Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-02-18
IMPORTANT CONFERENCE.
President Summons Party Leaders
to the White House for
Consultation.
THOSE PRESENT EXTREMELY RE1IcEN1.
Not Known whether the Conference
Was Over Legislative Programme
in Congress or Had to Do with
schlcy Case-Senate Procecdings-
Taft Continues His Statement.

, Taft Continues His Statement.
Washington, Feb. IA very impor-
tant conference was held in the cab
met room of the white house Satur-
day. At the presidents request he
was joined there shortly after ten
o'clock in the morning by Senators
Allison, Aldrich and Spooner; Speaker
Henderson and Representatives Can
non and Grosvenor, and the confer
ence lasted until few minutes after
~.
It's something of coincidence that
those at the conference Saturday
were, with the exception OF the pres
ident himself and Senator Spooner,
the same men who took part in the
famous conference few weeks prior
to the Spanish war, which resulted in
the definite conclusion that congress
should appropriate $50,00O,00o to be
placed at the disposal of the president
to prepare for war.
Not since that momentous occasion
until Saturday, have the same men
been formally summoned for con-
ference at the white house. Previous
to the conference the president break
tasted at the white house with Attor-
ney General Knox, Postmaster Cen
eral Payne and Senator Hanna.
Are Extremely Reticent.
When the conference broke up those
who participated in it were extreme
ly and unusually reticent. The fact
that the senators are members of the
steering committee of the senate and
Speaker Henderson and his two lieu
tenants who were present Saturday
practically control legislation in the
house gave rise to the belief that the
consultation referred to the legisla-
tive programme in congress and might
have bearing upon the shaping of
Cuban, Philippine and war revenue re-
peal legislation.
There also was an animation that
the president talked with his party
leaders in congress about the Schley
case. and color was given to this sur
mise by remark dropped by one of
the senator's. But nothing definite
as to the purpose or result of the con-
sultation could be obtained.
Senate Proceedings.
! Washington, Feb. 17.-After the
routine business Saturday the senate
passed bill appropriating 100000
for public building at Selma, Ala.
The senate then resumed consider
ntion of the bill establishing perma-
nent census bureau. The pending
amendment was that of Senator
Lodge to amend the paragraph relat-
Ing to the retention of employees SO
that it would read "that all employees
of the twelfth census office at the
date of the passage of this act who
are retained in the employ of the per-
manent census above the grade of
skilled laborer shall be, and they are
hereby, placed without further exam
ination under the provisions of the
civil service act"
Not Fit for Jury Service.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE hearing
of Gov. Taft, on the Philippine ques-
ton by the senate committee on the
Philippines. began Saturday with a
series of questions by Senator Patter-
son in regard to the fitness of Fill
pinos for jury duty. Mr.. Patterson
asked whether the native population
on which the voting franchise is be-
slowed could be trusted to do jury
duty. The governor replied in the
negative, saying they are SO nsed to
corruption in the administration of
Justice that they could not be trusted.
s'They need to be trained" he said, "to
have examples; they are not yet ready
for jury duty"
Referring to the code of procedure
in the islands. Gov. Taft said in reply
to a question by Senator Culberson
that it is an American code rather
than a Spanish code.
: Panama Canal Protocol Ready.
I Washington. Feb 1.-THE Panama
canal protocol, which has been in
course of preparation for several
weeks at the hands of DR.. Silva, the
Colombian minister here; Mr.. Herran,
the first secretary of legation, and
Mr.. +. Mutis-Duran, the special rep
reSenIaulNe Ol lHc s5ueIdIlllleHU OF
Panama, now stands completed in all
essential respects. The protocol has
been prepared in the Spanish Ian
guage and Mr. Herran will undertake
its translation into English, so it is
probable that it will not be turned
over to Admiral Walker, chairman of
the isthmian canal commission, before
next Thursday The protocol consists
of about rs articles and is quite a
lengthy document. ADMIRAL Walker,
st is explained, has had no part in the
drawing up of the protocol, having de-
cided to leave that matter entirely to
the Representatives of the Colombian
government and to avoid any inter
ference with their work before it was
completed.
{ Adjourns.
Cincinnati, o., Feb. 1.-THE Metho-