The news & observer., 1901-03-09


The Russian Minister of Foreign AZ
fairs denies that q convention has been
signed with China giving Russia a vlr-
tual protectorate over Manchuria.
The annual meeting of the Southern
Society was held in New York yester-
day Augustus Van Wyck was elected
president
R. G. Halliburton, of Canada died at
Pass Christian, Miss, yesterday aged 70
years. He was son of Justice Halibur-
ton, famous as the author of Sam Slick
The Indiana Legislature yesterday
passed a bill providing a penalty of death
i'll extreme cases aud Imprisonment from
ten years to life term for kidnapping
fof ransom.
Miss Minna Gaustine, we'll known
young woman of Georgia, anl nignly con-
nected in the State, drowned herself In
the Chattahoochee River yesterday. Sine
was sufferer from acute melancholy.
Senator Hanna and Henry c. Payne
said they were there to discuss various
party matters including the Senatorial
deadlock in Nebraska.
Texas is agitating the question of
building an international trade college at
some point on the Gulf to instruct North
and South American youths in mercantile
and manufacturing industries.
The Executive Committee of the Afro
American Council now in session at
Washington appeals to Congress to pun
lish the texts of all State laws disfran-
chising negroes and promises that it will
call on negroes everywhere to support
| the movement to test the constitutionalty
| of the Louisiana disfranchisement law.
Recently Mr.. An1rew Carnegie offered
Montgomery Ala, $4,000 for public
library building if the city would provide
a site and $4,000 year for support. The
| last Legislature granted permission to
the city to make an appropriation and
the City Council yesterday unanimously
accepted Mr.. Carnegie's offer.
The unofficial reports current some time
ago that Lord Pauncefote, the British
Ambassador. would have bis period of ser
vice in Washington continued have now
been fully confirmed, and it appears that
the extension will last throughout tho
present year, and is likely to be followed
by another extension.
The Kansas City Star says: "There
is reason for believing that a tentative
offer Of the office of Commissioner of
Pensions, to succeed II. Clay Evans,
has been made to Maj. William Warner,
United States attorney for the Western
District of Missouri, and Past Grand
Commander Of the Grand Army Of the
Republic.
The Cuban ConStitutional convention
mot in secret session yesterday for d
formal discussion of the Platt amendment
The conservative element scored a victory
when it was decided to continue the ses,
sioDs of the convention and to refer the
amendment 10 the Committee on Rela-
tiCns with instruction TO bring in report.
1t is doubtful whether the convention will
ever agree to accept the amendment, but
the conservatives maintain that the will
ingness of the radicals to discuss, and if
necessary to- send a committee to Wash
ington gives a more hopeful aspect to
conditions which were growing strained.
In the House of Commons Mr.. Balfour
moved his amendment to the rule govern
ing the suspension of recalcitrant mems
bers John Redmond said what had oc-
Cured was natural ebulition of feeling
against an unjust closure. He denied
premeditation and said the moral respon-
si5ility for what had occurred was wholly
on Mr.. Balfour, whose proposal now, was
extravagant and unnecessary. Mr.. Bal
four's new rule was adopted by vote
of 264 to 81.
Columbia University was victorious IN
it's second annual debate with Cornell at
New York last night. The subject dis
cussed was the proposition in certain
circles to enforce the second section of
the Fourteenth Amendment of the Consti-
tuition of the United States which pro-
vides that any State disfranchising any
of it's citizens shall have its representa-
tion in Congress proportionally reduced
Columbia took the affirmative in favor OF
reduction.
A conference of Republican Senators
has been called for today to decide WHAT
course to pursue with reference to the
committee assignments. The new Sena-
tors and some of the older ones, who are
not entirely satisfied with their present
committee places, are urging reorgani-
cation during the recent session. but the
older Senators are resisting the move as
contrary to the practice of the Senate
The Committee on Committees OF the two