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ABOUND A BIG STATE BRIEF COMPILATION r*M$; 1-^ NOIS NEW^. Beport of the State Board of Arbitra­ tion--Diapnte Eettled for Miners-- Coal Companies Not In Trnat--Wid­ ow* Take Up Bachelor*' Offer. The annual report of the State Board , of Arbitration has been made pnblic. The report says the work of the board has tak- fen largely the form of conciliation, which growing experience shows to be its most useful function. Formal hearings have - been few when compared with the in­ stances in which individual members of the board have exerted their good offices to convert discord and turbulance into iharmony and peace. The board discusses ^.*tf length the amendments to the arbitra- * tion law made by the act which has re­ cently become effective, and says that it • Is the judgment of the board that the amendments thus made place Illinois in advance of every other State in the matter •<of legislation for the arbitration of laboir difficulties. Compulsory arbitration, that 58, a law compelling employers and em­ ployes to submit their differences to arbi­ tration, is opposed by the board. It is Important, the report says, to make a care^ ful distinction between the compulsory submission of labor differences to arbitra­ tion and compulsory obedience to decisions in cases of voluntarily submitted by the parties to the controversy. When both employer and employes voluntarily agree to refer their differences to arbitration they enter jnto a contract which ought to be enforced. ^ Firat Baling Under New Law. The State Board of Arbitration has an­ nounced its decision in the Chicago and Alton subdistrict coal cases. It is the first finding under the new law. The board fixes the mining price at 35.5 cents per ton, mine run, a reduction of 4.5 cents in the scale price. The demand of the men for narrow work was granted and a sub­ stantial advance made in tho scale for top day labor. The board, in addition to fix­ ing these scales, recommends that the rental of company houses be reduced 20 per cent and that the store order system be entirely abolished and wages be paid wholly in cash or its equivalent. It is es­ timated by the board that these conditions as to house rent and store orders will be equivalent to an additional 2.5 cents per ton, making the price actually received by the miners affected thereby 38 cents per ton. This case involves all of the coal mines on Ihe Chicago and Alton Railroad south of Springfield. All Intend to Wed Widows, At Peoria, thirty-five men, whose ages range from 25 to 37 years, have organized a "widows' club." They have agreed to marry no one except widows, and if the contract is broken they will submit to a fine of $5 and stand whatever penalty the members inflict. The widows of Pekin are willing to meet on a farir basis the club organized under that agreement. They now propose to marry members of the male club or forever live in single blessed­ ness. In a letter received by Secretary George Richardson and signed by the sec­ retary of the Pekin "Widows' Club," an implied invitation is extended for the Pe­ oria men to visit the town wherein the women reside and "take their choice," Briclcmakcra Klect Officers. The annual convention of the National Brickmakers' Alliance adjourned at Springfield, after adopting the referendum plan for electing national officers and electing the following officers for the en­ suing year: President, Charles Hauk, Blue Island; vice-presidents, W. B. Spit- ler, Collinsville; J. W. Richner, Cayuga, Ind.; W. J. Spellinan, Quincy; secretary- treasurer, Frank Shinenberger, Bernice; general organizer, William Deck, Glen Carbon. Coal Companies Not Guilty. The jury in the Sangamon Circuit Court in the case of the sixteen companies com­ prising the Springfield Coal Association, indicted on t,he eharge of violating the anti-trust law in forming a pool and ad­ vancing the price of coal from 75 cents to $1.50 per ton, without making a corre­ sponding advance in the vr?.™" their miners, brought in a verdict of not guilty, after being out six hours. Franklin Valentine Is Drowned. Franklin Valentine, aged 51, pity clerk of Carlinville, was drowned in a lake near his home. He had been a head postal clerk on the Chicago and Alton between Chicago and St. Louis for ten years, but two years ago he sustained a paralytic stroke. It is believed that while walking felong the bank he suffered a second attack and fell into the water. Brief State Happenings. Fire destroyed five dwellings at Lawn- dale. Loss $15,000. Dr. E. G. lleinhardt, physician, died at Roberts of pneumonia. He leaves a widow. Gypsies to the number of 200 encamped in Chicago for the purpose of crowning a new queen. Charles G. Snow, credit man of Armour & Co. of Chicago, who recently secured a divorce, was married at Roekford to Miss "Nellie M. Baker of Chicago. Every factory in Roekford is in opera­ tion, with all the orders that can be han­ dled. Labor of all kinds is scarce, both team and hand, the city having difficulty in securing enough to carry on stfeet im­ provement work. The Produce Exchange Bank, a private institution with reputed responsibility of $500,000, will open June 15 in Chicago. The organizers are of the private banking firm of Robert Miller & Son of Tiffin, Ohio. The tenth annual commencement exer­ cises of the Arenzville high school were held at the Virginia opera house and was witnessed by a large audience. There were seven graduates, six young men and one young lady. u A harness meeting will be held at Tay­ lor's Driving Park, Freeport. Several thousand dollars in purses will be given. The meeting will last four days, beginning July 18. The annual directory canvass of Peoria has been completed. There will be 33.000 names in the book. It also shows that the population of the city is 74,z|j|, a gain of 4,000 since last year. - ' At Fulton, W. C. Snyder and wife cel­ ebrated their golden wedding. Twenty- four children and grandchildren took part in the festivities. Mr. Snyder is 78 years old and his wife 72. Hinckley has granted a franchise for the Geneva Lake, Sycamore and South­ ern Railroad to pas through that village. This gives the company franchises through all the counties, villages and cities from Lake Geneva to Kendall County as far as the road is surveyed. Elizabeth II. Pierce, aged 06, wife of Rev. B. R. Pierce of Gothem, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. L. O. Eagle- ton, in Peoria. The husband for forty- four years has been a pastor in the south­ ern Illinois Methodist Episcopal confer­ ence and is now stationed at Gothem. Three sons are Methodist ministers and are located at Epworth, Rock Falls and Broadlands. nm mmm gum, Moultrie County farmers have organ ized for institute work. Moweaqua has a new $10,000 electri* light plant in operation. Fairbury will make water works im­ provements to the amount of $5,000. Weighing of railway mails in Illinoia and adjacent States was recently done. A Canton band has an engagement ta play at an exposition in Winnipeg, Can­ ada, next July. There is great rivalry among the towns in the Military Tract for the location ol the new normal school. Miss Barbara Hess, John McGlashen, broker, and Policeman J. Sullivan were hurt in a runaway on Madison street, near Clark, Chicago. The body of Hiram F. Marvin, who dis­ appeared from his house in Chicago March 11, was found in Lake Michigan at the foot of Jackson boulevard. Stephen Crowley, M. C. Chapman and Henry Daly were hurt in a fire caused by an explosion at the factory of the Sun­ light Gas Lamp Company in Chicago. Mrs. Florence Kelly, formerly factory inspector of Illinois, thinks sweatshops should be abolished. She advocates a law to do away with foot-power machinery. Hugh McConnell dropped dead at the Kanknkee insane hospital as a result of enlargement of the heart, aged 59 years. He was formerly a Chicago business man and became insane five years ago after his wife's death. Edward Davis, a stranger, attempted to rob the home of Basil Greep at Dayton at 2 o'clock the other morning. Green, who has but one leg, and his son Walter, who has but one arm, captured Davis, bound him with ropes and took him to Ot­ tawa by, wagon, and turned him over to Sheriff Coulson. The son drove while the father sat in the rear of the wagon covering their captive with a revolver. Five hundred Russians and Germans, including men, women and children, arriv­ ed at Pekin on a social train from Fre­ mont and Hasting^ Neb. They were brought by the Illinois Sugar Refining Company to work and teach the farmers in the vicinity how to raise sugar beets successfully. The strangers are being dis­ tributed among the farmers. Five thou­ sand acres of beets are already contracted for by a company which ha? a 700-ton plant in Pekin. Belvidere has had a smallpox scare. The colored tramp Graham who escaped from a Janesville hospital is supposed to have roamed around the local transfer yards among the railroad men, exposing them all. The police detained the suspect a short time and he denied being Graham. His description, however, tallied perfectly and he had in his possession a watch like the one Graham is said to have stolen at Janesville. The colored suspect finally boarded a train for Chicago. When Mayor Moore of Belvidere came down to his office one morning recently he found his safe door open, the money box battered and broken and $400 in certifi­ cates of deposit and securities scattered about the room in confusion, lie also dis­ covered that he was poorer by just $420, this amount in cash having been stolen. The thieves took bnly the cash. It is be­ lieved that the burglars were experts, as they worked the safe combination to per­ fection. The money taken was the per­ sonal property of the Mayor. Attorney General E^C. Akin has given an opinion which, if ujpeld by the courts", will seriously cripple fiuilding and loan as­ sociations, if it does not drive out of ex­ istence every such organization in the State. He holds that notes, bonds, mort­ gages and stock associations cannot be assessed to the association; that the stock must be listed in the name of the holder, this rule being applicable not only to non- borrowers, but also to shares held in pledge as security for loans. The borrow­ er must be assessed not only on the prop­ erty mortgaged, but also on the pledged shares on which his loan was secured, nor is he entitled to any "set-off" or deduction against the value of his stock, or on ac­ count of money borrowed by him from the association. Fred L. Merrill, 30 years of age, for­ merly of Sterling, where his parents still live, was mysteriously murdered at Santa Fe, N. M. He was found in his lodging house with four long cuts on the side and back of the head. The cuts were evident­ ly inflicted withf an ax. Tho alarm was given by W. E. Locke, Merrill's brother- in-law, who declared that the victim was a suicide. A revolver lay at the side of the body, but the coroner's jury found that death ensued from the cuts and that a bullet that had bored through" pillows and mattress had not touched the mur­ dered man. A letter signed "Merrill" was found in the room. In it he bade good-by to his friends, the letter indicating his purpose to make away with himself. W. E. Locke has been arrested on suspicion of having committed the deed. The State Board of Agriculture has is­ sued the following c-ropcbulletin: "A care­ ful compilation of the reports on winter wheat made to the Illinois Department of Agriculture May 1 reveals the fact that, with the exception of a few counties in the State, the condition of the crop has not improved since April 11. In the northern grand division of the State the May 1 condition of the crop is but 32 per cent of a seasonable average. In central Illinois 05 per cent of the area seeded last fall is reported killed, leaving 3(52,800 acres for harvest. In McDonough Coun­ ty the entire crop will be lost. The small­ est areas reported destroyed in this divis­ ion are in Greene and Clark counties, -where only 24 and 27 per cent was killed. It is now believed that over half (52 per cent) of a crop will be harvested on the area left. Summing up, it may be said that of the 2,020,700 acres seeded in Illi­ nois last fall 51 per cent was winter-killed or so badly injured that it will be plowed up, leaving 1,000,800 acres for harvest, and the May 1 eonditioa is 52 per cent of n seasonable average. The prospect for apples at this date is excellent, l)ut there will be no peaches, even the trees being killed in many instances. Blackberries will also be a shert crop, and raspberries and strawberries have been injured in many localities." Many farmers living in the vicinity of Cissna Park are purchasing farm lands in southern Illinois, with the intention of making their homes there in the near fu­ ture. In order to keep within the limits of funds the Oak Park School Board cut the salaries of all teachers 10 per cent. The reduction becomes effective next fall and applies to fifty-five teachers. Recently two children in Nashville lay upon a bed. Near them, on the floor, a dog was curled up. During a thunder storm lightning entered the house, killed the dog and the children were unharmed. Michael Just, a laborer employed at the Deering harvester works in Chicago, was struck by lightning during an electric storm and was instantly killed. Just was 56 years old. In accordance with a request contained in a letter from County Judge Rufus N. Potts of Taylorville* Gov. Tanner has di­ rected Capt. Couch, who is in commapd of the troops at Pana, to allow Sheriff Downey and his chief deputy and the city marshal and chief of police of Pana to carry arms within the city of Pana. Some days before that Sheriff Downey, whs went to Pana to serve writs, was disarm­ ed by the soldiers when he alighted from the train. FRtfe-TRADE ENGLAND FAVORITE SOIU To Abolish Protection in the United 8tatea as a Means of Throttling the Combines Would Be Fata! to American Industries. Under the caption, "The Growth of Monopoly in English Industry," H. W. Macrosty, in the "Contemporary Re­ view," furnishes some interesting in­ formation respecting trusts in Great Britain which deserves to be attentive­ ly studied by those misguided writers who assume that protection is respon­ sible for the movement in the direction of industrial combination so prevalent in this country at present. n Mr. Macrosty furnishes abradant evidence that the phenomena Ik tiot confined to protective countries, and shows that the movement is as far- reaching in free trade England as in the United States. Speaking of the growth of combinations in the United Kingdom he says: "Single amalgamations, while not entirely excluding competition, control the screw, cotton, thread, salt, alkali and India rubber tire industries. In other cases a formal agreement of masters fixes prices; thus, in the hol­ low ware trade (metal utensils) prices are arranged by an informal ring of a dozen Birmingham firms. Similarly there is no open market in antimony, nickel, mercury, lead pipes, fish sup­ ply and petroleum. Steel and iron rails are controlled by an Enllsh rail ring, which so manages matters that it is undersold by American, Belgian and German competitors. All the largest firms in the newspaper-making Indus- an impossible achievement in a free trade country, for the simple reason that the attempt to prohibit combina­ tion in a land with wide-open trade doors will prove destructive to domes­ tic industry.--San Francisco Chronicle. Yearning for the 8oun-Hou*e Policy. Two hundred day laborers of the Mount Vernon Manufacturing Com­ pany have received a 10 per cent, ad­ vance in wages. The works were closed down much of the time early in the nineties for want of orders, but now it has contracts for building 1,700 new cars, in addition t,o those upon which the men are at work. Business men, farmers and others In that vicin­ ity claim that local conditions are im­ proved by the expenditure of thou­ sands of dollars of wages monthly in the city, but others who earn nothing, build nothing, pay nothing and do noth­ ing but talk, and long for the return of the soup house policy party to pow­ er, are not happy at the outlook, and bear upon their forlorn visages the un­ spoken prayer of "give us calamity, or give us death."--Carml (111.) Times. >,T-y » j" i ;. € ' . . 4 " I Fit Punishment for Atkinson. Don't send Mr. Atkinson to jail. Don't accommodate him In that way. In this matter he isn't worth feeding at the public expense.--Washington Star. The American punishment for such public enemies is public contempt, an lasting as It is sincere, as earnest in spirit as it is humorously temperate in expression. No fine could be as heavy, no Imprisonment could be as enduring. --New York Commercial Advertiser. Edward Atkinson and his crowd are trying to hide behind the Senate docu ments as a defense for their treason­ able utterances. They imply that be­ cause certain things were read, or said, or permitted to go in the Record they A SPECTACLE FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY. SIMPLE METHODS? Which Will Reveal the Adulteration of Food Articles. Considering the prevalence of adul­ terations in different articles of daily consumption for food, it behooves the wise housekeeper to know a few sim­ ple tests to ascertain whether she is buying what she asks for and not a whole lot of substances that do hot be­ long to it at all. In most cases it would take a long and expensive chemical analysis to determine exactly what and how much adulteration there is in the 'article, but the following tests will gjfve a relative Idea of the pureness of the substance under suspicion: To test water for Its palatability put, say half a pint in a colorless glass-stoppered bottle, dissolve a small amount of cane sugar In it and allow it to stand in a moderately warm place for a week or ten days. If the water remains clear it is probably all right, but if it be­ comes turbid it Is unfit for drinking. To test tea for strength an infusion should be made. If the decoction is very highly colored the leaves have been tampered with. Prussian blue is often used to color tea with. When this is suspected add a solution of potash *o the tea and It will remove the color If Prussian olue is present. The color can be renewed by the addition of a little vinegar. The detection of the ad­ dition of chicory, caramel or some of the sweet roots to coffee is quite easy. Throw a few grains of the finely ground coffee on the surface of a glass- of clear water. If any of the adulter­ ants mentioned are present they will be rapidly surrounded with a circle of brownish colored water, which will soon diffuse through the whole liquid. Pure coffee under these circumstances will remain colorless for at least fifteen Qui CHICAGO --St. Paul Pioneer Press. try have just consolidated their in­ terests into one large combination. In the engineering trades twenty-four firms have a subscribed capital of £14,- 245,000. In 1897 Armstrong & Co. ab­ sorbed Whltworth & Co., raising their capital to £4,210,000 in the process. Vickers & Co., the armor plate manu­ facturers, are another exainnle of a very large amalgamation. In the spring of 1897 they bought up the Naval Construction and Armament Company, and later they acquired the Maxim-Nordenfeldt Guns and Ammu­ nition Co. Now they boast of being the only firm capable of turning out a battle ship complete in every respect. The most noteworthy examples of combination, however, are to be found in the Birmingham staple trade and in the textile industries." • This condensation is supplemented by extended details showing that slowly but surely the British organizer is bringing every possible plan of money making within the field of his operations, and that England is rap­ idly becoming the home of trusts. Here is his summing up: "We thus see in British industry a steady movement toward combination and monopoly, a movement which is the natural outcome of competition, and therefore not capable of being pre­ vented or undone by law." The keen critic will not fail to note that this admission is fatal to the as­ sumption that protection is responsi­ ble for the creation of trusts. If trusts are the natural outcome of competition, as Mr. Macrosty avers, then the evil cannot be attributed to a policy which has the effect of restraining the area of competition. We may add that this view, that competition is responsible for combinations, has found expression in the works of such distinguished free­ traders as J. Thorokl Rogers, and that it is only the "feather-weight" econ­ omists, fighting under the Gobden ban­ ner in this country, who have sought to fasten the responsibility for the evil on protection. Not only is protection not responsi­ ble for the trust evil, but it may be claimed that it offers tbe only remedy for its suppression. We venture to say that no protectionist will assent to the proposition that combination is "not capable of being prevented or un­ done by law," but it is natural enough for a free-trader to assume that the- evil is irremediable, except by a resort to socialism, as Mr. Macrosty does in his concluding sentence, in which he says: "Nevertheless, with the weapon of state control in hand, combination may be welcomed, and if control proves insufficient, state purchase and public administration remain behind." Protectionists, accustomed as they are to the idea of regulation, will not hesitate to resort to the most drastic measures if they find it necessary to do so in order to stamp out the evil. By carefully limiting the area of com­ petition to their own country the statesmen of a protective nation can control trusts, but that will be found are all right. That is begging the ques­ tion. Some of the rankest treason ever heard in this country has been uttered on the floor of Congress. That was so in 1860-'01 as well as In 1898-'99.-- Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Should it eventually be found neces­ sary to admonish Mr. Edward Atkln- OAn no +A Uln 4-̂ -r. Vti« » „ -- v some form of punishment, It might be advisable to .string him up by the thumbs with his toes just touching the floor while relays of talking machines grind out to him renditions of all his statistical essays and economical trea­ tises. Thus would a long-suffering reading public be avenged for the mill- Ions of words and figures with which this prolific compiler has deluged the presses during the last forty years.-- Washington Star. Brief Comment. Col. Bryan's idea that "an idea once turned loose In the world can never again be chained" is quite an Idea. The last New York spread might have been appropriately labeled: "The man who is working the workingmen's dinner." The attempt to make President Mc- Ivinley appear as a usurper and dic­ tator and as a sort of modern Caesar will probably not succeed. Most of the anti-expansion writers have lost temper and are tearing pas­ sion to tatters. This frequently hap­ pens under disappointment and a growing sense of being in the wrong. There have been traitors in all wars, says a contemporary. They have never yet prevented the rightful settlement of an American war, though they are more of a nuisance than if they fought their country openly. Admiral Dewey says that the govern­ ment yf Aguinaldo is a "severe mili- tai*y despotism." It takes a man's head off when he does not come to time. Who knows better, the profes­ sors in Mr. Rockefeller's college, in Chicago or Admiral Dewey in the Philippines? Too Good-a Thing to Drop. ' John Bull--Now that we're getting to be such warm friends, isn't It about time to drop that foolish tariff of yours! Uncle Sam--Thanks, Johnnie, for your assurances of friendship, but that foolish tariff has proved too good a thing to drop. Why don't you try It yourself? There's millions in itl EDWARD ATKntSON. Meted Economist Who Baa Come lata Conflict with the Governipent* Edward Atkinson, the celebrated Bos­ ton economist who by his anti-imperial propaganda has come into conflict with the Federal Government, has for years been famous as a writer oh economic top­ ics. He is a native of Brookline, Mass., is 72 years old and lives in Boston. Mr. Atkinson is vice-president of the Anti- Imperialist League and is really at the head of the objectors to the administra­ tion's Philippine policy. He has preached the anti-expansion policy and has sent circulars to the soldiers in the Philippines. Mr. Atkinson, in his pamphlet, urges "the EDWARD ATKINSON. youth of tbe land to avoid disease in the tropics by refusing to enlist or vojynteer in the army or navy of the United States," and goes on to say that "the way will be •found for the volunteers, now held against their will, to get their release from unlawful service." . ... . These circulars have been pronounced minutes. Solid matter in sugar can be | seditious and traitorous bv President Mc- detected by simply dissolving some of it In clear water and allowing it to stand, when the solid Impurities will settle down to the bottom. In buying canned goods press up the bottom o| the can. I{ Itrattlcs like a piece of tin, deeompbsTUoiTm^^ebegTimmg inside. If, on the contrary, It is firm and solid the contents of the can are all right Vinegar can be tested for the presence of oil of vitriol by adding a few drops of a solution of chloride of barium, which will deposit a white sediment on standing. If a few drops of a solution of lunar caustic gives a white precipitate when added to the vinegar it contains hydrochloric acid. Pickles are often boiled in copper ket­ tles to give them a green color, which Is poisonous. Hold a bright needle in the vinegar from the pickles, and if they have been so treated copper will deposit on the surface of the needle. Table salt always contains a certain percentage of magnesium chloride. Too much of this causes the salt to become sticky In damp weather and gives It a bitter taste. Add finely ground starch to overcome this. Yeast that has a blue appearance should be rejected, as it is commencing to decay. Good bak­ ing powder is soluble In eighteen times its own weight of water. If there is much residue left over after this the powder has been adulterated with gypsum. Add a little lye to the solu­ tion of the baking powder and heat it to boiling. If there is ammonia pres­ ent it can be detected by the smell in the steam. To test it for alum add to the baking powder solution a little de­ coction of logwood and then some vine­ gar. If there is alum present It will turn yellowish, or if there Is very much alum it will become a purplish-blue hue. MME, PATTI Sans to One Little Girl While Thon- sands Waited. Mine. Patti, the world's greatest singer, used to come to America often, v.:tl'1 it during a, short stay in this country that she once gave a concert to a delighted audience of one, and that one was a litle girl of 12. In her room at the hotel one day the great prima donna was distressed to hear a child crying somewhere near. As the pitiful sobbing increased the gentle singer's tender heart was touched, and she went In search of the sufferer and finally found her curled up on a couch with her face in a pillow weeping bit­ terly. "What Is'the matter, my little one?" she asked, kindly. "Oh, sobbed tbe little girl, "my mam­ ma had two tickets for a concert this afternoon and she promised to take me to hear Patti sing, but a friend of hers came to visit us, so she has taken her and I had to stay at home, when I do so love music!" and the sobs broke out afresh. "Well," said Mme. Patti, touching the flushed face with her cool hand, "you have cried till no doubt your head aches sadly; now if you will try to go to sleep and forgot all your trou­ bles I will sing to you. I can sing a little,' she added with a merry smile, seating herself at the piano. Then for an hour such a flood of entrancing mel­ ody poured forth as the walls of that little room had never echoed to before and never would again, while an as­ tonished child listened enraptured, and an impatient audience waited and won­ dered why their sweet singer did not come. It was not until the next day, when, a box of bon bons arrived for the little girl, who never regretted the concert her mamma had failed to take her to, that the identity of the guest who had comforted her so sweetly became known through a tiny card tucked away among the chocolate creams that bore this legend: "With love from Adolina Patti to the little girl she sang to sleep yesterday." Kinley and his cabinet, who say the pur­ pose., of the anti-imperialists is to incite mutiny among the soldiers, thus interfer­ ing with the Government's work, and to foment insurrection among the Filipinos. The circulars were seized at San Fran­ cisco by order of the Postmaster General. SPRING PLOWING VERY LATE% Result of Returns Furnished to the Department of Agriculture. The May returns to the statistician oi the Department of Agriculture show the acreage in winter wheat in cultivation on May 1 to have been about 23,900,000 acres. This is about 4,000,000 acres less than the area estimated to have been sown last fall, but it still slightly exceeds the area of winter wheat harvested last year. The reduction in acreage in the principal States, as compared with the area seeded last fall, is as follows: Kansas, 808,000: Illinois, 701,000; In­ diana, 394,000; Missouri, 345,000; Texas, 227,000; Ohio, 149,000; Nebraska, 144,- 000; Michigan, 128,000; Wisconsin, 120,- 000; Tennessee, 105,000. The condition in the principal States, after reducing the acreage as indicated, is as follows: Pennsylvania, 8(5; Maryland, 83; Vir­ ginia, 78; Texas, 07; Tennessee, 78; Ken­ tucky, 70; Ohio, 82; Michigan, GO; In­ diana, OS; Illinois, 54; Missouri, 05; Kan­ sas, 04; California, 90; Oklahoma. 80. Spring plowing is unusually late in al­ most every part of the country. The work already done is estimated at 57.2 per cent of the total contemplated. The propor tion usually done by May 1 is about 75 per cent of the whole. TOTAL 18 •674,881,02a Ottcial Beport on Appropriations " the Fifty-fifth Congress. The appropriations made by the tklrd ~ Session of the Fifty-fifth Congress amount*, to $074,981,022, according to the vodumav relating to appropriations, new offices, etc., completed by Thomas P. Cleaves and^'i James C. Courts, chief clerks of the Sea-rj ate and House Committees on Appropria>|| tions. The appropriations were as fol­ lows: Agricultural *3,726,022 Army 80,430,204 Diplomatic 1,714,534 District of Columbia *834£Mgi Fortifications 4,900,908^ Indian T^04,7W Legislative 28,110,841 Military academy 675,774; Naval 48,090,970) Pension 14fiv233,83» routoffice 106,634,139 River and harbor 16,091,842 Sundry civil 49,385,931 Deficiency appropriations 25,006,913, ^ Miscellaneous appropriations, in- >" • ' eluding $20,000,000 to carry oat i treaty obligations with Spain.. 28,744,590 Permanent appropriations 128,678,220 Grand total.... ....$674,981,023^ In addition to the specific appropria-4 tions contracts were authorized for crease of the naval establishment and for various public works throughout the country requiring future appropriations by Congress in the aggregate sum ot : ?77,047,274, including the following itemst Three new battle ships, three armored cruisers and six ©to. ; > tected cruisers, to eost, includ- < Ins armor and armaments $44,104,000 River and harbor Improvements.. 23,866,324 ' Public buildings In various States, Including a new government printing office in Washington... 8,163,450 * At an annual cost of $12,150,867 nenf« ^ offices and employments to the number of 4»),669 are ordered, while those abolished .* or omitted amount to 852, at an annual, expense of $843,371, thus making a nek increase of $11,307,496. Of this increas*, 38,315 are for the military establishment under the act increasing the efficiency of the army, and 9,572 are for the naval es« tablishment. / A comparison of the total appropriation#^ of the third session of the Fifty-fiftl| Congress for 1900 of $674,981,022 wit%| those of the second session for 1889 oit $893,231,615 shows a reduction in favof ! of the third session of $218,250,593. •iirm PRIZE MONEY FOR DEWEY'S MEN v A JCONFERENCE ON TRUSTS. Four Days' Session to Be Held in Chi caso This Summer. A national conference on trusts and combinations will be held in Chicago dur iug the coming summer. The Civic Fed­ eration of the city has been fostering the scheme for some time. The plan is to gather together a body of men from all sections of the country who will reflect the views of labor, commerce, political economy, law, trade, and in fact of all the varied industrial, educatioual and profes­ sional elements on the latest and greatest of national questions. The intention is to hold a four days' conference, one day being devoted to rail­ road combinations, one to labor organiza­ tions, one to industrial combinations and one to remedies aud to methods of proced­ ure. One of the most important questions to be discussed will be that involving the jurisdiction of the various States and the Federal Government in the disposition ol this issue. The courts have held both ways, and if light is needed on any point the investigators of the trust say it is this one. For this reason the Governors and Attorneys General of all the States .will be asked to be present to give their views. Leading corporation lawyers and profes­ sors of political economy are also ex­ pected. . WIND AND WATER RAGE. Time, Two Minutes. "Miss Daisy, you are writing to that little brother of yours who is visiting out West, aren't you?" . "Yes. He's a dear little fellow. I miss him so much." "He is, Indeed. Have you sealed the letter yet, Miss Daisy?" "Not yet." "Add a postscript, If you please, and tell him I want to know how he would like me for a big brother." (Demurely) "Mr. Spoonamore, it will be at least two weeks before you get an answer--if you ask him." (And the matter was settled in about two minutes.)--Chicago Tribune. A man Isn't as proud of his children as°his wife thinks he should be unless he wants to wake them up to show to «ompany, and she is mad if he does. Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska Towns Seriously Damased. Tornadoes swept the Kansas towns ol Coldwater, Lexington and Ashland Tues­ day night. In-Coldwater a dozen houses were wrecked. Joseph Bowers was kill­ ed and a half dozen persons were injured. Aldrich's general store was wrecked, brick block on Maiu street blown down. The Presbyterian Church was blown away and tbe court house was unroofed. A terrible windstorm in Ellis County picked up a stretch of wire fence a quarter of a mile long, carried it three niiies and wrapped it securely around the steeple of the Mun- gor Catholic Church. A great amount of rain, amounting al­ most to a deluge, fell Tuesday night in northwestern Nebraska, from which no fatalities have resulted so far as can be heard, but which has destroyed a consid­ erable amount of property, especially on lowland farms, the Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis and Omaha and the Pacific Short Line railways being also large los­ ers. The town of Homer was the prin­ cipal sufferer. At Winnebago agency the storm was accompanied by enormous hail. At Colburn Junction the wind was cyclon­ ic. A strip of seventy feet of track be­ tween the Junction and Pender was torn from the right of way. Participants Tri Victory Entitled t<* S180 000 or $360,000 Bounty. The Navy Department has transmitted to the court of claims a report of Admiral Dewey, in which he contends that tht Spanish fleet, destroyed by the Americait squadron in Manila bay on May 1, was ia^fl combination with the shore batteries, su­ perior to the American naval forces. Wit&f. the report of Admiral Dewey was sent thf! list of the claims for bounty by officers an<& men who participated in the actions of Manila bay, Manzanillo and Nipe bay.' Among the papers inclosed are those relate* , ing to the cruiser Raleigh's part in thfc Manila bay victory, with a list of offlcerf j and men of that vessel entitled to bounty# The report from Admiral Dewey is thfc most important communication in regarf to the bounty claims crowing out of th# " war with Spain. Upon the view taken bfi the court of claims of Admiral Dewey% contention will depend the amount oi money to be paid to Dewey and the offlceri and men of his May day squadron for de^ stroying the Spanish ships. Under th# law on the subject the Government is re­ quired to pay $100 for each officer anft man on an enemy's ship destroyed by aS American vessel when the American navzd force is superior to the enemy. If, as A<$* miral Dewey holds in this case, the eno* my's force was the superior, the bounty^ must be $200 for each officer and man oft the enemy's ships. There were about 1,800 men in the crews of the Spanish vessel)!; at Manila, and the court of claims must decide whether $180,000 or $360,000 shall be divided among the American crews. PERMIT FOR CANAL* Conditions Are Named Upon Whick Channel May Be Opened. Secretary Alger's visit to the Chicaff ' drainage canal resulted in the issuing ot" a permit for the opening of the big ditcH as soon as-the work has progressed suflfcr ciently to make that possible. The sanw > itary district of Chicago is permitted tC « open the channel subject to three condi* •• tions: • 3 First, leaving it distinctly understood* that the Secretary of War will submit, certain questions that have been raised to Congress, and that the permit is sub£ ject to such action as may be taken bj^v'v Congress. Second, that if at any time it appear^, that the current created by such drainag^ work in the south and main branches o# > the Chicago river are unreasonably ob­ structive to navigation or injurious tqjf '• property, the Secretary of War reserve* the right to close or modify the discharge ^ through the channel. 1 ^Third, that the sanitary district of Chi-*-, cago must assume all responsibility fo$ damages to property and navigation intern ests by reason of the introduction of at current in the Chicago river. m'" 6parks from the- W ires. Severe tidal waves reported from the Caroline Islands. Julius J. G. Lay of Washington, D. C., has been appointed consul general at Bar­ celona, Spain,* Fortunato Jlofeiffd and Pasquale Yaure, Italians, wefe killed by a train at Wingo- hocking, Pa. Second lieutenants have been appointed for each organization of volunteers serv­ ing in the Philippines. James Harvey, Elkhorn, W.'Va., struck James P. McClure behind the ear with a rock, killing him instantly. Body of an unknown man, about 30, was found in an opium joiut, Chicago. Be­ lieved he was poisoned by a woman. Final figures of the recent parliamentary election, Madrid, show that the Govern­ ment has a majority of 40 in the senate. Sadie Turnie, 13, New York, was struck by lightning and will probably die. Her umbrella acted as a conductor for the lightning. What State will have the first torn called Funstonia? The fruit raisers would like to know what the cold waves are saying. Unlike most aspirants, Agnmaldo did his running after he got the officel1'• The Twentieth Kansas regiment is first in swim, first in push and first in pulL Luna has ho ships, but he appears to be making a large number of fleet move­ ments. It is surprising that AguinaldoV forces succeeded in escaping a stuffy death in the Bag-bag river. The operation of the new bankruptcy law is having the effect *of showing how much some people owe, at any rate. All previous records of heroic self-sac­ rifice are cast in the shade since Wiscon­ sin solons enacted an anti-pass law. An exchange says Aguinaldo wants to catch his breath. If his breath is ahead of him it must be a swift institution. "Throne Makers" is the title of a new book by William Roseoe Thayer. Per­ haps a copy should be sent Admiral Kauta. The Dreyfus csm is said to be nearing Jthe end. It will be surprising to observ­ ers if it closes during the life of Dreyfus. The capture of Aguinaldomight be hast­ ened materially by setti^r the United States secret service department after , him. | "Straw hats are shy," says the Pitts­ burg Telegraph. The summer girl, though, , is not thought to be more bashful than of yore. - The Samoan Islands are beautiful and fertile spots in the. Pacific ocean, the pria- cipal product of their luxuriant soil being trouble. Modern hygienic ideas sometimes get : far-fetched corroborations. Aguisahlc, It -- is believed, has gone to tbe mountains fat ^ heklth-j :