The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 1, 1902, Page 1

HOUSE WILL BE DECEMBER 1, E BATTLEGR - 1902. ITH the opening of the final session of the Fifty-seventh Congress the warfare against trus It is cxpected that as soon as the Iaw—makihg machinery is in working order there will be a PRICE FIVE CENTS. OUND unlawful combinations of capital will begin without delay, and the House will be the battleground. uge of bills dealing with this question'in all of its phases. Republican leaders have as yet formulated no meastre, and the recommendations contained in the President's message are awaited with Wterest. In the Senate the first question of general interest that will receive attention will be the proposed admission of Oklahoma, New Mezico and Arizona to Statchood. Whether these Territories will witnessithe fruition of their hopes is problematical. IN THE WARFAR — ¥ +HEAD OF WAR DEPARTMENT AGAIN URGES ABANDONMENT OF THE TRANSPORT SERVICE of Private Lines. s L San Francisco Menaced in Report. Special D tch to The Call. EW YORK, Nov. 30.—Infor- mation from Wash shows that, by reason of the report and recommendation of Secretary of War made publi~ to-night, there is, as reported, real danger of San Francisco | losing the army transport business to and from the Philippines and that San Fran- ciscans are beginning to rea'ize the dan- ger is evident from the telegrams received by California Senators and Representa- uves. It has been known in San Francisco | for years that that city might lose the | Philippine transport business, for in his | last anpual report Secrggary of War Root | strongly recommended that the transport | service be abandoned and the busi of | transporting troops and freight turned | over to private steamship lines, as has been done on the Atlantic. | In the face of this recommendation San | Franciscans seem to have done little or nothing to keep for their city the trans- | port business that for a period of three years after the commencement of the Spanish-American war caused to be ex- yended there nearly $25,000,000 per yea:. SECRETARY ROOT’S STAND. Becretary Root in his annual report made public to-night renews his recom- mendation that the transport service oa the Pgeific be abolished. He says: “The reduction of the force in the Philippines has made possible a 'large reduction of the transport service on the Pacific. The regular service between San Francisco and Manila has been rediced from. bimonthly to monthly sailings. Marked gconomies have been effected in the conduct of the business in San Fran. cisco. Several ships have been sold, al- though after most extensive and pains- taking advertising very inadequate prices have been realized. Three ships, the Hancock, Relief and Lawton, have been turned over to the Navy Department, which could make profitable use of them and one, the Grant, has been turned over to the Engineer Corps, which can save a hundred thousand and odd dollars more 1han the ship could be s0ld for by using ber in river and harbor work. I ask that authority be given for charging the fair value of these ships to the maval and river harbor appropriations, respectively, and crediting them to the appropriation for transportation of the army against which they now stand charged. Root | | tween San Francisco, { ‘ [ P - 3 HEAD OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT, WHOSE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT GO OUT OF THE TRANSPORT BUSI- NESS IS A BLOW AT SAN FRANCISCO'S COMMERCIAL INTERESTS. commercial lines for transportation of passengeérs and freight for the army be- Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and Manila, unt:il Ju 30, 1905. A number of bids have- been’ received, but the comparative advantage of oper- ating under them has not yet been worked out, and no contract has been awarded. As rapidly as it becomes ap- parent that the Government buainess can be done more economicaly in any part, or as a whole, by this method, it is the purpose of the department to follow the same course wHich has been followed | upon the Atlantic in discontinuing the use of Government transports, and to put the business in the hands of commerciai | ines on the basis of ope:. competition. “I am satisfied that it is practicable for ‘pri\’ale shippers to do all ordinary busi- ness much cheaper than it is possibie for ihe Government to do it, under the lim- | itations which rest upon Government ac- tion, and that they can afford to do the business for less than it costs the Gov- | ernment ard still make a profit. At the | same time by following this method the Government will be aiding to build up regular commercial lines between the Pa- cific Coast and Manila, which is much to be desired.” CALIFORNIA MUST ACT. Besides Secretary Root's recommenda- tion there is on file in the congressional archives a report made by a special com- mission of army officers declaring that the transport service from San Franclsco as administered by the Government, has been very extravagant. In the face of these adversé reports, together with the powerful influence that | James J, Hill of the Northern Pacific may bring to bear, it would not be surprising if Congress at this session be induced to |insert in the army appropriation bill a clause empowering and directing the War |Depurtment to transport troops and sup- plies by private contract. A member of Congress from California sald to-day: It would seem that the very first thing for San Francisco people to do would be “dn October bids were invited from |to have the Chamber of Commerce take / 3 immediate action and compile facts and figures showing, if possible, that it is to the Government’s advantage to transport troops and supplies from the most natural depot and the most advantageous point, viz.: San Francisco. Armed with a strong memorial from the Chamber of Com- meree, the California delegation may be able to thwart the plans of Seattle. But San Francisco must be up and doing. This Congress lasts only three months. “I understand that Secretary = Root, Quartermaster. General Luddington and Adjutant General Corbin are now consid- ering the bid of the Hill steamship lines and the Northern Pacific Raflroad for this business. The Representatives in Con- gress from Washington State are alive to the situation and will work industri- ously for Hill's interests and Seattle’s Chamber of Commerce undoubtedly will make representations endeavoring to show that troops can be transported from their city by private steamship lines more economically than from San Francisco by Government transports. - NO SAN FRANCISCO BIDS. *The failure of San Franclsco steamship lines to bid for the Philippine business is scarcely understood here. Due notice was given months ago and an advertise. ment for bids was duly published in the daily newspapers, “Notwithstanding the adverse reports of the Secretary of War and the special army board Congress might be induced to especially provide for the continuance of the Philippine transport service from Sen Francisco. The average member of Congress is naturally averse to granting any speclal privileges to Pacific raflroad corporations. Besides, there s a senti- mental as well as a business slde to be urged. Soldiers who brave the perils of war and fever in the tropics should be transported by Government vessels wher- ever practicable and not shipped like cat. tle at so much per head. Then, too, the sick, Injured and dead are to be consid- efed. The sick and injured certainly | with robbers at an should be transported to the nearest and quickest American port in comfortable * Youthful Guardian of Coin Killed by Bullet. Walls of the Institu- tion Rid@t}d With Lead. Enraged Citizens Race After Fugitives and Lynch- ing May Result, Special Dispatci'to The Call, LAPORTE, Ind., NOV. 30.—Wesley Rey- nolds, aged 16 years, & clerk in a bank at Westville, this counity, who eleeps In in the institution, hergleally defended the property submitted td hid care in a battle edrly hour this morn- e. His body was gear his bed in the let having pierced ing, giving up his found at 6 o'clock rear of the bank, a bis heart. 4 The robbers had evidently abandoned thelr intention iof looting the safe after Reynolds had fallen dead, and. escaped by a windew through emtered. /| it the battle at least twenty shots had been fired, the walls of the bank baing riddled ‘with: bullets. Reynolds’ empty re- volver was fcund near his body, showing that he had done his best to kill the rob- bers, and the trail of blood left by them shows that some of his shots were effec- tive. Leaving the bank the robbers escaped in a stolen rig and were tracked six miles southward, at which place the horse and buggy were abandoned. The murder of the bank clerk created intense excitement and should the rob- | bers be captured and brought back to | the scene of the crime, lynching would be almost certain. A reward of $1000 has been ‘offered* for their capture. Several posses are scouring the country in every irection, and unless the men have es- caped on a train they will probably be apprehended. From the appearance of the bank the robbers never got more than fifteen feet from the window. At least two of them must have been inside, for the indications are that while one was engaging the at- tention of the clerk from a point ten feet in front of the window another had cir- cled around to the left and had there fired at the boy. Between the supposed position of the robbers and where young Reynolds' body was found were two ta- bles, on which were piled overcoats and boxes of underwear. From a crouching posture behind the piles of clothing Rey- nolds, who.was armed with three revol- vers, evidently had done his firing, and not until he had emptied one revolver was he shot down. After receiving the fatal shot the young man kad fallen at the side of his bunk, in which position the body was found this moriing, more than four hours after the attempted robbery and murder. Siam’s Crown Prince at Victoria. VICTORIA, B. C., Nov. 30.—The Crown Prince of Siam and party arrived to-night by the steamer Charmer and will remgin here until sailing for Yokohama on'sle sieamer Empress of China early Tuesday morning. The party was met by the Lieutenant Governor, who will entertain the party at dinner to-morrow. @bt il @ hospital ships, especially fitted out for tlie purpose by the Government. And {here are, of course, obvious reasons why the dead soldlers’ remains should be ship- ped to the nearest and quickest military depot. *The transport McClellan reached New York on Saturday with fifty dead sol- diers in her hold. The trip from Manila occupled fifty-eight days and the bodies were in terrible condition when they were landed. The trip to San Francisco could have been made in three weeks. “Let the Chamber of Commerce of San ¥rancisco memorialize Congress, through its delegation in Congress, urging both business and sentimental reasons and the too ambitious Northern rivals may yet be beaten.” Lieutenant Commander J. J. Knapp, U. 8. N., who has been in Manila for several years as head of the nautical school, was especially anndyed at the slow voyage of the United States transport McClellan. He was desirous of reaching San Francis- co as soon as possible to see his mother, who recently met with a serious accident, Lieutenant Commander Knapp believes Sau Francisco is the only point suitable ‘for the transportation of troops to' and from the Philippines and henceforth he may be relied upon'as a champion of that AGAINST TRUSTS o Anti- Combine Fight to Begin in House at Once: Statehood Bill Most Important Measure in Senate. Leaders of Majority Discuss Plans of Action. e . i i | i i - - . PROBABLE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, WHO ARE OPPOSED TO ANY, ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE EXISTING TARIFF LAWS AT THE PRESENT SESSION OF THE NATIONAL LAW-MAKING BODY. % b ——— | properly should go to the Commerce Com- | + = ! mittee, and if the taxing power of the | B i Government, to the Ways and Means| | FRYE Wi i RE VISION Committee. But, to obtain uniformity, all |- | E OULD ] IS OPPOSED bills dealing with the subject have gone |- | NOT CHANGE ! heretofore to the Judiclary Committee, | BY CANNON and this practice will be followed unless a | THE TAR’FF fight for jurisdiction be made. | 3 The leaders already have resolved to ex- i 1 . Special Dispatch to The Call. pedite the appropriation bills as much as | | Special Dispatch to The Call. possible, in order to allow the largest ALL BUREAU, 1408 G margin of time for other guestions. Can< ALL BUREAU, 14068 G ‘ STREET N, W., WASHING=- non, chairman of the Appropriations Com- STREET N. W., WASHING- TON, Nov. 30.—Represen- tatiye Canmnon of Hlinois, who probably will be Speaker of the mext House, is known to be opposed .to any attempt this winter to change the. tariff Jnw. When asked as to other legislation he had only this to say: “If Comgress, in short = sion, should do mothing more than pass the annual bills, its , time would be well occupied.” e ASHINGTON, Nov. 30.— ‘When the House con- venes to-morrow to enter on the final session of the | Fifty-seventh Congress a " deluge of bills dealing | with the trust question fh all its phases will be thrown into the legislative hopper. It is admitted on all hands that this will be the most important topic of discussion; indeed, the leaders, incline to the belief that beyond the appropriation bills and routine legislation it will be the only gen- eral subject on which there is a chance for action at the short session. As yet the Jeaders have formulated no measure, and there should be a pretty wide dlvergence! of opinion of what can or should be done. | The President’s recommendations on the subject are awaited with interest. The most conservative opinion among the Re- publican leaders seems to favor an ap- propriation for the enforcement of the Sherman anti-trust law. Such an appro- priation, it is pointed out, could be placed on one of the regular appropriation bills and put through both houses without diffi- culty, whereas any amendment to the law itself, no matter how conservative, would likely meet opposition. REPUBLICANS MAY CAUCUS. Hepburn of lowa, chairman of the In- terstate and Foreign Commerce Comittee, is one of those who believe the Sherman law, if enforced, is sufficlent to meet the situation, and to-morrow he will introduce a Dbill appropriating $500,000 to be used by the Department of Justice in prosecutions ! under the present law. It is not improb- able, when the leaders ascertain exactly what can be done, that a cducus of Re- publicans will be called to agree on a measure. Meantime the trust bills introduced ‘probably will be referred to the Judicidry city as the point of departure and arrfvyj | risdiction. If a bill invoke the interstate of troops. Committee. There is some question of. ju- merce clause of the constitution 'it l mittee, believes. the. legislative, executive and judicial and the pension appropria- tion bills can be disposed of before the holidays. His committee will go to work at-once and prepare the supply bills as | rapidly as possible. The legislative and pension bills probably will be read before the end of the week. | STRIKE - COMMISSION’S FUND. One of the first things the Appropriations Committee will be called on to do, how- ever, is to prepare a bill to provide for the coal strike commission. Judge Gray, chairman of the commission, has written a2 letter to Cannon asking for an appro- priation of $50,000 to defray the expenses of the commission, to pay its clerical force, and to give such compensation to its members as the President may fix. The Appropriations Committee will meet to-morrow to prepare a bill, which, it is believed, will be presented and passed this week. No opposition to it from the minor- ity is expected. The session of the House to-morrow will be brief. The roll will’be called and announcement made of the deaths that have occurred during the recess. The House will adjourn until Tuesday, when the President's message will be read. There is no programme for the remainder of the week, beyond the bill to defray the expenses of the coal strike commis- sfon. If the regular order be demanded, the London dock charge bill is the unfin- ished business. HENDERSON’S VIEW AS TO LEGISLATION Special Dispatch to The Call. ALL BUREAU, 1408 G ‘ STREET N. W., WASHING- TON, Nov. 30.— Speaker Henderson is among those who belleve there will be mno tinkering with. the tariff at this session. “The appropriation bills,” sald Speaker Hemderson, “will necessarily oceupy most of the | time of the gmession. The President, however, will have the first inning.” n — s TON, Nov. 30.— Semator Frye of Maine, presidemt Pro tempore of the Senate, said to-day:" “The country is in the midst of the greatest prosperity. Why should we endanger this by attempting to change the tariff laws which made th prosperity possible? It equally absurd to attempt to regulate the trusts by revising the ta In the matter of trust 1 lation, I agree with' Attorney Gemeral Knox that the Sherman law should be broadened and strengthened. Something can be done along this line, but not by constitu- tional amendment. I am more than ever in favor of ship sub- sidies.” } = ASHINGTON, Nov. 30.— The admission of the Ter- ritories of Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona as States of the Union prob- ably will be the first sub- ‘mportance to receive the attention of the Senate which begins at noon to-morrow. After the omnibus territorial bill passed the House last session its friends in the Senate were so insistent on action by the Senate and so strong in point of num- bers that in the interest of other pending legislation a unanimous agreement was teached that in consideration of abate- ment by the friends of the measure dur- ing the last sessicn, the Committea om Territories would report on the bill on next Wednesday, December 3, and that a week later the bill should become the un- finished business in the Senate, which means that unless the measure shall be displaced by vote or by unanimous con- sent it will occupy the first place of the Senate calendar until disposed of. It is the current expectation that this programme will be carried out, whether the committee’s report be favorable or anfavorable, as the agrcement contem- plated consideration regardiess of the character of the report. QUAY FAVORS STATEHOOD. There is_ no definite information as to what the committee’s decision will be, but at the last session all of the Re- publican members of the committee ex- cept Senator Quay voted to defer com- Continued on Page 3, Column &