Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-04-27

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1908 Sanl5
s;is lapf
Senator Morrill, OF Vermont celebrated
bis SSth birthday Thursday night by a
reception at his residence in Thomas cir
Gle. He was born at Stratford, Vt, on
the 14th of April, 1910. He has served
thirty-one years in the United States Sen
ate, longer than any other man, and be-
fore his first selection was ten years in
the House of Representatives. The ven.
cradle gentleman is still In excellent
health, although he' is not so spry and
industrious and enduring as he was when
he first came to Washington, forty-one
years ago. Letters and kilograms of con-
gratulations poured in upon him. The
President, the Vice-President, the Su-
prefne Court, the foreign ambassadors and
ministers, the entire Senate and large
number of Other friends, including every
person of prominence in public life, at
tended his reception.
The members of the executive commit
tee of the Brewers Association, which
represents so per cent of the brewers Of
the United States, who came TO Washing
ton to resist the imposition of the tax
upon beer. have yielded and have gone
back to their homes with an agreement
with the Committee on Ways and Means
that the proposed additional tax of 81
barrel win not be objected to, provided
provision Is made for rebate of T1a per
cent for beer that is spoiled. This would
make the tax $l.S5 net, instead of 81
barrel, which would not be felt. Beer
sells at wholesale at an average price
throughout the country at 16 cents per
gallon, and so cents gallon at retail. The
committee thinks, therefore, that this al
lows sufficient margin for an additional
tax.
The authorities, besides making an in
vestigation of questions relating to pri-
watering and the neutrality of goods,
have been examining the treaties between
the United States and Spain to determine
what sections would continue in force in
time of war. 1t Is a general principle of
international law that war abrogates
treaties between belligerents, but should
the nations presupposing war have en-
gagged themselves in such treaties TO per-
form certain specific acts during hostli-
ties such enlightenment must be observed.
There is u great deal of patriotism be-
ing expressed through the mails and over
the telegraph lines. The President re-
ceives bushels of messages every morning
from people Who commend or condemn
him. At the War Department it il said
more than 100000 men have offered
their services to the Government in case
Of war, among them four members of
Congress-Senator Pettus and Represent
| atives Wheeler of Alabama, Campbell of
Illinois and Broussard of Louisiana.
The transportation OF coal across the
| Atlantic will be an insuperable obstacle
| to the operations of the Spanish feet, and
when their present supplies of coal in
| Cuba and Puerto Rico are exhausted their
| ships will be powerless. At the same
| time and for the same reason declara-
| ton by tn Government that coal is con-
traband W ould render our own feet pow
erless upon the other side of the Atlantic
and for 1000 miles from our own coast In
any direction.
A statement Just iss,r1 by the Post
office Department shows nat the receipts
from The sale of stamps during the quar-
ter ended Dec. 81, 1897 were nearly S2,-
| 100000 in excess of the receipts for the
corresponding quarter of the previous
! year. For the quarter ended March 81,
| 1898 the money orders issued numbered
nearly 100000, an increase of l SOC, 900
over the corresponding quarter last year.
No more shipments of coal will be al
lowed from the United States for the
present. The Navy Department purchas-
ed the British tramp ship which tried to
go ont of Norfolk with $500 tons of coal
for Cape Verde Islands. 1t appears the
coal was not ordered by the Spanish Gov
ernment, but the captain Of the ship hav-
ing no other commission took on a cargo
and was intending to carry it to Cape
| Verde Islands as a speculation.
| William Jennings Bryan and William
| Mckinley met Thursday morning for the
| first time in several years. when the for
mer called at the White House with Scll-
ator Murphy of New York to pay his re-
|
| for receiving congressional visitors, and
| therefore Mr.. Bryan remained but mo-
ment, exchanging compliments, but hav-
| ing no serious conversation.
Gen Miles is of the opinion that 100, 600
men could be transported to any point on
| the gulf or Atlantic coast in the South
| within forty eight hours. The fact that
| this can be done was demonstrated by
the feat performed by the railroads during
| the recent big celebration In Washington.
| when 100000 men were brought into the
| city and taken out again inside of twenty
| four hours.
Since the Maine disaster letters by the
| hundreds have poured In at the White
| House and the War and Navy Depart
ments from patriots who are anxious to
| volunteer or who have suggestions to
offer for the defense Of the Government
| or the discontinue of the Spaniards.
While the ministry at Madrid was talk
| ing peace and offering concessions Gen.
| Blanco was preparing for resistance, and
| be recently issued an order for a military
census of Cuba and the enlistment of ev-
cry man between the ages Of 10 and 30
"for the defense Of the territory"
| Great disappointment was expressed at
| the War Department over the defeat of
the army reorganization bill In the House.
| The authorities were confident that regu-
lsrs could do much more effective service
in Cuba than the State militia, differed
by men of their own number.
| The Ways and Means Committee of
| the House proposes a war tax on beer and
manufactured tobacco. 1t il probable
also that q stamp tax will be imposed on
| all bank paper and legal documents. The
revenue from these sources is estimated
at 500, 0,000,0 900 a year.
|
| Representative Wheeler % Alabama in
| troduced in the House a ieso Triton extend
/ ing the thanks of Co, gIess TO Consu!
| General Lee for the cc urage, efficiency
and good judgment he displayed in the
performance OF his duties as consul gen
| eral at Havana.
The stand Of the Cuban junta against
| Intervention without recognition of Cuban
| independence aroused opposition in Con-
| gress to turning the affairs of the island
over to the insurgents after the Spanish