Conservative.
The Colombian gov-
HAGGLING. ernment has inter
posed nn objection in
the Panama canal matter , by reminding
the share-hohkrs of the French corpora
tion , that , according to the terms of the
original agreement , while a share-holder
has the right to dispose of his' stock
when and where he pleases , an attempt
to dispose of the company's holdings tea
a foreign government will forfeit all
concessions. Whether , as is probable ,
this is a shrewd attempt to finger a portion
tion of that $40,000,000 or , as its possible ,
it is based upon the more ambitious desire
to make both the canal company and
the United States contribute to the re
lief of the Colombian exchequer , would
be difficult to say ; in either cose Co
lombia would do well to remember that
the sentiment in this country is divided
about equally between the Panama and
Nicaragua routes , and the delicate bal
ance is very liable to bo disturbed by
any obsticle , however small , which may
lie in the way of effecting a speedy
agreement between the United States ,
Colombia and the French corporation.
If Colombia.does not-wish , the-Panama
canal to be completed , she has taken the
proper step to , prevent it ; if she does
wish it to bo completed , she has
laid herself liable to a severe reverse , by
employing a * superfluous amount of
finesse in the negotiations. .
OBSERVATIONS OF A TOURIST.
Beet Sugar Culture.
The people of Colorado naturally re
joice that the Arkansas valley farmers
have carried off about all the prizes of
fered by the Orange Judd Farmer for
the best sugar beets raised in the United
States.
The largest yield of beets reported
was 18,624 ponnds.net weightof dressed
beets grown on one acre of land , or
nearly forty tons per acre. At $4.25 per
ton this means $170 per acre to the
grower without counting the cost of
production , which was estimated at
$68.90 per acre. Colorado averaged
twenty-seven tons of beets to. the acre
this last season , which is six tons more
than California , and fourteen tons more
than Nebraska averaged. The Arkansas
valley , Rocky Ford , Lamar , La Junta
and other thriving villages in the district
will hereafter increase their acreage of
beets and , perhaps , curtail their produc
tion of melons , although in melons this
wonderful valley has a world-wide rep
utation.
Emigration is pouring into the val
ley , and there is every indication of
prosperity there. The climate of the
valley is ideal ; it is never warm in the
shade and the percentage of sunshine is
nearly eighty per cent.
The farther south in New Mexico is
as yet undeveloped but bid. " fair to be
the'same kind of a Country as the Ar
kansas valley in Colorado.
A Sand Storm.
There are sand storms and sand
storms. THE CONSERVATIVE party re
turning from Mexico had the opportuni
ty of traveling over three hundred miles
through one of the most stupendous
storms of this character ever witnessed
in the southwestern country. Everbody
lifted their hats to the majesty of the
storm. It extended from the city of
Chihuahua , on the south , to north of
Albuquerque , and covered an area of
thousands of square miles. The sand
drifted just as snow does and had to be
shoveled off the railroad tracks in order
to make them passable , telegraph poles
bent the knee , and many did homage to
the storm by falling prostrate. At times
during the storm it was impossible to
see more than thirty feet , and in every
respect the effect of the tornado was
like those we have in Nebraska , with
sand substituted for snow.
A Fight.
Among other curious things seen from
a Mexican Central train.passing tlirough
the great Terrazzas ranchnn the state
of Chihuahua , was a combat , perhaps a
mortal combat , between a horse and a
burro. The latter is but a Mexican
donkey , and like all his species , never
attempts style or evinces anything but
humility and a desire to be let alone.
Undoubtedly the fight witnessed from
the passing train was the result of , great
abuse on the part of the equine and long
suffering on the part of the donkey , but
the belligerent qualities of the latter
animal were thoroughly aroused. He
viciously pawed the horse with his front
hoofs , rising on his hind legs like a man
in order to do so , intermittingly drop
ping on all fours to occasionally make a
ferocious bite at the horse , with now
and then a speedy reverse in order to
get the real business end of-his machine
in working order. When last seei1 the
burro was chasing the horse over a range
of several thousand acres and there 'was
no kind of punishment that a member
of the mule family can administer , that
the horse was not receiving in allopath
ic doses. It was a curious sight. It
was one of the most remarkable displays
of exploded pent-up-wrath ever wit
nessed by human beings , and fully illus
trates the old adage that even a worm
will turn , etc.
Railroad Improvements.
The new hotel and railroad station ,
built by the Atohisou , Topeka & Santa
Fe company at Albuquerque , is after
the old Spanish mission style of archi
tecture and is in every way in keeping
with the territory of New Mexico and
the policy of that railroad company ,
which is trying to maintain , so far as
possible , the traditions and architecture
of the Spanish conquerors.
The new hotel will be called the Al-
varado , after one of Coronado's most
active lieutenants. This eating house
and the one at Las Vegas , built after
the same general plan and called The
Casteneda , after the historian of the
Coronado expedition , the first white
man that ever attempted to write a
description of the American buffalo , are
both managed by Fred Harvey , who
leads the world as a caterer to railway *
travelers.
This is the opinion of THE CONSEUVA- ,
TIVE , that no line of railroad , east * west
or abroad , can give the same meals that.
Harvey does for the same price 76 cents
each.
A BREEZE FROM THE ANTILLES.
[ Written for The Conservative. ]
The Morgan line seems to monopol
ize the transportation from New Or
leans to Havana , sending an indifferent
steamer out each Saturday , and charg
ing a helpless public $85 for the privi
lege of sleeping on "shake-downs" and
.making toilets when and where you
can , nor do they cease selling tickets so
long as a purchaser can be found. In
this situation there seems to be a rare
opening for some of the Great Lake
lines , whose splendid boats lie tied up
through the winter mouths , just the
time for passenger traffic to Cuba.
Gay Havana.
Havana is not only a beautiful city , .
but it is now as clean as the .proverbial .
new pin a pronounced contrast with .
New Orleans. A high functionary of .
the French government , after inspecting .
the latter city , remarked later at Hav
ana : "You Americans do not practice
what you preach. New Orleans is very
dirty. " Indeed every American who .
has seen both cities blushes with shame ,
when he realizes that it is probable that
the near future will find Havana estab
lishing a quarantine against American
ports.
Leaving the north , with the mercury
several degrees too low for comfort ,
three days' travel found us in bright ,
sunny , gay Havana , with its gentlemen
in white , and ladies in light summer at
tire ; operas , theaters , masque-balls ,
open-air concerts , in the midst of which
gaieties it is difficult to remember that ;
Cuba has just passed through the throes
of a long , devastating war , and is even
now in the vortex of a grave political
crisis. - If quiet and good order continue
in Havana , it will grow in popularity as
a winter resort , its delightful climate
and the restless gaiety of its inhabitants
delighting the northern visitor , and the
frowning castles and historic forts pos
sessing peculiar attraction to lovers of
the massive in architecture.
The Harbor and Its Defences.
A steam launch was placed at my .
disposal , and with a few invited guests
a tour of the harbor was made , which ,
of course , included a visit to the wreck