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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (June 7, 1900)
* v GUILTY S ^INNOCENT? * * By AMY BRAZIER. wtw W»y wi> V*y vt/ kt/ k4^ V## k^tf k»rf tj? sjsr yfc spt w w w CHAPTER V.—(Continued.) Something must hare happened. People are running. There is a little crowd round the baplc, and a police man Is pushing his way through. What can it be? Sebastian Joins the crowd, and the people fall back and make way. Mr. Savllle is a magis trate, and every one stands aside to let him pass. In the bank itself a small, eager crowd are peering over the counter at a strange scene within. The bank manager is stooping over a prostrate ligure—the body of the cashier, limp and Insensible. That there has been an outrage is plain to the commonest understanding. The floor is strewn with papers, and a stool.is. overturned. There must have been a desperate struggle before the young man was overpowered. The place is a regular wreck. At first the general opinion is that the cashier is dead-murdered, most probably. There is a heavy, faint odor of some drug. Mr, Kelly, the bank manager, lifts an ashen face. “It must have been very quickly done! I had not left the bank ten minutes! I was at my lunch, and when I got back I found Grey like this!” “Has any one gone for a doctor?” Mr. Savllle puts the question as he stands looking down on the livid, in sensible face of the bank clerk. “Give him air; open his collar," he says, and glances around on the scene of confusion—the money lying on the floor, the books, the Sebastian stoops suddenly and picks up a cheque off the floor. George Bou vere 1b scrawled across the back of it. Without a word he hands the cheque to the bank manager, remarking: “Mr. Bouvere may be able to throw some light on this. I met him com ing out of the bank about a quarter of an hour ago. He can at least say If everythipg was right then.” “Where is Mr. Bouverie now?” “Gone home, I fancy. He was wir ing off a large tfum of money at the postofflce when I met him.” Mr. Kelly turns white as his eyes meet thoBe of SebaBtlan. “I do not know if anything has been taken,” he says very low, still chafing away at the limp hands of Mr. Grey. Then the doctor hurries in and makes an examination. “The man is not dead; he has been chloroformed.” ■ Tula is the verdict, and the news goes out to the little knot of people outside. Not only has the cashier been chloroformed, but the bank has been robbed. So far haB been ascertained by a hastly examination. It is a very clever robbery, evtdent iv ly well planned and carried out suc cessfully during the time the manager was at his lunch. Nothlug further can be known till Mr. Grey recovers consciousness. The cashier, who is a very uninteresting young man, be comes all at once an object of excite ment and discussion, and through the length and breadth of Portraven the --** —" CHAPTER VI. “It was a very near thing indeed,” the doctor says, when at last he suc ceeds in restoring Mr. Grey. “This % young man has a weak heart, and very little more would have finished him." As it is, the cashier lies limp and liv id from the effects of chloform, by whom administered it were hard to say. Sebastian Savllle watches eagerly, hungrily, while Mr. Grey’s dazed sen ses come back, and he casts terrified glances round. “There, now you are all right,” says the bank manager nervously and im a- patiently. He is anxious to find out if the cashier can give any account of the as sault upon him, any clue to the per petrator of the outrage. A couple of policemen stand by. Mr. Grey's eyeB turn towards them almost apprehensively. He must have got a terrible shock to be so unnerved and shaken. “Now, Mr. Grey, try and give us some account of this mystery. You must know something,'’ Mr. SavUle ■ says. “Every moment’s delay gives the thief' time to get off. It seems from the hasty inspection made by Mr. Kelly that over a hundred pounds have been taken.” The Injured man’s lips writhe, and a ’ damp sweat stands out on his fore i; head; he lifts two shaking hands. “He tried to murder me!” he gasps almost inarticulately. “I was all alone, and he sprang over the counter!” “Who?”, asks Mr. Saville, with des perate earnestness. “Quick! do you know who it was?” The cashier’s face turns ashen; he has not yet recovered by any means. ^ His eyes rove anxiously round. Mr. Grey, you are losing time,” the ;-*V manager says. “It is of the greatest importance that your statement should be mage perfectly clear.” “I will tell all I know,” the young * man whispers with dlffculty. "You had gone to your lunch, Mr. Kelly. It was very quiet, about two o’clock, a time very few people are about. I was writing in the ledger when the bank door opened and a man came in. He had a small bag in his hand. He >C presented a cheque for payment; it was for five pounds. He said he would have it In gold, and I turned to get It for him. This is God's truth, Mr. Kel ly. In a second he sprang over the counter, seized me by the collar, chok ing me. We struggled desperately, but I could not call out—I was choking. And then he stufTed a handkerchief soaked with chloroform in my mouth. He held It there. I do not know any more." He shivers as he speaks and covers his ghastly face with his hands. Sebastian Saville bends forward. "Who was the man?” He asks the question intently, earnestly— Mr. Grey lifts his head. "It was George Bouverle.” "I knew it,” Mr. Saville says quiet ly. “I saw him coming out of the bank, and immediately after dispatch money by telegraph. It was a bold robbery indeed. Now, Mr. Kelly, what are you going to do?" Mr. Kelly's face looks grey with ter ror. "I cannot believe it!" he exclaims. “George Bouverle! The thing seems to me Impossible, Mr. Grey!”—fixing stern eyes upon the drooping figure of the cashier. "Do you swear that Mr. Bouverle drugged you and robbed the bank? Before God, is this the truth?" "Yes, it is the truth; I am prepared to $wear it!" The cashier’s tones are steady enough now. He looks Mr. Kelly straight In the face. "I did not know the bank was robbed; I only know for certain that George Bouverie attacked and drugged me." "He has been financially embar rassed,” Mr. Saville says. "He has been in desperate straights for money!” I know,” admits Mr. Kelly reluc tantly, remembering a passionate re quest from young Bouverle to be al lowed to overdraw his account. But, still, from money difficulties to a bank robbery was a wide and awful gulf. Mr. Grey is examined and cross-ex amined; he sticks to his statement In an unshaken manner. “Tills Is terrible!” groans Mr. Kelly. “To think young Bouverle should sink to an act of burglary!1 It will kill his mother!” Mr. Savllle prepares to depart. VIt Is sad indeed; but that young man is steeped to the lips in turf transactions more or less discreditable. I suppose you will have a warrant made out immediately?” He lowers his eyes to conceal the look of triumph. Branded as a crim inal, Barbara can no longer think of George Bouverle! The bank manager sighs and passes his hand across his forehead. “I suppose It will have to be done,” he says slowly; "but, Mr. Grey, I could almost believe you the victim of a hallucination!” Sebastian laughs. “Hallucination can not chloroform a man or rob a bank.” “I mean,” said Mr. Kelly, “that he might have been mistaken—he might have fancied it was Bouverle.” Mr, SayUle holds out the. cheque he had picked up on the floor of the bank. “This is conclusive evidence. This is the Identical cheque Mr. Grey was giving gold for at the moment he was attacked. I cannot see the slightest loophole for doubt. I myself can swear to having met George Bouverle running hastily down the steps of the bank, carrying a small bag, and ten minutes after saw him handing In a pile of gold at the postofflce. Let him account for that money being in his possession.” Mr. Grey sits'white and listless, ner vously clasping and unclasping his hands. “I feel 111,” he says, looking at the doctor, who has turned his back and stands In pale consternation. George Bouverle a thief! Impossible! The doctor has known him since he was born, and now to hear that he has sunk so low Is appalling! He feels stunned; yet, he remembers the young man’s altered look of care that sat so oddly on the young face. During those anxious weeks of Mrs. Bouverie’s ill ness he had noticed George, often find ing him sitting moody and depressed. “Poor, poor lad; if he had only made a clean breast of it to me!” says kindly old Doctor Carter to himself, “I would have helped him only too gladly.” But facts are facts, and, within an hour two constables are driving rap idly towarus the Grange on an outside car, and one of them holds a warrant for the arrest of George Bouverie. The warrant is signed by two magis trates, one of whom is Sebastian Sa ville, who never in all his life signed his name with such alacrity before, for lae downfall of his enemy is com plete! CHAPTER Vlt. The evening sunlight is slanting across the lawn, making a glory of the dancing daffodils; and the birds are nolding a concert that commenced with the dawn this morning. Such a tender, loving spring evening. The sun shines in at the windows of the Grange, and one shaft rests lov ingly on the fair head of George Bou verie. Mrs. Bouverie looks at the sunshine and at the face of her handsome son, and smiles as she gazes. Pier own eyes are very sweet and patient. She Is very happy this evening. Be tween her and George stands a tea* table, and George is laughing and pouring out the tea, desperately par ticular as to sugar and cream, waiting on his mother with gentle courtesy. Her pale cheeks have taken a pink tinge, soft as the blush on a girlish face. She wears lilac ribbons in her filmy lace cap, and lace ruffles fall over her slender hands. In upon this homelike scene stalks a trouble dark and horrible. The maid, with a pale face, opens the door and stands trembling, looking from her mistress to the face of the young man who is so calmly helping himself to a second cup of tea. “Well, Mary, what is it?” he asks, gaily tossing a lump of sugar to a fox terrier sitting at his feet. "Oh, Mr. George, I don't know!” stammers the girl. “It is something dreadful, sir. There is a sergeant and a constable in the hall!” George lays down his cup, but no idea of the truth rises in his mind. “The bank robbed? That la odd! But I am not a magistrate. What do they want me for?” he says. “I’ll just step out and ask the sergeant what it means.” But before he can leave the room there is the sound of a little confusion in the hall, and Doctor Carter, with a grave, desperate face, hurries in and goes straight to Mrs. Bouverle. “My dear old friend, there is some monstrous mistake! There, don’t get frightened, the whole thing is impos sible—a travesty of justice, that’s what it is, a driveling idiot making a statement like a lunatic! You’ll set them right in ten minutes, George, won’t you?”—a shade of anxiety creep ing into his voice. "What is it?” asks Mrs. Bouverle, Bitting up, pale and trembling. “Doc tor Carter, what is it all about ?*' He pats the trembling hands he holds. “My dear lady, leave it to George. It is all nonsense—the blundering Saville and that fool of a bank clerk!” "But I don’t understand! What has my son to do with it?” asks Mrs. Bou verie, getting frightened. "Sure, rm telling your’ cries tne doctor, his natural tongue getting the upper hand, “It seems some one drugged the clerk and robbed the bank and the fool, dazed with chloroform, has saddled the crime on George!’’ “On me?’’ George eKclaims, a flush of indignation dyeing his forehead. “How dare any one say such a thing?’’ “They have dared!’’ retorts the doc tor furiously. “Mrs. Bouverie, George can explain everything; you mustn’t excite yourself. George, my boy, you were at the bank this morning?” "Yes; I cashed a cheque,” George Bays, his face growing stern. “Yes; afterwards Savllle saw you wiring off a hundred pounds—your money, of course; but you’ve just got to tell them that. And, look here-” Doctor Carter stops short at the look that has come over the face of George Bouverie—a stricken, conscious look. “A hundred pounds! Oh, George, what does it mean?” cries his mother, weeping now in her fear. George gives one look at her, and then his eyes meet the troubled, in quiring gaze of the doctor. “My boy, my boy, surely you’ll set it right?” the old man stammers. George Bouverie’s face is as white as death. He touches Doctor Carter on the arm. “I will go and speak to the sergeant,” he says, in a hard, cold voice. (To be continued.) _ Greek to per, An exchange quotes the following conversation between husband and wife. She suddenly addresses him: “What are you reading so absorbing ly?” “It’s a new Scotch novel.” “Oh," cries the wife with enthusiasm, “I’m so fond of those dear dialect thingB! Do read me a little!” “Can you un derstand it?” “Can I understand it?” she repeats, loftily. “Well, I should liop< anything you are reading need not be Greek to me!” “No, but it might be Scotch.” “Well, go on, read just where you are.” “ ‘Ye see, Elspie,’ said Duncan, doueely, T might hae mair the matter wi’ me than ye wad bo splerin’. Aiblins ma een is a. bit drazzlit, an’ I’m hearin’ the poolses thuddin’ in ma ears, an* ma toongue Is clavin’ when it sud be gaein’; an’ div ye no hear the dirlin' o’ ma hairt; an’ feel the shakin’ o’ ma bond this day gin I gat a glimpse o’ ye, sair hirplin’ like nn auld mon? Div ye nae guess what’s a’ the steer, hinney, wi’out me gaein’ it mair words?' ” “Stop! Stop! For good ness’ sake! What in the world is the creature trying to say?” “He is mak ing a declaration of love.” “A decla j ration of love! I thought he was tell j ing a lot of symptoms to his doctor!” Swapping War Storin’. Senator Shoup and Gen. Eppa Hun ton were swapping war stories the other day, and the talk ran upon great losses in a single battle. *‘My regi ment,” said Gen. Hunton, "had been reduced from its full complement to 200 men when It participated in Pick | ett’s charge at Gettysburg. How many men of that regiment do you think j came out of that charge alive?” Sena I tor Shoup could not guess. “Only I ten,” said Gen. Hunton. Tags on Children. The children of the poor in Japan arc always labeled, in case they should stray away from their homes while their mothers are engaged in domestic duties. The French color manufacturers are not credited with one new product this year, while the Dutch, Swiss and Ger mans are fully represented with a gen erous quota. PAflfK RAILROAD SfTTLEMENTS. The Crowning Achievement of the McKinley Administration. Washington Letter: "The settle ment of the Pacific railroad indebted ness must be ranked as one of the greatest achievements of President McKinley’s administration,” said Gen eral Charles Dick, member of Con gress from the Nineteenth district of Ohio, and secretary of the Republican National Committee, to-day: “All efforts, either by Congress or the executive departments prior to 1897, were of little avail in protecting the government’s interests in these roads. In fact, there were grave doubts whether the government would succeed in being reimbursed, even in part, the vast sum expended by the United States in aid of their construction. But the government has realized in cash or its equivalent, within two years, the sum of $124, 421,671 out of about $130,000,000 that was due, and more than half the money collected was for accrued in terest that had not been paid. "The discovery of gold in Cali fornia; the rapid increase in wealth and population in the territory west of the Rocky mountains, and a move ment on the part of the older states to establish closer connections during the Civil war with those outlying communities, led Congress in 1862 to authorize the construction of a rail road to the Pacific ocean. The direct benefit to be derived- by the govern ment was its use for postal, military and other purposes. The act of July 1, 1862, chartering the Union Pacific Railroad Company was not sufficient ly liberal, and therefore nothing was accomplished after its provisions. Though the Union Pacific Company waB organized no one was found who would venture money in the construc tion of. the road. “On July 2, 1864, Congress amended the act of 1862, by making provisions more favorable to the companies. The act of 1862 provided that the govern ment should have a first mortgage on the property of the company, while the act of 1864 provided substantially that, for the bonds the government should issue in aid of the construc tion of the road, it should take a sec ond mortgage. Two companies were organized under the provisions of the act of 1864, and entered energetically upon the work of construction. The road was built from the California end eastward by the Central Pacflc Railroad Company, and from the Mis souri river westward to the common meeting point at Ogden by the Union Pacflc Company. “Their lines were united May 10, 1869, anticipating by more than seven years the time required by Congress. The Union Pacific Company construct ed 1,034 miles, and the Central Pa cific 743 miles. The road of the latter company was subsequently extended 140 miles, and the lines of the two companies from the Missouri river to San Francisco represent a mileage of 1,917 miles. “In aid of these roads and connect ing branches the United States issued bonds to the amount of 864,623,512. Failing to be reimbursed for the in terest paid on these bonds, it became necessary, in protection of the inter ests of the government, to pass the act of May 7, 1878, known as the ‘Thurman Act.’ This act provided that the whole amount of compensa tion which might from time to time be due to the railroad companies for services rendered the government should be retained by the gov ernment, one-half to be applied to the liquidation of the inter est paid and to be paid by the United States upon the bonds is sued to each of the companies, and the other half to be turned into a sinking fund. But it soon became ap parent that, with the approaching ma turity of bonds issued in aid of the roads the provisions of the ‘Thurman Act’ were not adequate to the pro tection of the government's interests. Efforts were persistently made look ing to a settlement of this vast indebt edness, but without success. So re cently as the Fifty-fourth Congress an attempt was made to pass a bill to refund the debts of the Pacific Railroad Companies, but it was de feated in the House by a vote of 167 nays to 102 yeas. “On January 12, 1897, continued General Dick, "the day following the defeat of the funding bill, the at torney general was informed by the President that default had occurred in the payment of the Union Pacific and the Kansas Pacific indebtedness to the Government, and he was directed to make arrangements to secure, as far as practicable, the payment of their indebtedness. An agreement was 'entered into between the government and the re-organization committee of the Union Pacific Railroad, by which the committee guaranteed, should the government und lnke to enforce its lien by sale, a . anyn bid for the Union and Kansa Pacific lines that would produce to the government, over and above any prior lines and charges upon the railroads and sinking fund, the net sum of 845,754,059.99. In per formance of this agreement the bid was guaranteed by a deposit of $4, 500,000. “Bills were then filed in the United States Circuit courts for the foreclos ure of the government lien. The de crees entered for the sale of the roads not being satisfactory to the govern ment, papers were prepared for an ap peal. Then the re-organization com mittee came forward with an offer to Increase its bid to $50,000,000 instead of $45,754,059.99. Subsequently, to set tle all points In dispute, the re-organ ization committee decided to abandon this second bid and to increase the minimum amount to be offered for the property to $58,448,223.75, being the total amount due the government <fu account of the Union Pacific road, as stated by the secretary of the treas ury, including the sum of $4,549, 365.26 cash'in the sinking fund. Sach* an amount was bid by the re-organlza tlon committee on November 1, 1897, and the sale was confirmed by the court on November 6, 1897. After the confirmation of the sale the whole amount was paid into the treasury of the United States in convenient in stallments, thus relieving the govern ment from any loss whatever upon its claim for principle and interest due upon its subsidy, and bringing to a final and most satisfactory termina tion one of these long-standing and troublesome questions. “In the case of the Kansas Pacifte indebtedness, by decree of the court* an upset price on the sale of the property was fixed at a sum which would yield to the government $2,600, 000. The re-organization committee in conference with the government declared its purpose of making no higher bid than that fixed by the de cree of the court, so that the govern ment was confronted with the dan ger of receiving for its total lien upon this line, amounting to nearly $13, 000,000, principal and interest, only the sum of $2,500,000. Believing the interest of the government required that an effort should be made to ob tain a larger sum, and the govern ment having the right to redeem the incumbrances upon the property, which were prior to the lien of the government subsidy, by paying the sums lawfully due in respect thereof out of the treasury of the United States, the President, on February 8, 1898, authorized the secretary of the treasury to pay the amounts lawfully due upon the prior mortgages upon the eastern and middle divisions of said road. “Then the re-organization commit tee of the Kansas Pacific offered to bid for the road a sum which would realize to the government the whole amount of the principal of the debt—$6,303,000. It was believed that no better price than this could be obtained at a later date if the sale should be' postponed, and It was deemed best to permit the sale to proceed upon the guaranty fault be made either of the payment of principal or interest of either said notes or in any part thereof, then all of the notes outstanding, principal and interest, Immediately became due and payable, notwithstanding any other stipulation of the agreement of settle ment. “It was further agreed that the pay- „ ment of principal and Interest of the notes should be secured by the depos it with the United States treasury of $57,820,000 face value of first refunding mortgage 4 per cent gold ^onds, to be thereafter issued by the Central Pa cific or its successor having charge of the railroads then owned by the com pany, such boqda to be part of th6 issue of hot exceeding $100,000,000 in all, and to be secured by mortgage upon all railroads, equipments and ; terminals owned by the Central Pa cific Railroad Company, the mortgage being a first lien upon the property. “In pursuance of another provision of the agreement, the four earliest ma turing notes were purchased by Speyer & Co., March 10, 1899, and the proceeds, amounting to $11,762,543.12, and accrued interest to the date of payment, $35,771.02. in all $11,798, 314.14, were received by the Treasury March 27, 1899, as part payment of the indebtedness of the Central Pacific and Western Pacific Railroad Companies. The proprietors of the various com panies comprising the Central Pacific system were subsequently conveyed to a new corporation called the Central Pacific Railway Company, which latter executed the mortgage and bonds pro vided, for by the agreement of settle ment. “On October 7, 1899, bonds were de livered to the Treasury Department by the Central Pacific Railway Company to secure the outstanding notes held by the Treasury. The United States, therefore, holds the notes of the Cen tral Pacific Railroad Company to the amount of $47,050,172.36, bearing inter est payable semi-annally at the rate of 3 per cent per annum, and secured by the deposit of an equal amount of first-mortgage bonds of the Pacific Railway Company, thus providing, be yond any doubt, for the sure and grad ual payment of the whole of this sub sidy debt, and providing in the mean time for the payment of interest at the rate of 3 per cent upon the unpaid bal ances. The United States, through the settlement agreement tbu3 entered into will be reimbursed the full amount of the principal and interest of the Central Pacific and Western Paciflo debt, aggregating $58,812, 715.48. “The amounts due to the United States March 1, 1900, from Pacific rail roads on account of bonds issued in aid of their construction, were as fol lows: AMOUNT DUE THE UNITED STATES MARCH 1, 1900, FROM PACIFIC RAILROADS. Name of Road. Principal. Interest. Total. Central Branch Union Pacific. $1,600,000 $2,152,359.54 $3,752,359.54 Sioux City and Pacific. 1,628,320 2,578.677.68 4,206,997.68 Totals $3,228,320 $4,731,037.22 $7,959,357.22 of a minimum bid which would real- | ize to the government the whole prin cipal of its debt. The sale thereupon took place, and the property was pur chased by the re-organization com mittee. The sum yielded to the gov ernment was $6,303,000. It will thus be perceived that the government se cured an advance of $3,803,000 on ac count of its lien, over and above the sum which the court had fixed as the upset price, and which the reorganiza tion committee had declared was the maximum which they were willing to pay for the property. “The result of these proceedings against the Union Pacific system, em bracing the main line and the Kan sas Pacific line, is that the government has received on account of its subsidy claim the sum of $64,751,223.75, which is an increase of $18,997,163.76 over the sum which the re-organization com mittee first agreed to bid for the joint property, leaving due the sum of $6, 588,900.19 interest on the Kansas Pa cific subsidy. The prosecution of a claim for this amount against the re ceivers of the Union Pacific Company in 1898 resulted in securing to the government the further amount of $821,897.70. "The indebtedness of the Central Pacific Railroad Company to the gov ernment became due January 1, 1898, when default in payment was made by the company. The deficiency ap propriation act of July 7, 1898, ap pointed the secretary of the treasury, the secretary of ‘the interior and the attorney general a commission with full power to settle the indebtedness to the government growing out of the issue of bonds to aid in the construc tion of the Central Pacific and West ern Pacific roads, subject to the ap proval of the President. “An agreement for the settlement of this indebtedness was entered into be tween the commissioners and the railroad companies on .February 1, 1899. The amount then due to the United States for principal and inter est upon its subsidy liens upon the Central Pacific and Western Pacific railroads was $58,812,715.48, more than one-half of which was accrued interest upon the principal debt. The agree ment for settlement provided for the funding of this amount into promis sory notes bearing date of February 1, 1899, payable respectively on or before the expiration of each succes sive six months for ten years, each note being for the sum of $2,940, 635.78, or one-twentieth of the total amount due. The notes bore interest at the rate of 3 per cent annum, pay able semi-annually, and had a condi tion attached to the effect that, if de “Efforts are now pending looking to the collection of this indebtedness. “Out of an indebtedness of about $130,000,000, more than one-half of which consisted of accrued interest, the government has realized In cash, or its equavilent, the sum of $124,421, 670.95, within a period of less than two years. No other administration in the history of the United States has ever so quickly, so thoroughly, and so satisfactorily enforced the settlement of large claims held by the govern ment against business corporations, nor has any similar settlement ever previously been made by the govern ment to such good financial advan tage. The claims were due. The President insisted upon their collec tion, and this was done in a prompt and business-like manner.” WESTERN WOOL. VALUES. Farmers In Idaho See the Benefits of Protection. Western wool values continue to at tract the attention of farmers. Idaho affords an interesting exhibit, as fol lows: Year. 1891 . 1892 . 1893 . 1894 . 1895 . 1896 . 1897 . 1898 . 1899 . 1900 . The Farm Price Pounds. in Cents. . 3,513.816 . 3,689.539 . 5,169.534 . 5.456,829 . 6,439.055 . 7,082.964 . 9,632.833 .11,559.401 .16.1S3.160 .18.610.634 13 13 10 6 6*4 614 9 13 12 12*4 Total value of Idaho's wool Value. $456,790 479,640 516,963 327,310 418,539 442,685 866,954 1,502,722 1,541,978 2,326,329 decreased by one-half under free trade, but it is now back to regular protection prices. In 1891 the value of 3,514,000 pounds of Idaho wooi was $456,790. But double the quantity was worth less money in 1896. Just before President McKinley was inaugurated in 1897 the value of 0,633. 000 pounds of Idaho wool was $866, 954. This year, for less than twice the quantity, the farmer in that state got nearly three times as much money. •s Prosecution, Not Protection. The Republican party prosecutes and punishes those of its public officials who betray their trusts. Protection for dishonesty never was a Republican practice. Disappointing; Democracy. The peaceful and satisfactory solu tion of a labor difficulty is always a disappointment to Democratic leader ship. Varieties of Populism. Middle-of-the-road Populism contin ues to show fight to the variety that dodges about the fence corners.