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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1898)
G THE OMAIIA DAILY BEE : FRIDAY , DECEMBER 30. 1898 , THE OMAIIA DAILY BEE. E. IlOSEWATEIl , Editor. PUBLISHED EVEUY MOIlMNO. TEUMS OP SUIlSCniPTION. pally lift ( without Hundny ) , One Ycar. . .W ) gaily lice and Hunilar. One Year S.M Blx Monthn 4.00 Three Month * JOO Hundav Jo. Ono Yar 2.00 Haturdnr Uec , One Year 1.SO Weekly Bee , One Vrnr 65 OFFICES. Omaha : Thu Dec IJulldltlff. South Omaha : Blm ? r Iilock , Corner N tnd Twenty-fourth Btreeta. Council Hlurrs : 10 Pearl Street. Chicago : Stock Exchange Bldg. f wr .York : Temple Court. Washington : Ml Fourteenth Street. COItllESPONDENCE. Communications relating to new * and fd.torlal matter should bo addressed : To tlia Editor. , I1USINE88 LETTEIIS. EnslneM letters and remittances should be addressed to The Bee Publishing Com pany. Omaha. Drafts , checks , express and postofllce money orders to be made ° , totll , < > Tder of th * company. BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY. . ( STATEMENT OF UIHCjULATlON. Btato of Nebraska , Douglas County , ss. : George B. Tzschtick , secretary of The Bee Publishing company , being duly sworn , ay * that -the actual number of full and complete copies of The Dally , Morning , Evening and Sunday Doc , printed during the month of November 183s , was as fol lows : 1 SI5.O1H 16 2 24,877 17 . JM.nn 3 24,831 is . s < 4M7u 4 2tttu , : : 19 . 'MWiX 6. . . 24.8W5 20 . .frl.UUO e 2 ,2sn 21 . 25.7:13 : 7 . . . . .24i22 : 22. . . . , . iM.UMl 8 JH , : I1 23 . Sfn.OUU 9 iiO.T.'IO 24 . Sil.lKiT 10 27N.-2 | 25 . 'J4.0KI 11 21,427 20 . uriut : ; 12 21,200 27 . ! IH5J ! 13 21,823 28 . ,2:1,881 : 14 2II52 23 . 21,7:11 : 15 SC4iOO : ,20 . IM.4UU ' Total , , .747,1:14 J.C33 unsold and returned copies. . . . l6u < M Net total sales 7:11,8041 : Net dally average 24auu GEOUGE B. TZSCHUCK. to before rne and subscribed In my presence this 30th day of November , 1893. N. P. FEIL , Notary Public. That legislative pot will soon bcglu to toll. toll.No No cigar box- should bo needed this time to fncllltiitc 'the ' accounting and turning over of the state treasurer from first term < o second. The role of. cattle king does not appear to be very promising , especially In Kan- ( HA , where abdications are more frequent than cabinet changes in Europe. The -pottery combination Is reported broken. Ono of itho leading manufac turers kicked and the whole collection of crockery came down with a. crash. It almost begins to look as If the ofllce of president of the state senate may Imvo to seek the man. This will bo un usual , to say the leant , for Nebraska. Omaha Is not only keeping up Ita rec ord-breaking pace as a hog packing cen ter , but each succeeding weekly report ehows It has let out another notch and IB rapidly gaining on the leaders. The first battle of the legislature late to bo over the Apcakershlp , but what ever choice may be reached the outcome Is not likely to exert a decisive Influ ence upon the battle royal for the aen- otorahlp. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ By exchanging his residence at Broken Vow for ono at Lincoln Governor Hoi- coinl ) Is removing himself on the political map from the group of North Plntto statesmen to the group of South riattc statesmen. One thing Is certain , and that is the cruiser Buffalo , which Is making a rec ord run for Manila with troops for Ad miral Dcwey , Is not going to Imitate Gamara and turn back after paying canal tolls. Kansas City has just adopted a prize label to be attached to all articles manu factured In that burg , the Idea being that it will promote 'tho ' demand for that class of goods. Omaha manufac tured products arc In demand all the tlmo and speak for themselves with or without ( the label. The sensational journals have only a few nioro days In which to work ott etorles of terrible things which arc to happen when Spanish sovereignty ceases In Havana. Up to ditto 'the military officials of the United States have been equal to every emergency and there Is no reason to anticipate a failure In the near future. * The Panama canal people profess con- Odence that they have the most practical route for the United States to dig a ditch connecting the two oceans and are perfectly willing to allow this country to complete the work In which millions upon millions of French capital have been sunk. The Frenchman , like many others , known a good thing , but ho also knows when to unload it. The llusslan grand duke who Is coin- Ins : across the American continent hould carefully observe the Nebraska prairies and when he arrives homo hunt up Grand Duke Alexis and compare notes. It was less than three decades ago that Alexis hunted buffalo under the guidance of Colonel Cody over the plains now cut up into profitable farms nnd dotted with prosperous towns. The creation of a state board of tax commissioners , composed of the gov ernor and various Htnto ofllcers , would elinply mean the creation of another sal aried board of secretaries on the State JJonvd of Transportation plan. Ostcnsl- bly tha duties of the board and the responsibility for equitable assessments would fall on the sta'to ' otilcers , but In reality 'they ' would devolve on Irresnon Bible HCcretnrlos. Several camps of confederate , veterans bavo sensibly declared their opposition to Senator Butler's proposition , toplnee the cx-confcderatcs on the pension rol. ) They point out thu fact that the aeuntor U not an cx-confederato and U in no enso authorised to speak for the south ern veterans , who are satlstled with their present status and not desirous of Introducing any new element of discord the now reunited national family. I OVTLUUK FOIt ItATlFlCATtVN , The prevailing opinion at Washington appears to bo that the treaty of peace , which it Is expected will bo Bent to tins senate within a few days after the re assembling of congress next week , will be ratified without much delay and without amendment. The well-Informed correspondent of the Philadelphia Led ger an anti-expansion paper says there is no doubt whatever of the ratlllcntlon of the treaty and It in probable llnal action will bo taken on It by the senutu at a much earlier day than was antici pated , In view of'the ' opposition that was exhibited a few weeks ago. Ho states that the senators who arc classified ns nutl-expnnsloulsts will Interpose no fac tious opposition and a number of them will undoubtedly vote for ratlllcattou , as the treaty contains nothing which com mits this government to the retention of the Philippines and their Incorporation as a part of the American union. The question of dealing with the Islands is entirely apart from that of formally terminating hostilities with Spain and must be decided after the ratification of the treaty and the formal declaration of peace. It Is highly probable that this will bo found to be a correct forecast The sov ereignty of Spain In the Philippines having been surrendered and the United States being In the exercise of military domination over' ' a portion of itho archipelago pelage , It Is most unlikely that any con siderable number of senators will be dis posed to favor a proposition to restore Spanish sovereignty. When the treaty shall have been ratified the question us to what shall be doup with he Philip pines can be determined and it Is not at all probable that tills will be settled by the present congress. .Military government - ment will undoubtedly be maintained there until the next congress shall de termine what other policy shall be adopted. This is understood to be the plan of the administration and there Is every reason to believe it will be car ried out. Meanwhile a commission may be sent to the Philippines to Investigate the sit uation there. It is reported that Ad miral Dewey 'thinks ' this desirable and perhaps Buch a course would bavo good results. The present aspect of affairs in the islands Is not reassuring and perhaps a commission having the- authority of congress behind It could accomplish more than the military authorities toward sat isfying the Insurgents as to the good in dentions of the United States. TUB 11AVANA DISTVHBANCES. Thct disturbances that are taking place at Havana must convince everybody that our government would have made the gravest possible mistake had it fol lowed the counsel of those who opposed our military occupation of Cuba and per mitted the Cubans to undertake by themselves , after the Spanish evacua tion , to establish an Independent govern ment } t Js perfectly obvious now what would bo the result of turning the island over to the people under existing condi tions. Murder and pillage would spread throughout ithe island and nn infinitely worse state of affairs would ensue than existed when the war was declared. If the appeal of the American authorities to the people and the presence of Amer ican power does not secure order , what would happen were these absent ? There would be a civil conflict marked by out rages that would shock the civilized world. It will ho surprising , notwithstanding the precautions which have been taken by .the American military authorities , if there are not more serious outbreaks during the next few days than have yet taken place. Hatred and the spirit of revenge appear to abound everywhere. It is possible that 'the ' work of pacifica tion may proceed rapidly after the United States takes full control and Ita authority can be vigorously and sternly exercised , but there Is reason to appre hend that the task of getting the Cuban people into condition for self-govern ment will not bo an easy one. NPAN18H AND AMBHICAN HULK , General Henry , military governor of Porto Itlco , estimates the expenses of the government of the island for next year at 1,700,000 pesos. Under Spanish rule In Porto Itlco the annual budget of expenses was about 4,000,000 pesos. At 02 cents per peso this would represent a per capita reduction of taxation on the Island from $4.10 annually to $1.70 a practical stroke of administration , remarks the Philadelphia Itccord , which every worker and property owner in Porto Itlco will readily comprehend and ap preciate , lit Is possible , of course , that General Henry's estimate will be found too low , but undoubtedly It was made with great care. It suggests that either Spanish rule was recklessly extrava gant or exceedingly corrupt and doubt less there was more of dishonesty than of waste In the handling of the public money. This Is to bo inferred from the general record of Spanish rule In the colonies. Everywhere there was f > ys- tenmtlu robbery of the people by the olIlcialM , many of whom grew rich on the plunder. This was especially the case in Cuba and the Philippines , the latter affording even a better Held than the former for exploiting the rapacity of the Spanish ofllclals. The cost of government in Cuba will probably bo relatively larger than in Porto Hlco , because the conditions nro less favorable in the former , but a very material reduction from Spanish taxa tion in Cuba is assured. Some of the most burdensome of the taxes will dis appear with the assumption of control of the Island by the United States and others will bo lightened as soon as practicable. Customs duties , also , will be largely reduced. It Is doubtless Mufc to say ithat under American rule at least one-third and perhaps more of the tax burden which has rested so heavily upon the Cuban people will be taken off. There Is no doubt that this can be done and still afford tin ample revenue for the prudent administration of the gov ernment. It Is of course Impossible to say how much of the money annually paid In taxes by llm Cuban people has been diverted to the pocke-ts of ( he Spanish oiUclals , but American rule will certainly demonstrate that the amount has been very large. In Uio Philippine * there will be pre sented a like opportunity to demonstrate the difference between Spanish and American rule. The cost of government In thcso Islands cannot now be esti mated with any approach to accuracy. It may safely be assumed that It will be relatively much more than In Cuba. But at all events the people will realize , as rapidly as American regulations can bo put into operation , a reduction of the burden of taxation imposed upon them by the Spaniards. They will be re lieved of the more onoroiu and oppres sive features of this burden and they will learn that the money they pay for the support of government is honestly expended , Instead of going to enrich olliclals charged with the administration of affairs. Such n change cannot fall to be ap preciated by the people of these tax- ridden Islands and certainty nothing else could so certainly render acceptable to ithem the authority of the United States. This is already being mani fested In Porto Hlco and it Is reasonable to expect a similar result In the other Islands. STAND UP FUIl NEBHASKA. A prominent citizen of Stella , Neb. , Is quoted by a Kansas City paper as urging merchants of that town to take ad vantage of the ill-feeling created by the Transmlsslsslppl Exposition among Ne braska country merchants. While the merchants In the southern tier of counties of Nebraska have always made their purchases In St. Joseph and Kansas City , It is almost Incredible that any Ncbraskan should seek to build up Kansas Cjty or any other town out of Nebraska nt 'the expense of Omaha. Grant that Kansas City jobbers have as much right to compete for Nebraska trade OB Omaha Jobbers have to compete for the trade of Missouri , Kansas or other territory naturally tributary to Kansas City , every loyal Nebraskan Is In honor If not in duty bound at least to stand up for his own state. All other things being equal , Omaha Is by rights entitled to preference both as a market for Nebraska products and as a com mercial distributing point. The mere fact that'Oraalm has profited by the large influx of people from rural sections of this static , attracted by the exposition of 1898 , should not deprive Omaha of Its legitimate trade any more than Kansas City or St. Louis are to be blacklisted because of their annual festivals and fairs that draw every sea son hundreds of thousands of pleasure- seekers who take advantage of low rail- fray fares. At any rate , Nebraskuus should remember that Kansas City does not contribute a dollar toward defraying the coat of government in this state , while Omaha has in ten years con tributed more than $1,500,000 to the state treasury in taxes , apart from the vast amount of energy and capital con tributed by its citizens to the advertis ing and development of the resources of die state. Of the many enterprises projected and carried out with Omaha capital for the benefit of Nebraska none has been more effective and far-reaching in Influence than the great exposition held In Omaha In 1803. While that exposition has doubtless curtailed the sales of some retail dealers In Nebraska towns , it has made Nebraska better and more favor ably known than ever before and it has brought to the state thousands of new settlers and many investors and will attract many thousands more who have learned through the exposition the ex tent of Nebraska's resources. What was true of .the exposition of 1898 would in a great measure be true of another successful exposition conducted on lines that would attract capital , promote the influx of new settlers and stimulate in dustrial activity in every town in the state. CHy Attorney Connell has submitted an opinion to the council relative to the proposed right-of-way through Four teenth street asked for by the East Omaha Bridge company. Mr. Connell advises the council that the grant of a railroad right-of-way does not constitute a franchise within the meaning of that term as employed In the city charter and hence would not require ratification by the voters of 'the city. The attorney of the opposition to the proposed grunt , in a lengthy disquisition which is printed as an editorial In the World-Herald , In sists that 'the proposed grant of a right- of-way would bo the voting of a fran chise. If this bo true why waste time in discussion ? A franchise voted by the council has no value whatever until it has been submitted to a vote of the citizens of Omaha and ratified by a ma jority. In dealing with the proposed grunt of right-of-way to the East Omaha Brldgo company the mayor and council arc confronted - fronted with this question : Is It abso lutely necessary for the city to vacate any part of its streets in order to enable the terminal company to connect the bridge with terminal facilities In the business portion of 'the ' city , or can It acquire all the space needed for tracks by purchase of private property , either through agreement or condemnation process ? While the city should place no obstacle In the way of new railway lines seeking an entrance into Onmha , there is no reason why it should give away public property without exacting the saniu compensation that would be exacted were It private property. The solution of the mystery how Mor gan and Ills raiders gob out of the Ohio penitentiary Is promised by the surviv ors. They solved the problem of getting out under more adverse circumstances and there should be little ditllculty now In showing just how It was done. Nebraska towns and cities are catch- lug on to the foot that money can now be had at much less than rates formerly current. Several of them propose to refund their present Indebtedness. Thus Is the evidence of more prosperous con dltlous brought homo to the people. If there were the least prospect that the members of the Cuban army would . return to work and devote themselves to | rehabilitating the Industries of the island In case they were paid off It would be good business for the people of Cuba to raise the necessary money ut , almost any sacrifice. Past experience , however , doesn't encourage the belief that any considerable portion of the uniformed Cuban ration-grabbers have an overpowering dcslro to work. The time Is fast approaching when they mint demonstrate whether they are worthy the sympathy which has been bestowed upon them , The Wrong ; Color. rhlladelclila Times. It's certainly carrying financial prejudice too far If Bryan were annoyed at that Japanese visitor simply because he happened to be yellow. llotr We Grow. Cincinnati Tribune. Locomotives for England and steel rails for its colonies. Think of U , and then re member that a few years ago , when our Southern railroad was built , we bought lots of English atcel rails , because they could bo had cheaper , In eplte of a big duty. General Confidence In the Saddle. Springfield Republican. Eighty per cent of the customs duties col lected at New York so far this month has been in gold coin. Two years ago not a dollar of this revenue was\pald In gold. Confidence in the gold stability of the gov ernment "was what was needed , rather than statute laws , to bring about a resumption ot gold payments at the seats ot customs. Military Doctor * Disagree. Chicago News. General Merrltt agrees with General Miles that 25,000 men are sufficient for service In Cuba. Considering that all told less .than 25,000 men took the Island for Undo Sam it certainly seems that General Corbln's estimate that the army of occupation should consist of 60,000 men U vastly too great. If It requires twice as large an army now as It did when the Spaniards were In full pos session peace -would seem to bo more dangerous than war. IIIn < ory UnGlinnfrcable. Clilcaeo Tribune. A southern paper suggests that the presi dent follow hla expressions of friendship during his southern tour by an order strik ing out the word "rebelllbn"1 from the printed records of the civil war. A simple order otthe president cannot change the facts of htetory , howerer. Besides , some ot the most conspicuous actors In the civil 'war were rather proud of the term "robs , " and claimed that they were merely following the example of George Washington and his compatriots. The Mail Train llnce. Philadelphia Ledger. A United States mall contract Is a great stimulus to expedition In railroad move ments , as la seen In the rivalry of two Chicago roads to secure a big contract for carrying western malls out of thai city. Both have put on fast trains , which , whether they secure tbo mall privilege or not , will be "of great benefit to the traveling public. This is "not "government control of rail roads , " buL it Is government influence over them and tends In that .direction. It is a form"of government control that nobody will object to , however , least of all , the rail roads directed by It. Conqnerlnir the World' " Market ! . Kansas Cttv Star. Two million dollars' worth of water pipes for Australia and $1,000,000 worth of machinery for a steel factory In Russia are the latest big foreign orders to be placed with American manufacturers. Such huge orders are becoming more numerous every month , yet it Is not the large transactions that are swelling this country's exports so rapidly. Small shipments of goods are constantly made to nearlivjevery , country in the world and from evpr * important ' port in the United States. Jt ylu the 'general growth of export trade1 In 'all classes of manufactured goods ( hat gives assurance ot continued "rogress In this country's con quest of the world's markets. THE CAMEL'S NOSE. 4 _ Thrnit Under the National Tent by n Precedent In Annexation. New York World. The amendments ofthe senate foreign relations committee to vthe bill providing a territorial government for Hawaii do not hit the camel's nose that Is thrust under the national tent by this precedent in an nexation. The bill as reported still provides , for a representative In congress from Hawaii. That Is , the 1,900 Americans in these dis tant Islands , with such of the hybrid popu lation as a property quallfi-itlon and race exclusions will permit to VL.J , are to have a representative In congress for which nearly 200,000 Americans at homo are re quired. Furthermore , this territorial government and representation 'put the Islands in the logical and historic line pf preparation for admission to the union , with two seats in the senate and three electoral votes. Are the imperialists doing this purposely to provide a precedent for Porto Rico and the Philippines ? BATTLE OP THE GIANTS. Content of geani and Steel for n Gov ernment I'rUc. Chicago Times-Herald. Our acquisition of Hawaii and the Philip pines and the great trade possibilities opened up in tbo Pacific naturally attract the atten tion of the Postofllco department to the Im portance of making the transcontinental mall service the fastest and best that modern railway equipment can furnish. It Is on this account that the department is making an effort to save a day in the transportation of mall frdm Boston and New York to the Pacific coast , and In figuring out a plan to accomplish this result the superin tendent of the railway mall service decided that the time between Chicago and Omaha must be shortened an hour. The Burlington , which has had the contract for carrying th mall over this stretch for fourteen years , promptly complied with the request by put ting on an extra "flyer , " although receiv ing no additional compensation from the government. Realizing that the Increasing Importance ot the Pacific trade Is apt to Impel tbo govern ment to avail Itself of tbo fastest railway service west of Chicago , the Northwestern railway will soon enter ; the field as a rival claimant for the contract by putting on a train that will cover the distance between Chicago and Omaha In the same or shorter tlmo , If possible , than that of tbo Burling ton mall train. The latter road will meet this competition with the fastest train that was ever pulled out of Chicago. U will bo a battle of steam and steel. No matter which road secures the contract for the next four years , the business Interests of the toimtry are assured of the fastest mail service to the coast that modern railroading reading can furnish. The western fast mall service from Chicago Is a development of the last fourteen years. In 1884 the Burlington road undertook the contract of establishing a fast mall service west ot Chicago after It had been offered , with a bonus , by Postmaster General Qrcshtm to other roads But the government Is entitled to the best and the fastest service that modern rail way equipment can produce. U Is hardly probable that the government would con sent to a division of the malls between tbo two roads , ns that might result In the ul timate Impairment ot the fast mall service west of Chicago. The department at Wash ington merits high commendation for Its efforts to glvo the business interests of the country the most perfect mall servlco la tot w rld. ECHOES OP THE W.VIt. A round dozen ot former Spanish war vowels are now flying the stars and stripes and are being put In proper form for naval operations. Two of the twelve , tbe Al- > arado and the Sandoval , have arrived at the Norfolk navy yard for fumigation and repair. The two gunboats have Interest ing histories The Alvarado was surren dered with Santiago and her disposition caused trouble between General Shatter and Admiral Sampson. The Sandovnl was dis masted and sunk by her own commander. It Is devoid of guns now , they having been rendered useless. Seven ot the Spanish craft have already been oxldod to Dowey's fleet and three have been sent to Hong Kong for repairs. Three of tno twelve are steel gunboats , three protected cruis ers , two Iron gunboats , two tugs , ono tor pedo boat and one wooden gunboat. Be sides thc&o the government expects to raise the Mercedes , sunk at the mouth ot tbo Santiago harbor. A contract has been ex ecuted with the Merrltt & Chapman WreckIng - Ing company of New York for this work , the company to receive $75,000 if It delivers the vessel to tbo government at Norfolk. Nothing could bo written In better taste and temper than Captain Slgsbee's "Per sonal Narrative of the 'Maine , ' " tbe third Instalment of which appears In the January Century. "The Wrecking and the Inquiry" are tbe special subjects of this concluding paper. The captain's personal relations with General Blanco and Admiral Manterola were , be says , undisturbed by the explosion. Tboy remained "cordial to the last. " Soon after the catastrophe , the admiral called upon Captain Slgsbcc , and a conversation occurred which is tersely summarized in the words : "The admiral assumed from the first that th explosion was from the interior of the vessel. He asked if the dynamo boilers had not exploded. I told him we had no dynamo boilers. Ho said that the plans of the vessel , as published , showed that the guncotton - cotton store-room , or magazine , was for ward near the zone of the explosion. Ho was Informed that those plans had been changed , and that the guncotton was stowed oh , under the captain's cabin , where the vessel was virtually intact. Ho pointed out that modern gunpowders wcro sometimes very unstable. This was met by the remark that our powder was of tbe old and stable brown prismatic kind , and that we had no fancy powder. He referred to the probable presence of boilers , lighted , near the for ward coal-bunkers , which were adjacent to the magazines. This again was met with the remark that for three months no boiler In the forward boiler-compartment had been lighted ; that while In port the two aftermost boilers in tbe ship had been doing service. " Captain George J. Newgarden , surgeon ot the Third infantry , who bad charge of the dressing station at Broody Bend , San Juan Heights , relates in Harper's Weekly inci dents showing tbe freak effect of Mauser bullets. "Several particular wounds made by them , " bo writes , "I remember very dis tinctly on account of their peculiar nature. Ono young cavalry officer waa shot through tbe mouth , tbe bullet entering on tbe right side of tbo face , sadly battered a beautiful set of teeth , splintering eleven of them , was deflected and turned downward by ono of tbe molars on tbo left side , and lodged In the muscles on the left aide of the neck , where It now Is and can easily be felt. He la now In the tolls cf a dentist getting the damage re paired. The only mark he bears Is a pretty little dimple at tbe right corner of the mouth , simply Intensifying his former pleas ant expression. Another was shot through both thighs , and I found the bullet In his trousers pocket. When told ot the fact ho simply remarked : 'That's a mighty smart bullet , to etop In my pocket after plugging me. I wouldn't lose It for a farm. ' Another lad , he ! was merely a boy , In fact was car ried in by two comrades , and evidently did not know bow badly ho was hurt. While dressing his wounds there were three of them , any one ot which would render him hefplees for some time to come he said to me : 'Fix mo quick , doctor. I want to go up and have another crack at them. ' Of course that was out of tbe question , but it goes to .demonstrate the spirit of tbo men , the kind of material they were made of. One poor lad , mortally wounded , was lying on the eaud , staining It with his life-blood , and struggling so hard with death that it made mo heart-sick to feel my utter helplessness when face to face with the Inevitable. He wanted to much to live , and his look ot mute appeal , and the oft-repeated question , 'Will I pull through , doctor ? ' win haunt mo for a long tlmo to come. I am comforted by the knowledge that bis death was quiet and painless , just like falling Into a deep leep. Most of the Injuries to bone caused by these bultets were clean perforations only , Instead of the terrible splintering fractures of previous wars , produced by soft bullets ot larger caliber and less velocity. One , In stead of penetrating the abdomen , after en tering apparently straight , passed around from one side to the other between tbe mus- cTes , and escaped from the opposite side to that on which It entered , making only a sim ple flesh wound. " PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. General Miles can find all the enemy' * country be wants without leaving Wash ington. Senator Baker of Kansas is a continual smoker and is rarely seen without a ctgtr or a pipe. General Merrltt wears a seal ring which has been worn by tbe oldest eon of tbe family for five generations. The economical legislature of Georgia fixed the tax rate at $5.36 on each $1,000 for the next two years , a reduction of 85 cents on the $1,000. General Wheeler carries a handsome gold watch which ho picked up at San Juan. It evidently belonged to a Spaniard , but the owner could never be discovered. Phrenologists find in Lord Salisbury's head the bumps of self-esteem , cautious ness , Imagination , perception and reason strongly developed. Hope and personal ambition are small , but flrmnees Is very large. Senator Chandler and Senator Tlllraan , tbe two "flro eaters" of the senate , are chums. They can usually be found at the same table at luncheon , and many times during the ses sion Senator Chandler walks over to Senator Tlllman's scat and they sit together , laugh ing and talking. Because of the very depressing effect on business In Vienna of the court mourning the Emperor Franz Josef has ordered that , after January 17 , when the period of deep est mourning of the late empress will be over , all -the usual public carnival amuse ments shall be carried out. Colonel F. W. Bliss , the well known north Missouri millionaire , who owns half the town of Macon and a fancy farm near by , on which $100,000 la to be expended the coming season , was admitted to the bar tbe other day after having passed a most creditable examination. Senator Vest , since his Illness , Is hardly more than a shadow of bis former self , and when he first came Into the senate chamber a few days ago was not recognized by many of his colleagues. Ho appears as strong and vigorous mentally , however , as formerly , and the edge of his satire Is as keen as over. Sir Richard Webster , tbe Kngllsh attorney general , Is as proud of his resonant baritone voice as of his forensic success. For many years he sang regularly In a church choir and has donned a surplice nioro than once slncohe has been attorney general , SlrKdward Clarke , too , Is an agreeable singer and Lord Herschell la wedded to tbe violoncello , which be clay * wltb uncommon skill. F.XOLAMVfl COLONIAL MODEL. Snmplm of < hr roller ttncle 9am I'n del-taken to Fallow. Boston Transcript. There Is small chance to compare the con dltlons of the Philippines with thorn of the West Indian Islands. We compare their com mercial , educational , Industrial and moral characteristics with England , Spain , America with everything , In fact , but the only just thing to compare them with , namely , other colonies far away from their home govern * ment , and likely , like them , to fall prey to debasing commercial Influences. A recent Barbados newspaper contained the following Item : "There Is nn astound ing assertion In the annual report on the West Indian Island ot Barbados , just Issued from the colonial office , and the quiet matter of-fact way In which it Is put , without a word of qualification , makes It nil the more remarkable. H will bo found on page 8 and reads thus : 'The total number ot registered births In 1S97 was 7,197 , of which 3,300 were legitimate and 3,897 were Illegitimate , show Ing a percentage of legitimate births of 45.85 and ot illegitimate births 54.15. ' It Is to bo hoped that Barbados Is the only part of the British empire In which such figures ea these are possible. " A little further on In the report It appears that "tho overcrowding In rooms Is terribly great and the feeding of the poor often barely sufficient , while the large Infantile mortality is greatly due to the Injudicious feeding of Infants under ono year. " Says the paper we quote , the Barbados Advocate * . "From this It would appear that a portion of the large dole voted by the House of Com mons on the motion of Mr. Chamberlain for the relief ot the West Indies ought to bt > devoted to the erection of decent tenements for the poor people In such Islands as Bar bados. But It Is more likely that the money will go almost entirely into the pockets ot the sugar planters. " Barbados Is a colony under the solo juris diction of England and a fair field for the spread of the English spirit. What excuse Is there to offer for Its Immorality that will not excuse the Philippines , Haytl , Cuba or what you will ? Though this should prove the only spot of English land under the sun where such a report can bo furnished , who can accuse the Spanish colonies of neglect without adding with shame that the nation we most rely on has also failed ? What out tropical colonies may become under the henchmen ot our Quays , Platte and Crokert may be Imagined. The prize fights In our cities and lyncblngs and even burnings In our south , the scandals of our Indian aftalrs , the condition of the balfbreeds of Alaska , are object lessons enough of our treatment of degraded and dependent populations. LET CHINA ALONE. American Mcddllnir In It Affnlri Un called For. Baltimore American ( rep. ) Word comes from Pektn that tbe United States minister thcro bas entered a protest against the proposed extension of French jurisdiction at Shanghai. Thp dispatch further said : "This , added to the vigorous British protest on the same subject , will undoubtedly stiffen Chinese resistance to the French demand ; but , unless the Chinese are sustained , they will eventually be com pelled to yield. " It Is to be hoped that this news is Incorrect , but If It Is not , the act ot the minister should bq promptly dis avowed. The United States has nothing to do with the partition of China. The Euro pean powers are engaged in that business , and unless we propose to take sides , and also take the consequences , which are cer tain to be serious , we should abstain from Interference of any sort. One of the most effective arguments used by the anti-expansionists Is that the pos session of tbe Philippines will Involve this country in the entanglements of Europe. There Is nothing In the argument so long as we mind pur own business. The United States bas quite as much fight to property In the Pacific Islands as any European power , and tbo Philippines are 700 miles from the scene of any European dispute ; but , If the minister of the United States Is to commit this government to an active participation In tbe quarrels of European powers In Asia whenever ho thinks proper , the Philippines must recede altogether as an element of danger. It is this very question , now pending at Shanghai , which threatens to involve France and England in war. The great naval preparations which are still golny on In England are not on account of any Fashoda affair , but because of Franco's at titude in China. Lord Salisbury concluded that It would not bo safe to fight Russia , so he has loft that power to work her will In China , and le preparing to fight Franco If be can got any other power to help him. This is about the status of the case now , and unless the United States proposes to go in and help England , the American min ister at Pekln should be promptly rebuked , always providing he bas taken such action , Wo have neither ithe army nor navy for forcible interference In European affairs , and any other sort of interference Is im pertinent. It docs not win friends , and It makes very bitter enemies. Nor dtfea it contribute in any "way to the development of American commercial Interests. A WONDERFUL YEAR. Marked Prosperity In All Drnnche * of American Industry. Philadelphia Times. If ever a country prospered by good for. tune rather than good management It Is th United States in this year of 1898. Tha great wheat crops of the last few seasons , with short crops elsewhere , have made the coua'ry so rich that the treasury deficit gives nobody concern and the course oj trade has given us what is substantially a gold currency in the very face of congres. slonal blundering and Inaction. The eg mi merclal reports of the year are so wonder * ful that they almost make a thoughtful man afraid , so difficult Is It to foretell what may happen when the conditions cbapgq again. Indeed the present conditions are unpre. cedcnted. Not only were the exports of last month greater than in any previous. month , but tbo aggregate value of the ex ports of the eleven months past exceeds that of any entire calendar year In the his tory of the country. The great excess , of course , Is mainly in breadstuffs and pro- visions. The exports of cotton are greater in amount , though they have once been ex ceeded In value. And what Is most signifi cant , the exports of manufactures ar9 largely in excess of any previous year. But this Is only a part of tbo story. Usually an increased trade Is reciprocal. We expect our provisions to be paid for pro portionately In merchandise. But this year th Imports have bc-en Iras than In any year slnco 1885. For tbe whole calendar year they will not exceed $ 40,000,000 , while our exports will amount to not less than $1,200,000,000 almost twice the imports. This commercial balance of $ (00,000,000 bos not been approached before , though there has been a favorable balance for nine years past , aggregating In that time some $1SOO- 000,000. The most remarkable feature of all this is thai while this country bas been Belling more and more of its products abroad It has , been Importing less and leu. The growing exports of manufactured goods notably those boned on Iron and steel show that in many lines wo are making more than we can consume and shall not need to buy else where. In the settlement ot exchanges , therefore , large amount * of American se curities must have been returned from Europe and in addition the Importation of gold has been greater than In any previous year. It is doubtful , Indeed , If any country ever recorded a net Importation of $150,000- 000 In gold In a single year and that in addition to a great domestic production. ThU enormous gala la tbe stock of cold which has cither gorro Into circulation , bj means ot certificated , or h.xn released other forms of currency In reserve has had tbe cfftct of a natural nnd * afp expansion ot the currency and has saved tbe treasury , for the tlmo being , from the peril to which its diminished revenues would otherwise have exposed It. For with ft re\enuo system based mainly on customs dtitlrj , de creased Imports must mean decreased M- celptn and it is a fact , that thrUlngley tariff bas proved a deficit producer and everything Indicates that the deficit will continue to Increase. That this hR.i not caused A panic Is becaure of the extraordi narily favorable commercial conditions , butte to rely upon these Indefinitely Is to count too much upon luck. CHKEIir CHAFF. Indinnnnolis Journal : "Don't you think n. woman shown good sense In wearing short skirts ? " "H'm. It depends on the size of her feet. " Chlcnco Tribune : "I suppose. " mused Miss \S\Mlalonp , RnzliiK at herself In the mirror , as she. applied the iirst coat of putty to the creases In her check * , "this Is what might be called prime my face eh ? evidence of nn Intent to deceive. " Cleveland Plain Denier : "Chrlftmna at our homo was quite , n. humdrum affair. " " \V s It ? " "Yrs. 1 Rave one of my boys a top and tha other a drum ! " Yonkers Statesmani Crlmsonbeak Let mo seoi didn't they send a New York man down to see about cleaning the Directs of Havana 7 Yeast Yes : I bcllcvo they did. Crlmsonbeak Well , it wouldn't be a bad Idea 1C thuy sent a man up from Havana , Just now , to HCO about cleaning the streets ot New York. Cincinnati Enquirer : "Speaking of the hospital , " said Anbury Peppers. "Who was ? " nsked the Impudent boarder. "I was. I wan Just about to remark that though perhaps it in the best plwce for n homeless man to bo 111 In , he would rather be well out of It. " Chicago Tribune. : Merchant I'm perry , ma'am , but I'll have to ask you 2 centu more for that broom than I Old for the last ono I sold you. The broom trust has tacked thru amount on the price of every one It sells me. nnd I've trot to mnke It up. Irate Customer For 2 cent ? I'd make my old broom lust another month yet. For 2 cents I will ! Good day , sir ! Cleveland Plain Dealer : The facetious man ambled gingerly over the Icy pnve. "These nre the times that try men's soles , " he called to a passing friend. He throw a heavy emphasis on the "soles" nnd the friend smiled. At that moment the pun ster's feet flew from under him ana ho came down with a resounding thwack. "I Fee. " said the passing friend with much gravity , "that the exact scat of the soul Is still a mutter ot doubt. " COMPANY AT HOME. \ Farm nnd Fireside. The letter read : "My dearest Sue , Next Thursday I will spend with you. ' 1 won't enjoy my visit , though , If any trouble I bestow. " 'F "Oh ! I'm so glad , " cried Mrs. White , , "For company Is' ' such delight I" But , looking round her In dismay , " 1 must get ready right away. ' Armed with a dustpan and a broom , She went to work In every room , Biie oiled nnd i.ollshcd. cleaned and rubbed , Mended , ecoured , washed and scrubbed. Then In the kitchen she began. While perspiration down her ran , At pies and pudding ? , cakes and bread , As if an army must be fed. She tolled nnd fretted , cooked and baked , She hurried , worried , stewed and ached. When Thursday came she , nearly dead , Just managed to crawl out of bed. And Mrs. Company came , too , They kissed and hugged like women do , And then begun tired Mrs. White To make excuses , never right : "Oh , dear , my house ( then waxen clean ) Is Just too dirty to be seen , So shut your eyes ! You're looking stout. Take off your thing * . I'm Just worn out. "You must excuse , my.cooking.too : It Isn't flt to offer -ymi. : ' J'H - " ft ( 'Twas nt for kings. ) Too .bad you come , Just when I'm upside down at home ! " And thus she welcomed and distressed And spoiled the visit of her guest , Who wished she hadn't come to be A tired woman's "company. " Special Clothing Sale , FRIDAY AND SATIRDAY , We take inventory Monday , January 2nd , and we have some bro ken lines of suits , over coats and ulsters for men that we would like to sell before that time. We are going to give you a good chance to get something choice.'F thing for almost nothing. And you will be foolish not to improve it if you ever use ready made clothing , and this kind is the very best made. There are 200 sack and frock suits. There are 20 over coats.There There are 60 ulsters. All sizes are repre sented in the entire lot but not in any one line. There are 34-ln , in some , 36-in in another and so on up to 49 , and none of these suits or over coats sold for less than $15 and the majority of them sold for $16.50 , $18 , $20 and $25 and to close them out as near as possible we have placed them on two tables in the center of our store and will let you take your choice of any suit , overcoat or ulster on them for $12.50. Remember Friday or Saturday but come Fri day if you want first choice.