4-
Commoner
Extracts From W.
-
--::-x-:--:-:-::--w
IMfferent Kind of Dollarm.
George E. Roberts, director of the
mint, in an interview recently, referred
to the proposition that a mint be es
tablished at Manila. Mr. Roberts
Mid:
"I have heard nothing1 about the
matter since the adjournment of eon
jrres. nui 1 Know inai it is receiving1
ine attention oi tne war department
which is obtaining- all the informa
tion possible on the subject. Armv of
ficers seem to favor the establishment
of a mint at Manila, and an effort to
substitute American coinage for the
Mexican now in general use. There is
onsiderable opposition to this propo
sition. However, as it is certain that
any attempt to push the American dol
lar and redeem it in crld would pre
cipitate commercial disturbances that
might resnlt in disaster. Jecretary
jage is opposed to it. and I am in
clined to think that this plan will not
ue auoptea.
"Two plans have been proposed. The
nrst i these is to establish a free mint
t Ma-nla for the making- of a Philip
pine aonar interchangeable with the
I 1 11 . . ..
.iicak-u uoiiar ana reaeemable at a
fixed price in gold. Under this plan
producers of silver would sell their
product to establishments havingtrade
relations with the east, which would
have it coined at the Manila mint and
put in circulation. This is the plan
adopted by the British g-overnment,
which coins an Indian dollar which
is circulated from the Straits settle
ment and has so far been successful in
oompeting-with the Mexican dollar and
the rupee.
'The second plan is to coin a 'token
dollar alnjut the size of the Mexican
dollar with enough less silver to pre
vent it from going to the melting- pot
or out of the country, interchangeable
witn the Mexican dollar, and redeema
ble in g-old equally with Mexican coin.'
It is rather strange to hear that the
war department is considering- the es
tablishment of a mint. Surely we are
undergoing- many changes. Heretofore
the treasury department has been
charged with affairs relating- to our
finances; but under the new policy that
ha sprung- up in our -'land of the free
and the home of the brave" the war
department appears to be a mighty in
stitution, wielding- enormous powers.
and one whose lounds are controlled
by "no pent up Utica.
Mr. Roberts thinks it likely that
iome plan involving- the creation of a
-Philippine dollar" will lie adopted.
j t win oe well to look at this sugges
tion seriously. The constitution gives
congress the ng-ht tocoin money, reg
vlate the. value thereof and of foreign
coin, and fix the standard of weight
and measures." No one heretofore
would have dared to claim that con
gress had the right to make one dollar
for one section and another dollar for
another section. Under the eonstitu
tion no one will seriously claim that
ticb a right exists. It will not be
surprising, however, if the proposition
to create a i hinppine dollar or a
"token dollar prevails. Anthority
ior tnis win oe lound, not in the con-
fctitutioa, but in the decision of the su
preme court in the Porto Rican cases.
Under that decision congress, the crea
ture of the constitution, has, with re
spect to our new possessions, whatever
authority it may see fit to execrcise en
tirely reg-ardless of the fundamental
law.
When the war department, by and
with the consent of the president and
Secretary lge and a few other execu
tive heads, sets out to adopt a financial
policy for the I'hilippine Islaiids. the
American people will begin to obtain
a hint of the far-reaching- character of
the Porto Rican decision.
There are no restraints upon con
gressional authority in Forto Rico.
There are no restraints upon the war
power in the Philippine Islands.
If political interests require, the
time may yet come when we will have
one kind of dollar for the Philippines,
another kind of dollar for Porto Rico,
An altogether different dollar for Cuba,
a new-fangled dollar for Arizona, and
a Iatent-applied-for dollar for New
Mexico, while within the states, which
are the masters of thete territories, a
wholly different dollar will be "current
money with the merchant; and this
will be a '-.sound financial system"
one in which "every dollar is as g-ood
as every other dollar" one in which
the "faith" and the honor" of the na
tion are preserved, and the "business
interests" of the country are subserved.
In response to an invitation from
Tammany to submit a sentiment to be
read on the 4th of Jul-, Mr. IJrj-an sug
gested the following-:
'Liberty is not safe without a writ
ten constitution, and a constitution to
. be of value must be strong enough to
i-ontrol every public servant and broad
enough to include within its protection
every person who acknowledges al
legiance to the flag."
When a Chinese bank fails the bank
officials are beheaded. When an Amer
ican bank fails the bank officials are
interviewed and express great surprise
at the failure. Hank failures are ex
tremely rare in China.
Mr. Ilanna told the Ohio republican
convention that "this is no time to ex
periment with the tariff. Certainly
not. Not the time for the republican
party to experiment with it. The
trusts are satisfied and Mr. Ilanna
knows right where he can get a rich
yield of fat when he starts out with
the frying pan in the congressional
campaign of ltH)2 and the presidential
campaign of li04.
The chief argument in support of
the ship subsidy is that the promoters
want the money.
A large number of the Commoner's
esteemed republican exchanges contin
ue to exhibit an absorbing interest in
the reorganization of the democratic
party.
It is not strange that men like Dow
ie should find thousands of dupes when
there are so many men who still be
lieve that the foreigner pays the tax.
The. money bought university degree
is very much like the purchased medal
of honor.
Comment
J. Bryan's Paper.
"Hamper" in the Constitution
The American Review of Reviews
g-ives an interesting- editorial approv
ing of the supreme court decision as
delivered by Justice Brown. In this
the Review says: "The primary ob
ject of the American constitution was
to arrange an effective and permanent
scheme of partnership and union for a
group of associated 6tates which were
not suitably organized under the old
articles of confederation." The Re
view adds that the constitution "was
never intended to hamper posterity"
and concludes "the main thing- that
has Wen decided thus far is that the
constitution of the United States is not
a doctument that is going to interfere
with the people of the United States in
their proposal to do the very best thing
that they can from time to time in pro
viding for the government, develop
ment and true progress of the territor
ies that they have acquired by recent
annexation."
The preamble of the constitution
tells the object of that document, and
even the Review of Reviews cannot im
proveupon the statement. The ob
ject, according to this preamble, was
to "form a more perfect union, estab
lish justice, insure domestic tranquili-
ty. provide for the common defense,
promote the g-eneral welfare and seeure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves
and our posterity.' It is very evident
that even some of "our posterity" were
deliberatcly2"b.anjpered" by he fram-
ers of the constitution. They new the
tendency of strong- men to take ad
vantage of weaker men, and so they
declared as one of the objects of the
constitution "to secure the blessings
of liberty to ourselves and our poster
ity. Mark the word "secure." and
observe that the fathers intended to
secure libenty not only for them
selves but for posterity. And in order
to make these benefits secure they or
dained and established this constitu
tion for the United States of America
a constitution which has alwaj-s been
recognized as a grant of power and the
certificate of any authority which our
public servants may rightfully exer
else.
It is true that it was not intended
that the constitution should interfere
with the people of the United States
in their proposal to do whatever they
sought to do. The people of the Unit
ed States are the makers and the cor
rectors oi tne constitution, ana in or
der that it should not interfere with
them in anything- that they might
fit to do in the future a method of
amending- the constitution was pro
vided. They did, however, intend that
that document should interfere with
any public officials, with any men or
coterie of men who saw fit to do things
inconsistent with American traditions
and American principles, and they es
tablished a written constitution in
which thej- said to their public ser
vants, so far as concerns the authori
ties and the powers they might exer
cise "thus lax and no farther.
Unsafe Banking:.
The failure of the 7th national ban!
of .New iork City calls attention to
the fact that many banks are doing
business upon an unsafe basis. This
particular bank made a report to the
clearing- house on June 21st showing
that its capital was only $376,340 while
its deposits were over $.1,700,000; its
loans over S4, 400.000. A shrinkage of
ten per cent in the value of its loans
would have more than wiped out its
capital. According- to the report re
ferred to the net profits were $234,000
but even this sum added to the capital
would not give sufficient margin to
make the business safe.
Some ratio snould be fixed between
the bank's capital and its deposits for
while it may be very profitable to di
vide among- a few stockholders the
profits secured upon large deposits it
invites collapse. A banker would not
loan to a merchant whose liabilities
equalled 00 per cent of his assets. Why
should he ask depositors to trust him
under the same circumstances?
Was Clemens a Prophet?
Jeremiah Clemens, a United States
senator representing the state of Ala
bama in ante-bellum days said:
"Commit our people once to unneces
sary wars, let victory encourage the
military spirit already too prevalent
among them, and Roman history will
have no chapter bloody enough to be
transmitted to posterity side by side
with ours. In a brief period we shall
have re-enacted on a grander scale the
same scenes that marked her decline.
The veteran soldier who has followed
a victorious leader from clime to clime
will forget his love of country in his
love for his commander; and the bayo
net you fent abroad to conquer a king
dom will be brought back to destroy
the rights of the citizen and prop the
throne of an emperor.
Was Clemens a prophet?
China's mistake in offering to pay
larger indemnity than was demanded
is calculated to make the "powers"
feel sorry that they did not follow the
example of Oliver Twist.
Mr. Foraker wrote the Ohio platform
is credited with its authorship
and in it he takes occasion to praise
the "gallant and heroic negroes." The
negro can always expect plenty of
platform sympathy and respect from
the g. o. p.
General Orosvenor wisely declines
to hold both bag and candle.
Mr. Foraker's keynoting continues
to be sounded in the tariff cleft.
Would it not Ik: better to call Phil
adelphia "The City of Boodlery Love?'
Shameless in Its Rascality
New York Journal.
The Tweed ring in New York worked
in the dark. Hut in Philadelphia crime
is naked and unashamed. Secure in
possession of mountainous majorities
in the city and the state, buttressed by
80,000 fraudulent votes, with every de
partment of the government, executive,
legislature and judicial, in its control.
the gang robs openly, with no attempt
to cover its tracks.
The high premium on honesty proves
tnat it is tje nest policy,
BY INJUNCTION.
HOW LORDS OF THE EARTH
KAY HOLD "RIGHTS."
fbe Xwa of the tand Panned Cp for
thai Ierisiona of Corporation Corrupted
Judges What lit Ilappea
190S.
It was In 1903 that the Supreme
Court of the United States found for
the plaintiff in the great case of Simon
Magus, against the mayor, aldermen,
etc., of Olathe, Kansas. The case was
this: A part of Olathe was built on
lands owned by Magus who acquired
an enormous fortune by selling thm
He laid out streets, granting rights of
way. but reserving to himself all
other rights in the streets. Neverthe
less, the people of Kansas, as the com
plaint set forth, "wrongfully and
maliciously assumed to breathe his
air In said streets, and committed
other trespasses upon the rights of
said Magus in said air."
The court held, following the "Sin
gle Tax" case (Taresey vs. The Town
of Dover, superior Court of Kent
County. Delaware), that the street was
merely for passage.
This finding occasioned greater sur
prise than the Income tax decision of
som years past (Pollock vs. Farmers
Isaa and Trust Company and Hyde
vs. Continental Trust Company, 15S
U. S.. 601). and a rehearing was held.
It was urged that the use of the
air was necessary to the right of w;y,
and was therefore Included In it; but
the learned Judges pointed out that it
was Just as necessary to be fed as to
breathe. In order to travel; and yet,
although food, unlike air, was actu
ally produced from the ground, no one
had claimed the right to grow food
products on the highway, as an inci
dent to Its use.
The court argued with much force
that the railroads were also highways,
In which the people have special rights
(Munn vs. People of Illinois, 94 U. S.
Supreme Court.) And that cars were
necessary to their use, but that it
could not be claimed that the right to
the use of the roadbed gave a right
to the free use of the cars.
It was argued that it was in viola
tion of the right of the people peace
ably to assemble as provided in
Amendment 1. United States Constitu
tion. But, citing "The Commonwealth
vs. Davis" (Massachusetts Law Re
ports, June, 11897). the court held that
by taking the proper steps and pay
ing the fee, any citizen could obtain
license to breathe the air In public
highways (Same case, 140 Mass., 485.)
Laws taxing Immigration had been
nniformly upheld (Edge et al vs.
Robertson Circuit Court E. D. N. Y..
1S83), and such laws denied the use
not only of the air, but even of ac
cess, without payment of the fee. It
was further said that the ordinances
opening the streets in their turn ex
cluded such use, and that the princi
ple of the ordinance was constitution
al. (Dillon's Municipal Corporations,
p. 250, 2d ed.)
The decision was quickly followed
In the house of lords, the chamber of
deputies and the high courts of other
countries, and as near'y all landown
ers have rights In the streets, numer
ous suits were instituted.
In fact one shyster attorney, the
owner of a little plot which was mort
gaged for all it was worth, had sum
monses printed, and. relying upon the
principle that every one has a right
to sue everyone else, served them upon
every person who passed, at the rate
of several hundred every day. Near
ly every one failed to answer, and the
costs brought him In a pretty fortune.
The new doctrine was followed, and
Injunctions obtained against certain
strikers, who breathed the air upon
roads belonging to the companj-, on
the principle laid down in Mackall vs.
Ratchford, 82 F. 41. The court Justly
said that common property In the air
worked very well in primitive times;
but so did common property in land.
The general experience of mankind.
however, had Improved upon those
plans. "There Is no force," said the
learned court, "in the strenuous con
tention of counsel for the defendants
that the doctrine of rights in air was
new, for we find In Blackstone, Book
II. Chap, xxvi. Sec. 31, 'Ancient
Lights. Thus, too, the benefit of the
elements, the light, the air and the
water, can only be appropriated by oc
cupancy. If r nave an ancient winaow
overlooking my neighbor's ground, he
may not erect any blind to obstruct
the light.' It follows that easements
of wind and even of light, were and
still are, allowed In England."
Nor is the decision of the lower court
In contravention of the Fifth amend
ment to the Constitution of the Unit
ed States, guaranteeing the right of
life and liberty, for it Is open to any
one to become an air lord.
See cases cited on behalf of Warren
Bridge in Charles River Bridge vs.
Warren Bridge case, 7 Pick. 344, Mass.
Capital came to the rescue, and the
Pneumatic Tube Company, to which a
franchise was granted in 1897, to lay
tubes under New York streets, sup
plied "penny-In-the-slot" flexible
tubes, from which air might be In
haled as pedestrians passed over land
whose proprietors had reserved their
rights In air. Boxes of condensed air.
to be carried on the back, were also
supplied at a nominal charge.
Knowing that the poorest boy might
become an air lord, just as he might
become President, and that the "com
petition among owners would keep
prices down to a reasonable figure."
Just as It had kept down the price of
rent, the people acquiesced, and were
Just as contented as they are now.
Bolton Hall.
SOMETHING ABOUT FOOLS.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has this
to say about taxpayers: "The most
foolish of all fools Is the taxpayer, who
through partisan feeling, takes no in
terest in resistance to public plunder
ers. The looters in all parties should
be turned down."
That the average taxpayer Is con
siderable of a fool is unquestionably
true. Otherwise there would be in
every political subdivision a system of
taxation and revenue in harmony with
natural laws, instead of the present
scheme, which Is not a system at all,
but a senseless, a ridiculous and an
iniquitous scheme for "robbing Peter
to pay Panl." No man possessing any
business sagacity would neglect his
own personal affairs as do millions of
voters the affairs of civil gavernment
for which every voter is to some de
gree responsible. In fact, many voters
imagine that they themselves are not
taxpayers, simply because they pay
nothing directly to the tax collector.
They never see far enough into the in
cidence of revenue laws and the work
ings of civil government to even dream
that they are daily being indirectly
taxed to help pay other psople's tax
es; that whenever they buy, trade
travel, eat, employ labor, or do any
thing e:sa requiring them to pay
money or give services, n portion of
what they part with goes into the bot
tomless boot of crooked taxation.
The average voting taxpayer is quite
averse to being robbed by a profes
sional highwayman, but if systematic
robbery of his earnings is perpetrated
under the forms of law, and called
taxatlon.he submits. meekly and silent
ly. As things now go, the public plun
derers selected by the people to man
age public affairs have as fat a Job as
any reasonable gang of rascals should
wish for.
"The looters in a!l parties will be
turned down" whenever the honest
men in all parties arise in their might
and turn them down. They have the
poorer to do this, but lack only the
moral strength. Ra'ph HoyL
SCOUNDRELISM TRIUMPHANT.
There was no temptation to Mayor
Ashbrldge in Mr. Wanamaker's propo
sition to pay the city of Philadelphia
$2,500,000 for street car franchlsas
which the mayor between two days
made haste to sign away withesrt a
cent of compensation to the people.
Mayor Ashbridge was not acting In
the Interest of Phildelphla and so Mr..
Wanamaker's offer was disdained as
unworthy of his consideration.
Philadelphia has fallen very low and
she is sinking lower and lower in
moral degradation. She is held in con
tempt by all self-respecting cities at
home and abroad. Even corrupt New
York and diseased Chicago look down
upon her from moral heights and there
Is no community in all the land so low
as to do her reverence. She has reach
ed the state of the sot who has ljst
all sense of shame. Like an abandon
ed woman she sees things from an
angle that makes the bad look good
and the good bad. The only hope now
is, that the mayor's monstrous betray
al of his trust will shock the people
into new moral life.
It is a hideous commentary upon the
morals of the state for Philadelphia
to Pennsylvania is much what Paris is
fo France. The loss is that of Phila
delphia alone perhaps, but the disgrace
is to Pennsylvania. The debauchery is
a reeking shame to all the people of
the great state.
It is not easy to characterize this
incomparable scoundrelism. Ordinary
language fails in attempting it. But
if it shall serve to arouse the sleeping
conscience of the commonwealth the
infamy which Ashbridge has secretly
consummated in the face of Wana
maker's munificent offer will not have
been In vain. Johnstown Democrat.
SUPREME COURT MUSICIANS-
The great Jumble of opinions, each
differing from the others, handed
down by these nine Immaculate wise
men, show beyond a doubt, to thinking
folks, that the "constitution" Is truly
an "instrument" upon which this
trained band of legal musicians can
play any kind of tune they see fit
and they can easily play to the taste
of seventeen different kinds of audi
ences. In fact the constitution has
ceased to be more than a few pages of
words in a dictionary, and this oli
garchy of nine men. sitting on the
supreme bench, are the lexicograph
ers who give them any definition that
pleases them. The real government
of the United States has gone out of
the hands of the people of Congress
and the executive, into the hands of
this court, which can make or unmake
constitutions and laws at their own
sweet will. That they can make light
ning changes as rapidly as a modern
comedian seems almost self-evident
from recent decisione.and the question
as to whether the supreme court as
well as the constitution should not be
abolished and the will of the people
substituted is a pertinent one, and one
that will soon have to be settled.
Displeased at a Judge's decision, Al
exander H. Stevens once slammed his
books down and made considerable of
a racket.
"Mr. Stevens," said the Judge, "are
you trying to show your contempt for
this court?"
"No, your honor," said the lawyer,
"I am trying to conceal It."
That'B the way many folks are feel
ing just now, but the end Is not yet.
Paso Robles Independent.
Whsn President McKinley was ad
dressing the laboring men at San Fran-
cIbco and congratulating them upon
their prosperity and contentment, one
brawny wage-earner arose and asked,
"What about next week?"
Of course, he was guilty of some dis
courtesy in thus interrupting a meet
ing made notable by the presence of
the Chief Executive, and his compan
ions beckoned him to be silent. But he
could not have asked a more embar
rassing question at a Republican meet
ing. The administration is living In
the present no thought or plan for the
future. It might be well for the Presi
dent to consider the simple question
propounded by the California toiler.
Coming Nation.
The Tweed ring stealing from the
people of New York was petit larceny
compared to the highway robbery of
the Republican ring of Pennsylvania.
They have donated street railroad
franchises in Philadelphia to their
henchmen said to be worth $50,000,000,
without any money consideration or re
duction of fare. To somewhat show
the value, John Wanamaker offered
$2,500,000 for the privileges and Tom
Johnson offered, if the franchises were
granted to him to reduce the fare to 3
cents and give free transfers. If the
Republicans of Philadelphia and the
state do not revolt against these high
waymen they deserve to have empty
pockets the balance of their lives.
WAGES WANTED ONLY
people are not seeking life
WITHOUT WORK.
J truism la Factories Give Labor Fatr
WtM and It Can Get Alone Without
Charity Bow the Employer Hay &
Joy Title to "Model Shop.
The wage scale having been fairly
adjusted, the employer need not worry
himself about what altruistic measures
he will adopt for the benefit of his em
ployes. Once the interest of the latter
in the success of the enterprise be
comes established, suggestions regard
ing methods which will be to the com
mon Interest of employer and employe
will come fast enough from the men.
Conveniences which good men need to
do their work well and keep them in
prime condition, mentally and physic
ally, are of advantage, and they are
bound to come, but they have their
time and place of coming, which are
after more important things are set
tled. It must be remembered that kind
words and rest rooms and libraries
and lectures and other so called al
truistic measures, although excellent
in their proper time and place, do not
in themselves bring happiness and con
tentment, for they do not supply food
and clothes and house rent and home
comforts, and the latter are what men
work for. Of such things, therefore.
intil the proper time arrives the men
become suspicious, as they partake of
the nature of charity, and honest
workmen resent anything of such a
nature. The men must be mentally
happy and well advanced in modern
thought and methods before sucli
things can be introduced.
Nor should an employer allow the
announcement to becon:e current that
he has a "model shop" when he has
made his business a success by adopt
ing the methods outlined above and
added such conveniences as he finds
are of common advantage to his busi
ness and his . men. Intelligent work
men are sensitive to being referred to
as adjuncts to anything "model."
An attempt to advertise an enter
prise by proclaiming that philan
thropic principles dominate its man
agement may be elective fir a tlm,
but men lose respect for such philan
thropy and its projectors. There is no
philanthropy about it; it is pure busi
ness. Nor should a manager announce
to his men or to the public that he in
corporates advanced ideas in his eys
tem of management "because it pays."
No advantage can be gained by such a
course. It will, in fact, be found that
it does not pay. He should no more
think of making such a statement than
of saying that he keeps his own hands
and face clean or changes his linen
daily "because it pays." H. F. J.
Porter in Cassier's Magazine.
PRICE OF FODDER.
"1 see," said the head of the firm,
"that you have an article in one of the
magazines this month, entitled 'How to
Live on Four Dollars a Week.' "
"Yes," said the young man in a hesi
tating sort of way.
"You seem to have demonstrated in a
thoroughly reasonable way the practi
cability of making four dollars cover
one's legitimate weekly necessities,"
said his employer, "and. comparing ar
gument with those of others who have
written on the same subject, I presume
you are expecting that your article
will take the first prize?"
The young man nodded an affirma
tive. "I congratulate you," his employer
continued. "It's a good article; I read
it with great interest. And, by the
way. I've been troubled a good deal
lately. I've felt that it must be mighty
hard for you to get along on what I
was paying you, and I've been wonder
ing how I could work things around so
as to give you more without increas
ing the running expenses of the con
cern." "Yes?" the young writer answered.
with a hopeful inflection.
"But it's all right. I see," the old gen
tleman went on. "You can live on
four dollars a week and that leaves you
six dollars to have fun with or save,
as you please. So there's a load off my
mind. Say. If you write any more arti
cles along this line, tell me about them,
will you? I'd like to read 'em. It's
great stuff. When the secretary of the
Bankers and Business Men's Protective
Association suggested the raising of a
fund to offer prizes in the leading mag
azines for essays on 'How to Live on
Four Dollars a Week,' and said that
large employers of labor might save
two or three times what they sub
scribed to the fund by reading these
essays and satisfying themselves that
there was no necessity of paying big
salaries, I thought he was wrong. But
you've convinced me and proven him
right, my boy." said the old capitalist,
as he smilingly bowed the prize-essay
writer out of his private office. Mixed
Stocks.
LOW WOOL PRICES.
From the Helena Independent: This
explanation of the low price of wool
(that it is the result of the use of cot
ton in making cloth) throws no light
on the action of the beneficent Dingley
law. which was given to the wool
growers with a whoop and a guaranty
that it would keep up the price of wool
and make the wool growers prosper
ous. It was asserted that the Wilson
Gorman law was the cause of the low
price of wool during its existence. The
protectionists refused to admit that
there was or could be any other cause.
They asserted that Dingley protection
for wool would raise the price of wool
and keep the price up. When the great
Australian drouth killed more than
20,000,000 sheep the protectionists re
fused to mention it. claiming that the
high price of wool, in Europe as well
as In America, was due to tne Dingley
law.
Secretary Hedges now tells us that
the predicted good effects of the Ding
ley law on tht price of wool are Inter
ferred with by the wicked manufac
turers of the East, who are "diluting
woolen goods with cotton. Why not
amend the Dingley law so as to prohib
it these manufacturers from "diluting"
In this way and thus interfering with
the beneficent effects of the law?
Secretary Hedges tells the Record
that the "low price of wool will also
affect the character of the sheep busi
ness materially." Yet the Dingley law
rsigna. though its guaranty is im-
paired. But why not put the wost
tariff higher? Mr. Hedges tells ns that
the present low price of wool under tn
price-raising DIngley law "will drive
the sheep men to raising sheep mors
for the mutton than for the wool they
bear." But why don't the sheep mea
move on Congress and demand a high
er tariff? Possibly the tariff isn't high
enough.
If the sheep men are driven, under
the DIngley law. to raising sheep more
for mutton than for wool, will the price
of the sheep fall? Mr. Hedges leaves
us to infer that it will not. on account
of the advancing price of beef. If a
higher price of beef causes a higher
price of mutton, will the protectionists
forcet all about it and claim that the
higher price of mutton is due to the
Dingley law?
SLAVERY IN PENNSYLVANIA.
The North American has presented a
faithful picture of some of the condi
tions prevailing In the anthracite coal
district the contemplation of which
fhould make Pennsylvania ashamed
that it has been necessary for the min
ers to ask for renef at the hands of
the legislature.
It is a reproach to an American
commonwealth that any portion of Its
population could be made the victims
of a system of industrial slavery that
violates the principles of its organic
law and Is in every aspect, worse than
feudalism.
The depths of human misery are
sounded by the toilers in the mines.
No serf was ever more absolutely at
the mercy of his master than is many
a miner in Pennsylvania, who Is the
perpetual debtor of the company store.
This miner must work for such wages
as the operator sees fit to pay, and he
must pay such prices for what he con
sumes as the operator see's fit to exact.
By a system of acounts that is fraudul
ent on its face, the prices are
made to consume the wages,
and revolt against the robbery
means starvation for the min
er and his family. There are ramines
in the anthracite district who have
tolled for ten years at the hardest
work done by human beings and never
received a dollar in cah.
No more consideration is given to
the needs of these toilers, beyond such
as may be necessary to keep them
alive while they are able to work,
than is given to the wants cf wild
animals. The mules that haul ore are
treated more humanely than are the
men who mine it. No adequate precau
tions against loss of life or limb are
taken, if expense be involved, because
no capital is invested in human life,
and death and suffering cost nothing
to the company. Laws enacted to make
murderous negligence expensive to
corporations are nullified by subordi
nation of those appointed to enforce
them. Human life is held more cheaply
in jJjsiqd ne wok nis razor, laier
nei, in a tree, and murdered his wife
Aniiild. Then coming to a realiza
Df what he had done he deter
1 to end it all by taking his own
j Not wishing to leave anything
betis wife's relatives, against whom
of It very bitter, he sought to de
reaall his property by killing his
fal., and placing his wagon, buggy
duiarness where it would be burned,
orit fire to the house. He then went
jt"e and ended the tragedy by sboot
jnilmself. .
anter their marriage certificate was
mil on the grindstone. It is sup
edl that he left it there to prevent
sitrandal .
CO
ba General Crop Summary.
past week was hot and dry.
pr"3ally mean temperature averaged
pDsrrees above normal. The rainfall
the'ery Hffht, no amount sufficient to
aterops was reported. Tbe hot, dry
duiier was very unfavorable for all
anting crops. Thrashing of winter
ratt has made good progress and the
cis good and quality fine. Spring
a h and oats have ripened too rap
nii northern counties, and the
vvewill generally be reduced. Early
duci corn is beginning to tassel in
proem counties and has been consid
on f damaged by the drought; later
wa!ed corn is standing the drought
boat
but corn generally has deterior-
th in condition during the past
wai
Ext; Corn is small and late and most
the Jias nt tasseled, and with rain
whcwould recover largely from the
lani of the dry weather. However,
plns-nneca jeen.. - ..
forniens who are trying to raise
French walnuts, feared that their pro
ducts would be reduced.
"FREE AND INDEPENDENT"
Till a man is independent he is not
free. The man who is In danger of
want is not a free man, and the coun
try which does not guard him against
this danger or does not insure him the
means of a livelihood is not a fres
country, though it may be the freest
country that is. Liberty and poverty
are incompatible, and if the poverty i
extreme, liberty Is impossible. The un
rest which we call labor troubles Is
nothing more or less than an endeavor
for the liberty which the working class
are disposed of. William Dean How
ells. Edison, the inventor, says a dispatch
has become tired of inventing things
to make others rich, and proposes to
place his last invention on the market
and reap the harvest himself. Edison
is a poor man, compared to the men
who have made fortunes from his
brains. Still, this is the best system
on earth, and under it a man of ge
niuB gets a full reward for his efforts
For Instance, Otto Merganthaler, the
inventor of the linotype, died almost
in poverty, while the men who swin
dled him out of the wonderful device
he perfected, rolled in wealth.
Senator Beverldge, the most rampant
expansionist in Congress, is on the
way to Russia, ostensibly to study
commecial conditions in that country.
In view of Mr. Beveridge's well-known
notions on the subject, it is not unfair
to suspect that the real purpose of his
visit concerns the ultimate annexation
of the czar's dominions to our already
growing property. Of one thing at least
we may be quite sure, with regard to
the Senator's travels, somebody els
pays the freight. Monitor.
FORESTS.
Pro teetlon
Stria coat
If I astl tat!
for Persons.
Russia has elaborated a system for
the protection of her forests as strin
gent In Its provisions as If It were
Instituted for the protection of human
beings, which In reality it Is. Only so
much wood may be cut down annu
ally in each locality as will be com
pensated for by the growth of the re
maining trees, and all the clearances
made are immediately replenished by
young plants. Even private owners
of forests are not permitted to cut
down their trees except under gov
ernment Inspection. No absolute
ownership in tree3 Is now recognized,
in fact, but that of the state. As a
matter of fact, a very large part of
the Russian forests belong entirely to
the ttate. The largest private, or rath
er Emi-prlvate, proprietor Is tbe ad
ministration of the imperial appan
ages, which possess numerous es
tates, the revenues from which are
devoted exclusively to the support of
the nicmh-rs of the Russian Imperial
family. The total area of these estates
is v. good deal over twenty million
acres. Being situated in the most di
verse districts, an extraordinary va
riety of sub-tropical and temperate
HHtural productions is cultivated. In
cluding sugar, tobacco, cotton, wine,
tea, fruit, roses, as well as grain of
every kind. The principal culture, how
ever, at any rpte in extent, is timber,
forests, covering nearly fifteen mil
lion acre of the total. In the explor
ation of these forests the greatest car
has to be given. Pearson's Magazine
for June.
STEALS LIVE HONEY BEES.
Georgia, Thief Got A war wltU
a Xol
lilt of Plunder.
The thief is not very choice about
what he steals these days. Not very
many months ago the Macon Telegraph
related an Instance where somebody
had stolen a red-hot stove from the
kitchen of a Walnut street residence
while supper was being cooked. Now
comes a man who stole iour beehive
in which were a myriad of the little
stingers. It is well known that a pro
fessional chicken thief has a language
by which he can persuade the barn
yard fowls to keep a deadly silence
at night while he picks over the lot of
them and inveigles Into a sack those on
which his fancy becomes fixed, but it
is rather surprising to hear that any
man can make bees understand that
they must not sting him as be lifts a
busy hive to his shoulder in the dead
hour of the night and marches across
country with it. This Is what has been
done, however. In a neighborhood
through which Ross street runs a bee
farm was robbed night before last and
iour big hives were carried so far that
Aiiluubees have not yet found their way
gramk to their old homes. It is said
be g when bees want to go to any
cla.ssrf'cu'ar Place they rise in the air
ancei circle around until they find tb
Arran"" "rect'OD anc' then make what
. Tommonly known as a "bee line,"
ig straighter to the place than a
Swf
could fly.
quite,
. . . Scots Had aa Eve to Itoolne.s.
weatCj medievaj university differed in
and a,v reBpect8 from our Idea of a mod
lent a university. It wa primarily a
brand d of teachers and scholars, formed
workl onimon protection and mutual aid.
madef'8 a republic of letters. hoso
from
fcibers were exempt from all serv-
housJ
private and public, all personal
-s and contributions, and from all
a cot
procedure In courts of law. The
pitch
hicg function was often secondary
answA
and ii
often entirely overlooked. Th
tlsh university from the begin-
clothe;, however, emphasized the teach-
fecteq
function and created an
atmos-
learnije academic rather than civil or
it imif caL The ea"y curriculum waa
e, but ruiiy aoreast or tne ago.
(prising in the main, philosophy
Thef
logy, canon and civil law. All In--tion
was in Latin and the writing
rived
ing, a
Latin dissertations was the dally
of the student a straight and
ow way of learning. Scribner's
it wi
They
azine.
the ri
Mond Decile la Rrltlsta Acrtraltare,
davs' he agricultural returns for 1900. Just
nauend. show that the decline of Brit
sents P-eritxlt.ure fctill pursues Its painful
J so. The area under corn crops In
Tit L'rltUii, which a generation ago.
orches870 v.:i1 943,000 acres, has fallen
Omah 333 000 acres; that is to say it is
by one-quarter than it was then.
The area under green crops has also
fallen almost as heavily while only
the acreage laid down in grass and
clover shows an Increase. In horses,
cattle, sheep and pigs, there is a slight
advance in the period, but not such
as to keep pace with the Increase In
population or to compensate for tbe
diminished corn production. The
England which used to grow her own
corn and to feed herself is becoming
each year more dependent upon im
portations. Prlao Feneer of Italy.
One of tbe most remarkable swords
men of the day in Italy, one of those
Old World nations in which the
knowledge of fencing not only is an
accomplishment, but a prime necessity
of life, is 12-year-old Signor Attillo
Monferrlto. This lad has Just won
the national fencing tournament In
Bologna. His antagonists were th
most celebrated fencers in Italy, In
cluding Sartori, whose assistant At
tillo UBed to be. Now the former em
ployer, who was a prize winner In his
day. Is beaten by a mere boy.
Widowhood la Ka mat ra.
In Sumatra the wind decides the
length of time a widow should remain
single. Just after her husband's death
she plants a flagstaff at her door, upon
which a flag Is raised. While the flag
remains untorn by the wind the eti
quette of Sumatra forbids her to mar
ry, but at the first rent, however tiny,
she can lay aside her weed, assume
her most bewitching smile and accept
the first man who presents himself.
Mountain of the Monks.
In the "Mountain of the Monks,"
on the coast of Macedonia, there are
twenty monasteries. The place is
sacred to the male sex. and no woman
is allowed to cross Its borders.
RUSSIA'S
1
T
n
"t
