CUB A IN THE BALANCE FATE OF THE ISLAND LIKELY TO BE SETTLED SOON Jfiecocnition of UebclB or Interven tiou May Knste Uncle Sam Is Wait injr Administration Propoaea to Maintain Strict Neutrality Affairs Near a Crisis Washington dispatch It is the firm conviction of officers of the administra tion that a crisis is approaching in Cuban affairs and that the only safe course for the United States to pursue is to await developments Many sensational stories are alloat about immediate inter vention by the United States and extens ive military preparations for prospective trouble with Spain It can be stated with authority that the President re gards the present military situation on the island as far too critical to warrant -action by the United States at this time That the military operations now act ively begun by the Spanish will result in bringing matters to such a stage as to necessitate the recognition of the in surgents or intervention in the interest tv -or Humanity tue autnonties regard as N absolutely certain The President is so U thoroughly convinced that there will sooa be important changes in the situation by ason of the military operations that ifee now in progress that he has not touch IB upon the Cuban clause of his message l ital TJiio ttmII VQ lief - WlttPTV P jf pending further developments on the juiauu iue atoiuae 01 tue auminisiraiion will continue to be one of strict neutral- fr ity If there is no material change by the time Congress convenes the treatment of the Cuban question in his message will be much the same a3 last year It can be stated authoritative ly that the report made by General Lee during his recent conferences with the President and the Secertary of State will not be productive of any immediate -change in the attitude of the United States The presence in Washington of Ad miral Bunce of the North Atlantic squad ran and his lengthy conference with Sec notary Herbert have given rise to many sensational reports about impending trou ble with Spain One of the alarming re ports is that the administration has now become thoroughly convinced that Spains -extensive preparations at home and the Tecent large augmentation of the military forces in Cuba are in anticipation of a -conflict with this country to be provoked by Spain for the purpose of preserving Jaer dignity in the loss of Cuba There is no justification for war talk at this -time The visit of Admiral Bunce had to do with the repair work on the ves sels of his squadron and his winters THE POPULAR VOTE How It Has Stood in Various Quad rennial Contests While the electoral vote decides who shall be President it is always of in terest to know the popular vote cast for successful presidential candidates Prior to 1S28 there was no popular vote which is worth recording At the time when the Federalists and Republicans or Jeffersonians were fighting for power electors in most States were chosen by the Legislature After the break up of the Federalist party there was a Ions period during which each quadrennial contest was a strife between men rather than measures There were not strong -and well organized parties in the field as there are now The following table gives the actual votes and pluralities excluding the siority candidates in years when the pluralities have been over 200000 Year Candidates Plurality 1852 Pierce 1001474 214890 Scott 13SG57S 1S5G Buchanan 1S3S1G9 400903 Fremont 1341204 I860 Liii olu 1800332 491195 Douglas 1373137 1804 Lincoln 2210007 407342 MeClellan 1S0S725 1SGS Grant 3015071 303458 Seymour 2709013 1S72 Grant 3397070 702991 Greeley 2S34079 1S92 Cleveland 5354220 379025 Harrison 5173201 Whether in proportion to the total vote cast McKinleys plurality will be as large as that received by Grant cannot be told Iitil the returns are all received A GOVERNMENT CROP REPORT Indications of a Plijrht Increase in the - Rate of Yield for Corn The returns to the Department of Ag riculture for the month of November as io rate of yield make the average of corn J21M bushels which is above the yield in- dicated by the condition figures in oer lasi year uie yi euuuuujj cshixiulu -if vield was 202 bushels The rates of yield in the large and principal corn Stated are as follows New York 317 Pennsylvania 371 Ohio 399 Michigan 37 Indiana 324 Illinois 404 Minneso ta 30G Iowa 377 Missouri 263 Kan sas 271 Nebraska 372 The average yield of buckwheat is 1S7 bushels an acre against 201 bushels last year and 1G1 for die year 1S94 The average yield an acre of potatoes is 868 bushels which though not phenomenal is nevertheless above the average for the last ten years The average yield of hay as indicated by the preliminary returns is 136 tons against 106 last year The average yield of tobacco is 679 pounds an acre against 743 pounds last year and 733 pounds in the year 1S94 The European agent notes the lack of trustworthy estimates of the Russian wheat shortage The advance in price which is expected to be fairly well main tained will result in increased acreage in Great Britain Wet weather in October throughout Central Europe was unfavor able for the potato crop A good corn yield has been realized on the lower Dan ube James A Gray a farmer six miles above Little Hock Ark was in town the other day to transfer his farm of 160 acres with all appurtenances to his neighbor J H Hayes in payment of an election bet Gray bet his farm together with everything he Lad on earth that 3ryan would be elected Daniel J Greenwald a preacher in the Reformed church was found hanging in his barn at Bonner Springs Kan He had become despondent over business affairs He had a wife and eight cbil uren THE DAY AND THE DAY AFTER Strange Incidents of the Election and Its Ratification Every election day has its oddities and comicalities and the one now past has proven no exception to a general rule In fact Nov 3 1896 probably furnishes a more complete list of queer and unex pected happenings of peculiar complica tions and irresistibly grotesque election wagers than any election day on record The unusual interest manifested during the campaign influenced many to a high strain of excitement and reckless en thusiasm led large numbers to make ridiculous bets the fulfillment of which has afforded considerable entertainment for the community at large A peculiar feature of the last election day was the list of fatalities due entirely to excite ment A colored man of East Et Louis 111 cast his vote walked to the barn near by where he was working hurrahed for his candidate and died Harrison Ba con a pioneer of Cortland Ohio in go ing from his home to the polls dropped dead Mrs Mary V Martin wife of a prominent business man of Spokane Falls met her husband at the door elec tion night eagerly asked for the news and expired instantly The list of those who went insane during the strain suspense pending the announcement results was quite a large one Of gen eral happenings out of the ordinary the variety was extensive Robert Porteous a railroad auditor at Manistee Michate a boiled crow in the presence of several spectators to pay an election bet In Dagsboro Hundred Del where the vote was a tie last year no election was held the voting booths having been de stroyed by a mob Three Chinamen voted in the Thirtieth Election District of the Second Assembly District of New York They were Harry Lee Sing Domingo De Luce and James White At the Eleventh Precinct of the Fourth Ward in Chicago some delay was caused by the stealing of all the pens from the booths It was finally decided to allow the voters to use pencils Two men were arrested in Chicago for larceny of one elephant On election night they went to the winter quarters of a circus and tried to get out the ele phant to head a ratification parade Two ministers blowing horns marched at the head of the nocturnal procession which celebrated the defeat of the con stitutional amendment to move the Mis souri State capital from Jefferson City At the polls at the Moncrief Springs district in Florida the inspectors sat in a building in which they were obliged to hold umbrellas over the ballot boxes and table to keep things dry The inspectors also wore their mackintoshes A Chicago enthusiast settled an elec tion wager by rolling a peanut a mile on a public street He could not throw or kick the peanut but was obliged to keep it on the ground all the time and it took him about four hours to pay the wager The story is that a pretty schoolmarm at Sellersburg Ind made an agreement with one of the big schoolboys attending her school that she would give him a sound whipping if his candidate won and he was to whip her if it was other wise Joseph Field 104 years old voted at Middletown N Y Owing to his foot which was hurt last summer and still is in bad condition he had to be carried from his carriage to the booth He cast his maiden vote in 1S13 and has voted at every presidential election since that time One of the saddest young men about a certain Western town is a youth of high social caliber who was obliged to go to a church sociable clad in a silk hat a dress coat and bloomers Another young man in the same neighborhood will have to take care of the horses of the man he bet with for two weeks and the dog which sleeps in the stable does not like him Among some odd Chicago bets promptly paid was that of a man who had to prom enade its most fashionable thoroughfare with the blackest colored girl who could be hired at an employment agency take her to supper and escort her to a theater Another had to buy two tons of coal for the other fellow and after delivering it in front of the winners yard had to carry it all into the basement in a tin pail making about 300 trips in the process FARMERS CONGRESS National Association Holds Fifteenth Annual Session 1 - Its The fifteenth annual session of the Farmers National Congress began at 1030 a m Tuesday in the Indiana Hall of the House of Representatives at In dianapolis The members present were representative men and leaders in the cause of agriculture The congress was called to order by the President B F Clayton of Indianola Iowa Mayor Taggart delivered an address of welcome Response was made by the Secretary J M Stahl of Chicago Gov Matthews then welcomed the congress on behalf of the State President Clayton was then introduced and delivered his annual address speak ing in part as follows Our meeting follows In quick succession a determined and closely contested national political campaign In this campaign the in terest of every farmer and producer has been Involved The two great political nar ties one of which has dictated the policy of the Government for nearly one hundred years met in national convention and sub mitted to the American voter a line of nolicv for the control of our republic for the re mainder of the nineteenth century Laying aside the bitter personal attacks that usually characterize national politics having as leaders men of the highest per sonal Integrity and character a campaign of education was Inaugurated and seventv millions of American Deople in the sacred right couched in the silent ballot rendered their verdict on Nov 3 and as a result of that campaign no nation so well understands the Qnanclal system of their Government as do the American people While it is quite natural for a large and equally Intelligent mlnorlry of our people to keenly feel disappointed at the results vet it Is fair to presume that they will join with the majority in the hope That the verdict at ihe polls the high and supreme tribunal be fore which great issues must be decided will result in the restoration of life and ac tivity in our commercial centers and give tmployment to both capital and labor At the afternoon session John G Offut of Indiana offered the following resolu tion which was immediately referred to the Resolutions Committee without ac tion Whereas The products of the farmers are measured by the amount of redemption money that Is In circulation and Whereas The price of the farm products is below the cost of production Resolved That the Farmers National Con gress is In favor of the equal use of both gold and silver coin as money of ultimate redemption and that we do request the in coming President of the United States to call a conference of nations that are willing for the use of both gold and silver as money with the free and unlimited coinage of both gold and silver in a ratio to he agreed upon NOTES ON EDUCATION MATTERS OF INTEREST TO PU PIL AND TEACHER Eelf Eeportinjj System Not to Be Com mended in School GovernmentTwo Very Ancient School Houses Three Things to Ee Watched Self Reportinjr System This system consists in having at the close of the day each of the pupils rise as their respective names are called and make a confession of the various faults they have committed during the day By some teachers the particular faults to be confessed are specified as for instance the number of times the child has talked to his associates A serious objection to this system is that the good pupils report faithfully and are marked accordingly while the evil disposed report unfaithfully and receive greater credit than do the good A second serious objection to this sys tem is that it trains the children to be liars Feeling that those who report the fewest faults are they who will receive the best marks and reports ir respective of conduct it is a short step for even an honest pupil from truth to falsehood and even those who have always been accounted truthful have such temptations placed before them that with the weakness incident to the moral nature of childhood they in manj cases become untruthful Confessing a fault to the teacher should be encouraged but any system of confession which charges guilt to the pupil who confesses and credits the guilty with good behavior is to be condemned as faulty in principle and vicious in practice The schools are indeed few in which weak human na ture can stand such a strain on con science as is placed upon it by the so called self reporting system Some years ago the writer made the foregoing a part of bis work on School Management Subsequent experience has convinced him still more firmly in the belief that the practice of calling the roll at close of schol in order to have pupils rise and confess their faults of the day is not only demoralizing but vicious A prominent teacher in speaking on this question once said before a gath ering of teachers that bis own experi ence when acting as a city superin tendent had convinced him of the seri ous wrong some of the teachers -were doing to his own children in having the self reporting system in force An in stance had come to his notice in the case of one of his own children who had been trained to be strictly truthful and that of one of the boys playmates When an unfavorable report came home at the end of the month inquiry was made as to the conduct marks and the boy made a candid statement that he bad talked sometimes during school hours and that when the pu pils stood up as their names were call ed at the close of the day he reported to the teacher the number of times he had spoken but without taking the precaution to add that most of his of fences were occasioned by consulta tion with his seatmate and classmate about the lessons of the day His con fessions were promptly recorded and charged against him The superintend ent happened to notice that the report of the other lad was marked unusually high for conduct After tea he said to his own lad Willie why is it that you are marked 75 in conduct and John Henderson is marked 98 The boy looked at his father and promptly said Papa when we were called on to re port our conduct John Henderson lies This is the legitimate and normal re sult of the system The truthful boy will be -marked down and the other will lie Is there not danger that a1 too soon under this system even the truth ful boy may become a liar And who is responsible The teacher Educa tional News Three Things In beginning the new year there are three things to be watched lest they become fixed habits First nagging In a recent visit to a primary room of youngest children I was particularly struck with the absence of all nagging by the teacher A little boy began to hum in an absent minded way Who has to bum asked the teacher in a pleasant half chiding way The boy looked up smilingly and stopped hum ming wbich was all the teacher was after Wasnt that better than to say Stop humming If I catch you hum ming again Ill punish you The nerves of both children and teacher are saved and it is a good thing to save nerves and friction wThen you can Again in the same room a girl was play ing with her shoe buttons during a reci tation Who isnt helping asked the same teacher The little girl was all at tention in a moment and had not been smoothed the wrong way The absence of nagging In that room was a blessed relief to the visitor to the children and to the teacher as well See how often you can forget to say Dont this year Heavy shuffling walking by the chil dren It Is astonishing how much of tills shambling motion is permitted in the school room by teachers who never seem to mind it or know it Little chil dren particularly boys often bring this habit to school in an aggravated form It is as if the home people had never even noticed it or attempted to correct it Begin the very first day to correct this heavy dragging step Not by say ing Dont walk that way but by de vising some way to get the light buoy ant step Not a tip toe that is almost as bad Children have to learn to han dle their legs and feet They are as much in the way as are hands some times Thick indistinct enunciation Is an other of this prominent trio of eTtk 1 It 14 on exception If children speak clearly and distinctly In the school rooi4 It has been considered cun ning at home for the babies to talk in distinctly and the teachers have it all to uido Unlearn it gently but correct it al persistently as you would pull weeds out of a garden Not once but every day They will be sure to grow over night It is just possible that teachers themselves are not the best example in this respect Nothing is better to correct this tendency than fre quent phonic drill Primary Educa tion Morals and Manners The following presents several points in the course of studies on morals and manners in Wallingford Conn The subject is one of great importance and should receive the attention of ali school officers and teachers in every State of the Union who have not al ready made this a special branch of In struction in their schools Manners in General Quotations about manners golden rule need of constant practice learning by observa tion Manners at School Entering and leaving room laughing at mistakes or accidents treatment of new scholars conduct when visitors are present rais ing hands rights of property distrib uting and collecting materials conduct in wardrobe and at sink in relating oc currences when to speak of ones self tale bearing or telling about other chil dren Manners on the Street Why special ly important noisy and boisterous con duct calling across the street obstruct ing the sidewalk meeting and passing persons returning salutations tipping the hats earrjing an umbrella throw ing things on the sidewalk marking fences and sidewalk looking at win dows of private houses and pointing at objects stariug or laughing at infirmi ties answering questions offering as sistance Manners in Society Entering and taking leave removal of hat and care of wraps various courtesies staring at or speaking of defects and infirmities treatment of accidents and mistakes whispering laughing and private con versation inattention to the company we are in introductions giving proper titles attention in conversation atten tion to reading of music interest in what is shown us asking questions of strangers contradicting statements Manners at Church Punctuality manner of entering courtesy toward ladies courtesy toward strangers whis pering laughing and moving about turning the head to see who comes in attention to the service manner of leaving Manners at Home Why most impor tant of all politeness to parents polite ness between brothers and sisters and to servants treatment of company-grown-up company callers and visit ors young company Manners at Places of Amusement Punctuality finding seats waiting quietly talking and laughing ap plause courtesy to others time and manner of leaving Manners at the Table Promptness 111 coming in to the table when to be seat ed waiting ones turn to be helped asking for articles of food how when and where criticism of food on the ta ble use of napkin knife fork and spoon haste in eating attention to wants of others conduct in case of acci dents mention of unpleasant subjects when and how to leave the table Manners Toward the Aged Respeci ful treatment at all times mistakes in grammar and pronunciation attention to remarks and questions patience in repeating answers what to talk and to read to them waiting upon them and saving steps giving them the best seats helping them first at the table giving up seats to them in cans and public places never letting thorn feci in the way Manners in Stores and Public Places Shutting doors how to ask for arti cles in stores making trouble for clerics handling goods finding fault with articles or prices courtesy to othtr customers courtesy to clerks conduct in the postoffice entering in crowds not waiting for ethers noise and rude ness visiting railroad stations Na tional Journal of Education T wo Ancient School Hon5os rv I MTVS I JT Wv This is a picture of the school house where the late Gen Winfield Scott Han cock battled with his A B Cs - - -dm mSsgfc urn And here Is where the great Gen Grant conquered the three Rs It is in the darkest corner of the pi azza that lQ7e can see best Texas Sittings 0U BOYS AND GIRLS THIS IS THEIR DEPARTMENT OF THE PAPER Quaint Sayings and Cute Doings of the Iattle Folks Everywhere Gathered and Printed Here for All Other Lit tle Ones to Read t How the Monlcey Won A race was proposed between a mon key and foxhound As the hound claim ed the selection of the ground the monkey stipulated that any method of arriving at the goal should be deemed fair This said the monkey is neces sary as it is well known that I cannot maintain one steady gait like a dog The judges said that the monkey should be allowed his way and that any method of arriving at the end of the race should be allowed When all was ready and the signal given the monkey sprung nimbly upon the dogs back clasping him tightly around the neck at the same time spurring him on When near the end of the racing ground the monkey suddenly jumped to the ground and with one bound reached the goal and won the prize Wit often is more than a match for muscle A Business Uooatcr Bob is a rooster which drums up trade for his owner He belongs to a San Francisco poultry dealer and besides being a business bird is a great fighter He will attack a man horse dog or cat with equal disregard of the odds against him and he Is particular ly combative when a stray dog hap pens along Bob came to his master with a num ber of other chickens to be sold but there was something about Bob which attracted the poultry dealer and he JE2T -- rg BOB AT WORK was spared One day when the door of his coop had been left open acci dentally Bob walked out Instead of trying to escape he walk ed calmly down the aisles of the mar ket stopping every few feet to crow lustily A dog came along and Bob at once attacked him and to the great delight of the market men drove him away Then Bob returned to his coop and Jumping up on top of it flapped his wings and crowed again and ajrain From that moment he has been per mitted to go and do as he pleases When business is dull Bob steps out on the sidewalk and attracts attention to his masters stall by crowing at the top of his voice But the cleverest thing Bob does is to take one of his masters cards in his beak and strut up and down the mar ket with it In this way he draws many customers to his owner for scores of people follow Bob out of pure curiosity A Masric Letter Did you ever think what a strange let ter S is It is a serpent in disguise Listen you can her it hiss It is the wizard of the alphabet It gives pos session and multiplies indefinitely by its touch It changes a tree into trees and a house into houses Sometimes it is very spiteful and will change a pet into a pest a pear into a spear a word into a sword and laughter into slaugh ter and it will make hot shot at any time Farmers have to watch it closely It will make scorn of his corn and reduce every peck to a speck Sometimes he finds it useful If he needs more room for his stock it will change a table into a stable for him and if he is short of hay he can set out a row of tacks It will turn them into stacks He must be careful however not to let his nails lie around loose The serpents breath f will turn them Into snails If he wishes to use an engine about his farm work he need not buy any coal or have water to run it Let the serpent glide before his horses The team will turn to steam If ever you get hurt call the serpent to your aid Instantly your pain -will f be in Spain Be sure to take it with you the next time you climb a mountain if you desire to witness a marvel It will make the peak speak But dont let it come around while you are reading now It will make this tale stale How the Pies Got the Plnms Ionce lived on a farm in the western part of Illinois My father owned a great many fruit trees but the finest fruit on the farm grew on a plum tree which stood in the center of a small meadow In which a few of the hogs were wont to run There were a few other trees in the meadow and alto gether It made a very nice place to be in on a warm day One morning when the plums were at flaeir best my mother gave me a small basket and asked me to go down to the tree and fill it The tree was loaded with the bright red plums and I soon filled my basket and then sat down on the- grass under a large shady tree to eat some of the delicious f nrit Soon I heard a gruff Ugh ugh fol lowed by the falling of a prf eet shower of plums from the tree Quickly turja lngj I saw sis large fcsr standing der the tree quietly munching the trult and cracking the pits between their Having consumed all the plums on the ground one old hog that seemed to be the leader went up to the tree and giving another Ugh ugh rubbed his body against the trunk of the tree and shook down another supply I watched this performance for some time and then informed my father about it It Is needless to say the plga were promptly turned out of th meadow Chicago Record Useful Black-and-Tan Black-and-tan dogs are not expected to earn their own living any mora than dolls and other such pets but the Indianapolis Sentinel reports aa interesting exception to the rule As the story goes the mistress of the dog is also a keeper of hens One of these was sitting upon a clutch of thir teen eggs and Don the black-and-tan soon became very curious to know why she stayed in the barn so closely The dog as it appears had formerly been given to teasing the hen snatch ing her food away from her and other wise making himself a torment but this intercourse had gradually turned into friendship and the two would sometimes be seen lying and squat ting side by side in the sun on a bit of carpet in the back porch During the three weeks that the hen sat on her eggs Don used to pay daily visits to the barn and sometimes would stay with her by the half hour Then the chicks came out of their shells Don was intensely interested All day long he scarcely left the barn The next morning when the hen step ped off the nest and with a cluck call ed her brood after her Don followed The hen fell to scratching and the fluffy chicks darted hither and thith er picking up the tidbits which the mother had uncovered Good said Don to himself I can help in this business and to the ter i ror of the chickens he ran In amongl them and began turning up the soil at a lively rate Then he sat down and waited The mother hen called back the chicks to the newly scratched earth and soon they picked it clean Then the dog took another turn And so the good work proceeded to the great delight of all the parties Thackery Ainonj Friends One of the prettiest of the rnanyr charming anecdotes of Thackeray wast told by Douglas Jerrold He was one morning at the chambers of Mr Hor i ace Mayhew in Regent street whenj Thackeray knocked at the door and cried Its no use Horry Mayhew open the door Its dear old Thackeray said Mr Mayhew joyfully as he opened tho door Well young gentlemen said eray cheerily as he entered youll admit an old fogy He took up the papers lying about the room and talked with the two young men of various matters of the day Then he took up his hat to gof but as if he suddenly remembered something he paused at the door I was going away he said with 1 out doing part of the business of my visit You spoke the other day at the dinner referring to the Punch week ly meeting of poor George Some- body most unaccountably has re- turned me a five pound note I lent him a long time ago I didnt expect it so just hand it to George and tell him when his pocket will bear it just to pass it on to some poor fellow of his acquaintance With a nod the tall genial faced author went hastily out of the room Thackeray was a constant attend ant of the Punch dinners and an im portant member of the council which discussed and decided upon the con tents of the forthcoming numbers It is hinted that he and Douglas Jerrold who always sat next him sometimes squabbled a little but nothing ever came of it There is no use of our quarreling Thackeray would say with irresistible good humor and logic for we must meet again next week His Intimate Friends It is related of Father Darcy one of the celebrated wits of Ireland that he once visited the palatial mansiou of a man newly become rich He was shown over the house his pompous host taking great pains to inform his guest as to the cost of all the beautiful objects he saw Finally after making the tour of the rooms the library was reached its shelves groaning under the weight o thousands upon thousands of volumes resplendent in the most magnificent bindings Here they seated themselves and the host said with a sigh of snob bish exultation Well father I have brought you here last because this is my favorite room The other rooms maybe give pleasure to my wife and my daughters but this is my place right here among these books who are my friends And these here on the desk pointing to a score of ultra looking volumes are what I may call my ultimate friends Father Darcy got up and examined one of them when a broad grin spread over his good natured face as he no- ticed that the leaves had never been cot Well its glad I am to see that yoo never Ut your intimate friends h exclaimed A Hospitals Growth The Milwaukee Lutheran hospital Ini 1863 began with 200 Now its proper- ty is worth 225000 There are two things mea dont en- joy kissing a girl throughher veil on the visits of kin People are very lecJent with eccen j trieity until it takes e form of long finger nails