Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, March 15, 1902, Page 2

The Herald--Beview. | SHOCK TO BRITONS] By E. C. KILEY. GRAND RAPIDS, - MINNESOTA. Japan will discover from day to day ‘that it comes high to be a world power. The charge that Frank James de- manded a rake-off and was refused is all wrong. Now that oil has been discovered at Pike's Peak a good many people are likely to bust there. It hes been found that whisky will mot check smallpox. The disease is *preading in Kentucky. England shows her scorn for super- stition by having thirteen battleships under construction now. Having learned to waltz and been in a railway wreck Minister Wu may as well apply for his papers. John L. Sullivan's heart trouble can be traced back to the date of his unfor- tunate match with Corbett. Those frenzied females have com- mandeered poor Paderewski’s watch. They'll get his hair next time. When a hen takes it into her head to be stubborn she doesn’t care a cent for the law of supply and demand. Carnegie has furnished an epitaph for himself, but Russel Sage probably thinks he is never going to need one. Oil has been discovered in Russia at a depth of 9,000 feet. They must have struck an underground school of spout- ing whales. A pottery trust has been formed out west with a capital of $700,000. How much capital would it take to start a@ poetry trust? Twelve hundred American typewrit- ers have been ordered by the Austrian ministry of justice. Machines, of course, not girls, Sig. Marconi understands all about wireless telegraphy, but he seems to have interpreted the signals in an af- fair of the heart. A French committee has been sent here to study the American “hustle spirit,” but it is certain that they will not be able to catch it. It is to be observed that in discuss- ing international questions nowadays European nations never fail to specu- late on the probable attitude of Uncle Sam. An Ann Arbor scientist is said to have found “benzozone” a new foe to germs. The microbe may triumph for a season, but sooner or later science clubs it. Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria is receiving credit for being a very modest liver. His tridaily meal is a plain one, but he tops it off with a 5- kreutzer cigar. Minister Wu Ting Fang is a convert to the belief that a private Pullman car with an iron horse in front is a great improvernent on a Sedan chair drawn by cooiies, John L, - Sullivan says he is going to quit the stage and work on a farm. One of these Kentucky mountain farms with a distillery attachment would t about suit John. And now that Russia says. she is pleased with the Anglo-Japanese alli- ance we may go right on crowding turough the open door as though noth- ing out of the ordimary had occurred. France now claims sovereignty of the air over its domain, but merely for the purpose of selling balloon fran- ehises. Air for breathing purposes is not to be retailed at so much per cubic foot. There are still 119 miles of horse car line in New York and only about 107 miles altogether elsewhere in the United States. And yet New Yorkers want people to call Gotham the me- tropolis. Mr. Carne; has well said that fic- tion should be at least a year old be- fore public libraries buy it. In other words, it should not be buried with in- so much decent haste, as current fiction is. The American drama has had an- other knockout blow. John L. Sulli- van announces the disbandment of his “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” company in the following touching words: “My awful aes bust it.” “immortal” At Fort Scott, Kas., the other day, two men were let out of jail to fill @ gap ina football team. There is mnuch repressed energy in prison which might be profitably aired in some such Mmnocent manner as this. A Philadelphia doctor says every mouthful of food should be chewed seventy-two times before it is swal- lowed. He doesn’t go so far, however, as to insist that a cash register should be used in order to prevent mistakes. If wireless messages are going to get tangled up as they did on the ocean the other day it will readily be seen that grave complications may arise 4f one man should be trying to make Jove and another trying to sell codfish et the same time by the wireless method. GEN. LORD METHUEN AND FOUR GUNS CAPTURED BY THE BOERS. LIKE THUNDERBOLT TO LONDON BOERS UNDER DELAREY ADMINIS- “TER A HARD BLOW TO BRITISH. BRITISH GENERAL IS WOUNDED THIRTY-EIGHT KILLED, SEVENTY- SEVEN WOUNDED AND MANY MISSING. London, March 12. — It was an- nounced yesterday that Gen. Lord Methuen and four guns had been cap- tured by the Boers commanded by Gen. Delarey The news came like & thunderbolt to London. The extra editions of the evening papers giving an account of ihe disaster were eager- jy bought up and their readers hurried through the streets with anxious faces and bitter remarks were passed on the subject of the government's declara- tion that the war in South Africa was over. The news came too late to af- fect business on the stock exchange, but excited curb dealings quickly fol- lowed the closing in which South Afri- cans slumped heavily. The news was received in the house of commons amid great excitement. The reading of Lord Kitchener's tele- gram by the war secretary, Mr, Brod- rick, was listened to in deep silence, which was broken by loud Irish cheers. Instantly there were cries of “shame,” “shame,” from the government benches. Then the Irish members seemed to think better of their out- break and suddenly subsided. The subsequent eulogistic references to Gen. Methuen were received with cheers, In brief, Lord Kitchener announced thac Gen. Methuen was _ capture, wounded, with four guns, three British officers and thirty-eight men were killed and five officers and seventy- two men were wounded. In addition one officer and 200 men were reported missing. Kitchener's Melancholy Recital. The text of Lord Kitchener's dis- paich announcing the capture of Gen. Methuen, is as follows: Pretcria, March 8.—I greatly regret to have to send you bad news of Me- thuen. He was moving with 900 mounted men, under Maj. Paris, and 300 infantry, four guns and a pompom, from Winburg to Lichtenburg, and was to meet Grenfell with 1,300 mount- ed men at Rovirainesfontein to-day. Yesterday morning early he was at- tacked by Delarey’s force between Twe-Bosch and Palmieteknill, The Boers charged on three sides, Five hundred and fifty men have come in at Maribogs and Kraaipan. They were pursued by the Boers four miles from the scene of the action. They report that Methuen and Paris, with the guns, baggage, etc., were captured by the Boers. Methuen, when last seen, was a prisoner. Boers on Both Flanks. In a second dispatch dated Sunday, March 9, Lord Kitchener says: Paris has come in at Kraaipan with the remainder of the men. He reports that the column was moving in two parties. One, with the ox wagons, left ‘Twe-Bosch at 3a. m. The other, with the mule wagons, started an hour later. Just before dawn the Boers at- tacked. Before reinforcements could reach them the rear guard broke. In the meantime a large number of Boers galloped up on both flanks. These at first were checked by the flank parties, but the panic and stampede of the mules had begun ahd all the mule wagons with a terrible mixture of mounted men, rushed past the ox wagons. All efforts to check them were unavailing. Maj. Paris, collected forty men and occupied a position a mile in front of the ox wagons, which were then halt- ed. After a gallant but useless de- fense, the enemy rushed into the ox wagons and Methuen was wounded in the thigh. Paris, Being surrounded, surrendered at 10 a. m, Methuen is still in the Boer camp. As Lord Kitchener announced that Maj. Paris had surrendered and also telegraphed that he reached Kraai- pan with the remainder of the men, it may be inferred that the Boers subse- quently released the major and his companions. DISCOUNT ON HEROES, New York Street Car Motorman Puan- ished for on Act of Extraordinary Bravery. New York, March 12. — For saving the life of a boy at the risk of losing his own, George White, a motorman in the employ of the Union Railway company, has been laid off by the company. White performed his deed of heroism on Saturday afternoon in Beechwood avenue, New Rochelle. White was in charge of a trolley car bound from this city to Mount Vernon, and was running his car with the power fully on, when he met a furni- ture van. A boy ran from behind the van. White, leaning over the fender, grabbed the boy by the arm and swung him out of harm’s way. When the matter was reported White was suspended. DEFECT IN THE LAW. Mlinois Anti-Trust Statute Declared to Be Unconstitutional. ‘Washington, March 12.—The United States supreme court decided the Illi- nois anti-trust statute to be uncon- Stitutional because of the provision of the luw exempting agricultural prod- ucts and live stock from the opera- tions of the law. The decision was rendered in the case of Thomas Con- nelly and others against the Union Sewer Pipe Company of Ohio, and was delivered Ly Justice Harlan. WORST PART Five Hundred British Yeomanry Turn Tail and Run Away. Ba London, March 13.—Nothing else has created so much soreness in regard to Gen. Lord Methuen’s reverse as the fact that 500 mounted men ran away and were pursued for four miles by the Boers. They were supposed to have been the latest recruits to the Yeoman- ry, but the fact is that what at present looks like cowardice is considered the most painful incident mentioned in Lord Kitchener's dispatch. In the house of :ommons yesterday afternoon Mr. Brodrick, secretary of state for war, said that reinforcements were being continuously sent to South Africa, A large number would go next month, He added that Lord Kitchener would get all the assistance that he asked. The stock markets were stead- ier yesterday afternoon than at the opening, although Still Showing Weakness. South African shares had recovered some of their opening decline. Consuls had fallen 3-16. » Nowhere was the shock of the news of Methuen’s reverse felt more than on the stock exchange, although the per- sistent selling of South African mining shares, before the war office telegrams were made public, points to the con- clusion that the facts had leaked out in more than one quarter. This was espe- cially true of the Paris bourse. The French were persistent sellers of South African shares: late on Sunday and again Monday morning. The market here yesterday felt very sore that the news was held back ¢n Saturday, although it was done at Lord Kitchener's desire, and more is liable to be heard of the alleged leak- age. BROTHER OF THE EMPEROR RE- TURNS TO THE FATHOR- ‘ LAND. HINTS THAT HE MAY RETURN EXPRESSES APPRECIATION OF THE KINDNESS SHOW HIM ON ALL SIDES. GIVEN A VERY NOISY SEND-OFF CROWDS CHEER AND CANNONS BOOM AS THE DEUTSCHLAND DEPARTS, New York, March 13.—Prince Henry of Prussia sailed for Germany on board the Hamburg-American liner Deutschland yesterday afternoon. His last day in America was spent entirely on board the Deutschland, but it was well filled with pleasing incidents. The prince breakfasted early and about 10 o’clock began to receive of- ficial farewell visits, including repre- sentatives of Germany and this coun- try and those of the United States gov- ernment. Mayor Low of New York was also a caller, and the prince in bidding him farewell, gave a hint that he had some intention of returning to Amert- ca for a second visit. The prince, in re- ply to the mayor's expressions, said: “I thank the citizens of New York for all their kindness to me, which I ap- preciate deeply. If I should return to America I should feel when I reached New York that I was once more at home.” Ramor of Another Fight. Reports from the continent that the defeat of Gen. Methuen was followed up by another fight, also favorable to the Boers, occasion some anxiety owing to the absence of news from Gen. Gren- fell’s column of 1,300 men which left Klerksdorp to join Gen. Methuen. It is thought that possibly Gen. Delarey may have attacked Grenfell. Prince Entertains. ‘The members of the party that ac- companied the prinee on his tour were his guests at luncheon. Covers were laid for twenty-eight persons in the dining room of the steamship and music was furnished by the band from the Hohenzollern. At the close of the luncheon, when it came to say good- bye, the prince, taking a rcse from the table, said: “This is the badge of ‘that which I have been admiring during my entire trip to the United States—American beauty.” Te placed the flower in his button- hole and each guest followed his ex- ample. Admiral Evans, taking the prince by the hand, said: “I have only this to say to Prince Henry and my brothers of the German navy: We are glad you came and sorry you are going, and hope you will come again. It gives me great pleasure. as the representative of the American navy ‘To Seize the Hana of friendship you have so kindly ex- tended across the Atlantic.” Maj. Gen. Corbin said: “We have all enjoyed the trip and the memory of it will abide with me forever.” Assistant Secretary Hill said: “The memory of your visit will always be in our hearts and the hearts of the Amer- ican people.” Immediately after the luncheon, at the prince’s invitation the party went to the commander’s bridge of the Deutschland and was there photo- graphed. Then the real leave-taking began. The final farewells were said by members of the German embassy at Washirgton. Shortly before the Deutschland sailed the United Singing Societies of Hudson county, New Jersey, appeared on the deck of the Princess Victoria Louise, which lay alongside the Deutschland, and sang a number of selections. The prince appeared on the bridge of the Deutschland with Capt. Albers and bowed his acknowledgments repeatedly, Deutschland Sails, The Deutschland sailed at 3:45. As she made away from the pier the cheering was continuous. The prince appeared on the bridge and bowed. All down North river the passing tugs and craft of every gh gave the great liner and her distinguished pas- senger a noisy send-off. At the Bat- tery, which was reached exactly at 4 o'clock, a great crowd had gathered and cheered as the vessel steamed on down the bay. The Deutschland reached the Narrows at 4:35. Forts Wadsworth and Hamilton fired salutes STRUCK BY STORM, Omaha Sustains Heavy Damage by a Fierce Huricane. Omaha, March 13—The heaviest wind, rain and hailstorm in the history of the city visited Omaha and Douglas county at 2 o’clock yesterday morning. It struck Omaha near Monmouth Park, in the northern edge of the city, and moved northeast, the greatest se- verity being experienced in the neigh- borhood of Thirty-third and Larimore streets. Although perhaps fifty build- ings were more or less damaged, no- body’ was seriously injured. People who were caught in the storm had nar- row escapes, and Mrs. Amanda Geary, who lives at Thirty-third street and Grand avenue, probably escaped death by being absent from home. Her house was picked up and scattered over 2 square of ground, bits of the furniture being found in a neighboring field. Sev- eral street cars were caught in the path of the storm but remained on the track. Telephone and telegraphic wires were strewn over the streets and 2 great number of Poles Were Torn Out. Franklin school, one of the largest in the city, had to be abandoned tempor- arily. A large chimney was blown onto the roof, which caved in and demol- ished several rooms. Small buildings were blown about in an easy way and several barns were torn to pieces. The Monmouth Park | M. B. church was literally torn to picces. Several greenhouses were wrecked by the hail. Immanuel hospital was badly damaged by a heavy chimney being blown through the roof. Several near-by towns in this county report the worst storm for years, It was particularly severe at Valley and Eikhorn, and at the latter place 2 Union Pacific train was struck by @ falling coal chute and considerable damage done to it, although no one was injured. At Florence, three miles north of the city, and where the city waterworks are located, the storm twisted several buildings from their foundations, but the waterworks plaut was not affected. In Central Park lightning struck sev- eral barns and was one of the elements that contributed to the havoc in this city. Buildings Demolished and Several Persons Injured. Dallas, Tex., March 13.—The cyclone Many that swept through the suburbs of z Dallas, continued in the northeest Te-- ee Sale aaa ts nee ee bach Raeek ater a aepakod small farm | Fort Wadsworth lined up on the bluff uildings in its path. ‘ne «xiel “ | until the steamer had passed out into damage to persons and property in the farming district has not been learned, as the terrific downpour of rain has put country roads in an almost impassable condition, Telephone reports state that at De Soto,. fourteen miles from Dallas, three dwelling houses and two stores, in one of which was located the postoffice, were demolished. One of the dwellings destroyed was that of J. M. Johnson. His four-year-old daughter was so badly injured that she died. At Beeman’s school house, three miles east of Dallas, the dwelling house of T. Reagon was wrecked. ,The family escaped without injury. In Queen City, the extreme southern suburb of Dallas, six dwelling houses were blown to pieces by the wind. Mrs. George Bray received fatal injuries. Mr. Bray and two children were severe- ly injured. C, D, Bourne, wife and child, Albert Ewing and family were away from home. Their houses were literally torn to pieces and a negro ser- vant was badly hurt. A score or more of other houses were badly damaged but not wrecked. The property loss as near as can be. estimated in Datlas county will reach at least $100,000. the lower bay. The Deutschland is due at Hamburg on Monday next. The imperial yacht Hoehenzollern started on her homeward trip at 2:40 o'clock yesterday afternoon. ON BEHALF OF MERGER. Prominent Lawyers Are Preparing an Answer. New York, March 13—Lawyers repre- senting the Northern Securities com- pany are preparing the answer to the bill of equity filed in the United States circuit court for the district of Minne- sota, to test the validity of the merger. The lawyers retained are said to be William P. Clough, William Nelson Cromwell and Francis Lynde Stetson, and the case will be argued by ex-At- torney General John W. Griggs. It is said that the answer will be that the Northern Securities company owns not more than 40 per cent of the Great Northern stock, or less than a controll- ing interest, while it owns 98 per cent of the Northern Pacific stock. The lawyers for the defense hold that there is no control of competing lines, and that therefore there is no violation of the anti-trust law. SOUGHT HORRIBLE DEATH. GREEN A MARCONI. Man Throws Himself in Front of a Moving Train. ‘ Minneapolis, March 13.—Edward Pe- terson, proprietor of a boarding house on Second street, near Twenty-fourth avenue north, threw himself under a Northern Pacific train near his home yesterday morning and was instantly killed. The engine and several cars passed Gver his head, which was Séc- ered from the body. Peterson was fifty years of age. He had been ill of late and sufterne trom meaaeune 3 —Hetty’s Son’ Patents a System of Wireless Telegrphy. Dallas, Tex., March 13. — E. H. R. Green, son of Hetty Green, and presi- dent of the Texas Midland railway, has received a telegram from the patent office announcing the award to him of a patent on his system of wireless tel- egraphy, which he will put in opera- tion. Mr. Green says that the Texas Midland will be the first railroad in the world to use the wireless anieg| sys- tem. “4 ETRURIA IS SAFE. 00D-BYE, HENRY (Crippled Cunard Line Steamer ts Towed to the Azore Horta, Azores, March 11.—The Etru- ria entered this harbor in tow last evening. All on board are well. She had a comparatively uneventful passage, except for the breakdown, which occurred during the dinner hour of Feb. 26. When this occurred the Etruria had only just finished speak- ing by wireless telegraphy with the Cunard line steamship Umbria. After the accident was discovered the Etru- ria called the Umbria wirelessly for one hour, but without success. Upon examination it was found that the ship’s propeller had broken off out- side the tube and that the rudder had been carried away by the propeller. The Etruria then sent up_ rockets, which were seen by the British steamer William Cliff. The latter bore down and was alongside in fifty minutes af- ter the accident. She stood by until daylight when, after several attempts, she succeeded in passing a hawser aboard the Etruria. The tank steamer Ottawa . Arrived on the Scene at this time. The William Cliff then attempted to tow the Etruria, while the Ottawa attempted to steer her. ‘The Hawser, however, snapped. The Ot- tawa stood by for two days and then left for Fayal, bearing the second of- ficer of the Etruria, to report the dis- aster and obtain assistance. In the meanwhile the crew of the Etruria had made every effort to rig a jury rudder. The first such rudder was carried away immediately an at- tempt was made to use it. After fur- ther efforts, lasting for two days, a second jury rudder was successfully adjusted and is still in position. The passengers of the Etruria were satisfied they were in no danger, and they praise the conduct of the captain and crew of the vessel. After the acci- dent the passengers amused them- selves with the usual deck sports, and concerts were held in the first and sec- ond cabins. Only those who were anxious concerning business matters chafed at the unavoidable delay. The Etruria reports having sighted the Italian mail steamer Sardegna, from’ Naples Feb. 26 for New York, last Wednesday, March 5. stood by, but finding she could be of no assistance, Proceeded on Her Course. The Etruria was hoping to communi- cate with the North German Lloyd steamer Kron Prinz Wilhelm by wire- less telegraphy, but her mast wire broke in several places and she was unable to repair it until the weather had improved, when it was too late. After the accident the passage of the Cunard steamer was entirely unevent- ful, and there occurred nothing of in- terest beyond the daily runs of the ves- sel, which range] from 60 to 100 knots. The Etruria will wait here for the arrival of the royal mail steamer Elbe, which left Southampton for Horta Saturday. The Elbe will carry the Etruria’s passengers to England. The Etruria will then be towed home by two tugs which are now on their way out from Liverpool for this purpose. WAR TAX BLUNDER. Serious Defect Creeps Into an Im- portant Measure. El Paso, Tex., March 11.--The list of dead who perished in the Cannon Ball express wreck on the Southern Pacific will probably foot up to at least fifty. The names of some of the lost will nev- er be known. Wounded and pinioned in the cars, many unidentified passen- gers were burned so that recognition will be impossible. When the relief train left the scene of the wreck, with seventy-five injured on board, the debris was still burning, and any effort to recover the bodies slowly burning from being burned would have been folly. The death list was not compiled from names of per- sons whose remains had been actually recovered, but from names of missing furnished by Relatives or Friends. El Paso is filled with the wreck vic- tims. The hotels are overcrowded and the hospitals have all they can care for. A few of the injured are in criti- cal condition, but nearly all are ex- pected to recover, Four thousand people awaited the coming of the relief train at the sta- tion. The Pullman cars were crowded with the totally disabled and the day coaches contained those who were slightly injured. There was hardly a complete suit 2f clothes in the entire crowd. Nearly all had lost their hats and the majority of those able to walk had only blankets wrapped about them. Scarcely a man appeared but wore bandages. Women were still hysterical and several injured babes were to be seen. A dozen or more persons had to be carried from the train on litters. Nothing additional has been learned as to the cause of the wreck. Passengers think the engineer lest control of his engine. POWELL IN A Row. Son of Minister to Mexico Challeng- ed to Fight Duel. Washington, March 11.—Lieut. Pow- ell Clayton, Jr., U. S. A., son of the minister to Mexico, has recently been detached from that embassy and as- signed to the cavalry station at Fort Myer. Concerning this change there is a story not told in the military records.’ During the Christmas holidays young Clayton became engaged in an argu- ment with a Mexican officer concerning American politics in the Orient and the Antilles. The Mexican said some things which Lieut. Clayton resented. Finally the lie was passed and the en- tire company became involved in blows. waited on Lieut. Clayton and in be- half of one of the belligerents chal- lenged him to a duel. Clayton ex- plained that he could not fight, his commission in the United States army forbidding in the strongest way any such performance. Clayton was ex- pelled from all the clubs in the City of. Mexico. ‘At the same time a prominent official intimated to the minister that his son's position in society at the Mexican cap- ital had been compromised and that the wisest course for him ved to with- The Sardegna‘ That night a Mexican officer formally | ee ss BEA SS In the Senate. ‘Washington, March 6. — It appears likely now thit the senate will reach a vote on the pending shipping bill one week from Monday. When Mr. Frye, in charge of the measure, en- deavored yesterday to secure an agree- ment for the time for taking a vote that date was tioned as being sat- isfactory to the minority members of the commerce committee. Mr. Clay of Georgia addressed the senate in opposition to the bill and had not concluded when the senate edjourned. Early in the session the senate passed the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill, the sec- ond of the big supply measures to be acted on at this session. In the House. The house yesterday continued the debate on the bill to classify the rural free delivery service, but without ac- tion adjourned early out of respect to the memory of Representative Polk of Pennsylvania, whose death occurred suddenly at Philadelphia Tuesday. In the Senate. Washington, March 7. — A notable s}€ech was made in the senate yester- day by Mr. Hanna of Ohio on the pend- ing shipping bill, which he discussed from the standpoint of an American business man. His arguments were carefully arranged. He was alway forceful and earnest and at times elo- quent. He commanded the undivided attenticn of the senate and of the gal- leries, and when he closed he received congratulations of many. of his col- leagues. Early in the session Mr. Frye, in charge of the pending shipping bill, obtained an agrzement that the senate should vote on the measure and all pending amendments at 3 p.m. Mon- day, March 17. Before consideration of the shipping bill was resumed an extended debate cccurred on the measure providing for the protection of the United States. No action on the bill was taken. In the House. The house devoted onother day to de- baie on the bill to classify the rural free delivery service and to place the carriers under contract. Little inter- est was manifested in the discussion. Tu the Senate. Washington, March 8.—On account of the indisposition of Mr. Vest of Mis- souri and Mr. Mallory of Florida, who expected to speak yesterday on the pending ship subsidy bill, the measure was not considered by the senate. The diplomatic and consular appro- priation bill was passed and then the S-nate took up the measure for the protection of the president of the Unit- ed States. Mr. Bacon of Georgia con- tinued his speech :n opposition to the bill, making an extended constitutional argument against it. The senate agreed to make the bill the unfinished business at the conclusion of considera- tion of the shin subsidy bill. In the House. The bill to classify the rural free de- livery service and to place the carriers under the contract system held the floor in the house yesterday. By an amicable arrangement general debate wil’ be conciuded to-day and the bill will be considered under the five-min- ute rule Monday. In the Senate. Washington, March 11.—For nearly two hours yesterday Mr. Vest of Mis- souri addressed the senate in opposi- tion to the pending ship subsidy bill. No member of the body has been ac- corded more flatteringly close atten- tion than he received. Despite his evi- dent feebleness, he spoke with force and fire, and at times became bril- liantly’ eloquent. He carefully an- alyzed the pending measure and pa ticularly attacked the present navigz tion laws, which, he declared, were relics of barbarism and responsible for the decline of our merchant marine. Mr. Tillman of South Carolina fol- lowed with a brief speech in opposition to the bill. In the House. The bill to classify the rural free de- livery service and place the carriers under the contract system, which has been debated in the house for over a week, was passed yesterday, but in a form that completely changed the pur- pose for which it was framed. All the provisions relating to the placing of carriers under the contract system were etricken out and the salary sys- tem not only was continued, but the maximum salary of carriers was in- creased from $500 to $600 per annum. In the House. Washington, March 12. — The house yesterday entered on the consideration of the postoffice appropriation bill, but as usual during general debate on au appropriation biil, the members who spoke devoted themselves to everything except the bill before the house. The feature of the day, however, was a speech by Mr. Burleson attacking Secretary Hay for declining to request the British authorities to furnish pass- ports to go through the British lines to Rev.‘Hiram W. Thoreas and wife, who desire to go to South Africa to dis- tribute Boer relief funds collected in Illinois. Mr. Hitt of Mlinois, chairman of the foreign affairs commitiee, made a spirited reply to Mr. Burleson, charg- ing the Texas member with an attempt to prejudge the case before the evi- dence was in. Mr. Hitt pointed out that the relief funds could be dis- tributed through the Red Cross or the American consuls, and added that it was contrary to international usage to allow those in sympathy with the ene- my to go through the lines in time of war. In the Senate. For several hours yesterday the sen-~ ate had the ship subsidy bill under con- sideration. Mr. Mallory of Florida made an extended speech in opposition to the measure. He analyzed the Dill carefully and held that there was no good reason for its enactment into law, saying he believed it would not accom- plish the results hoped for it by its promoters. His oppdsition was based chiefly on the ground that it would ex- tend the favor of the United States treasury to private individuals and corporations without a duey ‘Return for