Newport weekly independent., 1903-01-09

| be made by all the bituminous coal miners in the country the latter part of this month. It is estimated that the demands of the bituminous miners will aggregate $2,000,000 a year.
 Brig Gen. Hasbrouck of the ar tillery, recently promoted from the rank of colonel, will retire in order that the pesident may fill the vacan- cy by advancing another of the old colonels who served during the civil war. This is in keeping with the recommendation made by Sec retary Root and indorsed by the president in his annual message that officers who served in the civil war should be allowed to retire at an advanced grade. Bills are pend ing in congress making this provis. ion.
 The Russian government is face to face with the grave question of how best to feed 15,OOO,00O peas ants. These distressed peasants are scattered over numerous provinces in central and eastern Russia, and partly also in the southeast and along the Volga. The worst fea- ture of the horrible situation is that some fathers of families are seeking persons who will buy their children. It seldom happens that boy is sold, but cases are becom- ing alarmingly numerous of men selling their women relatives. The Russian government has appropri- ated S10,000,OOO for the relief of these people, but this will not pre- vent thousands from dying of star yation.
 In reviewing the textile progress ln the south for the year just closed, the Manufacturers Record shows that there were additions of 1,119.- 284 spindles and 31,967 looms. It Is notable that of these additions, which indicate an investment of S22, ,305,6S0, established companies have 752,344 spindles, or about 67 per cent of the total. Other ten- dencies noted are reviewed as fol- lows: The low-grade goods that have in the past engaged the atten- tlon of the southern mills do not attract the new companies, but they plan for producing the finer grades of cloth. Many of them aim at this high-class production and several mills already established arranged during 1902 to reset their machin- cry and to improve their equipment so as to enter into the trade in high class product.
 Every American should glory in the vast improvements in all branches of trades and wonderful figures given in the treasury depart ment covering the past year. Sum- marization of the various receipts shows total receipts from all sources in 1902 to be $567,6S4,339. Last year they were $5s2,S17,312. The expenditures in 1909 were $495,- 462, ,1SS and in 1901 were $47S,- 995,3l4. The decrease in receipts from internal revenues for the cal endar year amounts to $44,000,00O, although 1t was thought that the war revenues repeal bill would make a cut in the internal revenue re- ceipts of at least $7O,0OO,OOO. This estimate was based not only on the returns from the internal revenue last year, which was a phenomenal one, but due allowance had been made for the expected increase in business. The internal revenue re- ceipts indicate wonderful increases ln the amount of goods subject to internal taxation manufactured in this country.
 The statement of the coinage ex- ecuted at the hints of the United States during the calendar year 1902 shows a total of $79, ,4S5,S15, as follows: Gold, $47,109, ,S52 silver, S29,92S,161; minor coins, $2,447,7s6. In addition, the gov ernment has coined 55O,0OO pieces for Venezuela, 1,36o,OO0 pieces for the government of Colombia, and 7,50S gold dollars for the Louisiana Purchase EynOcitiOp