1 Commoner
-t-
Extracts Prom W.
The Strike.
A strike is on between organized la
"bor and the steel company, and it seems
to involve the right of labor to organ
ize for its own protection. President
Shaffer, who represents the men, is
confident' of success, while the ofiieers
f the Steel trust as yet show no sig-n
of weakening-. Mr. Shaffer says that
Uie men will not resort to foree and
.hat there will "be no destruction of
projertr. As long as this proaiise is
kept, public sympathy will be w ith the
Jaborinjr men.
The right of labor to organize ought
not to be questioned, and yet the growth
of trusts is directly opposed to the in
terests of the laboring men. and, as
"very trust is a menace to the labor
organizations, it is strange that any
Jatioring man votes with the trusts.
When the head of a great corporation
oontrols all the factories which employ
-skilled labor in any particular line, lie
is very likely to dictate terms. Capital
does not need food or clothing. If it
-remains idle for a montli or a year its
-owner simply loses his income for the
period of its idleness, but with the la
loring man it is different. His hunger
cannot le suspenden; his need for
clothing and shelter knows no cessa
tion; the children must be cared for.
and with all of the nation's boasted
pnsperity the average wage earner is
wot able to live long without work.
Heretofore, the laborer has found his
protection in the fact that the employ
er could not close down his factory for
a great length of time without loss of
?raJe and loss of employes. In case of
n strike his business was in danger of
leing cbsorled by other firms, and his
employes were apt to le scattered.
When, however, the monopoly of an
industry is complete the employe can
not seek work of a rival firm because
iheTV i no rival firm, and he cannot
engage in other business without los
ing the advantage of his skill and ex
perienee. It is to le hoped that the
Jalxiringmen will win in the present
conflict, but if they were as unanimous
n election day as they are when a
-strike is ordered they could remedy
their grievances without a strike or
Joss of employment.
The steel trust may prove a blessing
in disguise if it convinces the waire
arners of the country that "a private
monopoly is indefensible and intoler
able." "o Middle (.round.
If anyone thinks that plutocracy can
le placated by an abandonment of sil
ver, let him read the New York Sun.
That paper has earned the right to le
considered the chief exponent of the
money worshipping element in Ameri
can politics. Instead of thanking the
hio democrats for ignoring the mon
ey question it warns them that anti
trust legislation would le more dan
gerous to the country than free silver.
It says:
We demand the suppression of all
trusts.' There is a monstrous propo
sition. Were there any way of
carrying it into effect inilu-itrial dis
aster more widespread anil ruinous
than lias ever fallen upon the country
would lie the result. There would le
a commercial cataclysm. The amount
of capital and of labor dependent upon
these combinations is so vast that to
crr.s'i them would he to bring on un
paralleled economic calamity compared
with which the free coinage of silver
would have inrn a fly bite."
So. we are to have a panic and all
sorts of calamity if we destroy the
trusts'.1 WclL this is discouraging.
But it only shows that there is run
ning through all the republican pol
icies, the same vicious principle and
every policy is defended by the some
brutal argument: "Accept our poli
cies: submit to our demands, or we
bring on a panic!"1 Sjmc think that
they can make peaee with the money
trust and thea fight the other trusts,
but it is a vaii. hope. There is no mid
dle ground. The democratic party
must le with the people entirely or
acainst them entirely. The moment
it liegins tt compromise it loses more
than it can possibly gain.
A rrtlnent rit Iriam.
t The San Juan. Porto Rico. News,
commenting on the supreme court de
cision in the insular cases, says:
We are and are not part oi the
I'nited States. We are and are not a
foreign country. We are and are not
citizens of the I'nited States We are
and are not to have our money back.
The tarifT ir and is not void. The con
stitution does and does not extend and
its limitations do and do not apply.
"I'pon these points the justices dis
agree, five in favor and four against.
Are we or are we not. or are we it?"
This alxmt covers the case but the
editor of the News should remember
that there is a perhaps" lefore the
freedom of the press in "our posses
sions" now.
After Seeretarj- Wilson has kckedno
the sugar trust into smithereens by
providing enough raw sugar to keep
all the refineries going will he kindly
provide a way of smashing the oil trust,
which has a cinch on all of the raw
material in its line.
Political conditions become corrupt
ec: use vice isoontinuous in its opera
tion while virtne is often spasmodic.
The many who simply want good gov
ernment arouse themselves occasional
ly to secure some neetsary reform but
the few who make money out of legis
lation are always alert and active.
I.iet the democrats of Ohio vote the
ticket and then begin the next day af
ter election to organize the congress
al districts so that it will not be possi
ble for a corporation democrat to se
- cure a nomination.
If the Ohio democrats want toi get a
good idea of their platform let them
examine Mr. Watterson's plans- and
. specifications for a platform and then
read his praise of the Ohio platform.
The steel trust should treat with the
striking steel trust workers. It might
result in ending a drouth that threat
ens to dry up all the water in the steel
trust stocks.
Salisbury and Chamberlain insist
that the war in South Africa is over,
"but British agents are still scouring
-Missouri for mule.
Comment
J. Bryan's Paper.
.-' -. . . . . . . ...... .
-.--...-.".
I'rlnciplrs, Not Men.
Mr. Mel. can makes a mistake when
he assumes that he can overthrow the
Kansas City platform by attacking Mr.
Bryan. He was so exultant over the
triumph which he achieved in the re
cent Ohio convention that his paper,
the Enquirer, contained the following
editorial item:
'"Since the adoption of the Ohio plat
form perhaps Marse Henry Watterson
will not regard it as necessary to per
severe in a controversy with William
Jennings Bryan."
It has leen an open secret for some
time that Mr. McLean did not like Mr.
Bryan, but the public is not so much
interested in knowing Mr. McLean's
opinion of Mr. Uryan as it is in know
his views on public questions. Mr.
McLean aspires to represent Ohio in
the I'nited States senate and as a sena
tor holding office for six' years he
would vote on several important ques
tions. His platform denouees trusts
but the remedies proposed are not suf
ficient: he ought to endorse the reme
dies set forth in the Kansas City plat
form or suggest others equally good.
Jlis platform denounces imperialism;
he ought to endorse the remedy pro
posed by the Kansas City platform or
suggest some other remedy equally as
good. His platform does not btate his
views on government by injunction,
arbitration and the blacklist: Mr. Mc
Lean ought to make his position clear j
on these points.
Mr. McLean will have to vote on va
rious phases of the money question.
Whether congress will have to deal
with the proposition to open the mints
to the free and unlimited coinage of
silver at the ratio of 10 to 1 will depend
upon conditions. No one is able to
speak with certainty upon the subject,
but the republicans are pushing the
following:
HILL.
To maintain the legal tender silver
dollar at parity with gold.
lie it enacted by the senate and
house of representatives of the United
Statesof America in congress assembled
That the secretary of the treasury is
hereby authorized to coin the silver
bullion in the treasury, purchased un
der the act of .July 14th. lS'JO. into such
denominations of subsidiary silver coin
as he may deem necessary to meet pub
lic requirements, and thereafter, as
public necessities may demand, to re
coin silver dollars into subsidiary eoin,
and as much of any act as fixes a limit
to the aggregate of subsidiary silver
coin outstanding, and so much of any
act as directs the coinage of any por
tion of the bullion purchased under the
act of July 14th. 1 !.. into standard
silver dollars, is hereby repealed.
The secretary of the treasury is here
by directed to maintain at all times at
parity with gold the legal tender sil
verdollars remaining outstanding; and
to that end he is hereby directed to ex
change gold for legal tender silver dol
lars when presented to the treasury in
the sum of five dollars or any multiple
thereof, and all provisions of law for
the use and maintenance of the reserve
fund in the treasury relating to United
States notes are. in the discretion of
the secretary of the treasury, hereby
made applicable to the exchange of le
gal tender silver dollars.
Mr. McLean resides at the national
capital and knows what is going on;
why was his platform silent alniut this
question? It is easy to sit down on"'
Mr. llryan--he is only important as he
aids in accomplishing reforms but to
sit down on" democratic principles
and a national platform is a more seri
ous matter. liefore Mr. McLean puts
on the senatorial toga he is likely to
discover that the voters of the demo
cratic party are a great deal more in
terested in principles than they are in
individuals.
The Commoner is under obligations
to the Minneapolis Times for its long
range defence of Mr. Bryan. The edi
tor of the Commoner does not claim to
speak for anyone except himself, but
he has faith in the righteousness of
the Kansas City platform and there
are so many people who believe with
him that he has no fear of becoming
lonesome. If any democrat is tempted
to purchase the favor of financiers by
a surrender of democratic principles,
let him read the obituary notices of a
numler of prominent democrats who
ended their political existence between
1'.I3 and IS'iC.
The Commoner in its last issue,
speaking of the Ohio convention, cred
ited General Finley with the resolution
reaffirming the Kanaas City platform.
This was an error: the resolution was
introduced by W. L. Finley, editor of
the Kenton Press, and not by General
Finley. Apologies are hereby extend
ed to both gentleman.
Constant Reader No.-the republican
party does not assume the responsibil
ity for the drouth; it claims credit for
everything good but blames Providence
for everything bad.
The stability of the country's boast
ed prosperity is well measured by the
panic aroused at the thought of a total
crop failure.
Nothing is cheaper than a good book
While the Ohio democrats have by
their timidity weakened themselves on
national issues they are strong on state
issues. It will le interesting to hear
what the republicans have to say
against the Johnson planks in regard
to equal taxation and a popular vote on
franchises.
The injury accomplished by our pol
icy of imperialism is wide spread. The
people of South America have been in
spired to free government by our ear
ample and the nearer they approach
free government the more material ha
been their progress.
The dispute about the authorship
of the famous dispatch to Ad
miral Dewey continues to rage. No
one claiming the authorship is willing,
however, to father the invitation sent
to Aguinaldo to come to Hong Kong.
Senator Scott says he wrote 17,640
letters during the presidential cam
paign. This should enable General
Sickles to find a lot of company for hia
misery.
Young Mr. Rockefeller's Damon to
young Mr. Gould's Pythias is evidently
a rank burlesque on the old story.
WILL LEARN LESSON.
SHOUTERS FOR M'KINLEY
LOOK FOR JOBS.
TO
Consolidation of Railroads TV CI Throw
Thousand Out of Their Jobs An
other Result of the Kelsw of Trust
Servants at Washington.
The employes of the railroads will
suffer by the combination that tba rail
road interests have perfected and a
good many will be hunting Jobs in a
few weeks. They will thus be thrown
into competition with the higher paid
clerks in other lines of business anJ
eventually force lower irages thaa.
even now prevail for tiis class ot
labor. The Railroad Sers says: "It
Js reported that the offices of railroadj
in the different combinations located
in all principal cities throughout the
country will be consolidated. The re
port is revived in connection with the
Morgan-Hill syndicate operations. Af
ter the offices of individual lines under
the same ownership have been brought
together it is said that thousands of
solicitors and passenger agents will
be eliminated in the interests of
economy."
When these men voted to elect a Re
publican congress, and nearly all of
them so voted, they helped to intrench
the combines and trusts in power and
their only hope now is to join the at
tacking force of the Democrats and
force asunder these combinations that
free competition may again prevail.
SENATORS. TRUSTS AND CACE.
The Protective Tariff League and the
Home Market Club of Boston, who
look through the same glass?s and see
nothing but ruin for the country un
less the trusts are protected, have been
making a fight for some months to get
Mr. Gibson out of the office of counsel
to the treasury department before the
Board of General Appraisers and have
Mr. Washburn. Senator Lodge's private
secretary, appointed in his place. Sen
ator Lodge and other senators have
been aiding the trusts in this matter
and in the haughty manner of Repub
lican politicians demanded that Secre
tary Gage at once make the appoint
ment and followed it up by a telephone
message asking why the removal and
the appointment bad not been made.
Secretary Gage, whose vertebrae is not
very rigid, did not resent these de
mands and succumbed to the trusts.
Noting these facts, the New York I
Times says: But it would give great j
joy to some millions of the American !
people if some time the head of a de- !
partment who dearly loved a fight j
would send back to his insulters j
through the mails or over the telephone :
wires messages of loud defiance, ac- j
companied by opinions on the charac-
ter and habits of place-hunting sena
tors, enlivened by epithet and glowing
with justified ancer vces irom muisu uiuriveLs aie iuii
; American steel billets are being offer-
A DEMORALIZED REPUBLICAN, led at very low prices, which, in view
Senator Foraker. who was coquet- of the strength of billets at home, may
ting with the Democrats but a few j be taken to indicate that American
months ago. has now turned over all ; manufacturers are in the export busi
his fire apparatus to Senator Hanna j ness to stay." This is the strongest
to save his political neck and help th? 1 evidence that has been offered to
latter loot the treasury with ship-sub- j prove the case of the tariff reformers,
sidies and rob the people with pro- j that the trust is selling to foreigners
tection for the trusts. Louis Post in : for a much less price than to our own
the Public says: Senator Foraker. of ; ,,eonle and the nrotertiriT, nf th Tiinsr-
Ohio, makes a better candidate for re- !
election than he would make for Mrs.
Irving's offer of $1.0o0 to the success
ful man who can carry on his affairs ;
for a month without lying. While de- '
livering the opening speech at the
Ohio Republican convention he tried '
to fool the people by declaiming
against municipal ownership of public 1
utilities as enlarging "the field and op- I
portunities or the political boss." So
i;ravely and with such oiliness was this
said, that one might suppose Senator
Foraker had never heard of "the field
and opportunities of the political boss,"
:'n connection with utilities, which bis
good friend and copartisan, the delect
able Senator Quay, has in Pennsyl
vania utilized beyond the dreams of
avaricious power without municipal
ownership. Yet some of Mr. Foraker's
hearers must have known, as Mr. For
aker doubtless did himself, that with
municipal ownership, nothing like so
great an abuse of power over public
utilities would be possible.
THE TRUSTS ADVANCE PRICES.
The Republicans have been claiming
that the trusts are good things, that
they raise wages and increase trade
and generally benefit consumers. This
optimistic view does not gibe with the
facts that are daily coming to light.
The latest exposure of the rapacity of
the trusts is the increased price that
the Window-glass trust is demanding
of it victims. The Florists Exchange
publishes the following letter:
"Toledo, O. J. J. Jackson has let
the contract to Bostwick. Braum & Co.,
for 215 boxes of glass to be used in
the construction of the big greenhouses
to be erected, for Henry Crane & Co.
of East Toledo. Some idea of the
profits of the trusts can be gathered
from the fact that last year Mr. Jack
son bought for $2.50 a box the glas3
for which he now pays $5.60 per box.
Previously to that the glass had sold
at $1.50 a box."
Is this not indirect violation of our
laws, or are there no laws by which
these men can be reached?
T. H. NORTON.
Higbstown. N. J.
The Glass trust is a monopoly which
the Republican protective tariff fosters
with an average tax of 3 cents a
pound on common window glass, which
Is practically a prohibitive duty, as all
the glass of this kind imported in 1900
was $1,555,924 in value.
Tne Increase In price of nearly 200
per cent Is doubtiess in consequence of
the lack of competition and since the
rival manufacturers have been bought
out hy the trust, so that every man that
builds a house pays a direct tax to the
trust and this in consequence of the
protective tariff.
NOT A SUBJECT FOR CON
GRATULATION. The enormous taxes wrung from the
people during the past year through
the war taxes and other Internal
revenue sources, besides the tax col
lected under the protective tariff is a
great satisfaction to Republican news
paper organs.
"The nation's books show an enor
mous profit account," shouts a gushing
Washington correspondent. Tt seems
that the governmenj revenues were
greater last year than for any previous
year and that the collections from tax
ation were $77,000,000 in excess of the
expenditures. This declaration is made
ir a hilarious spirit as If the money
bad been won in a raffle or was the
fruit e plunder confiscated from a for
eign enemy. But every dollar of the
eknost inestimable amounts collected
and placed in the treasury was con
tributed by American taxpayers. Every
man's wages were docked, every man's
honest profits in business were less
ened, every source of private revenue
was tapped to get this money for the
government. It is not a subject for
triumph by partisan eulogis ts. If they
could show how much the people, had
been saved, not how much the people
had been taxed, it would be a subject
for congratulation.
HUNTING A PLAIN FAC'i.
That industrious bunch of profes
sional office seekers known as the In
dustrial Commission, are playing hide
and seek with a fact that is in plain
view of those who wart to see it. The
fact that some of the members of the
commission wish to find and ihe others
do not is. "are American goods sold
abroad cheaper than at home?" Mr.
Schwab, the million dollar president of
the steel trust, testified before the com
mission that this was the case. The
secretary of the Home Market Club
admits the same, but these authorities
insist there is no harm in it. The
great majority of the commission be
ing Republicans, they may not find the
fact, but the minority have it right be
fore them if it has not be?n suppressed
like some other matters have been.
This Industrial Commission has not
been a roaring Republican surcess.
REPUBLICAN BRIGANDS.
When ten thousand men struggle to
participate in a public meeting as the
people did in Philadelphia a short time
ago, to denounce the Republican ma
chine and to take steps to elect a dis
trict attorney who, for well doing, had
been turned down by the ring, there .5s
some hope that the people will tri
umph. The Republican machine was de
nounced by Col. Alexander K. MeClure
in unsparing terms. He said: "A be-
a-i n r GUff-pccinn of nnlilic rohiher-.
. ieS- the Hke of wnicn no state has ever
known, compels the people of this
commonwealth to make war today
upon the mcst corrupt band of political
brigands ever organized in th? L'nited
States." And yet with the present
election laws in Pennsylvania it will
be found almost impossible to defeat
them.
THE TRUSTS DO DISCRIMINATE.
Bradstreet, in a late weekly review
cf the ir0n and.stee! market, said: Ad-
ley tariff that allows the trust to do
tnis. should tie repealed. Senator ai-
lison and other Republican I'nited
States senators who have denied that
the trusts are doing this please take
notice.
Government irrigation of the arid
lands of the western states is sure to
; come in the future when the density of
population demands it. but the Chey
J enne plan will only lead to a few men
i gobbling all the water rights and leave
the people who work the land to pay
outrageous water rents. The Philadel
phia Record says: Congress is to be
asked next winter to set aside all
money received from public land sales
in fifteen western states and terri
tories to be used only for constructing
reservoirs in semi-arid sections. The
states may thereafter sell the com
pleted works to "actual users of wa
ter." This is the latest plan approved
by western talent in convention at
Cheyenne for saddling the cost of ir
rigation on the federal treasury.
There is mililons in it if it can be
made to work.
The Hanna system of winning elec
tions is a unique one. Promise any
thing and buy all in sight, would be a
fair way or putting it. Senator Scott
of West Virginia, was the head of the
promising bureau, and he does not
seem to have been chary in making
them, especially to the old soldiers
The administration, after election was
over was not so free in redeeming
these anti-election vote getters and
Evans is still commissioner of pen
sions. much to the disgust of General
Dan Sickels and the other veterans
Hanna should make McKlnley redeem
these drafts on credulity.
The latest thing in trusts is an In
ternational Salt trust, the first of its
kind. There is a tariff on salt and be
ing an article of necessity, any re
straint in its manufacture or sale is
against public policy and if the anti
trust law will not reach the matter
it must be amended so that Rockefeller
and the other salt trust barons can be
punished.
That vain old gentleman. Senator
Depew, before he left for Europe,
boasted of his friendship with the two
or three men in each country tnat
controls political affairs. He is gone
to have a confidential chat with them
and will perhaps later let us know
just where we are on tariff and other
matters in our dealings with the for
eigners. Mr. Dawes and his Kerry men who
look after the national banks never
seem to be able to discover trouble un
til it is so acute that everyone but the
small depositor, knows it. If Dawea
would pay more attention to examin
ing banks than to Illinois politics to
further his own ambition, the public
might be better protected.
Nothing is more
preparation.
profitable thar
GOSPEL OF GREED.
AGAINST WHICH ALL REFORM
ERS MUST SOON UNITE.
Ownership In Air Rights of Ileal Eitate
Owners Above Their Land Can Men
Klffhtrully Claim Ownership or At
mosphere, The value of land in a groat city has
long been recognized, but fc- people,
perhaps, have realized how far up and
down real estate ownership extends.
A lawsuit just decided in New York
has settled the fact that a man can get
damages if his neighbor encroaches
for even a few inches on the air aboe
the land to which he has a legal claim.
The evidence in the case just decid
ed showed that the wall of a twenty
story building on Broadway overhanga
the land adjoining, at the first cornice
of the building three inches and a
quarter; at the second cornice three
inches and three-quarters. At the New
street end there is an overhang of
one and one-eighth inches, and in ad
dition to this there are overhanging
cornices and swinging shutters. The
owner of the air encroached upon got
opinions from experts that the conse
quent injury to him was from $50,000
to $250,000, says the Boston Globe.
Judge Lawrence of the supreme
court has awarded to the sufferer
$5,000 damages. He says that the de
fendant will be enjoined from main
taining the cornices and swinging
shutters, the injunction to take effect
when the plaintiff decides, if at all.
to carry up his building, which is four
stories high, or to erect another higher
building. If the defendant agrees to
pay the $5,000 the plaintiff must give
an acquittance of all claim for the en
croachment of the wall. The defend
ant must also declare that he will
make no claim of adverse possession
r the time the cornices and shutters
remain.
Real estate experts say that the case
is of such importance that it may be
carried to a higher court on an appeal.
The present decision has shown, how
ever, that the plaintiffs hopes for
damages were not altogether "in the
air." Theoretically, it would appear, a
man's ownership of a piece of land ex
tends upward to the limit of the at
mosphere and downward to the center
cf the earth.
WINNING THEM OVER.
They are beginning to find out in
Cleveland that Mayor Tom Johnson is
no humbug and that he is earnestly
and honestly endeavoring to bring
about true and wholesome reforms.
The Cleveland Press, which has been
radically opposed to him, has now
come over to his side. It realizes that
Johnson means business, it says:
"All true lovers of justice will ap
plaud the mayor's work for the
smoothing down of tax inequalities
and will hope for his ultimate success.
"The human goo.se squawks less, as
the feathers are plucked from him. if
he can witness the denuding of his fal
lows. "It is th Idea that the fellow next
door, by some social or political pull,
or other unfair advantage, is avoiding
his juft share that gives most of the
weight to tax burthens. I'nder a just,
equitable, impartial system, men would
take real pride in being taxpayers.
whereas, now, the rich hide their tax
able wea:th and the poor boar the
stronger men's loads without relief. It
is the injustice that hurts
most. The mayor is in a
rather peculiar position. Upon
his advice, a large percentage was ad
ded to the valuation of his people's
property for taxation purposes. He
must eliminate the injustice the in
equalities or stand convicted of fool
ishly augmenting the injustice. His
tremendous expenditure of labor and
time on the work is strong proof of
his sincerity. If he is sincere and con
tinues to be fearless, impartial and
consistent, his success seems to be
only a matter of obtaining the support
of legislation and the people. He has
established at the city hall a bureau,
where maps of the wards have been
prepared and where he can come into
direct contact with the property own
ers, on certain days. This port of labor
for the public deserves to be met with
the hearty co-operation of the public.
It is difficult to do much for a patient
who refuses the doctor all information.
The Press urges property owners to go
to Doctor Johnson and tell him where
they ache.
SWISS RAILROADS.
They have a very crude and oppres
sive way of handling the railroad busi
ness in Switzerland. About two years
ago the government bought the entire
railroad system of the nation and pro
ceeded to show what it could do. Af
ter increasing the wages, reducing the
hours of the employes, and reducing
the tariff to one-third its former rate
on both freight and passengers, the
officials were not satisfied, and put in
a system of season tickets, by buying
one of which for $16 you can ride on
any railroad in the nation as often as
you please, as long as you please, and
at any time within its limit that you
please. Did you ever hear or snch
oppression? Was tyranny ever more
tyrannous? How glad we should be
that w-e live in a free country where
we have to pay three cents a mile to
travel, have to use the ticket on the
day of purchase or lose it; where we
have to sign our name and prove our
identity to every conductor; where
we are looked upon with suspicion
whenever we present a coupon ticket,
for fear we have patronized a scalper
you bet, how thankful that we live in
a free country. And. what is worse,
the government of Switzerland re
ceives enough returns to pay interest
on $100,000 a mile, which it paid for
the railroads and is laying hy a sink
ing fund that will wipe out the debt
in fifty years. But then the Swiss are
heathens, and don't know nothin no
how. 'Rah for corporation-owned rail
roads and freedom! Appeal to Rea
son. A POLITICAL BANK SWINDLE.
The Seventh National Bank of New
York City, has been closed by the
Comptroller of Currency under circum
stances which Indicate that some gl-
gantlc stealing has been going on. The
cause given by the Comptroller for his
action was that $1,600,000 of the bank s
money had been loaned to a firm spec
ulating in railroad stocks, practically
without perurity. One sum or $300,000
was given to the firm on checks drawn
on a fictitious deposit in another bank.
The comptroller some daj-B ago order
ed that the entire loan be paid or that
the bank suspend business. The direc
tors pretended to comply with the or
der, but in reality simply disposed of
$1,000,000 of good securities, retaining
the worthless securities put up by the
speculators. Hence the order to discon
tinue business.
The Seventh National Bank was in
part owned by the Heath family, of
which Perry S. Heath is tne political
member. As assistant postmaster gen
eral he secured the deposit of immense
sums cf money order money in it. and
otherwise favored it. Its failure under
such c ircimstances simply adds one
more scandal to the name of the man
who had to retire from ofiice because
of his connec tion with the Cuban post
al steals. He still stands high in the
administration's favor, and is in
charge of the Republican Literary Bu
reau, but this last "incident" makes it
practically certain that he will not
again be placed in a responsible position.
IT IS OVERPRODUCTION?
There are more doctors being turned
out than can secure patients. There
are more lawyers graduating than
there are client-. There are more
bookkeepers, stenographers and type
writers qualifying than there are posi
tions. There are more mechanics, elec
tricians and engineers than there are
places to fill. There are more laborer
than there are holes to dig. There are
too many farmers producing too much
to eat. There are more houses built
than the people can occupy. There is
more clothing produced than the peo
ple can wear out. There is oveproduc
tion everywhere. Yet thousands and
thousands die from want of medical
care. Men lose their little homes be
cause too poor to pay lawyers' fees. Men
die from want of things to eat, that
the farmers produce. Some freeze to
death in the streets because they have
no money to pay house rent. Some per
ish from want of sufficient clothing to
protect their bodies from the winter's
blasts. Yet there is an overproduction
everywhere, and enough for the poor
nowhere. Baltimore Labor Advocate.
INDIA'S BALANCE OF TRADE.
The following items are taken from
an article published in the Boston Pilot
of July 7. under the title of "Starving
India." This article had a number of
facts and figures taken mostly from
"Yearly Famine in India." by George
E. Buell of Roc hester. N. Y.
The wheat crop of India in 1699 was
232.5S5.000 bushels. The average an
nuul wheat crop for the last eight
years was 234.057,750.
Over 35,O0,O00 bushels of wheat
were exported from India in 1899; 1C
509.740 bushels is the average amount
annually exported from India for the
last eight years
Note from the above figures that In
dia raised a little less than the aver
age of wheat last year; but that she
shipped out of the country two and
one-eighth times more than the aver
age shipped.
The Pilot comments as follows upon
the foregoing paragraphs:
According to thp "favorable balance
of trade" theory India is the mo?t
prosperous of countries, for her ex
ports are always in excess of her im
ports, and especially so in famine
years.
BURDEN UP BY MILITARISM.
In the general deficiency bill re
ported to the Hou?e $21.R50.O00 for
military and $3,973,145 for naval pur
poses are carried. Added to the regu
lar appropriations for army, navy and
pensions, which aggregate $398,942,102,
this will bring the total appropriations
for these purposes made at this ses
sion of congress up to $424,265,248
But does this imposing row of nine fig
ures clearly convey anything to the
average reader's mind as to his Indi
vidual share of the enormous burden?
We fancy not.
It will help the average American
man to grasp it better if we say that
if he Is the head of the average fam
ily of five persons he will have to par
this year just about $28 as his share of
the taxation necessary to meet this
vast military outlay.
This is the larger tax per capita
for military expenditures than is borne
by the people of any other nation on
earth. And if it were only taken in
direct taxation, so that every head of a
family of five received his yearly bill
"for military purposes, $28," there
would be a revolt against it that would
break the party responsible for IL
FREE RAW MATERIAL.
Protectionists favor putting "raw
materials" on the free list, but they do
not have the least conception of what
constitutes raw material, because if
they did they could not be protection
ists. The farmers are entitled to the
same care and attention at the hands
of congress that any other class Is, In
cluding the manufacturers. Then if
the manufacturer is entitled to his raw
material free, the farmer should have
his free, too. Now, the products whica
the farmer does not produce himself,
but has to purchase as the product of
another, would include his clothes,
farm implements, furniture, crockery,
etc.. "and I should like to see the tariff
law constituted that would place these
articles on the free list and have any
protection left for the manufacturer."
R. C. Hersom at New England Free
Trade League meeting.
A youngster of seven, describing t9
bis father how a lady caller, childless
herself, had jocularly proposed to pur
chase the little fellow, the father re
plied. "But I am afraid they couldn't
afford it, sonny; they couldn't possi
bly raise sufficient money to buy you."
To his astonishment, the seven-year-old
promptly responded, "They might
get up a company."
Very flexible mohair fabric are
again to be one of the favored mate
rials for this summer.
I SELLS PEARL FOR SI7.50O.
. ,.
Poor Wssconsln Clam Fisher Oets)
Fortune for a rind.
Resting in a plush case In a burglar
proof vault in the Fine Arts bulldlt ff
is what is kaid to be the largest and
most perfect pearl ever found in Amer
ica, sajB the Chicago Tribune. A few
weeks ago it was a clam on the bottom
of the Mississippi river. Its present
owner, H. Deakin of tb Deakln Art
rooms, declares that he refused to part
with the gem yesterday for $40,000.
His price is $50,000. A poor Wisconsin
clam fisher near Prairie dn Chien on
May i'4 caught several clams. When
he returned to his home he opened
shell after shell with little or no luc k.
A few minutes later his wi.e picked
up a large shell, which he had exam
ined without finding anything. Then
the clam fisher heard a cry. His wife
had discovered the largest pearl he
ever had een. He sent for a pearl
dealer of Prairie du Chien to come and
see what he had found. The Xpert
arrived and bought the pearl for $17.
500. At first the fisher would not part
with the gem, and insisted lie woild
Jiave it mounted for his wife to wear.
Finally he sold it after the dealer had
promised that it should lie named
"Queen Mary" in honor of the wife of
the fisher. After his first sale th
gem changed hands twice, and then
became the property of Mr. Iieakin.
The Prairie du Ciibn dealer sold it
for $25,000, while its present own'r
refuses to make public its cost to
him. Connoisseur? who hae exam
ined the pearl since it was brought to
( hicapo pronounce it the most wonder
ful ever found in America. They also
say it is equaled by few in the world.
Its weight is loi: grams, while the
average pearl weighs from two to five
giains. It is almost a perfect iear
shape, measuring over three-quarters
of an inch in length and five-eighths
of an inch in diameter. It is of a pink
hue and exceedingly lustrous.
The "Alice" Bortety.
There is a society in America called
the "Alice" society, which obliges e
eryone to be thoroughly well up in
Lewis Carroll's two hook. "Aliie in
Wonderland-' and "Alice Through the
Looking Glass." The ceremony of ini
tiation appears to be that the sen
tence. "Never imagine yourself not to
be otherwise than what it might ap
pear to others that what you were or
might have been was not otherwise
than what you had been would haw
appeared to them to be otherwise" ha.:
has to be learnt in five minutes from
verbal dictation. The society appears
to have no particular object but that
of fraternity. When a member of the
"Alice" society goes into th country
for the summer, and there discovers
other members of the same fraternity,
afternoon teas are got up. and one of
the rules of this society is t'lat when
anyone gives a tea they nni-t hae
something original in the way of re
freshments. The society tnms to 1
lather refreshing and unique. The
Onlooker.
Housewlf fcrnlds a Kattli oka.
Providence Correspondence of the
Boston Journal: Mrs. Clans Ptersori.
a resident of South Auburn, had a
thrilling encounter with a big rattle
snake today, and the ever handy ket
tle of hot water undoubicdiy s;'! h"r
life. As she stood in her -1 ' it r kitchi n
near the cook stove, t-he v.a Ktartied
to hear a rattling noise, the lik" f
which she had never heard h -fore. Sh"
was charmed at first ainl thtn teirili'-d
at the long reptile which wj-.s winding
its way down the cellar sta; rs. Wh-n
she recovered fre ni her fril t soni"
what she started toward ih snake
with a rolling pin. and it curled into
an ominous coil. Then its rattle tang
jut furiously and she retreated to the
stove, and seizing a kettle of hot wa
ter threw it on the snake. The reptile
writhed and soon died. Some time
afterward Mrs. Peterson went into the
yard and found her cow dead. killed by
the snake.
Tba All-Iirltlsli !!.
The all-British cable from Canada
across the Pacific to Australia ban
been contracted for and will be com
pleted within two years. As poon as
that link is constructed it will prac
tically double the capacity of existing
systems, for interruptions must occur
on both sides of any point to isolat
it from others. Most cables are Brit
ish a fact which is distasteful to the
trench. Germans, and others, when
they have military secrets to send.
Each country is accordingly tailoring
to become telegraphically independent.
It is stated that Holland and Germany
will unite in the construction of a
system of cables to the far east render
ing them independent of the British
lines. While the principal terminus
will be at Shanghai, branches will con
nect w'th Japan and possibly with the
United States.
A New Eorirtment Klnf
The fashionable jewelers of the day
have decreed a new style In engage
ment rings which, if generally adopt
ed, will redound to their profit It is
a pear-shaped stone, preferably a dia
mond, the setting almost invisible, the
circlet very thin. If a colored stone is
chosen instead of a diamond the ac
commodating Jeweler will Burround it
with the tiniest of diamonds, making a
brilliant line of white fire, but the in-,
dividual stones so small as to have the
effect rather than the appearance of
gems, says the JCew York Commerlcial
Advertiser. A row of five diamonds
encircled with many rubies, is also
a favorite engagement ring. Rubies
mean "felicity in love" and diamonds
-or at least to own " them signify
good luck it goes without saying.
Ag-rlcwltaral FelratlsU Hsaor4.
The authorities of the Paris exposi
tion have awarded a gold medal to
Professor W. L Johnson of Springfield.
Mass., formerly state entomologist of
Maryland. The medal is bestowed in
recognition of his scientific research
In the interest of agriculture and as a
collaborator on the exhibit of the
United States Department of Agricul
ture. The German army Includes more
than 10,000 musicians.
