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T
2 Opinions of Great Papers on Important Subjects.
avoriteI
A
Trial by Jury.
WITNESS in a Chicago ease swore the other
day that he had bribed more than a hundred
Jurors. Asked if any of the jurors ho ap
proached had avor refused to do business with
him, he roplled that ha only romembered throb
who ltad been proof against his seductions.
Naturally an incident of this chnracter loads
to a discuision of the value and safety of tho jury system,
it was primarily intended to ouro for tho accused trial
by bin peers, and by men dnnrn at random from the body
of the ptople. One of Its purposes was to balk Interfcr
noo by tho crown through coorced Judgos; and, in a day
when the people had to stand together against this sort of
tyranny, it did its work well.
But no one foars the tyranny of the crown now, and
we would havo quit as much faith in tho integrity of tho
Judges as in that of the best. jury. It, perhaps, is a safe
guard still to have it known that a Jury will sit on a caso
which will be drawn from tho body of tho peoplo by
chance; but it is a safeguard n gainst possible rather than
present evils. If anything like this shocking Chicago ex
perience were to become at all common, that safeguard
would not weigh in the balance for a moment.
Still, tho truth probably is that trial by Jury is in more
lHngcr from another side than from that of possible cor
ruption. And this is tho hard usage to whioh jurymen are
frequently subjected. This leads to a great reluctance to
serve on a Jury, and to a feeling of soreness and resent
ment when compelled to servo. It ought to be recognized
that a juryman is performing a patriotic duty, quite as im
portant as that of the soldier; and the utmost pains should
be taken to make "his lot a happy one."
The locking up of a Jury, for instance, with a view to
coercing it into reaching a verdict by sheer pressure of im
prisonment should never be resorted to. If a Jury cannot
agree after a reasonablo discussion of the evidence, its
disagreement ought to be frankly accepted and tho Jury
dismissed. Then it would seem as if the numbor of Jury
trlols might be reduced. A Jury should not be called in
except where its Judgment as to fact is absolutely required.
Otherwise, the Judgos might safely be intrusted with the
work. Jury service will havo to be given raoro dignity and
more comfort and more respect if it is to last in the high
form which makes it a safeguard to the course of justice.
Montreal Star.
T
The Preservation of the Bison.
HE movement now on foot to save the Amer
ican bison from oxtlnction is one which should
commend Itself to oil thoughtful Americans.
That our grandest native animal, not long ago
the most numerous large animal of recent
times, has been allowed to almost disappear
from the earth, is recognized as a national dls-
grace, and tho knowledge that there is still a lighting
chance to save him should stir every naturalist, every
lover of animals, to aotion in his behalf. . . . And sure
ly no animal can appeal to us for protection from more
points of view than tho buffalo. As an individual it is a
creature of imposing appearance tho finest hoofed ani
mal on earth to-day one of the grandest animals of all
time. It stands out a bold and plcturesquo llgure in the
tory of tho conquest of the American wilderness; its his
tory is closely interwoven with the early history of our
country with the story of tho Indians and the pioneer
ettlers and it would seem that it Rhould be preserved, if
only as a grand and striking object lesson in American his
tory. But looking at the matter from a purely utilitarian
point of vlow, the buffalo is a valuable animal, which could
probably be reared at a handsome profit In any of the
States Included in its former range. Careful experiments
by the Corblns at Newport, N. II., and by others elsewhere
have proved conclusively that, with a reasonably largo
area over which to roam, buffaloes are as easy to rear and
less expensive to feed than domestic cattle. Their flesh,
which cannot be distinguished from beef, is tho least val
uable part of them, since buffalo robes and handsome
heads for mounting ore always In demand, sometimes at
enormous prices.
But since nearly all the buffaloes in the country are
now in the hands of private individuals, these facts are but
a menuco to the race. There i9 no guarantee that the
owners may not at any time soil their herds to tho first
man who offers a high figure for their heads and hides.
Moreover, since most of tho animals arc contained In two
or three comparatively largo herds, there, is constant dan
ger of a large proportion of them being wiped out at one
time by conUgiouj disease In order to avoid such a dis
aster, which might eaBily destroy tho last chance to save
tho bison, it seoras that tho wisest plan would bo for tho
government to purchase throo or four hundred buffaloes
known to be free of all trace of blood of domestic cattle,
to divide them into reasonably small herds of, say, fifty
animals each, and to maintain theso herds in as many
difforont places throughout the country until such time
as the race 1b onco moro safely on its foot. Boston Tran
script. '
Another Dip Into the Tolls.
WO new 10.000 hnrHf-nrm'ir titrhttin )io,.. l,..
I I installed by the Canadian Tower Company, and
I I the tlmo when NIagura shall ccae to run is
uiAiugui iuut uiui'u nearer.
You, with your love of the beautiful, cry
"Shame!" You usk why commercialism shall
be allowed to destroy tills world wonder, whore
millions have marveled and been brought in thought closer
to tho Power that rules tho universe.
And Commercialism says: "Ilcre is the best and cheap
est power tiie world knows going to waste. It will turn
the wheels of a thousand factories; It will run railroads
and light cities." There is logic on both sides of tho ques
tion. It is a fact that what has been done and Is planned
to be done will sound tho doom of Niagara Falls.
But there Is a bigger question. The falls are public
property. By rights they belong to no one man or set of
men. And yet the public has gotten little or nothing out of
tho commercial transformation of this great torront.
Private capital is now Invested in ten companies that
havo diverted much of the water from the falls. The av
erage citizen has been blessed with little, if any, reduction
of traveling expenses, notwithstanding that tho falls fur
nish the power for his trolley line.
Last year a "grab" bill was Introduced in the New York
Legislature. Had it become a law, little would have been
loft of Niagara to attract sightseers. The bill was fought
tooth and nail by New York newspapers, led by the World,
and, backed by public sentiment, they were victorious. The
measure is to be again pressed and a still stronger light
to rob the people.
Only aggressive vigilance will prevent the grandest nat
ural spectacle In this country becoming a curse and a scan
dal. Kansas City World.
ft
Japan Is Aiding Russian Reform.
HE chief interest in the great war In tho East
concerns not so much the ability of the Japs
to whip the Russians, but their power to help
forward the cause of Russian liberty. It had
long been understood that the fall of Port Ar
thur was Inevitable, but still, when It came,
it came with n Jar that the Russian autocraev
felt. Three years ago Tolstoi, when he believed himself to
be dying, wrote to the Czar, warning him against his ad
visers, "whoso cruol and strenuous activity is arresting the
denial progress of mankind." He warned the Czar that
autocracy was an outgrown form of government that
would no longer serve for an enlightened people living in
touch with enlightened nations. He entreated him to heed
the desires of the Russian people, and especially to free the
working people from tho special laws that deprived them
of the rights enjoyed by other citizens, and to give them
freedom of removal from place to place, freedom of edu
cation, of conscience, and In tenure of land. These re
forms aro coming, and the .Taps aro helping vastly to bring
Them. Some of them have already been granted by the
Czar, and though what the Czar gives he can take back,
or the next may take back, the great reforms, like the abo
lition of serfdom or the concession of these great rights that
Tolstoi Bpoke for, once they are fully established and en
Joyed, are Irrevocable. The JnpB will bring Russia down to
modern times If they hold out long enough. More power
to them in that good cause. New York Life.
A BURMESE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
It is not easy to guess what a native
Burma would think or Tie quick action
MMl ieed of on American flro engine
and its company. What tin American
thought of Burmese custom nt such
time of need Is recorded by E. D.
Cuming, in his book, "Ln the Sluidow
of the Pagoda." Mr. Cuming was in
terested in n mill situated near a small
Burmoso village. One morning a lire
broke out among the lightly built bam
boo huts and rapidly spread.
I ordered out the little mill fire en
gine, had the hands summoned uid
ran tho engine to tho burning village,
says Mr. Cuming, it was blazing as
only bamboo nnd dhunny thatch can
blaze. Ono houso after unotlier caught
In rapid succession. Tho men at the
'engine pumped until they wero tired
and than I called on the villagers
to relieve them.
No one moved savo to urgo others.
I called again. An old man who was
a potty government olllclai, and so,
probably, felt a slight responsibility,
rose, girded up his loins and called for
men. His son sind ono other got up un
willingly, carefully laid aside their
cheroots and took hold of the handles.
The rest of tho population squatted
and laughed.
I turned to and worked, though weak
from a long fever. The old man soon
pumped himself out, and when he lefr-
the others left. I pounced on two men
and made them take hold. As they be
gan to work a (light of paddy-birds
streamed overhead. The il.imes gleam
ed rosy oti their white feathers.
"Red paddy-blrds! Look! Red poddy-birds!"
shouted the population. This
was too much for the men at the han
dles. They squatted on their heels
and stared up In delighted awfonlsh
mont. I grew desperate.
"Whose houso Is that?" I asked,
pointing to one Just threatened.
"Your honor, that Is the house of
Pho Foo."
"Where Ls he "
"Ilcre," jwlnting to one of the men
I had driven to pump. Ho wns crouch
ed on the root of a tree, smoking.
"Is that your houso?" I asked him.
lie nodded and smiled pleasantly.
"It will be on flro ln a moment."
"Y.?s, your honor, I think so," ho re
sponded affably, looking at his dwell
ing with disinterested nlr.
1 buret out laughing, and the natives
Jolnod, rocking to und fro, roaring with
amusement, as if the idea of trying to
put out a flro was tho greatest joke ln
the world. I told tho men to coll up
the hoso and take tho engine homo, and
1 resolved not to spoil tho innocent
pleasure those light-hearted people took
in witnessing tho destruction of their
village.
Debs Wanted ilill to Join Union.
Despite James J. Hill's belief that
wises have been rnlswl to a fictitious
standard, (hero has been only ono
strike on his railroad, tho Grout North
ern, and this was settled to the satis
faction of the strikers. An Interesting
episode ln connection with It Is told
by Eugene V. Dcb3, who led the agita
tion. "President James J. 1 1 III and I had
shaken hands," said Mr. Debs, ln re
lating tho story, "and declared the
hatchet buried. He said lie wan glad
it was over, and assured me that ho
hod no fooling or resentment. As we
stood chnttlng in his olllce, he re
marked: 'By the way, Debs, you'll
have to be my general manager, to
night, for the men won't go to work
except on your orders.' I roplled:
"All right; I'll guarantee th.1t by
morning the trains will all be running
on schedule time.' Then Mr. Hill sud
denly asked me:
" 'How about my wages, Debs? I'm
an employeo, too, you know, and, since
everybody gets a raise, where do I
coino In?' He laughed heartily when I
answered:
" 'Join the union, and wo'll see that
you get a square deal.' " Success
Mogozlne.
Paying Old Sooroa.
"So she fell in love with tho critic."
"No; she Is Just going to marry him
to dlctnio what ho shall say about tho
other actresses." Illinois Stato Journal.
Sho Thought So Too.
Grace Ho's just crazy to marry
me.
Boll I think so too.-Qctrolt Free
Press.
An Old Sweetheart of Mine.
As ono who cons at evening o'er an
album all alone,
And muses on the faces of tho friends
that Iiq ling known,
So I turn the leaves of fancy till, ln
shadowy design,
I find tho smiling fonturea of an old
sweetheart of mine.
The lamplight seems to slimmer with a
flicker of surprise
As I turn it low to rest me of tho daxale
in my eyes;
And I light my pipe ln silence savo a
sigh that seems to yoko
It fftte with my tobacco and to vanish
into smoke.
TIs a fragrant retrospection for the
loving' thoughts that start
Into being aro Ilka perfumes from tho
blossoms of the heart;
And to dream the old dreams over la a
luxury divine
Whn my truant fanoles wander with
that old sweetheart of mine.
Though I hear, beneath my itudy, like a
Muttering of wings,
The voices of my chlldron and tho moth
er as sho slugs,
I fool no twinge of conaalence to deny me
any theme
When Care has cast her anchor In the
harbor of a dream.
In fact, to seak In earnest, I blieve
it adds a charm
To spice thu good a trlflo with a little
dust of harm,
For I find an extra flavor ln memory's
mellow wine
That makes mo drink the deeper to that
old sweetheart of mine,
A face of Illy beauty and a form of airy
grnco
Floats out of my tobaoeo as the, genii
from the vase;
And I tli rill lwneath tho glances of a pair
of azure eyes
As glowing as the summer and as tender
as the skies.
And again I Peel tho pressure of the
slender little hand
As we used to talk together of the fu
ture we had plannod
When I should bo a poet, and with noth
ing else to do
But write the tender verses that she set
the music to.
When we should live together In a oozy
little cot,
Hkl in a nest of roses with a fairy garden
spot,
Where the vines were over fruited and
the weather over fine,
And the birds wero ever singing for
that old sweetheart of mine.
When I should bo her lover forover and
a day,
And she my faithful sweetheart till the
golden hair wob gray;
And we should he so happy that when
cither's Hps wore dumb
They would not smile in heaven till tho
other's kiss had come.
But nh! my dream is broken by a step
upon the Btalr,
And the door ls softly opened and my
wife is Btnnding there!
Yet with eagerness and rapturo all my
visions I resign
To greet tho living prosenco of that old
sweothenrt of mlno.
James Whltcomb Riley.
PTOMAINE POISON PUZZLES,
Bownro of the Canned Goods When the
Tin Kdjie Unices Out.
Just what "ptomaine -poisoning"
really is puzzles the average man, but
he ls not so puzzled Unit he proposes
to risk It ln order to solve the enigma.
Ho Is quite willing to wait until tho
medical sharps have drawn their de
ductions from the sufferings of others.
"Ptomaine-poisoning" Is very much
like appendicitis It is nlmost fashion
able to have It. But the ptomaines
can not be toyed with as can appendi
citis. They always mean business, and
there must be a hurry call for tho doc
tor, when they moko their presence
known. Like appendicitis, too, they
are charged with n great mnny things
for which they aro not responsible,
and thoy have in the past escaped
blamo ln casea where they deserved
all the censure.
Some queer Ideas are extant about
ptomaines, one of the moHt widely
apread being that thoy are created by
tho cans In which tho majority of
this workaday world finds most of its
food. But one of tho Hcdontiflc gentle
mou in tho agricultural deportment
will tell you, and perhaps avIUi a su
perior air and some condescension,
that that is Just whero you aro most
ln orror. In a very few minutes ho
can convince you that the only safo
food to oat, ae far as ptomaines aro
concerned, ls canned food. Regard
all others with suspicion. Of course,
sometimes quite by accident, pto
maines nre found in canned foods.
But that is because thoy were In tho
food before It got Into tho can. Any
wny, It ls onsy enough to avoid tliein
If they aro ln tho can. Cast your eye
over the ends of tho can, If, tlicy
bulge, beware. If thoy sink In yon
are s;fo
"Rft I thought canned goods werl
(lie l.uin t'uuw of ptomaine-poison
IngV" you HUu'goHt.
"N.uisens"!" Is the roply. "No otlioi
form of food Is safor. Tho reason It
obvlom. Canned goods nro gcnorullj
prepared from fresh material, used
befor there Is opportunity for decon
position to rwich tho danger pointy am'
they .ire furthei freed from danger ot
ImcUvlnl action by caroful storlllza
Hon."
Food-poisoning may bo caused ln
various ways, flie most common causes
bolng those of moat, sausage, Usb,
milk and cheese poisoning, througli
bacterial actions producing ptomaines
Theso bacterial changes usually take
placo In tho flesh boforo It ls cured'
or cooked. During tills time tho bac
teria, which act by attacking the oli
rogeuoua portions of tho food an
breaking It up Into otlior substance
some of which aro poisonous, complete
tholr work so thoroughly that even tha
boat of un oven or frying pan ls in
sufficient to dostroy their nowly ac
quired poisonous qualities. Thesa
chongos tnko place with great rapld-J
lty and nro almost Impoaslblo to dej
toot ln their first otagos. Later the
decomposition ls accompanied by ai
characteristic taste or odor, but th
food may havo become dangerous be
fore theso telltale evidences aro no
ticeable. The romody ilea, aald the profosio
In stringent laws regulathig tho salt
of any food product that 1 open ta
suspicion and oapoolnlly ln removing
from ovary croaturo that has been sac
rlflcpd to tho human nppctito tho inn
tcfltinal tract, whero thoso dangoronal
organisms nro found In greatest abun
dance. Tho passago of such lawtj
based on tho work of tho (bacteriology
leal laboratories, has already marvel
ously reduced tho number of reported
cases of ptomaine-poisoning. Wash
Ington Post.
DEBT WIPED OUT BY PELEE.
Kvldcnce of Obligation l)ctroyed-
Hurvlvore of Eruption I'roapert j
Rising out of tho ashos and. pros
perlng beyond all thoughta of tho pogi
slble at tho timo of ruin, ls said
be tho latest history of tho peoplo o;
the Island of Martinlquo. Tho hlstx
rlan Is Amerlcon Consul Aymo, o
leave of absenco from his post in Bra
zll, soys tho Worcester Telogram. Hf
was tho only official United Btat
representative on tho island after th
eruption of Mont Poleo a fow year
ago, whon tho city of St Plorro wni
destroyed and nearly all its iuhabl
touts killed in an hour.
He stopped at tho island on his woy
homo and looked into tho condition!
of Its people no was ntsonlshed nnJ
he expressed his astonishment and ai
tho samo timo explained how It was
possible for tho quick recovery to faav
taken plnco. no says tliat at tho time
of tho eruption St. Plorro was th
metropolis of tho island and prftctlc-J
ally all tho wealth was centered ln th
dry. With the buildings of the city
there was wiped out all tho papora and
evidence of Indebtedness on tho iBlandL,
so that there was no ovldonoo on
which creditors or such of them ai
outlived tho disaster could collect 9
debt of any kind. ,
All the poople on the island outsldo
of St. Plorro found that their dobf
had boon wlpod out by tho terrors o
the eruption, but tho eruption did nol
destroy tho largo storoB of spedo and
metallic wcnltHi In tho banks of tht
city and that fell into tho hands oi
the living Inhabitants of tho Island
and mndo tihom rich In hundreds oi
cases wfrero they had been poor.
Therefore, they were much better ofij
by means of tho eruption and they,
have taken advnntago of thoir oppori
tu nl ty to prosper and nwike tho island
bloom. Thoso who wero killed by the
volcano do not miss the wealth they
left. It was hotter for the survivor
than a national bankruptcy law.
Advuntagos of Iullrmlty.
Senator Depew eays that tho rnoeH
interesting Instance of imio optimism
that over camo to his notice was that
afforded by un old man living near
PeckBkill, N. Y.
This old chap, wttio could give Mnrk;
Taploy points on how to bo cheerful
under adverse conditions, was a char
actor In his way, and nearly everyouo
In Pcekskill enjoyed drawing him out
Ho suffered from a combination of
polsy and St Vitus kinco; and when
ho would painfully duck Iris head from
shle to side in the manner peculiar tcj
his complaint the effect wns most dls
tresslng.
Ono day a sympathetic person sak
to tho old fellow: "It must be dreadfu
to be nflllcted In tills way."
"Oh, 1 don't know," blithely re
sponded tho Pcekskill man. "It has
lta advantages. Now, it's Just tho
thing when 1 go to a two-ringed clrJ
CUH."
LiUter-l)ay Banking.
Prospective Depositor
Bank President Perfectly wife, mj
dear sir; perfectly safe! Why, v
haven't a trusted employe on tho plncoi
As soon us we find ourselves boglnnlna
to have confidence In one wo discharge
hi in on tho spot