danger. TO FIX AGE LIMIT FOR CLERKS Discussipn of Reorganizing the Gov ernment Service Comes Up During General Debate on the Legislate Appropriation BUI. Washington, March 13. The house devoted itself today to general debate on legislative appropriation oin. x- irsi there was discussed the question of eliminating aged clerks from the em ploy of the government; then came a discussion of free alcohol for the arts, the restriction of Japanese immigra tion.- and finally a defense of New York city. Mr. Littauer, of New York, and Mr. Livingston, of Georgia, representing the republican and democratic views. concurred on the question that some- thins must be done in the way of re organizing the government service. Mr. Livingston, the ranking minori ty member of the appropriations com mittee, .gave notice that he should of fer a substitute for the age limit pro vision by putting on the civil service commission the duty of annually re porting on the efficiency of every gov ernment clerk 65 years or older. "Why not let these people go out the same door they came in?' asked MrH Living ston. "Civil service means civil pensions and all the powers of heaven and earth or hell cannot stop it whether we can or not remains to be seen." (Laugh ter). "The civil service board has time to burn," declared Mr. Livingston. "Everybody works but the board let it shoulder this work."- ! i Washington, March 13. The com mittee of five representing the tele graphers and station agents of the Southern Railway last night agreed to accept the wage scale of that road. The wage scale, as agreed upon, does not contemplate a minimum or maxi mum wage, but has been adjusted with a view of fitting each individual case In announcing the fact that a settle ment had been affected, H. B? Perham president of the Order of Railway Telegraphers said: "The committee representing the tel- egrapners and station agents are very well satisfied with the scale agreed upon. While some of the employees have grown a little impatient since the negotiations were opened with the Southern on December 7, those having direct charge of the matters, knowing the immense amount of work neces sary before an acceptable scale could be agreed on, have nothing but words of praise for the officials of the South ern.. "This is the first schedule that has ever been put in effect on the South ern, and it was necessary for confer ences to begin at the bottom. ' H. B. Spencer, general manager of the Southern Railway, when informed the committee had accepted his propo sals stated that the schedule submitted bv the company had for its object the general re-adjustmenf of wages along the entire Southern Railway lines. PASSENGERS PANIC STRICKEN Those In the Steerage Tried to Fight Their Way to the Decks and Were Quieted Only After Being Threaten ed by Officers of the Shin With Re volver and Knife. REPORT o huzii Graduated Punishment Urged fcy the Committee SEARCH FOR INDIAN OUTLAWS YOUNG ACTOR KILLS HIMSELF Member of the "Wonderland" Com pany Commits Suicide Because a Chorus Girl Would Not Reciprocate His Love Assistant Attorney General of Virginia. Richmond. Va.. March 13. Colonel Robert Catlett formerly of Charlotte and more recently or uock- bride has been appointed to the posi tion of assistant attorney general, a place paving $'2J00 a year, and was created by the present lesibunurt?. Washington, D. C. March 13. Wil liams Thomas, of Saginaw, iMich., a member of the chorus of the "Wonder land" company, performing at the Co lumbia theatre here, committed sui cide tonight by drinking carbolic acid while the play was in progress. Thomas was an admirer of Idra Gordon, a 16- year-old girl, also a member of the company, and who is said to live in New York. The suicide was caused by disappointment because she would J not reciprocate his attentions Posses Continue Their Hunt for the Wickliffe Boys News From the Sec tion is Meagre. ! Vmita. I. T.. March. 13. Marshal DaiTOugh and his posses continued to day to search for tne Wickliffe Indian outlaws. It may be several days before the outlaws1 can 'be located, owing to the good start they nave, and the fact that the country affords many means of escape and places of con cealment. News from the section where the posses and outlaws are maneuvering is meagre and slow in coming In, as there are no telephone or telegraph wires in that region. The three Wickliffe fboys are not horse thieves.nor robbers in any sense as has been stated. They began. their career by resisting arrest, and now are charged with several murders commit- ed mostly in their attempts to escape. The body of Deputy Gilstrap was brought in this morning accompanied by his widow, who had driven through the -hills fortv miles with it Richard Carey, the other deputy, who was shot through the chest, is still alive, but it la believed he cannot recover Otis Tuttle, the deputy at first reported killed, is at the head of the posses chasing tne outlaws. Up to 9 o'clock tonight no word had been received from United States Mar shal Dar rough, or any of his posses who are pursuing the Wickliffe gang of Cherokee outlaws. The night is dark and rain is falling and a courier would not be able to make his way from the Night Hawk country. The chase may last several days before the Indians are overtaken. , New York, March 13. A terrifying experience at sea was' reported by the officers of the French Line steamer Hudson, which arrived here today. During the storm which swept the At lantic last Friday afternoon and even ing, the ' 336 steerage passengers on the steamer became panic stricken and were quieted only after the captain and first officer had threatened them with a revolver and knife. B-sth the barometer and thermometer fell rapidly and a terrific gale rolled up great seas. When the storm was at its worst the steerage passengers became panic , stricken and sought to go on deck, insisting that if they must die they wanted to meet death in the open. The stewards and minor officers lost control of the passengers, and ap pealed to the captain for assistance. Captain Juham and First Officer Me hausas, who were on the bridge, hur ried to the steerage quarters and at tempted to pacify the terrorized pas sengers. First they assured them that there was no danger, then threatened them, and finally drew revolvers and knives and threatened to use them un less the passengers became quiet. Or der finally was restored . Soon after wards the storm abated. Captain Juham said that the storm, while it lasted was the most severe he ever saw in his thirty years expe rience at sea, . - PRESENT SYSTEM VICIOUS 281 Members of Three Upper Classes Could Be Expelled SUPREME COURT OPINIONS Decisions Handed Down Yesterday. Old North Carolina Bonds Burned. Educational Compaign Committee Meets. MONEY FOR THE EXPOSITION Representative Gardner Opposed to Any Appropriation by the Govern ment. .... Washington, March 13. Representa tive Gardner, of Massachusetts, chair man of the committee on. industrial arts and expositions,; conferred with the president today regarding an ap propriation for the Jamestown Exposi tion. Mr. aGrdner expresses his opp? sition to an appropriation for the ex position or for any similar exposition. The president is inclined to favor rea sonable treatment of the Jamestown (Special to The Messenger.) Raleigh, N. "C. March 13. Inv the presence of oGvernor Glenn in hisx- mm ecutive office and witnessed by theMU- torney general, state treasurer, secreta ry of state, and superintendent of in struction, old North Carolina bonds, to the amount of many thousand dollars, were burned, as by the law m such matters. Among the number were many ot the iamous .south DaKota class, taken up under provisions of act passed by the last legislature auth orizing settlement of such outstanding obligations. The supreme court of North Carolina handed down opinions this afternoon: Mast vs. Sapn, from Forsythe, new trial; Thornton vs. Harris from War ren, no error: 'isner vs. - XMew uern, from Craven, affirmed; Sewing Ma chine company vs. Owens, from Crav en, error: Boyle vs. Stalling, from Martin, affirmed; Griffin vs. Lumber company, from Martin, affirmed; State vs. Worley, from Lenoir, no error; State vs. Hill, from Onslow, new trial; State vs. Finer from Pender, no error; Chadbourn vs. Durham, from Pender, affirmea; Isler vs. Dixon, from Lenoir, affirmed; Mathis vs. Manufacturing company, from Duplin, new trial; Quinnerly vs. Tull, from Lenoir, per curiam, affirmed? Batchelor vs. James, from Duplin, per curiam affirmed; Richardson vs. 'McLamb, from Harnett, dismissed under rule 17. Appeals from seventh district will be called next Tuesday, March 20th, State vs. Powell; Porter vs. Telegraph company; Mayers vs. McRimmon; Bul lard vs. Edwards; West vs. Railroad; Bullard vs. Hollingsworth; Davis vs. Kerr. Two of the most interesting cases stated were State vs. Worley, from Lenoir no error, and State vs. Minor, Pender? county, no error, involving right of grape producer to sell Vine home manufactured. A special meeting of the educational campaign committee was held tonight in oGvernor Glenn s office, to comer regarding matters of detailed work. Cadet Officers Mainly Responsible for Hazing The Code of Honor Which Exists at Annapolis Denounced. Changes in the Iaw Suggested. Which Will Make It Possible to . Punish Each Case as it Deserves. Present Laws, are Denounced and Congressional Interference is De clared to be Injurious to the Acad emy. ' ; Washington, March 13. The sub committee named by the house com mittee on naval affairs to investigate hazing at Annapolis, made its report to the whole committee this morning through: Representative Vreeland, of New York, chairman of the investigat ing committee. Rear Admiral Brownson is censured in the report for exacting a pledge from midshipmen not to engage in hazing and for allowing the boya to think the pledge was personal to him and did not hold after Rear Admiral Sands became superintendent at An napolis. Lieutenant C. P. Snyder is also censured mildly for having coun tenanced hazing. Graduated punishment for hazing Is 'recommended by the sub-committee which is firmly of the opinion that the present system of expelling all midshipmen found guilty of hazing Is vicious. Rear Admiral Sands and other officers now at the academy aro praised for ths discipline they are maintaining and the report shows that cadet officers have been chiefly re sponsible for hazing. As a result of its examination of witnesses; and records, the subcommit tee found that 281 members of three upper classes at the academy. Includ ing the class which was recently grad uated, have been' guilty of hazing and on trial could be expelled from the academy. The result would be a great and unnecessary loss to the govern ment, in the opinion of the members of ( the committee, who found that many; of the offenses were trivial. The report reviews at length the conditions which existed at the acade my when Admiral Sands became sup erintendent in July, 1905, and says nearly all the diciplinary officers wera ithen new. When the upper clans men returned from their practico cruise in September hazing broke out, and continued until November, when it culminated in the brutal treatment of young Kimbrough. The commitUe is of the opinion that practically all upper cliassnlen were implicated in hazing then, although the affairs of I Exposition by congress, so that this p-,r . country mamake sood ml Glenn Declines to Pardon Bishop. Raleigh. N. C March 13. Govern or Glenn today declined to grant a pardon to A. I Blsnop. tne lrgima traveling man who was convicted of manslaughter at Charlotte In 1903 and sentenced to the penitentiary for five years. Bishop was calling on the daughter of Thomas Wilson, when Wilson appeared and ordered him to leave the house. Instead of leaving, there was a fight In which Wilson was Jellied. The wife of the prisoner pre sented the application for the pardon.. don went to the hospital to which Thomas had been removed and on see ing his body said: "I did not know he thought so much of me. I did not mean to break his heart. He misjudged me." Thomas was 22 years old. The couple were in the property room of the, theatre at 8:45 tonight. Thomas sat at the side cf a table. with a goblet in one hand and a bottle in other. Pouring out the poison, he ac cused her of playing with his affec tions and saying "Good bye, old girl," drank the poison before she could stop him. The play continued uninterruptedly, the audience not being aware of what had transpired. Monument to Gen Nathaniel Greene. Washington, March 13. Senator Hansbrough today reported favorably from the committee on library, a bill providing for the erection of a statue of General Nathaniel Greene, on the battlefield of GuilTord Court house, North Carolina. country may make a good showing be fore the representatives of foreign na tions which have promised to partici pate in the exhibition, and he so in formed Mr. Gardner. As he left the White house, Mr. Gardner expressed the opinion that 'the committee would approve of an appropriation for the Jamestown exposition, notwithstand ing his opposition. Destroyer Searching for Six Derelicts. Norfolk, Va., March 13. The United States derelict destroyer Lebanon has put ,to sea from Hampton Roats with orders to search for six derelicts which are reported a danger to navigation between Cape Henry and Delaware Breakwater. The Lebanon is now es pecially fitted out as a derelict de stroyer fitted out as a derelict de searchlights and wireless telegraphy apparatus by which means she can communicate with shore stations or passing vessels and get more exact in formation as to where wrecks have been seen. v ' i Exoert Accountant Johnson Still on the Stand. Savannah, Ga., March 13. Morning and afternoon sessions were held in the United States court today in order to finish as soon as possible the testi monv of E. J. Johnson, expert ac countant, who is testifying- relative to the division of the alleged spoils by Grpene. fiavnor and Carter. It is probable that this testimony will be finished tomorrow when District At torney Erwin and United States Mar shal White are expected to take the stand to testify to the defendants hav ing absconded to Canada, the efforts made to secure their extradition and their eventual return to Savannah for trial. Paterson Boys in Trouble. (Special. to The Messenger.) Fayetteville, March 13. Two white boys, who claim to be from Paterson, N. J., and gave their names as Sam Cole and Gus Daydienetto, were tried before the mayor today, having been arrested for cutting the air brakes on a through freight train on the Atlantic Coast Line railroad. They were bound over to the next term of superior court in the sum of 5100, and, not being able to give bond, went to jail. Sam Cole exhibited what purported to be a card as. a member of the iron moulders' union. academy seemed to be moving smooth ly until .the Kimbrough case. The re port says hazing doubtless existed un der Admiral Brown son's- superin ten dency. It- was not physical hazing, but of a character more demoralizing to discipline and clearly -within the attorney general's definition of hazing. The report makes It clear that a failure of cadet officers to perform their duties makes it impossible for naval officers in charge to maintain discipline and ' denounces the code of honor which permits cadet officers to shun their duties. According to surgeons records in slcfc quarters only seven fight t have been recorded there since October 1, 1904, and the report says it is impossible to find that the number of fights was larger. It is suggested that surgeons hould report more fully on injuries, even though slight, which seem to be caused by fighting. With the exception of Lieutenant Snyder, disciplinary officers are exon erated from connivance at hazing. He Is charged with having indicated to upper classmen that fourth classmen might be disciplined by upper classmen, for laughing at an order. The report deplores the tendency of midshipmen to follow the tradition of the academy and says the opinion of the midshipmen as a body on the subject of hazing Is not satisfactory. The present senior class is especially commended, however, for its action against hazing. Present hazing laws are frankly de nounced as a hindrance to discipline and congressional interference Is de clared to be injurious to the academy. Changes in the laws are suggested which will make it possible to punish each case as It deserves. Another rough rider has been ap- pointed to a federal office at Omaha. The real number of rough riders will never be known until their wives begin, to apply for pensions. Durham Sun. 1