The silver star., 1899-05-19
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.

which has been purchased heretofore
While there is no doubt that American
beef Ii somewhat better than that OF
Australia. but at present there are no
facilities for transporting and handling
beef from this country. The beef sup
piled to the army In the Philippines IL
taken there in the navy refrigerator
supply ships and is kept in the ship
until such time as 1t Is required In
return the army furnishes the navy
supplies on. Of the commissary stores
Until the proposed refrigerator plants
on board the army transports are COM
pleted. II is probable that the beef sup
ply for the Philippines will come from
Australia
Ii is stated that the plan the govern
ment Of the United States is willins.:o
establish in the Philippines. after the
surrender Of the insurgents has been
cabled TO President Schurman Of the
Philippines commission by Secretary
Hay at the direction Of the President
The proposed government is to BE-
more civil than military. The head of
| the government is 10 be governor
and there is to be an advisory council.
composed Of natives of the Philippines.
whose business II shall be to confer
with the governor on official matters
and suggest changes in the manner OF
exercising authority. All local govern
rnents will be entirely in the hands Of
the natives. subject 10 certain super
vision by the Americans. The plan
proposed amounts practically TO an au
tonomous system. and 1t is believed
here that it will be acceptable to tl.~
natives. The proposed government il
! to continue only until the Congress of
| the United States shall decide upon the
| form Of government for the islands.
The Industrial commission on Thurs-
day heard the first witness TO be called
in connection with its inquiry into the
operation Of trusts. The witness was
Hon. James W. Lee of Pittsburg. at
torney for several pipe lines and oil
| companies and formerly a state sena-
tor Of Pennsylvania. Mr.. Lees testi-
mony was directed especially against
the Standard Oil Company. He said
that when the Pure Oil Company. in
which the witness is interested. went
| into the field in New York in 1896 they
| found the Standard selling oil at 9ia
cents a gallon. The price was almost
| Immediately reduced TO 51s cents. and
had remained there since. the object
| being to drive out the rival. The first
1
latter was ruinously low, and while the
Independent company had met the re-
| duction it had done so at loss. He
| thought the competition had resulted
in a saving of fully $3.OO0.COO TO the
| people Of Greater New York. The same
| condition OF affairs existed at compefi-
| tive points. Mr.. Lee expressed the
| opinion that the Standard Company
was still getting rebates from the rail-
road companies despite the law. and
he thought this was accomplished by
paying exorbitant prices for lubricat-
| ing oil. He estimated that the Stand
ard Company had within the last twen-
| ty years absorbed aDout 100 independ
ent companies, but that the companies
with which he was connected had re-
fused to sell Mt m advance Of 12ia per
| cent. In cost when they were about to
lie closed by the sheriff. This refusal
had been directed largely by sentiment.
Now. however. the Independent COM
panies were doing profitable busi-
| ness. He knew Of several refineries
which had been purchased at high
prices by the Standard company and
then had been shut down. He had also
heard that men had received bonus
to remain idle. but he had no personal
information on this subject.
The United States and Great Britain
will stand together In the advocacy Of
the adoption OF scheme for the settle
ment OF international disputes by ar
bitration which will be presented to
the disarmament conference Mt its
meeting at The Hague on the 18th Of
the present month. The American
delegates. headed by Ambassador
White, are equipped with fairly we'll
taA Lao <.S
this long cherished project. while the
British delegates are prepared with n
plan which IN almost Identical with the
American project. The details cannot
he procured for publication In advance
Of the presentation Of the projects 10
the conference. The American dele
gates 70 committed TO this arbitration
project much more strongly than TO
anything likely to figure before the
conference. Regarding disarmament.
their instructions are to tell the con.
ference that the present armament Of
the United States and any within the
possibilities Of the future, nre 10 far be.
low the present minimum armaments
with which any Of the great powers Of
Europe are likely to he content that
there In really no reason why the
United States should be called into
the agreement. Other points npon
which the delegates have been instruct
ed are correctly referred to In the cable
dispatches this morning. namely. the
exemption from seizure Of individual
property and the extension Of the Red
Cross rules to warlike operations at
sea. Another point In the instruc.
ti0ns In thnt relating 10 the nineliOrn.
tion Of the horrors Of war. and with
this, too, the American delegates are
deeply concerned. II was because Of
the Presidents interest In this subject.
m much ns for any reason. TINT the two
technical experts Captain Mnian ana
Captain Croxier. were included In tiic
American delegation. and the State DE.
partinent encourages hope that somc.
thing In this direction will be accom-.
plished at the approaching confer
ence.
n a~A