Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-12-30
INDIANS CONSPIRING.
They VIII Resist All Federal Efforts to
Abolish Tribal Courts.
Treasury Receiving Vast Sums OF Money to
Retire National Bank NOtes-Secretary
Wilson Fav0rs Postal hanks
Cabinet and Civil Service.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 92.-Trouble in the
Indian territory is expected by the
commissioner Of Indian affairs and by
Others in this city who are familiar
with the condition of affairs prevail
ing there. On January 1 the tribal
courts will be abolished by an act
passed at the last session of congress
and the United States courts given full
jurisdiction over the territory. In
many quarters the officers of the In
dian courts have declared that they
will forcibly resist all efforts to pre-
vent them doing business, while the
United States marshals have given no.
tice that any tribal courts attempting
to sit will be broken up and those as
ssuming to conduct them will be ar
rested. Information has been received
.at the Office of the United States mar
ashal at South McAlester, /. T., to the
effect that the lawless element
among the Indians has formed a
conspiracy to burn up the United
States courthouse there and all other
United States court buildings in the
Indian territory. The burning of the
United States courthouse at Ardmore
the other day, with all its records, is
believed to be the first attempt to
carry out the plot.
Money to Retire Bank Notes.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29-Mr Coffin,
the acting comptroller of the currency,
yesterday called attention to the fact
that the retirement of national bank
vnotes during the first 20 days Of this
month reached the sum of $4,000. 600.
This is said to be the first time during
the last ten years that the voluntary
retirement has reached this amount in
any one month. Under the national
bank act, the United States treasurer
is not allowed to receive for the retire.
ment of circulation more than S3,000,-
900 in any one month and hence all
deposits to retire notes during the last
ten DAYS of this month must be refused.
This exceptional condition, Mr.. Coffin
says, is due to the prevailing low rates
of interest arising from a superabun-
dance of money for Investment, which
has advanced the price of United
States bonds. Mr.. Coffin expressed the
opinion that the law should be amend
ed in this particular, as it interferes
with the elasticity of the currency and
the natural laws of trade.
Would Greatly Aid Farmers.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.--Secretary
Wilson is greatly interested in legisla'
ton for the establishment of postal
savings banks because he believes they
are necessary to the prosperity of the
farmers. The banking facilities in the
agricultural districts are so limited,
he says, that the farmers and their
wives are compelled to conceal their
savings in teapots and tin cans, under
mattresses of their beds and in corners
of the carpets, and in stockings that
are hidden away where none but pru'
dent housewives can find them. These
hoardings represent millions Of dollars
sand are idle, first, because banks Of
Adeposit are scarce and remote, and sec
,ondly, because of lack of confidence
in private institutions. It's an al
days job for farmer to go to the
county town where the nearest bank
is situated, while there is post office
in every village.
Civil Service to Be Maintained.
WASHINGTON, Dec 22.'-Yesterday's
cabinet meeting was devoted almost
entirely to discussion of the opera
ton of the civil service law. The res
rolution adopted by the senate last Fri
day calling upon the executive heads
>of the several departments of the gov
eminent for information concerning
the application of the civil service law
to their departments and an expression
of their opinions as to what if any
modification ought to be made in it
was the subject directly under discus
sion. All the members of the cabinet
were present except Secretary Alger
and there was no dissent from the
proposition that the civil service law
ought to be, and would be, upheld
The principle of the system, in the
opinion of all, must be maintained, but
there was some difference of opinion
as to the extent of its application.