Senator Tillman introduces a bill in the Senate to prohibit corporations from making money contributions in connection with political elections. February 20.—The McCurdys prepare to fight the suits brought against them by the Mutual Life Insurance Co. for the restitution of money illegally taken from the company. The McCurdys and Raymond & Co. also charge that other officials and trustees of the Mutual received rebates on their own policies. Opinions of prominent lawyers show that the Supreme Court’s decision against railroads owning commodities which they haul as common carriers will prevent railroads from operating if not from owning coal mines. Most of the big coal mines in the country are either owned, controlled or operated by the railroads. Commissioner of Corporations James R. Garfield testifies in the case of the Government against the beef packers now being tried at Chicago. He denies that he promised the packers immunity from prosecution or that all information given him would be regarded as confidential. Pittsburg, Pa., follows the example of other cities and throws off the yoke of boss rule. George W. Guthrie, a Democrat supported by the independent factions, defeats Alexander M. Jenkinson, the Republican candidate of the Frick-Mellon-Cassatt combination. The House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce recommends a favorable report to the House on the bill for an investigation by the Interstate Commerce Commission of the relations between railroads and coal and oil companies. This is the resolution introduced in the Senate by Senator Tillman, with a few modifications of the Gillespie and Campbell resolutions substituted. February 21.—President Roosevelt announces that he will not try to influence the Senate Committee’s action on the Hepburn railroad rate bill, but intimates that he will veto any bill that does not meet his approval. John Mitchell declares there will be a coal strike in the bituminous coal fields. The Senate passes a pure food bill by a vote of 63 to 4. The bill makes it a crime to ship from one state to another any article of food, drugs, medicines or liquors which is adulterated or misbranded, or which contains any poisonous or deleterious substances. General Grosvenor, of Ohio, is defeated for re-nomination to Congress. Gen. Grosvenor has been in Congress twenty years. The House of Representatives takes up the army appropriation bill. Chairman Hull, of Iowa, urges the need of preparing for an emergency, as there is fear of trouble with China. John A. McCall is buried in New York City. McCall left no money and the suits for recovery of money illegally paid Hamilton will be dropped.