Evening Star Newspaper, September 26, 1894, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY, AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsylvania Avexua, Cor. 11th Street, by she Evening Star Newspap:r Company, 8.H. KAUFFMANN, Pres‘t Few York Office, 49 Potter Building, ee The Evening Star is served to subscribers in the city by carriers, on thelr own account, at 10 cents week, or 44c. per month. Copies at the counter & its «ach. By mail—anywhere in the United States or Canada—postage prepaid—SO cents per month. Saterday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1.00 rs with forclen postaze added, $3.00. oe (Entered at the Office at Washington, D. C. Che Zvening Star. CF All mall subseriptions must be paid in advanc Rates of advertising made Qs _second-clans mail matter. | known on application. THE NEXT HOUSE Both Parties Striving to Secure a Majority of Members. FEARS ENTERTAINED OF THE POPULISTS The Claims of Both Republicans and Democrats. WHAT MAY HAPPEN atic gt In estimating on the complexion of the fext House both parties put an unusually large number of districts In the doubtful column. Neither party claims the House by a large majority, and both are a little anxious over the possibility of the populists holding the balance of power. The leading men in both parties wouid rather have most anything else than this happen. Tne information reczived at the republican headquarters, however, as weil as that re- ceived by the democrats, encourages them in the belief that populism is not making much headway in this campaign. In Texas and Nebraska only is it said to show any growth of strength. Ia the latter piace the republicans expect to regain what they lost at the last election, and it is very gen- erally believed that they will regain some if not all of their lost power in Kansas. Populism in the South. The democrats are no longer greatly alarmed about populism in Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia, or in any of the southern states, in fact, except Texas. In the opinion of the managers of the demo- cratic congressional campaign the demo- erats will continue to hold a solid delega- tion from the lone star state, but the com- munications they receive from men right in the field are not satisfactory. The in- dications are that the populists of that state have just waked up to genuine ac- tivity ard in two or three of the districts they have prospects of success. No Definite Figures. Neither campaign committee has any figures as to the prospects of the election that are of any value. A great many nomi- nations are yet to be made, and in no dis- trict where there is any doubt at all has the canvass advanced far enough to give any indication as te what is to be expected. ‘The committees are figuring on the districts where the majorities or pluralities are small, and are putting the work in there. The re- publicans have a list of all the districts now held by the democrats by majorities of 2 few hundred, and districts which have in the past gone republican sometimes, and of districts which are unfavorably affected by the tariff legislation of the Fifty-third Con- gress. In these districts they are putting in their v ork. What the Republicans Expect. To start with, they expect to regain all those districts which are usually republican, but were carried by the democrats in the gereral landslide of the last election. With a few exceptions, the democrats concede these districts, but in Illinols the republi- cans do not expect to recover all they lost at the last election. There is a secret ap- prehension also that they may lose some- thing in the western silver states, either by the election of independent silver candidates or of democrats who run as silver men. On this point, it is very generally expected that. whatever the political complexion of the House may be, there will be a very large majority of silver men in the body, and that they will vote together on finan- e‘al questions. The Question With the Democrats. The democrats, of course, understand that they must lost a large number of the congressiona} districts they now hold, and the question with them Is as to whether they can check the slide of losses on the right side of the majority. They were thoroughly frightened at the start and consequently took hold of the fight with the energy of desperation. They now feel quite confident of carrying the House, thanks to an almost solid south, but they will thank their stars for a majority of very moderate proportions. They find that on the stump they are not having as much trouble with the tariff as they anticipated and that by preaching a “revival of busi- ness” they get along very well with the crowd. Claims of Majorities. Netther party makes any definite claim as to the majority expected. The demo- erats cay they will have from fifteen to thirty. The republicans say there will be @ republican majority and that it may run up as high as twenty-five. Both sides in giving out an estimate take all the doubtful districts and dump them into their own column. In the estimates from which they are working, however, neither has a majority set down. The districts from which the majority is to come to one party cr the other are in the doubtful column, to be placed later on where developments of the canvass indicate they may be. Some Estimates. ‘The democrats have In the certain list: Alabama, 9; Arkansas, 5; California, 1; Connecticut, 1; Florida, 2; Georgia, 11: Illinois, 9; Indiana, 5; Iowa, 1; Kentucky, 9; Louistana, 5; Maryland, 5; Massachu- setts, 2; Michigan, 2; Mississippi, 7; Mis- souri, 11; New Jersey, 3; New York, 1 North Carolina, 8; Ohio, 5; Pennsylvania, South Carolina, 4; Tennessee, 8; Texas, 11: 7; West Virginia, 2; Wisconsin, 3. ‘The republicans have on the sure list: California, 3; Connecticut, 2; Ilinots, 11; Indiana, 6; Iowa, 10; Kansas, 4; Kentucky, 1; Maine, 4; Maryland, 1; Massachusetts, 11: Michigan, $; Minnesota, 6; Missouri, 2; Mon- tana, 1; Nebrask New Hampshire, New Jersey, 4; North Carolina, 1; North Dakota, 1; New York, 17; Ohio, i4; Oregon, 2; Penasylvania, 24; Rhode Island, Dakota, 2, Tennessee, 2; Vermont ginia, 1; Washington, 2; Wisconsin, ming, 1. Total, 156. This leaves in the doubtful column, or with the populists: Arkansas, 1; Californi 3; Colorado, 2; Connecticut, 1; ‘ware, Tilinois, 2; Indiana, 2; ; Kansas, Kentucky, 1; Michigan, Minnesota, 1; Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, 1; New Jersey, 1; New York, € ; Rhode Island, 1; South Carolina, Texas, Virginta, consin, 1. Total, 43. West Virginia 2; V Naval Orders. Chief Engineer A. F. Dixon of the Ve- suvius been ordered to the Machias, re- lieving Chief Engineer B. C. Gowing, who has been sent to the hospital at Brooklyn. Assistant Engineer Worthington fills the on the Vesuvius. Chief Engineer W. Kimball has to duty in the office of navat intelligence November 15. —_—_—_-e+_____ arily Resizned. James H. Nixon of New Jersey has vol- antarily resigned as assistant United States attorney before the Court of Claims. sdasiaieeh er A Woman Badly Burned. Mrs. Frank D. 1 of No. 2001 7th street northwest came near being burned to death about noon today when she stepped on a match near a gasoline stove. The fluid ignited and Mrs. DeNeal was soon envel- oped in flame. She was rescued, however, before she was dangerously burned. Her hair was scorched and she was burned about the legs and body. Her injuries are painful, but not serious. The fire only slightly damaged the property. Vor 85, No. 21,000. WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1894-TWELVE PAGES TWO CENTS. THE CHANGE OF WEATHER A Big Drop of the Mercury, and Why It Behaved So. A Cold Wave From the Northwest—A Change Expected Tomorrow After- noon—Progress of the Hurricane. Last night the mercury dropped to 46 degrees in this city, which was very low for this season of the year in this latitude. The temperature did net rise in any ap- Preciable degree by business hours this morning, and the figurative early bird who came out betimes to catch the early worm found himself liable to catch a cold instead, if he did not have his overcoat. A Cold Wave From the Northwest. The low temperature was caused by the arrival of a cold wave from the northwest, which has been progressing in this direction since last Saturday night, bringing frost in its train. The coldest point in the United States last night was Northfield, Vt., where the thermometer registered 26. ‘he cool wave will hang on until tomorrow after- noon, when the temperature will gradually begin to rise, and by Friday it will be much warmer. Progress of the Hurricane. The weather bureau is very much more interested in the progress of the West India hurricane than anything else at pres- ent. It is advancing northward at a lively rate and is kicking up a heavy sea along the Atlantic coast. ‘Today's Special Bulletin. The following special bulletin regarding the hurricane was issued this afternoon by the weather bureau: The tropical hurricane announced in the special weather bulletins of the 24th and 25th reached northeastern Florida this morning. At 11 a.m. the wind had shifted to northwest at Jacksonville, with a pres- sure of 20.36, showing that the storm cen- ter was a few miles southeast of that sta- tion. The observer there reports many trees blown down and houses unroofed. ‘The indications are that the hurricane will move in a north northeast direction along the Atlantic coast, probably reaching New York Thursday night. All the principal towns along the coast from Connecticut to Florida have been warned of violent gales and high tides. The Situation at Sava: he A special dispatch from Savannah to the Philadelphia Press gives the condition of things last night at that point. It says: Not a ship has gone out of this port today. The New York steamer City of Augusta, sched- uled to leave this afternoon, is hugging her wharf. All along the river front the ves- sels have double anchors and strong haw- sers attached to the wharves. Down at quarantine, near the mouth of the river, where two British steamships and one or two sailing vessel are lying, every pre- caution possible has been taken. There, with the storm eight or more hours off, the steady maximum velocity of the wind is now over fifty miles an hour, with frequent gusts of sixty miles or mor The quarantine station is deserted, Dr. Grahem and his corps of assistants and the city tug men, thirteen in all, came up to the city early tonight, the sanitary board having set aside the regulations temporar- ily, and directed that the men do not ex- pose themselves unnecessarily. In. the storm of last August the quarantine station Was almost destroyed. Tybee Island, facing the ocean at the entrance to the river, is almost deserted. A special train was sent down this after- noon, and all the women and children, and as many of the men as desired, were brought up to the city. A few men pre- ferred to risk their lives to look after the property. Hutchinson Island, in front of the city; Warsaw, Wilmington and other islands in this vicinity have been practi- cally depopulated today, no one caring to repeat the experience of August 27, 15%, when on each of them lives were lost and much damage done. The water in front of the city, thirteen miles from the ocean, is salt. The north- east winds are driving up the Savannah river an immense volume. The entire rice crop is in danger. Practically none yet has been harvested, and if the water is driven as high as now appears probable the banks may give way. The salt water would then ruin the crop. The Sea Islands, off the South Carolina coast, will again be exposed apparently to the full fury of the cyclone, which, if not diverted from the course it now seems to be pursuing, will strike them tomorrow morn- ing. 2 ‘At 9 o'clock tonight the wind in the city had a maximum velocity of about thirty- five miles an hour. —_—___-2-—__ “ON TO PEKIN.” ificance of the Departure of Fresh Troops for Corea. Today's advices from Tokio, stating that a second Japanese army of 30,000 men gailed yesterday from Hiroshima, is re- garded in official circles here as the first move in the advance on the Chinese capital, Pekin. It is pointed out that there is no reed of Japanese reinforcements in Corea, as since the battle of Ping Yang the Japan- ese have had practical possession of Corea, and their first army of 15,000 men needs no additions. It is believed by diplomats that the Japan- ese have turned their attention from Corea with a view of invading China. The gulf of Pe-Chi-Li, which the diplomats give as the probable destination of the army, is the entrance to the river leading to Pekin. It is said, however, that the forts at the entrance of the river are practically im- pregnable, owing to a stretch of mud flats around them. It is not believed, therefore, that any ad- vance on Pekin would be made up the river, but that the 30,000 men would be landed at some gulf port, whence a short overland march would take them to the walls of Pekin. This circuit of the forts is the strategic move advised by a United States army officer of high rank, who has made a study of Japan’s proposed invasion of China. —e TREASURY CLERKS ANXIOUS. and Dismissals Expected to ‘Take Place on October 1. As the end of September draws nearer there is a perceptible flutter among the clerks of the Treasury Department, for with the beginning of October the changes oc- casioned by the operation of the Dockery reforms will take effect. As heretofore stated in The Star, there will be numerous dismissals as the result of the new law, but some of these have already been announced, and the total number of clerks to be dis- missed will not exceed the number hereto- fore mentioned. The statement that there will be about 100 dismissals in addition to the number already foreshadowed Ts Sand to be somewhat misleading, inasmuch as it would indicate a total reduction of the clerical force greater than has been con- templated. It is thought there will be a greater num- ber of reductions in salaries and transfer of clerks than dismissals, as the depart- ment will try to avoid as far as possible cripgling its work by cutting down the force. Chang: o Demanding Universal Suffrage. VIENNA, September 26.—Members of the soctal democratic workingmen's party scat- tered through the streets leaflets, upon which were printed a demand for universal suffrage. The police arrested seventy per- sons engaged in the propaganda. A PLUCKY WOMAN Mrs, Peary Chats About Her Life in the Dreary Arctic. HER RETURN TO CIVILIZATION She Wants to Go Back Next Year if Possible. LIEUT. PEARY’S PLANS A tall, pretty and charming woman, whose intrepidity had led her to brave the dangers of arctic discovery on several occasions and who has just returned from over a year’s habitation in the land of ice and mystery, threw up her hands depre- catingly this morning and turned a face marked with fear toward a Star reporter who happened to mention that her expe- riences had been used as an additional argument in favor of granting ‘her sex equal rights with men. “Oh, my,” she exclaimed, ‘they certainly do not regard me as a woman's rights woman, do they?” she exclaimed with anxious alarm. She was Mrs. Peary, the wife of Lieut. Peary, the arctic explorer, whom she left in Greenland several weeks ago. Mrs. Peary, with her little daughter, Mary Ahnegite Peary, who was born something more than a year ago among Greenland’s icy mountains, and an Esquimo nurse ar- rived on the Falcon at Philadelphia yester- day evening and taking leave of the other members of the party came at once to Washington, as the guest of her mother, Mrs. Magdalene Diebitsch, at No. 2014 12th street northwest. Abundance of Food. In the simple parlor, containing several relics*~1 the north country, Mrs. Peary received the reporter. She has winning manners and converses about her arctic experiences as nonchalantly as if she was talking about a shopping trip. Storms, tidal waves, threatening icebergs, and crushing floes, never, apparently, disturbed her sang froid, and the only trepidation she showed was when she imagined that she might be*considered what she character- ized as “'strong minded.” The most strik- ing thing about her conversation was its impersonal nature. She plainly would not talk about herself. “I am at a loss to understand the stories being printed about the scarcity of food sufferea by the party,” she remarked. “There was a plentitude of provisions and only once in last May when the weather was too bad for the hunters to go out after deer for two or three days did the supply ef deer meat run out. Then we had seal meat. No, It is not so bad when properly cocked, but I shouldn't like it as a steady diet. The sealers consider it excellent, how- ever. The first time I went to the arctic en the Kite, the captain—Captain Pike~ shot a seal and had it cooked for my es- pecial benefit. So you can readily see that a short period of such fare was not so aw- fully bad. We had an abundance of vege- table and farinaceous food and plenty of tea and coffee, and really I cannot over- come my surprise at the ridiculous stories about their shortage. I left Lieut. Peary with a plentiful supply of everything. To- gether we went over the food and made an inventory of everything and if anything had been needed it would have been fur- nished from the ship's stores before the Falcon left. Lieut. Peary’s companions now are Mr. Lee and Mat. Henson, the col- ored boy. I did not want to come back. I regretted leaving very muc! A Terrible Winter. ‘What kind of a winter did you have?” “It was terrific. The storms were inde- scribable. The loss of a portion of our oil supply made our experience harder than it would otherwise have been. When I was up in Greenland before my room was heated by oll, while for the rest of the house coal was burned. The oil fuel pro- vided such an_even temperature that last winter Lieut. Peary concluded to heat the entire house with oil. You have probably read of the tidal wave we experienced. Well, this wave washed off all our oil bar- rels, and many of them were crushed or swept entirely away. The result was we Jost half our oil supply, and were compelled to put up with short rations of fuel. This made every one more or less miserable, and in such a state of nervousness, you know, a person is liable to make mountains out of little things that wouldn't be noticed if good spirits prevailed. “The unusually bad weather,” continued Mrs, Peary, nd the sickness that broke out among the dogs, prevented my hus- band from prosecuting his work in north- ern Greenland, as he desired, but he is con- fident of future success. He believes a re- currence of such weather as we had ‘ast year will not be repeated again next; and then, again, the trouble with the dogs will not occur. A singular characteristic of the disease that afflicts the Eskimo dogs is that it never attacks them two years in succes- sion; consequently, next year they will be free from the malady. Not After the North Pole. “It is a mistake,” Mrs. Peary went on, “to allude to my husband as a seeker for the north pole. His object has been, and still is, to delineate the northern coast of Green- land. No one can tell how far Greenland extends northward, and Lieut. Peary says that if it goes to the pole he will go there too, but no matter how high it runs he is determined to follow it. “Will you return to your husband next year?” queried the reporter. “That depends upon the American peo- ple,” responded the energetic woman, with a cheery smile. “My husband and myself have about reached the end of our resources in outfitting the expeditions, and have ex- pended something over $3,000, I have made no plans yet, but will see the president of the American Geographical Society in New York shortly. If it is possible I shall fit out a ship next summer and return to Green- land.” She might have been talking of fitting a dress for all evidence of feminine fear or hesitation. “At any rate no effort will be spared to carry out that intention. “The baby?” she repeated with a bright mother glance in her eyes, when the reporter inquired about Miss Mary. “She was never sick a day in her life until we reached St. John’s, and some of the party jokingly said that civilization didn’t agree with her. I am inclined to think it was stale condensed milk and the change of water and the warm weather. She is getting along very nicely now.” Emi! Diebitsch, Mrs. Peary’s brother, was a member of the Falcon auxiliary expedition and accompanied her to Washington, where he also resides with his mother. —__+—_ Timber in the Burned Districts. Commissioner Lamoreux of the general land office has decided to embody in his annual report a recommendation that Con- gress should immediately take some action for the relief of the settlers on homesteads in the burned districts of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The commissioner says that he can find no law which will authorize the department to grant the settler permission to cut the burned timber on their home- steads, yet he is enough of a practical lum- berman to know that this timber must be cut the coming winter in order to save it. The commissioner believes that Congress will act fromptly and that the homestead- ers will be authorized to cut the timber this winter. POSTSCRIPT HILL NOMINATED Every County Votes for the New York Senator. HE IS NAMED BY ACCLAMATION The Saratoga Convention Swept by Enthusiasm. LOCKWOOD FOR NEXT PLACE SARATOGA, N. Y., September 28. After Mr. Hitt had finished, Delegate Reynolds from Allegheny county arose and sald: “Mr. Chairman, I desire from Allegheny county to put in ngmination our first and only choice, David Bennett Hill.” In an instant there was pandemonium. Delegates were standing on chairs crowd- ing the aisles, pushing toward the platform and yelling themselves hoarse, tossing hats and canes in the gir and shouting “Hill,” “Hill.” ° Senator Hill stood pounding the gavel, his face pale and his lips shut. He ham- mered vigorously, but as he did so the din increased. “Three cheers for the next governor of the state,” shouted @ man in the rear, and up went a mighty shout. After five minutes of this remarkable scene there was some order restored, and Senator Hill said: “I am grateful to the democrats for this showing of their good will and their faith, but I cannot accept the nomination you offer me.” (Cries of “Yes, Ye: Roll Call Proceed: Senator Brown seconded Hill's nomina- tion. Mr. Hill iy gets order and de- mands that under the rules the roll call proceed. . Clerk continues on roll. Senator McMahon asked unanimous con- sent to waive rgles, but Chairman Hill would not hear him. mvention Stampeded. 3:16—A delegate moves the nomination of Hill by acclamation. The convention stampeded for Hill. ALL SHOUTING FOR HILL. Every County Vetes for the New York Senator. SARATOGA, September 26.—3:20 p.m.— The roll call in the democratic convention is proceeding, Dut delegations are shouting for Senator Hill. 3:21 p.m.—Every county 1s voting for Hill. Hill consulting with Serator Murphy and Col. Williams. 3:23.—Clerk announces entire vote for David B. Hill. The clerk declares Hill the nominee of the party for governor. Lockwood was nominated for lieutenant governor. 3:30 p.m.—Judge W. J. Gaynor was nomi- nated by acclamation for court of appeals. —— DEMOCRATS DESPONDENT They Regret Mr. Whitney's Refusal of the New York Nomination. The democrats here are greatly disap- pointed et the refusal of Mr. Whitney to accept the nominatio1 for governor of New York. The national party managers, who have been watching the affairs in New York with particular interest, were very hopeful this morning that Whitney would accept, and the positive statement made by him that he will not has made them very despondent. Just before the word from Whitney was received a very prominent democrat said to a Star reporter: “If Whit- ney is ambitious to be President he will accept the nomination. If nominated he will be elected. His election as governor of New York this fall will make him the next democratic candidate for President. If elected governor of New York his presi- dential candidacy will be almost as surely settled as if he had the nomination of the national convention. This is a good reason why he should accept the gubernatorial noinination, and the interest of the party outside of New York state will be served by his acceptance. The candidacy of Whit- ney for governor of New York would in- spire the democrats in nearly every con- gressional district to greater activity, and would result in our having the House of Representatives by not less than thirty majority. If he does not accept the nomi- inaton the chances are that the man se- lected will be defeated by Mr. Morton. Mr. Claney’s View of Things. Representative Clancy of Brooklyn was in Washington today. He said that he was without information as to the gubernatorial situation, but that it seemed to him as if the matter depended .entirely upon whether Mr. Whitney Would’ accept, and that if Whitney declined Thacher “would be the nominee. Speaking of the congressional situation, Mr. Clancy said that in New York city the democrats would carry everything and that there was no chance of their los- ing more than one district in Brooklyn. ‘The district represented by Mr. Graham, he said, was naturally republican, but it looked to him as if the democrats might carry that. a He didn’t know anything about the country districts, but coul t see that there was any danger of the democrats losing more than one or two .repfesentatives in the whole state. There ts so much Hillism and Clevelandism and all that sort of thing affecting the election of governor that he thought it would be very hard for any one to judge what the ‘prospects. of the guber- natorial election might be. * Democracy -All Right in Virginia, Representative Turner ‘of Virginia, who succeeded Mr. O’Ferrall and is again candi- date in that district, was at democratic congressional headquarters this morning. He ts having a joint discussion of political issues throughout the district with his op- ponent. They pave already spoken in a number of the ding places of the district, and he says thaf the situatton is very satis- factory from hig point of view and that he has no doubt whatever of election. The democrats throughout the state, he says, are taking an active interest 1h the cam- paign, and he believes the democracy is all right in Virginia. —— The Lake Shore’s Preside~ cy. NEW YORK, September 26.—Kegarding the report of a rumor from Chicago that the presidency of the Leke Shore and Mich- igan Southern Railroad Company had been offered to Mr. Everet St. Johns, Hon. Chauncey M. Depew stated to an Associated Press representative that no such offer had been made THE STRIKE. INQUIRY Meeting of the Commission in This City Today. ONLY TWO WITNESSES EXAMINED The Public Hearings Are Now De- clared Closed. PREPARING THE REPORT The commission appointed by President Cleveland, consisting of Col. Carroll D. Wright, United States commissioner of labor and superintendent of the eleventh censt Judge Worthington of Illinois and Commissioner Kernan of New York, to in- vestigate the causes of the strike of the American Railway Union held its final pub- Me hearing today at the bureau of labor. The further meetings of the commission will be executive for the purpose of con- sidering the report which it is to make to the President in November. It had been well advertised that all per- sons with a personal knowledge of the causes and conditions leading up to the great strike would be heard. But two ap- Plicants for this privilege put in an ap- pearance. One was a very old man named A. 1. Ambler, who claimed that the patents of Pullman were an infringement of his own, and that Pullman had thus swindled him out of an immense fortune. The other was Gustav Augerstein, who alleged that the cause of the great strike was drunken- ness, and that the cure for labor troubles was prohibition. 7 Personnel of the Commissio: Col. Wright was about the first arrival. He wore his usual black Prince Albert, and his kindly and thoughtful gaze beamed from under his long, shaggy brows. The little bald spot on the back of his head shone out from his dark hair, which is just now de- veloping a tendency to turn gray at the temples. Commissioner Kernan of New York was the next arrival. He is a solid-looking man of more than middle age, with a strongly marked habit of planting his right hand on his forehead and sweeping it down over his face, stroking off his mustache, and raising his brows after the operation as if to rest his eyes. He has white hair, brushed almost in the middle, a full mus- tache of gray and eyebrows of darker hue, which are peculiarly well arched in a man, and which are as heavy at the lower cor- ners of the eyes as at-the nose. He has a long noge, somewhat blunt and retrousse, a strong jaw and unusually big ears. His complexion is florid. He wore gray cutaway clothes and a standing collar. Judge Worthington came in late, and en- gaged in an informal chat. He is a rotund man, sleek, but not flabby. He is clean shaved, wears spectacles, does his hair up at from the forehead and keeps it short. Called to Order. It was 11:20 when Commissioner Wright called the meeting to order. He stated that the commission had held sessions at Chicago and had examined a large number of witnesses and had obtained much valua- ble testimony. It had been thought that perhaps there were others at the national capital who could throw additional light on the situation preceding and during the strike. This was the object of the meet- ing. If there were any present who de- sired to testify they could come forward. No one responded. Then Col. Wright went into the next room and led forth an old man, bowed ard bent about the shoulders with the weight of age. He took a seat near the chairman's table. Col. Wright directed him to state to the commission what he expected to show by his testi- nm.cny, so that the commission could then determine whether it would be germane. The stranger, who had long white locks, cleared his throat and told his story. He said his name was A. L Ambler and he lived at 507 7th street northwest. He charged that Pullman had infringed his patents; that his great fortune was Jounded on a great wrong. Both Commissioners Kernan and Wright explained several times that power of the commission did not cxtend to dealing with these questions, which properly were questions for the courts, After considerable talk of more or less interest it was determined unani- movusly by the commission that Mr. Am- bler reed not be sworn as a witness. The old gentleman was dissatisfied, but stated that he would inquire further into the duties and powers of the commission. A League Witness. The second gentleman was Mr. Auger- stein. He was a peculiar-looking gentle- man. We had a nervcus, restless expression in his faded eyes which was sort of a com- promise between an Inquiring glance and a dreamy gaze. His nose was thin and of abnormal length. His head was small, and the outlines of the skull showed plainly through his skin. He carried a valise, an umbrella, and wore silver rings on the sec- ond, third and fourth fingers of the right hand, which was badly tanned. He wore a slouch hat. He gave his address as 708 lith street northwest. When asked for his oc- cvpation he said that he was the ageut of the International Columbian League and of the Ideal Money League, which was aux- illary to the former. This was his profes- sion, but he had beén a farmer, a seafaring man, a professional nurse and had studied medicine. The society which he represented was founded on the principles of humant- tarianism. He was at Chicago at the time of the strike, investigating the troubles be- tween capital and labor for his society. He said that he understood all the condi- uons surrounding the strike. The com- missioners leaned forward in an anxious manner to catch the valuable information which the witness seemed about to pour forth. Drink Caused the Strike. He began to tell of what the general con- ception of the strike was, but Col. Wright choked him off with the admonition to tell only what he knew, and not what he had heard that people in general knew. Mr. Augerstein said, he had investigated affairs at Pullman and interviewed the men. The strike of the American Railway Union, he considered, was not a sympathetic strike; it had a deeper significance, The witness be- came serious. Yes, sir,” he said, “it had a deeper meaning. ‘The’ minds of ‘the men were disturbed to inflammation; they were intoxicated with thoughts of their wrongs. They thought that the time was ripe to strike for their altars and their fires, and to ring out the funeral chimes of ‘capital. Only the bums were the destructors of property. It was of deeper meaning. The real cause of the strike was drink. It was intemperance that did the work.’ Debs and all his people were drunk, and to my per- sonal knowledge had been under the influ- ence of cursed King Alcohol for many moons. The Keeley cure, and not federal bayonets, were what was needed to settle the strike. In Secret Session. There being no further witnesses, Col. Wright, chairman of the commission, then, in accordance with the public notice given, de@lared the public hearing closed, and the -commission went Into secret session, to dis- cuss the report to be made to the President. +e -_______ National bank notes received for redemp- tion today, $216,0 Government receipts: From_internal revenue, $200,770; customs, $453,453; miscellaneous, $23,117. AN IMPORTANT The Public Printer to Substitute the Time System for Piece Work. CHANGE He Believes This Will Have a Salu- tary Effect Upon the General Working of the Office. An important change in the methods pur- sued at the government printing office will go into effect tomorrow morning. This is the substitution of the time system for printers in place of piece work. So far as can be learned the printers generally are well pleased by the prospect, as it will equalize both the matters of hours and pay. During Mr. Benedict's previous term of service as public printer he gave this plan his careful consideration, and came to the conclusion then that if it were ever put into effect 1t would have a salutary effect vpon the output as well as the general working of the office. Since he has been back this time he has again had the matter under advisement, with the result that this revolution in the methods will be inau- gurated tomorrow morning. - No Change in the Employes. The proposed change will not In any way affect either the number of employes or the personnel of the office. The hours of work will be as heretofore, from 8 am. to 1 P.m., and from 2 to 5 p.m. The only differ- ence is that hereafter the men will be paid by the day instead of by what they have done. Some of the printers will make more and some less than they do at present, but the general average will be about the same, and Mr. Benedict will see that there are sultable regulations that will prevent the shirking or slighting of work, and promo- tion will be solely upon merit shown in the work turned out by the various type-stick- ers. Strict records will be kept, and the new system will permit of a closer super- vision than is now possible, and will make the force more easily to be handled and more available for use when extraordinary demands are made upon the office during busy times when Congress is in session, and there is a deal of work to be done. What Mr. Benedict Will Require. Mr. Benedict's plan contemplates one large typographical division in the office, with subdivisions smaller than have here- tofore prevailed, each to be in charge of a man who is an expert in the printgr’s art and especially able in matters of detail and organization. Mr. Benedict claims that he has no desire to force the men beyond what they can reasonably be expected to ac- complish, in other words to make racers “<i pons In an interview on this subject e 3 “All that I will require of them under the new system after the reorganization is that they shall do their work correctly and skill- fully; that they shall use their best intelli- gence in promoting the excellence and ex- pedition of all work that comes into their bands; that they shall be helpful go and re- gardful of the interests of their fellow- workmen; that they shall be careful of ma- terial, be sober and steady, and that they shall always do a fair day’ when called upon in emergencies to re- spond willingly. The “Piece” Department. The “piece” department w organized soon after the establishment of the office and in it were placed a number of men who were not regarded as up to the highest average of the office in point of ability and conscientiousness, as here they would be paid for what they had accomplished and not for what their superiors had rea- son to think that they might do if they tried. It was soon found, however, that this department was the most desirable of all, for, what with “fat” and “good takes” and all the rest, the men who were working here were making a great deai more money than their associates who were working on time. There was strong temptation al) the time to resort to padding and “blank- ing” and the other expedients known to printers to make out a good string, as they were paid so much per thousand ems. The natural result was that many of those who were working on time wanted to be transferred to piece work, and in- fluence was *requently brought to bear upon the public printer to bring about the de- sired change. Te E All Jealousy. With the advent of the new order of effairs Mr. Benedict hopes to do away with all this trouble and the little feelings of jealousy and rivalry that naturally ensued. It will do away with all the inequalitics that now exist, as in the matter of time work the price per hour is established by law. The man who does the most work in a day does not always do the best work,and especially is this true in the government printing office, where the highest class of work is necassary and where accuracy judgment are most important elements. ee IN A PREDICAMENT. Two Nomi: is by Sixth Maryland Populists. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. HAGERSTOWN, Md., September 26.—The Populist party of the sixth Maryland dis- trict finds itself in the predicament of hay- ing two congressional candidates, both claiming to be duly authorized. On Mon- day Mr. William H. Lewis, chairman of the Rockville convention which nominated Horace Resly of Cumberland, and who twice declined the honor, after accepting the same, received from members of the populist committee of various counties of the district a letter signed by each naming Rev. George W. Kiracofe, a prominent United Brethren preacher, as the candidate to m= the vacancy caused by Resly’s resig- netion. Mr. Lewis promptly made the official an- nouncement. The reverend gentleman ac- cepted, and yesterday his campaign was opened in front of the court house by a vigorous speech from Mr. J. D. Simmons of Hagerstown,*who scorched both of the old parties. Mr. Kiracofe’s strong prohibition pro- clivities raised the ire of some of the pop- ulists, and later im the day the anti-pro- hibitionists, presided over by A. W. Davis of the executive committee and an ex-dem- cratic county commissioner, met and pro- ceeded to select a candidate for Congress. The convention adopted the platform of the Rockville convention, passed a resolu- tion denouncing the introduction of the prohibition question into the campaign, and declared against fusion with any other party. Then Adam 8. Garis of Hagerstown was nominated for Congress by acclamation. The nominee is about thirty-five years of age, a member of the Washington county bar, and, up to within about a year, an ac- tive democrat. He twice aspired to be the party candidate for state attorney, but was beaten in the convention, on the first occa- sion by a very narrow majority. There are obstacles in the way of either of the nomi- nees getting upon the official ballot to be used at the November election, and Secre- tary of State Brantly will have to decide which candidate is the legal one. The law requires 500 certified names to accompany the application. These were served when Resly was named. They are in the posses- sion of Garis, and he deciares Kiracofe cannot get them, and the party finds itself handicapped almost at the beginning. ——_<—_——— Ironclad Agro: N, September 26.—The Rus- sian ironclad General Admiral is aground off Refsnas. Assistance has been sent to her. The General Admiral is an armored warship of 4,600 tons and 4,472 horse power. She has six inches of armor at the water line, was built in 1873, and carries twelve guns. WHITNEY OR = HILL The Way It Looks to the Observer Problem Betore the New York Democratic Convention. WRANGLE OVER PLATFORM einem Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. SARATOGA, N. Y., September 26.—Whit- ney, if he will take it, Hill if Whitney re- fuses, ts the cry of the democrats this noon. And, unless Whitney changes his mind within the 1 ext few hours, he will not take it. The ex-Secretary of the Navy arrived home a littie too soon for those who were planning to greet him at his steamer gang- plank, with the news that he was the nom- inee ot his party for governor and as the convention had adjourned he could not de- cline if he would. All the morning the talk has been of and for Whitney, when suddenly John D. Crim- mins of New York, the Tammany leader, and the close personal and business friend of the man the democrats want to lead them, received a telegram from Whitney, sent as soon as he left the deck of the Majestic, declaring positively that he would not run for governor this year. But this declaration will not suffice. A delegation of Whitney's friends left here early this morning for New York and will make a strong personal and party appeal to him to change his decision. If he re- mains firm in his refusal Hill will be nom- inated whether he will or no. Nothing can help it, and the senior Senator from this state will be compelled to stand upon the floor and either accept or decline. In spite of all of Hill's protestations there is still a feeling that at the last moment he will take the nomination if it is forced upon him. There is one circumstance that is more or less significant. It was the original plan that Hill should be both tem- porary and permanent chairman of the convention. But late last night this was suddenly changed and this afternoon Hill will give vp the gavel and Lieutenant Governor Sheehan will be permanent: chairman. Of course if Hill presided during the balloting it would place him in @ very embarrassing | position when votes were cast for him, considering his previous and reiterated ‘statements of his position. But with Shee- han in the chair and Hill on the floor in his seat among the Albany delegates this difficulty will De removed. It is a Hill convention, there is no doubt of that. It shouts and stamps at every mention of his name, and every few min- utes lusty cheers are demanded and given for “Dave Hill) The democrats here say that Hill could still retain his seat in the Senate if beaten for governor, as he would not be compelled to resign anyway until December. Whimey and Hill are about the only names heard here now. Buffalo's demand for the court of appeals judgeship has sadly injured the Lockwood boom, and the Cook movement disappeared with the appearance of the story that he accumulated most of his wealth through Pullman stock. Gaynor's friends still claim that he has not really withdrawn, and there is an occa- sional mention of ex-Mayor Andrew Green of New York. The Thacher boom is still making a noise, but that is all. Uniess there is a lightning change in the situation itis Whitney or Hill, with chances in favor of the latter. The nomination will probably not be made until this evening. Bourke Cockran is the author of the platform. WHITNEY SAYS “NO.” Will Not Be a Candidate, but Recom- mends Hill. NEW YORK, September 24.—William C. Whitney was interviewed at quarantine to- day, and announced positively that he would under ro circumstances accept the demo- cratic nomination for governor. He declined to enter at length into his reasons, but gave the impression that his business interests would not allow of his accepting the nomi- nation. “There are plenty of better men in the democratic party,” he said, in reply to a query as to his opinion on the subject of the probable nominee. Mr. Whitney is apparently in the best of health, and says he has enjoyed himself immensely while abroad. He was accom- panied by his daughter. He had finished his breakfast, and had adjourned to the smok- ing room, and, seating himself in a corner, prepared himself to be interviewed by some twenty reporters. “In the first place,” he said, “I will not accept the nomination under any cireum- stances. I stated that very positively be- fore I left England, in a cablegram to some- body or other; I don’t remember whom. There are plenty of better men in the demo- cratic party, men who would be more ac- ceptable and more successful than I. I re- gard David B. Hill as the very best man for the place. I think he would poll an enor- mous vote. Of course, I think the next governor will be a democrat. I am not well enough posted in regard to the news of the last few days to hazard a guess at the probable selection of the democratic con- vention. I hope to see a strong man nomi- nated.” IN THE CONVENTION. Effect Caused by Mr. Whitney's Re- fusal to Run. SARATOGA, N. Y., September 26.—Tam- many’s adherents were thrown into @ eon- dition bordering on panic today when the Associated Press builetin announcing that Mr, Whitney had declined the nomination for governor was read. Senator Hill was first shown the dispatch, and said: “I supposed that he would de cline to accept it. I had said all along that Mr, Whitney had no desire to enter poli- ties.”” Lieut. Gov. Sheehan looked disappointed as he read the dispatch, and said: “Whitney would have been a very strong man, and the situation now is rather mixed. We have wasted valuable dme chasing a shadow. John D. Crimmins, a personal friend of Mr. Whitney, received a personal message, stating that Mr. Whitney declined for per- sonal reasons. Maj. J. W. Hinckley received the follow- "Ss find on my arrival this morning that my name is the subject of some considera- tion by the delegates to Saratoga and have received friendly messages. As I cannot well reply to these in detail, will you do