Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1898)
J.JLI.JU . . Tim OMAHA DAILY DEE. R RO3EWATEn , Hdttor. PUIlMSIICD nVKHY MOItNINO. TEIIM3 OF SUnSCIUPTION't Dtlly > ( Without Sunday ) , One Ye r. . . . . . ! 0 Dally IlPt > and Bundnjr , Ona Year . I" Blx Month * . . . . . . . 40 Three Monlhi . , . . . . . . . 1 C > Bundny Dee. One Year . . . 2 ( c HnturJay Hoc , One Year . . . . . . . . . 1 & Weekly Dec. One Yea"- . . . . C , OFFICES : Omaha : The Dee Building. South Omahii ! Singer IJlk. , Car. N and : ith Sti Council HI i ] IT/i ! 10 IVnrl Street. Chicago Ofllcf : 317 Chamber of Commerce. New York : Trtnple Court. WaihlnEton : Ml Fourteenth Street COIUtUSPONDUNCE. All communications relating to ncwi and .llt& . tlal matter thoulJ be mlilrccxcdi To the Editor , All liuftlneni letters and rtmlttnnccs thould b < ddre cd to The lice TublUhlng Compsnjr , Omahn. DrnttB , checks , rxpre and poitoinci Jnuney order * to bo made payable to the order ol luo company. TltK DEB rUULlSItlNa COMPANY. _ STATIMINT : OF CIUCUI.ATION. State of Nebmaka , DouRlnH County , St. t Ueofee il. Tiscliuck , necretnry ot The lea 1'uli. lUhlMi ; Company , belnR duly f.worn , fays that th < actual number of full nnd complete copies of Tb < JMIIy , Wornlnc , Kvenlnj nnd Sunday Dee prlnleil during the tnontli of December , U37 , wa an lol- loxvs : 1 . 21.521 17 . Jl. ] * . 21,378 18 . S1.6M 9 . 2MM 19 . SI 05.1 . 2I.S37 SO . SUM < > . . . . 21,512 SI . 21,3.41 $ . 21,3(0 22 . 21.72' 1 . 21.COT 21. , . . . 21. l'i . 21,311) 21 . 21,211 , . 21,303 JS ( m'rn'g only ) 10.557 ( ? . 21,200 2a . 21 wo Jl . 21,141 'fi . 21,201 JJ . 21.020 28 . 21.310 . 22 217 29 . 21.0SS Jl . 21,312 30 . Sl.flld \l \ . 2l.f,77 II . 21.5JS . 21,264 Total . C'.C.SI ! returned nnd Unsold copies . 12,322 Net lotnl saloi . . . . . .MI.CEU Net dally n\cravc . 21 133 anoncn n. TXSCHUCIC. Pnjjrn to licfo'p me nnd pnliicrlljei ] In my prceonco nia , 1 > t Jay ot jBnuary , 1533. ( sent. ) N. i > . pisrr. Notary 1'ubllo. The woman's ] > n. p of ! tlio CoiiKressIon.il Hi-cord will not l > i started until Mm I-ou.su Is elected to collar-ess. Tlml 1)111 In the Ohio legislature to Rorrytnnnilor Mr. Orrwi'iior out of otlkp Is nn i'lo < ini'tit testimonial to his services In congress. Every out-of-town visitor who views the- exposition jjnntndq and buildings may Im rolled on to p > home as a living advertisement for the great show or 1808. Th 're have been several liot times In the old town of Paris recently. 1C ( lie Interest keeps up , M. Xola will have material fora number of new and thrillIng - Ing novels. "We presume the Board of Education Is preparing to convince the council and the taxpayers once more that the kinder- Riirteii system Is conducted entirely without expense to the public. Omaha Invites the most rigid com- Ijarlson of its support of the State fair since located In this city with that ac corded by the people of Lincoln"when the fair was held at the capital city. Among other advantages that would come to Hawaii hhonltl President Dole succeed' In his annexation scheme would bo that of getting rid of ? 1,000,000 debt the Island republic lias accumulated. Despite the ? ir > 0,000 deficit the begin- nlng of the year me Omaha school board Is the most economical school board In any city In the country. If you don't believe it just ask any mem ber of the board. A. great deal of the speculation In dulged In regarding Speaker Heed's pro firtim for congreshional action on leadln topics might well be laid on the tabl to await the pleasure of the house. Th republican majority Is not unmindful o Its responsibility. The railroads way that an autl-scalpln law will enable them to be much mor liberal to the public In the way of ex cursion rates than they have been. Thej may have 11 chance to prove the truti of their assurance during the Transmls tilssippl Exposition. T5y maintaining a strong organl/atior Nebraska millers will be In position t ( make the most of their natural ad vantages. If the Nebraska grown when could all be wnt to market In the fern of Hour this prollt to the producers wonli be much greater than nt present. The attitude of the people of tin United States and the government to ward the Cuban revolutionary move meifl could hardly be more cncouraglnjj to the Insurgents without active Inter vention. For the United States to es. pouse the cause of the Insurgents openly without special reason therefor might prove the worst thing that could happen for them , yet there can be no doubt whatever that the sympathy of the people of the United States is with thu movement for Independence. Although there was practically no need of Inigation In any part of South Da kota last year and crops grow well In every county of tin- state , yet a series of Irrigation meetings In the leading cities this winter under direction of the state Irrigation engineer Is attiactlng the attention of farmers , merchants and business men. The fact that last season was a good crop season without resort to nftllleial means of supplying water to the land Is not preventing the South Dakota l > ? ople from wisely Insuring the perma nent prosperity of their state by making a study of lirlgatlon results anil meth ods , The. chancellor of the exchequer of the Iiiltlt.il empire is confident that ( Jreat Britain could rely upon friends to fnr- ulsh food supplies for the IlrltUh army in ease of war , and that the llrltlsli navy would bo able to keep the ports open BO that all the grain the English peoplu might need could bo landed. This con- lldent feeling ought tu be very comfort ing to the chancellor oven It' not sliaivd by all the Kngllsh people. With the world eating up tach year's crop before another Is re.uly for the harvest , the most serious problem of the next great war of nations will bo that of providing food for the armies and for their do- pciidcuts who are left l ehlu < L FO//LT , The sllverlto advocates in the ficnnti of the resolution declaring thnt tlu bonds of the United Slates nro payable at the option of the goronitnent. It silver dollars , agreed to defer action 01 It until next Wednesday. Of courst they expect to pnss It , but what thej hope to accomplish by such n resoltitloi Is not apparent. A declaration by the scnato that the bonds arc payable \ sllvor wlll not change the situation * When this resolution was before tin senate llnanco committee the republican members pointed out the nselessness ol such a declaration , but the sllvcritca urged that as It was the evident pur pose of the ndmlnlsttatlon to set-tire leg Islatlon In the Interest of the gold stnnil- nrd they desired to secure a declaration In favor of a double standard In order In show that there had been no change of sentiment. The suggestion that the business Interests of the country might bo Injured by the agitation of course had no weight with them , because they are entirely Indifferent to the welfare of those Interests. This Is simply another piece of sllvorltc folly. It Is another Illustration of the desperate determination of that clemjnt to keep vitality In the silver cause , iv- gardless of thu effect upon business. So far as change of sentiment Is concerned everybody understands that the Tellers nnd Vests have not experienced any , so that the passage of this resolution will amount to nothing In this respect , while It is welt understood that there can be no legislation by this congress for strengthening the gold standard , so that It Is quite unnecessary to furnish no tice to this effect through this resolu tion. The move Is not likely to have any Injurious effect In this country , where Its motive Is understood , but It may have a tendency to disturb confi dence abroad In American Investments , though under existing conditions this can hardly be serious. JVXTICK M'KEA'ttA. The senate yesterday confirmed the ap pointment of Attorney General Me- Keiina to be associate Justice of the supreme court of the United States , fillIng - Ing the vacancy caused by the retire ment of Justice Field. Action on the ippolntmcnt was delayed by reason of protests alleging that Judge McKcnnn lacked the qualifications as a jurist for i > i > at on the supreme bench and It was Lhotight necessary by some senators that this charge should bo carefully In vestigated. There was objection to con- irmation fiom another source , but the senators who urged delay were careful to declare that this had no Influence with thorn. The confirmation will be accepted by ill fair-minded men as a full vindica tion of Judge McKonnn , BO far as the illegations in the protests are concerned mil it will be satisfactory to all but hose who from personal or professional lostility opposed the appointment. Tne 'act is that Judge MeKonna. made an \vcellent record as a member of the 'ederal judiciary and as attorney gen eral of the United StatM he has sus- allied thu high standing he had achieved n his Judicial capacity. There can be no doubt that as a member of the high est judicial tribunal he will justify Ills selection and prove entirely worthy of distinguished honor conferred upon liim. Governor Griggs of New Jersey will Jo appointed to succeed Justice McKomm is attorney general and he will bring to the duties of that position the quali- Ucations of a high order. MKKKTS A'lWDKD. Ill referring a few days ago to the 'omlition of the cotton industry In the United State ? we said It suggested that Vmerican cotton manufacturers should nake greater efforts to extend their narkots. In discussing the New Kng- imd situation the Philadelphia ledger irges that more and broader markets ire needed for our cotton Industry and uidonbtedly this fact Is fully realized > y the manufacturers , although they iuve not shown very great enterprise n decking to extend thMr markets. It s true that our exports of cotton goods have been .steadily Increasing. In ISO. they amounted to a little over ifi,000- : ! 000 , while last year they reached $21- 000,000. This is a considerable gain In two years , but when comparison is made with the Cotton exports of Great Uritain those of the United States appear ut terly Insignificant. Gwinany even Is very close to this country In the amount of Its cotton exports , which have b.'on Increasing more rapidly than ours , a fact greatly to the credit of the energy and enterprise of the German manu factures and merchants , of whom It Is to be said that they arc showing a de gree of commercial push that challenges universal admiration. England and Germany , the formei particularly , have a large trade In cotton goods with South and Central America. The excess of exports In cotton goods from the United States during last year was entirely absorbed by Canada , China and Japan , so that thre was no Increase In our trade In cotton goods with the countries south of us. In those great markets for these goods it np- > oars wo are making no progress. What s the explanation ? In the first place Mir manufacturers do not consult the wauls of thus. ' markets , as the manu facturers of England and Germany do. n the second place they will not glvo ho extended credit that can bo obtained of Europeans. In the third place the \m3rlcan manufacturers are at a du- ulvantago In the matter of transporta- lon. Th''se ' obstacles to an Increase of ratio with the southern countries arc lot Insurmountable , Ameilcan cotton uanufacturers are undoubtedly able to upply sneh goods as the Kuuthni mar- ; ots require and at prices as favorable s those of European manufacturers , f we can compote , In- the matter of > rlees , with England and Germany In ihlna and Japan , we can certainly dee o In Central and South America. As o civdlts 11 would seem that our man- ifacturers ought to be able to offer as avorablo terms us those of Europe. The ransportatlou dllHculty la more beiloiis ml the disadvantage nt which this laws our manufacturers seems likely o continue Indetlnlk-ly. Hut even with lila drawback It Is not to bo doubted that our trade hi cotton goods with tin southern countries could be very givatlj enlarged If American manufacturer : would more carefully study the pu'uHai wants aud requirements of those mar kets and adopt n more liberal policy li their dealings there. There has been nn awakening of Interest torest In this direction within the lasl year or two which promises good ve < suits and the obvious fact that the cot. ton Industry of the United States ha. largely outgrown the demand of the home market must stimulate the effort : of our manufacturers to broaden tin maikcts for their products. A/tr VORK AXt > run aui.r The legislature of the state of Now Xork has been asked by the governor to create a commission "to examine Into ihe commerce of New York , the cause of Its decline , the moans of Us revival , and to report conclusions , " and In the same week a news dispatch from Gnlveslon stated that the trackage In that city was blockaded by more than 1-100 carloads of western grain await ing the arrival of ships to take It to for eign markets. Hy putting the two facts together even the casual observer be comes nwnre that great cinngts are taking place In the routes and objective points of American commerce. TKMO ! changes Interest the people of the Inland states as well as the residents of the seaport cities. The Inference that the loss of prestige of the port of New York has been duo to something thu people there have done or have failed to do may not be alto gether fair , while the competition of ports farther south on the Atlantic coast and on the gulf and on the Paelllc Is becoming sharper every year , and some of these minor ports have natural ad vantages which makes their competition hard to meet. A larger proportion of the foreign commerce of the United States has Ite origin In the statps of the Mississippi valley or the west than ever before , and this adds greatly to the Im portance of ports that may be reached by the shorter or cheaper routes , from Inland trade centers. If the growth of New York commerce has not kept pace with the Increasing commerce ! of the nation it Is probably because that com- m-ereo Is distributed among an Increas ing number of ports In accordance with natural business laws. The people do not care so much what port handles the produce they .sell and the merchandise ' " buy , as that this commerce shall go by the most direct routes free from unreasonable charges or delays. This Is all there Is to the problem of controlling the foreign com merce of the United States. If the pro posed investigation goes far enough It will be found that the primary source of the comparative decline of business at the New York port lies In the growing Importance and more Intelligent direc tion of western business. ABir STRKtlT RIGA'S IMI'K Among the many public Improve ments made Imperative for Omaha by the fast approaching Transmlssisslpp ! Exposition. Ihe pressing need of new street- signs must not bo over looked. Although the stieets of Omaha , are laid out on a most simple plan and the naming and numbering intelligible \ \ \ ( \ \ the first explanation , it is almost impossible In Hie present state of affairs for a stranger to find his way about town without re peated Inquiries of everyone he meets. If wo hope to have a favorable impres sion of our city left upon the thousands > f strangers who are sure to attend the xposltiou we must remedy this glaring JVil. JVil.What What Is equally to the point when the lew street signs are ordered , they should be of a style and material that iVlll not only be attractive , but also be astlng : Omaha has experimented sev- M-al times with different kinds of street signs , but has never had anything sat- sfactory. To serve their purpose these ilgns should be legible nnd legible both > y day and by night. They should be ilaced conspicuously at street iutersec- ions , where people expect to find them , md they should be made of something nore substantial than wood 1C they are to escape being carried off for kindling In a word , while we need new streel signs , the job should bo done well 01 not at all. The proprietor of the hold-up police board organ professes great solicitude over the loss of fees by the ofliclal pallet board stenographer through neglect to take all of the license protest cases uji to the district court. As usual , this so licitude Is altogether misplaced. In every protest case appealed the expense of the transcript must bo taxed up as costs against the applicant for license In event the appeal Is sustained. 1C some of the cases are not appealed It means simply so much saved the unfor tunate liquor dealer , who has alrady been outrageously bled by the outlaw police board for the benefit of Its organ , AVere all the protests carried up to the district court the lawless action of 1ho board In encumbering the record with nil sorts of utterly Immaterial and Ir relevant stuff would prove a most un comfortable boomerang. The TransmlbMsslppI Exposition has grown far beyond anything Its most en thusiastic friends dreamed of when the project was first launched. This expan sion has entailed additional expense and responsibilities upon thu management and justifies the call for additional con tributions from those who are reaping material advantages from the enter- pi Ise. The subscription list would prollt by the. services of a board of equaliza tion empowered to raise assessments to the point of equality with the benefits. Iowa legislators will consider a bill to reduce by one half the number of sink- elections. Asldo from the saving of ex- pens'o this would make It possible to have every other year free from the disquieting effects of prolonged state campaigns. It might bo necessary for some of thohu who live by political agi tation to engage In other business for a part of their time , but that would not necessarily be a hardship on the people. Invlni'llilc SlnmlnrilM. Itontun Qloha. Er.-Scnator Edmunds stands crosa-ijuca- tloaltig on the currcucy question very well. i Ho allows that tJicrnunAy t > a a deficiency A ' vlrtuo. but that AfrftjRht ta strive to laj In * POCH ! stock < R o U an j aTnpro tothw es li ( standard of S.UUO ffml ot morality , re * \o rroMicrlty In Ulx'ti. i ishlnston ( 1'ost. The statesman who g6ts himself olectci to a legislature that doesn't chocac a Unltci Statca senator can uhvajs bo depended upcc for a hard-luck stop ' 1'litinn "Srvi Ilosttm It will .bo olacrvcd that the Hnwnllai Bpcechcw of the srri&tQra behind ; closed door nro reported in vjf.'Sionspapcrs with th < ucrual fullness nnffncSuracy. The Oovcrnor'K Stippi-i-iNi'it I'ns * . Athntn Constitution , Tooy OTO - tellingthis story co Qovernoi Hussell of North Carolina : He was traveling recenUy from Jlalelgh to Wilmington end when the ccfldjictor was passing through the train punching tickets ho came across -tho governor end etcoped to look at his pae * . Governor KiiMell , however , asked the con ductor what the fare was. "Why , you've sot a russ , havto't you , governor ? " said the conductor. "Well , yes , " Governor Russell replied , "but I'm tired of the tl n i > ass business ! " Ho paid his fare , but It Is safe to say the precedent wilt not commend Itself to state oniclals generally. I'crlln of Juxdoo In C Ijoulsvlllc Courler-Journnl. It Is stated that n dcorgla sheriff tin other day Intercepted this letter from t prlconer In Jail on the clrargc of murder : "Dear IJIH : Please kill the Judge who's going to try my case. That's the only \vaj I can git n continuance long enough foi mete 'break out of Jail. Please shoot hire with No. 8 IbuckshoU You will greatlj Oblige me , Dill , If you will < lo this mud for me. nnd I won't forglt It. Give him both barrels. Yours truly , JIM. " Those who thought that the resources of criminal Jurisprudence had been cxhaustoil wcro evidently not acquainted with till : Georgia firm of practitioners , Jim and Dill "Why < li % Army TriMiililetl. New Yorl : Sun. Hon. Jamca Hamilton Lewis ot Wash ington has hurled himself against the United States army and the army will liavo to retire. It wus a splendid sight , when he stood up. In fiont of the speaker's dealt , turned his back on that abashed ofliclal and turned upon the house hlfl flowing face with all Us wealth of flamboyant , Gothic tracery and ornamenta tion. "The trusts are In control of ttio coun try , " ho cried , In acwonts wild , "and con stitute the main hand of power behind the courts. If the army Is Increased the people will bo juEtldcd In asking whether It Is not to bo used to barricade the courts and break down everything that means the freedom of the government. " Whereupon ho shook nnd fulmlned and the army retired behind en trenchments. There will bo no barrlcadlog whllo James Hamilton Lewis has hair on his foco and a heart In hla bosom. In his own proud words , he has the smallest foot and the biggest head In congrcus. lATTACKINO A PLAGUE. Conoerlpil Movomciil lo Clieclc the .Sprcml of IIOKI Cholt'rn. Minneapolis Tribune. The losses of the American farmers by bog cholera are something enormous every year , and they will do\ibtlcss bo as gratified aa Secretary Wllspji o.t the Department of Agriculture Is at tlio success of experi ments recently prosecuted looking to the discovery of a specific for the dread dis ease. These experiments have been carried on under his direction In Iowa and Ne braska during tho.yafit lew months and the secretary thinks mio discoveries mad"e will bo worth $ l,09,0l ( ] 0 a ycar to the pco- " plo of the UnltedlBlitos. The ofllcial rfi- ports of results haVe not been published , but H appears thatfax uro Is effected by the use of a jsorum , | > vh ch serum also acts aa a protector and prfcicntlvo when Injected Into' the veins of healthy animals , In the experiments In Iowa 'it ' Is stated that 85 per cent of the sick jvorcs curcdj and that In HO' Instam35" lias an anfmaV contracted the disease , when 4exppsed to It , after be ing Inoculated. The ecrum Is obtained In the same man ner as that used In diphtheria. A horse or i cow Is Inoculated with the germs and when Its blood Is "ripe" Its veins are tapped and n few drops of the blood in- lected under the epidermis of the hogs , furiously enough. It is claimed , the cultlva- tlcw of the serum does not Injure the horse 3r the cow , and the animal can be used for the purpose again and again. A slnglo intmal will produce 1,000 doses of serum a rear , and If economy Is practiced the cost ) f the treatment can bo reduced to 10 or 15 : ents per hog. This Is good news not only to the farmers , jut to the consumer. Pork , or some of the iroducta of the hog , forms the staple food ) f largo masses of our people , and It is used .o a greater or less extent by all classes , t would doubtln-ss bo eaten with , greater 'reedom ' If all consumers could be relieved ) f the dread of eating diseased meat. De- iplto the xilalms made by some hygleulsts liiit pork Is not a healthy diet. It Is a 'act-that tho'conquering races of the world ire triose which use it liberally. Ono writer lays that the English won at Waterloo be- : aubo the allied forces had been fed tbo nornlng of 'the ' battle on hog meat , while ho French breakfasted on a little vegetable oup. However this may be , pork-raising s one of our most important industries md the discovery of a specific for the dls- aso that renders Us profits at times so mcertaln will bo nothing less than a boon. LAST VKAirS FOUEIGX TUADK A Xotcivortliy Ilecoril of I'roJHiililt FOIM'IJTII HllNlllt'HM , Chlc.iRo Record. The balance of trade in. favor of the Unltec States in 1897 was the largest over rccordei ln the commercial history of the country , For the calendar year the excess of exports amounted to $358,408,604 , which exceeds tlu balance of the preceding twelve months bj $32,240,973. The fact is the moro remarkable when It is recalled that the favorable , bal. anco ot 1898 was larger than that of any pre vious year , the nearest approach being $264- C61.CG6 in 1879. The total volume of International trade aXso was greater than In any previous year by over ? 75,000,000. Tlio previous high water mark of American commerce was reached In 1E92 , when the volume of trade amounted to $1.850,000,000. In the commercial annals of 189C and 1897 Is found a parallel with 1878 and 1879 , when trade was greatly faUmulntcd by the antici pation and the resumption of specie pay ments. These years preceded a prolonged period of prosperity. The crops of America then were bountiful , and , the food supply of the rest of the world short , a clrcum.itanco which now exUts. In 'fS78 and 1879 the bal , anco In favor of tho'tlnlted States was $522- 500,000 , against $78200,000 In 1896 and 1897. The value of exports In 1SD7 exceeded $1,144,000,000 and In IS9G $1.051.000,000 , while prior lo 1898 the largest total recorded was $1,030.000,000 In 1892 ? Except la those years the value of exports haa never exceeded $903,000,000. By rcisoH of business depres sion In America Imtfbrtd h-ivo daubtiers been curtailed , but thia lbljuenco was offset In largo measure by extraordinarily heavy Im ports anticipatory t > f 'the passage of the Dlngley law. f A noteworthy feature , of the trade showing la the largo Increase In 'shipments of Ameri can manufactures. neprctslon hero forced manufacturers to rekmarkcU outside tlila country , compelling1 competition with foreign goods. This rivalry' . lla'i demanded a higher efficiency and inay1 Vrovo to bo of lasting benefit. The assertion Is now frequently made that the debtor balance due In tbo slinpo of In terest end dividend r'35'nlcn'a abroad Is smaller than nt any previous tlmo within twenty yeara. Foreign holdings of American securities bivo been reduced enormously slnco 1893 , and the United States statute today - day financially freer of Hurcpe , perhapn , thrn over before. H U a fact without pre cedent In our fipanclal records that money In the principal markets of America la cheaper than In London and continental cap itals. Chicago bis advance ! funds to Ger man borrowers and Now York has placed a cotujldorablo portion of Its Idle money Is London oaJ Paris. A balance of trade represents the profit ] f a nation in Its trade , and 1S97 wes a proilt- iblo > ear for America , OTIH.71ULANDS TH VX OUItS. The opponents of the new navy bill li Germany are quoting the authority ot th British Admiral Colomb lot Isror ot torpedo bc-it destroyers as ORrtlnst battleships. Thi government organs assert that Admiral Co lomb'o vlcna are shared by no naval author Ity of the first rank In England , and that moreover , the opinion- ICafillsh experts I dhlded on the question whether tbo chic task of the destroyers U to destroy torpeJo boats as quick-firing guns or to attack bat tleshlps and cruisers with torpedoes. Th < torpedo-boat destroyer Is described aa morel ] "tho torpedo-boat of the Atlantic. " German ] lia.i been Ln possession of this type ot vcta'cl which la designated there OB a torpedo dlvls Ion boat , since 1SS4 that la , ten years longoi than England. Ucstdcs the divisional boats the German navy has a number of torpedo beats fitted for ccrvlco on the high sens Thceo boats , the German naval authorities claim , would be qulto equal to the Hngllst ; destroyers In warfare ngaicist battleships Ir the Baltic and the North seas. U Is true thai a destroyer has been ordered In England but the solo object U to Ascertain what Ite valua really Is , and especially to sco whcthei Its speed Is as great as Is alleged. There Is no reason , how over , for supposing that the Germed- admiralty has any Intention of neg > lectlng Its torpedo service , which haa been brought to Its present high stnto ot efficiency under the care of Hoar-Admiral Tlrpltz , now secretary of state for the marine. Although the navy bill does not mcntlcri new torpedo- boat constructions , at this moment , no one doubts that they will be heard of , and have to bo paid for , later on. * * The Argentine Republic possesses some very valuable territory In the shape of P.Uagonla , which earlier was considered of scarcely any worth. A more * unpromising and ungenlal portion ot the globe scarce exists In the view of many of us , and wo would perhaps as soon go to Greenland with n vlow of leading a profitable nnd pleasant existence. Neverthe less , land there now , all the way down to the Horn , Is coming Into value , and some recent Mies show that It Is very far from being without money worth. Especially s'ooo the locusts have devastated the crops In Argentina , the farmers and ranchmen liavo been looking southward for a country which Is eafe from this plague. Patagonia jet seems not to have been Invaded by the insects , and the climate will probably prevent them from ever thriving there ao they do In- the north. Herds are now to bo found In nil rarts of Patagonia , the farmers cultivating the land1 ! In southern Argentina , which were earlier overrun by cattle and ahccp. Considerable shipments of frozen mutton liavo recently been made from this bleak land to the Eng lish market , which leads a London newo- piper to remark that "With her wool and occasional meat shipments , Patagonia Iv * doling l er beat to compete with Australia. " * * * The cost of the Soudan expedition since March , 1896 , has been , according to Lord Farrer , hard on to $10,000,000. Every penny of this It Is proposed to got tack from the Egyptian taxpayer. For purposes of taxa tion , the whole thing has been undertaken In Ills Interest ; for purpen's of glory and im perialism , the advance to Khartoum is ex clusively llrltlsli. Meanwhile , all Improve ments In Egypt proper have been halted. The plans for the atorago of water , which Is , of course , the life-blood of the country , have been , laid oaldo. It Is admitted that If "a cycle of low Nllcs" should now supervene , the disaster to Egypt would bo enormous and Irremediable. But the money has all to bo spent In securing an English highway from Cairo to the Cape. The French , lo the meantime , are bent on securing their high way from the Congo to the Gulf of Aden. Tlio two highways Inteiscct on the upper Nlo ! , and the resources o ? diplomacy are put to the test to arrange amicably crossings , switches , and a division of the trafilc , to life railway terms. But the whole Is dcao with out the slightest regard to native wishes. The Engl'ah authorities consult the Egyp- tlarfl no moro than the French do the Sene- gamblans. * tt A memorandum of the Russian minister of finance , which accompanies the estimates of the general budget for 1S9S , shows that Rus sia's national debt on January 1 , 1898 , amounted to 6,101,339,902 rubles , a net in crease'during the year of 60,569,810 rubles. The total Increase In reality Is 115,91 t,2SO rubles owing to the issue of fresh 4 per cent state rentes and other loans for the purchase and transfer to the government of the Baltic , the Vistula , the Moscow-Brest and Moscow- Smolensk rallwajs. But a dlmlnutlco of the debt hcs also been effected by extinction of various obligations to the extent ot 63- 344,470 rubles , which leaves the net Increase at fifty millions and a half. This sum , more over. Is not altogether an increase of state Indebtedness , as the revenue derived from the railways must be p'aced over against It In the separate budget of the ministry of ways of communication. During the last year the total sum ot 269,110,691 rubles was employed in paying oft interest and capital , md during 1898 the sum of 272,079,956 rubles , ir 2,963.262 rubles more , will bo devoted to lhat purpose. The return of Ito to power as Japanese l > rlmo minister gives promise that affairs , vlll be 'conducted by Japan In a statesman- Iko manner , and that the Island Eirplre will : ako ia Ulgcilflod and firm part In whatever icgotlatlons It may be sought to carry out. t was Ito who conducted the war wllft China vlth on energy that has seldom been shown jy European statesmen under llko comll- lons. And it was duo to his efforts that > eaco was secured , while ho also willingly lurrendcred much 'to the after demands of trance , Russia and Germany. It will bo of nterest to watch the stand that howill take low , and the other powers are doubtless ooklng forward to his policy with anxiety , : nd acknowledging to themselves that ho Is , focman worthy of their steel. Franco la Increasing her naval expendi ture some 20 per cunt and Russia Is doing the same. Germany Is about to authorize a oxpendlturo of $200,000,000 on new ships within cevcn years , proposing to add seven teen , battleshliw to her navy , to say nothing of cruisers and other minor craft. It Is England's policy to regulate her program of naval construction by tlioao of her neigh- bora , aiming to build as many war shlpii as they do. She was formerly content to equal Franco and Russia out together , but now that Germany aspires to bo a sea power , Germcny'8 naval construction also has to bo duplicated In Brltlb'i : shipyards. An enor mous addition to the naval armaments ot Europe la , therefore , to bo expected In the next six or seven years. At present British revenue exceeds the budget estimates , so that the money will bo at hand. Ilut It is plain that the burden all are now uhouldcr- Ing Is excea3lvo. T11K b.VUllUU 'RATIO. | Sriintor tU'ol < ' < > ' Aliainloiiiiiciit ot SIvlci-H to Out * . New Yorlc World ( ih'in. ) , There is no moro earnest blmetalllBt in the country than Senator AVolcott. There la none better informed , none In a better posi tion to judge ot what Is possible or prob able , Ho sums up the rc&ult ot his diplomatic dealings with this question in Europe with two conclusions : 1. That a sufficient number of foreign na tions to mnko success sure are ready and willing. Eomo of them to open their mints to fieo coinage and some to make a great en largement of their use of silver. 2. But that this cannot bo dona at the ratio tie of 16 to 1. The enormous decline In the Intrinsic value of silver must bo recognized , ho thinks , if other nations are to bo persuaded to co-op- crate with us. A now ratio must bo found- he suggests 20 to 1 moro nearly In accord \vt'i ! the market value of the two metals. And why not ? Why should they not advocate - vocato a rational ratio Instead of one that cannot bo maintained , or better yet , favor bimetallism and leave the ratio to future adjustment ? U was a blunder for the framera of the Chicago platform and of other platforms to make a fetish of the particular ratio of 10 to 1 , That ratio never existed In the United States or anywhere else. Our government has repeatedly changed the ratio In recogni tion of the market , In order to keep both money metala In circulation. Why should the caueo of bimetallism now be risked and wrecked by unreasoning adherence to a ratio tie which la not evca historically sacred , aud ftdhoreneo to nhloh must prevent Interns tlonul agreement ( or any lhcr colnagi whatever. AS thn great silver Advocate , Senator ator AVolcott , declares ? There la tlmo between now ami 1900 to re consider nni' correct mistaken. There Ji tlmo to Adjust party policies to patent facts There la tlmo for intelligent blmotalllsts ti heed the wnrntnga of such leaders as Sena tor W&lcott and to present their cause l ( the people In such n way as to coimiinm popular support , or nt least to avoid publli distrust ami antagonism. U Is , after all , a question ot practical com mon sense. SUGAR IIOIXVTIKS .llIHOAl ) . The 'Movement to 'AliotlMh Them li KorclKn CouiitrlfN. Now York Kim. According to n recent telegram tlio Belgian government Intends forthwith to Invite the European exporters of bc t sugar to meet In conference , with. A vlejv to abollshln.it the ex port bounties. This Is a matter In which the consumers of bc-et sugar all over the world nro Interested and In which the producers of cntio sugar , especially the West India Islands , nro vitally conccrncHl. At present the government bountlol granted by Germany. Austria , France , Bel- Blum end Hie Nethorl < ind enable' the grow ers ot beet root sugar In 1)1030 ) countries to soil the surplus of their crops available ) for export ut less than the coot ot production. The practical result Is that , In England , the surplus beet-root sugar of the continent can bo purchased for Iras than the price which It commands lu the countries where It Is produced. To England's siipir con sumers this Is , man If cully , an advantage , and yet tlicro Is reason to believe that It Is nt England's Instigation that the Brussels gov ernment lias undertaken to abolish the bounty system. It Is easy enough to sec how a certain amount of ore.'auro could be exertrd ca Belgium by the British foreign ofllcc. The commercial trollies between England c ) Iho ono hand and Germany and Belgium on the other were recently denounced , and , al though England will not , again allow the products ot these countries to enter her colonies on equal terms with similar British commodities , any concession short of that will bo forthcoming for n quid pro quo. But why , It may bo asked , should England dcslro tlio extinction of tliB'Osntlncntal bounty system , when the outcome of such a move would bo to Increase the prlco paid Tor sugar by her consumers. The answer Is that only In this way cun England save her West Iwdla islands from ruin. The alternative of Im posing on sugars Importc-d Into Great Brltnln countervailing duties equivalent to the con tinental bounties Is ono that would not be tolerated by tlio mass of the British In dustrial population , which h wedded to the principle that no tax must bo levied on food products in the British Islands. At the same tlmo British statesmen con sider It of the utmost moment , oven from an Imperial standpoint , to restore a measure of their former prosperity to the West India Islands , In view of the certainty that the opening of an Intcrocoanlc waterway at Nicaragua or at Panama will glvo back to the naval stations In tha Caribbean Sea the vast strategic Importance which they pos sessed In tlio eighteenth century , The pros- cut deplorable condition of thcso islands Is attributed by the royal commission , which recently examined the matter , to the collapse - lapse of their cane sugar Industryand , this , In turn , is ascribed to the Impossibility of coirpetlngwith the boot sugar of conti nental Europe , produced under the bounty system. That the conference proposed by Belgium will he successful IB scarcely probable. There Is , Indeed , some ground for thinking that Germany , whcio the consumers cf sugar regard the bounty paid to the produc ers as a grievous burden , may , notwithstand ing the resistance of the agrarian party , sup port Belgium's proposal. It Is possible that Aushia may follow suit , and wo presume that means may bo found of securing the concurrence of the Netherlands. It is cer tain , on the other hand , that Franco will re fuse assent , so long as M. Mcllno is premier , and , even should ho ba overthrown , the pro tectionist party would , doubtless , retain sufficient strength to assure the rejection of the project. Assuming that the conference called by Belgium la doomed to fftllure , .we can scene no hope of a revival of prosperity In the British West Indies. The homo government dare not promote the Interests of those Islands by placing a duty on foreign sugars , 'or the Canadians would at once demand the Imposition of a duty on grain and wheat , md the first disclosure of a willingness on : ho part ot ministers to raise the price of 'ood products would prodtico a political con vulsion In England that would soon sweep the Salisbury government from power. 'lUIIISO.VAI. AXIJ OTHERWISE. The greatest puzzle In the world Is the 3hlneso language translated Into Scotch , dla- ect. ect.A A New York woman cannot stop talking md the puzzled doctors think she has been lypnotized. Croker's club in Now York no longer ad- nlta the World , but the other two members if the trinity are still honorary members. That cloud-piercing Masonic temple In Chicago seems to bo about as tempting to s-ould'bo suicides as the Vendomo column In 'arls. Prof. Lenard of Heidelberg , who first llscovered the cathode rays , has received rom the French Academy ot ( Science Its irizo of 10,000 francs. "Ladles are requested to remove their uls co far as possible , " was Inscribed on the ards ot admission to a recent cntertaln- iciit In the suburbs of Boston. George Gould , an ex-United States scna- or , four mayors and boveral millionaires rero sworn in aa grand Jurors In the United tales district court In Trenton , N. J. , this reek. President Fauro of Franco Is said to bo an xccllcnt bbot with a gun , nnd In a recent ay's shooting at Ramboulllet castle there ere 153 pheasants and 320 rabbits to his redlt. Sir William Van Homo , the noted Cana dian railway magnate , who is less than CO years old , began his career as a telcgropl ; operator on the Illinois Central railroad In 185G. Ho 4 a native of Illinois and IB now president of the Canadian Pacific railroad. A Eandbag Is a good thing when not used by a certain league of political or otter thugs. It will hold heat better than any thing else. A woolen stocking filled with flno earnl and heated In an oven will retain warmth twice a long aa a water bag or a brick , Colonel A. A. Powell of Toxafl , who repre sents a St. Louis house and travels all over the country , 1s ono of the tallest men In the United Slates , standing 7 feet 0',4 Inches In his stockings. He U 38 years old and weighs 271 pounds , Ho wears a very high silk hat. which gives him on extraordinary appearance In the street. His clothing la all made to cy der , oven his stockings , and is cxipcnslvo. Many years ago Abram S. Howllt ! of Now Yorlc made the prediction that by the end of the century the crtisumptlon of iron In this country would bo 15,000,000 tons an nually , , and that ten ye-ars later It would reach 25,000,000 tons. Little credence was given to this prophecy at that time , but now at the close of 1897 , the consumption of iron OTO foas already reached .the . figure whlh lie predicted for 1900. United StntM Consul Ashby , who -was drowned at Colon Monday , was a member of the famoui Atfhby family of the Shcnandoali valley. Hla father , General Turner Ashby , was esteemed by Juckton as the best olllcnr In his army and gave promise of rising to the highest honors In tbo service , but fee was killed In battle during the early dayd of the war. Oni > of the daring feats of General Ashby was the capture of Sir Percy Wynd- ham and his entire regiment , which had been sent out. as Sir Percy somewhat boast fully declared , "for the express purpose of bagging Ashby. " Judge Henry S , Koeley or St. Joseph. Mo. waa awakened Saturday night by two burglara In his room. Ttiey covered him with pistols and bade him bo quiet , whllo they rilled the premises , One of them found a watch. "Doci't take that , " the Judge said. "It haa llttlo valuo. end Is a keepsake" "Tho motion la overruled , " replied the burglar. "I appeal , " rejolnoj the Judge. The two burglara consulted and the spokesman then milled : "Tho appeal Is allowed. The MSO coming on before a full tribunal of the supreme court , that bojy Is of tlio unanimous eplnlon that the decree of the lower court should bo sustained , and It Is accordingly so ordered. " I'ockc-tlnj ; the watcli , court ad- louruod. Tim CUBANCRISIS. . 1 Chicago Tlmcs-Horald : The preA ? censor. ehip In Havana Is how so strict that Amorl * con war corrcsnctndcnW who hope to J < ett > up with the gamenro compelled to cable the details of riotous outbreaks before they occur. Globe-Democrnt ! The people ot this coun try will be slow to belloTO that a pnrty exlatn In Cuba opposed to the IOTUO of supplies to starving women and children , Spanish prlJo covers .1 multitude ot sins , but that Infamy Is be } end Iho credible , Minneapolis Journil : There Is a very ominous alienee at Havana. General Blanco has concentrated troops enough In tbo city to suppress riots , hut ho dare- not withdraw them , And ho Is In a decidedly tight pl.iro between the Insurgents and the Wolorlta antl-rtutonoinlsts , nnd the tension ran't last a great whllo. Something must map soon. Philadelphia I'rnM ! General Blanco ad mits the ilcvporatiem ot the Spanish causa by his orOor forbidding the circulation ot American newspapers that RVO ! the facia about Cuba , nnd also by his allowing Iho suppression ot certain newspapers In Havana. IMnkrlipt nnd corrupt , Spain r > m keep up the protcnso little longer. It the Cuban junta In this country lo wlso It will mnko the most of Its present opportunities , for conditions never eo favored the Cuban cause M now. Philadelphia Times : There arc- plenty ot Jingo congressmen ready to brouho out threatccilngs and slaughter agulnst every na tion under Iho win whenever an opportunity la offered to make- frothy speech that will Kit In the papers and bo read by his admir ing constituents. But when a coiiKtreaman with some practical Kciowlcdto ot military affairs proprscj to make even the llttlo army wii have effective by reorganizing It on aa up-to-date basis nnd equipping It with nrma nnd ammunition with which It could fight n battle It required to In a sudden emergency , these same Jingo statesmen ore frightened with the specter of the suppression of Amer ican liberty and refuse lo vote the ncceraary supplies. All of which shows what nn ar rant set of mouthing demagogues our Jingo statesmen r.re. If foreign nations have anyi warlike dK'Igas upon this country the icccnt debate In the- house of representatives upon the army appropriation bill very clearly re vealed to them that they- can attack us with Impunity unless our people shall decide to replace some of our present congressmen with statesmen and patriots. ir\OIn HAM'S TH A II IS II A I. WOE. Xliicly-Scvcii SmiiMlivM tlio .Rvuorit u ( Mni'ty-Tn'o. Kntirnn City Klnr. The evporU of merchandise from the United Stated in 1S97 amounted io ? 1,100,000 , . 000 and they were $93,000,000 greater than these of 1S92 , which were the largest on record prior to last year. The > o.vports were $350,000,0001 greater tbin the imports. In addition to the excess of merchandise ex ports there were about $25,000,0000 worth ot silver exported In cxceefl of KID lirnorts. The movement of gold was about a stand-off , BO that the net trade balance reached n total of $380,000,000. This enormous excess of exports over Im ports shows plainly that Europe hna returned moro American securities during 1897 than In any provlo'ia joar. Perhaps $75,000,000 of the oxccas represents money spent by American travelers In Europe , $10,000,000 the amount or freight dharges paid ( by Americans to foreign' owners of ships , and ? 50,000,000 tbo Interest and profits on foielsn Investments In America. The other $210- 000,000 represent approximately the amount nt American Indebtedness to Europe that has ibccn liquidated , and the Increase In \merlcan crcdlte abroad , which must amount to a good many millions. Thcso figures , of rourae. are mere approximations , or guesses , slnco It Is Impossible 'to accurately calculate the amount of the various items named , but they probably are not far out of the -way. The net excels of exports of merchandise , silver and gold over Itrpoits during the years 1S90 to 1897 amounted to nn average of $1S7- 300,000 per nnnXim , and there Is not the least loubt that during every year of that tlmo moro American securities were sent homo than wcro purchased by Americans , so that : ho estimate of $163,000,000 as the total innual payments for foreign travel , freights uid Interest Is certainly not 'too email. The xvcrago exccna. of exports In fifteen joirs > ror ! to 1S90 was only $106,000,000 per an- mm , and during all that tlmo Europoann wcro Investing money In America. The be- 5lnnlng of foreign sales of American ; ccurltlcs was In the fall of 1S90 , the tlmo > ! the BarliiR failure , and the liquidation lias : ontlnued almost constantly over since itlmt lime , so that foreign Investments in America ire smaller now 'than in any tlmo In ton oars , nnd probEfoly lens than at any tlmo n twenty yearn or moro. The Idea prevail ] among same people that Vmerlcn's debt to P.uropo Is constantly jrowlng larger. But the trade returns urnlsh the most positive evidence that ouch s not the case. The United States has been trowing more and more Independent of Juiopo financially for many years. ! .JJIXtJMXG UHV.MUS. Detroit Journal. iolf-mndo man ? Well , largely , As a boy lie wns possessed ) f n father and mother who ffavo him hit head. Ho did the rest. , Tribune. In Pllks , and furs nnd feathers fine. With eagerness Intense , Behold them Mtnnd all day In line , To save 11 cents , Del roll Kreo Preus , I'll not forgot theo , Norn I could not If I would ; Np other girl , at biUter-cnhoH , Could have a bund so good. At'nnta Constitution. Go 011 with your war-llltp. alarms And stipulate tcrmH mid conditions ; .merlcii'll furnish th ? arms And charge , you like rip for provisions ! Washington Stnr. cnmo to him straight , I Though not. truth to Htuto , For'knowledge ' in things economic , TwtiH a matter nf fate Ho W.IH born to bo great- His whiskers , by nature , were comic. In the dny when "prftnnturo epltnplis * " n lhf > popular form of wit In Nmv Hni- mnrt Miss Hannah P. G&uld and Hon Calfb Gushlnir wrote a i > alr , She oneo sent him th following : Lfiy n'Slde , all yo dead , i 1' or In the next bed Hcpoacs the body of CushlnB ! He 1ms crowded his VMIV Through tin- world , ni they fay , And oven In death will bo pushing ! Ho responded with : Ilnrt lies ono whoso wit Without wounding , could hit ; And green bo the turf thiit'B above her ; Having sent every bc-au To the regions below , She h 3 gone down herself for a. lover , ins iioc'nims. ; Atlanta Constitution. 8amo folks , they kinder doubted ' Kf he'd rpllglon true ; , lie never prayed an' shouted i Like other peopln do ; Hut this here wtiz hlH dootrlno. Ker nil lu strife , nn' Bin Tor make this woil' a lieu von Ter go ter heaven In ! You never saw him Btnndln' ' Thar in the market place , An1 lookln' up tor hcnvon With BiinctcrmonlouH fucn ; Ilut holpln1 of tha fallen onoa A higher place ter win , Ho made this worP a 'heaven Ter go UT he.iven In. Thar wuzn't no long Bormonts Preac'.icd when lie went ter rest , Hut hoarta he'd helped brought gifts fr * ( lowers An' laid 'em on hln breafU ; Aii1 thlnkln' of him now. I know A higher place ho'll win who makes this worl' a ijicnven Ter go tor lieuven In I Hot tea biscuit , made in perfection with Royal Baking Powder. They melt in your mouth.