AMERICAN LETTER

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 154, 29 June 1912, Page 15

AMERICAN LETTER

THE MEXICAN IMBROGLIO. MINIMISING DANGERS AT SEA. [FB.OM OUR OWN CO&BESPONDISNT.] SAN FRANCISCO, 29th May. • The biggest battle of the Mexican'revolution wae fought last week, at Rellano, and the rebels, under General Orozco, were soundly thrashed. According to one report, 600 of them were killed. For a fortnight prior tho Government troops, under General Huerta, had been gradually forcing tho revolutionists northward, and tho scene of the battle was 100 miles nearer the United States border than where the "outpost 3 of tho two armies first came in eonta.ct. For five houro the battle raged, and the cannonading was iso severe that it caused a neavy raii)6torm, through which both sides fought without atopping. The strength of the rebel army wae estimated at 8000, while tho Government troope numbered somewhat less. _ The battle was fought in the burning heat of the bright aun on a candy tableland. The scarcity of food and water made it impossible for either side to keep its full force in the field for many hours at a time. The General of tho Federal forces states that hie own losses totalled ten dead- and 38 wounded. Tho result of tho battle hae done much to restore the prestige of President Madero, and it is believed the Government now holds the position fairly well in hand. There still, however, roinaiius Zapata, the other rebel leader, to bo disposed of. Zapata ie regarded ac little more than a brigand on a big scale, but he undoubtedly has a largo following of devoted men opposed to Madero. The day after the battle at Rellano Zapata made the threat that he would attack tho city of Mexico m ten days if Madero failed to resign the Presidency within that time. That the threat was regarded as somewhat more than a ruse was shown by the fact that the Mexican Government sent to all 'the foreign Consuls in the City of Mexico, advising them- to take steps for the proteefcion of their subject?. Zapata is said to have between f>ooo and 8000 armed men under him. MAKING, SEA TRAVEL SAFE. Tho new regulations governing lifesaving equipment on American ships, promulgated by the Federal Government aa a direct result o£ tho Titanic disaster, are not being disregarded and allowed to fall into disuse. Already Homo twenty of the big passenger 6teamers operating out of Pacific Coaet ports have been compelled by the Federal insp«tor« of eteamboats to cut down their passenger lists from 20 to 40 per cent., because lifeboatag© space, as measured by the new regulations, hao been ' declared inadequate. No 1 vessel leaving porfc is given her clearance papers unices there is shown to be lifeboat accommodation sufficient for every passenger and member of the crew. Most of the vessels between this coast and China and Japan are affected by the new rules, as well as a number operating up and down the coast. Of the 300 or &o vessels under the jurisdiction > of the shipping inspectors, most have been carrying adequate life boatago. Strangely enough, the majority of those that are found to be lacking in this regard are the big passenger vessels. Two largo boats, maintaining a service between San Francisco and Los Angeles, were found to bo so grossly unprovided with lifeboats that their passenger lists wero cut from 700 to 250. Of course, as coon' as the necessary equipment is ins-tailed they will bo permitted to carry the larger number of passengers. ' Some criticism is directed by oteainship owners at the Government becaueo of the fact that Undo Sa-m'u military transport steamer Sherman has been allowed to clear for Manila with 1600 passengers aboard, and lifeboat accommodation for but 600. Congress has, however, appropriated £60,000 for the building of lifeboats for tho transports. PANAMA CANAL TOLLS. The House of Representatives has decided that American ships operating between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States shall use tho Panama Canal toll-free. This was decided lasb week after a hard fight by a vote ot 100 to 90. Tho minority .contended that under the Pauncefote treaty, which inhibits discrimination in favour of the shipping of -any ono nation, such a preference, was barred. The supporters of free tolls replied that inasmuch as foreign ships are not permitted under the maritime laws of the United States to carry freight or passengers from ono American port to another the _ decision to make only coastwise shipping tollfree was not in any way a breach of the treaty. This view prevailed. As to American shipping engaged in foreign trade— and thereby entering into competition with the shipping of tho world — the House of Representatives came to no definite decision. This question was left in tho hands of the President, thus leaving the matter open for full investigation of the treaty rights of the United States. Tolls to be charged for any shipping shall not exceed 5s per net rcgKteicd ton, according to another provision of the Bill. Tho President is authorixed to prescribe the amount of the tolls within this limit, and from time to time to ihange the rate. Tolls shall not, however, except for ships of tho United Slates and its citizens, be lesa than the "estimated proportionate cost of the actual maintenance and operation of the caual," whatever that not very lucid phro&o may mean. The Bill as passed also provides that no ships owned by railroad corporations shall be allowed to operate through the canal. E. T. Chamberlain, U.S. Commissioner of Navigation, states that the measure is one that will "do more to promote the maritime importance of the United States and the increase of American ocean shipping and shipbuilding than any other Bill which the House of Representatives has passed in eighteen years." SENATOR LORIMER. What has come to be known as "the Lorimer question" is approaching a settlement after more than two years of the bitterest political controversy. William Lorimer was elected a Federal Senator from Illinois as the result of flngrant bribery. But ho himself did not pay the bribes, and has not been • shown to have personally had anything to do with the corruption. Tho question tho United States nas been struggling with for two years is: Should Senator Lorimer, in these circumstances, be expelled? After one investigation the Senate, by a narrow majority, voted that ho should retain his seat. But a second investigation was ordered. The committee has recently reported with a majority recom. mendation that the Senator bo not expelled ; n strong minority ronort urges his expulsion. It is believed that the Senate as it is now constituted will adopt tho .minority report and expel Lorimer. The Vice-President of the United States, ,james S. Sherman, has visited Lorimer and informed him there is small chance of his receiving a second exoneration, and urging him to resign to save his supporters from further useless embarrassment. THE PENSION BILL. Another ono of tlioso additions to the pension roll which, generally, happen

about the time of the Presidential electoral campaign has just been made. Congress baa passed, and President Taft has signed, a measure increa&uig tha amount paid to war ponsionera by about £G,000,000 a year. As originally hOiro-t duced, it contemplated an additional exs penditure of £15,000,000 a year, but after various compromise conferences between the two Houses of Congress the amount was out down to the lower fkttte. ft is estimated that tho Bill /will b^isfit about 420,000 pensioners. The average annual increase for each will bo £12. Civil War veterans, who have h«Detofore been receiving a ecale of pensiona ranging from Q1 10* to £4 a. month, according to age and length of service, will in the future be paid from £2 16s to £6 a month. All veterans of the Mexican War will r<3oeiv« a pension of £6 a month. The war veterans o£ tho United States are dying off at tho rate of about 2000 a month; and it is this fact that largely induced Congress and the President to be generous to thf pensioners who remain.