The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-11-19
NEWS NOTES.

@S~SSGNS&@a
Cable rates to the Philippines have
been reduced to the Government
from 50 Is to 81 SO from Washing
ton to Luzon, obviously in the hope
of checking the laying of a Pacific
cable direct to those islands.
The industrial commission will
cease to exist on December 18th. A
full meeting of the commission will
be held soon and the commission
probably will remain in session most
of the month, going over it's final
report This will be embodied in
one volume, and will be submitted
to Congress about the time the off,
cial existence of the commission Ok
pires.
A delegation of Porto Ricans saw
the President the other day and ap-
pealed to him to urge on Congress
the imposition Of an import duty
on coffee. The delegates stated
that while their coffee was the finest
in the world Ut is generally so ad-
mitted), they could not compete with
the much cheaper Brazlllian article.
They suggested that a duty of 5 per
per cent. on all coffee entering the
United States and Porto Rico would
be sufficient.
Alfred H. Brooks of the Geologi-
cal Survey, who has just returned
firm a long trip to Alaska for the
Government, draws a surprising
picture of that country. Instead of
the bleak stretches of snow and ice
that are inseparable from the name
OF Alaek4, Mr. Brooks says the oil
mate is fine, being but little cooler
in summer than New York, and but
little colder in winter, and, save for
u TOO cOpiOus supply of rain, would
make an ideal summer resort.
The. Board of Naval Construction
has recommended shat Congress ap-
propriate this winter for the follow
ing vessels: 'Three sea going bat
tleships of 10000 tons each, to be
heavily armed and armored; two
heavily armed and armored cruisers
Of IA, 500 tons each; six gunboats
of 200 tons each two colliers of
1000 tons each four picket boats of
$50 tons each and four tugs"
Secretary Long may modify this but
it is not probable that he will do SO.
According to the Bureau of Stats
tics, the land area of the Louisiana
Purchase exceeds that of the origi-
nal thirteen States, being 864, 944
miles, against a total land area of
800, 944 square miles in the original
thirteen States. The States and Ter
ritories which have been created in
whole or in part from it's area num-
Der fourteen, and their population
in 1900 wa IA, 7O8, SIG against a popu-
alton of les than 100, coo in the terri
tOryat the time Of it's purchase Their
total area is nearly 0 e-third that Of
the entire Union, and their popula-
tion about one-ffth that of the en-
tire United States.
Minister WI he's not been formally
notified of his recall as yet. There
is Titled ubt that it has been decided
on at Pekin, and that he must pay the
penalty of his too great popularity
over here. He expresses no fear as
to his reception at home and de-
Clares he shall return there directly.
His case has drawn out more or less
caustic comment on China's foolish
ness from people who forgot how we
ourselves have on several occasions
hpunded our own min sters because
We considered that they were grow
iug too popular at the British court.
The question as to whether can
non shooting will prevent halls now
agitAting the weather sharps. Both
Italy and France, in which the grape
interests are so great, have been ex-
perimenting in this direction and
IF tally declare their faith in it,.
However, W. l. Moore, Chief of the
United States Weather Bureau 0he
same who predicted lovely weather,
for McKinley's inauguration) de-
clares that the French and Italians
are idiots and that the thing is inn
p~Ossible. He couldn't be more posi-.
tive it he we're a government wit
ness before the Schley Court of In
quiry.
The Sohley case is now at an end
except for the verdict of the court:
This 10 not avDeote6 for aoma 4T-