The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-01-30
United States Has No Reason
10 Criticise Germany's Action
in Blockade So Far.
ROOSEVELT is WORRIED
Repetition Of Stories Calculated ia
l~nfiarno Public Opinion Are
Dangerous in tho
Extroine.

ASSk "a IN stS@h -"
intense Indignation the administration
is supposed t o feel over the action of
Germany in the Venezuela case.
Reports alleged to be private have
been sent to Wall street to the effect
tina Roosevelt, Root n Moody have
been concerning together for the pur-
pose of Strengthening the army and
navy in view of an anticipated war.
There is no truth in n of these
stories. The president is not anxious
and his secretaries are not preparing
for a conflict with Germany, any more
thai with Great Britain or France.
Repetition Of these stories is viewed
with concern by the administration, be-
cause 1t indicates a condition which Is
dangerous.
President Roosevelt is anxious that
nothing be done to infame this
try against Germany. He a not pro
tested to Germany, and Germany has
not protested to the United States. If
Germany should make open war upon
Venezuela, land troops, and capture
cities, this country would not be en-
titled to intervene, and Roosevelt SO I'M
derStands the situation.
Until Germany assumes to seize ter
ritory In Venezuela the Monroe doc
trine IS not called into question.
Mrs. Harrison's Picture Snaaged.
The national officers of the Daughters
of the American revolution have been
thrown into another spasm of indigna-
tkon over the treatment which the por-
trait of Mrs. Benjamin Harrison is re-
ceiving at the White House. The latest
outburst was caused by the discovery
that the costly painting had been
"snaeged" as the result of careless
handling during its remova from the
first 1ioor Of the White House to the
basement. The discovery was made by
the wife of a senator, who is prominent
in the organization, during an after
moor reception at which a numbe of
the daughters We're guests. The "snag''
was on one side of the portrait and
looked as if some sharp instrument had
been jabbed through the canvas.
There has been so much discussion of
the matter that the portrait was re-
moved from the White House today
and sent 10 the Corcoran Art Gallery,
where an attempt will be made to re-
pair it. The painting Is by Huntington,
and it cost the patriotic organization
IS, 600. Mrs. Harrison was the first
president general of the society.
Trust Legislation Prospects Dim.
81 am in favor of stringent trust legis-
lation,' said Representative Brownlow
of Tennessee, but ! do not believe the
prospects are any too bright for secur-
ing 1t. The people of the country do
not appreciate how few persons control
the chief food products. Less than ten
men control h bread supply OF the
country, about the same number mo-
nopolize the meat products. and ten
more control the coal situation. Thus
it will be seen less than thirty men con-
troll meat, bread and the coal used to
cock the meals Of the people Of the
country.
1T is rather startling to think that
little more thar Il quarter of a hundred
men control the FOOD supply of about
so, 900, 900 people. h Is a tremendous
power to be lodged in the hands of u
few persons, and there should be some
legislation which will shear them of
their power. If they should take the
notion to do so, the twenty men con-
trolling the meat and bread product
could increase their prices arbitrarily
and squeeze the people. They are be-
ing squeezed pretty hard 0 on the
price of COAL
Morgan May Defeat Treaty.
Senator Morgan's attitude toward
the PaGama canal treaty is so bitterly
hostile thai his colleagues on the COM
mittee on foreign relations suspect he
is preparing a campaign to defeat it.
The Alabama senator, who for years
was the chief promoter of the Mica
ragua route, thus far has found OBJ
lection to every paragraph of the Pam
anna treaty. He has intimated strongly
that it is unworthy of the serious CON-
sideration of the senate. He is espe-
cially severe in his criticism of the sec
ton which appropriates $40, 000, 600 as
payment to Colombia and says it is eX-
orbitant. la Bacon of Georgia also
is disposed to balk at certain features
of the treaty.
1t is admitted hat If Senator Nor
a should make up his mind seriously
to oppose the instrument he might de-
feat it, because he is the champion
long-distance speaker of congress.
Dignity Suffered Severe Loss.
One of the young women attached to
q spectacular show at a local theater
was the cause of a panic in the Raleigh
hotel. She wanted to ring for a drink.
but instead touched the button that
controls the fire alarm circuit of the
house. Instantly twenty or more great
gongs were pealing n discordant alarm.
Guests, reused from sleep, left their
beds in a hurry and jumped into the
halls, prepared to run for their lives.
Nobody took time to put on his clothes.
Senators and representatives and their
families and everybody else who was
under the roof of the Raleigh Joined in
the scramble for safety.
Half an hour elapsed before the
of the false alarm was located
n then the hotel management re-
the frightened guests. The
girl who touched the button was so
pleased with her performance that she
was willing to LAY her ,escapade writ
ten up by the newspapers.
several republican a expect
an extra session of congress-. Senator
Spooner, who is an excellent judge OF
the legislative situation, says that an
extra session is practically inevitable,
A Public Land Bill.
A bill Of much Importance to home.
steaders has been favorably reported by
the senate committee on public lands
1t provides that any or all of the lands
heretofore included within reserve tions
Tor reservoir purposes may, in the dis.
erection of the secretary, be thrown
open to entry and settlement under the
land laws as though such
haG never been made; provided, that il
mas peen ascertained by the secretar,
or the interior that such lands. or nor.
tlons Oh tracts. are not needed for reser.
| Folr purposes, and cannot prohab Iy he