M
CROPS IN NEBRASKA
WEATHER IS FAVORABLE FOR
FARM WORK.
I
ijmall Grain Doing Well and Win
ter Wheat in Southern Part of
State .Beginning to Head Corn
Planting as a Rule Nearly Done.
Lincoln : United States department of
agiiculturc. Climate and eiop bu leli-i
of tho weather biuo.'iii. Nebraska < ctioi : ,
for tlic week ending May 23 :
TIi - tempera tu 10 during the weekv.is
slightly below 1101111:1) ) , and a few scallcr-
cd sliowers occurred the fore part of rho
week. As a whole the weather was fa
vorable Jor the growth of eiops and the
l > rogic of all farm woik.
Corn planting advanced rapidly and i.- >
110:1 : rly finished except in the wo.-'ern and
northwestern counties , where it H about
half completed. Much loplanting is me-
PSsary on account of the damage called
by the heavy rains of the previous week.
In the sonthein counties corn is coming
up.
up.All
All Miiall grain maderood growth.
Wheat is in line condition and is iiogin-
ning to head in southern and central
count ieOats is still reported ilun in
places. Potatoes are coming ii ] aul look
well. Alfalfa js in good condition and is
almost ready to cut in southeastern coun
ties. Grass has made good growth and
pastures continue { rood.
Strawberries ripening in southeastern
nnrl anin bloom in northeastern counties.
Cherries and apples promi.se good yields.
Report by counties :
Butler Corn nearly all planted , much
will have to be replanted : small grain
and grass look well ; rye heading : fruit
prospects good.
( 'ass Wheat looking good : corn near
ly all planted , some leplanting being
done : onts thin and growing slowly ; po
tatoes looking fine.
Clay Some corn will be replanted ,
wheat continues in good condition : oat *
ithin and getting weedy.
Fillmore Corn about all planted , some
will be replantel : oats fair ; alfalfa about
ready to cut.
Gage Small grain doing well : weather
too cool for corn , many replanting ; pota
toes making slow growth : pastures good.
Hamilton Corn nearly all planteu :
wheat begining to head ; oats fair : ap
ples and cherries doing well ; pasture * in
good condition.
Jefferson Corn planting about finished
and coming up nicely ; wheat looking fine :
potatoes doing finely , alfalfa good CM op.
Johnson Weather not good for giowth
of corn ; wheat heading out : oats grow
ing slowly : apple.s promise fair.
Lancaster Corn nearly all planted ,
gome replanting done : wheat looking fine-
oats a good stand , growing slowly ; gar
dens and potatoes fair condition.
Nemaha Corn nearly all planted and
coming up ; wheat and oats doing well ;
pastures fine.
, Nuckolls Corn planting nearly finish-
ad , early corn coming up : wheat , rye and
potatoes look fine : oats fair.
Otoe Corn about all planted , too cold
for growth : oats improved , but rye thin :
wheat pro.spect fine.
I'awnee Corn coming up slowly , some
replanting being done : wheat growing
nicely ; strawberries ripening , with prom
ise of an abundant crop.
Polk Corn planting about completed
corn coming up slowly ; wheat looks wed
some complaint of Hessian fly.
Richardson Corn all planted and com
ing up slowly : wheat looking well and
l > eeinning to head ; oats fair : apple pros
pects good : strawberries ripening.
Saline Some corn being replanted ,
planting about three-fourths done ; alfal
fa doing well : onts .shoit crop.
Saunders Corn nearly all planted ,
jnome replanting to be done : wheat doing
well : oat < - thin : apples set well.
Seward Corn planting about finished ,
hut some replanting being done : early
corn up ; wheat making good growth and
has good color.
Thayer Corn planting ne.uly finished ,
hut some replanting necessary ; wheat
and oat * looking well : apples promise
Avell.
Avell.York
York Corn planting nearly finished ,
some replanting done : wheat looks well ;
rye heading out ; garden truck growing
slowly.
Antelope Corn mostly planted : oats
poor : pastures doing finely : strawberries
in full bloom.
Boyd Weather f.ivorable for all crops ;
corn mostly planted ami some coming
up : small grain looking well : strawhe-
lies and fruit trees in bloom.
Bnrt Corn planting about finished and
corn coining slowly , some replanting to
be done ; potatoes coming up ; fruit trees
promise well.
Cedar "Weather fine for cropand ev
erything doing v.-ell.
Colfax Corn planting well advanced ,
jsomc replanting done ; winter grain doing
well : oats thin and backwaid : rye head-
imr.
Cuming Corn planting about finished ,
but some replanting will be done.
Dixou Corn planting about completed.
j = ome replanting don" ; small grain looks
ood ; pastures backward.
Dodge Week favorable for growing
/ rops : corn planting nearly finished : oats
jind wheat in good condition ; sugar beets
Crowing well.
Douglas Corn planting about finished :
wheat and oats backward.
Holt Corn mostly planted , some up :
wheat , rye nnd grass doing well : oars-
growing slo\\l.\ : fruit not damaged by
frost.
IvnoT Corn planting delayed : wh * nt
and onts in fine condition ; pastures good.
Madison Corn planting progressing
well ; .sm.ill grain doing finely.
Platte Corn planting about finished :
rye and wheat growing nicely ; oats grow
ing slowly : cherries and apples promise
fair.
Sarpr Apples and plums well set :
> ome cherries ; otinan * worms doing dam
age.
age.Thnrston
Thnrston Corn planting just begun :
small grain lookwell ; grass picking up ;
wild plums in blossom.
Washington Weather favorable for
crops ; some corn up. replanting being
done : wheat and oats doing well : straw
berries promising.
"Wayne Corn planting progios-xing
nicely : all crops in good condition : not
much damage to fruit by frost.
Elaine Good growing week : corn
about nil planted : plum and cherry trees
in full bloom ; small grain and grass look
good.
good.KeiUi
KeiUi Home high winds injured crops
- that were just coming tip- . . _ _ I
Phelps Coin planting progressing
some listed corn will be leplanted ; wheat
looking fine ; oats doing well ; potatoes
coming up.
Webstei Coin nearly all planted , ear
ly corn up : wheat and oats made good
growth ; alfalfa doing finely.
Brown Weather warm and vegetation
growing bitter ; light fiost on 18th.
Cherry Week good for growth of
small grain : gms * good condition ; pota-
to s about all planted.
Sheridan Cold and some rain ; corn
planting about half done ; spring grain
looks fine : potatoes 110:11 ly all planted.
Sioux Some rain ; crops making slow
growth : stock doing well.
Hock Corn planting piogrossing oats
getting good start ; pastures good ; ap
ples , cherries and strawberries in bloom.
Scott's Bluff Some rain , alfalfa and
Garfiold Corn planting progressing
rapidly : oats coming out finely ; potatoes
coming up.
Greoloj Corn nearly all planted , some
is up ; small grain doing fine ; pastures
good ; potatoes coming up.
Hall Rapid progress in corn planting ,
early listed coin being replanted ; oats
look thin ; fruit prospects good ,
Howard Much leplanting of early
sown corn necessary : weather favorable
for growth of crops.
Meirick Corn about all planted ; wheat
beginning to head ; oats doing fairly well ;
alfalfa growing nicely.
Nance Corn planting delayed by cold ,
wet weather : wheat , rye and oats doing
well : pastures in good condition.
Sherman Corn planting about com
pleted ; all small grain doing well ; grass
growing slowly.
Valley--Corn not all planted yet : oats
andhrat look yellow , owing to too
much rain pievious week ; fruit prospects
fine.
Adams Week too cold for coin to come
up ; listing and planting nearly done :
wheat looking good.
Chase Corn all planted : potatoes up ,
good stand ; .small grain looks fine ; grass
good.
Dundy Corn planting Hearing comple
tion : wheat in good condition ; oats good ;
barley coming up fine.
Franklin Corn nearly all planted and
first plantings up ; small grain and al
falfa looking well ; some report of Hes
sian fly.
Frontier Cool week : corn coming up ;
wheat looking fine : alfalfa doing well.
Furnas Corn mostly planted , first
planting coming up : wheat continues
good ; barley and oats improving ; potatoes
coming up.
Gosper Com planting nearly finished ;
oats thin : winter wheat growing finely ;
potatoes coming up nicely.
ITarlan Corn nearly all planted and
coming up : small grain in fine condition ;
wheat beginning to head.
Hayes Corn almost all planted , some
coming uj ) : wheat and other small grain
in good condition : potatoes coining up
slowly.
Hitchcock Week good for growth > , t
crops : corn planting nearly done ; wheat
in fine condition : rye heading ; pastures
good.
Kearney Too wet for good growth of
winter wheat , some appearance of rust ;
corn not all planted : oat.s doing well.
Red Willow Corn planting about fin
ished , some replanting necessary : rye
heading and promises good crop.
G. A. LOVE LAND ,
Section Director , Lincoln , Xeb.
THE A. P. A. AS A DIPLOMAT.
Melville E. Stone Estimates that the
Association Makes for Peace.
'ine Associated Press has been able
to usurp in a large measure the func
tions of the diplomat , and I think it
makes for universal peace in a re
markable way. Instead of public ques
tions now passing through the Ions
ind tedious metnods of diplomacy a9
formerly , the story is told with author
ity by the Associated Press. The point
at'view of a country is presented no
longer by diplomatic communication ,
but in the dispatches of the Associated
Press.
A striking instance of this occurred
some months ago. when a Japanese
war vessel went into trie neutral har-
oor of Chifu and captured the Rychit-
elni. a Russian gunboatwhich had
sought an asylum there. Our corre
spondent was on the Rychitelni when
the Japanese lieutenant and a detach
ment arrived , and was a personal wit
ness of the occurrence. His story ap
peared throughout the civilized world ,
ind was made the subject of represen
tations by Russia , through her ally ,
France. In less than a week the Jnpa-
lese government prepared a careful de
fense of their action and handed it to
Mr. Egant our correspondent in To-
kio. with a request that he send it
throughout the world. Itwas done ,
ind it closed the incident They made
no effort , and distinctly said that they
would make none , to send an official
answer to Russia on the subject
through the ordinary channels of di
plomacy , but chose rather to send it
through t..e agency of the Associated
Press.
The authorities of the foreign of
fices of the different European govern
ments recognize the independence of
the Associated Press , and have vir
tually made choice of it as a forum
for the discussion of current questions
of international interest. They recog
nize that a telegram of the Associated
Press , published as it is , throughout
the world , unless immediately explain
ed , may arouse a public sentiment that
'an never be met by the ordinary meth
ods of diplomacy. They recognize that
in the end it is the high court of pub
lic opinion that must settle interna
tional questions , and not the immediate
determination of the foreign office of
nip country. From Melville E. Stone's
"The Associated Press , " in the Cen-
luiy.
Ilia Idea of Gems.
In a schoolroom the first primary
grade was listening to the teacher
reading a description of Columbus'
first voyage to America. The history
was written in words of one syllable.
The teacher reads : ' Queen Isabella
gold her gems to help Columbus. "
"Now , children , " she said , "who can
tell me what gems arev"
Instantly Robert sprang to his feet
his hands waving frantically and hli
ej'es flashing.
"Well. Robert , " she .said.
"Biscuits ! " yelled Robert
RUSSIA'S LAS ! EASTERN STRONGHOLD.
VIEW OF VLADIVOSTOK.
Vladivostok , which the Japanese are preparing to besiege , is now Rus
sia's only stronghold in the far East. It is the terminus of the Trans-Siberian
road , stands on a peninsula jutting into the Sea of Japan between L'ssuri Bay
and Amur Bay , and was founded in JSijl. An important report as to condi
tions at Vladivostok was made a f.nv months ago by tho captain of a Nor
wegian steamer. He said that the land fortifications had been extended many
miles from the city proper , that food and war munitions were being gath
ered in great quantities , and that there was an immense supply of coal.
The harbor had been min ° d for a distance of seven miles , while the mines
three miles from the town were elctrir-ally connected. At various times
reports have come of the arrival of submarines at Vladivostok , and it is
believed the Russians have at least ; four there.
PROGRESS OF THE WAR.
World Has Been Anxiously Expecting
Naval Combat.
With Rojestvensky's licet finally at
sea and a naval combat within tho
possibilities at any day. and the Jap
anese armies north of Mukden advanc
ing on the Russian positions , the war
in the far East again assumed mo
mentous interest.
Rojestvensky's fleet left the friendly
-shelter of the bays along the French
Imio-Cliina coast on May 14 or lo.
The fact was officially reported to the
French admiralty. The Russian vice
admiral left sixty-three transports and
colliers behind him , and these have as
sembled near Saigon. All this seemed
to indicate that the Russian vicead
miral had started on the final stage of
the voyage that would end either with
battle and disaster with Togo or at
Vladivostok.
The Russian fleet was last sighted
on May 10. It was then 1T 0 miles
from the Indo-China coast and TOO
miles south of the island of Formosa ,
steaming northward slowly. From
where the fleet was sighted it had the
easy choice of three routes : Either
north of Luzon into the Pacific , or
through the Bashee channel and
thence northward east of Formosa , or
between Formosa and the China coast.
Or , as suggested by French naval offi
cers. Rojestvensky may divide his
fleet , thus making Togo's problem
doubly difficult
Togo still continues to baffle the
scrutiny of the merchant shipping of
the far East. His whereabouts have
not been discovered. From Tokio
comes word that the Japanese fleet
ultimately will be re-enforced by four
battleships and two cruisers from
among the Russian ships sunk at Port
Arthur. It is asserted that the battle-
ships Retvlzan , Poltava , Peresviet and
Pobieda and the cruisers Bayau and
Pallada can be put in fighting shape
by an expenditure of $700,000 each
9i.200.000 for the six or less than the
cost of one tirst-clas battleship. If
this report be true , Russia's task of
regaining control of the sea in the far
East will be made increasingly diffi
cult.
cult.The
The land campaign has developed to
the point where a battle is imminent.
Field Marshal Oyama has spent two
months in reshaping his campaign
plans. He has brought up 80,000 fresh
troops and is now said by Russian offi
cers to have more than 400,000 men
ready for the advance , which is to cap
ture Kirin and Harbin , isolate Vlad
ivostok , and perhaps drive the Rus
sians west of Thitsihar.
The war may be said to be entering
its most dramatic stage. Both Russi-i
and Japan seem about to stake their
military and i > avnl resources in de
cisive combats. If Rojestvensky's ar
mada is scattered and sunk and Line-
vitch's army defeated and cut off from
the railroad. Russia's cause will be
lost for the Czar's naval resources for
the present decade are exhausted , ami
without command of the sea he is
helpless against Japan. If. on the otli r
hand. Rojestvensky is victorious and
regain' ? command of the sea. Japan's
unbroken series of victories from Port
Arthur to Mukden will be of little
value to her in the final settlement.
Oyama or Linevitch. Rojestvensky
or Togo upon their fortunes on land
ind sea depends the fate of the war
and that fate may bp decided within
the ensuing fe\v weeks.
A New Silk Country.
During the last two years about H.OOO-
000 mulberry trees have been planted in
Argentina , which has now about 10.000.-
000 of such trees. The production of raw
silk will eventually become an important
product of that country.
The Deadly Automobile.
Since Jan. 1 last Gl. persons have been
killed and 70 : _ ! injured in automobile ac
cidents in and around New York. All
through the country similar accidents are
of frequent occurrence. In one week at
Philadelphia there wore four fatal acci
dents ; at Chicago during the same period ,
five , and at Pittsburg three. And so the
list goes on. The juggernaut of India
is a harmless toy compared to the Amer
ican automobile.
Love is a disease. See to it that you
have an incurable case-
tMPEROR SAID TO BE IN
DANGER OF ABDUCTION ,
OIPEROR OF KOREA.
Russia has warned the United States
that behind the Japanese plan to have
the Emperor of Korea visit Tokio is a
plot to keep the Emperor in Japan and
put on the throne in Korea some one who
will be ruled absolutely by the Japanese ,
making Korea virtually a Japanese pos
session. Russians claim the Japanese
have gone so far as to erect a palace in
Tokio in which the Korean Emperor is
to live. The Japanese minister at Wash
ington denies that there is any plan to
detain the Emperor in Japan.
CENTER IS MOVING EAST.
Population Increase in Eastern Cities
Offsets Growth in West.
Population experts of the census bu
reau are inclined to the belief that the
center of population of the United States ,
which has traveled westward steadily
since the foundation of the republic , has
turned and is now headed eastward. If
this be true , the fact is of interest as in
dicating that the movement of popula
tion toward the East and Southeast is
greater than the movement toward the
West. It is expected that censuses to be
taken in a dozen States during May and
June will throw light on the present lo
cation of the center of population , which
the cen-us of 31300 placed ix miles south
east of Columbus. Ind.
The yoar 11)03 ) is just half-way be
tween two national census periods , and
there is curiosity which cannot be ac '
curately satisfied as to how far and in
what direction the center of population
has gone since its location was la es
tablished five years ago and how far and
in what direction it will continue to go
during the next five years. Because of
the increase of population in eastern
cities , especially New York , and a steady
trend of growth in the southeastern At
lantic seaboard States the population ex
perts have formed the opinion that if
there is a westword movement of the
center it is very slight and that if its
direction has not been reversed there is
a possibility that it will he before the
end of the present decade. The only fact
which they find to combat this theory is
the rapid growth of population in the
State of Washington , which offsets a
much larger growth in the Eastern
States.
The tendency toward reversal of the
direction of the center of population was
noted in the decade between 1800 and
1000. It then moved westward only a
little over fourteen miles , which is ths
smallest movement that ever has been
noted. The course until possibly within
tho last year or two has been uniformly
west\\ard. clinging closely to the thirty-
ninth parallel of latitrJie. Starting in
17 ! 0. twenty-throe miles east of Balti
more it traveled forty-one miles in the
decade from 17'.lO until 1SOO : 'hirty-six
miles in the decade from 1SOO lo 1810 ;
fifty miles from 1MO to IS'JO ; thirty-nine
miles from IS'JO to IS.'IO : fifty-five miles
from 3S:0 : : to 1810 : fifty-five miles from
1S10 to ISuO : eighty-one miles from 1850
to ISijO : forty-two miles from 3SGO to
1870 : fifty-eight miles from 1S70 to 1SSO ;
forty-eight milen from 1SSO to IS ! 10. and
fourteen miles from 1SOO to 1000. This
is a total continuous westward movement
of . " ) ! ! ) miles since 17)0. ! )
Two squads of policemen were requir
ed to keep back the thousands who had
gathered at Hicks and Morris streets ,
Philadelphia. MI the hope of seeing an
apparition of the Virgin Mary on the
wall of Thomas Morris' house. An elec
tric light caus-ed the supposed phenome
non.
Edward Gottschalk. who pleaded guil
ty at St. Paul. Minn. , to the murder of
.loseph Ilartinan. his accomplice in the
robbery and murder of Christian S 5n-
deldecker. Fob. 18 last , must hang Tue-
day , Aug. 8.
COST OF THE CHICAGO STRIKE ,
TeamBters' StrutcKle Involves
IOHH Both to Men and Employer * .
The strike of the teamsters Ins involv
ed the business interests of Chicago in
enormous I'i-s < . . cost tlie strikers great
hums in loss of wages and decreased the
earnings of employed union te.misters to
a material extent through strike fund as
sessments. It has been a source of he.ivy
expense to the city and county and for
\\eeks ha.s kept the city in a state of
violence and disorder , resulting in nine
deaths and injury to nearly IIOlJ persons.
It is a sympathetic strike , growing out
of a labor issue which had been practi
cally dead for months , but was inexpli
cably revived. This was the trouble of
the garment workers , which dates back
to the middle of last November. At
that time the Wholesale Tailors * Asso
ciation , following negotiations for the
renewal of contracts , which the employ
ers claimed had been broken by the
union , declared for the open .shop , and be
tween walkouts and lockouts over . " .OUO
garment workers soon wore idle.
Montgomery Ward & Co. kept their
union garment workers employed until
Dec. 14. when the union protested
against the firm sending out piecework to
two non-union tailor * , and Business
Agent Olivey called out the union work
ers. Their places , as had been the case
with other concerns , were tilled with
non-union men.
Early thi.s year the garment workers
appealed to the teamsters for assistance ,
but nothing came of it until the latter
part of March , when the drivers began to
assume a threatening attitude , so far as
Montgomery Ward fc Co. were concern
ed. Then an ultimatum was submitted
to the firm by the teamsters demanding
that the garment workers * trouble bo
submitted to arbitration. This was dis
regarded , and April 7 the seventy-ono
teamsters employed by the firm walked
out.
The firm demanded police protection
and began sending protected caravans
through the streets. At the same time
the managers of the express companies
7net and decided that teamsters who re
fused to deliver to Montgomery Ward
& Co. would be discharged. In the mean
time C. P. Shea , international president
of the teamsters , had been called to tho
city and took active charge of the strike.
Matters quickly assumed a more .seri
ous aspect , and April 15 the employers
mot and organized the Employers" Team
ing Company. Stops for aggressive ac
tion were taken. Stock to the amount
of § 100,000 was subscribed within a few
minutes , and the purchase of horses and
trucks bo-ran , and already there was talk
of applying for federal injunctions
against interference with the operations
of the company , which was incorporated
under the laws of West Virginia.
The teamsters also at this point as
sumed a bolder attitude and began to
extend the strike. The union proposed
arbitration , but the employers maintain
ed that as they were not involved in the
garment workers' strike and as the team
sters had broken contracts there was
nothing to arbitrate.
President Shea demanded that the
striking teamsters of Montgomery Ward
& Co. be reinstated , but that firm put
the proposition up to the Employers * As
sociation , and the latter organization de
cided against the reinstatement of strik
ing teamsters by any of the companies
involved.
April 27 the strike was resumed with
renewed vigor and extended to scores of
wholesale and retail establishments which
had dealings with MontgomeryVard &
Co. Within twenty-four hours 2.SOO
teamsters were out. and the following
day the number was increased to 3..100.
The first aid sought in the federal
courts was April 28 , when an injunction
was secured against interference with
employes , wagons or barns of the Em
ployers' Teaming Company. As the
strike progressed other injunctions were
asked , and altogether nine of these writs
have been i > sued. At the same time the
matter was tak < Mi before the Cook county
grand jury , and April 21) indictments
were voted against President Shea and
eleven other union officials for conspiracy
to ruin the business of Montgomery
Ward Jc Co.
With the beginning of May. noting ,
slugging and general disturbanceby
mobs in the streets developed to such an
extent that the entire police force was
kept on constant reserve duty. Under
these conditions the exertions of the po
lice wore taxed to their utmost , and As-
sitsant Chief Schuettler. who h.id direct
charge of the strike , was given 800 addi
tional policemen.
A committee of business men called
on Gov. Deiieon and urged him to call
out the State militia , but he refu i d on
the ground that the resources of the
county had not been exhausted. At this
point Sheriff Barrett became a factor in
the strike and began .swearing in deputy
sheriff.the number finally re.ichhig
o.OOO.
The extra cost to the city to date for
added police .service , including allowances
for meals to the ' 5.000 policemen kept
on constant duty , will foot up nearly
.10.000. and the expense to the county
lor special deputysheriffs will aggregate
? "J3.000. The losses in business to the
wholes-ale and retail firms involvul in the
strike is roughly estimated at S3.000-
000. while railroad freight business is
said to have suffered to the extent of
more than $1,000,000. The amount lost
in wages by the striking teamsters is
estimated at $2.10.000. and the amount
paid as assessments into the strike fund
by working momb'-rs of the union
reaches close to SI00.000.
3-jfforts toward peace wore numerous ,
various commissions : md committees be
ing appointed by the Mayor from time
to time , but all to no purpose. When
President Roosevelt visited the city the
labor leaders presented a protest thim ,
but his neutral stand and his firm declar
ation that order must bo maintained and
that to assure it tho State stood behind
the city and the nation behind the State ,
afforded no satisfaction to the strikers.
Chicago and Alton employes have been
instructed not only to give up drinking
intoxicating liquors , but to stay away
from gambling places and dance halls.
The company says it means to keep its
men up to as high a physical and mental
standard as possible.
The Public Service Corporation of
New Jersey has posted notices prohibit
ing all employes of its car lines from
gambling or betting in any form. Inves
tigation had showed that a large number
of employes were gambling away tlieir
earnings on puydayi.
Imports , like immigration , always In
crease in prosperity. Immigration at
this moment is at the highest figured
ever touched. Imports are also mak-
Ini ? new records. This was expected
by everybody who had watched these
things for many years , and who hail
marked the connection between them
In previous decades. The panic of 1817
sent immigration down to half of its
previous figures , but when the recov
ery in business set in immigration
again went upward , and soon broke all
records along to that time. The 1S37
panic sent the inllow down again to
half its previous total , and the war
which came on immediately afterward
held the figures to a low level for two
Dr three j'ears. Then an upward swing
took place. That has been the experi
ence from the beginning. The world
quickly finds out the industrial condi
tions in the United States , and when
they are favorable immigration re
sponds. Imports go up in good times
here because the people have more
money to spend than in ordinary peri
ods , and also because the home produc
ers are not able to meet the home de
mand.
m * , .
Maple-sugar-rnaking is getting to be
a restricted industry , and may , indeed ,
become a lost art The Bureau of For
estry , which has recently made a study
) f the business , has brought some inter
esting facts to light. Since 1830 the
area of inaple-sugar-farming has great
ly changed and shrunk. In early days
maple-sugar was made even in the
South , because cane-sugar was scarce
and expensive. In New England. Now
i'ork and a few other States the in
dustry has held its own or been ex
tended. The bureau finds that seven-
eighths of Avhat is sold as maple-sugar
or maple-syrup is spurious ; but in most
cases the adulteration is the work of
middlemen , not of the producers. Tho
net income of a maple-sugar grove la
conservatively estimated at ? ' ! nn acre ;
and since the work can be done at a
time when there is little other farm
employment , and the grove will alsx >
furnish the family firewood without
deterioration , a sugar-orchard is a fair
ly profitable investment.
* *
- - -
Greater secrecy than ever before will
be exercised this year concerning the
scores made at target practice by the
various vessels of the Atlantic licet.
While some of the details of the re
sults may be made public , it is not the
intention of the Navy Department to
give out the scores. This government
has never been able to gather informa
tion concerning the target practices of.
other navies and there seems to be no
reason why the scores of our navy
should be made public. Great Britain
carefully guards all of the scores made
by herwarships. . Some yfcars ago an
officer of a British vessel on the Asiatic
station told of the results of the tar
get practice then just finished. The
information reached this country and
was published. A thorough investiga
tion was made and the otlicer would
have been court-martialed if it had
been possible to produce positive proof
against him.
The expenditures of the government
exceeded its current income by more
than $9,000,000 in April , and the treas
ury deficit for the first ten months of
the fiscal year is upward of § . ' 54,000.-
000. While the months of May and
June nearly always show a balance on
the right side of the government's ac
count books , many fear that the de-
> it at the end of the fiscal year , June
30 , will reach $30,000,000. The problem
of the deficit is a serious one in the
opinion of the treasury officials. The
cash balance in the treasury has de
clined to $133,181,777 , including tho
amounts held by the national bank de
positories , and Secretary Shaw has.
found it necessary to withdraw from
the banks $20,000,000. The cash bal
ance actually on hand in the treasury
is said by some to have fallen below
the point of absolute safety.
Of the 812.870 immigrants who came
to the United States last year 210.420
were classed as unskilled laborers , l. 2-
191 skilled laborers , S.l.S-lO farm labor
ers. 104,937 domestic servants. 23.r,8G
tailors , 19,848 merchants and dealers ,
13,404 carpenters. I0."i07 shoemakers ,
10.420 clerks. 10,32(5 ( sailors. 9.110 min
ers. 2.220 engineers. 1.419 musicians ,
1,983 teachers , lesser numbers as um
brella menders , die cutters , scissors
grinders and followers of other trades.
The great majority of the balance were
the wives and children of those enum
erated above.
During the last year more than five
thousand rural mail routes have been ,
established , and during the coining
summer a thousand more will be open
ed. Every route over which the car
rier takes his little packet is a thread
which binds this great , spreading coun
try into more solid unity.
Expansion seems still to be the na
tional watchword. The general staff
of the army has decided to lengthen
the United States bayonet by four
'nches. Still , it was a dictum of Oliver
Wendell Holmes that as nations
lengthen their weapons they narrow
their boundaries.
A protest is made against the nomi
nation of Mme. Patti to the Legion of
Honor on the ground that Mme. Bera-
aardt has a prior claim.