f\-\r A IT A Yl \ TT THE OMAHA DAILY BEE E. ROSEWATER , Editor. PUBLISHED EVERY MOIININO. TERMS OP SUBSCRIPTION , pally Jlee ( without Sunday ) , Ono Year.$6.W ) lally lice and Sunday , One Year 8.00 Blx Months 4.00 Thri > Month * 2.00 Bundny Hec.Onc Year 2.00 Saturday Hee , Ono Year 1.50 Weekly Bee. Ono Year 63 OFFICES. Omaha : The Hen Building. South Omaha : , Singer lilock , Corner N ami Twrnty.fourtli Streets. Council Bluffs : 10 1'earl Street. Chicago : Stock Exchange Bldg. New York : Temple Court. Washington : 601 Fourteenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communications relating to news and editorial matter should bo addressed : To the Editor. BUSINESS LETTERS. EuBlnoso letters and rcmlttanccfl should be addressed to The Uce Publishing Com pany , Omaha. Drafts , checks , express arm postolllcp money orders to bo made payable to thi > ordrr of the company. THE BEE PUBLISHING. COMPANY. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska , Douglas County , ss. : George B. Tzschuck , secretary of The Bee Publishing company , being duly sworn , says that the actual number of full and complete copies of The Dally , Morning , CvcnliiK and Sunday Bee , printed during the month of November 1893 , was aa fol lows : l 2r , oin 16 2 21,877 1 ? 2-1,115 3. . , SM.H.'U 18 21,070 4 2tti : : 19 5 2IH < ! . - . 20 , 6 25,285 21 sa.ruit 7 2II22 ! 22 21,281 8 24tll : 23 2.1,0US 9 : io,7io : 21 24,1)27 10 27,8:12 : 23 21.010 11 2I.-I27 28 2'it2i : : 12 2I,2 I > 27 24,853 13 24.825 23 2 : , S81 14 2imu : 29 2l,7il : 15 2ttlU : 30 \.21,420 Total 747.1M4 Leas unsold and returned copies. . . . 1S.U2H Net total sales 7111,8W ( Net dally average 2tUU : { GEORGE B. TZSCHUCK. Sworn to before me and subscribed In my presence this 30th day of November , 1893. N. P. FEIL , Notary Public. Tlio city charter Is much like nn army recruit who never realizes how many things nre wrong1 with his Bys- tciu until the doctors get hold of him. The outgoing soldiers to tlio Philip pines might take along their Christmas prcHcntH to swap for firecrackers with the home-coming volunteers when the ships pnss In the night. There were lots of people who opposed tlu TninsmlR.sl.sslppl Exposition up to nnil even after the gates opened , but they were nil converted to Its ardent support before tlio exposition season was half over. Having been elected vice president of the Interstate organization of the Na tional Guard officers It Is fair'to pro- ! eiiinn that Adjutant General Barry has cinched his reappolntment by the In coming governor of Nebraska. The charter revision committee has at last got down to work. By persistent and well-directed effort It. can finish the formulation of all needed charter amendments without dllflculty by the opening week of the legislature. Up to the present time no representa tives of the big corporations have been heard demanding a revision of the reve nue laws. They are fairly well satis fied with nn assessment skimmer that lets them elide through the holes. Nebraska In furnishing murder mys teries enough to keep the morbidly In- qulsltlro busy for omo tlmo to come. When a man undertakes to commit mur der he should be considerate enough of the public to Involve the act In a copious cloud of douse mystery. Governor-elect Poynter Is being sub jected to an enfilading nro from the present holders of appointive otllces on one side and the aspirants for places on the other. If It grows much hotter the Boone county statesman will be com pelled to throw up earthworks and close tlio entry to his retreat after him. Chicago steel rail manufacturers have been compelled to refuse a large order from the Russian government because the capacity of their plant was taxed to the limit to supply d&mestlc contracts already In sight. Nothing like this ever happened before the fostering In fluence of a protective tariff got In Its work. If the civil service reformers were to have their way In the now possessions of Uncle Sam the ardor of the otflce- Becking expansionists would be consid ' erably cooled. If every one who ex pects to draw a salary on the colonial list had first to pass a civil service ex amination , their ranks would bo mate rially decimated. General Wood has found It necessary to take measures to protect the tree under which the surrender of Santiago was negotiated from the raids of relic hunters. This is not expected , however , < o have any appreciable effect on the number of pieces of the famous tree which will soon bo exhibited throughout the country In suftlclent quantity to construct a model of ouo of California's giant redwoods. The passage of the annual pension bill without debute by the lower house of congress Is one of the most striking evl- dcucca of the change of Ecutlnicut be tween the sections of the country brought about by the late war. It eecms a pity Unit the great soldier statesman who sleeps In Ulverslde park beside the Hudson could not have lived to BOO the present realization of his wish , "Let us have peace. " The law Is plain In Ita provisions re lating to druggists' permits to sell spir ituous liquors for medicinal purpose. No druggist can lawfully sell medicines of any kind containing euch ingredients without taking out the requisite permit. To wink at the law violation of the druggists who refuse to take out per mits Is unjust discrimination ngulnst the great majority of druggists who obey the law , which ehould be enforced Impartially upon all. J. THE PtiESWEXT ON EXPAXSION. Tlio speech of President McKlnley nt Atlanta on Thursday Is n distinct plcn In justification of tlio policy of expan- Hloti. The flag , lie declared , "has been planted In two hemispheres and thcro it remain ! ) , the symbol of liberty nud law , of peace and progress , " and he asked : "Who will withdraw from the people over whom It floats Its protect ing folds ? Who will haul It downV" Those who arc opposed to the policy of expansion have not proposed and do not propose that the flag shall be any where withdrawn. What they urge Is that It shall not be carried further and forced upon people who have not nsked for I In protection and according to the best Information do not desire the sov ereignty It represents. Everybody rec ognizes the fact that the Hag must con tinue to float over the Islands of the West Indies ceded to the United .States by Spain. It Is generally admitted that we Bhould retain a foothold In the Phil- Ipplucs and therefore that the flag should remain at Manila and BO much contiguous territory aa may bo neces sary to the security of a naval station there. This would give the United States all the Influence and power which It can possibly require for the protection of its Interests In the far cast. This would Involve no grave responsi bilities , no dllllcultles or embarrass- icents and no serious dangers. There would be needed at Manila no larger naval force that wo now have there and Instead of maintaining an army In the Philippines of from 25,000 to fiO.OOO men a garrison of a few thousand would be But Helen t. We should thus avoid the trouble and the expense of governing millions of alien and mixed races that wo caunot reasonably hope to bring Into sympathy with our system and methods for many years , if ever. But the expansionists say and Mr. McKluley endorses the view , that the United States must accept the responsi bilities Involved In their policy as a duty to humanity. Admitting the sin cerity of those who urge this , it yet seems to us to bo utterly specious. It Is well known that many of the expansionIsts - Ists arc Influenced by no such considera tion , but regard the matter wholly from a commercial standpoint. It is not the welfare of the Philippine people that most of the expansionists are concerned about , but the trade advantages which nro expected to come from acquiring the islands. Eliminate this and expansion would have comparatively few advo cates. The simple truth Is that not only Is the United States under no obligation to care for the people of the Philippines , but they do not desire our care. They resent the Implication that tliey nre In capable of caring for themselves and demand that they bo permitted to en joy independence and self-government. There was no thought of these people when we went to war. Our solo purpose waa to liberate Cuba and with'that ac complished our obligation was at an end. To assume a further obligation , which may Involve the necessity of forcibly subjecting to our will and au thority millions of people and possibly of holding tliem practically In a condi tion of vassalage , cannot bo justified on the plea of duty to humanity. Wo have as much confidence ns any body In American capacity to meet new responsibilities. The "genius of Ameri can civilization , " to quote from Mr. Mc Klnley , will undoubtedly bo found equal to any demands that may bo made upon it. But wo can see no reason and the president does not furnish any , why it should be put to the test In a direction which requires the abandonment of prin ciples upon which the republic l.s founded , the faithful adherence to which has made us a great and powerful pee ple. THE PENSION ACCOVHT. Ono hundred and forty-five millions of dollars , In round numbers , Is the amount which the government will pay on ac count of pensions In the next fiscal year. It Is a great sum , largely exceeding the annual cost of Great Britain's army and navy and more than Is paid out by any nation of continental Europe for the yearly support of Its military establish ment. It Is munificent testimony to the liberality of the American people and to their patriotic regard for the nation's defenders. It Is a noteworthy fact that the bill carrying this great appropria tion passed the house without discus sion , the whole time it was before that body being less'than twenty minute * . The American people will supply the money to pay this account without com plaint , but there is n reasonable- hope that the maximum has been reached and that hereafter there will bo a steady decline In the annual pension payments , 'It would certainly seem that this should be the case , In view of the fact that it Is nearly thirty-four years since the close of the civil war. Ono thing that will materially help In this direction Is greater care In passing private pension bills and there Is favorable promise of reform la this respect. KO RADICAL CHAKQE DEMANDED. Among the first things luct by the charter committee Is the customary sug gestion that the system of defraying the expenses of street Improvement * by special assessments upon benefited prop erty owners should bo done uway with and nil future paving , curbing , gutterIng - Ing , parking and so forth done at the cost of the whole city. There Is uo call for the abolition of the Hysteui of special assessments. That system with various modifications Is In force lu nearly every largo city In the country and It has given more satisfac tory results than any other plan , in theory It la based upon equity and Jus- tlce , the foundation principle being that where special benefits accrue to private property through a particular street 1m- J provcmcnt the cost should be charged against the property In the ratio of the benefits and to the extent of the bene fits. In practice , It Is true , abuses some times creep In and hardships result , but the fairness of the scheme honestly carc rlcd out Is not to be questioned. ' A radical change at the present time from the special assessment system to ( the plan of general taxation It ! not only uncalled for , but unwise. It would re sult In unequal taxation worse than any thing now experienced by relieving ouo a set of uroncrty owner * of burdens that t I properly belong on them and Imposing , them upon others who have already borne t their shares of the cost of public Improvements. If the special assessB racnt system was all right for Omaha when It was In the constructive period It should bo all right now , when the principal street Improvements arc In the shape of renewals and reconstruction far less expensive than the original work. Remedying defects that may have come to light by revising the special assessment law Is entirely proper , but the abolition of the system would be a grave mistake. A IlEASSUUtXO HEPORT. The report from Manila that the Filipinos pines arc manifesting a better disposi tion and that there is improvement In Americans , Is reassuring. This Is espe cially BO from the fact that Admiral Dcwey Is of the opinion that those people ple , If properly treated , will not bo found very troublesome. He appears to have confidence In their friendly Inten tions , but It is to be noted that he ad vises some concessions to them. One thing ho suggests and It Is very Impor- tant Is that there should bo liberal meas ures In the direction of local autonomy. In providing a government for the Phil ippines It will undoubtedly be expedi ent to give the people as large a measure of self-government ns Is practicable , both for the educational effect and for the purpose of placating that element which Is demanding Independence. It may bo true , as stated , that this element does not realize wlmt Independence means and yet it may be. capable of making R great deal of trouble. Other suggestions of Admiral Dewey are that the Insurgents deserve acknowl edgment and that It would be good pol icy for the United States to pay the In surgents their arrears of wages. There certainly appears to bo no good reason why whatever service was rendered the American array by the Insurgents should not be acknowledged by this govern ment The Filipinos nre manifestly somewhat sensitive In regard to this. They claim that the services the.y rendered - dered wereimportant nud valuable and they feel that they have not been duly recognized. If acknowledgment of them would tend to Improve friendly rela tions our government has everything to gain and nothing to lose by making It. It would seem to be the opinion of Ad miral Dewey that we shall avoid dlfli- cultles by dealing generously nud Justly with the Filipinos. The police board Is giving tangible evidence that discipline In the police force means more than a set of formal rules to be broken or Ignored at will with impunity. No police force , how ever numerous , can be efficient In which the members nre not held strictly to their duty by the certainty of penalty to lit the offense .whenever they fall to perform that duty conscientiously and to the best of their ability. To insure the best service , not only this , but pro motions must go solely by merit and experience. The maintenance of disci pline requires not only the rigid en forcement of police discipline , but also complete exclusion of both politics and personal favoritism from police govern ment. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ One of the best proofs of the growth of Nebraska in the estimation of the flnanclal world is to be found in the statement , compiled In the auditor's office , of the bonded Indebtedness of the counties of the etate. The earlier Issues of the various counties , only a small amount of which nro now extant , bore 10 per cent Interest. Today there is not n county in the state which would think of floating a bond drawing greater than 0 per cent , and in most cases those paying 4' per cent wduld be eagerly snapped up at a premium by Investors. Were there any question about the state's credit bonds could not be sold at such rates of Interest even if it were possible to dispose of them at all. The announcement is made that thirty-nine tlnplate plants arc to bo In cluded in the newly formed tlnplate trust. " A few years ago when a duty was placed on tin for the purpose of building up the industry in this coun try the opponents of the protective policy laughed at the Idea of American manu- * facturcrs ever being able to gain a foot hold against the Welsh product. Yet today thirty-nine firms arc actually en gaged in Us manufacture and many mil lions of capital involved in the plan to buy them up for the purpose of con- ' solldation. There Is no good reason why parties who donated their exposition contrlbu- tlons and refused to become stockhold ers for fear they might thereby become liable for a possible deficit should share In the distribution of the exposition sur plus. The exposition surplus belongs to the stockholders and none but stock subscribers have any right to It The departure of the troops now sta tioned at Fort Crook about to be sent to Manila should not be allowed to leave that post empty for any length of time. The enlargement of the army will neces sitate the formation of a large number of new regiments whose recruits could find DO better place for preliminary iitl training and discipline. tln They Court the Danger. * Chlcaco News. la Henry Wattereon says the great danger to o our national life Is money. There are alder- l' men In Chicago who B are ready to face danger any hour of the day. A Dramatic Climax. New York Mall and Express. Last scene of all In this strange , pathetic romance of empire and decay the transfer of the bones ot Columbus from Havana to Spain. No tragedy ever had a more dramatic climax. la I'roii T Thing to Do. Buffalo Express. s Congress could not ehow Us appreciation of the work of the navy In the recent war better than by passing the navy personnel bin , which , among other reforms , gives naval s officers the aatue pay as corresponding grades In the army. t Dl l They lilt Itf Minneapolis Times. These Spanish women who threw etoncs at B statue of Columbus by way of showing that h they knew who wu resuonalbla ( or their I' | ' ' country's misfortune * were Just about as , accurate In locating the blame aa they wcro In ' directing their mlrallre If they threw so etralghtcr than-their Yankee cousins do , A Hcnl ton * FHt Want. Baltimore American. There ought , to be a reciprocity of favorg between the stroct car companies and the public. The public does much for the com panies that It is only fair the companies should do something for the public. The best service ought to be secured the people without the necessity of forced concessions. Mirthful Piny of Thought. St. Louis Republic. The British public seems to have gone Into ecstasies over the benevolent utter ances of Herr Buclow in the Reichstag. Ills reference to Kaiser William's Inno cence of all desire for offensive aggran dizement made a great hit In London. The kaiser has not yet expressed his opinion of the baron's pronouncement , and U Is qulto probable that the war lord may b Impelled to announce that ne "Wants but llttlo Hcrr Buclow , nor wants that llttlo" .to do his talking for him. Strcntcth of Oriinnlicd Labor. Kansas City Star. A Jabor authority says that a round mil lion at men are organized Into unions In tno United States. 'Of these 60 per cent are In ! the American Federation of Labor , more than 10 per cent In the railway brotner- hoods. about 10 per cent In the building trades organizations and the remaining 20 per cent comprises bodies not federated end the Knights of Labor. It Is estimated by the same authority that the number It Is possible > to Include In the army of organized labor Is two and a half millions. The rela tion of the American Federation of Lat > or to all Is thus seen to be as 6 to 25 , and the whole force of all organizations to alt labor as 10 < io 25. COLONIAL OIIJECT LBSSOX Uncle Sam' * Ornnit of Colnitlnl GOT- eminent Applied to Alaska. Philadelphia Ledger. The , United States has burned Washing- ton's farewell address , or at least all that part of It which warned this nation of the dangers of foreign complications ; it has flung-the Monroe doctrine to the four winds ; It hag entered upon a new , strange and perilous career of "Imperialism , " and It hat sent a challenge to the old world to beware of this country as a great and aggressive colonial power In the east. The United States has acquired the Philip , pine and Sulu-Islands , 1,200 or l.COO of them , and with them millions of barbarous , semi- barbarous , semt-clvlltzed and civilized people. It has also acquired Porto Rico and Guam absolutely. Cuba It has taken over with reserve , and has bought , or meant to buy , ono or more of the Carolinegroup. . U has also annexed Hawaii. These are the country's new posesslcms , and President McKinley has stated In a publlo address that they represent the "manifest destiny" of the republic. What el e they will represent la a new experiment la government colonial government. Wo UEO tho" words "a new experiment" advisedly , as wo have already given practical trial to colonial government in Alaska. It has not been an experiment upon a largo scale , but It will serve as well aa i larger one as "an object lesson , " says David Starr Jordan , In the November Atlantic , "Illustrating methods to be avoided In the rule of our future colonies. " Alaska ha been a United States possession for thirty years. We found It rich In native resource * furs , flsh , lumber , gold having a popula tion ot about 20,000 half-clylllzecl people and a couple of thousand half-breedq. There were leas than 25.000 of them all. Thejr supported themselves by bunting the valUX ble fur animals and fishing. Many ot the hunters became relatively wealthy by taking the ica otters , whose skins were worth from $300 to $1,000 each ; they lived in villages , which were abodes of comparative plenty and comfort. A little village of 165 souls presented to their Greek church a com munion service of solid gold , and an altar piece costing $250. They built their huntIng - Ing ' and fishing beaus of the skins ot aea lions. The sea lions have become , under the colonial and "manifest destiny" policy of the United States , almost extinct ; so have the sea otters. Those 165 souls , who , before this country set up Ita "manifest destiny" policy In Alaska , made costly presents to their church , were In 1897 starving to death not one , but all of them. In the same year the Alaska Commercial company abandoned the trading posts of Akutan , Sannok , Morjovl , Wosnessenskl , Bel- kofski , Chcruofskl , Kashega , Makushln and BJarka. Thcro woa no longer any trade to support them. Mr. Jordan states that "at Port Etchca the native population was al- ready huddled together in the single cellar of an abandoned warehouse and that othsr villages to the eastward were scarcely better housed. However , " he adds , "this may be , starvation la Inevitable along the whole line of the southwestern coast. From Prlnco William's found to Attu , a distance of nearly 1,800 miles , there la not a village where the people hayo any sure means of support. 'Re.concentra.do , ' between Arctic cold and San Francisco greed these people have no outlook save extermination. For permitting them to face uch a doom we have ? not even the excuse we have htd for destroying the Indians , " aa we do not want their lands. Tha bunting and fishing privilege * ot the natives were transferred to the San Fran cisco commercial companies , who at once entered on a general campaign of extinction , Including " fish as well as fur-bearing ani mals. We have not only taken from these people , during our brief colonial rule , their means of living , their comparative wealth , their comfortable homed and reduced them to a condition of starvation , but we hive In troduced whisky to them. We ship it to them aa "Florida Water" and "Jamaica Gin ger. " "Whleky , " says Mr. Jordan , "Is the greatest curse of tha people of Alaska- American , Russian end native. " It Is one of the deadly fruits of our colonial policy. Mr. Jordan's article concludes as follows : "Under the present conditions , when the sea otters are destroyed , the fur seal herd exterminated , the native trlbea starved to death , the salmon rivers depopulated , the timber cut , and the placer gold fields worked out. Alaska Is to be thrown away like a sucked orange. There Is no other possible end , If we continue as we have be gun. gun."We "We should count the cost before accept ing 'colonies. ' It Is too late to do so when they once have been annexed. If we can not afford to watch them , to care for them , ' give them paternal rule when no other is possible , -wo do wrong to hoist our flag over them. Government by the people Is the Ideal to be reached In all our posses sions , but there are races of men now living under our flag as yet Incapable of receiving the town meeting Idea. A race of children must be treated as children , a race of bri gands as brigands , and whatever authority controls either must have behind U the force of arms. "Alaska has made Individuals rich , though the government has yet to get Its money back. But whether colonies pay or not , U essential to the Integrity of the United States itself that our control over them should not bo a source of corruption and waste. It may be that the final JOBS of her colonies , mismanaged for two centuries , will mark the civil and moral awakening of Spain. Let us hope that the same event will not mark a civil and moral lapse In the nation which receives Spain's bankrupt assets. " With our experience of colonial govern ment In Alaska what cause have we to hope for better results In the more dlitaat , leis civilized Philippine I'OMTICAL DIUFT. The cost of porting the vote of Indiana at the last election averaged 37 cents each. It la asserted that the market price ot Chicago aldermen lias gone up to $20,000 , TheoJoro Roosevelt 1s the youngc \ re publican governor ever elected In New York state , being just turned 40. Governor Black was 43 at the tlmo ot his Inaugura- tlon. John A. Dlx was 73 and Lovl r. Morton 70. Senator Platt of New York Is ono of the best dropstxl men In the senate , and sprightly despite the 65 years that have given him a slight stoop. Ho wears ft closely buttoned and unwrlnkled long frock coat with a pink carnation In the buttonhole. His neckties are quiet , but of the latest shapes. Senator Gorman of Maryland chews gum incessantly. Sitting In bis place In the second row , ho works his Jaws with the per sistence and power of a cotton compress. Ho always wears a turn-down collar and old-fashioned tic , the latter held In place with a small gold band set with valuable stones. In accordance with a pro-erection promise Thomas Herrold , democratic representative- elect of Westvllle , Ind. , rented the largest hall In the place , hired a capital orchestra and gave hla followers a dance , footing atl bills himself. Mr. Herrold , who was elected after an exciting campaign , Is credited with aspiring to congress In 1900. It la generally conceded that your Undo Dick Croker scored a point in republican politics in Now York recently. A Judge of the supreme court announced his Intention to resign on the first of the year. Governor- elect Roosevelt announced that ho would ap point Judge. Daly to the vacancy. Daly Is the Judge turned down by Croker and nomi nated by the republicans , but defeated. Croker saw Platt and Platt saw the retir ing Judge. The outcome of these confabs was that the resignation was pigeon-holed. The commission In charge of the erection of 'the ' now Pennsylvania state house at Harrlsburg bos laid the foundation for a large Job. The legislature limited the cost to J500.000. The commission refused to consider a $500,000 state house , and accord ingly made plans 'to ' suit Itself. One wing of the proposed building will swallow the $500,000 appropriated. Now the commission asks for f3,000,000 more. As the Philadel phia city hall cost $22,000,000 , the presumption - sumption la that the new state house wlH equal.lt There Is every prospect of a hot fight In the New York legislature this winter for a reduction of telephone rates In the state. Attempts wcro made In that direction In former legislatures , Ijut failed. With Gov ernor Roosevelt's influence this tlmo better results are expected. The New York Hrald has opened the campaign against the tele phone companies by a remarkable showing 6t the profits of the companies. The present rental Is $240 In New York City , as com pared with t8 to $175 in Chicago , $120 to $160 In Philadelphia anad $37 to $180 in Bos ton. The measure proposed would restrict the New York Telephone to company an an- nuar rental fee of $60 , with nn extra charge of C cents for each message In excess of 1,000 per subscriber , on penalty of $100 fine for each overcharge. MENACE TO LAHOlt. Dancer * of Expansion to the WorkIngmen - Ingmen of the Country. Denver Post. There is evidently no great love In the American Federation of Labor for the lately developed expansion policy and there Is no reason why there should be any. Labor has but llttlo to expect from the late acquisi tion of new territory , n all reports coming from there one will look in vain for any mention of a demand for labor. All the In formation goesfto show that there * U no such demand. In Hawaii the Chinese labor system prevails to the exclusion of white labor. The same la true of the Philippine islands , only to a far greater extent , while in Porto Rico one finds that the Island is more densely populated than any part of our country and nowhere Is there any de mand for American labor. Aa to Cuba there may In time spring up a limited de mand to be supplied from the United States provided ono cares to face the dangers in cidental to a tropical climate and its various forms of fever. There Is a still more patent reason why American labor is not in love with the ex j pansion policy. The drain on the resources ot ' the nation on account of that policy is now and will be for an Indefinite time on enormous one end labor has to meet the bulk of It. Under the national system of taxation , labor tha producing massca of the country ( has to provide the government with the means to carry out the expansion policy. Labor furnishes the man behind the gun ; labor pays the bulk of the Internal revenue and labor suffers most under the financial policy of the national administration , the protective tariff system and the gold stand ard. These are certainly sufficient reasons why labor should not favor a policy for the aggrandizement of the power of the classes where tbo masses have to provide the means to accomplish the object , and where there Is nothing in view to In any way recom pense them for the outlay. Labor cannot be reconciled to thla policy of expansion when it la told that It will : be necessary to maintain the war taxes in time of peace In order to further the ob- * Jecta of tbo expansion sollcr ; that the * army may be Increased for the same purpose - pose ; that at the end of the fiscal year in * all probability there will be a shortage of about $112,000,000 caused by It which will have to be covered either by additional taxa- s tlon or the issue of Interest-bearing bonds. n a By the annexation of Hawaii thla country - try has taken In much cheap Chinese labor and more will follow by the annexation of the Philippines. That Is of no benefit to American labor , no more than the Importa tion of "Huns" by the coal barons ot Penn sylvania for the purpose of supplanting American labor. The territorial expansion Is made for the benefit of the classes at the expense of the masses and Is so looked upon by the American Federation of Labor , This policy of expansion as the president of the federation has it , is declaration that tha dollar Is of more consequence than the man and plutocracy and militarism nobler than humanity. While the expansion policy Is now used to divert attention from the crying evils at homo it will In the end cause these evils to be felt the more. The laboring masses can , under these circumstances , hav no love for an expansion policy , which , In stead of bringing them the much-sought foe relief , Increases their burdens and diminishes their earning capacity. They have no reason In to feel thankful for being brought In compe tition with the cheap Asiatic labor and that what expansion does for them. A Pertinent Inquiry. to St. Paul Pioneer Press. Surgeon General Stemberg has made up his mind " that female nurres for army hospi tals "are "an expensive luxury. " Female nurses In any place are expensive from one point of view , but If there is any class of people that should have luxuries , even If the rest of us go without comfort , It Is tbo wounded soldiers. la an army hospital a be platy ? of correction ? OTIIKH IAMS THAN OIJI19. That events are moving slowly to the ills- ruptlon of the compact which binds Norway and Sweden together under one king no ono can doubt. The crisis of 1895 and the recent decision of Norway to wipe out the emblem of the union from Its flag are straws that point the way. How eoon the break will come Is another question , Unaided , Norway couM not possibly withdraw from the union. Though it has of recent yearn added to Its military strength , It Is still far Inferior to Sweden. Its regular army consists of 25,000 men and , together with the Lnmleturm , or homo guards , which number 18,000 men , gives It an effective force of 43,000 soldiers , Sweden's army Is 103,000 men. Norway haa sixteen squadrons of cavalry , eight of which are unmounted , whllo Sweden haa forty squadrons. In artillery the proportions are nearly the same , Norway having eighteen batteries to Sweden's thirty-six. In ma- tcrlal and discipline Sweden's forces outrank those of its partner. In the matter of navies the sanio disparity exists , tlio forces being divided aa follows : Norway , battleships , two ; largo monitors , four ; gunboats , first- clara , tliret' second class , eight ; one cruiser ; ono torpedo cruiser ; torpedo boats , twenty-one ; total , fifty vessels. Sweden , battleships , six ; monitors , large and smart , thirteen ; gunboats , first-class , nine ; accent ! clasa , six ; cruisers , four ; torpedo cruisers , three ; torpedo boata , twenty-eight ; total , atxty-nlno vessels. From this It will bo seen that on eea and land the Swedes would outclass the Norwegians , and it wouM bo madness for tbo latter to force matters to an Issue unless they expect aid from the outside. * According to latest reports the race con fllct In Austria Is beginning now to reveal Itself in the ranks of the clergy. Hitherto tlio discipline among them hns been so per fect that in the case of Gorman priests na tional feeling has been entirely subordinated to the Interests of the church. Their Slav colleagues were not exposed to any such con flict between their national sentiments and the political attitude Imposed upon * them by their ecclesiastical superiors. Pan-Germanic Journals now declare that a strong tendency is manifest among a section ot the German priesthood In Bohemia to renounce the antl German policy of the episcopacy and of the large majority of their colleagues. Refer cnco Is made to a protest by the German priests of Relchenberg against the co-opera J tlon of the Catholic people's party with the young Czechs. They contend that this pol icy is mistaken and can lead to no good , and announce their determination to sup port loyally their own oppressed nationality and to defend its rights. This declaration Is cordially welcomed by the organ of the German opposition In the Relchsrath. It alleges that the young Czech , members who are so profuse In their professions of friend ship to the representatives of the German Catholic Alpine provinces are in reality as anti-Catholic aa they are anti-German , In triguing against the church In their own constituencies in Bohemia , where they do their utmost to imbue the population with Husslto principles. A new conference will presently be held to discuss the liquor trade of West Africa , existing regulations being found entirely In effectual. The head of > the Congo Free State , Ktng-'Lcopold of Belgium , will tako'tho In itiative , as before , and has Invited the Eu ropean nations most directly Interested to the conference , England , Franco and Ger many having already accepted. Ho will pro pose an Increased duty on alcohol , which was fixed by the Brussels conference of 1890 at 13 cents a gallon , though In ports under British control it is already much higher. At Sierra Leone It la 75 cents a gallon , but even at 'that rate 'tho native manages to got enough bf it to worft bla speedy destruction. All merchants interested In tbo commerce of the west coast and all who possess any knowledge of the liquor .traffic there know that It simply spells death to the negro and that It la without one excusable feature. If It were possible the traffic would be abolished ished by gcneial consent , but the bush negro will not work for any other Inducement , and Us abolition , therefore , would mean practi cally the suspension of all trade with the region. Up to a recent tlmo the black has been dependent on outside sources tor his supply of strong drinks , but has lately mastered 'tho secrets of the moonshine still , and readily converts bananas Into a very fair Imitation of applejack. Tbo Sierra Lcono police are kept busy bunting them Btllls , but tbo negro and banana producing region Is boundless , and the Illicit practice Is quite likely to survive all present efforts for its suppression. The coming convention will discuss the subject in all its aspects and try to find some means of correcting ItH worst features and ameliorating Its worst effects. A good deal of sore feeling has been caused In Poland by the elaborate nature of ttho ceremonies at the recent unveiling of the statue of Muravleff at Wllna. These are thought to be very much at variance with the friendly professions toward the Polish nation of the present czar. It Is true that the plan and subscription for the erec tion of this monument were sanctioned by the late Czar Alexander II , but It was scarcely necessary to remind the Poles so forcibly , ' at the opening ceremony of the deeds and qualities ot a man whom they and his Russian enemies called the "hang man" and "cannibal. " These epithets are referred to again now in the principal Rus sian Journals , which argue that they convey false and exaggerated Idea of the char acter of the great "pacificator" of Polish Lithuania , who la represented as having been grossly maligned , not only by the Poles , but olio by those ot his own coun trymen who were affected by what Is called the false liberalism ot the time. In order that there might bo no mistake as to the official nature of the celebration , several ministers were in attendance. Including two Muravleffs , both belonging to the family of the dead governor general , the minister of foreign affairs , and the minister of Justice. The Poles say they are connections of the Muravleff who banged others , not ot the Muravleff who had the misfortune to be hanged himself. t * A group of deputies , says a Paris paper , had decided to refuse the 200,000,000 francs the French government desires for the ex tension of railways from Tonquln Into China. Tonquln , it is urged , has already cost France 1,000,000,000 francs and does not pay. It brings in no net revenue , whether directly , the form of tribute , or Indirectly , In tbo form of increased commerce. Outlay on colonies Is not a productive outlay , especially when the colonies are tropical. Neither In the present nor In the future are they likely be profitable. Some governments can af ford , perhaps , to throw away some million * yearly without ruining their taxpayers. But France la not In that position. It had to yield to England In the Faiboda matter be cause It could not afford to fight it out. The critics argue accordingly that it is folly to spend $50,000,000 In Chinese railways and colonies which , in the event of war , must lost. It Is better to make needed Invest ments at home. ROYAL POWDER BAKING IBSOLUTEIY'PURE Makes the food more delicious and wholesome . , ItOttl M 'N8 ' * Dt CO. KiW TOUC THOUGHTS THAT TICKI.H , , Urooklyn Life : llltum-l * it true thai Smith ' , the Iceman , l.i ilcml7 . Hoggs Yes , poor fellow. He cuts no It * now. riiltnclelDhla North American : Cor non- Da ] you tlilnk trained nur.'eH should bl prettv ? lllllebrnml Not If they ur expected to follow t their calling permanently. Inillannpolls Journal : "It seems to ma. doctor , thnt your prices arc rutlinr Htcep. " "Well , you must bear In mind thnt It ft not my own health for which 1 nin running n i Hiumtorlum. " Somervllle Journal : An editor Is plnscd j when IIP can make tlio excuse to poet | tlmt the poem that has been thrust upon him Is too long to print. Washington Star : "Tho successful states'- iran. " snlil tlio Cornfield Philosopher , "musl be I nblc to stand n ftrent rtcnl whlltv ho ll runnliitf ' , not to mention the ability to lie nt the same time. " Cleveland Plnln Dsnler : "niogga Is a . tender I hearted man , Isn't he ? " | ! .J.hnl's lle Viccu ' ° IHR now ? " \\liy. ho complained to the Humane cocloty because signtiy left his thermometer out ( doors all nlsht. " 1 Chicago Post : "She refused him when no WIIH n civilian , you know , but when In cnmo back from the war in a uniform she was crnzy to get him. " "Well ? " "Well , ho did the best ho could for her. Ho j married nnotliw clrl , but h- sent Ills uniform to her with his compliments. 1I said ho know what she prized. " The Worm Turn * . " * ' Judge. Ho wns waiting thuro in silence while the critic rcnil his book , And his heart most sank within him na h saw Urn nnccrliiK look Of the critic , who nihlresscil him : "Sir , your book Is very old ; Tls a faithful repetition of a story often told. " Then the author turned to leave him , and his fnco with roue wns blue , "Good melons. Master Critic , do you think your speech Is new ? " WOUI.I ) AVK UKTIJHNf Robert Burns Wilson. Would wo return If once the gates which close upon the past Weru open wide for us , anil If the dear Remembered pathway stretched before us clear To lend UB bnck to youth's lost land at last , Whuroon life's April shadows lightly cast Recalled the old sweet days of childlHh fonr With nil their faded hopes , and brought nnenr The far-off strenms In which our skies were elnssod : Did these soft dreams which wako the soul's sad yearning But Hv enc more and wnltcd our returnIng - Ing , Would wo return ? Would we return If love's enchantment held the. heart no > more And wo had como to count the wild , sweet pain , The fond distress , the lavish tears but vain : Had coolcil the heart's hot wounds amidst the roar Of mountain gales , or , on some alien anoro Worn out the soul's long anguish and had fOnln At last the dragon of despair If then tha train Of vanished vears came back , and aa of yore , The same volco called , and with soft eyca beguiling. Our lost love beckoned , through time's gray veil smiling. Would we return ? Would wo return Once we had crossed to death's unlovely land And trod the bloomlcss ways among th dead Lone and unhappy ; after years had flea With twilight wlnga along that glimmer ing strnnd , If then an ungol came with outstretched * hand To lead us back , and wo recalled In dread How soon the tears that once for UB ar shed May flow for others-how like words In sand Our memory fades away how oft our Might vex the living with the dead hcart'i breaking , Would wo return- Would we return ? Practical Holiday Gifts They arc here the kind that please and satisfy the kind that' guarantee physical comfort and tickle the fancies of fashionable minds. They are here in bewildering profusion. Everything handsome , stylish and useful that pertains to men's and boys' attire The next ten days will be bristling , vigor ous days at our store and it seems to us that the proper time to pre pare is NOW. See Our Show Windows. Then come in and make your selections. Don't wait to be jos tled about in the crowd.