Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The American. (Omaha, Nebraska) 1891-1899 | View Entire Issue (April 17, 1896)
2 THE AMERICAN V W. S. SOB F"l aava tm-a troubled wlla cold l( and hands and lack of circulation iwa of Oonh.Mo. P NERVOUS DYSPEPSIA. com moor ki uuiitm wsi; a Hcuuvaiur Jan - imb iroani 1 eauuow! to improve frumtbe third day, and have found this Dicdl- clua uurt pli.aasut. ao (rlptrur. do stcknoaa at the sumach: but a eomplrt Kroorator. and I voluntarily, without tha Doctors re i)uMl rKcuoiuwDd this to an oo ami-led who Injunction and nervousness which follows. 1 bow eat wnll, sleep well, and S hava (aUMMl auiut twenty ot pound in wetf bt, am Iraa from oold feel ur hands, circulation good and I feei better ttuut for' r 150 D0SS v 11.00 Dr. Kay's Renovator FOR DYSPEPSIA CONSTIPATION LIVER ft KIDNEYS SOLD BY DRUGGISTS.; many yars and I attribute this to Ur. Kay's Renorstnr. One Vt hoi wtll convince any on that It surpasses the whole train of pills J and raiuartirt usually tason. I now only lake one little tablet whra I oyer load my wtomach and It will relieve Die at once." AT ii.o nr. ur i x. a a it is invaluable as u reouvausa anu invworaws us wooie system ana purines and enriches the blood w s-lviiar sew life and vior to the whole body, cut-in spring fever, dyspasia, const I pat loo, liver and kidney dlmaea and all ner-V J total and blood diseases headache. uIUousih-ns etc It In the beat nerve tonic known for worn out business men. It has 2 to 4 times f aw many doas as liquid medicines atlling- for tha aama prioa. Sold by druinrUu or sent by mall, toracts and II bend for J vfrre aantple and hooklrt; It has many valuable receipts, Rive symptoms and treatment for nearly all diseases and many sav It Is 4 t wonn an. ii iney could aot get another. Address Ir. b. J. Kay Medical Co., iWestern OtHcel S0 So. 16th Street. Omaha. Neh. V J SHERUAN & UcCONNELL DRUG CO., 1513 Dodge Street, (2nd Door Wett of Postoffice), Omaha, Neb. BEHIND STONEWALLS. Let the Search-Light of Rea son bo Turned on. hbtuM the I ry f Ketigfa Sab-Id the I'eatfaU l"rm l'ubllr lavrxtliraUoB The Mate Should Iaw U Rkrun Heights. O., April .-An ci has been Introduced In the legisla ture of Ohio, adding the convent and Roman Catholic schools to the list of Institution, which a jm perly appointed committee are to yearly e xamlee. All lovers of their country should make every exertion to have this become a law, aril when enacted, at e to It that it la enforced. The magnitude of the evil this law seeks to remedy la not un derstood by the people. The convent, or nunneries, are usually situated In retired localities, and when In cities, the closed gates shut them effectually from public gaze. Within their thick walla, whatever transpires Is never rt vcaled, and the 'sister" who takes the ell Is as dead as though burled In the tomb. When this subject came up legisla tively, I referred to SullUtr'$ Cutltolic IHrtctory, published for the church, and attempted to learn bow many con vents there are In Ohio. Although the name of each convent la given with great clearness, the number of sisters is befogged In such a manner as to render It difficult to get at the matter with exactness. The state Is divided Into three dioceses, that of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, the latter being an arcA.dioce(e. I give the list of nunneries In the latter in full: Convent ot the Good Shepherd, Bunk at., Cincinnati Mother Mary ot St. Joseph, provincial supr. Twenty-nine professed sisters and 0 outdoor sis'ers. Dependant house, Convent of the Good Shepherd, Mt. Immaculate Conception, 77 Baum St., Cincinnati, O. Mother M. Gertrude, supr. Ten professed sis ters, 2 lay sisters and 10 outdoor sis ters. Convent of the Sisters ot Notre Dame, Sixth St., bet. Sycamore and Broadway, Cincinnati Mother Julia, general supr. of the houses of the order in the U. S.; Sitter M. Borgia, local upr. There are In the diocese of Cin cinnati 201 sisters, distributed as fol lows: Fifty-eight at Reading, 13 at Hamilton, 30 at Dayton, and in Cincin nati, ISO. Convent of the Ladles of the Sacred Heart, Clifton, Cincinnati, O. Rev. Mother Mary Garvey, supr. Twenty two choir rellglousand 14 lay sisters. Convent of the Sisters of the Poor ot St. Francis, Third and Lytle sts., Cin cinnati Sister Deslderia, provincial upr. Professed sisters in the diocese, 94; novices IS; postulants, 33. Convent of the Sisters of Mercy, W. Fourth st, Cincinnati Sister Mary Baptist, supr. Sisters in the dlocete.50. Convent of the Little Sisters cf the Poor, Montgomery road, Cincinnati Sister Joseph of Maxellande, supr.; 15 sifters. Branch-house of the Little Sisters of the Poor at Clifton Ilelghts-Mother Esther, supr, 13 sisters. Sisters of Charity, St. Joseph's Mother-home, Delhi, O (P. O. Mt St. Joseph, Hamilton Co, O.) Mothfr Mary Blanche, supr.; Sister Bastlia, assistant; Sister Mary Florence, treas.; Sister Ambrose, procuratrlx. Sisters in the dloceee, 203; outside, 179; total, 472. At St Joseph's mother-house, novitiate and training-school, near Delhi, novices are thoroughly In structed for teaching in parochial schools. Provincial Monastery of the Good Shepherd, Carthage, Hamilton Co., O. Mother M. of St. Joseph David, supr. Thirty six professed religious, 6 nov ices, 4 postulants, 1 outdoor sister. Maria Stein Convent, Maria Stein, Mercer Co. Mother-house of the Sis ters of the Precious Blood. Mo.her Ludovica Scharf, supr.; Sister Corona, assistant. Thirty sisters, 10 novices, 30 postulants. Number of sisters in the diocese, 390; outside, 126; total, 518. BRANCH HOUSES OF THE SISTERS OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD. Convent of the Visitation, Minster, Auglaize Co. Sister M. Gottliebe, supr. Fifty-five sisters, 10 novices, 4 postulants. Pupils, 324. Convent of Mary, Gruenwald (Cas sella P. O.), Mercer Co. Sitter M. Harlina, supr. Sisters, 35. Convent of the Assumption, Cartha gena, Mercer Co. Sister M. Euphemia, Bupr. Sisters, 23. Convent of Mary's Flight into Egypt (Minster P. O.), Auglaize Co. Sister M. Raphael, supr. Sisters, 40. Convent ot Mary, Mother of Mercy, Hlmmelgarten (St Henry P. 0. Mer cer Co. Sister M. Cordula, supr. Sis ters, 40. The Sisters of the Precious Blood have also Mission-Houses at Botklns, Cellna, Ft. Recovery, Russia, Troy, Versailles and Wapakoneta. In these sixteen institutions there are sisters of all appellation, 1,894, or an average of 113 sisters to each. The diocese of Columbus, comprising the central portion of the state, has tha following: Convent of the Dominican Sisters Shepard P, O.), Franklin Co., O.- Mother Vlncentla, supr. Sisters ia community, 120; Sisters at Mother house, 50. Convent of the Sisters of the Good Shepbc rd, West Side, Broad and San dusky st., Columbus Mother Theresa, supr. Twenty-five sisters, 29 Magda len, 70 lttnlUnU, 71 preservation children- Convent of Sisters ot Notre Dame, Rich it , Columbus, 31 Sisters, teach ing In Holy Cross and St Patrick's schools, and conducting St. Joseph's Academy. Pupil, 120. Sister Mary Llguorl, supr. Convent of Sister of St. Francis, New Lexington Mother Gonzuga, suor. Sisters, 2t; pupils, 40. To these must be added the strange conglomerations of school and convent, which feed the nunneries with their victims. Of these the most conspicuous are: St Joseph's Academy, Columbus Conducted by Sisters of Notre Dame. Twenty five sisters, 120 pupils. Sisters from this house teach the parochial schools of Holy Cross and St Patrick's. St Mary's of the Springs Academy, one mile from the city of Columbus (Sheperd P. O.) Franklin Co., O.-Sls-ters of St Dominic. Mother Vlncen tla, supr. Sisters, 25; pupils, 80. Sis ters from this house teach the pa rochial schools ot Zanesvlllo, Stenben vlllo, Newark, Lancaster, Somerset, St. Lawrence, I ronton, and of Vincent Fer rer, New York City. Rev. R. P. O'Rourke, O. P., chaplain. St Alaysius' Academy, New Lexing tonSisters of St. Francis. Twenty four sisters. Mother Gonzaga, supr. Pupils, 40. In the dlocose of Cleveland there are eighteen convents, but the number of sisters, tor some reason best known to the priests, is not stated. It is to be presumed that the average is at high as thatof Clnolnnatl-113. That would give 2,127 sisters. The convents of Co lumbus apparently contain 423, and the academies 74 more; while in the state there are 4,515 sisters of all degrees, from those who have taken the veil and are suffering a living burial, to the fresh pupil, enticed by alluring words and hypnotized by the priests, passing the threshold as novices, as flys walk Into the den of the hungry spider. Such Is a full and complete statement ot ths facts. What an awful picture It presents here in one of the greatest states of the union, originally settled by the offspring of New England Purl tans. now little the people know of the ex istence of the nunneries may be learned for the asking. "How many convents are there in Northern Ohio?" I asked of a prominent Congregational clergy man. "I have heard that there are two or three," was the reply. He was astoalshed when the case was pre sented, and did not give credence until the Catholic Directory itself wss turned to. There Is no other institution in the state that is free from state super vision; but these convents claim exemp tion because of their religious charac ter. If they are such holy places, where nuns pass their time In prayer, there can be no harm In the fact being proven by investigation. Only because they are rotten with crime and perfidi ous villainy, are their doors closed. There are in the state 4,515 sisters, withdrawn from all the pleasures of life and sacrificed to the unholy selfish ness of the prleithood. The walls of the convent are thick, the windows are heavily barred, the doors kept locked; there is a high wall around it. The heart of the mother superior is ice, and the visiting priests, capable of forgiv ing all sins, can commit none. The con vent is a world within itself. It is ruled by its own laws, and the wail of despair and the cry of agony which go up from the lipsof entrapped innocence, has no answer but the echo from the arched celling. If there was an American unlawfully confined in a prison in farthest Europe or Asia, he would be demanded by our government, and if not released, the whole strength of the nation would be called forth to enforce the order. To hold persons in confinement against their will is one of the most revolting of crimes and is severely punished. Yet, in the state of Ohio, 4,515 sisters are held in duress more exacting and in closer confinement than are the in mates ot the penitentiary, and not a word of censure comes from the press, which is ready to uphold the taking of the veil, when the deluded victims have reached that awful sacrifice. How many of these 4,515 sisters are held against their will? Who can know, as they are not allowed to come in contact with the outside world? When visited by friends, whom they are allowed to see at rare intervals, they meet on opposite sides of a grate, in the presence of the superior, and should they utter a word of censure, or desire to eccape, the most horrible penances would be imposed. To kneel on the cold stone floor until the knees become ulcerated, to lick the dirt from the floor of the hall, to be deprived of food or water, are among the least in flictions. So contrary to nature is it for a young person to renounce the pleasures and allurements of life, that it la the pre sumption that nearly all the inmates have been deceived, and were held by compulsion until ao changed by their surrounding that they loae tha desire to escape. That any one can become so subjected and dominated as to cease desiring to live a natural, true life, ought to be sufficient for the condemna tion of the system to eternal infamy. Whether they do or not, they should be allowed to ex press themselves, and the Iron door should be open tor those who wish to go. A committee should be appointed, with highest power, to visit every convent twice each year, with the right to make thorough ex amination and converse with the in mates without surveillance. This com mittee should a'sa have the power to give freedom to such as desire to leave the convents. The evil has grown up unobserved and is rapidly Increasing, but if those who desire are allowed to return to the world, the stories of abute, Insult and torture they would relate will bar the way for those who become infatuated with the allurements of the convent life as pictured by the priests. Such Institutions are un-American, and con trary to the spirit of our laws. They are In conflict with the spirit of the age. An American Institution is one open to the public, one without closed doors, hiding secrets which should not exist. That there are 1,400 nunneries or convents in the United States which are outside of its laws as much as though the ocean Interposed, and never Investigated, is a disgrace to our civil ization. Hudson Tuttle. OPES LETTER TO ILLINOIS A. P. A. Its State Officers Accused With Dictat Ing In l'elltk-R. Friends We have reached a period In the life of our organization when we are in a position to demand recognition from the political leaders of the state. The two great political parties are on the eve of a great struggle; the Demo crats are making their last stand against threatened Republican suprem acy; the Republicans are fighting among themselves for the nominations which seem certain of election. By its own greediness the Republican party Is opening the only way to success for the Democrats a split in the Republi can ranks. The fight Is going to be a close one; neither party Is sure of vie tovy. The balance ot power is in the bands of the A. P. A. The question before us is a simple one and ought to be decided without much hesitancy. Are we going to use our power, or are we going to sit idly by and let a set of oorrupt officials prostitute the organi zation that we are members of? I know this Is a serious charge to make against our state officers and yet I make it. The charge is susceptible cf proof: I give you herewith the facts on which this charge Is based, and you may judge for yourselves on how good a foundation it rests. On the Saturday prior to the Republican love feast, at Springfield, Chas. J. Klnnie was In Chicago to keep an appoint ment with the state officials, Clarence P. Johnson and Will D. Newton. A conference was held In the office of C. Tupper Beatty In the Association building, and the following facts were stated by the state officers to Mr. Kln nie: That Henry L. Hertz was opposed to the placing of Mr. Kinnie on the state ticket, as he was too well-known as an A. P. A. That Henry L. Hertz had demanded of Mr. Johnson the withdrawal of Mr. Klnnie as a candidate for the office of state auditor. That Mr. Johnson had refused to have Mr. Klnnie withdraw and would not support Hertz If he did not drop the fight on Klnnie. Now, friends, I would like to know if we elected Clarence P. Johnson for the benefit of Chas. P. Klnnie or for the good of the order. I ask by what right Clarence P. Johnson either re fuses or pledges the support of the or ganization on account of any one man. I ask by what right he has a conference with Henry L. Hertz for the purpose of fixing up a slate In the Interest of any one man? Clarence P. Johnson has no right to make political deals with Henry L. Hertz on any pretext whatsoever, for Henry L. Hertz is a Romanist and will make no deals in any way prejudicial to the interest of the Roman Catholic church. You may not believe these charges, friends, but silence on the part of Clarence P. Johnson will be an acknowledgement ot guilt, and you may rest assured he will maintain a discreet silence. Should he care to probe into these charges, I will be pleased to publish an autograph letter from Dr. T. N. Jamie son that will conclusively establish the relation now existing between Mr. Johnson and the Republican machine. I ask you, friends, simply to read and think. Daisy G. Mack. HOME-SEEKERS EXCURSIONS. Via. Missouri Pacific Railway. Very low rates for the round-trip to polntsin Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, In fact to nearly all points in the southern states. Don't forget the dates, April 7th, and 21st, also May 5th. For full particulars, land pam phlets, books, etc., call on your nearest agent or company's office, northeast corner Thirteenth and Farnam, or depot, Fifteenth and Webster streets, Omaha, Neb. Thos. F. Godfrey, J. O. Phillippi, P. and T. A. A. G. F. and P. A. CRIPPLE CHEEE. COLO., HEWS. George S. Irwin, one of our friends, who has just recovered from an illness, makes an Ideal president of Cripple Creek Typographical Union No. 227. AN American's patriotism is not measured by the intensity with which he hates Roman Catholicism and Roman Catholics, but by the intensity with which he loves the principles of liberty and freedom. Seventy-two persons were arrested tor illegal registration at Victor on Monday night. The jail at Victor being Inadequate to accommodate all the prisoners, twenty-one of the men were brought to Cripple Creek and confined in the city bastile. All those men are alleged Populists. The Duke of Norfolk will shortly be a recipient of a fine portrait of Pope Leo XIII. The picture was painted by an Italian artist The duke is one of the most prominent and wealthy ot the English Roman Catholics, and is a warm advocate of the projected papal conquest of Great Britain. There being only one mayoralty ticket in the field at Cripple Creek, Mayor Hugh R. Steele was chosen to fill for another term the office which he has so creditably filled during the past year. As mayor of the city he has de veloped a well defined backbone some thing which every exeoutlve officer should possess. Captain George O. Nevins, the Chesterfield of Cripple Creek Ameri cans, Is polite, urbane, kind and con siderate to those with whom he comes in contact. He finds it unnecessary to use profane expletives, and he Is a man whose perional habits are above re proach. The captain is a gallant, genial, gracious and generous gentle man. We are informed, on trustworthy authority, that the Larry Maroney Lumber Company furnished, free of charge, the lumber and labor to con struct a building in which the Catho lic Sisters of Charity could hold a fair two weeks, for the benefit ot their order. The lumber company will, at Its own expense, it is alleged, also tear down the structure and cart away the lumber at the close of the fair. What American lumber company would perform a like deed for a Protes tant interest for such an organization, for example, as the Cripple Creek Bap tist church, of which Rev. Mr. Kirk Is the worthy and patriotic pastor? HERE AND THERE. The Florence and Cripple Creek Raiload Company is contemplating building a branch line from Victor, a distance of ten miles, to a new townsite called Wilmington, near Nipple moun tain. The new camp abounds in min eral and the site is near excellent min eral springs. Denver capitalists are behind the new enterprise, and will build a large brick hotel there costing $60,000. Surveyors are to take the field in a few days. The first annual ball of the Victor Typographical Union No. 275, held at Armory hall on Monday evening, was a grand success, and redowns to the qredlt of the members having the affair in charge. The new mining camp of Freshwater is attracting considerable attention from prospectors and others. It is located about twelve miles southeast of Howbert, a station on the Midland, titty-seven miles west of Colorado Springs. A good road leads from Howbert to the camp, and a stage line is soon to be put on the road. Fresh water now has about forty buildings, and several stores and a second livery stable are now in progress ot construc tion. The Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad will sell tickets to Denver April 21st and 22d, at one fare for the round trip $5.75 limit to return April 27th, on account of the meeting of the G. A. R-, Sons ot Veterans and Wo man's Relief Corps. A. P. A. Wing at Anaconda. A more orderly election was never held than that which took place yester. day at Anaconda. There were two tickets in the field, the American, headed by Henry Dahl, and the Citi zens, headed by Thomas Waddleton. While there was no demonstration to mark the fervor, there was a most earnest pull on both sides to win the battle. The total vote was 549 and the American ticket was elected by an average majority ot from 40 to 65. Following is the official counts of the judges: For mayor, Henry Dahl, 264; Thomas Waddleton, 226. Dial's majority, 33. For trustees, American ticket: H. B. Allen, 305; J. M. Stutsman, 297; Thomas Montgomery, 285. Citizens' ticket: Thomas Kenney, 243; J. D. Williams, 243; James C. Chamberlain, 243. The American has from the first supported Mr. H. P. Dahl for mayor ot Anaconda, because it believed him to be the best man for the place. We predict that he will never betray any confidence which may be reposed in him. , Election at Gillett. There were four tickets In the field at Gillett, but as many of the candi dates appeared on more than one ticket, it virtually put the Republican ticket in the field against the faction of the Independents', Peoples' and Citizens' tickets. Peace prevailed and quiet work was done, resulting in a straight Republican victory. Following Is the judges' result: Total vote 239: For mayor, A. S. Perrler, 126 votes. For trustees, S. B. Collins, 156; F. Harper, 145; E. A. Brindage, 137; Charles M. Cranson, 114; E. D. Sloan, 138; J. W. Yeaman, 129. The lowest vote of the above parties, all of whom were elected, was twenty above all other tickets. The successful candidate for mayor, Judge A. S. Perrier, announced him self openly during the campaign as the A. P. A. candidate. Foreign Immigration. Mr. Lodge has been one of the prime movers in the troubles from which the country now suffers. He began a year a go, or more, to create the perturbation in our foreign relations which, during the last few months, has been so disas trous to business, and has done so much to turn public attention away from our domestic difficulties. He has always, however, reserved for himself a little shelter In the shape of something of comparatively small consequence, which would not seriously affect his own character as a demagogue, and yet enable him to make a display of Interest in our domestic affairs. One of these is civll-servlce reform. An other is copyright. Neither; of them seriously attract public attention, or is likely to damage him or lessen his In fluecca with the class which he most cultivates. Whenever one resents bis attacks on the currency, or 'his tariff madness, or his military propagandists all of which are likely -to affect ser iously the character of the nation, the answer always Is to see how faithful he is to clvll-servlce reform oand what a gocd friend to International copyright. To these political sentry-boxes he has now added hostility to Illiterate immi gration, which he says ls',"a subject of the greatest magnitudeand of the most far-reaching importance:" "The injury of unrestricted immigra tion to American' wages and American standards of living is sufficiently plain and Is bad.oenough, but (the danger which this immigration threatens to the quality of our citizenship is far worse. That which it concerns us to know, and that which is more vital to us as a people than all possible ques tions of tariff or currency, is whether the quality of our citizenship is endan gered by the present course and char ter of immigration jto the United States. To determine this question in telligently, wejmust look into the his tory of our race." We do not need to look into the "his tory of our race" to get at the bottom of this matter. The history of our own country is fenough.fi Every one must regret Ignorant olmmlgratlon. There Is no doubt that it does lower the quality of our citizenship, and that it has a tendency to breed demagogues. But the question withjjus to-day is whether, and to; what degree, it is re sponsible for the evils which now afflict us. What are those evils? a They are, first, a tariff which, highj'or low, it seems impossible to settle in any man ner which will not make It a constant menace and disturbance -Jto business stability. We care not whether it be a high or low or middling etarifl. Our next evil is a mixed, disorderly and re dundant currency, the various denomi nations of which are maintained at par with each other by borrowing money quarterly. Oar third evil Is a wide spread popular 'passion tor foreign ag gression, and the conversion into a military republic of one which was in tended to be, and .has been untiljnow, a peaceful, trading, manufacturing atd agricultural republic. Now, to which of these evils has the foreign Immigration, large as it is, ignorant as it is, contributed anything? The states which contain most foreign born citizens, as we have often pointed out in these columns, have been sound est on the currency question much sounder than Mr. Lodge or anv of his leading companions. On the manage ment of the tariff, which is really our American system of taxation, during the-past thirty years the foreign popu lation has exerted no influence, or next to none. It has been almost exclu sively In the hands of American manu facturers and their American congres sional allies. Any falsehoods or delus ion which have helped to maintain it at an extravagant height, or have led to sudden and violent changes In it, have been spread among the foreign population by intelligent and educated Americans. The irredeemable-greenback movement and the silver move ment, with all their absurdities, are of purely native origin, and are most deeply rooted to-day in the states which have received the least foreign immi gration. The present prevailing de sire, of which Senator Lodge has been himself a chief promoter, to get up a dis pute with foreign nations which would entail enormous expense, and, if per sisted in, seriously change the charac ter of our government, is absolutely native-American In its origin and maintenance. There are very fow for eign immigrants, even of the present class, who have not clearer conceptions of international morality and of the convenances of international intercourse than such men as Morgan and Vest, for example. The matter on which the Influence of the foreign Immigrant has been most potent is city government. But the only city in the Union in which this has been visible, palpable, and over whelming, Is New York. The govern ment of New York has been undeniably Irish, and we admit shockingly bad. But, alas, the government of the other cities, Philadelphia for . example, which is In native hands, Is just as tad and some say worse. So is that of St. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati. In all these cities the chief leaders in the work of corruption have been Ameri cans by birth, and as a general rule it Is Americans who have taught the for eigners the tricks of the trade. As to foreign illiteracy, to which Mr. Lodge attaches so much importance, we affirm that it has not done us a hundredth part of the mischief wrought by native literacy. Mr. Lodge himself, for in stance, was taught to read and write when he was a child, and has, In ma turer years, had the best educational advantages the country affords. But, in spite of this, a very large proportion of the educated and thinking men of the country look on him as a citizen who does more damage to the nation than a hundred thousand, or, we might say, a half-million, ignorant Europeans. At no period in the history of the country has so much damage been done to our government as within the last ten years by the congresses which we have been In the habit of calling "brutish." They have exhibited ig norance and folly In about equal pro portionsignorance about nearly ev erything with which it behooves a leg islator to be acquainted, trade, com merce, industry, finance, currency, for eign relations and yet every member of them know how to read and write, with different degress of proficiency, it is true, but all fairly well. Some had even read books and dictionaries. So It is quite plain that making for eigners read and write at their port of entry would not necessarily make them desirable additions to our voting popu lation, or to our halls of legislation. Take again the boss system, which is so rapidly changing the character of our state governments: Who de vised it? Who carry it on? Who are its main suppjrters? Why, the native born country voters of New York and Pennsylvania, just as much as the Irish laborers and liquor-dealers of New York city or Philadelphia. It is not Paddy or Hans who is seen hurry ing to No. 49 Broadway every Satur day. In truth, the most marked char acteristic of a great deal of such la mentation as Mr. Lodge's over for eign illiteracy, and of a great deal of the legislation of the day, is the desire to find some mechanical substitute for character, something which will dis pense with the necessity of being hon est and true and upright, and loving one's country in other ways than show ing readiness to fight foreigners about matters which do not concern us. Does any one suppose for one moment that If the ruling passion at Washington and Albany today were a sincere desire to do what was best for the country, what was most likely to promote the com fort of the poor, and the safety, honor, and welfare of the nation, as these terms were understood by its founders, the existence among us of five times as many illiterate foreigners as we now have could not ba witnessed without concern? New York Nation, March se.