Newport weekly independent., 1903-01-30
News of the World

in a note to the powers, China declares her inability to meet the indemnity obligations in gold and asks the foreign ministers to sug- gcst a plan for relief.
 The treaty between the United States and Colombia for the con- Struction of the Panama canal by the United States has been signed by representatives of both govern mcnts.
 A fast passenger train leaving Memphis for New Orleans was ditched few miles from Memphis. Three trainmcn were fatally in iured and two mail clerks badly bruised. The wreck was caused by an open switch.
 The authorities have decided to burn the forts and the town of Mazatlan, in Mexico, in order to wipe out and check the spread of bubonc plague. The disease has spread to several nearby points, and Is causing great alarm.
 Editor N. C. Gonzales, who was shot down on the street at Colum- bia, $. C.. by Lieut. Gov. James Tlllman, died after lingering four days. Tillman expresses regret over the tragedy, but claims that he will be yindicatcd. Eyewitness es to the tragedy say that no words passed between the two men, and Gonzales was unarmcd.
 The list of crimes in the United States compiled annually by the Chicago Tribune shows that during the past year there have been s. S52 criminal homicides, an increase of 1000 over the year before. Of this number G,3O7 are chargcable to qnarrels, 540 to jealousy, 230 to llqaor, ;33S were committed by rob- bcrs, and the causes of 955 were unknown. During the year IA persons were executed, as against 11S in 1901. On the other hand. there was a decrease of 2l in the number of lvnchings.
 Aguinaldo has proposed to the Philippine committee the plan of obtaining from congress a United States treasury loan of $20,OO0, ,O00 gold, in cash, and also a credit of SS0,o00,000 gold, which will guar antce the issue of paper to serve as money in the islands. This sum to be used for the development and improvement of Philippine agricul- ture and shall be paid within twen- ty years, the payments being made m three installmcnts at the end of ten, fifteen and twenty years re- spcctively. The proposition. has been laid before congress.
 Some fend caused a disastrous wreck on the Frisco near Green field, Mo-, by turning a switch, in- dicating a clear track, upon the ap- proach of passenger train. The entire train, consisting of baggage car, mail car, smoker and common coach, chair car and sleeper, left the track, caught fire and was con- sumed. A freight train was stand ing on the siding and before the passenger engineer saw the open switch his train had passed through it and crashed into the freight. The passenger engine rolled over and down an 1S-foot cmbankment. Engineer Fisher was instantly killed and Fireman Gilbert was sc riously hurt.
 Senator Elkins introduced bill in congress which covers the fca !. lures of the antitrust legislation, as far as it relates to railroads. It contains the provisions which have been recommended by Attorney General Knox as to the punishment of those who receive as well as those who give rebates. It pro- vides for the punishment of corpo- rations by fine instead of imprison- ment of officials; also injunctions to prevent discrimination. Among other provisions of the bill are the following: The wilful failure to file tariff rates and observe them, subjects the roads to a fine of S1,ooo or $20,oo0; granting or re- celvlng rebates subject the corpora tons or persons to the same fine