Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1904 — Page 3

PRESIDENT SOUNDS THE KEYNOTE

In Address of Acceptance Mr. Roosevelt Recites Party Achievements and Ridicules Position Taken by Democrats on Tariff and Money.

Oyster Bay, N. July 27.—1 n his address responding to Speaker Cannon, head of the notification committee, and accepting the Republican nomination tor the presidency, Mr. Roosevelt said: “Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Notification Committee: I,am deeply sensible of the high honor conferred upon me by the representatives of the Republican party assembled in convention, and I accept the nomination for the presidency with solemn realization of the obligations I assume. I heartily approve the declaration of principles which "the Republican national convention has adopted, and at some future day I shall communicate to you, Mr. Chairman, more at length and in detail a formal written acceptance of the feeanination. “Three years ago I became President because of the death of my lamented predecessor. I then stated that it was my purpose to carry out his principles and policies for the honor and the interest of the country. To the best of my ability I have kept the promise thus made. If next November my countrymen confirm at the polls the. action of the convention you represent, I shall, under Providence, continue to work with an eye single to the welfare of all our people. Co-Operatlon Is Necessary. “A party Is of worth only in so far as it promotes the national interest, and svery official, high or low, can serve his party best byj-eudering to the people the best service of which he is capable. Effective government comes only as the result of the loyal co-operation of many different persons. The members of a legislative majority, the officers in the various departments of the administration and the legislative and executive branches as toward each other, must work together with subordination of self to the common end of successful government. We who have been intrusted with power as public servants during the last seven years of administration and legislation now come before the people contoat to be judged by our record of achievement. In the years that have gone by we have made the deed squarewith the word, and if we are continued In power we shall unswervingly follow out the great lines of public policy which the Republican party has already laid down; a public policy to which we are giving, and shall give, a united and therefore an efficient support. Division Among Democrats. “In all of this we are more fortunate than our opponents, who now appeal for confidence on the ground, which some express and some seek to have confidentially understood, that if triumphant they may be trusted to prove false to every principle which in the last eight years they have laid down as vital, and to leave undisturbed those very acts of the administration because of which they ask that the administration itself be driven from power. Seemingly their present attitude as to their past record is that some of them were mistaken and others insincere. We make our appeal in a wholly different spirit. We are not constrained to keep silent on any vital question; we are divided on no, vital question; our policy is continuous and is the same for all sections and localities. There is nothing experimenetal about the government we ask the people to continue in power,

(or our performance in the past, our proved governmental efficiency, is a guaranty as to our promises for the future. “Our opponents, either openly or secretly, according to their several temperaments, now ask the people to trust their present promises in consideration of the fact that they intend to treat their past promises as null and void. We know our own minds, and we have kept of the same mind for a sufficient length of time to give to our policy coherence and sanity. In such a fundamental matter as the enforcement of the law we do not have to depend upon promises, but merely to ask that our record be taken as an earnest of what we shall continue to do. Laws on Trusts Unforced. "In dealing with the great organizations known as trusts we do not have to explain why the laws were not enforced, but to point out that they actually have been enforced and that legislation has been enacted to increase the effectiveness of their enforcement. Wo do not have to propose to ‘turn the rascals out,’ for we have Shown in very deed that whenever by diligent investigation a public official can be found who has betrayed his trust he will be punished to the full extent of the law without regard to whether he was appointed under a Republican or a Democratic administration. This is the efficient way to turn the rascals out and to keep them out, and it has the merit of sincerity. Moreover, the betrayals of trust in the last seven years have been insignificant In number when compared with the extent of the public service. Never has the administration of the government been on a cleaner and higher level; never has the public work of the nation been done more honestly and efficiently. “AasA'edly it is unwise to change the policies which have worked so well and which are now working so well. Prosperity has corns at home. The national honor and Interest have been upheld abroad. We have placed the finances of the nation upon a sound gold basis. We have done this with the aid of many who were formerly our opponents, but who would neither openly support nor silently acquiesce in the heresy of unsound finance; and we hav* done it against the convinced and violent opposition of the mass of our present opponents, who still refuse to recant the unsound opinions which for the moment they think it inexpedient to assert • Committed on Currency. “We know what we mean whan wa speak of an honest and stable currency. We mean the same thing from year to Year. We do not have to avoid a definite sad conclusive committal on the moat important issue which has recently been before the people and which may at any time in the near future be before them again. Upon tha principles which underlie this Issue the convictions of half of our number do not clash with those of the other half. So long as the BepnbUcan party is In paws* *# gsM standard

is settled, not as a matter of temporary political expediency, not because of shifting conditions in the production of gold in certain mining centers, but in accordance with wfhat we regard as the fundamental principles of national morality and wisdom. “Under the financial legislation which we have enacted there is now ample circulation for every business need, and every dollar of this circulation is worth a dollar in gold. We have reduced the in-terest-bearing debt and in still larger measure the interest on that debt. All of the war taxes imposed during the Spanish war have been removed with a view to relieve the people and to prevent the accumulation of an unnecessary surplus. The result is that hardly ever before have the expenditures and income of the government so closely corresponded. In the fiscal year that haa just closed the excess of income over the ordinary expenditures was nine millions of dollars. This does not take account of the $50,000,000 expended out of the accumulated surplus for the purchase of the isthmian canal. It is an extraordinary proof of the sound financial condition of the nation that instead of following the usual course in such matters and throwing the burden upon posterity by an issue of bonds, we were able to make the payment outright and yet after it to have in the treasury, a surplus of $160,000,000. Moreover, we were able to pay this $50,000,000 out of hand without causing the slightest disturbance to business conditions. Tariff and Wages. “We have enacted a tariff law under which during the last few years the country has attained a height of material well-being never before reached. Wages are higher than ever before. That whenever the need arises there should be a readjustment of the tariff schedules is undoubted, but such changes can with safety be made only by those whose devotion to the principle of a protective tariff is beyond question, for otherwise the changes would amount not to readjustment, but to repeal. The readjustment -whenmade must maintain and not destroylhe protective principle. To the farmer, the merchant, the manufacturer, this is vital; but perhaps no other man is so much interested as the wage worker in the maintenance of our present economic system, both as regards the finances and the tariff. The standard of living of our wage workers is higher than that of any other country, and it cannot so remain unless we have a protective tariff which shall always keep at a minimum a rate of duty sufficient to cover the difference between the labor cost here and abroad.

“Those who, like our opponents, ‘denounce protection as a robbery,’ thereby explicitly commit themselves to the proposition that if they were to revise the tariff no heed would be paid to the necessity of meeting this difference between the standards of living for wage workers here and in other countries; and therefore on this point their antagonism to our position is fundamental. Here again we ask that their promises and ours be judged by what has been done in the immediate past. We ask that sober and sensible men compare the workings of the present tariff law, and the conditions which obtain under it, with the workings of the preceding tariff law of 1894 and the conditions which that tariff of 1894 helped to bring about. Believe in Reciprocity. “We believe in reciprocity with foreign nations on the terms outlined in President McKinley’s last speech, which urged the extension of our foreign markets by reciprocal agreements whenever they could be made without injury to American industry and labor. It is a singular fact that the only great reciprocity treaty recently adopted—that with Cuba —was finally opposed almost alone by the represehtatlves of the very party which now states that it favors reciprocity. “And here again we ask that the worth of our words be judged by comparing their deeds with ours. On this Cuban reciprocity treaty there were at the outset grave differences of opinion among ourselves, and the notable thing in the negotiation and ratification of the treaty, and in the legislation which carried it into effect, was the highly practical manner in which without sacrifice of principle these differences of opinion were reconciled. There was no rupture of a great party, but an excellent practical outcome, the result of the harmonious co-operation of two successive Presidents and two successive Congresses. This is an illustration of the governing capacity which entitles us to the confidenco of tin people not only in our purposes but is our practical ability to achieve thos* purposes. Judging by the history of th% last twelve years, down to this very month, is there justification for believing that under similar circumstances au< with similar lultial differences of our opponents would have achieved auj practical result? “We have already shown in actual fact (h*t our policy la to do fair an«l equal justice to all men. paying no heed to whether a man is pcli or poor; paying no heed to hia race, his creed or his birthplace. Labor and Capital Unions. “We recognize the organization of capital and the organization of labor aa natural outcomes of our Industrial system. Each kind of organization ia to be favored so long ns it acts in a spirit ot justice and of regard for the rights of others. Each ia to be granted the full protection of the law and each in turn is to be held to a strict obedience to tba law; for no man la above it and no man below it. The humblest individual ia to have hi* rights safeguarded aa scrupulously as those of tha strongest organisation, for each is to receive justice, no more and no less. Tha problems with which we have to deal in oar modern industrial and social Ilfs are manifold, bat tho spirit in which it is necessary to approach (hair solution Is simply tha spirit of honesty, of courage and of common sense. “In inaugurating tha great work of Irrigation in the West the administration has been enabled by Congress to take own

f - f of the longest strides ever taken under our government toward utilising oar vast national domain for the settler, the actual homemaker. J “Ever since this continent was discovered the need of an isthmian canal to connect the Pacific and the Atlantic has been recognized, and ever since the birth of our nation such a canal has been planned. At last the dream has become a reality. The isthmian canal is now being built by the government of the United States. We conducted the negotiation for its construction with the nicest and most scrupulous honor, and in a spirit of the largest generosity toward those through whose territory it was to run. Every sinister effort which could be devised by the spirit of faction or the spirit of self-interest was made in order to defeat the treaty with Panama and thereby prevent the consummation of this work. The construction of the canal is now an assured fact; but most certainly it is unwise to intrust the carrying out of so momentous a policy to those who have endeavored to defeat the whole undertaking. Foreign Relations Peaceful. “Our foreign policy has been so conducted that, while not one of our just claims has been sacrificed, our relations with all foreign nations are now of the most peaceful kind; there is not a cloud on the horizon. The last cause of irritation between us and any other nation was removed by the settlement of the Alaskan boundary. “In the Caribbean Sea we have made good our promises of independence to Cuba and have proved our assertion that our mission in the island was one of justice and not of self-aggrandizement; and thereby, no less than by our action in Venezuela and Panama, we have shown that the Monroe doctrine is a living reality, designed for the hurt of no nation, but for the protection of civilization on the western continent and for the peace of the world. Our steady growth in power has gone hand in hand with a strengthening disposition to nse this power with strict regard for the rights of others and for the cause of international justice and good will. “We earnestly desire friendship with all the nations of the new and old worlds, and we endeavor to place our relations with them upon a basis of reciprocal advantage instead of hostility. We hold that the prosperity of each nation is an aid and not a hindrance to the prosperity of other nations. We seek international amity for the same reasons that make, us believe in peace within our own borders, and we seek this peace not because we are afraid or unready, but because we think that peace is right as well as advantageous. “American interests in the Pacific have grown rapidly. American enterprise lias laid a cable across this, the greatest of oceans. We have proved in effective fashion that we wish the Chinese Empire well and desire its integrity and independence. In Interest of Filipinos. “Our foothold in the Philippines greatIr strengthens our position in the competition for the trade of the East, but we are governiug the Philippines in the interest of the Philippine people themssjves. We have already given them a la.’ge share in their government, and purpose is to increase this share at rapidly as they give evidence of Increasing fitness for the task. The great majority of the officials of the islands, whether elective or appointive, are already native Filipinos. We are now providing for a legislative assembly. This is the first step to be taken in the future, aqd it would be eminently unwise to declare what our next step will be until this first step has been taken and. the results are manifest. To have gone faster than we have already gone in giving the islanders a constantly increasing measure of self-government would have been disastrous. At the present moment to give political Independence to the islands would result in the immediate loss of civil rights, personal liberty and public order, as regards the mass of the Filipinos, for the majority of the Islanders have been given these great boons by us, and keep them only because we vigilantly safeguard and guarantee them. To withdraw our government from the Islands at tliis time would mean to the average native the loss of his barely won civil freedom. We have established In Jhe islands a government by Americans, assisted by Filipinos. We are steadily striving to transform this into self-gov-ernment by the Filipinos, assisted by Americans. “The principles which we uphold should appeal to all our countrymen, in all parts of our country. Above all, they Should give us strength with the men ,and women who are the spiritual heirs of those who upheld the hands of Abraham Lincoln, for we are striving to do our work in the spirit with which Lincoln approached Ills. During the seven years that have just passed there is no duty, domestic or foreign, which we. have , shirked, and no necessary task which we have feared to undertake or which we have not performed with reasonable efficiency. We have never pleaded impotence. We have never sought refuge in criticism and complaint instead of action. We face the future with our past and our present as guarantors of our promises, and we are content to stand or to fall by the record which we have made and are muking.”

Another Long-Drawn Agony.

If the tariff reformers had succeeded in Chicago in pledging the Republican party to overhaul the tariff “now** —that is at the next session of Congress—ln the present campaign we would have had tho schedules Instead of the principle of the tariff the issue In the pending campaign. In other words, the party would have been debating with the Democrat! as to what schedules it would rev iso, how much it would revise them and how soon. The chances are that the Democrats could have promised more in the same direction. But that would not be the worst of 'it Wo would have bad stagnation in many industries until it was determined to what extent the tariff schedules rUcb affect it would be revised. It would have been another long drawn agony In Industrial America. The folly of such a basis for a campaign cannot bo overestimated. —Cedar Rapids Republican. Whltelaw Reid was s correspondent on a Cincinnati newspaper at $0 a week. s -

SPEECH OF CANNON.

Speaker’s Address Notifying President Roosevelt of Nomination. Speaker Cannon’s address notifying President Roosevelt of his nomination for the Presidency made a great hit with his hearers, and has been complimented everywhere. Speaker Cannon opened his speech with a reference to the responsibility of the people for any mistaken policy of their lawmakers, and said that mistakes had been made, but were Invariably corrected. He declared that under the policy of the Republican party the manufactured products of this nation now are one-third of the total of the entire world. This condition and the condition of the highest-paid labor in the world, he asserted, were brought about through the Republican policy of protection. “Liberal compensation for labor makes liberal customers for our products,” declared Mr. Cannon in commenting on our home market. And he added: “In addition to this we have come to be the greatest exporting nation in the world. In the year ended June 30, 1904, our exports were valued at $1,400,000,000, of which $450,000,000 were products of the factory. The world fell in our debt last year $470,000,000, an Increase of $75,000,000 over the preceding year.” Mr. Cannou reminded his hearers that the national platform of the opposition party recently framed and adopted in St. Louis denounced protection as robbery. Ho continued: Their platform Is as silent as the grave touching the gold standard and our currency system. Their chosen leader, after his nomination, having been as silent as the sphynx up to that time, sent his telegram, saying in substance that the gold standard is established, and that he will govern himself accordingly if he should be elected. I congratulate him. It is better to be right late than never. It is better to be right in one thing than wrong in all things. I wonder if it ever occurred to him that if his vote and support for his party’s candidate in 1896 and 1900 had been decisive we would now have the silver standard. I wonder what mads him send that telegram after he was nominated, and why he did not send it before? When did he have a change of heart and judgment? And does he at heart believe in the gold standard and our currency system, or does he try now to reap where he has not sown? If, perchance, he should be elected by forcing together discordant elements, I aubmlt that, with a Democratic House of Representatives or House and Senate, there would be no harmonious action in legislation or administration that would benefit the people, but that doubt and discontent would everywhere distress production and labor. Consumption would be curtailed. In short, we would have an experience similar to that from 1893 to 1897. If this chosen leader and his friends are converts to Republican policies, should not they “bring forth fruits meet for repentance” before they ask to be placed in the highest positions to affect the well being of all; or, if they profess all things to all men, then they are not worthy the confidence of any man. If clothed with power, will they follow in the paths of legislation according.to their loves and votes as manifested by their action always heretofore, or will they stand by, protect and defend the gold standard and our currency system that have been created under the lead of the Republican party? Oat for Party Isenes. Mr. Cannon emphasized the fact that the Republican party stood for Issues already proved successful. He pointed out that under the recent Republican regimes prosperity, the greatest known, has prevailed. He briefly referred to the carrying out of our contract with Cuba, of our establishment of government in Porto Rico, and of our gradual uplifting of the Filipino peoples. In closing, Mr. Cannon paid President Roosevelt warm praise. He said: In the history of the republic, in time of peace, no executive has had greater questions to deal with than yourself, and none has brought greater courage, wisdom and patriotism to their solution. You have enforced the law against the mighty and the lowly without fear, favor or partiality. Under the constitution you have recommended legislation to Congress from time to time, as it was your duty to do, and when it was passed by Congress you have approved it. You have, under the constitution, led in making a treaty which was ratified by the Senate and is approved by the people, which not only assures, but, under the law and appropriations made by Congress, proceeds with the construction of the Panama canal. The Republican party, under your leadership, keeps ita record from the beginning under Lincoln of doing things—the right thing at the right time and in the right way, notwithstanding the opposition of those* who oppose the right policies from the selfish or partisan standpoint. They dnre not tell the truth about your official action or the record of the party and then condemn it. They can, for selfish or partisan reasons, abuse 1 you personally and misrepresent the party you lead. It Is true, however, that so far their abuse of your action and their alleged fear of your personality is insignificant compared with the personal and partisan '-nrplugs against Lincoln, Grand and McKinley when they clothed j with power by the people, j Speaker Cannon finally referred to the unanimous choice of Mr. Roosevelt by the Republican National Conven- ; tlon, adding: “I am sure all Republicans and a multitude of good citizens • who do not call themselves RepublV cans said, ‘Amen.’ ’’

BEWARE OF HIM.

Who is a pessimist. Who is a spendthrift Who is erratic or Hi balanced. Who is fickle In his affections. Who is shiftless in everything. Who Is selfish, mean and stingy. Who never works unless be turn to. Whose word you cannot rely upon. Whose highest ambition is to become rink.

FIVE TRAINMEN HELD.

Coroner’s Jury Declares Them to Blame In Doremno Wreck. Five men were declared criminally responsible for the Doremus wreck la which eighteen persons were killed and •cores Injured on July 13, one-half milo south of Glenwood, 111. This decision of the coroner’s jury was followed by the arrest of four of the accused. The fifth, Engineer Hoxie of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois freight train, le a fugitive. The verdict of the jury was the result of fire hours’ deliberation. Besides charging the employes with criminal carelessness, the jury censured the railway company for using antiquated passenger cars and for working its trainmen too long. Freed of its legal verbiage, the verdict of the jury reads: “From the testimony presented we believe the passenger coaches used were in an old and dilapidated condition and not fit to carry passengers. “We censure the officials of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Company for using such coaches, and believe that if modern, strong cars had been used a number of lives would have been saved. “And we find that the freight employes of the railroad company are worked too many hours in succession and are not able properly to perform their duties. “And we recommend that the proper authorities take steps to make laws prohibiting the working of railroad employes longer hours than they are able to perform their duty and protect tha lives of the public. “We censure the officials of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad for requiring their employes to work longer hours than they are able properly to perform their duties. “We believe that the conductor of the freight train, Frank Cooper, was criminally negligent in the performance of his duty and recommend that ha be held to the grand jury until discharged by due course of law. "And we believe Charles H. Wright, brakeman; Patrick Costello, fireman, and Frank E. Hoxey, engineer, were criminally negligent in the performance of their duty and recommend that they be held to tiie grand jury until discharged by due course of law. £ “And we believe that if Frederick O. Whiteman, train dispatcher, had given orders to the freight train at the proper time and place the collision would not have occurred. We believe he was criminally negligent and recommend that he be held to the grand jury until discharged by due course of law.”

TAGGART IS CHAIRMAN.

Democratic National Committee Elects Indiana Man. Thomas Taggart of Indiana was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee to succeed Senator Jones of Arkansas, who had held the position since 1896. His election was unanimous, though a strong effort was made before the vote was taken to Induce Senator Gorman of Maryland to accept the position. Mr. Taggart, the new campaign man-

THOMAS TAGGART.

Sger, has been a member of the national committee since 1892, was Mayor of Indianapolis for two years and has been in politics since 1877. Mr. Woodson, the secretary, has been a leader of Kentucky Democrats in all toe hotly contested political battles In recent years and was an activtf*Parker man at the St. Louis convention.

FIRE AND TUMULT.

Exciting Scenes in and Around tha Chicago Union Stock Yard*. Fire, tumult and picketing contributed to stirring scenes at the Chicago stock yards Wednesday, 'while tha packers, firm in their stand, went ahead slaughtering stock and doing aa mnch other work aa la possible in the circumstances. Convinced of an improvement in the sitnation, so far aa available non-union help and capacity otherwise of the plants ware concerned, the packers had sent word tha night before to shippers to be somewhat more generous with their consignments, and as a result ths receipts of cattle, hoga and sheep were considerably larger than bad been tho rule daring the previous days of the strike. There were more men working, according to the employers, and more work for them to do. Blx hundred additional strike breakers arrived at ths yards during tha day. Ths chief excitement of the day centered about the Swift lard refinery in Exchange avenue, between Packers’ and Ashland avenues. Flames were seen bursting from the fourth floor of this building daring ths morning, end befors long Psckingtown was in a turmoil. The firs was enough of an Incentive to cause a wild rush to Exchange avenue from all directions, and, despits the efforts of ths police. Chief Musham’s apparatus found much difficulty in picking their way to the scene of the blaze without running down pedestrians. The flames raged for about an hoar and did approximately $7,000 damage. Naturally tha rumor early spread that the fire was tha result of firebugs in ths strikers’ ranks, but this report was promptly ran to earth and found to be wholly erroneous. L. F. Swift made a personal investigation and concluded that the burning out of a motor was the cause. Louis Padillas, a boy of Las Padillas, twelve miles south of Albuquerque, N. M., was shot sad probably fatally wounded by a member of a gang of alleged stock thieves who sospseted kiss es having given information against

THE WEEKLY HISTORIAN

One Hundred Yearn Ago. A reinforcement of 1,500 British troops arrived at Barbados and began iperatlons against Martinique. The American squadron blockaded the port and began the alege of Tripoli ivhich lasted until toe following spring. The English Baltic fleet attacked the French squadron at Havre, doing conilderable damage. All the powers of Europe, except Russia, Great Britain and Sweden, had Acknowledged Napoleon aa Emperor of France. Seventy-five Year* Ago. A Spanish expedition from Havana appeared at Tampico, Mexico, and effected a landing without molestation on the part of the Mexican troops. All departments of the government at Washington wore particularly busy, clerks and chiefs working over hours. The United States by purchase from the Indians obtained the title to 6,000,000 acres of land in the Northwest The terms of the Brazilian government loan were agreed on in England.

Fifty Years Ago. Queen Christina’s palace in Madrid was sacked by the people and her majesty fled. Money and food were sent to the relief of the people of Ban Juan by th* people of Kingston, Jamaica. An attempted insurrection occurred in Parma, Italy. Many people shot by the Austrian troops. The Federal diet met at Frankfort; Germany, and decided to Join the alliance of Austria and Prussia. Forty Years Ago.^ News that Gen. Forrest had been defeated and wounded by Gen. Smith at Tupelo, Miss., confirmed. Confederate loss was 2,500. Detailed reports of Gen. Sherman’s operations before Atlanta showed tremendous Confederate losses and almost continuous fighting. Much apprehension was caused in the North by a Confederate raid In to* Shenandoah valley. News was received at Louisville that Major General Mcrherson had been killed in operations Atlanta, Ga. Guerrillas operating along toe Hannibal and St Joseph Railway in Missouri destroyed much property and robbed citizens. Correspondence between Horace Greeley and representatives of the Confederacy looking toward peace negotiations made public at Niagara Falla.

Thirty Yearn Ago. Leading citizens of Chicago, roused to action by big fire In downtown district, formed citizens’ associations to secure more perfect administration of municipal affair*. Ground was broken at Grand Haven. Mldh., with elaborate ceremonies, for the new Michigan and Ohio Road, which was to be 400 mile* long and cost 130,000,000. Report reached Madrid of the murder at Oueoca of twenty-four republicans by Oarlist revolutionists. A land slip In the province of Navarre, Spain, destroyed the village of Alarra and several hundred inhabitants. Appointments of Baron de Ohatand as French minister of interior and M. Mathieu Bodet minister of finance left the Bonapartists without a member in the cabinet Charges of Theodore Tilton against the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher involving Mrs. Tilton were made public in New York. Twenty Year* Ago. A statue of Robert Burns, the poet, was unveiled before an immense crowd on the Thames embankment, London. Sixty-five deaths from cholera .occurred in Marseilles and Toulon, France. Raid of house of “Mother” Mandelbaum in New York disclosed thousand* of dollars' worth of stolen silks and Jewels. Several thousand workman in New York City went on a strike to enforc* demands for nine-hour day. ten Year* Ago. Phillips, Wls., and several amallet town* were wiped out by forest fires, causing a property loss of $3,000,1)04 and many death*. Shanghai dispatches announced th« declaration of war between China and Japan. Rumors were In circulation In Europe and Asia that China had declared war upon Japan over tha ps—a—ion of