IMI 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
857 
Events of the Week 
DOMESTIC.—The range country for many miles north¬ 
west of Chadron, Neb., has been swept by a great prairie 
lire. The grass and weeds by reason of drought had be¬ 
come as dry as tinder, and when they were accidentally 
Ignited the flames rushed across the prairie with great 
velocity. Live stock and flocks were driven from the 
path of tho flames as fast as possible. The damage to 
the range has been very great, but very little stock is 
reported as lost.A despatch from Engle, N. 
M., says that oil borers have struck an artesian well at 
a depth of 200 feet which swept 1,000 gallons per hour 
through a two-inch hole. Engle is in the heart of the 
famous Journey of Death Desert, one of the most arid 
regions known, and the strike of water will prove far 
more valuable than an oil gusher. During the Mexican 
War out of a column of 165 soldiers, who attempted to 
cross the desert, all but 14 perished. Great excitement 
has been created by the strike. . . . The William 
McKinley National Memorial Arch Association has de¬ 
termined to change its plan of operation so as to appeal 
to Congress instead of to the public for the erection of 
the proposed McKinley memorial at Washington. . . , 
The State of Michigan has Instituted proceedings against 
the A. Booth Packing Company, of Chicago, to enforce 
the penalty of 51,100 per month for six years for the com¬ 
pany’s failure to file articles of incorporation in this 
State and pay the franchise fees. The fine, if imposed 
at this rate, will amount to $79,200. The action resulted 
from the discovery that it was impossible to make proper 
service against the company in Michigan on counts of 
alleged illegal fishing.C. S. Hurter, Dominion 
Government metallurgist at Vancouver, states that 
among the millions of dollars worth of Yukon gold 
brought to him for purchase by the Government this sea¬ 
son there was an abundance of platinum unknown to 
the miners. Hundreds of little nuggets of platinum were 
mixed with the coarse gold. Mr. Hurter declares that the 
miners of the Yukon have been throwing away thou¬ 
sands of dollars’ worth of platinum daily. The Dominion 
Government is sending an expert to the Klondike to in¬ 
vestigate. 
CONGRESS.—In the executive session of the Senate, 
December 4, the new Hay-Pauncefote treaty was received 
and referred without comment to the Committee on For¬ 
eign Relations.Senator Jones, of Arkansas, in¬ 
troduced, December 4, without amendment the Anti- 
Trust bill which passed the House during the last session 
of Congress, but failed to pass the Senate. . . Mr. 
Pearre, of Maryland, has Introduced in the House a bill 
directing tne suspension of tariff duties upon Imports 
when their sale or manufacture is monopolized. . . . 
The report of the Isthmian Canal Commission was sent 
to Congress December 4. It says the Commission is of 
opinion that the most practicable and feasible route for 
the canal is by way of Nicaragua. Two bills providing 
for the construction of the canal were introduced in 
Congress December 4.In the Senate, December 
5, Mr. McComas, of Maryland, made an extended speech 
on the subject of anarchy and the punishment of an¬ 
archist assassins, and was followed by Mr. Hoar, of 
Massachusetts, on the difficulties in the way of dealing 
with such criminals. The most effective remedy, te sug¬ 
gested, would be to have the civilized nations of the 
world agree upon some isolated spot to which all anarch¬ 
ists who upheld assassination or the overthrow of gov¬ 
ernment should be transported.Senate- Pen¬ 
rose, December 5, Introduced in the Senate a bill for the 
regulation of immigration prepared by himself and the 
Commissioner-General of Immigration. The measure 
provides for a duty of $3 per head on all persons coming 
into the United States from foreign countries, except 
those who are citizens of this country or of Canada or 
Mexico, the fund thus raised to be applied to the pay¬ 
ment of expenses incident to the regulation of immigra¬ 
tion.Senator Depew Introduced a bill in the 
Senate December 9 to establish the University of the 
United States. It will be for post-graduate work, and 
make use of the Government scientific collections, libra¬ 
ries and laboratories. It is reported that Andrew Car¬ 
negie is to make a gift of $10,000,000 to carry on the work, 
and a message from the President on this subject is ex¬ 
pected shortly.The Senators and Representa¬ 
tives interested in the legislation for the irrigation of 
arid lands have determined to make the Hansbrough- 
Newlands bill the basis of action. It provides that the 
proceeds of the sales of public lands shall be set aside 
as a fund for arid land reclamation and irrigation. 
. . . . As the time approaches for final action on the 
Isthmian Canal project the complications begin to make 
their appearance. It is now asserted that before the 
United States can acquire the right to construct the 
canal a bargain must first be made with the Maritime 
Canal Company of Nicaragua, a New Jersey corporation, 
which claims to.have spent $1,172,000 for lands and con¬ 
cessions along the proposed Nicaragua route. This com¬ 
pany claims to own every foot of land between Ihe Pa¬ 
cific and Lake Nicaragua. The supposition on the im¬ 
perfect information attainable here is that this company 
is a successor of the Eyre-Cragin syndicate, which for¬ 
feited its concession after paying $100 000 and fa^ Ing in 
October, 1900, to pay a further amount of $400,000. . . . 
Senator Morgan Introduced, December 10, a bill providing 
$180,000,000 for the construction of the Nicaragua Canal, of 
which $5,000,000 is made immediately available, and of 
which aggregate sum such amounts as are necessary are 
to be appropriated by Congrress from time to time. The 
control of the canal and of the canal belt is vested in a 
board of eight citizens of the United States, in addition 
to the Secretary of War, who is to be president each 
member of the board to be paid $8,000 a year and to be 
chosen regardless of political affiliation. There is a pro¬ 
vision authorizing the establishment of a regiment from 
the regular army on the canal belt to guard it properly, 
and courts also are authorized conformable to the powers 
granted by the governments of Nicaragua and Costa 
Rica. There is also a provision making three divisions 
of the canal during the construction, and there is to be 
a chief engineer and two assistants on each division, the 
chief to receive $6,000 a year and the assistants $3,000, 
PHILIPPINES.—A member of Congress, who has just 
returned from the Philippines, has brought back a copy 
of the civilian pay roll at Manila. He Insists that it 
shows great extravagance on the part of tnis Govern¬ 
ment, and that Congress should prune the list The 
civilian salary rolls at Manila carry 4,606 names of Ameri¬ 
cans and Filipinos, who draw an aggrregate annual sti¬ 
pend from the Government of $3,086,989. Of these, 2,044 
are Americans, whose yearly compensation foots up $2,- 
280,044. There are 2,562 Filipinos, all with a few excep¬ 
tions occupying minor places, which yield a total of $806,- 
945 to the Incumbents. Following is a list of some of the 
salaries paid to civilian officers: Governor Taft Presi¬ 
dent of Commission, $20,000; each of four Commissioners, 
$15,000; secretary to the Commission, $7,500; Chief Justice, 
a Filipino, $7,500; six Justices, two of them Filipinos, 
$7,000; Treasurer, $6,000; Auditor, $6,000; Collector of Cus¬ 
toms, $6,000; head of Department of Post, $6,000; Chief of 
Educational Bureau, $6,000; Chief of Health Bureau, $6,000; 
Attorney-General, $5,500. Up to September 1 last. Gover¬ 
nor Taft was receiving $12,000 annually and $15 pei diem. 
ATter that date his salary was fixed at $5,000 a year as 
Commissioner and $15,000 additional as the head of a 
bureau. His other colleagues on the Commission also 
are paid $5,000 a year as members of the Commission and 
$10,000 more each as heads of bureaus. Their compensa¬ 
tion therefore is $15,000 annually.After leading 
a band of rebels for two years, during which period he 
used his knowledge of the methods of the Americans to 
great advantage, David Fagln, a negrro who deserted 
from the Twenty-fourth Infantry (colored), has been 
killed by native scouts near Bangabon, Province of 
Nueva Eclja. A number of serious ambushes into which 
the American troops were led are known to have been 
the work of Fagln, and in many Instances he is said to 
have ordered the assassination of prisoners who had 
fallen In his hands.The American and Fusion 
Federals elected their full ticket at the local elections 
held in Hollo, Island of Panay. The constitutional code, 
allowing soldiers to vote, played an important part in the 
elections.Thousands of people are leaving Ba- 
tangas Province for places of safety. Gen James M. 
Bell reports an important engagement between a force 
of insurgents at Labo, Province of Camarines, and a 
detachment of the Twentieth Infantry. Three Ameri¬ 
cans were killed. The loss of the enemy is not known, 
but is believed to have been heavy. Gen. Bell anticipates 
a speedy extermination of the Irreconcilables. A large 
force of insurgents recently attacked the town of Llpa, 
Province of Batangas, killing one soldier and several 
Americanistas. Troop F, First Cavalry, ki..ed 10 of the 
enemy before the remainder of the insurgent force es¬ 
caped. The natives are stirred by the closing of the 
ports, and bitterly object to reconcentration. A Filipino 
force, consisting of 200 riflemen and 400 bolomen, recently 
attacked Nagpartian, Province of Norih Ilocos. Com¬ 
pany M, Eighth Infantry, acting on the defensive, drove 
off the enemy, killing 11 of them, with no loss to them¬ 
selves. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Orlando Harrison, president 
of the I’eninsula Horticultural Society of Berlin, Md., 
who has spent his past life in horticu'ture, has engaged 
some of the best men in the country to talk on different 
subjects at their meeting to be held at Berlin, Worcester 
Co., Md., January 8-9-10. All horticulturists and agri¬ 
culturists are invited. 
Professor F. Lamson Scribner, the agrostologist of the 
Department of Agriculture, has been appointed Chief of 
the Insular Bureau of Agriculture in the Philippines. 
The Pennsylvania Dairy Union has elected the following 
officers: President, William F. MeSparran, Furniss; first 
vice-president, A. Leonard, Troy; second vice-president, 
W. E. Perban, Niagara; treasurer, S. F. Barber, Harris¬ 
burg; secretary, H. Hayward, State College directors, 
Henry W. Comfort, Bucks County; J. P. Sh£ rpless, 
Chester County; C. L. Peck, Coudersport; S. J. McCoy, 
Elk City; E. P. Forney, Hanover. Secretary of Agri¬ 
culture Hamilton demanded that the report of the Com¬ 
mittee on Resolutions, which reflected upon his adminis¬ 
tration, be amended, and insisted that his department 
had performed it full duty to the dairymen. 
The Secretary of Agriculture has designated Professor 
W. M. Hays, of the Minnesota State Agricultural Col¬ 
lege and Experiment Station in the Bureau of Plant In¬ 
dustry, to direct the work in organizing the State ex¬ 
periment stations in the middle Northwest, Minnesota, 
the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin, into a cooperative 
union for improving the yield and quality of wheat and 
other grains. gp:asses, clovers and field roots. 
Many prominent cheese makers from the counties of 
Brown, Calumet, Sheyboygan and Manitowoc met at 
Manitowoc, Wis., December 1. The object of the meet¬ 
ing was to solidify an organization—the Wisconsin Pro¬ 
tective Cheese Manufacturers’ and Buyers’ Association— 
the purpose of which shall be the protection of cheese 
manufacturers and dealers throughout the State against 
frauds in adulteration of milk and cheese, also the en¬ 
couragement of the manufacture of a more uniform and 
better grade of cheese in the counties above named, and 
a building up of a better market for the same The sys¬ 
tem used in this section in making cheese is the "ten to 
one,’’ and the Babcock test was advocated. 
The Nortnern Illinois Horticultural Society, in session 
at Dixon, elected the following officers for the ensuing 
year: President, J. F. Thompson, Marengo; vice-presi¬ 
dents, J. L. Hartwell, Dixon; A. D. Havenhill, Fox, and 
L. H. Cutler, East Dubuque; secretary, J. Friend. No- 
koml; treasurer, Charles Hey, Dixon. Mr. Hey declined 
the office of treasurer and S. G. Soverhill, of T'skilwa, 
was elected. 
A report just issued by the Kansas State Agricultural 
Department places the total value of all farm products 
and live stock in the State last year at $350,000,000, an 
increase of $17,000,000 over last year. The total Increase 
in two years is $45,000,000. 
The Connecticut State Board of Agriculture held its 
annual meeting at Bridgeport December 17-19. 
The Pennsylvania State Horticultural Association will 
meet at Bloomsburg January 14-15, 1902. A large attend¬ 
ance is expected. 
The Wayne Co. (N. Y.) Fruit Growers’ Association met 
at Newark, N. Y., December 11. 
WAYNE CO. (N. Y.) GRANGE. 
Waynes County (N. Y.) Pomona Grange held a two- 
days’ session at Newark December 3-4. In spite of the 
disagreeable weather the attendance was good. The first 
day was occupied with election of officers and delegates 
to the State Grange, as follows: Officers: Master, E. P. 
Taylor, Lyons; overseer, G. P. Norton, Ontario; lecturer, 
Mrs. E. B. Norris, Sodus; steward, O. M. Lincoln, New¬ 
ark; assistant steward, J. O. Wadsworth, Wolcott; chap¬ 
lain, E. H. Clark, Palmyra; treasurer, D. A. Emeigh, 
Clyde; secretary, Mrs. B. S. Durfee. Macedon; gate¬ 
keeper, C. F. Sweezey, Marlon; Pomona, Mrs. P. S. Aid- 
rich, Palmyra; Flora, Mrs. J. H. L. Roe, Wolcott; Ceres, 
Mrs. W. P. Rogers, Williamson; lady assistant steward, 
Mrs. F. A. See, Newark; member executive committee, 
Abram Garlock, Newark. Delegates to State Grange: E. 
P. Taylor, Lyons; Frank A. See, Newark; Mrs. F. H. 
Tuttle, Walworth; T. J. Bridges, Macedon; Mrs. D. A. 
Emeigh, Clyde; H. R. Paddock, Wolcott; Mrs. W. P. 
Rogers, Williamson; Rowland Robinson. Sodus; Mrs. G. 
W. Sweezey, Marlon, and Edward Harrison, Lakeside. 
At the morning session on Wednesday, the fifth degree 
was conferred in full form on a class of 10, making a 
membership of 325. Hon. T. W. Collins, of Lyons, intro¬ 
duced a resolution calling upon our representative to 
favor the Oleomargarine bill and oppose the Ship Sub¬ 
sidy and Irrigation bills. C. E. Clark introduced a reso¬ 
lution, asking Speaker Henderson to appoint some other 
person than James W. Wadsworth as chairman of the 
Committee on Agriculture. At the afternoon public ses¬ 
sion, assessment and taxation were discussed, and the 
accompanying answers made to the following questions 
sent out by the State Grange: 
1. —If taxation is necessary for the enforcement of laws 
for the protection of property, individual or corporate; 
should any kind of property, either real or personal, 
which is protected by law, be exempt from taxation? No. 
2. —Do you approve of exempting mortgages from tax¬ 
ation? No. 
3. —Can you cite any case where bankers, loan associa¬ 
tions or individuals have ever offered to loan money at 
any lower rate per cent on account of exemption from 
taxation? No. 
4. —If personal property Is entitled to exemption from 
taxation on account of the Indebtedness of the owner 
thereof, why is not real estate entitled to the same ex¬ 
emption? It is. 
5. —If one-half the property of the State be exempted 
from taxation, how much does it increase the rate per 
cent upon the remainder? 100 per cent 
6. —Do you approve of taxing mortgages only by taxing 
real estate and requiring the mortgagee to pay such 
proportion of taxes as his mortgage value Is to the land 
value, thereby dividing the land tax between owner and 
mortgagee? Yes. 
7. —Do you approve of the State taxing mortgages for 
State revenue, and exempting them from local taxation? 
No. 
8. —Do you approve of the State taxing mortgages for 
State revenue, while they are still taxable for local pur¬ 
poses? Yes. 
9. —Do you approve of the State taxing corporations for 
all needed revenue, thereby relieving the individual citl. 
zen from all State taxes and exempting said corporations 
from local taxation? No. 
10. —Do you approve of the State taxing corporations 
for all needed revenue, thereby relieving individual citi¬ 
zens from all State taxes and not exempting said cor¬ 
porations from local taxation? No. c. b. olark. 
LICK A STAMP FOR BOSSY AND THE BABY. 
Last week we printed a list of New York State Con¬ 
gressmen who are supported or elected by farmers. We 
wrote each one a personal letter asking him respectfully 
to use his best energies to help push the oleo bill through 
the House. Here are the answers received to date: 
In regard to the oleomargarine Dill introduced by 
Congressman Tawney, of Minnesota, It will give me 
great pleasure to take this matter into consideration, 
and if I find this bill will be of advantage to the farmers 
of our State, I shall certainly do all in my power to aid 
in the passage of the measure. c. A. pugslet. 
I shall be In favor of the Tawney Oleomargarine bill. 
JOHN K. STFWART. 
I will surely support and vote for the Tawney Oleomar¬ 
garine bill, at this session of Congress, a. s. tompkins. 
I shall be in favor of the Tawney Oleomargai ine bill. 
J. S. SHPRMAN. 
I shall be in favor of the Tawney Oleomargarine bill. 
I.. W. EWING. 
I am heartily in favor of the Grout Oleomargarine bill 
and always have been. Shall do all I can to further It. 
GEO. W. RAT. 
Your letter received and the subject will have early 
consideration. s. e. payne. 
I have not yet seen Mr. Tawney’s bill, but I supported 
the Grout bill in the last Congress and favor its pro¬ 
visions now. M. E. DRISCOLL. 
I have not examined Mr. Tawney’s bill I think the 
Grout bill was favored by most of the farmers of my 
district, and for that reason I should vote in favor of a 
measure that sought to accomplish the same results. 
J. R. PERKINS. 
I shall keep your letter on file and will give the same 
careful consideration when this measure comes before the 
House. W. H. RYAN. 
It will bo seen that the majority of these mei. favor 
the bill and will vote for it. Let us waste no stamps on 
them except to thank them for baking the position they 
do. Messrs. Pugsley, Payne and Ryan evidently need a 
few stamps. We appreciate the fact that they are going 
to "consider” the bill, but what we want them to do is 
to vote for it. Mr. Pugsley, for example, isn’t quite sure 
that the bill will be of advantage to the farmers. Who 
is to change his mind? The farmers themselves. How 
are they to do it? The glue on a postage stamp will 
stick many an idea to a Congressman! 
