Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-05-25
PHILIPPINE PLANTS.
A Report Compiled by the Agricul-
tural Department at Washington.
THE SCHEME FOR CURRENCY REFORM.
Position OF Delegates Mt The Hague on
ArbItratlon-Mo Mckinley Back in WASH
ington- Brooke TO Use His Deoretlon
Wants to Confer with Mcmillan.

bHc plhHb llIOuuCLh VI lllc HlllplIIllS
islands just issued by the agricultural
department is authority for the state
ment that the Philippines, although
an agricultural country, do not pro-
duce enough food for the consumption
of the inhabitants. In order TO sup
ply the deficiency it is the custom to
draw upon other rice-producing coun-
tries, notably the French colony of
Cochin-China. No explanation of this
condition is offered, the report dealing
exclusively with the agricultural re-
sources of the islands as they now
exist, The report was compiled
by Frank II. Hitchcock, chief
of the section of foreign mar
kets, and issued by the division of
botany. A prefactory note explains
that it has been issued TO meet popu-
lar demand for such information, and
says that the main facts presented have
been drawn from reports made by the
French consul at Manila. The report
shows that of the area of the Philip
pine islands, One-ninth, or about S,000,-
900 acres, is devoted to agriculture.
Taking INTO account the natural fer
tility of the soil and the vast portion
of these rich lands not yet under cult
walton, it can safely be assumed, it
adds, that with better methods of eX-
ploitation the total agricultural pro-
duction of the islands could be in
creased to ten or Is times its present
amount.
CURRENCY REFORM SCHEME.
Washington, May eat is under
stood that the house republican caucu.
committee appointed to frame a scheme
of currency reform has agreed upon a
measure along the following lines;
The redemption of all obligations of
the government in gold on demand;
greenbacks, when once redeemed for
gold, to be reissued only for gold; per-
hitting national banks to issue notes
to the paper value of their government
bonds deposited in the treasury, in
stead of 90 per cent. as at present;
permitting the minimum capacity of
national banks to be $25, 900 instead of
$50, 900 as at present. This plan is much
less comprehensive than ardent ad.
vocates of general currency revision
have urged, but was adopted because
harmonious agreement on it was posi-
BILE which was not the case when more
radical measures were suggested.
DELEGATES ON ARBITRATION.
Washington, May 22.-The London
Daily News publishes dispatch from
The Hague supposed to be inspired by
William Il. Stead, editor of the Review
of Reviews, which is in part as follows
Regarding arbitration the present position of
the delegates seems to be this: Germany and
the other two powers of the triple alliance are
entirely against 1t and Turkey follows in their
wake Great Britain and the United States are
entirely In favor Of it, Prof Won Stengel, OF
the Germany delegation said to-day: "Arbitra-
tion Is impracticable when two nations are d.
vided by vital issue while in less important
questions it exists already" France is heslta-
ting and will probably agree with Russia Sew
cral delegates confess that they came to the
conference unprepared and have already learned
much.
Washington, May 22.-President anC
Mrs. Mckinley and Adjt. Gen. Corbin
arrived in Washington Saturday night
from Hot Springs, Va. The trip was
made leisurely in order to give the
president an opportunity to see the
Virginia battleields Mr.. and Mrs.
Mckinley looked much improved in
health. The president and Secretary
Hitchcock Sunday attended the seven
tieth anniversary of the celebration OF
Wesley Methodist chapel. During the
afternoon Mr.. and Mrs. Mckinley went
out for a long drive. They stopped for
time at the residence of Vice Presi-
dent Hobart, who they found is inn
proving and sitting up and with whom
they chatted pleasantly for some time.
GEN. BROOKE TO USE his DISCRETION.
Washington, May 22.-After CON
sideration of the matter with Secretary
Alger and Adjt. Gen. Corbin, Presl-
dent Mckinley has directed Mai. Gen.
Brooke to use his own discretion with
reference to the acceptance or the re-
lection of the Cuban proposition that
the arms and equipments of the Cuban
soldiers be placed in the custody OF the
mayors of towns. Secretary Alger ha,
evidently withdrawn his opposition to
the plans of Brooke and Gomez. II
was the intention of the president to
call n meeting of the cabinet to consider
the proposition, but he finally reached
the conclusion that Gen. Brooke is
better qualified to deal with it than
anyone in Washington.
ALGER WANTS TO CONFER WITH NJ MILAN.
Washington, May 22.-Before leaving
for Pennsylvania Saturday night Sec
rotary Alger sent n dispatch to Senator
Mcmillan asking for conference over
Michigan politics in general and the
senatorship in particular. 1t is pre-
sumed the inevitable result of this will
be the withdrawal of Gen. Alger from
the race. The object of the conference
is understood to be to determine by
personal talk how far each of the
Michigan leaders had been deceived as
to the attitude of the other.
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Came Not as Returning Heroes.
Boston, May 22-Fifteen of the men
who fought with Dewey have arrived