The Democratic Senators are alarmed by Senator Patterson’s speech in favor of the Santo Domingo treaty, and call a caucus for Saturday.
February 2.—The President holds several conferences with Senate leaders on a compromise railroad rate regulation bill. Some of the Republican Senators are opposed to the Hepburn bill which is now before the House.
The Democratic senators threaten to bar all Democrats from future caucuses who support the Santo Domingan treaty.
The joint conference of coal operators and miners, held at Indianapolis, adjourns without reaching an agreement on a wage scale. The failure to reach an agreement is almost sure to result in another great strike, beginning April 1.
The Government wrings an admission from the Beef Trust that the National Packing Co. is simply a “holding” concern. It buys all the cattle, but does all of its business through constituent corporations.
February 3.—The caucus of Democratic senators at Washington adopts a resolution that it is the duty of every Democratic senator to oppose the Santo Domingan treaty.
The National Executive Board of the United Mine Workers decides on a plan to raise $5,000,000 with which to carry on the strike of the coal miners, beginning April 1.
The Panama Canal Commission decides on an 85-foot level lock Canal. It is estimated that a lock Canal will cost $100,000,000 less than a sea-level canal.
February 5.—John F. Wallace, former chief engineer of the Panama Canal Commission, appears before the Senate Committee and explains why he resigned. He claims that incapable men were given greater authority than the chief engineer.
The leaders of the Pennsylvania coal miners are divided on the question of ordering the great strike.