The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-12
United States Commissioners offered
Many Concessions, but the other
Side Did Not Accept Them.
PUTS" TAXABLE, "CALLS" NOT
DECISION OF IMPORTANCE TO BRO
KERS AND THEIR PATRONS.
How Assistant Attorney General Boyd
Views the Two ansactiOns-Our
Friendship with France.
necial 70 the Indianapolis Journal.


WASHINGTON, May u.-Senator Fair
banks spent the day in Washington, hav-
ing had conference at Hot Springs, Va.
with the President relative TO the scope
Of the inquiry he is to conduct in Alaska.
During the course of the day he called ON
Vice President Hobart and the assistant
secretary of the treasury. Senator Fair
banks expects to leave Indianapolis for
Alaska about June 30. Assistant Secretary
Vanderlip may go to Alaska with Senator
Fairbanks The commission of which Sem
ator Fairbanks is member has many COM
plex questions TO settle. 1t appears that
there is a vast difference Of opinion as TO
the conditions in lower Alaska, the testi-
mony before the commission being very
contradictory. Some witnesses asserted that
there were no mountain peaks such as
would constitute a range of mountains and
others insisting that such a range existed
and would show that the head Of Lynn
canal came within British territory. There
is also a dispute as to what territory is
included within ten marine leagues from the
sea. The question is whether this should be
reckoned from the edge Of the mainland or
from the islands and also whether it should
be on a line from cape TO cape, or to follow
the indentations of the coast. All of these
features Senator Fairbanks intends to in
vestigate for himself
The statements of the press of London and
Canada respecting the reasons for the re-
cent failure of the negotiations with Canada
have occasioned much surprise in the off,
cial world of Washington. These state
meats assume that the Canadians made all
the offers Of concessions, the United States
commissioners standing by existing condi-
tions. The facts understood here are di-
rectly contrary to that view. There are cer-
tain facts tending to contradict the state
ments Of the British press, which the As
sociated Press is now able to make known
for the first time Take the question of
trade with Canada, for example. 1t Is posi-
lively known the Americans offered abso-
Lutte free trace in mineral products. an en-
largement of the free list of forest products,
important concession of duty lumber
and on most agricultural products. 1t is
also known they offered liberal terms for
the adjustment of the Bering sea seal ques-
ton and offered an amicable method for the
adjustment of the boundary question.
yielded to Canada's views in respect 10
alien labor and to the lake fisheries. and
offered reciprocal mining privileges. Indeed,
II the opinion in well-informed circles here
is well founded. nearly every offer of con-
cession proceeded from the side of the
United States. the Canadians as rule de-
clining to commit themselves to any dis
tinct proposition on the foregoing topics, the
Alaska boundary excepted. In fact, 1t is
universally believed at Washington the dis
tinct offer of concessions for settlement
came almost wholly from the United States
commissioners.
The good feeling in this country toward
France is shown in three distinct projects
for erecting statues In France during the
Paris exposition. The latest of these is TO
erect a statue of Rochambeau in the French
village of his birth. The plan has origi-
mated in Philadelphia. where 81, 900 will be
contributed. Another $1,000 will be raised
i'm the country at large and another 81 600
in France. Secretary Hay views the project
with much favor Another statue project is
in charge of prominent women representing
the women of America, who propose to erect
an equestrian statue of Washington in one
of the public reservations OF Paris. Mrs.
Justice Field Is at the head of the commit
tee and $1,000 is in hand. The French am
bassador has notified the Paris authorities
and has suggested to the prefect of the
Seine and president of the municipality that
suitable public reservation be set aside
for the scheme. A statue of Lafayette is
also to be erected at Paris through the ef-
forts of United States Commissioner Peck.
The State Department has been advised
of the appointment of Captain vignal as
French military attache here.
The New York Herald's correspondent
here says he has the authority of a men,
ber of the Cabinet for statement that the
President before he left Washington had
practically made up his mind to call Con-
gress together in extraordinary session
about the 10th OF October in order that the
several big questions to be brought before
ii may be disposed of in time before the
nomination conventions next year.
Representative Faris. who has returned to
his home in Terre Haute, says that when
he talked with President Mckinley last
week the President said the report sent
from Washington by the press agencies TO
the effect that he had decided to call an ex-
ira session was not warranted. The Pres
ident added that conditions would have TO
be changed before he reached the conclu-
sion that an extra session was necessary.
Assistant Attorney General Boyd has rem
dered. at the request OF Secretary Gage.
a decision which has been approved by the
attorney general in which he holds that
transactions known among stock brokers as
puts are not taxable under the war rev.
enue act. although calls are subject to
the tax. Two samples Of the transactions
IN question were transmitted to the at
torney generals office, the put form being
referred TO In the decision as Exhibit A.
and the cali form as Exhibit B." The
decision Is In brief as follows:
The transactions represented by the two
exhibits are certainly not taxable under the