1:,1
Commoner
Extracts Prom V.
t
t
The Future of Fusion la Nebraska.
In response to a request for at cxpres
ion of his views on the political situa
tion in Nebraska, Senator Allen writes
an open letter. The senator sajs:
I have always denied and now deny
that there is fusion between the demo
crats populists in Nebraska. There
has 1een co-operation for some years
between the two parties and probablj
this will continue for another year,
but there has never been fusion.
There is not the slightest probabil
ity of a disorganization or disruption
of the populist party. It is as well
solidified and as completely organ
ized as the democratic or republican
party, and. no doubt, it will continue
so in the future. If the democratic
party should return to Clevelandism,
there w ill be three tickets in the field
in 1904, for no populist will accept Mr.
Cleveland, or anyone holding his polit
ical views, as a candidate for the presi
dency. I lok for a much larger populist
vote in Nebraska next fall than v.e
have had for some years. I think the
late election signities nothing so far as
it may W reckoned as a basis for fu
ture cumulations. The populist vote
is in the country: it is dirhcnlt to get
out: the republican vote is in the cities
and t wns and of eay access to the
rnjlls: it was all out this year. The
weather on election day was adverse to
polling a large opposition vote. Many
populsts unfortunately are of the opin
ion that the opposition being the ma
jority, it is not necessary for them to
fro t the polls: they s.i'iii t- think a
battle can le fought and won by stay
ing away from the field of action.
They will recover from this' and see
the necessity of casting their ballots.
Doubtless damage has been done by
the persistent attempt of some demo
crass to disorganize and destroy the
populist party and absorb its member
ship. This has been taken by some
populists to mean that there is a pos
sibility of dismantling the organiza
tion and turning it over to the demo
crats. In this, however, they are mis
taken. The democratic and popuiist
parties do not agree on many essential
points of political faith.
The dcmjcrats ielieve that it is
strictly essential to redeem govern
ment paper money in some kind of coin
to give it force and value, while popu
lists believe as a rule that a govern
ment note based upon the taxing power
of the nation and strictly limited In
quanitity is as valuable as a medium
of exchange as gold or silver without
any specific provision for its redemp
tion in coin. Populists believe in gov
ernment ownership of railways, tele
graphs, telephones, in the establish
ment of postal savings banks, in the
initiative and referendum and in the
nationalization of all natural monopo
lies. Democrats believe in none of
these.
And thus it will b? observed without
going furthur into details that there
is a well defined line of demarcation be
tween the two parties, which will not
permit them to be brought together.
The teaching: of the populist party
bave done much to enlighten the pul
Ucon political questions. An enlight
enment which the democratic party
could not or would not have produced
in the same time. Thesu dilft-renoos
must of necessity keep the two parties
seperate, while locally they may oper
ate along certain agreed lines. The
faith of the populist is too clear and
strong and too well founded to permit
him to be absorbed by any other or
ganization. The populist party will
continue to live and grow stronger
year by year. Very truly yours.
William V. Allex.
The Chinese Exclusion Act.
The republican position concerning
the Chinese exclusion act is well illus
trated by an editorial appearing in the
Lincoln, (Neb.) Journal of November
17. The Journal anticipates that the
president is alwmt to recommend the
re-enactment of the Chinese exclusion
Get, and lest it might In? out of the re
publican line, it hastens to commend
the president's conclusion on this point
And yet. having anticipated the presi
dent's position, the Journal expresses
this opinion:
"Still it is doubtful if a "referen
dum" was taken under the Australian
ballot system, the question of exclus
ion coining up independently of poli
tics, if the exclusion act would be sus
tained. The coolie is an exceedingly
useful person to have around when
lalmrers are scarce and their terms ex
horbitant or unreasonable. The do
mestic service problem is getting to be
a pressing one and the coolie oilers a
fcort of solution.
Then this thoroughly representative
newspaper says:
"Hut if the labor problem becomes
in the course of time more diflieult, as
it promises to become if the extreme
theories of the unions are carried out.
and it is a square contest between the
labor unions and the rest of the popu
lation, the act will one day be repealed
as a matter ol necessity.
This, then, mav be said to be the re-
1 lie growth ot organization among
the laboring iren is .shown by the fact
that the costume cutters of Chicago
began . an organization about six
months ago ana now their organiza
tion includes four-fifths of the men in
that trade in the citj-- One of the ob
jects of the organization is to avoid
strikes by promoting arbitration.
Id come Tax In India.
The income tax in India is levied
on all incomes of 33 aid upward,
and then only one man in 700 comes
within its scope.
The Bank or England.
The Bank of England has a capital
of a little over 172,000,000 and a sur
plus of about 516.0C0.000, yet the gover
nor receives a salary of only $10,000 a
year. The pay of the twenty-four di-'
rcctor3 is $2,500 each per annum.
China's Deer Imports.
China has imported this year more
bottles of beer from Germany than any
other country in the world. The pres
ence of the German army is held in
part responsible for this.
'I!!' 'I1 'I1 'J'
-3-
Comment
J. Bryan's Paper.
-
4-
publican position concerning1 the Chi
nese exclusion act. The exclusion act
should not he re-enacted, according to
the republican idea, but political ex
pediency may require its re-en actment.
It is also instructive to be told by the
republican organs that "if the labor
problem lecoines in the course of time
more diflieult, as it promises to become
if the extreme theories of the inions
are carried out, and it is a square con
tes.'. between the labor nnions and the
rest of the population, the act will
one day be repealed as a matter of ne
cessi ty. "
Why as a matter of necessity? The
necessity would only exist where the
trust mag-nates, weary of the constant
controversy and contest with men
who merely demand the right to live
as a recompense for their toil, found
it advisable to crush out the men
who made this demand.
These republican newspapers have
considerable to say about the extreme
theoiies of unions," but they have lit
tle complaint to make concerning the
extreme theories of monopolists. This
particular newspaper speaks about the
contest between labor unions ''and the
rest of the population," closing its ej-es
willingly and cheerfully to the fact
that every reasonable demand made by
the labor unions is a demand in behalf
of an 1 in the interests of the very large
number of citizons.
Many things have happened in recent
days which furnish evidence that the
republican disposition has been in fav
or of the destruction of the Chinese ex
clusion act. It need not be doubted
UMlaj- if the powers that be among the
republican party dared destroy this
wholesome law, the bars would be
thrown down completely to any China
man who sought admittance to this
country. The "extreme theories of
the lalor unions" are that reasonble
hours shall be accorded and fair wag
es paid to the men who toil. This re
publican newspaper holds up as a
warning and t hreat to the men who
labor that if these "extreme theor
ies" are carried out, the Chinese exclu
sion act will one day be repealed "as a
matter of necessity." Did any one ev
er hear of the republican organs
threatening the trust unions? Did
any one ever hear a republican organ
serving notice upon the trust mag
nates that unless they change their
course and abandon the process of
bearing down upon the people some
law would be enacted requiring them
to do justice or some law would be re
pealed under which they were privi
leged to do injustice?
What is there about the intelligence
of the American people, what is there
about the intelligence cf the American
workingmen that they cannot see that
the republican party is a party of class
that the republican party is the in
strument for evil, that the republican
party is the persistent antagonist of
anj-thing that contributes to the great
est good to the greatest number?
The Gold Stronghold Captured.
The readers of The Commoner know
that in the campaign of lSvKi the Palmer
and Uuckner ticket carried but one pre
cinct in the United States, namely.
Dudley township, in Haskell county,
Kansas. The vote there stood: Palmer
and Uuckner, 2: Mclvinley and llobart.
llryan and Sewall, 1. A reader of
The Commoner sends in a statement
signed by the county clerk of that
county to the effect tha' Dudley town
ship went democratic this year by a
majority of seven.
The attention of the Chicago Chron
icle, the New York World, the Louis
ville Courier-Journal and other gold
standard papers is called to this fact.
While they are "pointing with pride"
to victories won bv the reorganizers.
let them "view with alarm" the recap
ture of this gold standard stronghold,
which became so conspicuous live years
ago.
The gold standard papers have mag
nified every victory which the reorgan
izers have won since LSIW, now let them
bow in humiliation over the sweeping
defeat that has robbed them of the only
precinct which their party has ever
carried.
Ordinarily the change of a precinct
would not be a matter of national sig
nificance, but the change of the only
precinct that the Palmer and Uuckner
ticket carried is certainly a serious
blow to the men who carried on that
unique campaign of fraud and decep
tion. The men who did the most talk
ing for Palmer and Uuckner voted the
republican ticket, as did all whom they
could secretly influence. The reorgan
izers are Wing led by those who either
voted for the ticket that carried but
one precinct, or pretended to support
it while they voted the republican
ticket. What will the democratic par
ty be if they secure control of the or
ganization? What promise of relief
can the party give to the people at
large if the policies of the party are
controlled by bolters who have shown
no repentance since 18'JO? What hope
of victory can we have under the lead
ship of those who conducted the Palmer
and Uuckner party to so disastrous a
defeat?
Urother Watterson's destiny doctrine
seems to have a reversable attachment.
He is not willing to accept the presi
dent's action in the Uooker Washing
ton case as a final decree of Providence.
Is it possible that destiny must have
the initials of the Courier-Journal's
editor blown in the bottle in order to
be genuine?
Horse Soup and Sausages.
During the siege of Ladysmith 4,000
horses of the cavalry brigade were
converted into soup or sausages in a
single month.
Some Sleepy Arabs.
A recent traveler in Central Africa
gives several Instances of the capacity
for sleep developed by his Arab serv
ants. He mentions one of these men
as being undisturbed by the discharge
of firearms within two feet of his head.
Germany's Exclusive Kdoeatlonal Plana.
Germany is beginning to object to.
the number of foreign students in her
universities and technical schools. The
latter have protested that something
mast be done to keep foreigners out.
WOULD ORGANIZE. j
SHY AN SEES NEED OF EDUCATION
AS TO POLITICAL DUTIES.
Believes That Debating Societies Simula
lie Organized On Independent LlafS
In Order to Reach Those Outside the
Fold.
The election is over, and while the
.eturn3 are not sufficiently complete
tor analysis !t is evident that the Dem
icratic party has not made any con
ilderable gains since 1900, writes W.
f. Bryan in the Commoner. In an
ther column the returns, so far as
.hey are in, have been discussed and
5ome of the difficulties encountered
lave been enumerated. It is plain
that there must be a large amount of
educational work done if the eountry
s to be saved from the evil results
ihat must necessarily follow the con
tinued support of Republican policies.
How can this work be done? The
large dailies cannot he relied upon, be
cause they are too intimately connect
?d with the men and the corporations
?nrichcd by Republican policies. It
:annot he done entirely throush the
Democratic and Populist weeklies, for
Ihey do not, as a rule, reach the peo
ple who most need enlightenment. A
lebating society should be organized
in each country precinct and in each
tillage. Let it be non-partisan in it3
iiernbership and educational in its pur
Dose. Meetings should be. held once a
"nonth. or, if possible, once in two
weeks, for the discussion of public
lue?tions.
Let the motto of the society be:
"Country first, party afterwards."
To avoid any wrangle about the of
Scers it would be well to select the
president from the party having the
largest vote in the precinct, and the
rice president from the leading minor
ity party. If three other officers, re
rording secretary, corresponding secre
tary and treasurer, are selected, all
parties can be given a fair representa
tion in the management of the society
tnd the arrangement of programs. The
officers of the society, if they consti
tute a committee on program, should
lrrange, besides other features, for a
Jiscustion of some live question at
rach meeting the leaders to open the
Jebate and the other members of the
ociety to have an opportunity to
;peak briefly when the leaders are
:hrough.
No one should be afraid of having
Sis party injured by a full and fair
jresentation of all public questions.
The person who objects to the discus
don of public questions confesses the
weakness of his own cattse or brings
m indictment against the Intelligence
md patriotism of the people. The
bope of the nation lies, first, in the
tudy of public questions, and. next,
'n a ballot cast according to the dic
tates of conscience and judgment.
ELKCTIOXS OF 1901.
While it is Impossible at this time to
neasure and weigh ths local influences
tvhleh may have affected the general
result, says W". J. Bryan's Commoner,
?nough is known to justify the con
clusion that the two leading political
parties show practically the same
strength that they did a year ago. If
:he Republican policies which have
ern developing during the last twelve
months have aroused any protest
among the people, that protest has
Seen off-set by the Influence exerted
by the assassination of the President.
The Republicans everywhere con
fessed their reliance upon this influ
snce when they devoted so much time
to appeals to the personal regard felt
tor McKinley, the man. It Is not un
natural that the Republicans should
oave been spurred to greater activity
Z? the President's death, neither is it
itrange that it caused some apathy on
the other side.
There was another general cause
which the Republican position, name
ly, the ability of the Republicans to
Set out their vote. The off-year elec
tions always show a falling off in the
voting poptxlation as compared with
, . r , , . .
I rresiuenuai anu congressional eiec-
lions, and the party that is best or-
anizeu aim musi sucrasiui in gelling
its voters to the polls has an advan
tage. Take, for instance, the election
in Nebraska this year. The total vote
will probably. fall fifty thousand below
the vote of last year. If there is a loss
in the Republican vote of twenty thou
sand, and a loss in the fusion vote of
thirty thousand, the Republican candi
date can have ten thousand majority
more than his ticket had last year, and
ret have twenty thousand votes less
than hi3 party polled last year.
SEVF.KE OX DOLTERS.
Sometimes the gold Democrats who
bolted the ticket in 1896 complain be
cause the regular Democrats insist
that those who deserted the party five
vears ago should, on coming back,
give soma assurance of their purpose
to support the ticket hereafter. While
the conditions imposed have never
been unreasonable or severe, they have
arouseS violent criticism in some quar
ters. It may not be out of place, therefore-,
to Quote w hat the St. Paul Globe
tays about local bolters. In a recent
issue it condemns some St. Paul al
Sermen who deserted their party in
the election of a "county commissioner.
The following is an extract from the
Globe's editorial:
"It is as the Globe predicted it
would.be: A Democratic county com
missioner has been elected by the votes
Df the Democratic aldermen assisted
oy one Republican." and Democratic
traitors are ignored and spat upon, as
they long since should have been.
Treason to the party has not been
found profitable in practice among St,
Paul Democrats. It will be found no
more in the future. Hunt and Bantz
have a severe reckoning before them;
and we apprehend that the mass of St
Paul Democrats will find as little use
Tor them in the future as the Demo
:ratic aldermen found for them in the
election of County Commissioner
Kelly.
"The way of the transgressor is
hard, and transgressors these men
have been of all the rules and observ
ances in political life which all true
party men and good citizens will hold
themselves bound by. The Globe will
gladly aid their return to the obscur
ity from which they should never have
The Globe is much mora severe la
denouncing Democratic aldermen who
refuse to support their party in a local
fight than the silver Democrats are in
condemning papers, which, like the
Globe, deserted the Presidential ticket
in a national contest.
CHARGES PAST BELIEF.
An almost incredible story comes
from Mexico about the behavior of our
delegates to the Pan-American Confer
ence. President Roosevelt should lose
no time in looking it up in the interest
of our national honor. An American
who has been watching the proceedings
writes from the Mexican capital:
"Ordinarily it would be considered a
distinguished honor to be asked to lead
In to supper the wife of the President.
But when this honor was offered to
the chairman of the United States -,l-egation
he simply replied that he was
tired and was going home, leaving the
first lady of Mexico speechless with as
tonishment, and the President unable
to find words in which to express him
self." The same critic adds:
"Again, on the occasion of the re
ception given at the department of for
eign affairs, all the ladies of the United
States party were present, but only one
was in evening dress, the others being
in various street costumes, shirt waists
and tailor gowns. This was the most
elaborate function Mexico can give.
The inevitable comment is already
heard among the members of the best
Mexican society who thronged the
roonis of the foreign department on
that occasion that the American ladies
either think the Mexicans do not know
or do not care, or else they do not
know themselves.
"Either horn of the dilemma i3 awk
ward." It is conceivable that the ladies of
the American party might mistake the
nature of a Mexican function and go
In inappropriate costumes, but that
the head of the delegation should of
fer a gro?s and deliberate Insult to the
wife of the President of the sister re
public 13 unthinkable. A boor capable
of such conduct could never have lived
through a season In Washington with
out being found out. But.it would be
well to have the. facts In connection
with all these matters authoritatively
stated. Congress should investigate.
BROOKE'S BLUNDER.
Major General John R. Brooke,
United States Army, made a speech
Saturday evening at a dinner given by
a British society to celebrate King Ed
ward's birthday. That was his right.
But he forgot that he was an official
representative of the government of
the United States when he said:
"England has never conquered any
country but for that country's good.
This, we hope, will be said of America
in future ages. The Anglo-Saxon race
seems destined to bear Republican in
stitutions throughout the whole world.
Lord Kitchener has immense difficul
ties in his way, but the flag of Eng
land will in time proclaim freedom to
all lands of South Africa. Otis, Mer
ritt, MacArthur and Chaffee have been
doing a similar duty In the Philippines,
the same duty to God and country."
It is a ghastly mockery to speak of
the attempted destruction of two re
publics as an extension of Republican
institutions. It is an insult to com
pare Kitchener's work of havoc in
South Africa with Chaffee's work of
pacification in the Philippines. But
even if General Brooke's remarks were
not open to criticism on these points,
the fact would remain that the South
African Republic and the Orange Free
State are friendly powers, in whose
war with Great Britain our govern
ment is neutral. It is as scandalous an
impropriety for an officer of that gov
ernment to express his gratification
over the attempt of their enemies to
conquer them as it would be to com
mend an attempt of Germany to con
quer France. Chicago American.
THE LAW'S EFFECT OX SILVER.
The New York Mail and Express is
still harping away on the old and ex
ploded argument that the value of sil
ver bullion in the dollar can be meas
ured by the value of silver bullion that
has no opportunity for coinage. The
fallacy cf the argument lies in the fact
that it overlooks the increased value
of silver created by an increased de
mand for it. The free coinage law, by
giving silver access to the mint, would
create a demand for it, and this fact,
recognized by all who think, is entire
ly disregarded by most of the advo
cates of the gold standard. It was
thought that the Sherman act of 1S90,
although it provided for the purchase
of silver instead of its free coinage,
would create a demand for all the sur
plus Ellver, and under the stimulus of
this demand silver rose to $1.20 an
ounce, Secretary of Agriculture Rusk,
in his annual report, pointed with
pride to this increased value which
the Sherman law had caused, and de
clared that agricultural products rose
with silver. The Mail and Express,
however, does not require facts. Its
theory looks better when facts are
kept out of sight. Commoner.
OX BOTH SIDES OF THE QCESTIOX.
The treasury department has man
aged to get on both sides of the ques
tion as to the status of Philippine ter
ritory. It has from the beginning been
collecting duties on commodities
brought here from the Philippines, as
if they came from a foreign country:
It is the contention of the government
in the Supreme Court that the Philip
pines have not yet been brought under
the customs laws of the United States.
But the commissioner of internal rev
enue has just decided that American
beer, whisky and tobacco sent to Ma
nila must pay the , internal revenut
taxes which they would have to pay il
consumed at home. Sending tobacco tc
the Philippines is somewhat like send
ing coals to Newcastle, but a good dea,'
of beer has been sent there. The brew
ers who have shipped it will be at a
disadvantage now as compared with
the German brewers. The latter will
have no heavy Internal revenue taxes
to pay when they send their beer tc
the Philippines.
Truth is stranger than fiction be
cause it is so much more rare.
A genius is a man who can make
other men believe he knows more than
tbsv do.
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP.
CONSOLIDATIONS OF RAILROAD
POINT THE WAY.
Every New Line Added to the II 111
Harrlman Syndicate Itriugs the Coun
try Closer tc Governmental Control
Trusts Doing One Good Work.
Another step ha3 been taken toward
the consolidation of the railroad sys
tems of the United States in the hands
of a single group of capitalists. The
formation of the "Northern Securities
company." with a capital of $400,000,
000, for the purpose of holding the
stock of the Northern Pacific, Great
Northern and Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy railroads, clinches the arrange
ment by which 47,372 miles of West
ern roads, capitalized at about two
billion dollars, have been brought un
der one control.
Practically this creates an entire
monopoly west of the Mississippi, for,
while a few systems remain nominally
outside of the combination, almost all
of them are in complete subjection to
it. We may say, then, that the work
of monopolizing the West is finished.
But when we glance at the list of
the men who have formed this combi
nation, and note that it contains the
names of the Vanderbilts, the Rocke
fellers, the Goulds, J. P. Morgan, James
J. Hill, E. H. Harriman, Daniel S. La
ment, James Stillman, D. O. Mills, Au
gust Belmont, II. E. Huntington, Og
den Armour and others as well known
In New York, it becomes plaifc that
the "community of interests" is by no
means confined to the West. It would
be interesting to trace the power of
thl3 great aggregation of wealth
through the directorates and stock lists
of the country. It seems an extremely
moderate statement to say that the
capitalists who have united in the
Western deal control at least one-half
of the railroad mileage of the United
Stales.
And it will be much easier for them
to obtain the second half than it has
been to get the first. They know how
to go to work now, and they have the
money to do it. One railroad after
another will slide gently Into their
grasp until any passenger anywhere
who objects to traveling on their lines
;an take a trolley car or walk.
A few year3 ago this process would
have thrilled the nation with rage and
terror. We observe it with perfect
calmness now. It seems a long time
since the Interstate Commerce act was
?xpected to prevent "pooling arrange
ments" between competing roads.
We have ceased to expect anything
from competition now in the railroad
business any more than in gas and
water. We have learned that concen
tration In such matters is inevitable,
and that the only question is whether
the concentration shall be in the public
interests or against them.
Thus far the engineers of the rail
road combination have done a most
useful public work. They will con
tinue to do a useful public work until
the last independent road is brought
into the general system.
If the government had undertaken to
assume control of the railroads of the
United States a few years ago, when
every road was running on its own
hook, it would have found itself facing
an appallingly complicated task. As
It is, the best business brains in Amer
ica are doing the work of organiza
tion for it. They are smoothing out
all the difficulties, consolidating the
staffs, harmonizing the schedules and
creating one vast, smoothly running
machine. When they have finished, all
the government will have to do will be
to assume the debts of the system, Is
suing national bonds for stock, and
give the general manager a commis
sion from the president of the United
States.
Some of these able capitalists are
working consciously towards this end.
The rest are doing the same thing un
consciously. "SO FEKSOXAL PKOPERTT,"
It Is the general conception of the
unthinking masses that taxation does
not interest them. They talk of taxa
tion as does a child of its rattle box.
They have as yet been unable to com
prehend that the power to tax is the
power to extort, and through the
method now in vogue the poor, the
great masses, are robbed of the fruits
of their toil.
Everything produced by human
hands from the time human hand3
first laid hold of it "is taxed," and
within the price of that commodity on
the market are embodied all the taxes
that were levied in its course of pro
duction. "Personal property," if I understand
the meaning of this term, relates to
those things which the exclusive prop
erty of a person. If this definition be
correct then there is no such a thing
as "personal property." For how
could a thing belong exclusively to a
person if the government by taxation
has a claim upon it and compels the
possessor to pay a part of it In the
form of personal property tax each
year it Is found in his possession?
That you may see the injustice of
this tax I illustrate: If you purchase
$10 worth of bread the assessor does
not levy the' tax upon you, but if in
stead you purchased a table the as
sessor will tax you not once, but each
year he finds the table in your pos
session. This tax cannot be collected
with any accuracy and breeds liars
Inasmuch as everyone tries to escape
it.
The newspapers recognizing that
this tax is detested by the people,
should and will receive as hearty a
support as Cleveland and Cuyahoga
county, Ohio, gave in the recent elec
tion to those who stand for tax re
form. G. J. Foyer.
SPOONER OX SHIP BOtXTIES.
Senator Spooner is reported to be as
much opposed to the principle of the
Hanna-Payne shipping bounty bill as
he was latt winter. He would like
to see something done to restore the
merchant marine in the foreign trade,
but "not along the lines now contem
plated." Two lines are now contemplated.
One of them along with the Hanna
Payne bill was constructed, leads in
jthe direction of speedy "ocean grey
hounds" and passenger traffic. The
other, leads, in the direction of freight
business "under the Ca." without
much regard to passenger business.
The - Hanna-Payne crowd propose to
bounty In proportion to speed and
leave freight to take care of Itself.
The other bountyists propose to
bounty in proportion to freight car
ried. Both these factions have much to
say about the small percentage of
oversea freight carried In American
bottoms, implying that the chief pur
pose of the bounty is to increase our
oversea freight business. The Hanna
Payne plan, however, would bounty
corporations which are now doing a
profitable business without bounties,
and it would not be much of an induce
ment to the building of freighters.
One plan is about as bad as the
other In that it would take a great
many millions of money contributed by
American taxpayers and hand them
over to individuals and corporations.
If it is true that Senator Spooner i3
opposed to both these evil methods
there is reason for satisfaction. He
can exert a good deal of influence
when he chooses, and it is gratifying
to know that he intends to use his in
fluence against these bad measures if
such is the case.
May Prove a Hooineran?.
New York Evening Post: The latest
shift of the "let-the-tariff-alone" fac
tion in the Republican party Is to sug
gest that all Questions of revision of
duties, with all reciprocity arrange
ments, be turned over to a commission,
which Is to report to congress in 1002
or 1S03. Even a tariff commission has
its dangers for the monopolists. It
will have to grant hearings and to
bring out facts. The result may be
to kindle, Instead of to smother, pop
ular agitation, and even to convert the
commission itself, as the tariff com
mission of 18S2 was converted. That
body was chosen as a band of trust
worthy protectionists, yet was com
pelled by the testimony presented to
it to recommend a reduction of the
tariff by an average of 20 per cent ad
valorem.
Pointer to John liar.
We hear from Washington that
American statesmen are busying them
selves with "great world problems,"
to the exclusion of American problems.
If this were true it would be deplor
able, for we have plenty of home prob
lems which are vastly more Important
to us than any "world problems." But
it is not true. A glance over the list
of some fifteen "world problems" dis
closes the fact that most of them are
petty and even contemptible a3 com
pared with home problems which our
statesmen are trying to Ignore. It dis
closes the fact also that the most im
portant of all the so-called world prob
lems are really domestic ones in so far
as we are specially concerned in them.
Chicago Chronicle.
Girl 'Walters on Cars.
Pretty girls will be employed a3
waiters on the dining cars used by the
Denver and Rio Grande railway. Such
Is the plan of T. L. Barnes, superin
tendent of eating houses and dining
car service on the Missouri Pacific,
who will shortly take charge of the
same branch of service on the Denver
and Rio Grande. Mr. Barnes was re
cently at Denver in consultation with
Manager Herbert of the Rio Grande.
"Girls are neater, cleaner and quick
er than men in dining-room service,"
said Mr. Barnes. "I shall employ them
first in Colorado to see how the public
takes it and if it is satisfactory may
Introduce the plan cn the Missouri
Pacific."
Should Front hjr Experience.
Boston Herald: The experience
which France has had in the last twen
ty years with shipping bounties fur
nishes strong proof that successful
shipping lines cannot be built up by
government subsidy alone to a point
where they can shift for themselves.
Instead of arriving at a condition
where they can do away with the boun
ty of the government, the French ves
sel owners are always asking for more,
and will doubtless now get a higher
rate, both for steam and sail vessels,
than that paid twenty years ago.
Should our own congress adopt a ship
ping subsidy policy, we will doubtless
have the same experience.
Our Duty to Sew Foisclons.
Buffalo Times: If the United States
shall be faithful to the constitution
end the spirit of our government they
will accord to our new possessions the
fullest measure of self-control and the
largest liberty of individual action con
sistent with national jurisdiction. Only
in this way can the beneficence of
American authority find flower in for
eign clime.
Industrial Depression In Germany.
The industrial depression in Ger
many is reaching serious proportions.
Employment agencies are deluged with
applicants. From the mining regions
come reports of numerous dismissals
and reduced work. The same i3 true in
iron and steel work.'
Free Government In Dancer.
Philadelphia Record: Between the
criminal activity on the' part of pro
fessional politicians and criminal in
difference upon the part of prosperous
and easy-going citizens the vitality is
being gradually squeezed out of free
government.
Danger In Oil Lamps.
The dangers arising from the care
less use and abuse of oil lamps and oil
are now made the subject of specia!
instruction In the London schools by
order of the local board of education.
Among the points emphasized are the
folly of placing a lamp on a ricketj
table or narrow shelf; the attempt to
carry a lamp and something else a
the same time; the necessity for car
rying heavy lamps In both hands, and
the inadvlsability of carrying lighted
lamps at all. An injunction to "never
pour oil on a pre" and the reason
therefor are also included. It is point
ed out that practically every accident
with lamps and oil in the household ia
due to the neglect of one or another of
these precautions.
If your dog has fleas, wash h?m
with an infusion of coculus Indicus,
or with coal oil, and then with soap
and warm vatar.
CNE HUSBAND PER JJNUM.
The Matrimonial Experiences of a Vounr
Spanish Woman.
The Spanish journals relate the per
haps unparalleled matrimonial exneri-
i ences of a young Spanish woman
I named Isabel Caporal, who in six years
J has lost by death six husbandt and
now awaits in modest patience her
wedding day with a seventh. In 1894
Senorita Isabel, then a young girl of
21, emigrated to New Orleans and soon
married a theatrical manager named
Freeman, who died in a few months
from yellow fever during a starring
tour. In order the better to conduct
the company the widow, after a few
weeks, married one of the actors, a
Spaniard named Hany, who was fatally
stabbed on their wedding night while
trying to mediate in a brawl In the
boarding house. Three weeks later an
other of the actors led her blushing to
the altar. He was a Mexican named
Lopez, with whom the offended laws of
his country had a crow to pick. Ar
rested, he sought escape by leaping
from a train, was killed, and for the
third time in twelve months poor Isa
bel became a widow. Very soon, how
ever, a fourth husband came along. Ho
was an American militia officer named
Knight, but the Cuban war consigned
him to an untimely grave and Isabel
to the aims of a fifth husband in the
person of a South Carolina lumber
merchant, who was killed among his
own timber. About the k':x'i '-.usbaiid
there are not many details ' f he nut
his end untimely, like his v.c- essors.
in a steamship accident. Stiindiii-
"like Niche, all tears," says a London
Pall Mall Gazette correspondent, Isabel
Is for the moment a widow for the
sixth time. But she is young, possesses
a small dowry, and a business man in
Charleston, greatly daring, has im
plored her to name the seventh day,
which is fixed for next month.
PEDDLED CARDS AND BIBLES.
Old Iientucklan "Made a Heap or
Money" Out of them.
"Not long ago," remarked a travel
ing man, "I went up picturesque Ken
tucky river on a little steamboat which
runs from Louisville to Frankfort. By
the way, there isn't a wilder or more
beautiful stream in the whole country
than that same Kentucky river. The
boat passes through eight or ten gov
ernment iorks during the trip. On the
boat I encountered a queer old custom
er a lor.g bearded grizzled Ktntuc
kian, who was full of interesting remi
niscences. 'Once on a time he said,
'I made a heap o' money up an' down
this little ol' river a-peddlln'.' 'What
did you peddle?' 'Keards,' he an
swered; 'playin' keards an' bibles.'
'That was a queer stock in trade,' was
my comment. How did you happen
to have such a mixed lot as that?' 'I
bought it at a auction down f Loo's
ville,' he explained; 'the auctioneer
lumped 'cm, so I had to take 'em. But
I got rid of 'em yes, siree ev'ry one
of 'em. People along this river is alius
wild for playin keards; I sold them
playin' keards fer 2 a pack. Theys
went off rapid ev'ry one of them yes,
siree an' I didn't have nary bible left
on hand, nuther.' 'How much did you
get for your bibles?' I asked. 'Laws,'
the reminiscent Kentuckian explained,
according to the Detroit Free Press,
'them bibles went off rapid, too I give
'em away with th' keards.' "
A Voudr Solomon.
A major and surgeon of the army
stationed In the Philippines writes us
that recently, when the chief nurse of
a small base hospital in Southern Lu
zon was sent away there was a great
struggle among the five nurses remain
ing for the vacant position, which
meant a distinct Increase in pay. Each
one of the five came to the office of the
surgeon in charge, to show cause why
she should be appointed chief nurse,
and why none of the others was en
titled to that distinction. The young
Solomon in charge was "up against it;"
but gave the following decision: "Each
one of you must write on a piece of
paper her exact age, and send it sealed
to me. The oldest woman will be mad
chief nurse." There Is still a vacancy
as chief nurse in a small base hospital
in Southern Luzon. Argonaut.
Franre ClinRS to Old Styles.
There are some things which seem
household necessities in the United
States for which there Is no market
whatever In France or southern Eu
rope. One of these is the range with
a hot-water back, another is the re
frigerator, and a third is the rocking
chair. Americans living abroad often
want these articles so badly that they
even send home for them, but among
the French there is no demand for
them whatever, and American manu
facturers only waste energy in tryir.g
to create a market for them. Fraie
will cling to the old-fashioned chairs
for another hundred years.
tVhy He Preferred Wagner.
"Who is your favorite composer?"
inquired the visitor. "I s'pose you
mean classical?" responded Mr. Cuni
rocks. "Certainly." "Wagner," was
the answer. "Gimme Wagner. Some
of these other' music writers start in
with a tune, but as soon as you get
your foot going steady In time to It
they break off In a way that pretty
near sprains your ankle. But Wag
ner never fools you. He plays fair.
You know from the beginning that
you ain't going to find anything, and
you might as well go to sleep or read
the advertisements In the program."
Washington Star.
Her Gentle Hint.
"Yes; I proposed to her by letter."
"And what was her reply?" "She sim
ply referred me to a certain chapter
and page in "The Life of Paul Jones.' "
"And what did you find?" "It sayy
'After fruitlessly applying for cowh
mand of the ship by letter, he went in
person to see about it; and then he
secured it!'" -Life.
A Short XoveL
Hix I understanu Rounderly is go-
ine to write a novel under the title v J
...... . . n-.H Vf ,r VJf" I.iT WhV
doesn't he call it "What I Didn't Toll
My Wife?" Hix I suppose tne puDV
Ushers didn't want too big a volume.
I
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