Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1911 — GENERAL NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL NEWS

That the conclusions of the socalled Townsend report are based upon clearly erroneous statements of wellknown facts is the opening assertion In a reply by Edgar A. Bancroft of Chicago, counsel for the International Harvest Ar cmnpa,ny filed with the house “steel trust” investigating committee in answer to charges made by Burdette D. Townsend, 1 special agent of the department of justice in 1908. As to the charges that the International received rebates from railroads and special concessions from the United States Steel corporation, the reply declare that the harvester company’s “relation to the United States Steel corporation is not different from its relations with the competitors of the steel corporation,” and that during the past seven years It has bought from the steel corporation “ten per cent of its total needs while it has purchased 30 per cent from competitors, of the United States Steel.” At Evansville, Ind., Tuesday seventyfive rural mail carriers of the First Congressional district met and reelected the old officers with George Hearing of Petersburg as president, and decided to ask the state convention to meet in Evansville next year. The convention this year will be held at Greensburg on Labor day. Resolutions favoring better road laws in Indiana and asking the government to put rural carriers on a scale of wages graduated by length of service, with the privilege of transfer to coordinate branches of the postal service, were adopted.

London’s strike seems to Lave been settled too quickly. The men looked for a long struggle and the settlement evidently took them by surprise. The ]»ort authority remains flrm against the payment of wages for meal time and insists on a strict adherence to the agreement signed by the strikers’ representatives July 27. Theauthority also refuses to make any concessions in. the demands of the union men that they be not required te work with non-union men. Michigan’s mortality report issued by Secretary of State Martindale shows that 3,141 deaths occurred In Michigan during July, which correspond* to the annual death rate of 13.0 per 1,000 estimated population. Tuberculosis caused the death of 205; enteritis and diarrhea to children under twoyears of age, 232; cancer, 171, and violence, 312. There was also reported 67 deaths from drowning, nine from sunstroke and six from tetanus.

Arthur J. Williams, foreman of the foundry section of the government printing office, is to-be given a gold medal by Vice President Sherman. The medal has been awarded to Mr. Williams by the public printer for a. hygienic invention which will greatly reduce the danger from graphite dust and tend in the future to improve the health es electrotypers and printers. It will also insure cleaner working conditions. At Columbus, Ind., Mr. Benjamin F. Repp, seventy-eight years old, has filed suit in the Bartholomew circuit court for S4OO damages against the Indianapolis, Columbus & Southern Traction company, alleging that when a few weeks ago he was robbed of S2OO by pickpockets on one of the company's cars in this city, that the conductor refused to assist him to recover his money. The senate passed the Cummins bill terminating the existence of the national monetary commission after the bill had been amended to close the affairs of the commission on Jan. 8, instead of the first week in December. The ameg4|pent was offered by Senator Heyburn and was adopted by a. vote of 32 to 30.

Members of congress who claim to be in possession of knowledge that the president will veto the statehood bill, instead of permitting it to become a law without his signature, are expecting from the White House one of, the most vigorous state documents the president has ever penned. The next diplomatic service entrance examination will be held in Washington, beginning Dec. 4. This will be followed next spring by consular examinations. Examinations also will be held at the latter time to obtain a list of eligibles for appointment to the consular assistant and student interpreter corps. Great Britain win now commence a new era in its history, the house of lords having passed the bill curbing its own power, by a vote of 131 to 114. There is great joy in the liberal ranks over the victory. By the passing of the veto bill the creation of new peers is avoided. A general railway strike throughout the United Kingdom has been called. This will affect both the passenger and traffic service and will involve 360,000 workmen. The railways hwy* been given twenty-four hours’ time to meet representatives of the workingmen. At Louisville Tuesday , William A. Hardy, a laborer, was stricken blind as he walked the streets He grouped* about aimlessly for a time until he realized his plight, then prevailed or children t< lead him so a policeman, who saw that Hardy was taken to his home. The wool bill, as reported by the conference committe of the two houses andl which was adopted by the house, was reported to the senate but Senator La Follette asked that it go over. The cotton bill was laid before the senate and Senator Cummins ‘ad’dressed, the senate at length in support <jf his amendments to the bill revising the metal schedule.