RUINOUS COP/MERCIAL POLICY.
. * . Now , more than at any other time , the
weakness of our commercial policy is
made evident. Colonies and protective
tariffs do not work Avcll together. The
French colonies are a fair sample of
what this system Avill bring forth. The
FivnHi management of Tonquin has
boon on proieotivo tariff lines , and the
result has boon the stagnation of the
life ami business of the colony. The
success that Knirland has with her
many colonies comes very largely from
the "om > c she pursues Avith her tariffs.
-Tlio fullest liberty is alloAA-ed to com
merce. anil the result is that the coii'-
meivo and manufactures of Englai
.have b"on able to hold their OAVII , in
comparison Avith other gold-standard
nations.
If there over was a time Avhen a free
trade policy Avoulil be of benefit to the
Vniied States , it is HOAV. The settle
ment o ! " I he Philippine question Avill be
iulluom-oil very greatly by the course
we intend to pursue there. If we are to
nlk \ \ ail nations to trade there without
roslraiiu ami Avithout fines for so doing ,
most of them will be very willing to see
this country the master of the situation.
Ifve are to erect a tariff Avail there Ave
may expect some very vigorous opposi
tion from seA'cral of the European GOA-
enimeiits most Interested. Greed and
Grab is not ; \ policy that commends it
self to our neighbors across the water ,
except when it Is practiced by thein-
solye > . That policy hangs like a mill
stone about the neck of America. It
Avill be found impeding our progress at
every step. It cannot be throAvn off no
mal tor how heavy it becomes , for the
ItopiiblS.-au party is in power , and that
parly is committed body and soul to the
policy named. Every treaty entered in
to mu } take cognizance of that fact.
Every trust and every "protected' ' in
terest in the country Avill from this
time on have its agents busy watching
the progress of events in the settlement
of Hie great questions growing out of
Ihe Avar. As the protective policy is
really a policy that these same "protect
ed" Interests have developed and foist
ed on the country , AVC may expect that
the smart L-nvyers Avhom they are able
to employ will be eminently successful
in having all treaties and regulations
fixed to suit their interests , without re
gard to the interests of the rest of the
country.
The sugar trust , Avhose influence Avas
so potent in ihe framing of the last
tariff on sugars , and Avhich AA'as able to
raise the price to consumers some 20
per cent as a result of that tariff , may
ceriaiuly be looked to to take a hand in
settling the questions of our relation
with Cuba. That devastated country
should have iho freest tariffs possible
to enable it to rise from its ashes , but
we cannot expect that a generous pol
icy will bo followed. What , open the
markets of the United States to free
Cuban sugar ? What can AVC expect
of Use trust ? The policy is a disastrous
one. so far as present business and pros- j
. eil prosperity are concerned , but the '
. -working out of the present Republican
policy in relation to tiiese UCAV posses
sions is likely to bring the protective
tariff scheme into bold relief amTshoAv
up the iniquity of if. The people will
liaA-e AH object lesson that Avill not fail
to impress them.
If we do not mistake the intelligence
of the American people , the time is not
far distant when they Avill turn down
tiie Avholo policy Avith the party that
espouses it. Nay. more ; the time is not
far distant v.'hon no party will dare
- make a protective policy an issue in an
election. It is one of tlie errors that.
nations are sIoAV to outgroAA- . but once
ontgroAvn Avill be cast aside forever.
II. F. Thurslon.
Silver us a Dead Issue.
Two' years ago the gold standard
press devoteit columns of their space
to laboriously prepared articles to cou-
vimv their readers that "the silver is
sue Avas dead. " Dead past the hope
of resurrection or redemption. During
tlie recent campaign the "gho t" ' of the
stiver issue nearly frightened them to
< leath. and they made the most frantic
appeals to their readers , not to stand
by the geM standard , not to vote
against free silver , but to "stand by
lh > administration" because it Avould
bo a condemnation of its war policy.
and a reflection upon that great and
gooil man McKinley , to elect an ad
verse Congress , and the election of
Kiicli a Congress would cause Spain to
refuse the terms of peace AVC haA'o of
fered. Ky such appeals and by an ab
solute elimination of the money issue
from the campaign , and with the aid
of iho Avar sentiment , a remnant of the
overwhelming majority of the last Con-
gro-xs has been saved. As soon after
those false pretenses and shame li.-ire
secured them a victory that is a nar
row escape from defeat , as they re
cover from their great fright , they
stick up their heads from licking the
1'inibStoneK they had prepared , and
iiirain squonk by the column about silver -
vor being dead. As a dead issue , killed.
'iecordiug to the testimony of these
same killers , two years ago , it is strong
er in the House of Representatives
than it Avas then. Stronger on the pop
ular vote polled at the elections of 189S
Ihaii at the elections of 1896. Stronger
in the convictions of the people who
believe that genuine prosperity is im
possible Avithout it. There was a divi-
Kiou of sentiment among silver advo-
call's as to whether it Avould be better
or worse for the cause of silver to con-
Irol the lower house of Congress while
| a gold standard President stood ready
j to veto all silver legislation , and those
who believed it Avould be worse re
fused to vote , and the Republican press
has conceded that it AA'as the Demo
crats Avho stayed at home. On all
hands it AA'as conceded that Avar meas
ures and local politics Avere the only
issues in the campaign Avhile it Avas
pending , and there is a manifest lack
of fairness in the post-election efforts
of the very felloAvs Avho refrained from
the most remote allusion to financial
questions as being at issue during the
contest , to UOAV claim that there has
been anj- decision in relation to them.
They , however , can fool nobody but
themselves by such absurd claims , and
they Avill realize later that the great
sih-er question cannot be killed by such
methods , and that it is and AA-ill remain
a very live issue until it has been fairly
made an issue and passed upon by the
American people.
Kffccts of the Gold Standard.
Every obsen-er of past and present
conditions has been impressed by the
radical changes that have taken place
Avithiu the last quarter of a century , in
those business conditions , and their ef
fects upon the general prosperity o fthe
people and of the country. Twenty-live
years ago the productiA'e energies of
the country Avere in the hands of mill
ions of small producers , AA'ho OAvned
and controlled their OAVII farms , fac
tories and mills , and citizens with lim
ited capital could freely engage in any
of the industries Avith fair prospects of
success. NOAVvellnigh all business is
controlled b.y combinations of capital
and immense producing forces through
the organization of trusts , that have
driven or are driving all individual en
terprises out of existence , and making
it impossible for individuals to suc
cessfully engage in any productive en
terprise. The great combined grain
farms of the West make it impossible
for the small farmers to earn more
than a bare living by the production of
grain. The great iron , steel , tin-plate ,
AA'ooleu , cotton and other trusts , haA'-
ing obtained control of and combined
the great mills in these lines , make it
impossible for individuals small
combinations of capital to engage in
production , Avith any hope of success.
The same transition has taken place in
the commercial Avorld. TAventy-five
years ago the merchant Avas found do
ing a profitable business at almost OA-
ery crossroads in the country , and a
man Avith a feAV hundred dollars in
money could carry on , at the doors of
his patrons , a business that Avould re
turn him something more than a com
fortable liA'ing. NOAV the big city mer
chants , the great department stores ,
more by their immense stocks and at
tractive appearance than by cheaper
goods or better bargains. IWA'O driven
these small merchants to the Avail aul
made it impossible for those Avith small
means to engage in profitable commer
cial business. This has closed legiti
mate aA'enues of business to men of
small capital and driA'eu them to other
methods of making a living. Some
have become sportsmen , engaging in
ordinary games of chance , to procure a
precarious , uncertain living ; others ,
and in much greater numbers than
most people imagine , have gone into
stock or other gambling , and bet their
11101103on the probable advance or de
cline in the price of some stock or some
product , Avinning to the extent of the
change in value , if as they expected , or
losing if otherAvise. A feAV make for
tunes , but the multitude lose all that
the feAV Aviii ; still the losers go on until
they are pauperized , and many of thorn
reach paupers' graves through suicide.
NotAvithstauding the precarious char
acter of the gambling business , and the
hosts impoA'erished by it , it seems to bo
constantly growing , and usurping the
place of legitimate business. As an
evidence of this , last Aveok in the city
of NOAV York $27.000 Avas offered and
refused for a certificate of membership
in the NOAV York Exchange. Avhich is
necessary to secure the trading privi
leges of that great stock-gambling or
ganization. This is more than double
the price at Avhich such a certificate
could have been purchased five years
ago and indicates the groAving import
ance of this method of business. Is it.
can it be possible , that this change in
methods , this trend of business from
the many to the foAv ; this concentration
of capital in the hands of the I'OAV : this
increase in speculative , non-productive ,
gambling methods ; these trust combi
nations AA-ilh their profit-increasing ,
wages-reducing influence , that cannot
Lend otherAvise than to the impoverish
ment of the many for the benefit of the
"ow. can fail to result in impoverishing
the people and to the decadence of this
country as a great nation ? This trend
s the result of legislation that for a
juarter of a century has boon increas
ing the purchasing' power of money ,
locreasiug the A-alue of all property
ind all product * , and increasing the
ivealth of the few of the creditor class i
it the expense of the many of the
lebtor class ; has boon taking the
H'ofits of the producer from him and
riving it to the consumer : the value of
vis property from Ihe debtor , and g'tA--
ug it to his creditor , 'must lead to un-
.imely ruin unless changed. There is
nit one remedy : ReA'crsc tliis course ;
egislate in the interest of the produc-
r ; protect the debtor ; destroy trusts ;
prohibit gambling ; restore the mone-
iry conditions of tAventy-ftve years
go by restoring bimetallism. Avhich
jave u "honest money , " and the im
pending danger mry ; be turned asidt
before the ultimate ruiij has come up >
on us.
The United' Stales 'Fcnate.
In the claims of Senator Hauna thai
the Senate cannot be changed against
the Republican party on financial ques
tions Avithin eight years , he overlooks
the fact that there are a number of
Republican Senators Avho are not in ac
cord with the Republican monetary
theories , including such men as Mr.
Chandler , of NCAV Hampshire ; Mr.
. Thurston , of Nebraska ; Mr. Wolcott ,
of Colorado , and others , both East and
West. He also oA-erlooks the fact that
every member of the Senate Avill be re
tired or re-elected Avithin six years , in-
i eluding his colleague and himself ,
Avhose friends are at Avar Avith each
other in Ohio. He also overlooks the
fact that Idaho , Kansas , Michigan ,
i Minnesota , Montana , Nebraska , NOAV
I Jersey. Oregon , South Dakota and
Wyoming in 1900 are all pretty certain
to retire Republican Senators and' replace -
; place them Avith opposition Senators ,
and these alone Avould change the Sen
ate ; and that tAA-o years later Califor
nia , Indiana , Kentucky , Maryland ,
New York and North Dakota are al
most certain to do the same. Another
thing Mr. Ilanna loses sight of is the
facility with which Senators set their
sails to catch the popular current , and
the possibility that by that current
some of those HOAV regarded as gold
standard supporters may be found on
the other side of this issue. There is
nothing so uncertain , as the record of
the Republican party and its present
administration on the money issue
clearly proves , as the position men AviU
occupy in the future on any question.
Disastrous Commercial Policy.
Stocks , especially trust stocks , AA-ent
booming Avhen the UCAVS of the Republi
can A'ictory Avas received on Wall
street. But wheat did not go up. On
the contrary , the tendency of wheat
prices is doAvnward.
Why is it that Republican success
means high prices for trust stocks and
IOAV prices for agricultural products :
The ansAver is self-evident. The Re
publican party fosters and protects
trusts , and its A'ictories mean continued
fostering and protection for the great
combines of this country. But the farm
ers receive no protection from the Re
publican party. That great organization
is engaged in making money dear , and
dear money means cheap Avheat. There
is to be no famine in India next sea
son , and the prospects of a large
AA-orld's crop of Avheat are so good that
the boom giA'eii that cereal last year i ?
not to be repeated next year.
By a dispensation of Providence the
farmers Avere giA-en a brief glimpse of
prosperity and the Republican party
endeaA'ored to take the credit for it.
But Avith big crops everywhere and no
famine anyAvhere , the farmer Avill find
his AA-heat a drug in the market and Re
publican promises Avon't be able to
saA'e him. Chicago Democrat.
Jtidpre "Day and the Governorship.
The solemnity Avith AA-hich a Republican
can organ in Mr. Hanna's bailiwick ex
plains that Judge Day Avould probably
not be anxious for the Republican nom
ination for GoA'ernor of Ohio is enter
taiuiug. Of course ho is not in that
line. He Avould not interfere with the
plan that has long been mapped out.
The suggestion of his name in the
gubernatorial connection AA\IS a figment
of the imagination of some young man
who A\-as not familiar Avith the Hauna
program. Cincinnati Enquirer.
Richard H. Davis' Medals.
llichard Harding Davis was return
ing from the Greco-Turkish Avar and
had reached London. There he Avas en
tertained by the Englishmen Avith their
characteristic ho. pitality.
At all the functions AA'here he appear
ed the front of his coat \vas scarcely
Aisible on account of the numberless
medals Avith which it Avas covered. Nat
Goodwin says that every time he ac
commodated some Turk Avith a cig.ir-
ette he AA'as given a medal. He evident
ly distributed a large number of cigar
ettes.
One evening Davis Avas entertained
at a London club at Avhich Sir Henry
Irving Avas present. He wore all his
medals , even pulling out of his trunk a
few old ones so as to make a greater
shoAving.
Sir Henry saAV the young American
and became particularly interested in
the display of metal and ribbon upon
the front of his coat and A-cst. He kept
pyeiiig the collection and finally begged
to be introduced to the Avearer. The
tAA-o AA'ere brought together.
. Sir Hem-y/ ' said the man who AA-as
performing the ceremony , "this is Mr.
Richard Harding Davis , the brilliant
voting American Avriter. "
' ChaAA-uied , " said Sir Henry. This
remark was spoken rather absentmindedly
edly , for the great actor's attention was
-iveted on the medals.
Davis noticed this with evident pride.
Sir Henry looked them all over with
rreat interest. Finally he fingered one ,
ind took Davis someAvhat aback by in-
juiring casually , Avith his peculiar
IraAvl :
"You get those at school ? " Chicago-
lourual.
A .Business-Lake School T aw.
Switzerland has a business-like com-
mlsory education law. If a child does
lot attend school on a particular day
he parent gets a notice from the pub
ic authority that he is fined so many o
! rancs ; the second day the fine is in
creased , and by the third day the
imoiint becomes a serious one. In case
> f sickness the pupil is excused , but if
here be any suspicion of shamming a
lector is sent. If the suspicion is found
o be Avell founded , fhe parent is re-
Itiired to pay the cost of the doctor's
risit.
According to Prof. Gal ton , a few per-
ions see mentally in print every word
hey hear uttered.
ff'W'
- FIFl ' f '
Fina-clal Catechism.
Question What is meant by the free
a-nd unlimited coinage of gold and sil
ver ?
Answer By the free and unlimited
coinage of "gold and silver is meant
that any one owning gold or silver ore
or bullion may take such ore to the
United States mint and have the sainu
coined into standard money for his
own use.
Q. In such a transaction is a pur
chase of the ore by the government
contemplated ?
A. The government does not pur
chase or pay for a single ounce of it ,
but simply coins it and returns it , or a
certificate for it , to the owner.
Q. Does the government receive
anything for coining the ore ?
A. Under free coinage the govern
ment may fix a charge sufficient to de
fray the expense of mintage , or what is
the same thing , retain the metal re
placed by alloy.
Q. Would the change from the pres
ent system to that of free coinage ne
cessitate any outlay in the way of
taxes or otherwise by the people ?
A. Not one dollar.
Q. Is the free and unlimited coin
age of gold and silver a new idea ?
A. No. The first monetary law
passed by the Congress of the United
States provided for the free and un
limited coinage of gold and silver.
That law was passed April 2 , 1792 , 104
years ago.
Q. Has that ever been changed ? If
so , how ?
A. That law , with some amendments
of minor importance , remained in full
effect till February 21 , 1853 , when it
was amended so as to stop the free
coinage of fractional silver , and in 1873
( February 12) ) so as to stop the free
coinage of silver dollars. But the pro
visions relating to gold remain un
changed.
Q. And have we now free and unlim
ited coinage of gold ?
A. Yes ; just as we have always had
It since 1792.
Q. Was the repeal of the provisions
relating to the free and unlimited coin
age of silver demanded by the people
or by any party platform ?
A. No. During the entire history of
parties prior to 1873 , not one word was
said in any party platform about such
a change in the coinage laws , nor was
any such change made an issue before
the people.
Q. Was it generally known at the
time that the coinage laws of 1873 pro
hibited the free and unlimited coinage
of silver ?
A. No. Many of the Congressmen
who voted for it didn't know , and Pres
ident Grant , who signed the bill , was
not aware that it affected the free coin
age of silver in any way.
Q. Is it true that only eight million
dollars' worth of silver money Avas
coined prior to 1873 , under that law ?
A. No. Under that law there was
coined prior to 1873 , ? 143,4G5,7S0.70.
Q. Was there any other silver in use
during that period ?
A. Yes. The government under other
laws made over one hundred million
dollars' worth of foreign silver coins
current.
Q. Why do the advocates of a single
gold standard say that only eight mill
ion dollars were coined prior to 1873 ?
A. To make it appear that the pee
pie did not want silver. That there
was no popular demand for it , and
therefore that it Avas proper to stop its
coinage.
Q. And on what do they base their
assertion ?
A. On the fact that only about eight
million dollar pieces were coined dur
ing that time , and they purposely omit
mention of all the half-dollars , quar
ters , dimes , etc.
Q. Then what are the correct figures
for the silver coined and in use during
this period ?
A. They are as follows :
Silver coined prior to
1873 ? 143,4G5,150 70
Foreign silver coin in cir
culation 100,000,000 00
Total $243,465,150 70
Q. Was silver money cheaper than
; old prior to 1873. or at the time silver
vas demonetized ?
A. No. It was never cheaper , but
in the contrary the bullion in a silver
lollar was worth three cents more than
he bullion in a gold dollar when silver
vas demonetized in 1873.
Q. What has been the nature of the
inancial legislation since 1873 ?
A. The first shift was a provision for
he issue of trade dollars to private in-
lividuals , under which some $30000-
' 00 was coined. Then came the Bland-
Lllison act , which was a substitute for
. free and unlimited coinage of silver
ill passed by the lower house , passed
reb. 28 , 1878 , under Avhich the pur-
hase by the Government of tAvo to four
nillion dollars' worth of silver per
iionth for coinage Avas directed. Next
ame the Sherman act , also a substitute
or a free and unlimited coinage bill ,
assed by one branch of Congress. This
IAV passed July 14 , 1890 , and directed
be purchase and coinage of 4.500,000
unces of silver per month. The pur-
hasing clause of this law was repealed
< ov. 1 , 1893 , leaving no provision for
lie coinage of silver in the laws.
Q. And are AVC coining any silver
ow ?
A. Yes. We are coining from one to
liree million dollars per month , for the
urpose of redeeming certificates issued
nder the Sherman act.
Q. Does this add anything to our cur-
ency ?
A. Not a dollar. As the coin is hand-
j cd out of the treasury , the certificate it
represents is Jumlod in and ilesiroyoil.
Q. Why is the restoration of the frco
and unlimited coinage of silver de
manded ?
I A. Because the stock of gold i ? not
sufficient to transact the business of
the country , but on the contrary i * so
*
i small as not to be sufficient even to pay
' the"interest on our debts. Tinier thu
present conditions all our other money
and all our credits are based upon gold ,
aml'the stock of gold obtainable by the
Government is not sufficient to recloen )
one-fourth of it if presented for redei >
tion. The Government is therefore con
stantly in the attitude of a man own g
forty thousand dollars payaulc on de
mand Avith only ten thousand dollar. !
with which to pay a physical impossi
bility.
Total paper in circula
tion redeemable in gold
June 1 , 3S9G , was ? 73G,348,2oO OG
Total silver in circula
tion June 1 , 1S9G 007.183,582 00
Total money based on
gold June 1 , 1S9G. . $1,343.031.832 OC
To uphold this enormous sum AVC have
Total supply of gold in
the United States June
1 , 1S9G . ' $007,183,582 $ 00
And in the treasury June
1 , 1896 , only § 151,307W3 00
In addition to this AVC have an enor
mous public and priA ate indebtedness
owing to England alone , according to
the Chicago Record of March 2 , 1895
$5,000,000,000 , at an annual interest of
§ 200,000,000 , payable in standard
money , which under a single gold stand
ard means gold. The restoration of the
free and unlimited coinage of silver is
demanded because it will give emploj-
ineut to a million idle men , bring hope
and cheer and comfort to thousands of
homes , and put in the hands of the GOA--
ernment and the people the power to
meet their obligations , pay their debts
and expand their enterprises.
Anxious for Enlightenment.
Some odd questions are asked of the
editors of the great daily papers. A
seeker after light wrote to a metropoli
tan paper inquiring if a man must put
on a clean shirt every day in order to
retain the right to be called a gentle
man. The c < ? ! itor of the paper is said
to have been silent in despair. The
Tribune , in commenting on the matter ,
ventures the opinion that the ansAver
to the unanswered though not unan
swerable question depends upon the
definition of what constitutes a clean
shirt. "This , hoAA'ever , " continues the
Tribune , "is a definition that every
man Avill insist upon manufacturing for
himself. No gentleman , it is safe to
say , Avould admit that he Avas Avearing
an unclean shirt. " Another Avorried
questioner writes to the Tribune in
quiring Avhether a gentleman may wear
detachable cuffs Avithout thereby de
serving and incurring social ostracism.
The comment on this is interesting : "If
a man Avears detachable cuffs , he does
so , manifestly , that he may replace
them Avith fresh ones without at the
same time retiring the shirt from the
active list to the AA-ash-lub. The wearer
of detachable cuffs defends himself , of
course , by saying that cuffs are soiled
with extreme ease and effectiveness.
Once again we are repulsed to the orig
inal question of what constitutes clean
liness. Yet AAe dem it proper to say
that AAe have known men who wore
detachable cuffs and Avho Avere at the
same time LiAA'-abiding , clever , honest
and God-fearing citizens , in addition to
being kind to their mothers. ' ' A woman
correspondent , writing to the Provi
dence Journal , makes it perfectly cleai
that the mere donning of a iieAvly laun
dered shirt each morning does not
of itself make a gentleman. This com
plainant says that her husband has
only two shirts , and that he abuses her
and the children when she fails to have
a clean one for him to put on in the
1
morning certainly not a gentlemanly
proceeding.
Sailors Who Cannot Swim.
It is one of the singular things in life
that many a sailor Avho sails the sea
cannot swim. But most navies have
a thought for such men , and many
rnen-of-Avar are fitted with tAAo life
buoys on the starboard and port rails
aft. These are constructed of a frame
holding two large air-tight copper ves
sels. The apparatus floats upright , and
there is a place on which the man
overboard may find a footing. The buoy
readily sustains a man's weight , and
holds him comparatiA-ely high out of
the water. 'When a man has tumbled
OA'eruoard at night and one or both of
the life buoys have been ordered over ,
the sailor at the rails pulls one of two
knobs by the buoy. This fires a cap ,
which ignites a long tube of red fire in
serted in the top of the buoy. The other
knob Avhen pulled releases the buoy ,
and it drops into the Avater. The red
fire burns a long time and guides the
luckless bluejacket. To the celerity
with which the life buoys IKIA-O been
dropped is due the saving of many n
life.
Venice Is Drying Up.
Venice without its AA-aters would be a
far less picturesque place than it actu-
illy is. And such a state of affairs , AVO
ire led to believe , may eventually come
about. The regular increase in the
flelta of the Po has been studied by
Prof. Marinelli. Comparison of the
Austrian map of about 1S23 with the ,
records of surveys made in 1893 shows . .
that the mean annual increase during
those seventy years has been about ;
: hree-tenths of a square mile ; and from
ill kiioAA-u data it appears that the total
increase during six centuries has been
ibout 198 square miles. The increase
s continuing , and the Gulf of Venice .
s doomed in time to disappear. No im
mediate alarm need , hoAveA-er , be ex-
: ited. for Prof. Marinelli calculates
: hat betAveen 100 and 123 centuries will
jlapse before the entire northern Adri-
itic Avill have become dry land. Lon-
lon Chronicle.
SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT -IRON
V.'erc Prevalent in Ancient Times
Still Have Local Existence.
In Egj-pt iron was nominally accurs
ed , oven when people used it nil daylong
VI
long and every day. It vras "the impure
" " of Typhou , "
pure metal" "the bones
father of evil. No man could touch it
without sin ; he must do penance and
make atonement. That was the theory
as long as the Egyptian race endured ;
in practice iron had been handled free
ly for several thousand years. The only
piece of metal found in the great pyra
mid was an iron bar. The same con
flict of ancient faith with growing con
venience was urged everywhere , no
aoubt ; but the record does not exist. It
was lost before the classic time , and so
Greek and Roman sages puzzled over
odd little customs handed down from
days of old. Cicero asked in vain why
a tool of iron must not be brought in
to the sacred grove of theArvals or if
brought by accident , must be expiated
by the sacrifice of a pig or a lamb ; and
Plutarch wondered why the Archon .o
Plataea might not touch iron except at
the yearly festival commemorating the
triumph of Greece. There is no end to
such instances. The sacred old Pens
Sublicius had to be repaired without
using iron ; so had the ancient temple
of Jupiter Liber in imperial times ,
when the meaning of such rules was
lost , a special law abrogated them.
One may survey mankind from China
to Peru and find the same superstition
everywhere. Iron tools were forbidden.
in the building of the temple at Jeru
salem. The late Rajah Vizauagram , a
member of the council , a man of great
learning ami enlightenment , would not
allow iron to be used in any building
throughout his territory. He believed
that an epidemic would follow. Ne
groes of the Gold coast must remove
any particles of iron on their persons
when consulting the fetish. Upon the
other hand , a sikh must always have
a piece of steel or iron about him. Bur
ton tells how "the pious Moslem
stretches out a finger exclaiming. 'Iron !
oh , thou ill-omened one ! " when a dust
storm approaches the caravan believ
ing it to be directed by a Djinn.
In Scotland many traces survive. To
use iron in kindling the "needfire" was
awful impiety. When a fisherman
swears during bad weather at sea his
comrades still grasp the nearest bit of
metal , crying "Cauld iron. " It is not
so long since people thrust a nail or a
knitting-needle through each article of
food in the house , or dipped it in the
liquor , when a person died. This is
enough persons interested in the sub
ject will find reams of evidence In
books devoted to folk-lore. We may
credit that the superstition arose every
where at the time when fierce invaders ,
armed with iron , overran the country ,
massacring the helpless people and
destroying the antique religion. It was
the accursed metal. Afterward , by a
natural process , the evil thing often * :
Dame to be regarded as a protectio/ff
against other evil things witches and
demons and charms and death itself.
English babies were defended from
fairy kidnapers by putting a key , knife ,
pair of tongs , above all , scissors , in the
cradle. In many of these pretty tales
ilealing with a "swan maiden , " the girl
cannot lecover her plumage because
it is locked in a chest with an iron key
sometimes she gets a mortal to open
the chest , and flies away upon the in
stant. In other stories she is released
by a touch of iron : in one favorite ver
sion by the husband throwing his
in-idle at or to her the iron bit is fatal
London Standard.
"When Welcome Is "Worn Oat.
An Ohio host , wearied out of all cn-
lurance by the persistency of his guest ,
hose as his medium the family prayer
if tor breakfast , and said : "O Lord ,
> less our visiting brother , who will
eave us on the 10 o'clock train this
noruing. " I prefer the subtler and
nore reverent method of another Ohio-
in , the father of AYilliam Dean How-
'lls. the novelist. His practice was ,
vhi'ii a visitor had worn out his wcl-
omo. < > bo called away on business
ind toay to his guest : "I suppose you
vill not lo here when I return , so I
villvish yon good-by. " Excellent and
lighly appreciated by the boys was tae
ormula u < eil by Dr. Vaughn , when , as
icadmasior of Harrow school , he hade
o entertain the highest form in the
ohool in batches at breakfast. ConP
iiisoratin.tr the bashfulno of the lads
rho did not leave and yet wanted to do
o. the doctor would say apropos of
milling : " .Must you go ? Can't yotr
tayV" Tliis was the signal for de-
larture. 1 admire very heartily the
raiisposition of a blundering narrator ,
. ho. in tolling this story , gave the for-
ir.la as "Can't you go ? Must you
tay ? " A follow fcelinir makes one
rondrous kind to this revised version.
A Car l oad.
Very often you desire to know what
onstitutes a car-load. Well , paste this
ii your hat and you will IIml an answer
andy. It is 7O barreN of salt. JD ) of
our , HO of whisky. 200 sacks of Hour ,
0 cords of wood , IS co 20 head of cat-
lo , .10 to < > 0 head of hogs. ) ' , ) to 100
ead of sheep. . " > ,000 feor of boards. 17- ,
00 feet of siding. i,000 : ; feet flooring ,
2.000 shingles , one-half less of joists ,
c-antling and other large timbers , 300
ushols of corn. 400 bushels of wheat
DO of oats. l.HJ of flax seed , 200 of ap-
Ics. 350 of Irish potatoes and 3,000 of
ran.
Difficult to Stop.
Experiments seem to show that a
irge ocean steamer , going at nineteen
uots an hour , will move over a dls-
mce of two miles after its engines are
: oppeil and reversed , and no authority
ives less than a mile to a mile and a
silf aa the required space to stop its
rograss. . The violent collisions in
> me * ases during fogs maj- thus
scoui ed ior.