The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-22

Disclaiming any intention of trying
to revolutionize Congress, but claim
ing the right to be heard, Victor
L. Berger, the Milwaukee Socialist,
who has been elected to seat in
the Sixty-second Congress, has pro-
mulgated his Platform of Intentions. !.
AS the first and only member of the
Socialist party elected to Congress.
Mr.. Berger is a center of interest and
| his course will be closely watched.
He says he intends to proceed care
fully, learn the ropes, try to convert
Democrats and Republicans to his
way of thinking and do his best to re-
fleet credit on the party which sent
him to Congress. There are 100000
Socialists in the United States and
these he will try to represent as well
as the people of his own district.
An imperial Chinese edict recently
issued in the name of the infant EN-
peror, assumes for him supreme COM
mand of the army, and appoints the
Prince Regent generalissimo until the
Emperor attains his majority. The
proclamation is the most important of
series of edicts by which the throne
has gradually raised the military
standard, until the army, which was
once the most despised profession, is
now considered of the highest type.
1t reviews at length the valorous his
tory of the ancestors of the present
octu init toe do
lurking about the frontiers. it declares
the necessity for great army and
demands that families discontinue self
ishly seeking their own interests and
unite, as every family will suffer if
conquered. 1t announces a new mill
tary program.
Great Britain and the United States
have agreed to arbitrate the Webster
claim, involving ownership of millions
of acres of land in New Zealand. This
was announced by DR.. J. G.. Findlay,
Attorney-Generalo of New Zealand The
personnel of the board has not yet
been settled. The claimants are de-
cendants of Capt. J. Webster a New
Bedford (Mass.) whaler, who operated
in the South Seas in the early thirties,
making his headquarters in New Zeal
and before Great Britain established
government in the islands. The
claim has been pending before the
American State Department for years
The claimants demand compensation
for lands, which, it is maintained
were given Capt Webster by various
Maori chiefs. These fertile lands
after the Captains death, reverted to
the Grown and were subsequently oc.
cupied by settlers. Webster, dying in
the United States, left will, bequeath.
ing his New Zealand estate to his heirs
whose claim has been pressed by the
United States for years. Recently the
Imperial Government, with the con.
agreed to arbitration.
Lined up outside the door of the
United States land Office at North
Yakima, Wash, are fifteen persons,
waiting night and day in order to
file on homesteads under the Tieton
irrigation project on land which will
be restored to entry April Is. Several
of the waiting ones have been there
for days, and Ivan Shirley, who heads
the line, was offered $1,000 for his
place. A thousand dollars was offered
for second place, held by G. B. And
rews. There are but thirteen farm
units in the restored land. The per
sonnet of the applicants at the land
Office door has changed several times
by holders of places selling out at
any where from SIS to 800.
Work is suspended on the new
wings to the Montana state capitol al
Helena, the bricklayers. stone settlers
engineers and carpenters having gone
out in sympathy with the laborers
who were demanding fiat rate of SIS
day. The unions were ordered out
by the Helena Trades and Labor as.
sembly. Some of the carpenters balk-
ed, but at a meeting of their union it
was decided to fine every man who re
turned to work S. day and all went
out in consequence.
The section of an appropriate site
for the location of the Normal school
is an important question now before
the people of Minot, N. D. The Com
mercial Club has taken a hand in
the matter and will cooperate with the
State Normal Board in the selection
D0DE rHE-