William Nelson Cromwell, the New York lawyer who unloaded the Panama Canal property on the United States, and who has since acted as counsel to the President and Secretary Taft on Panama matters, appears before the Senate committee. He denies that he was the cause of ex-Chief Engineer Wallace’s resigning. When questioned as to his dealings with Secretary Taft he refused to answer. February 27.—Steel Trust officials and George Gould order the bituminous coal mine operators to make peace with the miners and prevent a strike. The Insurance Commissioners of Kentucky, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Nebraska ask the New York Insurance Department to co-operate with them in making an investigation of the Mutual Life Insurance Co. William Nelson Cromwell again appears before the Senate Committee on Interoceanic Canals. He continues to refuse to answer questions as to his dealings with Secretary Taft and the amount of his fees. Senator Morgan, of Alabama, produced a copy of Cromwell’s contract with the French company, or Panama Canal Co., which gave Cromwell the power to organize companies, issue stock, bonds, etc., and finance any and all sorts of organizations to further the idea of selling the canal to the United States. February 28.—It is reported from Pittsburg that the United States Steel Corporation, through President W. Ellis Corey, has demanded of the Pittsburg Coal Company, with which it has a twenty-five-year contract for coal, the minimum for each year being set at 8,000,000 tons, that there be no strike in the Pittsburg district. At the same time the Gould interests, so heavy in the West and Southwest, have ordered peace. As a result there will be no strike of the bituminous miners, who will receive a satisfactory advance. It is reported from Springfield, Ohio, that local militia, called out to check a race riot caused by the shooting of M. M. Davis, a brakeman, by a negro, has been unable to stop the riot. An appeal has been made to the Governor to send more troops. Early this morning houses were burning in the negro quarter, and the authorities are powerless. Yesterday the President signed the Urgent Deficiency Bill, which contains an appropriation of $118,000 for New York State to pay its claim for money to equip Government troops during the War of 1812. Five hundred delegates of the Independence League, guests of William R. Hearst, appeared yesterday at Albany to plead before the Governor and the Legislature for the passage of measures in which the league is interested. The Commissioners of Insurance in the states of Kentucky, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Nebraska have requested the Insurance Department of New York State to co-operate with them in an investigation of the Mutual Life Insurance Company.