(5
THE OMAHA DAILY" BEE: FT? ID AT, FEIVRTTATIY 23, 1000.
Tim Omaha Daily Bee.
K. KOSBWATEH, Editor.
PUBLISHED EVBIIY MOHNINO.
terms ok suhhomption.
iiidf ii. , iiiith.,iii siiiiulnv). Orm Year.t4.00
li.ii v )! tmi Simrliiv. une Year 8.0u
Illustrated Dec, Ono Vcur.
U. .,.!... I . - .. v....
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2.00
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uuiiuii uvr-g Uli'J lira,
HJturaay Dec, One Your
Weekly lice, One Your
OPTICUS.
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Iluliaing,
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COKHESPONDKNCE.
f omtniinlf-ntioiifl relating to news ami edi
torial matter should he addressed: Omaha
Hce. Editorial Department.
UL'SINBSS LETTEHS.
Business letters and remittances should
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pany, Omaha.
KKMtTTANCES.
Hemlt by draft, express or postal order,
payable to Tho Heo Publishing Company.
n.y 2-eent stumps accepted In payment or
mail accounts. Personal checks, except on
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THE IIICi; PUBLISHING COMPANY.
s'I'A'I'i;mi:.t of cihcui.atio.v.
fr'ate of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss.:
fieorco U. Tzschuck, secretary of The Bee
Publishing Company, being duly sworn.
Kays that the arttial number of full nnd
omplclo copies of The Dally, Morning,
Evening and Sumlny Bee. printed during
tno month of January, 1900, was as follows:
1 IM.fMin 17 J.-.UUD
2 at, km js as. i in
3 1:1,7110 is :to.:iso
4 UI.7MI 20 !!.". 7B5
6 a 1.7 m 21 sk.-mo
6 21,1)10 22 a.vno
7 a.',S70 23 a.'.sio
8 a i,7io 21 an.n.io
n ai,7io 23 a,7i5
10 ai.tiso 26....'. a.-.sio
11 ai,7r,o 27 an.Dso
12 :ta. kid zi a,r,:tn
13 a.-,,7io 20 ao.aao
n ai,7io 30 a7,oao
is a.-,.:.:to 31 a,ao
is a i.imxi
Total H(i;t,,ssr.
Less unsold and returned copies.... t).S7a
Net total sales TI) 1,0 lis
Net dally average as fl-IH
O. H. TZSCHUCK,
Sec'y nnd Treas.
Subscribed and sworn beforo me this 1st
av of February, A. D. 19v
,Sf,n M. H. irUNOATE,
Notnry Puinu.
There Is precious llttlo difference be
tween young mossbacks and old moss
backs. Scorgp Washington has celebrated his
birthday once more and the hatchet still
cleaves to the cherry tree.
The nilddleor-tlie-roaders llnd the
grass loo short 011 the fusion reservation
to afford any Inducement for leaving
their own.
Mayor Moores' chief olTense nt the
l.o.vnl I.eglon smoker seems to have been
In lolling a more spicy story than some
of his competitors.
A few more census enumerators are
still wanted, but there appears to bo no
rush lor the Job. Prosperity has made
place-hunters scarce except for very
soft berths.
Willie the supreme court. Is making up
Its mind regarding the Standard Oil
case the great triist-smashlnp; attorney
general might 11ml time to Investigate
the Omaha Ice trust.
Omaha has always prided Itself on be
ing a progressive city and we do not be
lieve its enterprising citizens will vote
to have it fenced In for the tlrst three
years of the twentieth centurv.
State house reform Janitors might
derive some benellt from attending the
bntlerniakers' convention. The re
marks about keeping things clean could
be taken to heart with advantage.
After the lieavy bombardment It Is
plain a considerable force Is still oc
copying the middle of the road, which
neither blandishments nor throats can
Induce to Join the democratic alliance.
One bailiff has been knocked off the
supremo court tree, but the clerkship
shows no sign of dropping. Hut the
political aprons have been spread for
some time ready to catch It when tho
fruit falls.
When Charles II. Hrown was running
for mayor the principal charge brought
against him by the popocratic organ was
that he wore lmots. Young Mr. Popple
ton may not. wear boots, but ho might
just as well.
Opponents of the anuilnlstrutlon In
congress are learning an unusually
large repertory of songs for the coming
campaign. The only trouble Is that as
soon ns the chorus Is trained so all can
krop the tune something happens to
spoil Its appropriateness.
When the sliver leaders in Colorado
begin to desert, it looks us though the
game were about up. With Sibley ami
Sewall In the east and Vice Chairman
Stevens of the silver party In Colorado
gone the five coinage lights are not
shining with refulgent glory.
Now that youug Mr. Hitchcock hns
presented his plan for running the
1 nited States government before the
club unnipil after himself and presided
over by I'd Hothery the denizens of tho
Third ward will know wheio they are
nt when they come to choot between
tho silk stockings and-the cotton socks.
And now the organ of Bryan says that
Senator Clark of Montana Is simply pos
ing as a democrat. It was different
when tho same organ was canvassing
Montana sliver mine bullioualres for
contributions to the Hryan campaign
fund four years ago. Perhaps Mr. Clark
did not contribute as much as did Mar
cus Paly to tho Hitchcock relief fund.
Although I,eo Ilerduian has not yet
been made clerk of tho supremo court,
the gang Is already peddling out contl
(Initial tips to lltiuor dealers on tho
promised restoration of the old llerdman
police bourdv In vlow of tho fact that the
supreme court hus not yet oven heard the
case and Is not likely to decide It before
It has been argued the tip will be taken
for what It is worth. It Is simply a
vepetltlou 0 the police club tuctlcs.
A IIMAMfM CAt.SfJ.
Notwltlistandlnf: tho persistent nsser
tlon of Mr. Hryitn that the free silver
cause Is ns strong today as It was In
the Inst national campaign, there Is
plenty of evidence that It Is waning.
It Is Impossible that It should be other
wise under conditions which demon
strate unmistakably the titter fallacy of
the free silver contention. As Mr. I,
X. Stevens, formerly vice chairman of
the executive committee of the na
tional silver party, says, "Natural
causes have met the roiiilreinents
prophesied as a result of free silver In
the enormous output of gold for the
last live years, giving us it greater
volume of gold money than we ever
had of both gold and sliver money com
bined." Representative Sibley of Penn
sylvania, a most ardent advocate of free
silver four years ago, points to tho
prosperity of the country under the
gold standard as conclusive against
silver. Senator Woleott of Colorado
said In a speech In the senate ten
days ago that these prosperous times
are unpropltlous for those who cherish
a belief In bimetallism and he declared
that tho prosperity Is real and mil-
( versal.
Those tire the admissions of men who
have been conspicuous and earnest In
advocacy of free silver, but who are
capable of seeing and yielding to tho
i logic of facts. There are hundreds of
, thousands of others who will attest
1 their abandonment of free sliver and
their desire for a continuance of pros
, perity when they shall cast their vote.
KnrcATtsa cuhaxs.
The offer of President Hllo-t of Harvard
j university to provide for the attend
ance, free of charge, at the summer
j school of that Institution of a large
number of Cuban teachers, Is a pine
j Heal effort to advance education In
Cuba which cannot fall to have bene
ficial results. It Is stated that the
offer has been received by the teachers
with enthusiasm and they will doubtless
bo given free transportation to the
United States, Oovernor Oeneral Wood
Oiavlng announced his Intention to se
cure this for them. Very likely tho
Navy department will bo disposed to
furnish the transportation. If It has the
authority to do so. and If not it can un
doubtedly be obtained from congress.
The Cubans are eager for education.
One of the tlrst things they looked for
when the Americans look possession
of the Island was the establishment of
public schools and good progress has
been made lu meeting this demand. In
ninety-seven out of 111 municipalities
from wililch reports have been re
ceived there have been enrolled lftO.000
pupils, so that the total enrollment Is
proitaidy not less than lioo.WO. The
number of school rooms opened Is Il.OOO
and everything practicable Is being done
to extend public Instruction. The Amer
icans found the educational situation In
Cuba most unpromising. There was
public Instruction under Spanish rule,
but It was carried on for the benellt of
tho teachers rather than the pupils.
That has been reformed ami the public
schools of Cuba are being gradually
built up to the American standard.
The United States has no greater duty
to perforin for tho Cuban people, ex
cept that of giving them Independence,
than to promote their education, for
upon this to a very large extent de
pends the future of the island. The
visit to the United States and the in
struction here, oven for a brief period,
of a thousand Cuban teachers will un
doubtedly be of great benellt to tho
cause of education In tho Island.
WAIT FOU 77 K COUMISSlOy.
A commission authorized 1y the last
congress and appointed by the president
Is engaged In Investigating routes for
an isthmian canal. It was the general
understanding when this commission
was authorized that there would be no
legislation In regard to nu Isthmian
canal until the work of the commission
had been completed nnd a report thereon
submitted for the Information nnd
guidance of congress. Now, however,
the supporters of the Xlcarnguan canal
project are pressing for action upon the
bill rojsirtod from the house committee
on commerce, the chairman of that com
mittee, Mr. Hepburn of Iowa, helps es
pecially persistent in Ills efforts to se
cure the early consideration or that
measure.
The supporters of the Nicaragua route
liave a majority, there Is no doubt, In
both the house and senate and If It Is
their purpose to legislate In advance of
the commission's report they should at.
tlrst ask the president to recall the
commission and thus save further ex
pense. It Is a sheer waste of public
money to keep that body of engineers lu
Central America If their Investigation
of canal routes Is to amount to nothing.
What Is the meaning of tho haste of the
Nicaragua canal advocates to commit
the government to the carrying out of
that project V Do they apprehend that
the commission may report favorably to
the Panama canal? Their course cer
tainly suggests this as probable. The
commission is to examine this route and
there Is reason to believe that It will
Hud there somo conditions that make It
preferable to the Nicaragua!! route.
Very capable engineers have expressed
the opinion that It is In Important re
spects the better route nnd auy Invest
ment, which the government might bo
required to make In the Panama canal,
which Is partly constructed, would be
very much less than the lowest estliuato
for building the Nicaragua canal. Prom
a purely business point of view there
appears to be no reasonable doubt that
the former is preferable. That It
would bo as serviceable to commerce as
tho Nicaragua route we believe is not
questioned uud the commercial value of
an Isthmian canal Is really all that
should bo considered, though some are
disposed to attach even greater Impor
tance to Its strategic or military char
acter. The report of the house committee on
conimerco upon the Nicaragua canal
project Is by 110 means conclusive as to
the necessity of Immediate legislation
nnd we hnvp no doubt that Intelligent
public opinion is largely In favor of
postponing action until Uie commission
Investigating the routes shall have re
ported, which it will probably be able to
do before the meeting of the second ses
sion of this congress, An Isthmian canal
Is assured and 110 harm can be done
In waiting a few months for the new
light on this Important matter which Is
to be expected from the Investigation In
progress. A question Involving so great
a nnlloiial expenditure should not be
disposed of hastily and without the full
est Information.
ti nr.ui: iihsrcm.it AXs 8taxh.
In the present city campaign the popo
crats are conceded the monopoly of defa
mation, slander and mud-sllnglng. Put
the republicans do not concede them the
monopoly on any Issue In which' the
progress and future pro-iperlty of Omaha
is Involved.
While young Mr. Poppleton seeks to
climb Into the mayor's chair by posing
as tlie only mid original champion of
municipal ownership, the republican can
didates all stand pledged on a platform
which dellnes clearly and forcibly the
program for municipal ownership, In
cluding not only the water works but
other public utilities. Up to this time,
ho;eter, Mr. Poppleton has studiously
Ignored this platform and his organ lias
carefully abstained from giving It pub
licity In Its columns.
That citizens may comprehend clearly
where republicans stand on tho ques
tions to be determined by the city elec
tion Tiie Hoe again calls attention to
the third plank of the platform unani
mously adopted by the republican city
convention:
We favor tl 1 municipal ownership of pub
lic utilities and advocate tho acquisition
and operation of Its water works system by
the city of Omaha at tho earliest time prac
ticable. We also favor tho city owning and
operating Its own electric lighting plant at
tho eurlle3t time prartlcablo, If posslblo be
fore the oxplrallon of tho existing contract
between tho city nnd electric lighting com
pany. We commend the posttlvo stand taken
by Mnyor Moores In his messages from tlmo
to tlmo with reference to tho water works
and electric lighting plants and In view of
theso utterances, approved by the people re
gardless of party, we deny to the demo
cratic party the exclusive right of champion
ing municipal ownership of tho water works
which It has assumed to do by Incorporating
Into Its platform extracts from Mayor
Moores' messages; and we also emphatically
deny to the democratic nominee for mayor
the exclusive monopoly ho assumes to hlm
Belf of advocating tho acquisition by the city
of tho water works plant.
In support of these declarations nnd In be
half of the honest, faithful and efficient ad
ministration of city affairs wo pledgo tho
nominees of this convention and urge all re
publicans nnd nil those who favor an honest,
crtlclcnt nnd progressive management of
municipal business to support tho republican
nominees.
These declarations contain no equivo
cation or evasion. They are blunt and
to the point. They do not commit the
city to anything visionary or impossible
They do not attempt to befog or hood
wink voters by promising to abolish
taxes or give away frets water, free gas,
free electricity or free telephones. It
leaves that to Mr. Poppleton and his
fellow fakirs.
The unfair partisanship of the popo
cratic organ was never more manifest
than In the present campaign lu which
It Is excluding from Its news columns all
reports of republican meetings. People
reading that sheet would Imagine that
the democrats were the only ones that
were holding campaign nieetlugs. Con
trast with that the Impartial chronicling
of the news by The Hoc notwithstand
ing the fact, that It Is a republican organ
and committed to the support of the re
publican candidates.
Coventor Pingreo announces that
when his present term of oltlce expires
he will devote his time to potatoes and
cabbages In preference to holding oltlce.
The trials of drouth, rnbbago worms anil
potato bugs are as nothing compared
with tho perplexities of oillce. The
Michigan governor has not travoled the
commonly used ofllclal highway, yet,
while tho route chosen has sometimes
been rough, he leaves It lu better shape
than when he commenced.
Kansas has always been noted for Its
originality, particularly In the matter of
tluauce. Here comes an Atchison man,
however, with strong claims for llrst
place. One of the churches, which Is
short a pastor, has 12." applicants for tho
place and Mils modern Napoleon sug-
gests that each one of the applicants
preach a sermon on trial, free of ex
pense to the church. If any 0110 hns a
scheino which will beat this lie Is en
titled to the medal.
With the linal withdrawal of Prod
Hedde from the Orand Island Inde
pendent the Nestor of tho newspaper
profession lu Nebraska retires. Ho has
always been Inclined to light vigorously
for what lie deemed right and the times
when ho did not have a "scrap" on 'ils
hands were simply breathing spells.
With his retirement a strong personal
ity Is dropped from Nebraska news
paper circles.
Kor the second and third time The
Hoe asks Mr. Poppleton to tell the lax
payers what he would do with the
$;i,000,000 realized from the water works
bonds If the company refuses to accept
the award of his eminent domain ap
praisers. As a bank director Mr. Pop
pleton ought to be versed In llnance
siilllclently to enlighten us on this prob
lem. Out- Hopeful Slmi,
Udltlmoro American.
Who shall say that civilization Is not pro
gressing? Thn governor of Kentucky went
to church without a military escort.
All Over llut tho SlioiKlim.
San Pranclsco Call.
This Is the dullest proMrtontlnl election
year In our history. Thero Is nothing to bo
dono In It except to bury Ilryanlsni, und
everybody scums agreed to treat tho funeral
with due solemnity.
('iifr-l'liitcil loUern.
ChUato Now.
I)r Tracey a hairs frankly, even mer
rily, that ho offered a Justice of tho Montana
supreme court a. bribe of J"0,000 to dismiss
the Wellcomo disbarment case, but explains
that It wuii simply a joke. After reading
tho testimony Id the Clark case tho public
will bo slow to believe that nnybody In Mon
tana politics treats bribery as a subject of
levity. On tho other hand, It seems to bo
universally regarded out there ns a serious
nnd entirely practical business.
lU-t rU'tlmm 011 Doctors.
Philadelphia. ledger.
The legislature of Mississippi has found it
necessary to pass an act forbidding tho sale
of cocaine, except on a physician's prescrip
tion. The reason for It Is that tho uso of
tho drug has become perniciously prevalent,
especially among tho negrocs. They procure
It in the form of tablets, which they swallow
nnd thus procure n form of Intoxication, not
so bad as that caused by alcohol, but still
bad enough. Tho law should bo rigidly en
forced. Thero uro too many intoxicants
available already.
l'ron'urlt V I J very where,
Philadelphia Hecord.
It Is gratifying to note that tho prosperity
In cotton manufacturing la not confined at
the present tlmo to tho south. Thero hns
been a great rush of trndo which has spread
out nil over tho lnnd, nnd the hum of In
dustry is heard throughout tho New Eng
land cotton mill district ns well ns else
where. All tho forces that have been at
work unseen during tho years of Industrial
depression aro now In procres of manifesta
tion, nud tho Indications are that these havo
not yet reached tho maximum point of de
velopment. Ktirlelilnur the Dlcdnnnry.
New York Sun.
The Montnnn language Is rich nnd expros
slve and tho Clark Investigating committee
Is learning new beauties of it every day.
"Loosen up," a phrnso which Senator Hoar
queried. Is well known In this town nnd wna
excellently defined by a Montana man ns "to
whack out tho long green." Hut those ex
pressions are, wo believe, still unrecognized
here:
"Tho devil was In my neck." "Job him to
a faro-you-well."
A dictionary of the Montana langungo
would bo a treasure to philology.
1 Swellliiir the Pension Holl.
New York Jlerald.
It wns announced with much ostentation
soon after congress opened that speclnl care
wns to bo taken to keep down tho flood of
private pension bills, but this decision seems
to havo been forgotten by tho leaders. Sev
eral hundred such bills have already passed
one or both houses, tho senate having In ono
sitting made a record of moro than n pen
sion n minute, nnd the house has now started
the week by passing thlrty-flvo private bills
In a bunch. If nny one thinks congress Is
going to cut down the pension roll ho bad
better rcvlso his opinion.
Grcut I'lckluur for I.ihij-cm,
New York Tribune.
Tho Carncgle-Krlck case Involves moro
money than any ever submitted to a court
of law In America, and perhaps nnywhero
else. A Hague tribunal would hardly bo too
big for its adjudication. The property In
partition represents moro vnluo thnn the
capitalization of tho ICnst India nnd South
Sea companion put together, and tho house
of Rothschild had been In business for some
generations before It had accumulated so
much money. It Is mainly tho growth of
tho last dozen years, nnd It may take the
lawyers as much longer to settle the dispute
concerning It.
nir. l'Kit'iti: AiiGu.Mi4.vr.
Anulmls of the C'lnlnin of Ship Suh
ulilv I'romoterM.
Philadelphia lccord.
The assortion that tho people of this coun
try pay annually ?0O,O00,00O for freight and
passenger service,, between this and other
countries which might ns well be earned by
our own cnrrlera Is a very striking one. Put
why do we not haVo tho carriers? The an
swer Is very simple. We have not been
permitted to obtain ships where they wero
most cheaply built nnd sold and sail them
under the Amcrlcnn ling. This la an Initial
disadvantage; but there Is a still stronger
reason. The foreign freighting nnd passen
ger servlco has not been so profitable ns to
uttract American capital. Other Investments
offered greater inducements. Instead of
losing money wo have nado money by hav
ing our carrying lono for us nt cheaper
raten thnn wo could afford to do It for our
selves. Tho owners of our exported products
havo reaped tho udvantage.
Tho fact thnt a government subsidy Is
asked to re-establish our merchant marine
Is In itself an ndmisslon that an unprofitable
business is to bo mndo profitable, nt tho pub
lie expeusc. How many millions of Invested
money would be required to build n fleet to
control tho trafllc of $200,000,0007 An aver
ngo 10 per cent profit is hardly earned on
tho wholo business done. Is tho gamo worth
the risk?
Would It not bo better to first try the ex
periment of giving tho Yankee shipper nn
oven chanco with his foreign competitors
and seo how ho would come out of the con
test? .si:i.cni:s mi 'st stop.
HrltUli Itiililn nn Amerlcnn CnrKOCH
Do 11 11 il for n Ncutrnl I'orl,
llaltlmoro American.
Another ship loaded with American goods,
nnd sailing from New York to a neutral
port in Portuguese territory, has been
seized by tho Ilrltish on suspicion that the
cargo contained contraband of war. It will
bo noted that since tho Ilrltish government
arologlzcd to Germany, nnd surrendered tho
ships and cargoes of that country seized
by Knglaud, thero has been no repetition of
tho offenwe. Tho German goods unloaded
nt. Ilrltish ports by Ilrltish officials wero
hastily put back, and tho ships sped on their
way to their destination, whllo tho nrltlsh
government Informed tho emperor that duo
reparation would bo made for their sMzuro
nnd detention. American commerce has
not fared quite so well.
Of tho four cargoes seized, nono of which
contained goods which could bo construed
ns contraband even If destined to an ene
my's port ono was released nfter It bad
been discharged In a Ilrltish port, ono had
been 1 cleaned by n prlzo court under slmllnr
circumstances, nnd what has become of tho
others has not been disclosed to tho Ameri
can people, who aro most Interested. In
not ono of these cases was there tho slight
est ground for seizure, oven by tho nrltlsh
nuthorltlcs' construction of International
law. nnnounced within two months by Lord
Salisbury himself. They wero absolutely
wanton attacks on American commerce on
the high seas, proceeding from ono neutral
port to tho other. If Ilrltish merchants
had shipped cargoes of Hour or other food
Htuffs to Haytl during our war with Spain,
and tho New York or Brooklyn had seized
theso ships and carried them Into an Ameri
can port, Is It conceivable that (Ireat llrltaln
would havo submitted to tho outrage?
According to the declaration of Premier
Sllvela, In the Spanish senate, Great llrltaln
during thnt war sold Spain 8.r.00 shells which
tho former had In tho Maxim fuctory at
Plncentla. Ungland nlwnys bus nn eye to
trafllc, In war or penco. Sho was friendly
to tho United Statej In that war, but If hc
hl.H had beon seized whllo bearing food
stuffs to Haytl thero would havo been n
tremendous outburst of Indignation, and a
demand llko that mado In tho Trent affair.
Haytl Is about tho samo dlstanro from Cuba
us I.ourenzo Marquez lu from tho Tranavnal,
and tho Cubans wero In greater need of food
than nro the Poors today. Thero Is no pos
sible excuse for theso Ilrltish outrages and
It Is high tlmo that congress was taking
neps to put an end to them. American
commerce should bo protected. It Is no um
to talk of schemes for Its development If
Oreat llrltaln can nirest It whencvor It
makes war on some llttlo state,
Kciions of nut w.vn.
Heflcctlonn on the Oiilvtnril Sinn of
Amerlciiii CI vlllint Ion.
Who shall decldo when nrmy chaplains
dlsanree?
Chaplain Frank M. Wells of tho l'lrit
Tenncfree volunteers, mustered out, re
cently hurled a few contemptuous remarks
nt the liquid trade that U chasing the flag
In tho Philippines. The burden of his
plaint was agalnet fostering the saloon ns
an outward sign of American civilization.
Tho great boom In Irrigation Joints In
Manila shocked Mr. Wells painfully, nnd
when he saw. la addition, tho continuous
exhilaration of his own regiment when tho
growlor was accc?B!ble, his conscience snioto
him so that ho had tho greatest dlfllcullv
to rcHtraln his ocal powers until beyond,
the reach of military discipline. j
Now comes Chaplain Pierce, who Is still
In tho service, with n broad Intimation that
Chaplain Wells Is talking through his hat,
evidently desirous of creating a sensation.
Chaplain Wells nld thero were only four
saloons In Manila wheu the Amorlcan army
canto ami that now thern unr inn Chun.
.11111 , .vi in ntijn ,iit-ii- nvu- I111JI e lllilll -i.UU'J
saloons in Manila nt the time of the Amer
ican occupation. Nearly three-fourths of
them havo been suppressed, yet there are 1
now 1,00 saloons. l'lerco ndml(n "thero j
wns 11 great deal of drunkenness nud ills- I
orderly conduct In tho Philippines when tho ;
volunteers were mustered out. The men re-
culved their back pay and proceeded to !
spend It as rapidly ns possible. A large
number of new saloons wero opened for the
purpose of assisting them In getting rid of
their funds. Many of tho saloon keepers
wero themselves discharged soldiers. Most ,
of the saloons where American liquors aro
now sold In tho Philippines nrc kept by that
class, but after order wns restored nnd tho
government was orgnnlzed strict regulations
wero adopted nnd enforced.
Turning from clerical disputants to the
observations of n layman In Manila, somo
facts calculated to promote right thinking
may be gleaned. Henry Irving Hancock,
correspondent of Leslie's Weekly, In n 're
cent letter to that Daner. pronounces tho
saloon business In Manila "tho shame of !
Uncle Sam." "Almost at the time the
American soldiers had stacked arms in tho
city," says the writer, "n score of Amer
ican saloons wero opened. Swiftly other
scores wero added to them. The number
grew and grew. At tho outbreak of tho
Insurrection there were hundreds of Amer
ican saloons In Manila. Thero not being
nt that tlmo enough American civilians, ,o
disposed, to tako up all tho licenses, na
tives wero debauched Into the trafllc. Span
lards engaged In tho business, perhaps with
nn Ironic purpose of hastening the cor
ruption of both American nnd Filipino. To
day there Is no thoroughfare, of length In
Manila that hns not lis long line of saloons.
Tho street cars carry flaunting ndvortlse-
monts of this brand of whisky and that kind 1
of gin. Tho local papers derive their main j
revenue from tho displayed advertisements
of Arms nnd companies eager for their sharo
of Manila's drink-money. The city pre
sents to tho new-comer a saturnalia of nl
coholism. "For Manila's climate Is one In which
drink Is peculiarly scduotlvo and Insidious.
It Is always oppressively hot there and a
glass of beer, fresh from the Ice, seems to
tho hot, perspiring and dusty llko a draught
of nectar. He who overworks in the slight
est degree finds momentary stimulus In
whisky. Thero Is relief though dangerous
relief In alcohol, nnd bo American Manila
drinks, despite all tho warnings of science
that In plaguo-and-fever-lnfested tropical
countries nlcohol presents tho shortest route
to tho grave.
"The Filipinos of Manila nro rather slow to
tako to drink. They havo always hereto
fore been nn nbstemlous people Soda and
tonics havo furnished tho bulk of their bev
erage thnt was not drawn from tho hydrant.
Yet slowly, but surely, tho natives aro veer
ing around to tho temptations to be found
In the saloon. Flvo years more of the
present saloon reign In Manila will seo a
sad demoralization of tho natives. At
present the non-drinking majority of the
Filipinos feel only contempt for tho Amer
icans whom they see lurchlngly walking the
drools or crouching In silly semi-stupor In
tho cabs on their way to office, home or bar
racks." Correspondent Hancock protests that he
"does not mean this ns a tirade against nil
saloons," but rather ns a much-needed pro
test against tho worst features of American
saloons thnt havo crept Into Manila nrcn in
arm with our boasted progress. "There Is
nowhere In tho world," be says "such an ex
cessive amount of drinking, per capita, as
among the fow thousand Americans at
present living In Manila. Nor does this
mean thnt wo havo suit tho worst dregs of
Americanism there. Far from It; somo of
tho best American blood Is represented In
Manila. There uro men of brains and nttaln
ment thero, who would nobly hold up our
name, wero It not for the saloon at every
step. Gamblers nnd deprnved women In
both classes tho very dregs of this and other
countries havo followed, and work hnnd In
hand with their natural ally. Theso people
aro fast teaohlng tho natives tho depths of
Caucasian wickedness nnd the natives Im
agine It Is Amerlcnnlsim."
I'HHSO.VAI, I'OI.Vl'tiltS.
Thero aro 2S0 American doctors studying
In Ilerlin this winter. Hut thero aro moro
Germans than thnt studying In Boston.
WhothoT ho goes ns a commissioner, n
visitor or nu exhibit, Agulnaldo's deter
mination to attend tho Paris oxposltlon will
greatly help that show.
Two French women who were deported
from this country an Immigrants of an un
desirable character havo been arrested, but
"Sapho" still continues to entertain Now
Yorkers.
Thomas H. Hard, the new United States
senator from California, was nominated,
tho Oakland Enquirer declares, "without
money, without a machine und without rail
road aid."
Judge Taft, tho head of the new Philip
pine commlKHlon, stands five feet ten, with
tho full quota of flesh for his height; has
bright eyes, a healthy glow ou his face and
springy stepo.
Webster Davis of Missouri Is making
treks for homo from the Transvanl. If
Web. U on to his Job ho will bring home a
luxurious set of Krugers for political spell
binders next fall.
Andrew Cnrneglo'w reason for giving his
money to establish libraries rather than for
other charitable purposes Is becauso "li
braries glvo nothing for nothing. In order
to get benellt from them n man must holp
himself, must read and htmly."
A lettor carrier In Chicago who, as al
leged, Incited two small boys to engage In
n fight In which ono of them, 7 yearn old,
was so badly Injured that ho had to bo
taken to a hospital for treatment, has been
sued by the small boy's mother for $10,000
damages.
Superintendent Jnspor of tho Now York
public schoolM thinks tho epidemic of whip
ping scholars that has broken out among
tho teachers may bo attrlbutablo to tho fact
that tho withholding of their pay has made
them discontented and Hhort-tempered, whllo
prize fighting and Its glorification lian ren
dered the boyo combative.
Slnco tho death of Hlchard Thompson of
Indiana ox-Senator James W. Ilrndbury of
Mnlno Is easily the oldest of tho surviving
members who served In congress before tho
war Ho Is S3 ears old, and though Mr.
Thompson was four years his Junior, his
public life began several years before Mr. I
Bradbury entered conuress 1
IMtOtll.E.M OK I'OltTO II ICO.
Indianapolis News: Porto Hlco nnd
Hawaii rnlso practically the samo kind of
products, nnd In many ways the two depen
dencies are slmllnr. Where Is the logic that
enn admit free the products of the one nnd
put up u tariff against the other? Is It be
cause syndicates havo control In Hawaii, and
Porto Ulco Is helpless?
Indianapolis Journal- The Porto Klean
tariff now before congress proposes to lay a
duty of i',", per rent of the tegulnr tnrlff rates
on all article imported frcr.ti Porto Itlco
Into the United Stntes or from the United
States Into Porto Klco. Tho latter seems to
conflict with the clnuse of tho constitution
thnt prohibits congress from Imposing nny
export duty.
Philadelphia Ledger: There Is every
reason to believe tho declaration of the
Porto Hlcan merchants that the Island Is
worso off now than It was under the worst
of Spanish rule. It could not be other
wise, since Amcrlcnn domination has cut off
tho few resources It had under the Span
lards and has given It nothing In return.
It Is n enso In which congress should net
with tho utmost haste consistent with pru
dence; but, instead. It seems disposed to
make tho Island n pawn In the game of
American politics, regnrdless of the suffer
ings of its Inhabitants.
llaltlmoro American: Fico trade with
Porto Hlco It must be. Not only hccnuiie
It Is tho only honorable course, and the
only constitutional course, but because the
overwhelming preponderance of public opin
ion so wills. When William McKlnley, the
author of tho measure which marked the
lloodtldo of tho protectionist Idea, publicly
and officially nsks the concession of equal
Amerlcnn rights for our new territory, there
Is no exctiso for setting up this bugaboo of
tho "entering wedge." In tho opinion of
tho president It Is n proper case for the en
tering nx which shnll chop off the In
equities which the loss of the Spanish mar
ket, without compensatory gain of the Amer
ican market, has brought upon the Island.
Philadelphia Record: The total value of
Imports Into the Island of Porto Hlco from
the dnto of American occupation to Decem
ber III. lSfifl, was $1'.M01,S2!J. nnd the total
vnluo of exports from tho Island during
the snmo porlod wns JU.CnO.SO". The United
States furnished 9t.0S7.S36 of the imports
nnd took $.1,ri02,T(iQ of the exports, of which
sugar formed the principal Item, to the
vnluo of nearly $2,000,000. It will bo seen
that two-thirds of the Porto Hlcan trade la
with countries other than the United Slates.
Tho fear thnt the breaking down of tariff
barriers between the Island and these states
might appreciably affect tho markets for
commodities of homo growth and similar In
character to the products of Porta Hlco
would seem to be entirely groundless.
New York Herald: Tho Amerlcnn peoplo
nro kindly nnd generous, nnd If tho proposi
tion to oppress this poor nnd defenseless
people, who are now loyal to the stars and
stripes, could bo put to popular vote the
tariff mongers would bo scattered like chaff
before a tornado. llut the tlmo Is near
when tho peoplo aro to vote on this nnd
other questions, nnd the men In congress
who contemplate voting for this greedy and
soulless measure should remember that fact.
Tho presidential campaign will In truth
open with tho beginning of this debate.
The peoplo remember and approve tho words
of President McKlnley's message: "Our
plain duty Is to abolish all customs tnrlffs
between tho United States nnd Porto Hlco
nnd glvo her products free access to our
markets."
Yalo Hevlew: Ily the bills pending In
congress Porto Hlco Is declared to be under
tho authority of congress unrestrained by
tho constitution, nnd after specious promises
of liberation this new monarch does loss for
theso new subjects than tho English Parlia
ment has dono .for the negroes of Jamaica.
Tho Jamaicans epjoy unrestricted trndo with
all tho world; upon tho Porto HlcnnB are to
bo levied crushing duties on tho neoessnrlcs
of llfo Imported from the United Stales, and
nrcess to our murkets. so lndlspensablo to
their economic development, Is similarly re
stricted. Of economic liberty they will havo
less than England's most despotically gov
erned crown colonies. To find a parallel to
this policy ono must go back to the ruthless
commercial oppression of Ireland In tho last
century. What shnll It profit tho republi
cans to crcato an Ireland nt our doors?
(AnvAXOH to i:i.oi:jikoxtkiv.
Character of the Country Occupied lijr
Coiiteiiillnur Annie.
Now York Sun.
If tho British succeed In marching east to
Bloemfontolu thoy will travel all tho way nt
n height of 4,000 to 4.000 feet above the
sea, or at a greater elevntlon than the tops
of our Catskllls. They will find tho country
almost treeless, except at a fow centers
where, by assiduous Irrigation, clumps of
timber luivo been Induced to nourish. Tho
vast plain, always deficient In timber, Um
now a smaller supply than over, for tho
country has been scoured far und wldo to
provlilo timbering for tho diamond mines
at Klmbcrlcy. It was estimated In 18','fi
that over 1,000,000 trees had been cut down
for thn purposes of tho great Klmbcrlcy In
dustry. So tho march over tho plaja would
bo very dull and monotonous If tho Boers
were not likely to mako it exciting.
Very llttlo water will bo found along tho
direct route. This Is tho driest part of the
Orango Freo State, and tho pastoral people
who Inhabit It tako tho greatest pains to
collect and husband overy drop of water.
In this way only aro they ablo to maintain
pleasant gardens nnd orrhnrds nt tho clus
ters of farm buildings that nre thinly dot
ted over thn wide-spreading ibeep ranges.
Tho dlstnncn from Klmbcrlcy to Illoomfon
teln, as tho bird flies, Is cighty-soven miles,
and from tho positions on tho .M odd or
liver now In tho hands of the British
about seventy-flvo miles. But such a
inarch, under tho hot summer sun by a
largo army with u long ha;,r;ag train could
scarcely ho made, even If unimpeded by an
enemy. In less than flvo to seven dns.
Thero Is only ono river to cross on the
Btralght rnuto and that is tho llttlo Knal
tributary of tho Modder. within twelvo
miles of Illncmfonteln. Unless water can
bo carried for tho needs of the expedition
It may bo necessary to mako tho northern
detour along tho Modder, which would ndd
about thirty miles to tho length of tho
Journoy, but would bring tho expedition
within a day's mnrch of tho cupltal.
There will be no opportunity to replenlch
tho food suppllru from local sources unless
tho Boer herders lack tho tlmo to drive
their flocks to tho oast beyond Illnemfon
toln. Except nround Klmberley, this west
central part of the slate Is wholly n pas
toral region. Thero are nearly 7,(100,000
sherv and 1,000.000 eattlo In thn country
anil If tho British travel through the state
to tho TranHvnul by the direct route which
would bring them to thn Vual (tho Trans
vaal frontier) at Its nearest approach to
Pretoria, they will pass all thn way through
a region of vast domain parcelled out to
the hurghers for grazing purposes. Tho
agricultural region lies sixty to eighty miles
to tho oust In a narrow bolt along tho east
ern frontier. This Is thn granary of the
republlo and produces large crops, but It
Is far from the direct lino of the British
advance, nnd Is bnrdored In part by the
mountain region where tho Boers have been
holding Gatacro's men and other British
force In check on tho Cape Colony side
of tho frontier.
Scattered horn and thero over the gently
undulating plain are hills or hill ran?e4
rising several hundred feet above the gen- 1
cral lovej ami offering the opportunities for
nffertlvo rcslstancn which tbo Boers know!
.o well how to utilize -West of Blocmfon- I
tela, however, they are not so numerous ,
as east of It and In the Transvaal Tho
caoltal li lu a stony, treclets plain, but I
j In the town Itself there nre verdure nni,
trees and a little east of II is nn emlnen. n
that tho Peers kept fortified during thn
years of their early troubles with (lre.it
llrltaln. It undoubtedly bristles today
with tho best works the burghers could
build for the defense of their capital. It
I will be 110 easy matter to capture Illoem
I fonteln. though the natural defenses are not
so excellent as thoe of Pretoria, hemmed
in 11s that citilml i hv it,., til it I It I'lln
tangrs on the north and south, with forti
on their slopes that command ecry
approach to the city.
CASl U.TIIIS 1 WAUIWIir..
Theoretlenl !NittloiiM I iel lij Modern
I!; :ierlenee.
Philadelphia Hecord.
A few years ago, when high power gun
and explcolves were being Invented and
peacefully experimented with, the opinion
wns general that a modern wnr would be thn
bldodlest of history nnd that tho resultant
enrnngo would bo so dreadful that no nation
would thereafter invoke the arbitrament of
battle for the adjustment of international
differences. On the contrary, It would
srem that the improvement In weapons ha
operated to reduce the number of casualties
In battle and to lessen the serious nature,
of wounds inflicted upon cohibatnnts. Tho
fatal rush of tho Dervishes upon the Ilrltish
nt Omdurman. while It taught the rest of,
the world how to light against marhino
guns and magazine rifles, singularly enough
taught the British victors nothing nnd they,
learned nothing until recently, when they
were repeatedly punished as In close forma
tion they charged the Boers. In tho South
African wnr every weapon and every ex-
plosive known to military science Is em
ploed, jet the casualties, which worn not
excessive at the beginning, have decreased
since tho British adopted the open stylo oC
lighting.
A statement of tho casualties sustained
by the federal armies during somo of tho
battles of the Ainerlrnn rebellion will Indi
cate how much safer Is the game of wnr now
than It was formerly. The losses sustained
la six lending battles were:
Ver
cent
Total Wound- Total of
lois. Killed, ed. force, los.
Bull Hun.
Shlloh .. .
Antlotnm
. . . S.'Ml 4M
...1.1, .17.1 1.7.1T,
1.011 2S.neo lrt..t
7.VS2 sn.ooo ir, 9
0.4tfi M,0X It i
!U2 li.i.invi in a
12.1l 2.010
Kredrlcksburg
2,:t.K: 1.1MI
lieitysmirg
WlbleriiesM
...23,1m; 2.S.1I i:i,700 80,000 2SJ
...37,7.17 5.M7 2I.IS3 im.onrt si 0
No losses equal to these have been In
flicted In tho South African war, so far ai
can bo gathered from dally reports of thn
conflict there. Even nt Santiago, whero
tho Spanish were armed with Improved
weapons and were well Intrenched, tho cas
ualties of the comparatively poorly armed
attacking force of Americans wero only
about 10 per cent. Instead of warfare, be
ing made bloodier by reason of powerful
weapons nnd explosives there will probably
aovnr again lie such slaughter as attended
the battles of Gettysburg nnd tho Wilder
ness. FRICTION IN NICARAGUA
Can 11 1 Compiinr 11111I the Government
niiiiiurec Oter l'ernoiiiiel of (he
Court of A rhl ration.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, Feb. It. (Corro.
spondenco of the Assclated Press.) Sonn
friction Is occurring between tho Maritime
National Canal company of Nicaragua and
the government regarding tho personnel of
the proposed court of arbitration to settbi
disputed points botwecn them. Tho com
pany appointed A. J. Menocal, Its chief en
gineer, nnd Hudolph Wclscr. its ofllclal re-.i-rcsonatlvo
In Nicaragua, but the government
objected to them. Tho government, on Its
part, appointed Joseph B. Hixlrlgues and
Buenos Brutrnro and tho company thereupon
entered an objection to Hodrlguez.
The government Insists that tho arbiters;
and tho proceedings of the court shall bo In
nccord with lnws of Nicaragua enacted long
slnco tho granting of tho concession to tho
company. On tho other hnnd, It Is declared
thnt article fiSfl of tho concession docs not
limit to any nationality tbo arbiters to bo
nppolnted nnd does not conllno to nny dellnlto
proceedings tho work of tho convention, Tho
Nicnraguan laws, as thoy now stand, require
that uli arbitrators shall bo natives of tho
country. Tho government recently sent to
Mr. Welter through a Judgo of tho civil
court a book containing extracts of tho lnws
of Nicaragua In rcfereiico to who shall bo
chosen ns arbiters nnd as to tho modn of
proceedings of arbitration courts. Tho copy
of tho laws had been certified to by tho
United States consul nt Managua over his
ofllclal signature and seal. Tho object, It Is
declared, was to havo Mr. Welser sign thn
nrtlcles In tho bonk and ngreo to place tbo
arbitration proceedings under tho Nlcara
guan laws. This ho refused to do and tho
Judgo then gave hint three days In which t
sign, In which tlmo Mr. Welser also refused
to accept.
WIIITTIiUI) TO A POINT.
Detroit Journal: Chlenco I -will!
tit. Louis Oh, 1 don't know!
IndlnnannliH Journal: "Ah!" ho niched.
"may 1 not bono that you will bo mlno for-
ovor and foruverV"
'Yes." sho ren cd softly, "you may lions
that long If you wish."
Cleveland 'Plain Dealer: First Ofllco Hoy-.
Ilowjo llko yer new chob?
Koconu (Mllco noy aw. it 3 110 good. 1)0
olo man h he de;f ho don't mind mo
vhlstlin'.
Indianapolis Tress: "I'd hnte to hold tho
nolo of tho man who pays us ho goes,"
mused the philosophical drummer, ns hej
watched thn razorback hogs racing with thn
engine, "If ho rides on tills train."
Pittsburg Chronicle: "Agulnaldo has no
capital now," remarked Mrs. Knaggs, who
ih catcning up wiin 1110 news jrom ins
l'blllppltio Islands.
"No capital?" roiwatcd Mr. Hnaggs. "Thru
he mlghl as well go through tho bank
ruptcy court and be done, with It."
IiulluminollH Journal: "I met our book
keeper out on his wheel Hund.iy."
Was lie enjoying nimseir:
'I couldn't toll; ho had on his week day
expression."
hlladelphlii Press: She What Is tnennC
aetlv by that old saying about 'people lu
glass houses?' ... . . .
lie-I fmiry It was originally Intended for
women. You seo a young glass-housekeeper
who would stand upnn her front step to
heave 11 Mono across the street would bo
very likely to HimiHh In lu r own back wall
or something.
Detroit Journal: "And none shall knoir
of our engagement?'' whispered Walter.
"Largely replied lllldegard, stead
fastly. "I'Vir sec' our author has used ills
portrait for a frontispiece and accordingly
few If any will read the story of our love1'
Waller ami lllldegard, us may Im well
Imagined, were characters In contemporary
lie! on.
A .11 OI' VI'AIN SU.fi:T.
A line of light Is lingering
Upon the mountain's brow,
A benediction from high hcav'n
Mending so near It now.
Thoughtfully, huinans, on the plain,
As in a cloister dim,
Attune their hearts to Hod's great plan
And hear Ills ourfow hymn,
Tho stream that tlnds Its strong, sweet
source,
Where dwells eternal snow,
Ih full of music us It bounds .
To those who wait below.
The quaking aspens, quivering
Wheie silent heroes sleep,
Aro whlsp'rlng wondrous harmonies
Ah steadfast watch they keep.
And prickly popples, (standing guard
llexldn the rocky road,
Tohm by tin. wind, add notes of praise
To nature's priirless ode.
When d.u it' lift dull fade for us,
And cairn knells round us toll,
Mhj some safe harbor bring us peace,
Holm sunset of the soul,
HKLLl'J WILLIJY GUB.
Ujiu.Id&. Salt,