April 23.—At a Prohibition meeting in Texas Congressman Pinckney is killed and several others seriously wounded. April 24.—United States Supreme Court issues mandate for the removal of George W. Bates to Washington for trial on postal fraud charges. Walter D. Heine makes an argument before the Interstate Commerce Committee against the regulation of railroad rates by the Government. April 25.—Beef Trust sends papers and books wanted by the Chicago Grand Jury to Canada. Secretary Taft announces that the Government’s acquisition of the Panama Railway was not for the purpose of affecting railroad or ocean rates, but for the purpose of acquiring an instrument with which to construct the canal. Eight thousand men are now employed on the Panama Canal, and this force is being added to at the rate of 800 to 1,000 per month. The Attorney-General holds that the agreement between the Government and certain railroads for rebates is valid. It is believed in Washington that reductions must be made in the present tariff schedules to meet the deficit in the Federal Treasury. April 26.—Negotiations for an immigration treaty between the United States and China have been abandoned. Postmaster-General Cortelyou notifies the Assistant Postmaster at Louisville that he must resign as postmaster or as a member of the State Republican Committee. Mr. Bowen, the American Minister to Venezuela, charges that former Minister Loomis, now Assistant Secretary of State, accepted a check from the American Asphalt Company for $10,000 for services rendered. Mr. Bowen has made his charges in writing to the President. April 27.—Minister Bowen will be ordered to return from Venezuela to substantiate his charges against Assistant Secretary of State Loomis. April 29.—Mr. Loomis denies charges made by Mr. Bowen against him and files charges against Mr. Bowen. W. W. Russell, American Minister to Colombia, succeeds Mr. Bowen as Minister to Venezuela. May 3.—J. J. Hill testifies before the Senate interstate Commerce Committee that Government control of railroad rates will be disastrous. Federal Grand Jury subpœnas thirty representatives of the Traffic Departments of different railroads to testify in the Beef Trust investigation. May 5.—The Federal Grand Jury for the District of New York begins an investigation of the Tobacco Trust’s business methods. Attorney-General Moody holds that the Government can legally regulate railroad rates. Governor-General Davis stricken with fever. Secretary Taft orders him to leave Panama and return home. May 6.—President Roosevelt ends his hunting trip in Colorado and starts for Washington. _General Home News_