Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-01-10
oO~~~%~~N~0

The British colonial secretary, the Earl
of Elgin, announced recently the issuance
of letters patent, establishing Immediate
responsible government and constitu-
ton to the Transvaal.
The government at Vienna has intro
duced to the upper house Of the Austrian
parliament a bill limiting the number OF
live m .mbers of that house to $50. 1t is
now hoped that the upper house will pass
the universal suffrage bill.
Several women suffragists entered the
House of Commons on requests to see
members and then tried to make speeches
in the Hobbies. 4 number resisted expul-
sion and were arrested. They refused to
pay So fines, and went to Jail for four
teen days
Prof. Zinno, who has made an exhaus-
tive examination of the asnes cast out Of
Vesuvius in the recent outbreak, says
that he has found them free from ingre-
dents injurious to plant life, while con-
timing matter helpful to the growth OF
grapes, grass and vegetables.
The chamber of deputies at Brussels
has voted, 127 to 80, in favor of the pro-
posal to accept the terms of King Leo
pold's will, bequeathing the Congo indie
pendent State to Belgium, on condition
that the royal private domains be main
tanned integrally after IT'S annexation
This means that Belgium will proceed to
annex the Congo, after full accounting
of its obligations mad concessions.
The return of the non-conformists' ed
ucation bill to the House of Lords, with
radical changes, greatly excited the liberal
leaders, and it was expected that the
House would disagree with the lords
amendments as a whole thus virtually
dissenting from the right of the lords to
make such changes The lords have also
rejected the bill providing for the aboli-
ton of plural voting and amended the
trades bill.
In an interview with the correspondent
of the Publishers Press, King Leopold OF
Belgium made an elaborate denial of the
revived charges Of his cruelty and mis-
government in the Congo. He admitted
that probably there had been cases OF
crime and cruelty in the Congo, but he
insisted that every effort had been made
TO bring the guilty to justice and stop tho
i'll treatment OF natives. He said he was
poorer instead Of richer because of his
Congo responsibilities.
After the Reichstag had rejected appro-
nriations for the continuance of the south
wast African war, Chancellor Won Buelow
read the Kaiser's message of dissolution.
For months the German people have been
growing restless over the heavy cost Of
the African campaign and displeased with
the stories of cruelties perpetrated upon
natives by the soldiers. At last even
the powerful Catholic center party refus-
ed TO support the budget, hence the acute
crisis. a new Reichstag must be elected
within sixty days.
The Mexican government has made
known its plan to take control of all i'm
portant railway lines in the republic. It
evolves a contract, giving the govern
ment control of the Mexican Central, the
National. the International the Inter
oceanic, the Hydalgo and the Northwest
ern railroads. all of which will be merged
into one great system, aggregating 10000
miles. a company will be organized, in
which the government will have a ma
iority Of the stock. issuing securities in
exchange for those outstanding OF the
merged companies. II is hoped that, by
a reduction of expense and the elimina-
ton of competition, the company will pay
dividends on all stock at an early date.