THB OMAHA DAILY BEEt WEDNESDAY , MAHOH 28 , 1808.
THE OMAHA DAILY RER
E. nOSEWATKH. Editor.
I'UtlMSHKD EVB11Y MOIUVINO.
TE11M3 OF BUUSCIUITION :
Dally Ilee ( Without SunJny ) , One Year . ti 00
Dull/ lice anil Sunday , One 'Y.c&r , . , , . . 8 00
Six Month . . . 400
Three Months . 200
Hunday Iw , One Yenr . 200
HntuMay lite , One Year . . . 1 W
Weekly Dee , One Year . , . . . 61
Omnlm : The Iloe llulldlne.
Kouth Omaha i Sinner Illlt. , Cor. X nnd 21th Sti.
Council * muni ! 10 I'enrl Street.
Chlrntfo Olllce : D02 Chamber of Commerce.
New York ! Temple Court.
WaditnRttin : Ml Kourteenth Street.
COUUKHPONOE.XCE.
All communications relating to newn and eillto-
rial matter rhould lie nililrexfed : To the 1'dltor.
HUHINKHS t.HTTEnS.
All business letters and remittances should bo
ftddrcteed to The Ilee Publishing Company ,
Omnlm. Urartu , checks , cspress and postolllco
money orders to be made payable to the order of
the company.
THE HEfi I'UUMSUINO COMPANY.
STATEMENT OK CIUtTULATION' .
Elate of Nebrnskn , Douglas county , BS. :
OeorKe It. Tuchuck , secretary of The lice Pub
lishing company. lclng Uuly sworn , ays that the
nctu.il number of full and complete copies of Tha
Ilally , Mornlntr , Evening and HunJay Dec printed
( luring the month of February , 1S3S , was as fol
lows :
1 . :0.9/ > i ; . 21.C84
2 . 21,933 1C . 21 , Ml
3 . . . 20.M2 17 . 21. WJ
4 . 70.705 18 . ! I,81S
f > . . . . . . 20.S73 19 . 21,501
t . 21OV > 2' ) . 21,003
7 . 20 , SOT 21. . 21,3(3 (
* . 21,031 22 . 21,431
9 . 20.iS2 ! 23 . ll.CIJ
10 . 2&S3 ( 24 . 21,923
11 . 21,124 23 . 22.141
12 . JI.070 2S . 22.227
. 21,01 ! 27 . 21.W
H . 20,901 23 . 22.332
Total . ; . K97.M2
Irfrs returned nnd unsold copies . . . . 9.32G
Net total Mlei . CSS , !
Net dally average . 21,009
OnoilOI' : It. T/.HOHUCK.
Sworn tn before me and pubfcrlbcd In my
frofpnco this 1st day of March , IMS.
( Scnl. ) N. P. FHII. ,
Notary Public.
Mnrdi scums bound to Bltow some of
Its lion clmrac'turlstlcs just to keep up
its reputation.
A few more state nnd nntlonnl conven
tions can bo nlooly accommodated by
Omaha during tlio .siiiiiiiior.
Watch tlio figures of South Omaha's
BprliiK election for mathomatlcal proof of
tlio rapid growth of that lively little
bur } , ' .
There Is an Impression abroad that
when the Kothsdiilils Invested In Span
ish bonds they bought KolA brick that
was chlelly brass.
The Austrian Kelehsrath Is ngaln In
session. Mark Twain should hurry If
liu wants to bo on hand when the next
installment of fun commence. ; .
If reports from Klorldu are not exag
gerated the people there have not been
so much excited since the governor un
dertook to stop it. prize fight and called
out the militia to help him.
Tha Ministerial union is as close as
clanus on the question of open gambling.
The union apparently only tackles the
gambling question when It wants to pull
Homebody's political chestnuts out of the
flre.
flre.A
A University of California professor Is
making a list of the Insects of California ,
and estimates that there will bo between
8,000 and JO.OOO of them , without count
ing the goldbugs , sllverbugs and political
parasites said to exist everywhere.
The Canadians believe In protection.
The Parliament at Ottawa has Just
passed n law forbidding the Importation
of nursery stock from tlio United States.
This Is to shut out the San Jose scale
and Incidentally balance several other
scales. ;
Western land sales are uncommonly
numerous this spring and prices are
good. Good farming land is becoming
moro valuable every year , both because
Bcareor nnd because men are learning
how to use It to better advantage than
ever before.
Omaha will have no trouble about dis
posing of Its city bonds at good prices ,
hocnuso Its credit is gilt-edged. Hut the
bond brokers ought to be taught by
costly experience that they cannot form
n. big enough pool to manipulate the
Huances of this city.
The vcforcmluinltivs of Lincoln are to
make an attempt to put the law enacted
by the last legislature Into effect by
popular endorsement at the polls. Unless
they micceoil better than their Omaha
Imitators the law Ls likely to remain a
tload letter for an Indetlnlte time to
come.
Itrynu has not yet express 51 hlms.-lf
publicly upon the decision of the United
States supreme court In tiie maximum
freight rate cases. As ho appeared fo-
the defeated party In the reargumeut ll
may IH safely assumed that his opinion
of the court has not Improved by reason
of its ruling.
At least two governors of big states dc
not anticipate any International trouble
ratling for quick * action on their part ,
Governor Hastings of Pennsylvania 1 ?
louring the Paclllc coast and Gorcmoi
Stephens of Missouri has just started on
a three weeks' pleasure trip with friend.- :
outside of Jds state.
i In mi Interview the other day Mr ,
l.rynu said that ho did not believe UHI
time had come for elthi'jv > n > .iii&lon.s or
predictions ns to the probable outcome of
'he Span'ch ' imbroglio. How different
from the Ilryan organs which pretend tt :
know Just what uverybodj 14 tomg to dc
before any line of action Is agreed on.
' Congratulations ou our good nelghboi
ft little further down the river on tin
renaming of the Amazonas. With tin
American flag tlylng and the name Nun
Orleans emblazoned on the armor the
war ship that was built to defend tlu
lU-azlllan republic will surely become t
valued mumber of the United States
navy.
A San Francisco lawyer has been flnei
lieavlly by the court for offering to sel
the confession of his client to a news
paper for publication In advance of Iti
presentation In court. So It appears tha
the yellow journals find those who nn
willing to aid and abet them lu thcl
nefarious schemes even though undo
t ath an court ottlcers ,
America's urea test
Tl\B \ AUTONOMISTS OF VUtlA.
It Is well known that tbc autonomists
of Cuba are not unanimous tn support
of the policy proposed by , the Sa rtsta
ministry for that Island. Perhaps a
majority of them , Including the more
Influential who expect political prefer
ment under It , arc favorable to the pol
icy , but there Is a considerable number
who do not consider It sufficiently lib
eral and who regard It as reserving too
much authority over Cuban affairs to
the Imperial government To this ele
ment the powers given the governor general -
oral , as the representative of the sov
ereignty of Spain , are repugnant as bc- <
Ing Incompatible with a true autonomy.
The plan gives to the representative of
the Spanish government In Cuba a com
prehensive veto power that could bo
used to defeat the will of the Cubans
whenever that should be deemed Inimi
cal to the Interests of Spain. Moreover ,
the broad authority allowed this oHiclal
could be used to force legislation accept
able to the Spanish government and It
Is needless : to say that It would bo uni
formly exercised to this end. Thus the
legislative body provided for would be
practically controlled from Madrid. It
would have to satisfy the Imperial gov
ernment , In respect to all matters not
of a merely local nature , or no legis
lation would be permitted.
Another objection to the plan on the
part of some of the autonomists is that
It does not give the people of Cuba sultl-
clent freedom In the arrangement of
their fiscal affairs. They think the Cuban
people ought to have as much liberty
In this respect as the people of the Brit
ish colonies enjoy. Canada , for example ,
makes Its own tariff law , without nny
dictation or meddling on the part of the
Uritlsh government , raising or lowering
duties at pleasure and freely arranging
rates on Hrltlsh goptls with sole refer
ence to Canadian Interests. The Span
ish plan of autonomy , however. Imposes
restrictions. The Cubans are allowed to
frame a fiscal policy conditioned upon
discrimination in favor of Spanish prod
ucts and while It is true the proposed
discrimination Is moderate , still It is
snlllclent to prevent the Cubans mak
ing such arrangements with other conn-
tries , favorable to themselves , as they
might otherwise do. With the same
freedom in this matter that Canada en
joys the Cubans would undoubtedly tir-
nange their tariff with reference to in
creasing trade with the United States ,
) iit they could do this only to a limited
extent with the restrictions Imposed by
the Spanish government.
It does not appear that the autonomists
of Cuba arc exerting themselves very
earnestly or vigorously in behalf of the
> ollcy formulated by the Spanish gov
ernment. Such of them as have received
political recognition or expect to do so
nay be making some effort to secure the
success of the policy , but the proba
bility is Unit generally they have no
iiope of Its acceptance by a majority of
the Cuban people. The Information ob
tained by Senator Proctor and others
leaves no doubt that such Is the case.
Meanwhile the autonomists appear to
be regarded by the Spaniards In Cuba
as entitled to little more consideration
than the Insurgents. The two elements
or factions mingle but little socially or
otherwise , the radical Spaniards who
.idoro . Weyler and believe In the wisdom
of his policy never losing an opportunity
to show their contempt for the auton
omists.
AtiD HAWAII.
Acting under the Instructions of his
government , the Krltlsh ambassador to
the United States has informed the
State department that there is no ground
for tlio allegation liv the report of the
icnato committee on foreign relations , In
regard to Hawaiian annexation , respect-
ng the attitude of Great Britain toward
Hawaii. It was said In the report that
tlie British government was seeking the
overthrow of the republic and the reestablishment -
establishment of the monarchy , with a
view to ultimate British control of the
Islands. ,
The 'denial of tills allegation Is entirely
proper , though hardly necessary to as
sure Intelligent people , not ready to bc-
llevo any sort of annexation bugbear , of
Its absurdity. It Is , however , discredit
able to the members of the senate for
eign relations committee responsible for
the report that they sought to create
public sentiment favorable to Hawaiian
annexation by such means ; that they
endeavored to make use of whatever
popular feeling there Is In this country
unfriendly to Great Britain for the pro
motion of the scheme of annexation. It
Is a very narrow and cheap sort of
statesmanship that is capable of this and
the cause Is desperate Indeed that re
quires recourse to such ! unwarranted ml -
representation.
Great Britain not only does not want
the Hawaiian Islands , but probably is
totally indifferent as to what becomes of
them. The British government under
stands perfectly well , as do all other for
eign governments , that It could not as
sume control of those Islands without a
conflict with the United States , and It
would not Incur this for territory worth
many times as much ns Hawaii : Svlf
talk about Knglaml.- ; fny other country
cjv' ( > " 'jg those Islands is sheer claptrap.
But the British ambassador lias done
well in di.s-poslng of ono and perhaps
the most effective of the aiinexatlonlnt
misrepresentations.
AMKHIOAN C
The response which the American people
ple have made to the call for the relief
of the sulVerlng people of Cuba Is mo.U
creditable to the nation , demonstrating
again that no people are more ready 01
more generous than Americans in an
swering an appeal for charity. The unfortunate -
fortunate victims of the barbarous pollej
of the Spaniards , driven from their
s
homos to dlo from starvation and dls
ease , enlisted the profound sympathy of
the American people nnd made the
strongest possible appeal to our phllau
thropy. They are our neighbors am
theteforo have a special claim to out
consideration. But the American people
plo have never been found wanting b
substantial sympathy for the suffering
however remote. American charity ha.s
gone out to far off India and to the Ar
uccuube it uuriti vruuti uu tuners
merlsn victims of Turkish mallco and
t will never bo sought In rain by any
people who merit It
The generous contributions frtnn this
country to the relief of the rcconcon-
nulos has done and Is doing a most
jcncflccnt work a work that must bo
ippreclatcd by the civilized world. Tens
of thousands of people concentrated In
he towns of Cuba under Spanish con-
rol have died of privation and disease ,
but terrible as the record Is it would bo
cry much more to but for the succor
and relict wl'lch the American peopic
iavc given. And the work of feeding the
tarvlng and providing medicines for the
sick must go on. There urc still tens of
housands of suffering people lu Cuba ,
who can look only to this country for
ellef. The nation whose citizens they
ire cannot help them or will not With
out the means to pay Its soldiers who
ire still enforcing the policy of Weyler ,
Spain has nothing for the starving peo-
ile whose story of suffering has shocked
ho world. America must continue to
feed them until the war is ended and
they are permitted to go back to their
farms and' to flud work where work Is
to bo done , whether that time be nearer
or remote. It Is a large task , but not
) cyond the ability of this wealthy nnd
generous people nnd having entered
tpon the work they will not abandon It
so long as there Is a demand for its con
tinuance.
AT TUB WHOSO KXD.
Unices the declfllon of. the supreme court
s handed down by April 1 the board will
Gdopl Chief Gallagher's proposed plan ,
which , In a measure , provides for an en-
Ire reorganization of the police department ,
with some radical changes la the dctoctlvo
'orce. The detective force will bo thoroughly
overhauled and the drones dropped from the
1st. The Increased force asked 'for ' 'will be
considered at the next regular meeting , when
probably at least thirty ineti will bo ap-
lolnted. Police Board Organ.
That there Is an imperative demand
'or thorough reorganization of the police
department no one will deny. When n
nan Is sick , however , he usually con
sults a. doctor and not a blacksmith.
iVhen the police board wants to reorgan
ise the police it will do well to adopt a
plan proposed by a chief who knows
something about police work , instead
of by one who has had no police experi
ence and whose Iiicompetency and in-
clllcleiicy arc so glaring'that ) he lias to
take orders from subordinates instead
of giving them.
The first step in police reorganization
should bo the appointment of a bead of
the police department who will be the
iictlvo chief and not a mere political
figurehead. With an experienced nnd
clllclciit man In charge the rest of the
work would bo comparatively easy.
Whlio there are doubtless men on the
police force who are Imbeciles or drones
or both , and who ought not to have
liuen kept ou the pay roll this long , the
[ irinclpul reason why the police are
helpless to cope with the thugs and
thieves nnd other professional crooks
who are holding high carnival In this
city Is that they lack Intelligent and
lione.st direction. Increasing the num
ber of patrolmen without making a
change in the ofllcers in charge can
only Increase demoralization and con
fusion. As long as the police authori
ties are known to be standing in with
tlie keepers of notorious gambling dens
and other disorderly resorts , the vicious
and criminal classes will have no fear of
being molested from that quarter.
Tim proposed plan of police reorgani
zation begins at the wrong end. To
give the people of this city and their
exposition guests adequate protection ,
reorganization must start with the chief.
tAccordlng to the police board organ ,
there Is a man on the police force who
has been devoting more of his time to
getting drunk than he has to the appre
hension of criminals. If this Is true nnd
Is within the knowledge of the police
authorities why is he not immediately
suspended and charges preferred against
him with a view to his dismissal ? No
court can compel the police board to
keep on the police pay rolls any man
against whom such charges can be sus
tained and it is the sworn duty of the
board to maintain discipline by imposing
proper penalties for violation of tlio rules
and regulations. Arc not the chief of
police and the police commissioners not
only disregarding their oaths of olllce ,
but also adding to the demoralization of
the force , when they shield and protect
notorious offenders nnd thus set exam
ples for other police olllcers to follow ?
Down In Missouri nn examining Judge
has declared unconstitutional a law pro
viding for the vestlbullng of all the elec
tric street cars on the ground that It Is
class legislation. The Nebraska vesti
bule law relates only to street cars pro
pelled by steam , cable or electricity and
exempts cars drawn by horses or other
power not specified. If the Missouri law
can be knocked out as class legislation It
will not be surprising to witness an ef
fort to knock out the Nebraska law , too.
Whether the Nebra.sUjcourts would look
at It In the same way , however , Is a very
question.
A preacher , from his pulpit In Boise ,
Idaho , last Sunday , denounced the cor
porations Imlescrlmlnalely , complained
of low wages , and declared that If there
Is no change "tlio horrors of the French
revolution will be repeated when some
leader like Hobespierre shall arise. " That
preacher should be Invited to travel
around over his own state and adjoining
states and learn something about social
and Industrial conditions as they exist
outside of popocratlc editorial sanctums.
It looks now as If Jim Hulilinan had
reconsidered his resolution to resign his
$2,000-a-year sinecure ns do-nothing state
railway commissioner to go Into busi
ness , but has decided to take his com-
mlsslonershlp Into the commission busi
ness with him. If his cattle and hogs do
not travel on free passes ns well as himself -
self the 'railroads will have to watch for
a new freight tariff order.
The new board of control for Iowa
state Institutions Is to be bl-partlsan in
nature and the leading popocratlc news
paper of the state served notice on the
i lun. 110 sure 10 gee noinra ,
governor , whol > mipposed to bo looking
! or ft ilcuiocrajt'to bo put on the board ,
that "electorHTho did not vote forMr. .
Bryan are not democrats , though they
nay imagine tliey are. " It Is needless to
ay that this rntrf holds only when thcro
arc offices to b'e"illstrlbutcd ? and Is dis
regarded whuu .It conies to asking for
'
votes. „ ,
Pl rilnh Ictcn.
Inter Ocean , <
The yellow SpapUh organs boast that
'tlioy will get'up ' n rebellion In the southern
states of the union. The fact Is that enough
latrlotlc men Oould bo enlisted tn the south
o send the remnant of the Spanish army left
alive In Cuba flying to Europe. Spain -will
find the pcoplo ofrtbo United States liavo but
ono flag.
Iiiiloiiinllr for n lloycott.
1'liltaclclphla ItecorJ.
The boycott of the Chinese by labor organ-
zatlone in Montana Is to bo made the basis
for a demand for Indemnity- tlio Chinese
m'ulster at Washington. The minister would
waste his time lu presslug a claim of this
sort. It was the government at Washington
which started the Chinese boycott. Montana
ias merely followed Its example.
I'roplieuj- .
Uuffnlo Kxprcss.
Dlunt old Bismarck puts Into a sentence the
lovout hope. If not the conviction , of ttie
sober-minded , earnest majority of many
Christian people :
"I prophecy that Cuba will soon become
an Independent republic by diplomatic
mcanB. "
The part of American patriotism Is to as
sist , If possible , la bringing about this con
summation. President McKInley evidently
'eels It to bo so. Let her patriots follow his
example.
Aroiiiul ( hi * World.
New York Tribune.
Egypt follows the lead of China , Japan ,
India , Russia , Finland , and , Indeed , most
> ther countries In ordering fifteen American
ocomotlvcsililch will bo speedily turned
out , and which in no long time will fly
screaming along the Egyptian state railway ,
.vaklng Memnonlan echoes along the Blum-
jerous Nile loud enough to rouse Its mumBled -
Bled Pharaohs and awaken anew the bel-
owlngs of Oalds , suspended without date
some thousands of years ago. The American
can now travel all over the world with the
patriotic consciousness that he Is beln
drawn by the Ircn horses of his own native
and and that there are ncnc to outpace or
outstay them , oad no likelihood of any In the
future.
Control or Stall ?
Army and Navy Journal.
The control of the president over the ml-
lltla Is absolute and unlimited In time of
necessity , and as he Is the sole judge of that
necessity there la practically no limit upon
its discretion. In speaking of the militia ,
iiowever , we refer to the national rnllltla
and not to the national guard. Mest of the
members of the national guard are militia
men , and as such are subject Individually to
the orders of the president , Issued In ac
cordance with law , but the organizations of
the guard are not recognized by the govern
ment as organizations. * * * But once
in the service , militiamen , whether of the
national guard or not , become soldiers of the
United States , and are as completely under
the control of the military authorities as thn
soldiers of the regular army. The mllltla
1)111 now pending' before congress expressly
provides that militiamen "shall serve wher
ever ordered , wlthln'or without the territory
of the United States' ' . " This Is nat new law ,
: > ut It la a clear statement of existing law as
doflned by the courts. As the law Is now
the militia are subject to the Jurisdiction of
military law as .soon as they are called Into
the service of tbe united States. It Is not
required that th'ey should be mustered In to
o the military , authorities o the United
States' control over them.
IIUSI.VKSS JVOT SCARED.
Trnile E.\i > nii Imi Unchecked l > y Kn-
, iiiortt nf Wnr.
noston Tran crlpt , 10th.
The general business of- the country re-
luses to scare iover the Spanish complica
tions. Each week's mercantile reviews tell
of added Impetus given to the great indus
trial movement. Business Is beyond the
revival stage ; It is settled growth and the
record of bank clearings shows fully a third
more business doing than a year ago at
Lhls time. The large withdrawals of money
from eastern centers for the west seem to
have been caused fully as much by expan
sion of trade as by any fears of war. The
icat reports of distribution of goods come
from the west and the general trade situ
ation throughout the central west and the
lorthwost is ono of undeniable strength. St.
Louis reports the largest March trade In
years and purchases nearer a cash basis
than ever before , while conditions at the
Bouth are satisfactory. Volume of merchan
dise exports continues unprecedented , and
thcro Is no diminution In the volume of
railroad earnings , which demonstrates the
Immense business doing throughout the coun
try.
try.Tho
The stock market alone Is heavy , but It
Is not to "be denied that the week's develop
ments have made for much confidence even
In Wall street that the probability of actual
war exists mainly In the imagination of the
sensational press. A distinctly better tone
lias characterize ! ] speculative dealings and
stocks average higher at the close today
than a week ago. Of course In a purely
professional market there will bo more
days of decline than of advance , but the
agllo speculators on the floor of the ex
change arc quick to take profits on the
short side and do not commit themselves
over night to the bear position. The gold
Imports have counterbalanced loss In de
posits 'and continued money market ease
seems assured.
TlIKOIlIiS KNOCKED OUT.
of Aiuntfiir Financier *
.MntllntiMl.
Minneapolis Journal.
The southern trip of Bryan last week was
somewhat different from that of 1SOG 'n , that
portion of the country. Then the southern
popocrats were ready to swallow any story
told them by Bryan about the dependence
of farm product prices upon the rlso of
stiver for enhancement. The talk tbm > was
that prices could not poaslbly rlso without
the free coinage of fillvpr.
But today It Is patent that tboro has been
a steady fall In the price of silver evtr since
Bryaa was nominated , or from 69 cents an
ounce to about 54 cents. What Is the story
of farm products and other commodities ?
Bradstrect shows that last mcnth of 10S
staple articles nfty-flvo advanced In price ,
and only fifteen declined. Altogether , nlnety-
thveo of them cither advanced or remained
ctrady. Prices of Iron , steel , copper , lead ,
patroleum , trlcli , lumber end tobacco ad-
'
snce' as did ra'w textiles. Meats , wool ,
p ovlsirns , dairy products and all kinds of
csli Jmve advenpai H Is claimed by free
silver men Uia tJiDshortage In Europe ac
counts altogether for the advance In prices
of farm products ; hut while such shortage
ha.s favorably affected wheat , Is it the pro
curing cause ot'lhe advance In provisions ,
wool and other articles ? The United States
bureau of statistics shows that between July
10 , 1SSG , and Martins 10 , 1S9S , silver dropped
from C9.2 cents -an - ounce to 54.2 cents an
ounce ; No. 2 rej ] wheat advanced steadily
from C3.5 cents a bushel to 10C. ! > cents a
bushel ; mess pork advanced from $7.75 a bar
rel to $10.75 a barrel , and wool advanced1
from 17 ccnt.3 a pound to 2S cents a pound.
Bryan could not , work the calamity busi
ness Ui the south fa the face of the further
facts that tbo sbufhern cotton mills have
been multiplying ( nd running on full time ,
paying dividends of from 10 to 12 % per cent
a year. Last year thirty-seven new cotton
mills were started la the south with more
Hun250,000 rllcdles. There are now 490
such mills In the south , aa compared with
ISO In 1SSO , and 4125,000,000 are Invested now
In the business.
These citations are sufficient to show that
the contention that the prices of farm
products and other commodities are- tied to
sliver prices wilt bo uscleai In the campaign
of this year , nnd the free silver people will
simply misapply their energy repeating the
exploded argument. The popocratlc postu
lates of 1S9G have ono by one been swept
away by the logic of events. Business con
ditions , mercantile and Industrial , hive Im
mensely Improved , and the Industrious
farmer Is In clover all without the free
coinage of silver and under tbo gold stand
ard.
PATIUOTIO
nnd Heroic Altitude for the
Maintenance of 1'rnce. "
Philadelphia Times ( Jem. ) ,
However people may differ from President
McKlnloy on economic or other political I -
itioa , all concede that he lias maintained
himself with absolute dignity end manliness
at every stage of the threatened disruption
of our friendly relations with Spain ; and his
last declaration made on tha subject of war
will bo heartily applauded by every patriotic
citizen of the union. Ho said : "Kather my
administration should bo an Ignominious
'alltiro than that It should be responsible for
an unholy war. "
Such la President McKlnley's attitude be
fore the country and before the world. Ho
Is seriously threatened with war without
liavlng directly or indirectly given any Just
cuuso to provoke It. Ho has bowed to the
line in tbo observance of the neutrality
laws , and resolved all doubts In their favor ,
oven to an extent that has been criticised
jy many Intelligent and falr-mlnJc-d citizens ,
but ho did It In the Interest of peace. Ho
did It because the Issue of war Is of such
; rave magnttudo that he felt compelled to
err , If ho erred at all , to avert the horrors
of war.
While the president has done everything
consistent with the honor and dignity of the
government to maintain the peace , It Is not
Jn open secret but a matter of notoriety at
liomo and abroad , that over slnco the trouble
began ho has been making the beat possible
preparations for war ; end slnco the suddenly
acute stage of thq Cuban Isauo was precipi
tated by the loss of the Jlnlne , ho has felt
that the only possible way of averting war ,
If It could bo averted at all , was to make
the moat complete preparations for It. So
well has ho performed his exceptionally re
sponsible duties that when the crisis came
and ho asked congress and the nation to
support htm In all measures for the common
defense , there wa not a single vote cast
against htm In cither branch of the national
legislature. No such trlbuto was ever paid
to a president of the United States.
The country Is today realizing the benefi
cent results of President McKlnli-y'e dignified
and heroic attitude for the maintenance of
peace by the most complete preparations for
war. There U now a general feeling of hope
fulness throughout the land that peace will
uu maintained , no matter what disturbing
Issuea shall arise hereafter. Only a fort
night ago it seemed Impossible to preserve
friendly relations with Spain , but now that
wo are vastly better prepared for war than
Is Spain , and could surely defeat her on land
and sea , the turbulent Spanish pcoplo who
have been the only source from which came
the demand for war , have been sobered to
the extent of halting them la their reck
less clamor for war ,
AH.MV 0.A \\till FOOTING.
rovlxIoiiN of ( 'ItforKiinlzntloii 11111
1'cnillim : In COIIKTUNH.
New York .Sun.
The bill for the reorganization of the line
f the army , Introduced by Mr. Hull Into the
liouse pud by Mr. Hawley Into tha senate , ac
complishes great results by simplu means
and at slight expense1.
It provides , as Secretary Algur has said ,
"foe the expansion of the peace army Into
one of war strength , " -hencver war comcfl.
This it does by leaving the various reglmeuts
exactly as now , twenty-five in the Infantry ,
ten ! n the cavalry and seven in the artillery ,
while greatly enlarging , In time of war , the
enlisted strength of each company , troop or
lattery. That of nn Infantry company would
bo at the maximum 230 , so resembling the
European organizations ; of a troop of cav
alry , 100 ; of a battery of heavy artillery , 200 ,
and of a field battery , 150.
In addition , the- Infantry , which now con-
slsta nominally of ten companies to a regi
ment , but really of eight manned companies ,
or two full battalions , would receive In war
limo a third battalion formed by filling the
Lwo skeleton companies in each regiment and
adding two others. This three-battalion
organization , adopted for many years In
other countries aad familiar In ours for the
cavalry and artillery , has been urged upon
ccngress after congress , not only In order to
secure uniformity In the three arms , but because -
cause it would put the Infantry upon the
prevailing modern basis for tactical
maneuvers.
Hitherto the proposal has been to add two
officered and manned companies to each
regiment , besides enlisted men for the two
skeletcn companies , with a major for the
third battalion thus formed. As far back aa
General Sherman's day this was urged , and
all secretaries of > war since .then have ad
vocated It , dowm to Secretary Lament , who
laid great stress upon It.
But > the present bill does not look to even
that moderate change In time of peace. It
keeps the present organization for the In
fantry , and adopts the three battalions for
war only. It does not even provide officers
for the extra two companies , its only addi
tion , In time of peace , being that of an
other major to each Infantry regiment ,
liJv-ery cavalry regiment today and every
artillery regiment has three majors , BO
that two for an Infantry regiment cannot
bo called excessive. One more major would
bo 'Imperative for the third battalion on the
war footing , and tbe total additional cost of
the twenty-live majors Is only $87,000 a year.
The careful and economical Increase of
efficiency Is further seen In the fact that
while In time of war such great accessions
of enlisted strength are to be secured , In
cluding , of course , some additional non
commissioned ofllcers , the only commissioned
ofllcers to bo added will bo a second lieu
tenant for each troop and company und a
first leutenant and second lieutenant for
each battery. Thus , while the unlisted fight
ing strength ) provided for on the peace foot
ing may be more than quadrupled , the com
missioned officers will be Increased ICSB "than
one-half , and even this last Increase. Is all
among subalterns , with their relatively low
pay. Taking the exact figures , while the au
thorized fighting force , exclusive of the staff ,
on the peace tasls , 'Is 1,010 officers and 25-
430 men , there will bo an addition of 78-
934 enlisted men , with only 738 officers.
Wo have here , then , a practicable method
of Increasing rapidly the fighting force of
the army In time of war , to an approximate
aggregate of 2,348 officers and 101,384 men.
The army would have C52 officers and
12,050 men In the cavalry , 469 officers
and 16,457 men In the artillery , and 1,327
officers and 75,125 men In the infantry ,
while the engineer troops would consist of
752 men- with snch officers as might bo
assigned from the corps of engineers , as
now. The rapidity with which this body
of nearly 80,000 recruits can be made ef
fective , when put Into old organizations al
ready In working order , under professional
ofilccra and noncommissioned officers , must
be obvious at once.
However , In order that lads from the same
neighborhood who want to enlist together
and to keep up old acquaintance , may be
able to do so , this bill allows any regiment-
to draw Its recruits from a atate designated
by the president , and they are to bo cred
ited on the state's quota of troops at any
tlmo called for.
The other provisions of the bill require
only brief mention Just now. The discre
tion lodged In the president to make the
artillery batteries either heavy or field , as
exigencies warrant. Is obviously desirable.
The prohibition of bounties for enlistment
and the warning that desertion forfeits rights
to pensions are based on civil war expe
rience. The Increase of the pay of enlisted
men by one-fifth wlicn they are In com
mands actually operating against an enemy
Is a novelty that may perhaps commend
Itself , although laying the foundation for
friction , while the stopping of extra duty
pay. In war. la evidently based on the fact
that what Is called extra duty , often In
mechanical work , is less arduous and perilous
than ordinary service In the ranks against
the enemy. An Infantry officer command
ing a company over 150 strong la entitled
to 'bo mounted , with pay and allowances
accordingly , and the actual exerclso by an
officer of a command above hla trade , as
when a major or captain commands a regi
ment , carries the pay , In war time , of the
higher command.
( But , apart from these details , what la
First In design < p
Finest In quality < b
Factory founded 1707 ( >
The "GDA" | |
Limoges China \ (
OH WtlltE WiltS OH DICOMTEO
worthy of note Is the general provision for
the prompt and economical expansion of the
regular army Into a formidable force , It
does not Interfere In any way with tbo call
ing out nlJo of the organized mllltla or a
volunteer army , or both ; It only makes sure
of using to the utmost , and with quad
rupled effectiveness , the machinery of our
regular establishment' , which , at the end of
a war , would again shrink to Us ordinary
basis ,
I.VAUOim.VTlOX HAY.
Proponed ChntiKc from Mnroli to tlio
Littler 1'nrt of April.
rhllndclphln 1'rcss.
Senator Hoar of Massachusetts has been
persistent In Introducing and advocating In
many successive cougrc&sos a Joint resolution
fixing Inauguration day and the beginning of
the terms of senators and representatives In
the latter 'part ' of April. Tlio reason for
iroklni ; this change Is the weather. Cua- '
torn has made the president's Inauguration
an outdoor ceremony and reason suggests
that It should come at \ \ time when It Is
agreeable and safe to bo out of doors rather
than unple.iflant und dangerous. In the latter '
part of April InUhe latitude of Washington
city Uio weather Is mild and agreeable. In
early March It Is apt to bo harsh nnd stormy ,
a , breeder of pneumonia and bronidltls. Ex
posure to It Is dangerous , especially to elderly (
men , and Imposes on each new president an
unnecessary risk to health and life. iThc < jo
considerations are weighty and 'If ' they stood
alone might overcome the Inertia which ,
make * the amendment of the federal 'con '
stitution In ordinary times all but an Im
possibility.
The amendment proposed 'names ' the last ,
Wednesday In April ns Inauguration day.
This Is an Improvement over a numerical
date , slnco It would bring Inauguration day
most conveniently In the middle of the week
and avoid the contingency of Its falling on
Sunday , Senator .Hoar's original resolution
names Aurll 30 , the day on which George
Washington was Inaugurated for his first
term , as the permanent Inauguration day.
The first congress .might have flxed April 30
as the Inauguration day for all tlmo had It i
chosen to recognize that date as the begin- ;
nlng of Washington's term. A resolution of
the expiring continental congress fixed the
first ' -Monday In ( M'arch ' as the day for tlu >
Inauguration of the government of tlu >
United States under the federal constltu-1
tlon. ( But the new govern -lent was i
not ready to begin operations at I
that time. H was not until ,
April 30 that President Washington was j
able to take tbe oath of office and organize
his government. The beginning of his term
and that of members of both stoato nnd
house were treated as dating back to the
first Wednesday of March , which fell en
March 4 , and as the constitutional limit of
the terms of presidents , senators and repre
sentatives Is exactly four , six and two years
respectively , ( March 4 became the fixed date
under the constitution for the beginning of
the presidential term , as well as that of
each ccngress , and Is so recognized In the
twelfth amendment to the constitution. It
Is for this reason that to secure a more
genial day for Inauguration ceremonies the
fundamental law of the land must bo
amended.
In nil probability It never will be so
amended. It Is an unfortunate and Incon
gruous element In our system that each congress -
gress holds one sesslcn after Us successor
lias been chosen. Irresponsibility and reck
lessness have full sway at thla session. For
tunately It Is short , a scant three months ,
broken by the Christmas vacation. Tliero Is
scarcely time in this brief session to do more
thfin pas the appropriation bills. To add
two mcnths to the poat-electlon session of
each congress would be to Increase Its powerj
for mischief and greatly aggravate a vlcioua
situation. The postponement of Inaugura
tion day might go , even though It lengthens
the Incumbency of a president whose suc
cessor has been chosen end whoaa useful
ness Is ended were the change not applied
also to congress. As It is , we doubt If the
constitution will ever be amended at pro
posed unless the change is made part of a
more comprehensive amendment that will
avoid the drawbacks Inherent In the pending
proposition.
1'EHSOXAIi AXH OTIIHIIAVISU.
The Spaniards have put In at the Ca
naries. They seem io think themselves
birds.
Captain General Blanco has Informed the
visiting American congressmen in Havana
that he expects to spend the summer at
Saratoga.
Rllsha W. Keys , who has Just been ap
pointed postmaster at Madison , WIs. ,
served In the same capacity under Lincoln ,
Johnson , Grant and Hayes.
Ex-VIco President Morton , ono of the
most popular presiding officers the senate
over had , appeared on the floor of the sen
ate chamber the other day and was given
an enthusiastic welcome.
A rumor Is again current that Russell
Sago Is about to retire from business. When
asked about a similar report some years
ago the artlees old manl said : "Wtiy , If I
stop work what Is there for me to do ? "
Hear Admiral Ilamsay , who was recently
placed on the relived Itat by reason of age ,
but Is anxious for actlvo service In the
event of hostilities , has generously ( offered
to correct his family bible , free of expense
to the Navy department.
William Jameson Held of 'Boston has an
nounced his Intention of trying to pene
trate Into the sacred Buddhist city of
Shaseo , In Tulbet and hopes to meet iwlth
more success than Walter Savage Laador ,
who -wen tortured almcst to death.
Frank Clmso of Watervlllo , Me , , some
years 'ago ' invented a machlno simplifying
the manufacture of shoes. A New Knglona
company purchased hla Invention for $100-
000 canh and gave him $2,500 per year for
life , provided ho would Vlo no more Invent
ing. In a recent Interview ho bitterly re
grets having made that contract.
It Ls not easy to Imagine a moro grnhlc
account of personal experience than \ > t con
tained In the following statement of ono of
the Maine's wounded men : "Well , sir , I was
a-corkln' It oft In mo hammlck , sir , when
1 hears a h of a noise. Then , sir , the
nurse says , 'Sit up am' take this. ' That's
all I know , sir. " It tella the whole story.
Voltinioi could not add to Its completeness.
By the death In Frankfort , Germany , of
Baron Ludwlg von HSrlanger , head of the
European banking hourto of Erlanger Bros. ,
Baron Francis von Erlangec , husband of the
rlarcseuse Nina Dlvu , now In Chicago , tias
become the presumptlvo'lielr ' to a large part
of a fortune of $80,000.000. Baron Ludwlg
was the uncle of the young man , wtio was
deemed to have disgraced himself by mar
rying Vi ballet girl.
PATIUOTI.1M.
Dciunrrnllo Co mm r mint Ion fur Prrnl.
< lcnt .MrKlnU-y.
St. touts lltpubllc ( Jem. )
"Rather than be responsible for nn unholy
war I would ice my administration
wrecked , " President ftlcKlnlcy la reported
to have declared to A semtor.
N'o moro patriotic utterance has been at
tributed to Mr. McKInley In the wltole count
of his public career. It expresses exactly
the feeling that should dominate the chief
magistrate of ttrls republic. It embodied tha
best thought of Intelligent and broad-guago
'American citizenship. With such n con
clusion In inlii ] President McKInley can approach
preach the final settlement of the serious
( | iicstlons Involved In our dispute with Spain
nnd our Interest In Cuba In a spirit of fair
ness , frankness and justice to every Interest
concerned. The reputed declaration Implica
that back of It Is that high spirit of effaco-
mcnt which asserted Its sway In the mo
mentous days of Cromwell nnd which foiiml
expression In the self-dctiylnR ordlnancs
enacted by the Cromwelllan Parliament.
The American people are 'bone ' of their
bono anl flwh of their llcsh of the men who
fought for human rights under Cromwell's
Inspiring leadership. To this race , as to the
'Roundheads ' who met and vanquished the
exultant heats of arrogant royalty with plica
and sword , war Is a thing of such savagery ,
of such barbarity , of such waste and woo as
to bo resorted to only < \\Iicn all other means
of asserting the dignity and honor of man
hood have failed. The ruler of a country
who Involves Its people In war assumes an
awful responsibility. It Is well that Presi
dent McKInley should recognize the weight
of this responsibility and exert alt the
powers ho can la decency nnd honor employ
to avert war.
And yet It Is trtio there nro some thlngi !
worse than war. Among these would ba
servile submission whcru Insult has been
added to Injury. There is a line at which
the American pcoplo will stop even. In their
earnest devotion to peace. They believe
Mr. McKliiley knows whcro the line lies anJ
mean to trust him until his acts give rvt-
dcnco that ho la unworthy of trust. They
will not condemn him upon the worthlesa
evidence of Irresponsible gossip.
It gratifies our national prlilo to bcllev *
President McKInley spoke as ho Is reported ,
to accept his actions In this trying emer
gency ns animated by the high purposes mil
conscientious motives the expression attrib
uted to him Implies. It Is still moro gratify
ing to believe that , striving to the best of
his ability to avert war , ho will defend the
dignity and fair name of the American people
ple , keeping always In mind the great mis
sion of tills free nation nnd Insisting that
no bullying threats of other governments
shall arrest the development of our purposes
or 'seriously ' menace our future.
In this spirit the 'American ' people await
patiently the unfolding of President McKln-
ley's policy In the proper tlmo nnd tlio
proper way. Kvery patriotic citizen of the
United States anticipates with confident hope
the speedy accounting the president will give
of the stupendous responsibility now rcstlnj ;
upon him.
Hit Mil IT 11) I'M S.
Chicago Tribune : "My queen I" foiuKy PX-
cliiimpd the Infatuated youth.
" .My Jack ! " softly responded the blushlii ! ;
maiden.
Chicago llreord : "Are you Interested In
thin 'don't \\oiry' movement ? "
"Yea : I wish I could gut ull my creditors
Into It. "
Truth : Fair Visitor What a lovely parrotl
( To parrot ) Polly want : i cracker ?
Polly ( cautiously ) Did , you make It your
self ?
Detroit Journal : The distracted -wife clung
to the mantul for support.
'And you purpose to beat nic ? " slio
"If you < lcn't mind , " replied her husband1 ,
for ho was a gentleman of the old school.
Cincinnati Knqulrer. "What iwns that gniy
kicking iiboiit ? ' n , ked the dooikeeper. "I
couldn't quite catch It , where. I wsis. "
"Said lie found a new Joke1 on the program.
Wanted Ills money buck before tlio house
fell down. "
Chicago Trillium : "Tho worst thing- about
this , " muttered Noah , battenlnp down the
hii'tcluvaya ' of tlio ark and looking appre
hensively ! > ' I ho ungry clouds that over
spread the ? ky , "Is that it will put back the
good roads movement thousands of years.
Indianapolis Journal : "I wonder why fl
woman always jilckH out the largest ball Jn
( i bowlingallcly ? " asked' ' the youngest
boarder.
"Woman , " the Cheerful Idiot explained , "In
looking for a larger sphere. "
Brooklyn Life : "Gollghtly boasts that h
never changeo his mind. "
"Ho can't. No one will swap with him. "
Washington Stnri "I suppose that thera
are many problems which polar explorers
seek to solve , " said the unscientific man.
"Yes , " replied the Intrepid traveler ; "a
great many. "
"What Is the > most Important one ? "
"Getting back. "
London Tit-Bits : Anxious Mother T think
you should Interfere , Kdward. There Is
young StumpH sitting for the last half hour
v/llh Mabel , Molding her hand. You know
tliat lie's not in n. position to marry ?
K.UluT ( complacently ) True ; but let him
hold her Imtid. Martha ; It will keep her
from the piano !
Chicago Post : "What do you consider the
greatest mistake of your life ? " nslied the
chairman of the committee of women that
was looking Into the conditions existing In
the penitentiary.
"Giving up good cash to a poor lawyer , "
bitterly replied the convict who had Just
been "sent down. "
SlI/K.Vr IMTIIIOTISM.
Bomervllle Journal.
Thn man I * ho stands nnd talks * of ( war !
To every one who'll hear
Would bo tbe first tohldi / > himself.
If thproi wnsl danger near.
Tlio man' who's really strongnnd brava
Does little talking- now ,
Hint If Uio country 3uis to fight ,
IIo'lI Bhow tbo Spaniards how.
These young chap ? ; born slnco ' < V > ,
Don't knew what real war means.
They iHon't care what may happen , If
McKInley Intervenes.
But those -who fought on southern fields ,
Whcro countless thousands 'fell ,
Have no dcslro to light Tor fun :
Thpy Scnow that ' 1war Is hell ! "
Of courseIf ( IghUnK1 must bo done ,
Your Uncle Sam will fight ,
'But ' first bo wimts to be dead sure
That he Is In ithe. right.
Then ho imny rescue Cuba fair
From Spain's destroying clutch.
But till bo's ready , don't you fret ,
And' don't you talk , too much !
. . . . Is to be always prepared
for any kind of weather whether it's a cold wave and a
demand for overcoats or a sudden spell and a run on linen dus
ters. Whatever a well equipped store should have in clothing
ready to wear for men and boys , you are sure to find here and of
the right sort. At present you won't need any dusters so call
your attention to our splendid line of Spring Overcoats all new
ar.d fresh from our factory and containing all the style and ele
gance that can possibly be put into an Overcoat strictly our
own make $10 $12.50 $15 $ J8 $20 Fit and quality
guaranteed.
ai , , umana , A > CD.