Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1911 — GENERAL NEWS. [ARTICLE]

GENERAL NEWS.

Secretary of State Knox in an address before the Chicago Association of Commerce at the La Salle hotel, advanced arguments in support of the proposed reciprocity agreement with Canada, protrayed the rise of condfi tions which, we said, made such a pact Inevitable, and pointed out advantages to be derived by both countries through a lowering of the tariff barrier. Enactment of trade treaty with Canada bad a second champion in James J. Hill, chairman of the board of directors of the Great Northern railway, who asserted the entire northwest must support the treaty and that there should not be a voice in the country or a vote in congress to oppose^

Before his case goes to a vote, which is expected this week, Senator Lorimer plans to speak in his own behalf. This address from the “accused” will be the feature of the investigation, his friends say, and in it he will not only flatly deny the charges, it is declared, but he will bring in a new line of evidence to prove his election untainted. Senator LorimeV is said to be working on his speech and is preparing to make it the event of Lis political l:*e. He has conferred with his friends and allies in the senate and may hit some of his traducers hard, it is said.

President Taft and Champ Clark, of Missouri, surprised the delegates to the Pan-American commercial conference by announcing that they favor reciprocity not only with Canada, but with South and Central America and in fact, the entire world. In this connection it was learned that informal discussions are already taking place between representatives of the state department and the Mexp an ambassador with a view to opening the way to reciprocity negotiations with that country.

A bill to b& presented to the New Hampshire stay legislature this year provides a fine of $lO “for each and every offense of unlawfully breaking in on a telephone conversation or taking down a receiver and listening to a conversation between others on the party line.” The bill has been prepared by Representative Herman A. Clark at the request of telephone subscribers in the rural districts, where four or five party telephones are numerous.

President Taft is cheered by many on his way back to Washing n, reached Pittsburg, cheered by many telegrams of. congratulations on the manner in which he conducted his brief campaign in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois for reciprocity with Canada. In spite of the information that Speaker Cannon is opposed to the agreement, the president is more optimistic than ever over the prospect for passage of reciprocity legislation at this session of congress. Senator Rcot’s speech against the election of senators by direct vote was characterized from the floor as one of the most impressive speech ever delivered in that body. For more than two hours *the senator from New York held the attention of every member and the 'Crowded galleries while he pictured the effect of the adoption of the proposed constitutional amendment upon the institutions of the country and the senate itself. The new commerce court formally organized in Washington and then adjourned until Feb. 18. Before adjournment, Presiding Judge Knapp announced these special appointments: Clerk, George F. Schneider, at present clerk of the interstate commission of the senate, of which the late Senator Elkins was chairman; marshal, Fred J. Starek, of Cleveland, O. The clerk and marshal are to receive salaries of $4,000 a year each. In New York city Mrs. Roberta G. Hill, divorced wife of Captain James Hill, one time of the English army, was sent to jail for three days and and fined $2,000 by Judge Martin of the United States circuit court. She had pleaded guilty to a charge of smuggling into New York a sable coat and jewelry, the aggregate value of which is about SB,OOO. At Marietta, Ohio, Edward A. Epler, former auditor of the Marietta, Columbus and Cleveland railroad, who is charged with embezzling $5,000 of the funds of the railroad, escaped from the county jail, George Bayless, arrested on a charge of burglary, escaped with him.

In the executive session of the senate at Washington the nomination of ex-Representative Duncan McKinley to be surveyor of customs for the District of • San Francisco and James Britt, of North Carolina, to be third assistant postmaster general, were confirmed, t Daniel W. Field, a breeder of Brockton, Mass., has just announced ihere the sale of his 7-weeks’-old Royal Purple bull calf, Aggie Cornucbpia, Sir Colantha, to W. H. Minor, of Chicago, the purchase price being SIO,OOO, the highest amount it is said ever paid for a young bull.

Danger io the public interest from the ever-tightening grip of a lumber monopoly is strongly set forth In a report by Herbert Knox Smith, commissioner of corporations, which was sent to Congress by President Taft. The report is sensational and startling. ’ Whirled around a shaft at St. Louis, Martin C- Kuehntrt, twenty-nine years old, was beaten to death by his body striking ap oak beam four feet above the revolving shafting. The accident occurred at the plant of a foundry company. The Democrats of the Indiana general assembly met in caucus and considered the proposition of submitting a new constitution to the' people of, the state. (:■, '• >-• ■ ' f . - ;