New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-12
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

tia 6rst meeting OF the Senate committee.
an Il was Q foregone conclusion that San
Franctsco would carry on the prize. Tho
San Brancisoo boomers are still here, and.
naturally. are 1ubilant over their success.
SHOW IN THE HOUSE. Colonel
George W. Goethals Is to conduct show
in the House chamber on Monday evening
which will be unique In the history Of the
nation. With moving pictures and stere-
opticon views, the chief engineer of the
canal will show the members Of Congress
both Senators and Representatives having
been invited to attend-what has been done
In the canal zone. Incidentally, Colonel
Goethals will say word or two in support
of the administration policy OF beginning
at once the fertilization Of the canal. In
the interest Of which he has been before
the appropriations committee for several
DAVIS. A great number OF lantern slides
have been prepared showing the work on
thu canal In its various stages, and the
colonels lecture Is expected to prove as
entertaining as convincing. There Is. OF
course, no man who has better knoWI
edge Of the subject, and the members OF
Congress are looking forward to this az
fair with pleasure. Pictures have occa-
sionally been displayed In the House cham
her by some member who took that means
of Illustrating his argument, but this VIII
be the first display Of moving pictures
there.
orcoTTS GOOD WORK.-Representa-
tive ]. Van Vechten Olcott is largely re-
.ponsibIe for the passage by the House Oh
a simple bill, but one of the utmost I'M
portance TO all present and future nuganls'
which has the cordial support OF the Presi-
dent and the American Bar Assoclatioh'
and which appears so eminently sensloie
that II is hard to understand why II mas
not been passed before. This bill PROVIDES
first. that no judgment or retrial snail De
granted on purely technical GROUNDS anu
without reference to its merits. nor unless
II shall appear TO the superior court that
the error complained OF has anected the
substantial rights of the parties; seconu'
that trial judge may submit TO the jury
issues Of fact and reserve questions OF Ia"
for subsequent argument, ana that any
Judge or court to which an appeal has oeen
made may direct that judgment be entered
either upon the verdict or upon the point
reserved. This amounts to putting into ef-
feet President Taft's recommendation tnat
mo Judgment OF the court below should %
reversed except for an error which the
court, after hearing the entire evidence
can affrmatively say would have led TO
different verdict" il will also obvlate
many to the lay mind ridiculous, rerials'
as. for instance, that in the case or Mis-
souri, VS.. Campbell. In which a retrial was
ordered because the indictment had omitted
the word 1.-THE" in the last clause, which
as prescribed by statute. must reao
against the peace and dignity or the
state" Not content with having secured
the passage Of this bill by the House, how
ever, Mr.. Olcott Will also endeavor to have
It re-enacted as part Of the revised stat
utes now under consideration In the House
SHOOTING IN THE AIR-The Navy
Department has at last awakened 70 the
part which aeroplanes may play in actual
warfare, and instructions have been issued
by Lieutenant Commander Leigh Palmer
director OF target practice, to the Atlantic
fleet TO prepare for and conduct series
Of experiments In target practice of the
feet which is to take place about the MID
die Of March off the Virginia Capes. IT is
said that this will constitute the most ad'
vanced type of target practice IN the world
orders are being prepared for number OF
small balloons, of sufficient size, however
to carry lifesize dummies. The practice Will
be had with the ordinary small calibre
rapid firing guns, although later some spe-
cial type OF weapon more suited 10 this
form Of attack may be devised.
q. G. II.