' 1HE SEAT OF CO VERNSIEliT.
Miscellaneous Stutters of Interest at the Aa-
tlonal Capital.
Governor Seulfck , of Arizona , telegraphs
Eecretary Lamaf that be has taken steps to
counteract the Incendiary articles that have
recently appeared In the Arizona papers
against tho San Carlos Indians. These ar
ticles he states , haye bad the effect of Incit
ing the passions of bad white men against
these Indians , which is destructive of the
peace of the territory. Indian Inspector Arm
strong telegraphs that all Is quiet among the
Indlans'on the'Tongue-rlvcr. "
Lleut'nant-general Sheridan , and Inspector
peneral Baird , who have gone to Arizona on
an Indian Inspection tour , received verbal In
structions direct from the President The In
structions will not be made public , but it is
known that the President is perplexed by the
conflicting reports received , regarding the
management of Indians in Arizona and New
Mexico , and is desirous of getting definite In
formation on the subject that ha may present
It In such shape to congress as will insure fair
treatment all around. Hence he desired
personal examination-by these two prominent
officers.
First Assistant Postmaster General Steven
son , having learned that mail contractors are
going on the Londs of postmasters , called the
attention of the \ ostmaster seneral to the
subject , who has made-the following order :
"Mail contractors , mail carriers and their
agents , who have contracts or are interested
in transporting mails , will not be accepted as
securities on the bonds of postmasters at
postoffices located on any mail route on which
any mails arc transported under any such
contracts. "
The necessity for a reorganization of the
federal judiciary sjstem will , it is.said , be
strongly presented by Attorney General Gar
i land in his torthcoming annual report. He
A will urge tbat longress take some action to re
lieve the docket oE the supreme court of the
United States , which U now three years be
hind hand. A revival of the Davis bill , which
Garland supported when he was in the senate ,
will probably be recommended. It provides
tbat the circuit court shall be held
. in every district at the same time
with the districtc ourt. Circuit courts shall
not exercise appellate jurisdiction In cases
from the district court alter a certain date ,
and in each circuit a court of appeals shall
then be established to hear cases from the dis
trict and circuit courts. The appellate court
shall consist of a supreme court justice , and
circuit judges and two district judges , desig
nated by the court at the preceding term.
Cases involving amounts exceeding § 10,030 or
a test of the constitution may be carried from
the court of appeals to the supreme court.
The bill provides for two additional circuit
judges for each circuit.
AS TO XATIOyAt , BAXItS.
Synopsis of the Annual Report of tlic Comp
troller of the Currency.
The annual report of II. W. Cannon , con
troller of the currency , contains much inter
esting information. It shows that during the
year ending November 1 , 1SS5 , 145 banks have
been organized with a capital of § 1G.93SOCO
and circulating notes have been issued to
these new associations amounting to § 4,274-
910. Since the establishing of the national
banking system February 23 , 1S65 , there have
been organized 3,346 national banks. Of
these 432 have gone into voluntary liquida
tion for the purpose of winding up their
affairs , 79 have gone into voluntary liquida
tion for the purpose of reorganization ,
G4 are in liquidation by ex
piration of their charter , of which number
33 have been reorganized , and 104 have been
placed In the hands of a receiver for the pur
pose of closing up their affairs. The total
number in existence on Nov. 1 , 1SS5 , was 5-
727 , which is the largest number that has
been in operation at any one time. A larger
number of banks expired by limitation during
the year 1SS5 than have or will expire during
any year prior to 1903. The comptroller be
lieves that the contraction of national bank
circulation will continue unless some legisla
tion is had which will increase the prolit
which national banks derive from the issue of
circulating notes , and proposes that the tax
on circulation iJe removed , and the amount of
circulation which national banks are per
mitted to issue be increased to the par
value of the bonds deposited by them. He
refers to the fact that although there
has been a contraction in national bank
notes , the circulating medium of the coun
try has been increased by silver dollars and
silver certificates , and in this connection he
calls attention to the statement in his last an
nual reportthat the continued coinage of
standard silver dollars under the present
provisions of law is in excess of the require
ments of the country , and is liable to bring
the business of the country to silver basis , and
cause some degree of financial disturbance.
Full statistics in regard to the taxation of na
tional banks are civcn , showing that during
the fiscal year ending June 30 , 1S35 , there was
paid to the United States government 52,791-
584 : taxes on circulating notes of national
banks. Tables are presented in the report
in the proper order that comparisons may
be made between the annual divi
dends paid b ? national banks to the United
States , and those paid by foreign banks to
their stockholders , which indicate that the
averasre dividends and earnings of national
banks during the United States are , as rule
less than those of the banks in other coun
tries. The report contains comparative
statements of the resources and liabilities of
the national banks during the past ten years ,
and a detailed statement of their condition on
the first day of October , 1S35. The different
items indicate that the business of the nation
al banks has largely increased during the
past year , although the items of the United
States bonds and circulating notes have de
creased. Liabilities to depositors and corres
pondents have increased more than one hun
\
dred and eighty million dollars. During the
year , the banks have increased their species
resources more than fortv-slx million dollars.
A brutal murder of a woman occurred in
the rilla-ie of Medina , N. Y. , and the in'iuest
h : s resulted in the arrest of her husband
charged with the crime. The first dispatch
received stated that when John Miles returned
to his home at 12CO o'clock he found his wife ,
Amelia , aired 5S , lyin < r on the floor dead , with
her throat cut from ear to ear. The coroner
was speedily summoned and an investigation
logun. It was shown that Miles himself was
the cnlv person seen around the premises ,
and his answers to certain questions were so
vague that suspicion was aroused and the
coroner ordered his arrest. The case against
Miles Is regarded as strong. The character
of the man is fair , there never having been
any quarrels between him and his wife-sofar
as the neighbors are aware. He says they
nevor had words between them of an angry
natura. Miles is a Frenchman abut 67 years
HE said her hair was djed ; andwhen
A she indignantly exclaimed , " 'Tis false ! "
he said he presumed so.
X
WITH THE BED
Hie Annual Report of Commissioner Atkins
How He Would Manage the Indian-Busi
ness.
Gen. Atkins , commissioner of Indian af
fairs , has submitted to the secretary ot the
interior his annnal report for the fiscal year
ended June 30,1885. The commissioner
prefaces his report with the statement that
"it requires no seer to foretell or foresee the
civilization of the Indian race as a result
naturally deducible from the knowledge and
practice upon their part of the art of agri
culture , ' for the' history ol agriculture
among all people and in all countries inti
mately connects it with the highest intel
lectual and moral development of man. "
He continues : "The increased interest in
agriculture manifested since the opening
last spring and preparations of several re-
servationsjor still greater increased acre
age in farming are among tho hopeful signs
of Indian progress and developement. This
brings me directly to the consideration ol
the practical policy whch , I believe , should
be adopted bycongrcssand thegovernment
in the management of the Indians. It
should be industriously and gravely im
pressed upon them that they must aban
don their tribal relations and take lands in
severally as the corner stone of their com
plete success is in agriculture , which means
self-support , personal independencn and
material thrift. The government should ,
however , in order to protect them , retain
the right to their land in trust for twenty-
five years or longer , but issuo trust
patents at once to such Indians
as have taken individual holdings. When
the Indians have taken their lands in
severalty in sufficient quanties , ( and the
number of acres in each holding may and
should vary in different localities accord
ing to fertility , productiveness , climatic
and other advantages ) , then , having due
regard to immediate and future early needs
of the Indians , tho remaining lands of their
reservations should be purchased by the
government and opened to homestead
entry at 50 or 75 cents per acre. The
money paid by the government for their
lands should be in trust in5 per cent bonds
to be invested as congress may provide for
the education , civilization and material
development and advance of the red race ,
reserving for each tribe its own money.
If this policy were adopted systematically
by the government it would be strange if ,
in five years from its inauguration and
establishment , there should be an Indian
of any tribe in the whole country who
would refuse to accept so favorable and
advantageous a measure. Every step
taken , every move made , every suggestion
offered , everything done with reference to
the Indians , should bo with a view of im
pressing upon them that this is the policy
which has been permanently decided upon
by the government in reference , to their
government. They must abandon tribal
relations ; they must give up their super
stitions ; they must forsake their savage
habits and learn the arts of civilization.
They must learn to labor and must learn
to rear their families as white people do
and to know more of their obligations to
the government and society. In a word ,
they must learn to work for a living and
they must understand that it is their duty
to scad their children to school. When the
farm and school have been familiar institu
tions among the Indians , and reasonable
time has intervened for the transition from
barbarism or from a semi-civilized state to
one of civilization , then will the Indian be
prepared to take upon himself the higher
and more responsible duties and privileges
which appertain to American citizenship.
There are in the United States , exclusive of
Alaska , 200,000 Indians , fully half of
whom have as yet declined to commit
themselves to the life of the farmer. Ex
clusive of the lauds cultivated by the five
civilized tribes , the nnmber of acres in cul
tivation bj' Indians during the year num
ber 1248,241. an increase of 18,473 since
last year's figures. " Keferring to the In
dian outbreaks in the southwest the com
missioner says : "It has been deemed ad
visable to place all the Apaches tempora
rily under charge of the war department ,
that department to have the full authori
ty necessary for their management. This
( jflicc heartily sympathizes with the effort
of the war department to control the Chir-
icahuas , and I trust that the military will
be able to > capture the murderous band
now skulking in the Sierra Madre moun
tains and to bring them to condign punish
ment. "
WI0\GS THEY 1TAXT RIGHTED.
An Assemblage of Postmasters for Consitlcr-
atlon of Tlieir Interests.
Chicago dispatch : A large number of post-
ma = ters of the third and fourth class grades
arrived in Chicago , to attend the national
convention which opened at McCoy's hotel
Dec. 2nd. A total attendance of five or six
hundred was expected. The object of the
convention is to make arrangements for a
still larger convention , at which action will
be taken with a view of inducing confess ti
prant relief in the shape of adequate allow
ance for rent , lisht and fuel.
The i-rincipal mover in the matter is John
A. Peterson , editor of the United States Mail.
He said that there were 50.000 postmasters of
the third and fourth crades in the country ,
and they were dealt unfairly with by the na
tional government. Thev were compelled tc
pay out of their own pocket ; every dollar o )
expense incurred by them except perhaps a
slight allowance for clerk hire. A postmas
ter might have ten or fifteen mails to dis
patch and receive a week , besides a lanre
amount of separating for other oflices. sufli
cicnt ofttimcs to require the services of thret
clerks , and the bulk of the expense thus in
curred he has to ray out of his hard
earned salary. More than this , they are com
pelled to pay their own expenses for rent
liht and fuel and other incidentals ; while in
the case of the first and second class rest
masters , every item of expense is borne hi
the national sovernment While , moreover
Ihe postmasters owned the boxes , the govern
ment took the largest portion of the revenue
from their rental. He had been in corrcs
spondence with many thousands of rostmas
ters of the grades affected and all wen
agreed that it was time that congress shouic
be asked to remedy these wrongs.
BIG RU3IPVS ISA CHURCH.
Hie Priests Pelted ll'lth Chunks ofllutl and
Stone.
A Detroit special says : Another scene of
tremendous uproar and excitement occur
red this morning at the St. Alberta Polish
Catholic church. The masses were drowned
in .1 ells and screams of the women , who
packed the church and pelted the prie&ts
with chunks ofjnud and stones. One ol
the new priests was attacked on the steps
of the altar and his priestly robes torn =
from his back by the infuriated women. "
The priests then feared for their lives , and , \
surrounded by thirty policemen , ran full
speed across the street to the priests' house
amid a shower of stones and brick-bats.
Several of the rioters were arrested by the to
police. The streets became a howling mob
at dark. Father Ivalacinski , the deposed
priest , appeared at the scene. He was in-
stantlysurrounded by women and children ,
who kissed his hands and vowed they
would never have any priest butliim. Kal-
acinski persuaded them to clear the street.
All is now quiet , but more violence is likely
to follow , unless the bishops restore Kala-
cinski to his charge.
UNCLE SA3FS STAVDIXa FEfAXCtAJX X
He Enlightens tlie Public by a Statement of
tlie Government's Indebtedness.
The following is a recapitulation of tho
debt statement issued on tho 1st :
IN'TCnEST-BBAniNO DEBT.
Bonds at 4 % per cent. . . . § 250,000.000 00
Bonds at 4 per cent 737,472,850 00
Bonds at 3 per cent 104,190,500 00
Refunding certificates at
4 per cent 221,750 00
Navy pension fund at 3
per cent 14,000,000 00
Pacific railroad bonds
at G per cent 64,623,512 00
Principal 81,260,778.612 00
Interest 11,853,088 51
Total $1,272,631,70051
DEBT ON" WHICH INTEREST HAS CEASED SINCE
JIATU111TY.
Principal S 3,560,105 26
Interest 217,035 76
Total S 3,786,141 02
DEHT-BEAKINO INTEREST.
Old demand and legal-
tender notes $ 346,738,806 00
Certificates of deposit. . . 17,5o5,0)0 ( 00
Gold certificates 105,554,092 00
Silver certificates 92,702,642 00
Fractional currencvless
$8,375,934 estimated
as lost or destroyed. . . 6,959,574 92
Principal $ 569,510,114 92
TOTAti DEBT.
Principal ? 1,838,857,832 18
Interest 12,070,124 27
Total : . . $1,845,927,956 45
Less cash items availa
ble for reduction of
the debt $ 231,452,594 55
Less reserve'held for re
demption of U.S. notes 100,000,000 00
Total $ 331,452.474 55
Total debt , less availa
ble cash items $1,514.475,361 90
Net cash in the treasury. 61,930,595 33
Debt , less cashin the
treasury Dec. 1,1885. . 1,452,544,766 56
Debt , less cash in the
treasury Nov.l , 1885. 1,447,657.568 09
Increase of debt during
the month $ 4,887,198 47
CASH IN THE THCASURY AVAILABLE FOK EC
DUCTION OF THE PUBLIC DEBT.
Gold held for gold cer
tificates actually out
standing $ 105,554,092 00
Silver held forsilver cer
tificates actually out
standing 92,702,642 00
U. S. notes held for cer
tificates of deposit ac
tually outstanding 17,555,000 00
Cash held for matured
debt and interest un
paid 15,639,229 53
Fractional currency 1,631 02
Total available for
reduction of debt. . $ 231,452,594 55
ItESCnVE FUND.
Hold for redemption of
U. S. notes , acts Jan.
14 , 1875 , and July 12 ,
1882 § 100,000,000 00
UXAVAILAIJLE TOIt REDUCTION OF TIIC DEBT.
Fractional silver coin. . . § 27,920,309 44
Minor coin 617,171 34
Total § 28,530,48078
Certificates held as cash.S 06,737,432 00
Net cash balance on hand 61,930,595 34
Total cash in treasury
as shown by treasur
er' general account..S 4o . , GG7I02 67
SO3JE POZI11CAI GOSSIP.
Under instructions from Secretary Man
ning the customs collector at Baltimore
will mako retrenchments in salaries to the
extent of $20,000 per annum.
The electors of Great Britain Ixave thus
far returned to parliament 191 liberals ,
175 tories and 35 Parnellites. The nation
alists of Dublin are Avild over the triumph
of Harrington and Sullivan.
Justice Miller is quoted now in Washing- o
ion as being of the opinion that Edmunds
is still president pro tern of the senate. He
lolcls that the senate is abodyinperpetuo ,
incl that when it lias elected a presiding a
officer he holds the place until his successor
is elected.
c
The Ohio supremo court rendered a deci c
sion in the Daggett habeas corpus case , c
wrought up from Cincinnati , discharging the r
lefendant and holding the Cincinnati and r
Cleveland Election Registry law to be un r.
constitutional. Tlie decision of the court r.F r.n
was unanimous. F
The president has appointed John A. v
Sullivan to be collector of internal revenue iiq
of the Second district of New York. Sulli- q
van is a well-known business man of New
York City , and has been a prominent mem
ber of the produce exchange for many years.
3e was particularly active in the last pres- v
dential campaign , and was a leading niem- P
> er of the conference committee of the bus- ti
ness men's club , organized in the interest tio tie
of the democratic ticket. The president o
also appointed Lafayette Dawson , of Mis ti
tin
souri , United States judge for the district ol n
Maska ; Win. G. Langford , of Walla Walla , iib
Washington territory , associate justice of iiq
the supreme court of Washington territory ; q
Charles R. Pollard , of Delphi , Ind. , asso b
ciate justice of the supreme court of Mon d
tana territory. g
Killed by the Indians.
A dispatch from Deming , New Mexico ,
ays : Two men were killed by the Indians *
ear Solomousville , Arizona. The bodies were a
ound by a stage-driver on his way to Fort *
liomas. Ben Crawford , the sheriff of Gra-
am county , Arizona , and two others are also
e [ orted killed , but this is not confirmed. On
he 2nd the hostiles were in the neighborhood
f Duncan. They attacked the section men a
t work on the railroad , but they escaped. *
'wo cattlemen are reported to have been
illed near Duncan. The military from Clif-
on and Pary and citizens are in hot pursuit. o
Later dispatches state that the two men who
vere killed bv the Indians near Solomonville , ,
vere "Wright brothers , pioneers living at San
02 , on the Gila river , and a dispatch from
\Vilcox confirms the killing of sheriff Ben.
Crawford , of Graham county , by Apaches.
The Indians are divided into bands of fifteen
twenty. The killing of sheriff Crawford
has created the wildest excitement. Men ,
women and children are fleeing in all direc
tions and couriers are being sent out to warn
the settlers. The bodies of the two Wricht
Brothers were horribly manstled. The In-
lians passed on to Coronada ranch , on the
aila river. At that place they killed two cat
tlemen , one named Dick Mays , the name of ri
the other is unknown. 1 n
A FOR1UHE FOR T1W MITLATOES.
The Legal Fight for $400,000 Bequeathed
by Eccentric David Dickson to a Former
S'.aae.
SpartaGa. ( . ) dispatch : Tho Dicksca
will case , which has been before the jury
for the past week , ended with a verdict
sustaining the will. David Dickson died
suddenly on Feb. 13 , 1885 , leaving an
estate worth $400,000. He left a will be
queathing $5,000 to each of tho four chil
dren of his sisters , $2,000 each to five or
six other persons , and $1,000 each , to a
half dozen others. Tho rest of his superb
property was sent to Amanda Dickson , a
colored woman , in trustfor her two , mulatto
children. The legatee is about 45 years
old. Mr. Dickson had deeded to her
and her mother a handsome property
before his death. They had been
slaves of his , and had lived on his planta
tion for many years under circumstances
which did not elevate Mr. Dickson's social
standing or exalt the regard in which hia
neighbors held him. He lived twelve miles
from Sparta in the center of a plantation
covering about 3,000 acres of land. Until
he was sixty years old he was a bachelor
and a man of solitary habits. He seldom
went to Sparta , and tlie chief break in the
monotony of his life was his annual visit to
Augusta. He attended regularly the Geor
gia railroau conventions in that city be
cause he was one of thelargest stockholders
in that road. In 1870 he married Miss
Clara Harris , of this county. She lived as
his wife for about two years and died child
less.
less.The
The morning he died he called for his
favorite saddle horse and rodeseveral miles
over his plantation. On returning to hia
house lie complained of a pain in his side ,
and , lying down on his bed , expired in a few
minutes. By his own direction he was
buried in his garden , with an open white
silk handkerchief across his breast ,
a gold toothpick in his right hand
and a penknife in his pocket. Soon after
his death Amanda Dickson , her mother and
her sons moved to Augusta , where they
now reside in a house of their own.
As soon as the will was offered for pro
bate notice of a contest was served upon
the executors by some of the children of
Mr. Dickson's brothers and sisters , who
would have inherited his property but for
his extraordinary will.
The cabs was tried before Hancock supe
rior court , Judge Lumpkin presiding. It
was all the talk in Hancock and surround
ing counties , and its progress was watched
with intense inteiest , not only because of
the large amount involved , but by reason
of the delicate quc.stions'of evidence and
law which arose. Two days were consumed
in an effort to obtain a jury. At tiie close
of tho trial the jury retired , and in two
hours and a half returned with a verdict
sustaining the will. The case now goes to
the supreme court
AFFAIRS ZV M'ASHISGTOy TERItllORr.
As Set Forth in the Annual Report of the
Governor.
The annual report of Governor Squ're , of
Washington \ Tenitory , has been received by
the t secretary of the interior. He states that
the tI tt t wheat crop was unparalleled , and the
limber I , coil mining , railroad , stock raising
in > l other interests have been successfully de-
reloped. The population is 129,597 , show
ing i an increase in ten years of 37,930. The
cash ( in the treasury is § 72,597 , while ten
rears 5 ago the territory had a debt of $22,000.
There yet remains more than 23,000,000 acres
Df publics lands unsurveycdand of this 10,003-
DOO acred arcgool agricultural and timber
lands. The governor states that by the terri
torial census of 1SS5 there were 3,276 Chinese
residents in the territory , and during the busi
ness depression a strong popular agitation
has .recently sprung up in a few of our large
places , having for its object the expulsion of
the Chinese from our midst. The hos
tile feeling against the Chinese has been
incrcasel by the reason of the failure
Dn the part of the government to adequate
Iv enforce restrictive action. Large numbers
DL Chinese have stolen into the territory
from the neighboring province of British
Columbia In violation of law. It is very
often difficult to Identify them , and the cus
toms force in this district is evidently too
small to prevent the wholesale smuggling
both of the goods and Chinamen. The report
suggests the necessity of increasing the cus
toms force , and in view of the feeling among
the people and especially the laboring classes ,
the governor recommends the necessity of
protective legislation , such as a revision of
[
the restrictive act , and also advises a revising
or repeal of the Burlingaine treaty.
Postmaster General J'ilas' Report.
The annual report of the postmaster gener
al for the vear ending , June * 30,13S3 , shows a
deficiency in the rostoflice account of a little
more than § 3,000,000. The revenues have de
creased $3,000,000 and the expenditures in
creased § 3,003,000. The chief cause of the de
creased revenue is the reduction of letter
postage from 3 cents to 2 , but the report
points out tbat there is iu this result no war
rant . for believing that the reduction was
made too soon. In fact , the falling off in
postage revenue during the last year preccd-
was much less than durins the year
inor. An analysis of the receipts makes it
quite plain that the growth of business under
the cheaper rate has reached the point of
counteraction of the falling off of the rev
enue caused by the reduction. The general
business condition of the country being some
what unsatisfactory has also affected the
postal r reipts. The money order and recis-
tered letver departments are poin el out as
excellent barometers of business , the money
order re i enues falling from § 513,000 iu 1SS4
to S109OCO in 1SS5 , and the decreaso in the
number of registered letters and parcels be
ing 3 ptr cent , whereas there had formerly
been an increase each year. During the last
quarter of the fiscal year there has , however ,
been a gratifying growth in the receipts of the
department surely indicating the revival of :
general business.
The new Kansas'City Short line 13 opened '
for business from DCS Moines to Kansas City ,
via Indianola , Cbariton , St. Joe and Atchison ,
leaving ' Des Moines daily except Sunday , at 9
a. m. This train makes close connection al
Chariton for all points east and west. The
night tram leaves Dus Moines at 10:15 p. m. ,
and has through sleeper to St. Joe and Kan
sas City daily , except Saturday. This train
also makes close connection at Chariton for
n
all points east and west. Tickets are sold at
the office of the 6 ? . , B. & Q.
Defending Jtiel's Execution.
The defense of the dominion government
on the execution of Riel is published. The
document , which covers five columns , is in
the shape of a report to the privy council
by the minister of justice , Sir Alexander
Campbell , and reviews the whole subject in
an exhaustive manner , declaring that ac
cording to the authorities of the Roman
Catholic church in the northwest Riel was
not entitled to any mercy , his motives be
ing purely mercenary.
The Black Hills branch of the F. E. & M.
V. road has been completed to Buffalo Gap ,
where it will rest until next spring. There
was an interesting ceremony connected
with its completion , in which a tin spike
was driven with a mica mallet , the mate
rial for both of which were taken from
mines near there.
A Dearth of Good Actow.
Tho death .of John McCiilIougk has
served to remind tho country in a
striking and impressivo way that our
list of really competent dramatic art
ists is a very small one ; and to this
may bo added tho equally significant
fact that thoro is little room to liopo
for tho early coming1 of fit successors
to thosn who luivo in tho past adorned
and diguitied tho American stage ,
There is nobody left , it is conceded ,
who is worthy to wear poor McCul-
louirh's mantle in tho interpretation
of any of tho characters with which
his mi mo is so closely and splendidly
associated. It is doubtful , indeed , if
wo have more than three or four actors
who are able to play any of tho old
heroic parts in : i fairly creditable way ;
while as for actresses , there is perhaps
not one who can "represent a , Shnk-
suearean heroine with distinct force
and skill. ttoolh is incomparable
tvithin certan limits , and 15arrett is
entitled to highest praise with a simi
lar qualification ; and when those aro
named , whore are we to look for an
other who can truly bo called lirst
class in any respect ? There aro as
pirants enough , of both sexes , but
they all come short of deliuito and
conchisivo excellence , and are at bast
merely passable.
In ull tho other professions thero is
a steady supply ol good material , and
tho average compares favorably with
that of any former period ; but in tho
lino of acting.detorioration is the rule ,
and the development of really sub
stantial talent seems to have practi
cally come to a stop. Wo do not lack
for competent lawyers , physicians ,
clergymon and tho like to lake tho
places of those who pass away ; but
when a superior actor goes hnnco ho
loaves a gap that wo must despair ef
iilliug. In the nature of things this
should not be tho case. The incen
tives to ambit'on and exertion in the
theatrical domain aro stt least as great
as can be found elsewhere , and tho
price of success is very much tho
same in that as in all other pursuits.
An actor who succeeds is certain both
of fame and fortune , tho measure of
each depending entirely upon his own
capacity iindiidcl.ty. Tho opportun
ity is always waiting for him ; the
public is just as eager on its account
to have him succeed as he can possibly
be to earn its approval and support
and the-popular favor once secured ,
tho task of holding it is only a ques
tion of devotion to duty , of honest and
faithful personal service.
It appears , however , that tho pres
ent race of actors is either fundament
ally incapable of doing the best kind
of work under any conditions , or is
unwilling to submit to the decipline
which is indispensable in any profes
sion if one would achieve a triumph
worth liavinjr. There is no good rea
son why the example of an .actor like
McCnllough should fail to inspire and
instruct other and younger actors in
such : i manner as to perpetuate his
methods and keep alive his under
standing of given pluys and characters.
In former times that was the eH'oct ,
and great actors , though dead , con
tinued to be seen in the persons of
those who had atient vely studied
them , and thus mastered tho phil
osophy ( of their art. McCullough
modeled his acting after that of For
rest in a considerable decree ; and all
other eminent actors have profited in
like measure from past patterns of
excellence. But the present tendency
seems to be against that form of learn
ing how to become proficient in stage
work. It is taken for granted , one is
constrained to ( relieve , that it is not
absolutely necessary to learn how to
be an actor at all any more ; but that
success is to be gained in some easier
and speedier way.
The result is that , instead of having
actors of a conscientious sort , striving
continually to improve themselves ,
and to rise gradually on their merits ,
as men get forward in other profes
sions , we havc only amateurs and pre
tenders , who substitute assurance for
ability and insist upon trying to shine
as stars when they should be taking
lessons in the very rudiments of their
business. It is no answer to say that
people go to see these impostors and
kindly smile upon and applaud them.
Tlie people have to put up with what
is to bo had , or abandon tlie theater
entirely. That they are patient in the
presence of mediocrity and do their
ijost to make believe they arc enjoying
it counts for nothing except as going
to show how much human nature can
stand without open rebellion , and how
determined it is to be amused even
under the most dilliculL conditions , j I
There is a fixed popular craving for 1
the drama , and if it can not have what i
is sound and deserving , it will take
what it can find and make the most of
t ; but it knows all the time that it is
jeing deceived and trilled with , and it j
quickly scixcs an occasion to get some
thing better , even at double the price.
The fault does not lie with the pub
ic , nor can the public furnish a
remedy. Thero will be good actors in
tlie United States when more are will
ing to undergo a proper course of
raining and wailing in that connec
tion , and there will be none any soon
er. McCullough did not leap"to tho
'ront at a s ngle ellbrt. He won his
fame slop by step , and through severe
and unremitting application. 2Jo
great actor Ins ever been made in any
other wav. In all the list of noted
men and women who have from time
to time redeemed the stage to high
ind noble uses , not a single case of
sudden success i ? to be found. Thev
all had to shine dimly at lirst , gaining
n brightness as they learned by study
ind experience to exert their powers
iccordmg to correct and effective ' T
principles. It was not their genius !
done that gave them precedence ; |
their industry played quite as importt '
ant a part in the matter. They did '
lot believe that triumph was a "mere , $
itlair of luck , and art but another
name for want of originality ; they
recogn'zed the necessity of discipline ,
ind were wise enough and honest
enough to be content with nothing
ess than doing the best that it was in
'
them to do by'hard work and anxious
ittention to every source of instruc
tion. Their successors will appear
whenever like conditions of prepara
tion are observed ; and until then medi
ocrity will continue to hold the boards.
SU Louis Globe-Democrat.
A Tempest iu a Teapot -
Tho recently reported expulsion of
German-Americans from tho island of
Foehr ( Sleswick ) by tho Prussian gov
ernment , which , as would appear from
yesterday's dispatches , has boon made
tho subject of protest on tho part of
Mr. Peiulloton , tho American minister ,
is thus explained by tho correspondent
of a German newspaper in Now York :
In regard to the reported expulsion
of a number of Gorman-Americans
from the island of Foohr , I am in a
position to give tho following inform
ation : "The Gorman government has
of lato rendered the stay of Gorman-
Americans upon the island as difficult
as possible , throwing all sorts of ob
stacles in the way. But tho principal
motive which caused Ihis' summary
action on tho part of tho government
seems to have been that several Foohr-
iens , residing in Brooklyn , N. Y. , last
summer caused an article to bo pub
lished in tho Inselbote , a paper issued
on the island of Foohr , in which they
bitterly complained that all amuse
ments , more especially tho innocent
recreation of dancing , was prohibited
by the government , while in all tho
largo cities of Germany these places
of amusements wero accessible to all
young folk ; that , consequently , noth
ing was offered to tho German-Ameri
cans to mako their stay at their old
homes pleasant. " Tho article con
tained tho additional rather imprudent
remark that a number of Foehriens
would soon visit their old homes
again , when they would use every ef
fort to discover the reason of tho pro
hibition of those amusements by tho
government , in which endeavor they
would bo energetically supported in
America. The writer of that article
received a friendly warning from
Foehr to abstain from such expressions ,
as the German government had an ex
cellent memory , which might bring
them into trouble at their next visit to
tho fatherland. A number of Gorman- t I
Americans from Brooklyn and from
California who had been sojourning
for a few mouths upon Foehr have , as
wo are credibly informed by letter , as
sumed a somewhat provoking attitude.
Thus , for instance , it is said that one
of them decorated his saddle horso
with American flags ( which , of course ,
must be very objectionable to the aver
age Bismarck official ) . Tho Iiiselbote
of Oct. 18 contains , consequently , a
warning and an order from tho Prus
sian minister. Von Puttkammer , in re
lation to tho German-Americans on
that island ( tho language of which is
not reported ) . This appears to be the
full explanation for tho expulsion of a
number of German-Americans from
the island ofFoohr. .
The Illinois Kluils-7eilung in rcpub-
lishing tho above , says :
For want of a better explanation ,
the above will have to be taken as con
clusive. It can be read between tho
lines , hoxvever , that the Messrs. Foehri
ens , from Brooklyn , were boasting of.
their Americanism in a fashion which
will not be tolerated by the Prussian
ollicials. There is also a bare possibil
ity that tho "dancing amusements"
which were prohibited were not entire
ly innocent , buc rather boisterous and
course. Every European power re
serves to itself the right to expel from
its territory foreigners who are making
themselves burdensome and obnoxious ,
and nothing can be dono against it it
this right is enforced in the manner its
own judgment deems best. The fact
that German-Americans who have not
given offense have been expelled from
Prussia has not yet been heard of.
New SAVISS Liquor Law.
Tho latest Swiss papers contain tho
complete retains of the vote on tho
constitutional amendment in reference
to the liquor question. Of the twenty-
two cantons lifteen returned a majori
ty in favor of the amendment and sev
en aga list Tlie amendment is adopt
ed b } ' a nearly two-thirds majority.
The contest presents several sugges
tive features. Tho most striking is
that the w no producing cantons such
is Vaud , St. Gall , Eurgovie , Schaff-
house , Tessino , Zurich , andNeufchatol
voted in favor of the amendment and
with large majorities. The canton tic
Vaud , for instance , with its extensive
vineyards of La Vana and La Cote
d'Or on tho lake of Geneva , cast 29-
800 votes in favor and only 3,900
against the amendment , while the
whisky-producing and whisky-drink
ing cantons of Berne and Soloturn
gave large majorities against the
amendment. Berne gave : > G,271 votes
against and only 23,921 in favor of it.
Tho small cantons of the interior , with *
the exception of Giants , gave all
heavy majorities in favor of the amend
ment.
What little influe'iice the press has
when the public mind is otherwise
properly educated upon a measure is
proven in Zurich , v/here tho leading
paper , tho Zurichcr Post , carried on a
bitter warfare against the amendment
under the demagogical pretense that
tho poor workingman would be de
prived of his "little drink. " In spite
of the efforts of this paper the canton
of Zurich gave 31,131 voles in favor of
and 22,605 against tho measure. The
main points in the amendment are
higher import duties for spirituous
liquor , abolition of the shingled ( bar
rel money ) between the canton ? , and
more stringent regulations for gov
erning the retail trade and the issuing
of saloon license.
Tlie Keasoii Why.
"To what do 3-011 attri bute the cause
of the Republican defeat in this
State ? " asked a barber of the gentle
man lie was shampooing.
"To the same reason that your sham
pooing is not a success , " replied tho
victim , with a stilled groan.
"Why , how is that , sir ? " gasped
the astonished head-manipulator.
"Too much scratching at the polls
and not enough soap. " Morniiiy
Journa' .
Unparliamentary.
In a case recently tried in the Com
mon Pleas Court a motion for a lion
suit was made. A colored juror ap
proached the counsel after the case
and said : "How did dat motion ob
yours get along , sah ? " "Oh , it was
granted , " replied tho attorney. "Was
it ? Dat queeah. I lissencd and lis-
sened and didn't heah nobody second
dat motion. " Pittsburgh. Chronicle.
