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About Western news-Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1898-1900 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1899)
( NEBRASKA CONGEES ? { 'DAILY REPORT OF WHAT IS BE ING DONE. QMcamircs of Mow * or Less Import ncc Arc Boin Introduced Jit tlr PrcKcut Session of the Girt of tic .Business. Tuesday , .Tan. ttl. Tw < : ifth ballot for senator .stood : M I I t I * * * * * * ' Ha y.vard . ' . > 'WeK-ler . 1 Scattering . 2 ' The .Judiciary Committee this morninj reported II. Ii. 88. 114. 4 , 57. 93 , 90 , GO , 7 and 5.r > , for passage , and indefinitely post jioned II. K. 72 and 27. The Committee 01 ] foa ! and Bridges reported II. R. JJ8 fo andflinite postponement. A 11 these report \ venadopted. . McGinlcy of Otoe offered ; : re.-.oiulion on the maximum freight rat law with instructions to the State Moard o Transportation , and moved its adoption Aft-r .some debate the motion to refer to ; j > p'-c- : l committee was defeated , a : also v/as one to refer to the Railroac Committee. and the roll was called on tin .adaption , the vote resulting in 45 yeas am f0 nays. Another resolution toascertaii -whj the .Stale Board of Transportation ha ' mot'done its duty by enforcing the law ; : up < . : ; the statutes in relation to regulatioi of fr.-iyht rates. " was adopted. II. I * . 171 the university revenue bill , vas taken uj on r-rd : reading and passed. After spend jng v.me time in committee of the wholi .adjournment was taken. \Vfien the senate convened Tuesda : innt tiing the Committee on Highways am JJriuses reported S. F. 155 , by Miller of Buf falo. for passage , with a slight amendment is. ! " 43 , also introduced by .Senator Miller \va * similarly recommended by the sann committee. Bills on first and second read intr , including several house bills , passet "by ' . he latter body , occupied considerabli 1 hue. .S. F. 38. by Talbot of Lancaster , wa : > lae-fl upon its third reading and passage it oneof the Wheeler curative acts. Tin bill was passed. The Judiciary Commute * yr 'i Tied upon several bills. S. F. 58 wa : rec'i'.nriiended to pass. S. F. U7 was rccom ir.ended for indefinite postponement. It i , he bill of O'Xeill of Holt for payment o 05-I < by the county for misdemeanor case ; before justices and inferior courts. S. F. 4i -\va- returned without recommendation IThe committee's report \\as adopted ii rtlseM'ases. . The Judiciary Committee als < reer-ir.mended S. F. 40 , bj Millerof Buffalo for indefinite postponement. The bill pro vidcs for annually letting out the defense fo ; 3iulg"iit persons charged with crime to th < .lawyer ] ) iitting in the lowest bid. This re .port was adopted also. After recess tin . ; isi < h--iary Committee reported S. F. 57 foi indefinite postponement , S. F. 62 to pass . I' 70 to pas.s with an amendment. S. F SO : ; ) pass. .S. F. < $ for indefinite postpone- aw : ' . .S. F. 8i > without recommendation , S -T. h > pass , S. F. So to pass. .S. F. 1)1 ) foi und iiniie postponement. S. F. Pr > to pass JK i.'port was adopted. The Committee < m Municipal Affairs recommended S. F Ui'.i lor passage. .S. F. 107 for mdeiinit < } > o > ! j ) jnenient. S. F. 20 reporting a subiti- lut" . The report was adopted. - Wednesday , Feb. t. If- T .rteenth ballot for senator stood : > > * , " Ml . - > "ii t/t * * * * * * * Jl : ward . - 8i Thompson . < JSca riering . 11 IT : ihe absence of anything exciting in ihe Senate Wednesday morning , Schaal o ! ' iirpy tried to resurrect his motion favor- , iig the election of senators by a direct vote yf the people , his motion having been laid km tiie table for future consideration a few days ago. The Senate majority evinced no lightning desire to take Jii.- motion from the table where it was re- * ] losing in graceful silence , so theiSarpy Senator shot a new resolution into Ihe hop- jlier expressing the same sentiment con veyed by bis tabled motion. He then moved .a suspension of the rules in order that the Senate might act upon the resolution forth with. A number of Republican members .favored the immediate disposition of the resolution , but thirteen senators did not , Jieiec : it was laid over. Five new bills were introduced. In the House there was a busy time all 'day. The lack of votes to pass the bill au- : thori7ing the appointment of supreme court commissioners , with the emergency clause , eaused a call of the House and made a lively Ir.jstle for votes. Finally the necessary nur.iber voted for the bill and the call was raised. Late in the afternoon an attempt was made to discredit the Omaha Exposi tion by a resolution directed to the Nebraska delegation in Congress. Jtwas evident that ji nnjority of the members then in the hall were in favor of the resolution. Action was delayed by the Douglas County mem- iTjers explaining that no appropriation was . 'asked from Congress and that it was only recognition that was asked. They moved : that the matter be made a special order for February 2 , and the motion carried. A motion inviting W. J. Bryan to address the -House on the mode of election of United -States senators was laid on the table by a narrow margin. Sixteen new bills were in- . ii rod need. Thursday , Feb. 2. Fourteenth ballot for senator : _ A lien . 57 Jlay ward . 35 "Webster . 10 "Thompson . 9 .Scattering . 15 The resolution offered by Swan of Ne- inah ; : aimed at the Omaha exposition , came -up in the House the first thing and on Tiiotion of Olmsted of Douglas the resoltt- lion was indefinitely postponed without opposition. The forenoon was spent in re ceiving committee reports and in listening to the reading of nine new bills. After recess the Sergeant-at-anns brought -.ludgc Skipton of Fill more County before the bar of the House to answer the con tempt charge. Skipton announced that he 3iad brought in the ballots wanted by the cleM ions' committee and had turned them over to that committee. On motion of Tisier ! of Dawes the prisoner was declared ] urtied of the charge of contempt and was release : ! . The House then went into com mittee of the whole , with Evans of Adams in the chair , and was still in committee at adjournment. The Senate did not convene until 10:30 o'clock. The Clerk of the House announced Ihe passage of the following bills by that "body : II. R. 114 , 93 , 90' 24 , 75 and 40. Bills on first and second reading were numerous. Canaday of Kearney called for the reading - of the resolution introduced by Schaal of .Sarpy , which endorsed the election of United States senators by direct vote of the people. A motion to make it a special order for February 6 was adopted. The afternoon session began at 3:30 : o'clock. The Judiciary Committee reported tin usual batch of reports. S. F. 140 was rec- ommenped to pass ; also S. F. 142,144,18- and 129. The Banking Committee recom mended S. F. 47 for indefinite postponement It provides theamountof fees to be paid tlu State by state banks and was introduces by Canaday of Kearney. The committee on highways recommended II. R. 18 and II II. 77 to pass. All committee reports wen adopted. The Senate went into committee of the whole to consider bills on genera ! file. Van Dusen of Douglas was called tc the chair. Eight bills were recommended for passage and two indefinitely postponed , Friday , Feb. . ' 5. "Fifteenth ballot for senator stood : V11C II . . . * * * * ji. Hayward 31 Webster 1 ( Thompson 1 ( Scattering 14 The proceedings in the House were en livened by a little debate on two national questions. Mr. Evans introduced a reso lution requesting Senators Allen and Thurston to vote for the ratification of the treaty of peace between the United States and Spain. The fusionists generally op- possed the resolution , on the plea that the Senators were on the ground and were familiar with the details of the treaty , while members of the Nebraska House were not cognizant of its scope. A motion to table secured thirty votes , while fifty voted against tabling. A reso lution requesting the Representatives in Congress of this Slate to do their best to have an amendment to the federal constitution submitted providing for the election of United States senators by a di rect vote of the people was adopted by a large affirmative vote. The project bien nially brought forward to further the scheme of building a north and south rail road was killed , ilr. Jansen introduced a bill to create a food commission that is to actively watch over all that we eat and drink , to prevent the sale of any adulter ated goods , adulterated meaning anything that is mixed in that will lower the strength or injuriously effect the quality of an article. Provision is made also for the stamping and licensing of imitation butter and cheese. The Senate devoted itself largely to the introduction of new bills. NEW QUADRUPED DISCOVERED. Touch-Skinned Animal Resembling : an Ant-Eater Found in Patagonia. Ill these latter days , when people are constantly hearing of the threatened 2Xtiuction of various tribes of animals , the news of the discovery of an entirely new species of quadruped is startling. The fact of the existence of a hitherto unknown animal has been brought to light by Dr. Florentine Ameghino , vho for some time past has had reports of a mysterious creature of nocturnal habits brought to him by several Indians , and a few years ago the late Ramon Lista. while hunting in the interior of Santa Cruz , was startled by the appearance of a strange animal , which he described to Dr. Ameghino "as a pangolin without scales' , and covered with reddish hair. " Lista shot at the creature , but it was apparently bullet proof , for 51 disap peared into the brushwood , and al though iustaut search was made no trace of the animal was to be found. As no further evidence was to be found , Dr. Ameghino was inclined to thiuk that the naturalist had been de ceived ; but he has just received a skin from South Patagonia which proves that Lista was conect in his statement. On examination the ossicles which were embedded in the skin , "like paving stones in a street , " ' proved that the ani mal evidently belonged to the pango lins or scaled ant-eaters , familiar to naturalists , but instead of being scaly it is covered with coarse , reddish gray hair , while the skin itself , which is two centimeters thick , is so remarkably tough that it can only be cut with ai hatchet. This explains why the bullet had no effect upon it. London Mail. Value of the Maple Tree. There are more than sentimental reasons why the maple tree should be held in regard by Canadians. As a source o'f commercial profit the value of this tree is not sufficiently appre ciated. According to the census of 1891 , tbe annual production of maple sugar in Ontario amounts to oiG3,70l5 pounds , which means , at average mar ket prices , almost ? 500,000. This indus try is capable of greater developments , and the merchants of the country should be interested in encouraging farmers to lake it up more extensively. The sugar bush at the Michigan Agri cultural College yields an annual re turn of 12 per ceat. , valuing the wood land at $50 an-acre. A Simcoe County farmer estimates that the yield of ten acres of maple trees , when the sap is converted into sirup and sugar , gives a net return of about $1U per acre. In addition , there is to be considered the annual growth of wood suitable for fuel and farm uses , which would amount to five cords each year. In what industry can the farmer obtain greater returns with the expenditure of an equal amount of labor and capi tal ? The bulk of the maple sugar pro duced in Canada is consumed here. We have not mentioned the usefulness of the wood of this tree for cabinetmaking ing purposes or for interior decoration. But people in other countries admire it and value it , if we do not. Perhaps we are so far familiar with it that we have ceased to consider its worth in this aspect. Still , this is another of the directions in which , the maple is of value. Toronto Monetary Times. Odorless Flowers. Most people will be surprised to learn that the majority of flowers have no perfume whatever. An Austrian chemist , who has been making re searches into the subject , declared that out of 4,110 varieties known and culti vated in Europe , scarcely 400 have anj * odor ; and of these nearly fifty have an odor which is , if anything , disagreea ble. An Unrortunate Unery. "I always like to write with a soft lead pencil , " remarked the young man. "Have you ever given any study , " in quired the cruelly thoughtless girl , "to the manner in which a person's charac ter will manifest itself in his handwrit ing : ? Washincton Star. The House on Saturday continued tlu consideration of thp army rcorganizatioi bill until 2 o'clock , when the members paid their tributes to the memory of th late Representative Simpkius of Massa chusetts. Very little progress was madi with the army bill. The time before tlu eulogies began was chiefly devoted to a continuation of the debate on the advisa bility of retaining the Philippines. A spirited debate was precipitated in the Senate while the diplomatic and consulat appropriation bill was under considera tion. The Appropriations Committee was sharply criticised for not providing ade quate salaries for some of the consulat officers and secretaries of legations of this Government in foreign countries , and the parsimony of the nation in this respect was denounced as a disgrace. The bill , which appropriates $1,710,533 , was finally passed. A bill amending the law relating to the apportionment and election of rep resentatives in Congress so as to permit the use of voting machines was passed. The House put in a hard day's work on the army bill Monday , and when it ad journed thirteen of the twenty pages had been completed. Much of the time was occupied in short speeches on the general proposition to increase the army and an nex the Philippines , and there were sev eral lively personal controversies. At the opening of the session of the House Mr. Hopkins ( Rep. , 111. ) reported the census bill and gave notice that hewould call it up the next Monday. An effort on the part of Mr. Allison to obtain considera tion in the Senate for the Indian appro priation bill precipitated a running debate , which occupied all the time until' the Sen ate , at 2 o'clock' , went into executive ses sion on the peace treaty. The President sent to the Senate correspondence on file in the State Department bearing upon the peace treaty , and it was read in the ex ecutive session. The bill to reorganize and increase the standing army to about 100,000 men , but giving the President authority to reduce the size of infantry companies and cav alry troops to sixty men each , thus fixing a minimum of about 50,000 enlisted men , passed the House on Tuesday by a vote of 1GS to 125. Mr. Burton ( Hep. , O. ) , chairman of the River and Harbor Com mittee , called up the river and harbor bill. The House went through the form of go ing into committee in order to put the river and harbor bill under consideration. The committee then rose and the House at 4:35 p. m. adjourned. During almost the entire morning hour the Senate had under discussion the policy of this coun try to be pursued in the Philippine Isl ands. Mr. Berry ( Ark. ) , in a speech upon the resolution offered by Mr. Vest , dis cussed the policy of expansion. An at tempt by Mr. Bacon ( Ga. ) to secure a vote upon his resolution which , in brief , declares that the United Stales Govern ment will not make war upon a people seeking for their freedom , precipitated a lively debate , which was participated in by Mr. Platt ( Conn. ) and Mr. Teller ( Colo. ) . Xo action on the resolutions was taken. A bill was passed at the opening of the Senate session granting extra pay to the officers and men of the temporary force of the navy two months' extra pay to those who served beyond the limits of the United States and one month's pay to those who served within the United States. The House entered upon the considera tion of the river and harbor bill on Wed nesday , and made rapid progress. Fifty of the eighty-eight pages of the bill had been completed Avlien the House adjourn- ed. The bill appropriates directly about 512,500,000 and authorizes contracts to the extent of $18,000,000 additional. The general debate was unusually brief. Its feature was a speech in opposition to the bill by Mr. Hepburn of Iowa. Practically the only amendment adopted was one striking out an appropriation of $250,000 for a channel from Galvestou to Texas City , Texas. Mr. Rawlins ( Utah ) ad dressed the Senate upon the Test anti- expansion resolution. Mr. Lindsay ( Ky. ) offered a resolution declaring that terri tory not a part of the continent of North America shall not he admitted into the Federal Union as a State or States. Dur ing Mr. Rawlins' speech a message was received from the House transmitting the army reorganization bill. It was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. At the conclusion of Mr. Rawlins' speech the Bacon resolution was laid before the Sen ate. Mr. Sullivan ( Miss. ) then offered his awn resolution as a substitute for the Bacon resolution. Senators Teller and Hoar were the speakers in the executive session of the Senate. Mr. Teller made a set speech in support of the treaty , and Mr. Hoar replied. A notable speech was made in the Sen- fite on Thursday by Mr. Spooner of Wis consin. He took for his text the anti-ex pansion resolution offered by Mr. Vest , but did not confine himself closely to that proposed declaration of policy. The ex ecutive session of the Senate was merely a continuation of the legal argument ivlrich started with Senator Spooner's speech , in the open Senate. The river ; md harbor bill , carrying slightly more Lhnn $20.000,000 , passed the House by a rote of 1(50 to 7. A bill was passed to pay ihe heirs of John Smith $1,000 in satis faction of a judgment against Gen. John R. Brooke for trespass and false impris onment while lie was lieutenant colonel : > the Third infantry in 1800. ' Cnnunbialitics. A Kansas City couple gave as an ex cuse for marrying suddenly that both had [ he "blues. " Baron Rolf Zederstrom , who is to mar ry Madame Patti , is only 28 years old. The diva is 55. The "marrying squire" of Jeffersonville , fiul. , is dead and his books show that he liad performed 9,000 marriage ceremonies. Miss Annie Fowler , one of the most prominent of the volunteer Red Cross nurses , is engaged to be married to Al bert Aran Schelle of the Belgian Red Dross , whom she met for the first time iml worked with in the hospitals at San tiago. Jesse Lewissohn , who is reputed to be willing and under contract to marry Lil lian Russell-Braham-Solomon-Perugirii as soon as she is sufficiently disentangled from the bearer of the last name , is a New York merchant well known in the copper trade as a busy , prosperous , shrewd man of affairs. jl THE STATE LEGISLATURES. Friday. In Arkansas a measure was introdncei appropriating money to fight smallpox. In Indiana the House of Representa lives killed Gov. Mount's anti-lyuchiu { bill. - In Colorado a resolution was introduc ed opposing the ratification of the peace treaty. Charges were openly made at Olympin Wash. , that opponents of Senator Wilsoi : were trying to buy votes. In Delaware , Nebraska , Utah , Mon tana , Washington and California ballots were taken without breaking the dead lock. In Wisconsin the Republican caucus took its nineteenth ballot'without chosinj a senatorial candidate. In the Senate ac anti-pass bill was introduced. In Michigan the Assembly adjourned tc Feb. 7. A bill was introduced providing three intermediate courts of final juris diction. Notice was given of a bill to punish failure of electors to vote at elec tions. Saturday. In Montana W. A. Clark of Butle was elected to the United States Semite. In Wisconsin the week closed without material change in the senatorial situa tion. In Nebraska charges looking to the im peachment of Judge C. R. Scoit were tiled. In Utah , Delaware and Washington the Legislatures voted without breaking the deadlocks. In Idaho the adoption of a memorial advocating the seating of B. II. Roberts of Utah was indefinitely postponed. In Arkansas the Legislature is seeking a way to prevent Colorado using all the water in the Arkansas river for irriga tion. In Pennsylvania the Quay opposition , fearing a plot , remained away from the session , so that only thirty-two ballots were cast when the vote was taken. Monday. In Kansas a bill was introduced to regu late undertakers. In Indiana a new bill to punish lynch- ers was introduced by Representative Xoel of Indianapolis. In New York the Assembly unanimously adopted resolutions urging the Senate to ratify the peace treat } * . In Nebraska , Utah , Delaware , AVash- ington and California the senatorial situa tion remains unchanged. In Pennsylvania there were only thirty- nine votes cast when a ballot for United States Senator was taken. In Wisco'nsiii the Republican caucus unanimously nominated Joseph Ar. Quarles of Milwaukee for United States Senator. Tuesday. In Minnesota two new bills regulating insurance companies were introduced. In Wisconsin Joseph A'cry Qtiarles was formally elected United States Senator. In Missouri resolutions were adopted ad vocating election of Senators by direct vote. In Washington the Republican caucus nominated A. G. Foster for United States Senator. In Utah , Delaware , California and Ne braska the senatorial deadlock remained unbroken. In New York amendments to the Sun- lay laws making them more liberal were introduced. ( ! ov. Savers of Texas has sent a spc- c-ial message to the Legislature indorsing neasure to punish freight discrimination by railroads. The Arkansas House of Representatives efused to appropriate $5,000 to check the spread of smallpox , not wanting to ac knowledge it existed in the State. \ \ eclnesilay. In Kansas the Assembly was Hooded with protests against amendment of pro- libition laws. In Pennsylvania the Senate adopted imendments to the jury laws favorable .o Senator Quay. In Montana Republicans explained their easons for voting for Clark for United States Senator. In California , Utah , Nebraska and Del- iware the Legislatures voted for Sena- or without a choice. In Washington Addison G. Foster \VJIN luly elected United States Senator by the Legislature in joint session. In North Dakota the bill making a ear's residence in the State necessary tc secure a divorce was passed. In Pennsylvania a resolution was intro lucetl providing for investigation of rail- oads violating State revenue laws. In Wisconsin a memorial to Congress vas adopted in the Senate urging election > f United States Senators by popular -ote. Thursday. In Idaho a bill was passed prohibiting ill gambling in the Slate. In Kansas a bill was introduced provid- ng punishment for dishonest practices lesignated as "grafting. " In Pennsylvania , Utah , Nebraska , Dela- varo and California ballots were taken 'or United States Senator without a" hoice. In New York a new income tax bill was ntroduced. Gov. Roosevelt declared he vould sign no bill allowing privileges to roluntecrs not granted to regular soldiers. Told in a Few Lines. Mr. Choate is the fifth citizen of New Cork to be honored with the English mis sion. AVilliam It. Cox , secretary of the Sen- ite. is said to be one of the swiftest writ ers of ' 'long hand" in the country. J. J. Lowery. who owns an orchard of 5,000-peach trees in Pettis County , Mo. , reports that the buds are all killed. The public school at Finch , Mo. , has jeen ordered closed for three weeks be- rause of the prevalence of measles. Yee Deu. said to be the only Chinese professional burglar in New York , has jeen sentenced to one year in t'ie peni- : enliary. The big freight steamer building at Cleveland , Ohio , for the Cleveland Steam ship Company , will be named ' 'Senator M. ; V. Ilanna. " Henry Havemeyer , the sugar magnate , s-a man of regular hours. He rises every norning at 7:30 and goes to bed at 10:30 jvery night. LEGAL EXAMINATION. How One Lawyer "Was Admitted t the Bar. "Counsellor Bill Brieii tells the foi lowing story of how ho passed his ex aminatiou as counselor at law and ol tained his license : "I had my papers tilled out and walk ed over to Judge Joe C. Gill to pass m ; examination and have my papers sign ed. It was in the afternoon , and Judg Gill , as everybody who know wa aware , was an ardent and successfu turfman. At that time he had Orphai Girl in training for the Maxwell Hote Stakes , to be run at Nashville , am Brakeman , who was thought to have ! pretty good chance of winning the MCL chants' Stakes at St. Louis , both race ; being set down for the same day. "I walked into his ollice with in : papers in my hand , and looking u ] pleasantlj- Judge greeted me as foi lows : " 'Good-morning , William. I tinder stand you want to pass your examina tion and be a lawyer ? ' " 'Yes , sir ; that's what I'm here foi this morning. ' " 'AA'ere you out on the track thii morning to see the horses' workV " 'Yes , sir. ' " 'Did you see that Kentucky crack Lelox. and my mare , Orphan Girl work ? ' " 'Yes , sir , they both went a mile , am you know this track was a bit slow Orphan Girl finished up strong am swinging all through the last furlong ii 0:47 , and Lelox was all out-and had tin boy kicking him in 0:47 : . ' " 'I reckon my mare has a pretty goo ( chance for the Maxwell. " 'It looks like a certainty. Lelox is all she has to beat , and he's as good as done already. ' " 'What kind of a plan would it be It send Alcock to St. Louis with Brake man .or the Merchants' Stakes ? ' " 'The horse is good now , and he has nothing to beat over there. Laud hiir in St. Louis.all right , and it's as good as a walkover. ' " 'I think I'll send him. Let me see- all ! I thought I Avas forgetting some thing ; we forgot all about the examina tion ; hand mo your papers , AYilliam and see me sign them. ' " "Counselor Bill" Avalkcd out Avith hit duly attested license , and a short tinu later Judge Gill Avon the MaxAvel House Stakes and the Merchants Stakes Avith Orphan Girl and Brake mail. New Orleans Times-Democrat. The Guns of the Future. AYe have become familiar with smokeless gunpoAA'der , in idea at least , and AVC are aAvare that it makes not nearly so much noise as the old-fash ioned sort. But silent cannon , which emit scarcely a flash , are still a noA-clty not a Avelcome one either to soldiers. Colonel Humbert of the French army has invented this boon and patented it. The experiments carried out by the Hotchkiss company are said to be most promising. In some wonderful man ner he contrives that the mouth of the gun shall shut automatically the in stant its missile has emerged. Thus the flame and the report are bottled up. The anuouucefnent may probably be true one does not venture to doubt any marvel of the ingenuity alleged HOAV- adays. This also Avould make for the extinction of Avar. It is remarkable that the latest improvements tend , upon the whole , to a'ssist a defending force , rather than the assailants. Re peating rifles and smokeless powder , machine guns and balloons , all strengthen the hands of those AVIO have ro repel an attack , themselves more or iess under coA'er. But if the art of n-ar , in its highest flights , be intuiriA-e , what very exceptional men the great generals of the future must be I AA'ith- > ut smoke or flash , or even sound to in- licate the position of a battery Avhieh lecimates his troops at a distance to be . eckoned in miles , an ordinary mortal ivould be distracted. Doubtless , if this uvention proA'e to ansAver , it Avill be ipplied to small arms also. The French ire agitating now for the abolition of traversal compulsory serA'ice. upon the jround that Germany Avill never attack hem. In a feAV years , apparently , no mtion Avili dare to iuA'ade another. London Standard. The First Typewriter. The first typewriter Avas a machine ivith raised letters , invented by Henry Mill of England , in 1714 , for the use of : he blind ; but beyond marking the era > f mechanical writing machines it was > f no A'alue , and for nearly 140 years no ; tep forAvard Avas made. Nearly all the mprovements. and certainly the credit 'or the general introduction ot the type writer , belongs to America. To-day : here is one firm in this country Avhieh nauufactures more than fifty styles of nachines. in all languages and oven in msiuessciphers. . In these last the key- joard is lettered as usual , but the char- icters are printed in cipher. A Russian Seot. A new religious sect has been found > d in Russia , in the province of Sara- : ov , the main idea of the members of , vhich is that Avhile the soul is immor al the body is of the devil and should herefore be neglected as far as possi- > le. In Russia this possibility goes Airther than anyAvhere else in the , vorld. The leader of this sect is a fa- latic of the name of Panjackko , and leither he nor his followers Avill con- ; eut to wash , change their clothes or : lean their houses. Indeed , their gos- ) e } is dirt. Traveler from frontier district , strik ng hotel Avhere advanced fashions uive obtained , observes Avith an ex- iression of pleased surprise the iinijer- > OAV ! set before him at the close of his neal. "AVhat's that for. waiter ? ' ' "To vash your hands , ' sir. " "I wish I'd L-knoAv'd it 'fore I began my dinner.- 3ood Americans. The Avoman AVUO alvrars Avears a faultlessly GENERAL OTIS , COMMANDER AT MANILA. Everybody knows Gen. Otis , for hi * name stands at the head of brigadier generals on the army list , and the more ht is known the greater he grows. ( Jen. Otis succeeded Gen. Wesley Merritt in tin ? management of the army of the Philip pines , and has the universal reputation of being an excellent soldier. In super intending the affairs of the army , with Dewey looking out for the navy , he has "shown unusual administrative talent , and his knowledge of civil government , tariffs and economics is as great as that of any officer in the service. By birth Gen. Otis is a Marylander. He is now entering upon his sixty-first year , but is exceedingly young in spirit and physique. He graduated from Rochester University in 1858 and was admitted to the bar in the following year. AVhen the war broke out he went to the front as captain of infantry , becoming colonel of the regiment and brigadier gen eral of volunteers in 18G4. In all the principal baltles of the Army of the Po tomac he took part , and in tlie desperate fighting around Petersburg he was wounded. For fourteen years he served on the frontier in various Indian cam paigns. When war was declared against Spain he was in command of the depart ment of the Colorado , and it seems fitting- that most of the enlisted men in his corps nre from that State and the Pacific slope. Gen. Otis' work in Manila , however , bids fair to be the grandest monument that a man ir. his or any other position could erect for himself. Trouble in Samon. Incidentally , this clash of interests may well give pause to those who argue that a joint protectorate is the best way out of the difficulties in the Philippines. Boston Journal. The revolutionary condition of affairs in Samoa indicates too clearly to be misun derstood the impossibility of maintaining a protectorate over a semi-barbarous people ple when exercised by more than one gov ernment. Boston Herald. The new Sarnoan crisis discloses a num ber of curious changes in the last dozen years. In fact , the only thing that re mains as it used to be is the insolent high handedness of the German officials. That never changes. New York Journal. Perhaps our policy regarding Samoa should be changed. But before that mat ter is considered , the bold attempt of am bitious Germans to override a treatj which their government has agreed tc maintain claims attention. Boston Globa By our own proximity to the islands through our neighboring possessions in- Hawaii and the Philippines , our interests are superior to those of Germany. The administration will take care that Ameri can rights in Samoa are carefully guard ed. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. If the friendly spirit evinced in this in cident prevails and the German Govern ment adheres to an impartial interpreta tion of the treaty of Berlin , it should be easy to arrange this unfortunate Samoan incident without straining our friendly- relations. New York Herald. Nicaragua Canal Bill. Paradoxical as it may seem , the Nicara gua canal bill provides against watering Boston Herald. A canal between the oceans has always been an urgent need , but never before was its urgency so clearly recognized as now. Troy Times. Uncle Sam's canal company is tobe a limited affair. He doesn't want any part ners , and if he can't control the Nicara gua ditch he will dig somewhere else. Cleveland Plain Dealer. The immense majority which the Mor gan Nicaragua canal bill had in the Sen ate proves that the scheme for an inter- oceanic waterway will soon be in practi cal shape. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. The bill will pass the House even more easily than the Senate , for that body the more closely represents the people , and the people have long been in favor of the construction of this canal or some canal connecting the two oceans. Watertowo Times. Joseph H. Choate. His welcome abroad appears to be as will assured as is the public satisfaction of his countrymen in the honor done him , Philadelphia Record. Mr. Choate is well worthy of the line age which has been established by the long succession of distinguished men whc have preceded him in his new post. SL Louis Globe-Democrat. Every Democrat who desires to see our country worthily represented abroad , on the basis of merit and capacity alone , wili be grateful for the selection of Mr. Choato for the court of St. James. New York World. The nation could not afford to lower the standard of character of its representa tion at what is to us the most important foreign capital in the world. It has not been lowered in the anointment of Mr. Choate. It is high praise to say that he is the peer in distinction of any of hia predecessors , but it. is n.Qt to.0. York Tribun' HI > ' 1
