* &
The Conservative * 11
Russia In the Chinese Markets.
An interesting report made by Mr
Edward Bedloe , Amcricau consul to
Canton , China , throws light on Russian
trade methods , which should bo of in
terest to all those interested in the ex
pansion of American commerce. That
( hero is a determined purpose on the
part of the St. Petersburg government
to control the largest possible share of
the Chinese trade now opening such
possibilities to the manufacturing and
mercantile world is borne out by fiiots.
The completion of the Traussiburiau
railroad in the next six years will put
Russia in possession of a great trans
portation Hue into the very bowels of
the empire. Nothing but the most
strenuous and skillful methods can
counteract the advantages under which
Russian trade will enforce its claims.
In the first place , it appears from the
text of the agreement which China is
alleged to hav made with the Russo-
Oh in OHO bank that the empire is bound
to charge one-third less on all Russian
goods entering through Manchuria than
is paid on similar articles from foreign
countries entering through a treaty
port. It is , to be sure , a violation of
the "favored nation" clause in the
other treaties and may not always stand
diplomatic fire , but Russia will strug
gle to hold this grip of preferential du
ties as lone as she dare and can.
But she has another still more effective
ivo weapon in her grasp , which she has
used before with deadly effect. This is
the bounty system on her own exports
At one time , not very many years ago
Great Britain controlled the whole Fri
sian trade in cotton products. The Rus
sians gradually beat the Manchester
mill owners out of the field through a
rebate granted by their government
This allowance was tor an amount
which not only covered freight charges ,
but gave a handsome profit besides. More
than $3,000,000 a year was thus paid to
Russian merchants and manufacturers
It killed the British cotton goods trade
as surely as the government bounty paid
to French and German beet sugar grow
ers destroyed the prosperity of the Wes
Indian sugar planters. The Russia ?
bounty system has been applied through
out central Asia with ama/iug succos ;
and will unquestionably bo used in the
now Chinese competition with active
nations. It is pretty sure to injure great
ly our own trade in oil , flour , piec' '
goods and other articles manufactured
in Russia unless we find n moans o
counterbalancing such an enormous ad
vantage. That country , too.-isunsorupu
lous in counterfeiting our labels and
trademarks where American article
have a reputation for superior excel
lenoo. This is one of the means whereby
the Batum oil has driven out American
korofccue to so largo a degree through
out China. Politically and commercial
ly the Muscovite is the most astute and
unprincipled intriguer in the world , and
he is armed cao-a-rn'o in the forthcom
ing battle to do morothau hold his own
England and America are equally inter
ested on the same side in the contest ,
but to capture the Russian position will
bo a far more serious task than was the
taking of Sevastopol. The question
presents a very serious problem for
American export trade interests to
study.
Our regular regiments are without a
mbitation and a name except as they
ro United States soldiers. No local
pride is fostered by their deeds , nor
does any state now consider itself bound
by peculiar ties to the gallant fellows
who have recently brought themselves
into the closest esteem of the country
To obviate this it has been proposed
that the now regiments of regulars shall
bo raised , so far as possible , by states
This is the case in the British army ,
whore many of the regiments are known
by the names of the shires in which
they were recruited. The result is ad
mirable in stimulating soldierly spirit
and rivalry , and the special sections look
on "their own boys" with the keenest
prirto The experiment is well worth
qrying in America.
Waiters and Waitresses.
Talking of waitresses , a Now Yorlr
hotel keeper sjiys that although they
may possess some superior qualities for
such service there arc , on the other
hand , such drawbacks as make it cer
tain lhat they would never bo accept
able to the majority of men who would
have to be nerved by them. Ho says :
' I think the objection to thorn would
based chiefly on the fact that they
nnver show especial attention to any
person. I never know a woman who
waited on a man to trouble herself in
the least about the manner in which
she served him. It makes absolutely no
difference whether they receive liberal
tips or not. They may bo quiet , neat
and quick , but they would never pick
out ono piece of beef because it was
be.tter than another or make any effort
to get the best of what was to bo had
in the kitchen. That sort of attention
makes a man worth his foe to the men
who tip him.
"It is this special service that makes
a waiter superior to the best of his as
sociates. Women never detect any difference
foronco between the quality of ono dish
and another. They are all the same ,
and good service requires merely that
they shall bo set down noiselessly and
brought quickly. There the service of
the waitress ends. She can boat any
man at those features of the business.
But she cannot select for him anything
better than the rest of the customers
get. Dsually she does not notice any
difference in them. That deficiency is
the safeguard of the waiter and will
keep his place secure for him. "
Trained Piteous.
Pigeons are carefully trained. The
young homer is taken half a mile the
first day , a mile the second , two miles
the third , and so on , doubling the dis
tance each timo. It must be liberated
each time only in the same direction as
to its loft , for a bird can be trained
along only pu6nqiitoal { > Oytimo. When
40 miles haveAj'een rcixohfed ; a week's
. - ,
, irds are taken only two nnle8jont.for
he lirst lesson of a season , thouglH esy - -
nay have flown their 2fiO miles tne. /
'ear preceding. The end of the next
ieasou , however , will , if the birds are
.villiug and the trainer patient , bo
rowned by the accomplishment of a
00 mile flight ! As you get higher in
ho scale of distance , longer and longer
ests are needed.
Male birds are generally used for
eng distances. Family matters are apt
o engross the attention of the hen ,
hough she in still capable of good work
ivhen she has a mind for it. Good
Words.
Aa to tlio Links.
There is no more ardent evolutionist
u the city and no more persistent ad
vocate of Darwin's theory than Dr.
il'Aucoim His friend , Dr. do Marvillo ,
on the other hand , is a great bird fan
cier and devotes all his spare time to an
enthusiastic study of ornithology.
I have a splendid specimen of a
: nonkey in my oflico , " remarked Dr.
d'Aiicona proudly. "Como in and see
him , " he continued , being a firm believer - ,
liever in the object method of demon
stration. "You will admit that I have
the missing link in a cage. "
"That's ' all right , " replied Do Mar-
ville , absorbed in his own pet hobby.
"I have a cage at homo myself , and
something in it too. You're not in it ,
and neither is your monkey. lean show
you something much butter than your
missing link. I have got a bobolink. "
San Francisco Newa Letter.
Frloleau anil Culhoun.
The Peudletonians were justly proud
of Mr. Calhoun and sensitive as to the
impression which he made upon stran
gers. When Judge Prioleau became u
resident , they were anxious to know
his impressions of their Ajax. When
they first met , as soon as Calhouu left
the table , the question was eagerly
asked , "How do you like him ? "
"Not at all"was the newcomer's
reply. "I desire never to meet him
again. " This was a sad rebuff , and an
explanation was demanded. "I huto a
man who makes me think so much , "
the judge replied. "For the last three
hours I have been on the stretch trying
to follow him through heaven and
earth. I feel wearied with the effort ,
and I hate a man who makes mo feel
my own inferiority. " Peudlotou was
appeased. Exchange.
Good , but Not Intended.
Now and then a man gets off a good
thing and does not know it. An in
stance is noted by Sir M. Grant Duff in
his "Diary : "
Wo began to talk about the fog. "It
was so bad , "I said , "a week or two
ago that I hear Farrar preached against
it at St. Margaret's. "
"It was at that church , " my friend
answered , "that a clergyman , denounc
ing Mr. Tooth , the ritualist , said , ' 1
will not name him , but his name is in
everybody's mouth. ' Thou , seeing the
Biuiles on the faces of his congregation ,
he turned scarlet. "
