Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, May 1, 1897, Page 7

ITS WORK IS OVER, THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE AD- © JOURNS SINE DIE, irief Sketch of the Legislation Enacted—The Tax Levy Remains the Same, and the Appropriations Are Smaller—An Inheritance Tax Provided for—Banking Legisla- tion—Constitutional Amendments. The legislature of 1897 has wound up its Affairs and adjourned. In_ considering the legislation enacted’ during the ses- sion the matter of state finances | and taxes are undoubtedly of the} €reatest interest to the peopie at large Who pay the bills, In the matter of ap- Propriations the legislature has made a record for economy that will commend it- self to every taxpayer, without regard to Political bias. The total for the sess! will be considerably under that of any Session for a number The om- mibus bili carried $1, This total is slightly in excess of that of 1893 and 1 » but the bill took care of more in- aA s than the bills of those sessions, a strenuous endeavor being made to get | everything possible into the one bill, The | other appropriation bills of the session, aside from those which appropriate out of | > funds which are not made up of | > common con butions of the people, or which are in the nature of loans and whose repayment may in large measure | be cted, have not been’ numerous, and will probably not swell the total above a quarter of a million in addition to the omnibus bill. The tax levy has been allowed to re- main at the figure of the last two years, 1.5 m It might have been somewhat reduced, perhaps, to 14 mills, or even lower, but such a procedure would have | wiped out the surplus and would almo: certainly have necessitated the increase | of the levy two rs from now, some- thing the ‘people would have resented a | great deal more than they would have appreciated a slight reduction now. In addition to this levy the school levy has been increased .08 mill in order to give the university a larger income. In addition to this direct taxation the legislature has embarked on a series of | experiments in the matter of taxation of | corporations under the constitutional amendment adopted last fall. The bills of the house levying a gross earnings tax upon the earnings of express companies, sleeping car companies and telephone | companies and a valuation tax upon freight line and equipment companies have passed’ both houses. The freight line and the sleeping car bills were signed by the governor yesterday. The | other two are still in his possession. It was estimated when these bills left the | house that they would produce an aggre- j gate revenue of well on to $100,000. The : senate cut down the tax upon the ex- press compani from 5 to 3 per cent, and made a similar reduction in the tele- | phone company t They. also greatly limited the operations of the express tax, so that it is exceedingly problematical whether it will produce more than a mini- mum sum. The sleeping car tax was left at 3 per cent, and the freight line tax at 2 per cent. It is doubtful whether these | four bills, if the remaining two are signed, will produce $50,000, but the leg- islation is, as has been indicated, largely perimental in its nature, and will serve as the foundation upon which future leg- islatures may build with knowledge. ‘The matter of a special form of taxa- tion upon iron properties and their out- (put was decided in the negative by the | action of the senate in rejecting the } Reeves bill, which provided for a double system of taxation, cents per ton on} iron mined, and a valuation tax upon the unoperated property of this character. The failure of this legislation leaves these | properties subject to the ordinary method of taxaticn, and it is but fair to the leg- islature, or rather to the senate, to say that competent judges of this subject are | f the opinion that quite as much will be realized by ordinary assessment and tax- ation as would have been produced by the Reeves bill. The foundation for ade- quate taxation of these properties was laid when the 1 cent tonnage tax law of | 1881 was repealed. The Inheritance Tax, One other bill is in the hands of the governor. It started as H. F. 4, and pro- vided for a graduated tax upon inheri- tances. It was amended in the senate so as to provide for a tax of 5 per cent upon all bequests of a value in excess of $5,000 gcing to collateral heirs and 1 per cent nal property in all sums in ex- 10,000 going to direct heirs. It is imrcssible to approximate the sum that will be raised by this bill if it becomes a law. When this review was written the in- surance tax bill of the house was still pending in the senate. If it becomes a Jaw this bill will increase the tax upon in- surance premiums from 2 to 3 per cent, and will give an increased revenue ypcr- haps larger than that raised by any of these other taxation measures. One law directly connected with the general subject of taxation, although not a revenue measure, must not be forgotten. It is the law—for it has already been ap- proved—giving the state board of equal- ization power to increase individual as- sessments. The promoters of this meas- ure hope for beneficial results. Under the present system the state board only has power to treat with assessments as re- turned by the county boards in classes and by counti This law gives them au- thority to require of county auditors statements of individual assessments and the further power to take testimony look- ing to the equity of these assessments, with a view to increasing them. The al- ternative power of reduction is not given, so that to the extent that the law is in- voked at all it must be in the direction of increased assessments upon those prop- ies and property owners that are as- i at a notoriously low figure. In the matter of railroads, the volume lation has been small, but two bills*of no little importance on this sub- ject have been passed and one of them | is already a law. It gives to the railroad arehouse commission the power to | te proceedings looking to a reduc- tion of rates. Hitherto the commission has been forced to await complaint made in due form before it could take up any of these matters. Now they may proceed on their own motion. The other bill passed yesterday. It was the result of the joint consideration of the two houses. It left the house carrying two subjects and came back with one of them elim- inated and the other elaborated. It pro- vides that in the future when an order made by the railroad commission reduc- ing passenger or freight rates, and that order results in an order by the district court, the latter becomes at once operat- ive, pending an appeal to a higher court, oe before the appeal will lie the railroad sust file a bond against which passen- gers or shippers may recover the differ- ence between the rate charged and tre vate ordered, in the event the appeal final- dy fails. Another railroad bill. already signed, requires the construction of wait- ing rooms and freight rooms at all sta- ‘ticns. A full synopsis of the bill appears vunder the appropriate head. ‘The house passed a bill increasing the gross earnings tax upon railroads from 3 to 4 per cent. They did it with some ques- tion as to whether there was not a possi- ‘bility of losing the whole gross earnings tax system as applied to the railroads, ‘but the house was willing to chance it. The bill has not, however, passed the senate. The Duluth & Iron Range forfeiture bill passed the senate yesterday. It is ex- pected to pave th> way toa suit to recover the six hundred thousand and more acres of land granted and claimed by this com- pany upon the theory that the terms of the grant were never complied with, or if the} were, at a period when by consti- tutional amendment the legislature had no power to make suck a grant. Another investigation was had of the circumstances of the relinquishment of th: vastly valuable Mountain [ron mining property, which fortified the conzlu- sion, previously entertained, that the state had never lost title to-this property, now in the hands of the Rockefellers. The provision made by the house for the pros- ecution of suits in these two matters and others, by a joint legislative committee sitting during the recess, was rejected by the ser.ate, but it is probable that some treans will be found to take up the work. Ranking Legislation. The legislature of 1895 passed a general banking act, but the events of the past two years have proved that there was something at fault in the law. Each house has made its attempt at a remedy. The house bill was the more drastic of the two and provided efficient remedy for its violation in the shape of penal pro- visions. The senate bill was more mod- erate and did not reach the points which the judgment of the house deemed vital. Accordingly the house returned to the senate its bill with all the provisions of the house bill added thereto and last night the matter was still in controversy between the two bodies. The house took the ground that it would prefer to see no legislation at all than that proposed by the senate, and on that it was willing to stand or fall. That there was no doubt about its position may be seen from the fact that the senate bill with the house amendments passed the latter body yes- terday afternoon with 92 affirmative votes and none recorded in the negative. There have been comparatively few | constitutiénal amendments approved by both houses. One has passed allowing women the right of suffrage on library questions. The Sheehan home _ rule amendment was agreed to by the house yesterday. This follows the line of the amendment which bore the same name and which was ratified by the people last fall. It perfects: that proposition, however, by limiting the terms of the board of freeholder: providing that amendments must be submitted upon pe- tition of 5 per cent of the electors and makes a -new Classification of cities for purposes of general legislation. ‘ The other Sheehan bill, the enabling act under the amendment of two years ago was also passed. by the house yesterday. It allows each city of the state to frame its own charter. In this connection it may be noted that the attempt to frame a_ charter that would fit the needs of St. Paul, Minneap- olis and Duluth failed utterly. Such a bill was prepared and introduced, but it end- ed there. The same is true of the at- tempt to secure civil service reform for these same cities. Senator Ozmun start- ed out with a general civil service bill. It was gradually trimmed down and modified until it only applied to the water, fire and police departments of the three large cities and then was laid aw Civil service in the grain inspection force had not been secured up to last evening. Such a bill passed the senate. It was killed in the house, resurrected. again adversely acted upon and allowed to lie on the table in a state of suspend- ed animation. The provisions of the grain inspection and weighing act as applied to, terminal points have been extended to Little Falls, Fergus Falls and Winona. Provision has been made, under the constitutional amendment of last fall, for the loaning of the millions in the permanent university and school fund to the counties, municipalities and schcsl districts of the state, upon their bonds. This law is surrounded by abundant safe- guards. The bonds must not increase the bonded indebtedness of the borrow- ing city, village, county or school district above 7 per cent of its assessed valu- ation, and the money is to be loaned at 4 per cent. With this bill goes a com- panion piece authorizing the sale of se- curities now held, so that the ultimate re- sult will be the loaning of this money to home borrowers at a lower rate of interest than they would have to pay, while at the same time it increases the accretions of the school fund. Two new judicial districts have been organized, the Seventeenth, out of the counties of Faribault, Martin and Jack- son, and the Eighteenth out of the coun- ties of Anoka, Wright, Isanti and Sher- burne. The Twelfth district has been en- larged by the addition of Renville coun- ty, taken from the Ninth district, and the new Twelfth has been given a second judge. ‘ The above review of the legislation of the session includes only a few of the more important matters handled. Of the proposed legislation that has failed only. incidental reference has, been made. The fight over between the communities of Hastings and Anoka over the location of the fourth hospital for the insane makes up a long chapter of the history of the session, beginning with the in- vestigation of the action of the commis- sion that finally settled upon Anoka and ending with the attempt to pass over the veto of the governor the bill transferring the institution to Hastings. The result of this quarrel defeated all legislation looking to increased accommodations for the insane of the state. Another chapter might be devoted to the attempt on the part of what proved to be a minority’ of the house to enact a law fixing maximum rates to be charged by the railroads upon a distance basis. for the election of the railroad and ware- house commissioners by vote of the peo- ple, but the senate refused to be a party to throwing the seiection of these of- ficers into the grab-bag of polities. ‘There were investigations of the state labor bureau, of the operation of depart- ment stores and of the soldiers’ home, as well as of the charges made by the stock yards of the state, but none of them had resulted in affirmative action up to last night, although there were then pending in the senate a constitutional amendment looking to the regulation of department stores and a bill providing a scl edule of charges for the stock yards. The list of bills below includes, as has been stated, those which had been ap- proved by the governor up to and in- cluding yesterday. Most of the other bills which will call for the executive approval or disapproval may be found in the list of bills passed in the proceed- ings of the two houses which appear elsewhere. The Nubian Whistling Tree. In the great forests of Nubia grows a tree from which, when swayed by the wind, come strange sounds like the notes of a’ flute, or a penny whistle. This vecal tree is cegarded with super- stitious terror by the natives, and it was, indeed, a puzzle to every one who has heard the mysterious sounds, until some scientific traveler investigated the matter. He found that at certain seasons of the year, hordes of insects deposited their eggs on the young shoots and extramities of the branches. hese produced gall-like excresences about an inch in diameter. When the young insects emerged, small holes were left in the galls. The wind blow- ing through these little apertures eaused the strange noises. It is prob- ably the only instance of a tree which bears ready-made whistles. Benefited. Husband—I hope, my dear, that your trip abroad has berefited you. Wife—Indeed it has. I met the Van Smiths, who live next door, and they cave asked me to call on them,—New York Herald The house did declare decisively , WORK OF CONGRESS. Condensed Proceedings of the N= tional Law Mill. F Washington, April 22.—Senator Ma- son of Illinois made his maiden speech in the senate and signalized it by some breezy criticisms of the rules of the senate. It was such a variation from the prosy debate of recent days that the senator was accorded close atten- tion and twice received the hearty ap- plause of crowded galleries. The speech was in support of a resolution introduced by the Illinois senator di- recting the committee on rules to re- port a rule by which debate could be closed and the previous question or- dered. In this connection Mr. Mason sarcastically referred to the inaction of the senate on all great questions before it, and long and fruit.ess debate on Cuba; the delay of the arbitration treaty and the inability to say whether our difficulties are to be settled by ar- bitration or by the methods of Corbett and Fitzsimmons. Mr. Hoar replied briefly, pointing out that the other bra 1 of congress was more open to criticism than the senate. A motion was taken on Mr. Gorman’s motion to refer the Mason resolution to the rules committee, which prevailed—82 to 2. A further discussion of the subject is promised as Mr. Hoar has a pending resolution to discharge the committee on rules from further considering the reform of the rules. Most of the day vas given to the bankruptcy bill. The vote on the substitute and amend- ments will be taken to-morrow. It was agreed that a committee of fifteen sen- ators should represent the senate at the coming Grant memorial ceremonies. The chaplain of the house, Mr. Cou- den, in his prayer, gave thanks that this nation was at peace with all other nations and prayed that higher and holier methods than war might prevail everywhere. He prayed for the friends of Representative Milliken of Maine, who died Sunday and whose desk was draped in black and_ covered with flowers. The death of Milliken Was announced by Mr. Dingley, and out of respect, the house adjourned. Washington, April 23.—The session of the senate was one of the most eventful since congress assembled. It opened with a proposition for an of- ficial expression of sympathy to the yreeks in their struggle with Turkey. This soon was merged into a turbulent debate over the disorganized state of the sensie, during which Senator Morgan characterized Speaker Reed as the “great white filibuster.” Later in the day the Nelson bankruptcy bill was passed by the decisive vote of 49 to 8. Mr. Allen offered a resolution providing that the chief executive ex- press the sympathy of the American people to the government of Greece. senator declared that the present con- test was one between Christianity and paganism. At the request of Mr. Davis, chairman of the committee on foreign relations, the resolution was referred, Mr. Davis promising speedy action. The bankruptcy bill as passed is the substitute framed by Mr. Nelson of Minnesota. The success of the sub- stitute in displacing the committee bill was a great surprise and disappoint- ment to the judiciary committee, which had reported a comprehensive bill known as the Torrey bill. It was regarded as a personal triumph of Mr. Nelson, ‘The Nelson bill provides for voluntary and involuntary bankruptcy, but the theory of its author was to free it from harshness and make it of substantial benefit to debtors and cred- itors. The free homestead bill was made the unfinished business of the senate. A committee of fifteen sen- ators was named to participate in the Grant ceremonies. The announcement of the death of Representative Hol- man was mande and the senate ad- journed as a mark of respect, the ad- journment being until Monday. The house adopted a special order for the consideration of .the . senate amendments of the Indian appropria- tion bill without reference to a com- mittee. The Democratic dissensions again came to the surface. Mr. Bailey and his followers joined the Republic- ans on this proposition after the spe- cial order had been, modified so as not to comer the appropriation bills. Mr. Bland protested vigorously against the course, but only had a following of 24, not enouzh to give a second vote. The senate amendments of minor impor- tance were concurred in except that removing the Indian supply depot from Chicago to Omaha. The amendment relative to the opening of the Uncom- pahgre reservation was not acted upon to-day. While it was being debated the death of Judge Holman was an- nounced and, as a mark of respect, the house adjourned. Washington, April 24. -- The house completed the consideration of the senate amendments to the Indian ap- propriation bill and sent the bill to conference. The main contention cen- tered about the senate proposition to open up the Uncompahgre Indian res- ervation under the mineral land laws. Yinallyyan ‘amendment was recom- mended to the effect that no corpora- tion should be allowed to obtain pos- session of these gilsonite deposits, but hat the government should lease the lands in limited areas and for limited terms of years. The senate amend- ment striking from the house bill the provision for the ratification of the oil and gas leases made by the council of the Seneca Indians last December af- ter a sharp debate was disagreed to. Mr. Bland of Missouri attempted early in the session to secure action on the resolution relative to the Union Pa- cific railroad mortgages which he tried to offer last week, but the speaker ruled that the resolution was not priy- ileged. A resolution was adopted by which a committee of twenty-five was appointed to attend the dedication of the Grant tomb in New York on Tues- day, and the house agreed to a pro- gramme of three days’ adjournment for next week. Washington, April 27.—The senate ehamber had a deserted appearance when the session opened, many of the senators having gone to New York to attend the Grant ceremonies. Mr. Harris of Tennessee was at his’ desk for the first time in many weeks and was congratulated on his recovery from a serious iliness. In the ab- sence of the vice president and presi- dent pro tem., Mr. Frye, Mr. Nelson of Minnesota, occupied the chair. Dr. Milbourn’s opening prayer made elo- quent reference to the gathering of thousands to pay tribute to the great \ _ prohibit the pra chieftain, Grant, and invoked that the glow of patriotism freshly enkindled may strengthen our nation, our gov- ernment and the union of the states. When the Indian bill was reported back from the house the effort was made to send it to conference, but Mr. Gorman objected, saying that it had been understood that no _ business whatever was to be transacted. The sbhnate then adjourned until Thursday. The house held a purely formal ses- sion yesterday. Many of the members had gone to New York to attend the Grant exercises, and under the ar- rangement made last Friday an ad- journment was taken until Thur: The president's message transmitting the repert of the Mexican boundary line conmission was, however, —re- ceived before . adjournment. Mr. C. W. Stone of Pennsylvania There were less than fifty members present. THE MARKETS. Latest Quotations From Grain and Live Stock Centers, Chicago, April 28: — Wheat — No. 2 red, 89294c; No. spring, T+ a we) hard winter, T4a76c; No. Corn — Cash No. 2, » ae 24¢, Oats—No. 2, 4c; No. 3, 16 1-4a20c. Chicago, April 2! $3.90a4.1. mixed, $3. $3.60a4.1 Beeves, $204.50 3,855.40; cows and heifers, Texans, $3.4f 19; stock- $3.40a4.55, Sheep Westerns, $3.60a5; la steady. Wheat unsettled; No. No. 1 Northern, 81 Corn firm and wanted; Oats lower; No. Barley steady; iy 3 29a32 1 Rye lower; No. 1 1-2c, Provisions drooping; pork, $8.50; $4.15. Minneapolis, April 28.-Wheat— opened at 74 1-8¢ and closed at 73 3-4c; July opened at 741-2c and closed at 73 3-4e; opened at 68 1-2 and cl On track—No. 1 hard, 767-Se; No. 1 Northern, 74 7-Sc; No, 2 Northern, 73 3-8e. South St. Paul, April 28. — Hogs — 3.90. Cattle—Heifers, $2.60a3.10; 2.75; stockers, $3.25a3.55; St. Paul, April 28. — Wheat — No. 1 Northern, 77a7S8e; No. 2 Northern, 1-2c. Corn — No, 3 yellow, No. 3, 20a20 1-2c. x 19219 1-2¢; 2asse; No. 3 Seeds—No. 1 flax, Q04S clover, $43 FOR KILLING A DOG, United States Supreme Court Re- fuses Damages. Washington, April 28. — The United States supreme court has decided a case involving a claim for damages for killing a dog which had made its way from the lower courts of New Or- leans through the various phases of litigation to be finally decided here in opposition to the claim. The suit was instituted by George W. Sentell, Jr., vs. the New Orleans & Carrollton Railroad company. The dog, a New- foundland valued at $200, was killed by a car owned by the railroad com- pany. The case turned upon the val- idity of an act of the Louisiana legis- lature recognizing dogs property only when pl sessment rolls. In this case the dog was not assessed. Justice Brown delivered the opinion, sustaining the constitutionality of the law and refus- ing damages. BLOWN INTO THE AIR. Fatal Work of a Cyclonic Visitation in Michigan. Omer, Mich.. April 27. — A eyclone struck this town, completely demolish- ing the general store of W. R. Closton, whose residence was also torn down and his shingle mill wrecked. Mr. and Mrs. Hagley were blown sixty feet into the air and were both fatally in- jured. Mrs. John T. Balkie and her brother, John Cannally of Port Huron, were in the upper portion of the store building when it collapsed. They were buried beneath the debris, but escaped serious injw John Campbell's build- ing, under course of construction was blown down and completely wrecked. The Hagley residence was blowi to pieces. The cloud was funnel-shaped and took a northeasterly direction. When it reached the woods trees were uprooted and carried into the air. HYPNOTISM ID Even School Children Practice Upon Each Other; Sioux City, Iowa, April 27.—Amateur hypnotie exhibitions, according to jocal physicians, are growing too common in Sioux City. The practice a fad here and is indulged in at social gath- erings almost every evening at yarious places inthe city. School children have taken it up and boys and girls yet in kaee breeches and shor: skirts amuse themselves by throwing each other into the hypnotic trance. Doc- tors say this is most injurious to the subjects and may be expected to résult in cases of serious illness or possible deaths. They want the city council to ctice except by licensed physicians. Will Appeal to the People. Montreal, April 27.—A sensation has been created in political circles here owing to the reported adverse decision of Mgr. Merry Del Val, the papal dele- gate to Canada, on the government’s settlement of the Manitoba school ques- tion. It is stated on good authority that J. Israel Tarte, minister of public works, is strongly in favor of an im- mediate dissolution of parliament and an appeal to the people to indorse the agreement entered into with the Mani- toba authorities... , Young House Is Convicted. Albert Lea, Minn., April 27.—Henry A. House, a young man who resides in this city most of the time, Ifas been convicted of grand larceny in the dis- trict court of Dubuque county, lowa. The evidence was entirely circumstan- tial. He was sentenced to two years in the penitertiary, but a motion for a new trial had to be overruled before it could be done. Au appeal was taken to the supreme court and House is out on bail. MINNESOTA NEWS. Interesting Happenings in the North Star State. Several stores are being constructed at Monticello this spring. Considerable damage was done at St. Vincent by the recent wind storm. J. FP. Satory has been appointed sur- veyor of logs for the Fourth district. Charles Schwentz was held up, rob- bed and assaulted at St. Paul. About eight hundred trout fry will be pliced in Minnesota streams this season, The village council of Royalston unanimously passed a curfew ordi- nance. John Haeft of Hay Creek, near Red Wing, was run over and killed by a Milwaukee passenger train. August Hoglund of Willmar has made an assignment to Attorney Sam- uel Olson. The “little mill” of the Pine Tree Lumber company at Little Falls was slightly damaged by fire. John Rasmwer of Brainerd is laid up with a broken leg as the result of scal- ing a fence. Muuch, a Great Northern brakeman of Barnesville, had his right hand bad- ly crushed while coupling cars at Crookston. James McGuire, who was arrested at Jackson for attempting assault on a young girl a short time ago, was sen- tenced to the reformatory. Dr. Julius Spangenberg of Water- ville is dead. He leaves a widow and family of four children. He was an Odd Fellow. Olof Erickson, residing four miles from Red Wing, was found dead in bed. He was seventy-five years old. Heart disease caused his death. George E. Leonard, shoe dealer, died at Rochester of pneumonia, aged forty- eight years. He was a prominent Ma- son, The state Sunday school convention convened in the Methodist church at Rochester. Rev. Matt S. Hughes de- livered the opening address. Three hundred delegates were present. The village council of Monticello has recently expended $200 in purchasing an addition to the public park, in the lower town, which is beautifully sit- uated on the Mississippi. The parents of Louis Fedge of Oak- land, near Albert Lea, are greatly alarmed over their son’s absence. Tho young man left home April 9, and has not since been seen or heard from. Justive Paul Noe of Two Rivers, who a few days ago sentenced George Chuba and John Bacha of Elmdale to serye terms in the county jail for assault, found that the commitmént was defective, and the men were let go. The Great Northern passenger train struck the wagon of Mr. William Deer- felter pear Burnesville, knocking him senseless, but only slightly injuring him. The injured man was wholly to blame. Burglars bored holes in the front door of the hardware store of Christ K om in Waltham and wade an opening through which they crept in and secured booty in the form of pock- et knives, silverware and revolvers to the value of $40. The Stillwater city council at its meeting last evening passed an ordi- nance granting a franchise to the American Telegraph and Telephone company to erect poles and operate its lines in this city. Park Rapids is to have electric lights. George Mandigo is behind the scheme and will put in a plant soon. The water power will be used. Sufficient patronage has already been pledged to, assure a success. The St. Louis County bank at Du- luth was entered and $2 worth of¢post- age stamps and 50 cents in money tuken from the drawer. No attempt was made on the vault. The entry vas obtained by raising a window. It is thought to be the work of boys. I. G. Chombard of Fairfax has start- ed for France as an expert for the William Deering Machine company. Mr. Chombard has lived here for ten years, and was formerly in the grain business. Later he owned an interest in the firm of Greer, Mauer and Chom- bard. E. S. Swanson, ex-n.anager of th> Western telegraph otlce iv Litehtield, has sued the company. Superintendent MeMichael, and Folgatter and com- pany. a Minneapolis grain firm, fer $10,000 damages, and bases his claims on a charge of malicious prosecution. The Canadian government. after two months’ delay, has refused to honor the state department’s request for the ex- tradition of Frank Martin of Crooks- ton, who gave forged checks, it is al- leged. to Polk county farmers for two thousand dollars’ worth of cattle, sold them in St. Paul and skipped. Graduation honors for the Fergus Falls high school have been announced, based on standing. Charles Grass will be valedictorian and Miss Marion Dumble salutatorian. The class of '97 numbers thirty; the largest class here- tefore has been sixteen. Commence- ment occurs on June 3. Rev. J. R. Hingeley of Minneapolis will deliver the sermon, and Rev. Samuel G. Smith of St. Paul, the address. < John Lafond, a French storekeeper on Sixth street south, Brainerd, was arraigned, charged with making inde- cent assault upon Mrs. Julia Anderson, who occupies rooms in the Lafond res- idence. Lafond is quite a prominent citizen, and has many friends here, and he claims the arrest to Le blackmail. He has «2 wife.and three grown daugh- ters. Mrs. Lafond is absent from the city. An unsuccessful attempt was made to rob the postoffice at Barrett. The rear of the building is occupied by the Barrett Lake Breeze. The proprietor, J. S. Arneson, and an assistant sleep in the building. Mr. Arneson was awakened, and upon investigation saw a man entering a side window. The alurm was immediately given, but a search of the village proved fruitless. A man by the name of A. W. Rogers, claiming to be buying eggs for a mil- licnarie of Minneapolis, has just been working the town and vicinity of Alex- andria, and has victimized a number of merchants. He.wanted to buy 1.000 cases at once, and would pay 2 cents sbove the market price. He gave in payment personal checks of Williams on St. Paul banks, which proved to be worthless. The man has disappeared, of course, but took a good many eggs with him. fs the time to purify your blood, expel aff humors and build up your system. Avoid de- bility, tired feeling, and ser‘ous illness by taking Hood's Sarsaparilla or Blood Puri- fier, Prepared only by C. I. Hood & Co., Lowell, Mass. Get Hood’s and only Hood's. Hond’s Pills © AN IMPROVED TELEPHONE. The Receiver is Automatic and Docs Not Require Holding. A telephone which connects it tomatically with the central telephone office, and which is disconnected as soon as the one using it leaves it, has recently been patented by a German electrician. Instead of being suspend- ed by a hook the side, the telephone receiver—which in this instrument cov- ers both ears—is attached to horizon arms, which slide up and down on pe pendicular rods attached to the wall. The horizontal arms fold up like a tel- escope, so that anybody may 3 the telephone receiver as he likes ‘The employment of these fixtur therefore, very simple. When ne use, the rod at one side of the tele- phone box holds down the contact re- ceiver, so that the same action is au- tomatically done which is now per- formed by the receiver being hung up on the hook at the side of the ‘phone. * When the telephone is to be used, the arms carrying the receiver are pulled apart and the head is placed between them in such a way that both the re. ceivers cover the ears. The opening of the arms makes the connection. and. while hearing excellently and being in the proper position to speak into the hands free to take any notes. When closing the conversaticn, the witldraw- al of the head from between the receiv- ers severs the connection with the cen- eal telephone office.—Philidelphia Ree- ord. if au- FITS PermanentlyCured. e ‘ohts or nervousness afte, rst day's use of Dr. Kline's Great Nerve Restorer. Send for FREE $2.00 trial bottle and treatise. Ds. R. H. King, Ltd. 931 Arch St.. Philadelphia, Pa Staying Under Water. The world’s record for staying under water has, we learn from been beaten by Charles champion swimmer, who, rium, Melbourne, on Jan. big seal tank remaired beneath the sur- face for the unprecedented period of five minutes and five seconds. Previ ous records were: Four minutes 45 1-2 by Prof. Enoch, Wonderland Ca at the Aqua- 6 last in the theater, Lowell, Mass., March 4 minutes 35 1-2 seconds, by Beaumont Alhambra, Melbourne, tralia, Dec. 16, 1893, and 4 minutes 29 1-4 seconds, by James Finney, bridge Musie Hall, London. 1886.—Lloyd’s London Week Miss Sadie Tettemer of Tinicum, Bucks county, not yet nine years old, pieced a quilt herself last winter. No-To-Bac tor Fifty Cents. Guaranteed tobacco habit cure, makes weale Svc, $1. All druggista. men strong, blood pure. China has established a consulate at Warsaw, with the object of promoting trade between Poland and Manchuria. TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY. Take Laxative Bromo Quinine Tablets. All Druggists refund the money it it fails tocure. 230 Berlin had tnirty-one strikes last year, only eight of which were successful tor the strikers, of whom 124,616 were in- volved. @ Don’t Tobacco Spit and Smoke Your Life Away, ~ To quit tobacco easily and forever, be mag- netic, full of life, nerve and vigor, take No-To- ‘Bac, the wonder-worker that makes weak m: strong. All druggists, 50c or $1. teed. “Booklet and’ sample free. Address Sterling Remedy Co., Chicago or New York. Cure guaran- An Excellent Reason. “What do you mean, Roaly, by pay- ing out money for expensive cig: rs in these hard times “The tobacconist won't trust me.” postmaster at No Business postoffice, in Morgan county, Ala., has been arrested, charged with embezzling postoffice funds. W. I. Speakman, Rath, Me., has more smokers than any city of its size in New England. A runaway horse beat a train on the Phcenixville branch in a three-mile race. The removing ef last winter's snow women as superintendents of schools. BETTER DEAD. What People With Diseased Nerves Are Wont to Say. % But There Is Hope, Learn Wisdom From the Indian and Liks Him Know Not the Meaning of Nerves. No one can realize the terrible sufferinga mn has to undergo who has diseased nerves. verything seems to irritate him, and actually, everything considered, but little sympathy should be extended to such a sufferer, as thera is no excuse for the existence of this dreadful and harrassing disease. With pure blood, and the tomach in perfect condition, and with the other ocras of the body working properly, health alone can be the result, and-with health, nerves are forgotten. Keep the great vital organs of the body healthy, and the result perfect appetite, bn See! of refreshing and quiet sleep and a body that is strong and robust. poo Indian Sagwa is the one and only * tremedy for weak and diseased nerves. One instance of the many brought to our attention by the use of this potential medicine comes fom Macomb, Iil., which reads as follows : s “Dear Sirs — This is to certify that 1 have been a sufferer for a lon; time with nervousness. could not sleep or eat. After taking a few bottles of Kickapoo Indian Sagwa I could sleep good and now havea goodappetite. I can truly recommend this wonderfal medicine to all who are afflicted this way. H. W. Whetherbee.”” If others follow Mr, Whether! ‘exam- ple, there would be less troubles of this mature in our land, and insane asy- tums would want for patients. Older men would be able to attend to business longer than