La Junta tribune., 1899-05-06

mum rates on railroad companies"
The chief justice and Justices Gray
and Nckepna dissented.
The fiscal year Of 1898 was the ban.
ner year OF the foreign trade OF the
United States. the exports being the
largest ever recorded for like period
and the imports exceptionally small.
According to a comprehensive report
Just prepared by Mr. Frank II. Hitch.
cock, chief OF the section Of foreigr
markets of the Agricultural Depar1.
ment, the total value OF our domestic
exports reached the enormous sum of
81 .2lO. .29l .913. exceeding the record
breaking figures OF the preceding year
by s17S.2S4.3 $40. On the other hand,
the imports during 1898 were the small
est since 1885. their value being $61a
GAO. .6S4, a decline OF $14S. .6S5, ,56S of the
figures OF 1897 Broadly stated.
for every dollars worth of foreign mer-
chandise brought into the United
States. two dollars worth of this coun-
try's products found a market abroad.
Friends OF General Miles. who ase
supposed to enjoy his confidence. say
that should the board of inquiry now
investigating his emblamed-beef
charges render an adverse decision he
will ask that the members be court
martialed on the grounds that they did
not well and truly inquire into tAe
charges preferred and render a verdict
In accordance with the testimony and
evidence. They represent that General
Miles believes the evidence given be-
fore the court shows that the beef
nsed by the army was bad. and chem
icnlly treated. and they say he holds
that should the court rail to render n
verdict substantiating his charges and
exculpating him the members will h
subject TO trial themselves. This view
is not taken by officials Of the judge
advocate generals office and other nu-.
thorities on military law. who say that
General Miles only recourse would be
to demand n court martial of himself.
The officials of the Internal Reyenpe
Bureau estimate that the government
has been defrauded out of at least
100000 by the firm of Jacobs 4
kenig, tobacconists, at Lancaster,
Pennsylvania. who used counterfeit
revenue stamps aggregating that
amount. The officials are investigat-
ing the books of the firm and greSt
quantity of their goods bearing fraud
ulent stamps has been been seized in
different cities throughout the country.
Information OF seizures has come from
Chicago. San Francisco. Cincinnati and
Denver, and no doubt is entertained
that thousands of dollars worth Of
stamps. circulated by the Lancaster
firm are still outstanding. The Off
cials have confiscated the plant of the
firm at Lancaster, valued at about $6O.-
COO which, with all the good seizeA
will go toward the reimbursement Of
the government for the loss II incurred
throughout the United States by
nf thn af nnnnfnrfnif
stamps.
Secretary Hitchcock of the Interior
Department has made an important
ruling for the West in oyerruling the
commissioner general of the Land Of
flee in the case OF the Stranger lode
claim. Cripple Creek district, OOloradO.
In this case the Little Don Mining &
Tunnel appealed from the Pueblo land
patent for n claim that was found to
Sonfiict with the adjacent claim. The
case was taken to the local courts. but
n compromise was reached, and the
asked that the Judgment
by stipulation be entered. The Strang-
er lode claimants applied to amend the
of their claim in accord
ance with the judgment, but the coE
missioner general of the land ofiiN-
declined TO accept II. ana denleu tne dp-
plication. The secretary declared that
the law required that Judgments en-
tered by the courts shall be recognized
by the department and are binding
upon 1t. III other words. the Interi9r
Department lays down the important
ruling that 1t will accept the decision
of the courts in adverse claims filed In
the General Land Office, although 1t
rests upon stipulation between the
parties. The land department. says
Hitchcock. Is not at liberty
to disregard this Judgment to any e.
tent whatever. for any reason. which
is now reversed. The decision will
form an important precedent in the de-
cision of such cases, and operates to
bar consideration of the facts leading
up to court awards and to require the
following OF such awards, even II ut
appears from the records to be contrary
to what would have been the decision
of priority of possession had been
considered.