Ir
TTTT ! mFATTA T.ATT/V ) IIITO. TTlTIllfillAV. .TATsTTTATCV * > . Ifinfi.
TIIK OMAHA DAILY
'f K. nOSRWATHIl , Dlltor.
1'UIIMBIIKU EVRIIY MOH.N'INO.
THU.MS OP SniKCUllTION.
TJilly life ( Without fiunJuj ) . One Yar 18 *
TnM lite und Sundoy , On * Yenr lj JJ
Blx Month * JJ1
Three Mnntln 2
Bunrtny Jiff , One Tcnr ?
H lunlny lie * , Ono Year < ' 2
Weekly Ute , One Year c
orncns.
Omuhn. The n > llulMn ! c , . . . . . _ . .
Poulh Onrihn. PlnRr 111k. . Corner N nnrt Uln '
Council llluffi I ! I'cnrl Hired.
Chlrat-ij Ome < > . 317 Chamber nf fommer
NMT York. Iloomn 11. II nnt ! 11. Tribune
Wnthlncton , HOT V Street. N. W.
coitnnsi-oNDBNn : .
All cornrminlrMloni fluUim to nw" "
lorliil matter nlioiiM b a < 1 < ! rts v < 1i To tha
nusiNKSS r.KTTirns.
All liualnesi letters anil rrmlUnnres Jn.nlil w
Jdilwetl to The lite 1'iibllihlnK Co'nP'nf ' , .
ntnnlia. OrnfU. checks nnil pontoffleo enl r 10
fca mode pnynMe to the otdir nf lli < - ro-1" * '
TIIK iinu pt'nt.iPiiiNrJ
STATKMHNT OF ClttCUI.ATION.
Oeorite II. Tuchuck. wcrelary of Tlio ll e run.
HiltltiR romrnny , l > eln f duly rwntn , fay * that tne
ncdi-il number of full and complete copies of tni
Unity MnrnlniT. Kvenlne nnd Sunday Wt " ' " , ' T
flurlnr the month of November. IMS. wn < " < "
low !
1 . ra.scj i
z . , . i .sn "
I. . . . . . . . . , , , . . fcl..y1 - . . . * " - n , ,
R . l-t * . 1ft .Zl3 " 21. . . . . . . I'M" ' . ,
lo 2'1.07S 2- I"110
II I ! > 139 M
12 , ii.Hs n
: : : : : : : : : : : ' : IS : " : : : : : : : : : : : ; : Q
ij-nnj | ' E87.238
fjfsi ilc'luct.j'ns for unsold nnil returned
copies _ _ 2 _
.
Sworn t/ before tninnd Btib'crllied In my
presence th.n 2.1 ilav of Dcrembcr. HO" .
( Peat. ) N. P. rniU Notary Public.
rriu council dlil not pass any New
Soar resolution. The council Is not a
reform body.
It Is to be hoped that In the commer
cial directory of 3800 there will he no
BUeh word us fall.
I'erliaps If the city veterinarian and
meat Inspector were the same person
horse steaks would become us prolltii-
ble its def ? tails.
Hen trice courts convict defanltliifi city
otllclals and sentence them to the peni
tentiary. Omaha defaulters walk the
streets undisturbed by the authorities
charp'd with prosecuting them.
Orover Cleveland may have made n
New Year's resolution not to accept a
third term In the white house If It Is
presented to him , but If so he hns kept
his resolve conlldenthilly to himself.
The fact must not overlooked that
thi ! county treasurer-elect was able to
furnish Individual surety on a .lf.00-
000 bond. The city treasurer-elect was
not so fortunate. Both men are well
known.
Attorney General Churchill
business as a rail splitter. This was a
good bcKlnnliiK and no doubt he was
n Rood axeman. Some people are cruel
enough to stiKgcst that he made a { Treat
mistake when he left that honest occu
pation. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Borrowing money Is not the best way
to start the new year , cither for the
Individual cillxen or for the national
government. Golnj ; Into debt should be
a resource used only when Income can
not be made to meet necessary ex
penditure. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The United States has started the
new year at peace with all nations on
earth. This is saying a great deal in
the light of recent events affecting our
International relations. It Is to be
hoped as much can be said of every
day of the new year.
Watch meetings were In order Decem
ber III , which may account for the meet
ing of heavy taxpayers In the First Na
tional bank. They will continue the
watch meetings until the city and
county governments adopt a policy of
retrenchment and reform.
The abolition of the lire alarm hell
should be among the llrst reforms in
augurated In the year 1801 ! . There
never was any need of continuing to
ring lire alarm bells after the volunteer
lire department was supplanted with a
paid tire department. Other cities have
discontinued these alarms and Omaha
should have Joined the procession long
ago.
Chicago newspapers are Inveighing
against the fads which have attached
themselves to the public school system
there. It Is asserted that pupils are
surfeited with fancy frills under the
name of public instruction and leave
the schools unable to spell or read 01
cipher properly. Such comment is ap
plicable to the Omaha schools , as The
lice has often pointed out.
TCverythlng The Bee predicted1 as to
the conduct of Broatch and Vandervoort
ns police commissioners is being verl-
flud as time goes on. The department
lias under them deteriorated into a po
litical machine , the sole object being
the promotion of Broatch's Insane am
bition for olllce. He must , however ,
cross several big streams before ho can
reach a gubernatorial nomination.
Tlie number of marriages In Omaha
during 18 ! ) . " > was JKK ) , while 1.07 ! ) couples
were mated In ISI. ! ) KIgures given for
every month In the year prove conclu
sively that the fall season Is chosen by
n greater number of benedicts for forg
ing the link that forever binds. We are
told that "In the spring the young man's
fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. "
This may 1m true , but In Omaha the
greater number of contracts are sealed
In the fall.
Senator Nelson of Minnesota lint ; al
ready made a set speech In the senate
nnd that before his first month In his
first session of congress was completed.
Had this occurred a few years ago the
whole country would have stood aghast
ut the new senator's temerity In dis
regarding the time-worn rules for preserving -
serving senatorial dignity , It was the
Into Senator Van Wyck who lirst re
fused to abide by the unwritten code
that relegates new inomhors of the
senate to at least a year of unheard
obscurity. Ho was severely criticised
for his rashness , but now the same
performance by Senator Nelson will
icarcely elicit couiiuuut.
Tllh Dl'TV Of CO.VM/JB.S.S.
Under the constitution the sword am
the purse have been entrusted by tli
nation to congress , and that body I
CNpecled to discharge Its trust nM I
may In Its wisdom deem most condticlv
to the public welfaie , subject only t
the veto power of the president. Th
llrst duty of congress Is to piovlde III
nccei' < ar.v revenues to carry on the gov
ernment , and so long as congress doe
not shirk that duly there can be no ex
ctisi1 for the president to exercise tin
power of raising revenues Indirectly b.\
bortowlng under pretext of maintaining
the gold reserve.
The resolution Introduced In tin
United States senate by Senator Slier
111:111 : , the salient point of which Is ilia
the $100.000,000 of gold coin or hullloi
shall be paid out only In the redemp
tlon of United States notes and treasurj
notes , "and such notes will when re
deemed be reissued only In exchange
for gold coin or bullion , " should receive
prompt and favorable consideration a
the hands of congress. The endless
chain nnanclerlng by which bonds arc
exchanged for gold and gold for green
nnil iln greenbacks tmld out to
meet the current expenses of the govern
incut , only to bu used again for drain
Ing the treasury of more gold , should
be at once and forever discontinued
The original object , and the only ob
Ject , of the gold reserve was to Instm
the redemption of legal tenders um
thus keep this paper on n parity will
gold. So long as the gold reserve was
used for this purpose only it proved
ample for maintaining specie payments
Kven with nearly ifiiUO.OOO.UOO of over
valued silver in circulation the paritj
of all our different kinds of money re
mained undisturbed. It was only when
the attempt was made to uo the gold
reserve to meet the delicti in the rev
enues that the endless chain system
which necessitates successive bond Is
sues began to Jeopardise the mainte
nance of the specie basis for our na
tional currency.
Unless an end Is put to the unlimited
Issue of bonds by the president and his
.secretary of the treasury the national
debt will again mount into the billions
and the national credit will be corre
spondingly lowered. In fact It has al
ready been lowered and impaired by
itm-nlclons Dolicv. Thiee years ago
a i2',4 per cent United States coin bond
would have been snapped up at par
in the * European money centers. Today
a II per cent bond cannot be marketed
except at a discount , and the current
Interest rate is about IJVi per cent.
The true policy and the rational pol
icy to pursue is to place the govern
ment In position to meet current ex
penses with the assured revenues of
the treasury , leaving a slight surplus
for the restoration of the gold reserve
and any possible emergencies. Tills
means an Increase of federal taxation
in some form. The nation cannot for
ever go on creating more debt in time of
peace. However views may differ as
to the policy of paying oil' the entire
war debt , the overwhelming sentiment
of the country calls a halt on increasing
the bonded debt to meet the ordinary
expenses of government. The passage
of Senator Sherman's resolution by the
senate should be followed by the amend
ment of the law of 187 , " , under which
recent bond Issues have been made , so
that in any event no move bonds shall
be issued by the treasury while con
gress Is In session without special au
thority from the national legislature fix
ing the amount and defining the char-
icter of the bonds. Whenever the exi
gency for a national loan shall arise
10 congress will dare wlthiiold authority
from the president and treasury to pro
tect the national credit and avert finan
cial disaster.
THAT lllCYCLK TAX.
Councilman Kment's plan to raise
revenue by a license tax on bicycles
las been rejected by the council. Why
t was rejected passes comprehension.
I'ho city has as much right to Iltvnse
ilcycles as it-has express wagons. Many
ilcyeles are to be had for hire , just as
ire hacks and carriages. Few If any
) f them are listed for taxation. There
ire probably fi.OOO bicycles in use in
) malia , and a license tax of Jl per
minim would yield .f..OOO. Such a
ax would not bo a hardship , and yel
I would yield enough to pay the sal-
irles of seven teachers in the public
schools * .
It looks as Jf the proposition was re-
ected by the council simply because the
noney would go into the school fund
nstead of Into the city funds and
vould be spent by the school board In
stead of by the council. lOvldcntly the
council has overlooked the fact that
he same people support the schools of
Omaha that support the city govern-
nent and the money raised by license
ax would bo so much subtracted from
he money raised by the school levy.
Vt any rate it is surprising that a
imposition in the Interest of the little
ed school house should be uncere-
nonlously shelved by men who claim
to make Its protection their mission on
earth.
earth.'S
'S I'OKT liAUHUATK.
The death of Alfred Tennyson left the
position of poet laureate of Kngland
vacant and there lias been much specu
lation since as to who would bo ap
pointed to the position. The question
lias been settled by the appointment of
Mr. Alfred Austin , a poet of the third
s. , who by comparison \vllli Ids suc
cessor will hardly bo regarded by the
world at largo as a pout at all. The
position of poet laureate of Knghind is
one thy distinction of which Is rather
dependent upon the man than upon the
title. A number of Inferior poets have
held the title and With a few excep
tions It has never been held by any
great poet. The historical succession ,
passing over the legendary period from
Chaucer down , begins with Ben Jensen ,
who would have been the most brilliant
man of his most brilliant period If ho
had not had Shakc.spcaro as a contem
porary , and In the varied opportunltloH
of a court poet was moro successful
that the other probably would have
been.
In the list of men who have figured
as poet laureates , a position which car
ries with It little emolument , several
have been of very Inferior character , so
that Mr , Alfred Aubtlu will uot fall
to find congenial company. .Such laure
ates as Tate , Howe , t'olley , Clhher ,
NVhlteheatl , .Morton and 1'ye need not
make Mr. Austin doubt his ability to
answer the retinlrementa of n position
which from generation to generation
are growing less exacting.
The new laureate is not a great poet ,
lie l.s a clever man , with the poetical
Instinct , who has done some good work
In a literary way which entitles him to
lespcetfnl consideration , lint the gup
between Tennyson and Austin Is a very
wide one and the literary world will
feel that In the elevation of the third
ehws linglisli poet to the distinguished
place occupied by some of Ills prede
cessors that position has suffered a
deterioration. Swinburne Is unquestion
ably Kngland'tt greatest living poet , but
he Is too liberal to be honored with the
position of Inurcate.
Till : C/7'l / * Tll
At the very threshold of the new
year Omaha Is confronted with a serloim
financial problem. The condition of
the clly treasury will domain ! at the
hands of the anthoittlcs Immediate at
tention and serious consideration. The
dcllclenclc.s in the municipal revenues
have become a matter of grave con
cern. Unpaid and interest-bearing war
rants are outstanding drawn against a
half dozen different funds , and within
the next ninety dnys there will be hardly
a fund that will not show a balance on
the wrong side of the ledger.
Until now tlio taxpayers of Omaha
have been for the most part fairly
prompt in meeting the demands of the
lax collector upon them.Ve have now.
however , icached a stage that makes
the payment of taxes even for the
heaviest property owners very difficult.
if not absolutely impossible. The col
lection of taxes by the forced sale of
pioperty can not be depended upon to
replenish the depleted treasury. That
fact has already been demonstrated by
the refusal of tax title brokers to Invest
In any but the choicest of city proper
ties. The treasury defalcation has only
made a bad mutter worse. The pros
pects of recovering the embexzled
noneys without tedious litigation are
tot very bright.
Meantime , the credit of the city of
Omaha must be maintained and the
iccessary machinery of government
mist be kept running. The question Is ,
How shall wo tide over the period of
shortage and what means shall be de
vised to meet the emergencyV The
men who have the largest interests in
Omaha's welfare must put their heads
together and agree upon some plan of
ellef.
o/uv LYXCJnxu in : suwnnssKnt
There Is a widespread sentiment
imong all civilized people against sum-
nary capital punishment by mobs of
lersons charged with crime. Lynch
aw administered by vigilance comiuit-
ees may have served a salutary purpose
n mining camps and frontier settle-
nentrt In the absence of regularly or
ganized courts. Mob violence , however ,
s abhorrent and utterly indefensible in
my community where law olllcors nnd
aw courts are within reach for the im-
mrthtl administration of justice.
lint it is passing strange that it should
> e deemed necessary or expedient fern
n en and women in high station in Great
Urltain to organize an anti-lynching
committee with a view to obtaining re-
itible Information on the subject of mob
outrages in America and to give
xpruhsion of public opinion In
condemnation of such outrages.
This anti-lynching committee , with
ho duke of Ariryll at Its bend , has
ust issued a report , in which it is
claimed that the exposure and denuncia-
ion by the press of Great Itritnin and
other Kuronean countries , as well as
> y the press of India , Australia and
Vfricti , have greatly diminished the
ynchlng mania In the United States.
I Is further pointed out on the authoiily
of Mrs. Ida 15. Wclls-lJarnett "that
Vmeriean efforts for the suppression of
ho evil increase or relax largely in pro-
) ortlou to tlio degree of publicity given
o tlio nmtlur. "
WhMe the Itlglit Honorable Duke of
Srgyll and his associates may take
redlt to themselves for the univer-
ally eNpreshed desire to suppress lynch-
II g It is doubtful whether anything
hat bus been said on this subject by
Iu > press of Murope , Asia or Africa has
itid the remotest effect in repressing
he outbursts of popular frenzy that
nlmlnatu in lynching. All that the
Jrltlsh committee and the foreign press
lave done or could do in this direction
vould have been accomplished without
heir intervention in America by local
gltation and the action of the Ameri-
an authorities.
The fact Is that lynching Is very much
ko lightning , it hlrlkes Middenlywliure
t Is least expected and seldom strikes
wlco In the siinie spot. They are more
rcmtcnt In the south than in the north ,
ccause southern people are more emo-
ional and the provoking conditions are
tore abundant. It Is equally fallacious
o assume , as does Mrs. Welis-IJarnctt ,
nit increased publicity causes propor-
lonatu decrease of tlio crime. In no
lace in llio world Is wider publicity
Ivcn to tlie commission of crime than
u America. Kvory murder Is chronicled
> y telegraph within a few hours of its
Iscovery in every part of tlie land ,
rtcn with too much horrible detail ,
ml vet the number of murders has not
icon appreciably diminished , ThcHiimo
s true In a greater degree of mob out-
> reaks and mob murder. Hnch reports
ommand the highest price in the
Vmeriean newspaper market and every
ttenipt to suppress them proves futile.
Oven In communities where public sen-
mi-lit Is Intensely opposed to lynch law ,
pontaneous outbreaks Imvo occurred to
vengo the commission of some das-
ardly ontrngo that rouses men to the
ilghest pitch of Innate savagery.
The most effective barriers to lynch-
ngH are fearless and unflinching law
llcors , who aio known to bo determined
o uphold tlio law at all hazards and
rotcct the lives of prisoners and per
sons threatened with mob violence ,
hetlier they are black or white , high
r low. To elect mieh ofllcers and sus-
aln them in the discharge of duty re-
ulres u powerful and healthy public
entlmont In favor of law and order ,
'o this cjid the enemies of uiob rule
nnil l.vticMhti ? should lii'iul their ener
gies nnd rect their work.
Tronsury oflirlals Imvo discovered
counterfeit $ 'J hills In circulation In the
city. They Are fo nearly perfect tlmt
exports IlilfVit dllllcnlt to dulcet lliem.
There nro fii o n few counterfeit $10
hills , poorly [ executed , in circulation In
the city. rfy'JUioso bills were shoved by
parties now under arrest , who operated
with a aiiiof eleven counterfeiters , all
of whom li''tv'e been apprehended by the
treasury off6lals. ] Publicity is the
quickest in'en'ns of stopping the circula
tion of bogus money. It Is the duty
of every person coining into possession
of countcife.it money of any kliul to
report the fact to the government de
tectives. If this had been done
promptly In recent instances the men
who brought the stuff to the city would
now all be behind the bars.
There Is greater activity In local labor
circles along lines of moral advance
ment than lias been noticeable hereto
fore. During seat-mis of business de-
pivM.slon craftsmen have time for social
Intercourse and they nro Improving the
opportunities presented. Local leaders
are evincing lively Interest In various
projects now being earnestly discussed
by our citizens , which , If constim-
ma'ed , will afford employment for
evpi'y Idle mechanic and laboring man
In the city and bring more wage-workers
here. These enterprises , of course , can
not materialize before the opening of
spring , but the kindly attitude of or
ganized labor toward them will no
doubt hasten the completion of plans
already under way.
When Governor llolcomb refused to
call the state appointing board together
to select the Omaha police commission
ers last August , on the ground that
liu questioned Its constitutionality , he
was assailed with epistolary abuse from
the other two liiembeis of the board.
Now it Is these two members of the
appointing board who have refused to
convene to execute tlie law. They have-
no excuse to offer in the way of scruples
as to the legality of the enactment , but
are simply sparring for wind. They
ought to have their old letters to tlie
governor copied and readdressed to
themselves.
Watch the democrats who were so
loud in denouncing thu republican na
tional conimittije for giving considera
tion to linunoial propositions in con
nection with the location of the national
convention applaud the open sale of
their own tleinocratle convention to the
highest bidder among tlie cities that
arc competing -'for It. Tlie proceeds of
locating tlio convention can be a very
comfortable su'm ' which no national or
ganization InvilU refuse to accept with
out extraordinary reasons , ami least of
all tha democratic national committee.
Tlie State r ? ( > ard of Transportation
has a new ; case presented to It In a
complaint itgliiilst the IClkhorn hay rate.
This Is an .fmportant case , but It should
nubiluw'porinlttod'.tD InterfercimWifh n.n
early clcclsloji In the Oinaha depot pro-
. . . ' ( 'dings. The rule of doing one thing
.it a time and carrying It through to
completion would admonish the Hoard
to leave the hearing of the hay rate
case until after the pending depot ctse :
shall have been definitely disposed of.
lion. .T. Sterling Morton is down on
the program of the Nebraska State His
torical society for an address at Its
meeting at Lincoln January ! " > . This
means , of course , that Secretary Mor
ton , in spite of the draft upon his time
as a member of tlio cabinet , has been
tiblo to compile material for another
interesting chapter on the early history
of Nebraska.
Wo are reminded by the session of
the Modern Language association in
Chicago that volapuk , the universal hm-
gnage promised not many years ago ,
is yet to be invented. Tlie only lan
guage that all nations on earth under
stand Is the language that is mute.
tin
. oobDemocrnt. : .
When the republicans see that a thing
needs to bo done for the fiooJ of tin country ,
and they have the power to do It , there Is
no time waited In profitless discussion or
parliamentary foolishness.
IIlMtor.V Hl'IlClllN IlMflf.
C.llcaKO Chronicle.
It will ba made out presently by Anglo-
maniacs that the greatest crlmo In history
\vaj the separation of the thirteen original
American colonies from Great Britain and
tha establishment of the great republic of
this continent. This was th2 talk of the
lories something over 100 years ago. It It
amazing to llnd It the tallt ot sons pf the
revolution.
The niiiKtli- International Code.
Globe-Democrat ,
History records that once , In an Asiatic
war , Portugal captured the tooth of a sacred
monkey from Slain , and refused to return It
until n rans&m of RGOO.OOO waa paid. Some
of the governments of Europe have been In
so many transactions of this kind under the
sacred shadow nf what they call International
law that they think that elastic code Justifies
everything fronitpotlt larceny to a massacre.
n'tj for n
CourlciJournal ,
Ono trouble following a manifestation of
the United StateeV determination to maintain
the Monrco doctrine Is the bellicose effect
on the * republics 1 of South America. Ever
since the message of the president little
Venezuela has butn pirouetting around like
a bantam ro < mer "spllln1 for a fight. " All
the dispatcher fnom that quarter Indicate
that Venc/uela"/li ) now anxious to fight any
body or anytldm ? ) ' and If she does not cool
down It may ( ho Ulmt Undo Sam will have
to spank her , < as' xveli as thrash John Dull.
. 'J'lioi JrrlKiiliou Knlr.
Hiux-Clt > - Journal.
There ls to btan Irrigation fair held at
North PlatteiN bI , game time this year , and
the promoters ore making preparations for
a grand evcnta 'Tl/ey / are Interesting business
men and farmer * all over the western part
ot tlTa ctate , and It Is thought that Colonel
Cody will take a hand and add to the at
tractions , In that case the fair may attract
national attention , and at any rate It cannot
ba other than beneficial to the Interests of
tho'state , Western Nebraska has the Irri
gation fever very badly , but It la all for
the best.
Senator Allcn'M AVnr Ili-coril.
Coni'rc lonal Itecord ,
Mr. Allen Mr. President , I believe that I
am the only aenator on this side of the
chamber who served as a private soldier In
the union army during the war , and carried
a musket during the entire time. My ex-
pcrlenco was ) with the grandest soldier the
world has ever swn , In my judgment the
late George II. Thomas. It I have any
prejudices coming to me from youth or from
early association , those prejudices would be
against the passage of the bill , but I have
none.
To Indulge In a little ancient history , I re-
membir distinctly that on the 9th ot April ,
1865 , when Lfo surrendered nt AppomMtor ,
the branch of the army In which I served
hud the honor ot amaultlng the fortifications
of Fort Dlnkoly , Ala. , of which my honorable
friend , the senator from Missouri ( Mr. Cock-
roll ) , was In command. My distinct recol
lection hi that we captured the honorable
seiHtor and his entire command. There arc
on this side of the chamber flvo or six gen
tlemen who were In command of confederate
troops tthosJ forces , I remember , were con
fronted by the- branch of thd army In which
1 served.
The Trniiiiil li l | > | il i\ituilllnit. :
Dem or Newi.
Omaha has already taken steps to organlz ?
the Traninl. ° ! lt-slppl and International expo
sition of 1S9S , When U assumes a proper
stage , nnd the time comes for Colorado to
act. .1 unanimous nnd generous support should
be given to the enterprise on the part ot
every citizen of Colorado. The prominence
of this rtatc In the transmlwourl country
should be made tx > evident In Its display
nt this prospectlvo exposition that Its posi
tion as ths Kmplrc state of the Hocky moun
tains nonld never be called In question. The
whelp west " 111 watch the progress ot the
enterprlie with genuine Interest.
i'Hisiin.vriAi. ASi'iitAvrs.
Indianapolis News : McKlnley has engaged
forty-five rooms In St. Louis , the Indica
tion. ) bHng that he has secured a lead for
the nomination by nbout fifteen rooms.
Dos Molncs Leader : If Oovernor Morton Is
really .1 presidential candidate , ho keeps
wonderfully ntilot about It. This quietness
13 tne surest Kinu of an indication mat nc is
n candidate.
Chicago Tribune : 11. Harrison , csq. , ot
Indianapolis Is cbservfd to U ? succe > U'fully '
maintaining a conciliatory attitude toward
everybody at this Juncture. Nevertheless , WJ
still believe he Is not a candidate.
Chicago Times-Herald : Colonel Morrison's
numo was mentioned several times In con-
grcjj the other day , and several corrsspond-
cnts ore tnirprlxcd that "It awakened no en
thusiasm. " They seem to have forgotten that
congress Is not St. Lonto.
Cincinnati Commercial : Senator Alllscn ot
Iowa Is really nnd truly a presidential can
didate. NV man was ever elected president
who only shaved his upper lip , an 1 recogniz
ing , this , the Iowa statesman haa permitted
his moustache to grow. He now resembles
a composite picture of Grant and Harrison.
TIII : iiAi.Ti.noiir. iioititon.
Detroit Free Press : Panic Is a contagion ,
but a few men with cool hea-ls and plenty ot
nerve could have prevented that horror In a
IJaltlmoro theater. In a dangerous crisis th ?
average crowd Is almost sure to do the wrong
thing , but a strong check promptly applied
can rentier them amenable to reason. Time-
and again thlD has been demonstrated under
circumstances far moro threatening than
thot'j which led to the Baltimore tragedy.
Chicago I'ost : There \\as not the least
danger. Not a soul would have been In
jured had the audience remained seated.
From beginning to end the catastrophe was
dm to sheer stupidity. A woman saw a gas
Jel flare up. She screamed "nro. A urutni ,
cowardly , Ignoiant mob did the rest. The
only extenuating circumstances are the fact
that the theater Itself has long been con
sidered unsafe oven by Its patrons , because
of Insufficient exits and the fact that the
overcrowded audlonc ? was made up of people
whose habits and training are not calculated
to beget the self-possession noded In mo
menta of danger.
Philadelphia Inquirer : The theater In
which the panic occurred Is one around which
many traditions linger. In It Jenny Llnd
charmed thousands with her marvelous
voice ; Koan , Macready , Edwin Forrest and
ths elder Dooth played there ; the. national
democratic convention met there In 1SCO , the
union national convention In 1SC4 , which
rcuomlnated Abraham Lincoln for president
and nominated Andrew Johnson for vlco pres
ident , assembled within Its walls , and the
beauty and fashion of what .was . once the
aristocratic portion of Baltimore ui''d to
gather there in the dance. Its doors should
now be closed forsver.
Washington. Star : An auditorium holding
several hundred people contains when occu
pied the .elements of a panic. It will not
do to depend upon the Intervention of cooler
minds to stay a crowd of panic-stricken pee
ple. The only rule of safety lo to provide
the most complete means of exit known to
architecture , and , as In all problems that
deal directly with the preservation of human
llfs , the- only solution permissible Is that
which exhauirts every possibility and spares
no expense. It may be that an official Inspec
tion of local auditoriums of all kinds , In
spired by the sad affair In Baltimore , might
rciHilt In wholesome revelations and reme
dies ,
: .MOMIOI2 I
Chicago Chronicle : While England Is
notified that It will not bs permitted to. . cap
ture territory down In Venezuela to which It
has no rightful claim , the same remark ap
plies to Alaska.
Chicago Times-Herald : While the entente
cordlalo between this country and Great
Britain Is somewhat disturbed over the Vene-
zulean question It Is necessary to chain down
the eacleg at Lincoln park to keep them
from doing the lions violence.
Globe-Democrat : If Salisbury's bluff on
the Monroe doctrine had worked the English
ships would probably be thlckanlng around
Cuba In view of the threatened success of
the Insurgents. The president' ? , promptness
has discouraged a deal between England and
Spain.
New York Electricity : On the subject to
which the Monroe doctrlno applies , what us ?
has any American for any International law ?
No such law has any bearing upon the pres
ent controversy. The Monroe doctrine l& our
law. In cnfoicement of that law the United
States stand supreme , defiant , unconquerable.
Dortolt Fros I'ress : Some of the fiercest
attacka upon the American policy are being
made by Mr. Actor's paper in London. The
bitterness of a renegade Is proverbial , and
then there Is the fiery Spanish ancestry to
consider In this instance. Spain U. not feelIng -
Ing kindly toward the great country that she
discovered.
Minneapolis Times : England's .swagger . was
conspicuously absent when Kussla in 1870
toro up the. . treaty of Paris of 185G , dictated
by England , and moved her fleet to the Black
Hsa. If UuDsla had been a weak nation Ilk *
Venezuela or Nicaragua British vengeance
Wi > uld have been swift and relentless. John
Bull can swallow an affront meekly enough
wnen no nas 10.
Cincinnati Commercial : A little boy once
nskc-d his father If It was wrong to say "cof
ferdam. " Ho mas assured that It was not ,
and was asked In return why he propounded
such a question , when he replied that thu old
cow had got choked on an applu , and ho
thought she would cough-her-dam head off.
Johnny Bull might get chokoil If ho at
tempts to twallow that Venezuelan apple.
St. Louly Republic : But are wo to conclude
that what England has dene with us wo
are Incapable of doing with England ? The
burning and sacking of our national capital
by the troops of Gcn-ernl HOES early In thU
century Is still unavenged. Not until wo
pitch camp In London will that deep insult
bn wiped out. The only questlono are thoa.
of tranufer and terminal facilities. Glvo us
the necessary transportp and ocan convey
and wo can land 1,000,000 men on English
Bhcroi within six months , Onca there the
results would not be such as to justify a new
edition of Macauley'u heroic \etO3 describing
the ruin of the Spanish armada.
I'nllcil HIM nun In tin ; AVronur Crowd ,
VICTOH , Colo. , Jan. 1. Just what caused
the shooting at the Union theater. In which
u { least two and probably three lives were
Kicilliced , la not known. It appears that
Hurt ForgUEon. a. deputy sheriff , went Into
the theater and threatened to uhoot out
the lights. George ; Smith , the proprietor ,
was called , nnd Immediately thu snooting
bfgan. Smith was shot dead , as was Tom
PiiBcoe , u patron nf the theater , while
Ferguson wus fatally wounded , William
Macthlnney , who was A'lctor'a first city
marshal , and Charlie Watson received flesh
wounds.
ChiirlfNton SliiiUcn \ > y n < luii ! > .
CHAIIL.ESTON , Mo. , Jan. 1. This place
was again visited by an earthquake yester
day. The vibrations began at 9:35 : a. in. ,
lasted about thirty seconds , and wore con-
Hldcrably stronger than the one felt Frl <
day. It was ft-It at Slkeeton , IJIrd's I'olnt
and several other uurroundln ? towns. At
Cairo , III. , the earthquake lasted about
eight seconds , and bceineil to pats from
east lo west.
Oroolieil Work In Nlriilwlil Creulc.
ASHLAND , Ky. , Jan. 1. Charles Jones
and Lon Jrwln were fatally shot and
Thomas Wolfe Blabbed In a general light
at the Straight Creek lulnes hu > t nlghu
AIIOUT vi.M/.ni\ : .
' ( Aiipnrr | l
Dlpldiiinllc
Some of the most picturesque And loqiia
clous parrots nnd lively cockatoo ? come Iron
Venezuela.
The length of Venezuela from cast to wes
Is 009 miles , and from north to south 77
mlUs.
There are fourecn varieties of monkeys It
Venezuela and no cuckoos. The name Vene
zuela means Little Venice.
Thers are 200,000,000 acres of forest land
In the republic of Venezuela. Uoscwood , sut
Inood , mahogany and white and black cbonj
arc found.
The area ot Venezuela Is 0.12,000 square
nillcp , larger than that of any country In
Europe except Russia , and larger than tha
of any state In the United States. The area
of Texas Is 2GG.OOO square miles.
The coffee crop of Venezuela amounts to
JIG.000,000 a year In value. The average
crop Is Crt.OOO tons of coffee. Two-thirds o
this product Is exported , mostly to England
Ma rncal bo Is one of the centers ot trade
Maracalba coffee Is known everywhere.
The distance from New York to La Qunyra
ths port of Caracas. Is 2,200 miles. In addi
tion to coffee , gold nnd fine woods , Vene
zuela exports hides , cocoa and cattle. The
dlstincs from La fluayra to London Is ncarlj
H.OOO miles.
Oil tlio north shore of Venezuela , cr rather
lo the north of Hint republic , aiv eevcrn' '
Islands of greater fame than large area , par
ticularly the Island of Curacoa , a Dutch pos
session ; the Island of Trinidad , a British pos-
Mission ; the Iciand ot Tortuga , and the Brit
ish Isle of St. George.
The army of Venezuela , en a peace footing
consists of 1,000 horsemen , 1,000 Infantr )
and 1,000 artillerymen , cxcluolvo of the loc.a
mllltla nnd Inegular troops. By the law ol
Venezuela all citizens between the ages ol
IS and 45 ( both Inclusive ) are liable to serv
ice In the national mllltla ,
The debt of Venezuela at the time of the
last computation was $22,000,000 , or about
ono-flfth of the present debt of New York
City. The debt of Venezuela was $11 per
capita. In the United States the per capita
debt lo $14 , In England $ S7 , and In France
The mineral products of Venezuela , In addi
tion to gold which English speculators arc
seeking by summary annexation of Venezuela
territory to the Brltluh possessions , nro Iron ,
zinc , quicksilver , lead , tin and antimony.
There are also extensive products ot salt ,
alum , lime , sulphur and asphaltum.
The population of Venezuela by the last
con-jus was 2,550,000. This is moro than
Denmark's and less than Switzerland's. It Is
about the Mine as that of Massachusetts.
The last official estimate of the population
of Massachusetts , made on January 1 , 1S94 ,
waa 2,472,000. By the federal census of five
years ago the population of Massachusetts
was 2,238,000.
The average gold product of Venezuela In
a year Is $1,000,000. The standard of value
In the republic of Venezuela Is the bolivar ,
so called after Simon Hollvnr , and the value
of It la the same as a French franc 19.3
cents. Venezuela does not prouuce sliver.
Much of the foreign debt isi held in England.
The exports of Venezuela exceed the Imports
by $3,000,000 a year.
Venezuela first made declaration of Its
Independence In 1810. The present republic
was formed In 1830 , In the same year that
Belgium became an Independent monarchy.
The rival political parties In Venezuela are
the unionists nnd the federalists. The former
favor a centralized government ; the latter
are for home rule. Both are opposed to for
eign Invasion , encroachment , or confiscation.
Venezuela Imports from the United States
in a year about $4,100,000 worth of goods ,
chiefly manufactured articles. From Great
Britain It Imports $3,800,000 , from Germany
$2,100,000. from France $2,000,000 , and from
Spain $300,000. This Is the country from
which Venezuela Imports most , and this Is
the country to which Venezuela exports most.
Venezuela's exports to the United States
average $12,000,000 , to Franco $7,000,000 , to
England $2,100,000 , and to Germany and
Spain $600,000 each.
Caracas , the capital and chief city of Vene
zuela , has a population of 70,000 , or less
than that of Fall HIver. It Is built on an
elevation of 3,000 feet above the sea level. It
way founded In 1567. Caracas Is an Indian
name ; the name of the Indians ot ths neigh
borhood which the Spanish pioneers affixed
lo the original title of the new town , Santi
ago do Leon. In 1S12 , the year of the latest
American > war with Great Britain , an eartli-
quaks In Caracas burled 12,000 persons In the
ruins of a part of the city. The date of this ,
earthquake was March 26.
The salary of the American minister to
Venezuela Is $7,500. The rank of Vcne-
zcuela's representative , at Washington Is that
of envoy extraordinary and minister pleni
potentiary. Although Venezuela Imu been for
many years a republic , Its official representa
tives are. profound believers In a conven
tional observance of official etiquette. A con
siderable number of diplomatic disputes have
taken place between the Venezuela State de
partment and the representatives of various
foreign governments over details of routine
ami usage.
The summer scas'on In Venezuela lasts from
November to April. The winter season lasts
from April to November. The climate of
! . n * nn.n a norf nf tlio pnlintrv Is tllG flnCSt
of South America , the most equable and the
most salubrious , outsldo of Peru. The women
of Venezuela are ot the Spanish type , and
are celebrated for their beauty. The lan
guage of the country Is Spanish ; no language
is sweeter. About 45,000,000 persons alto
gether speak Spanish as their native lan
guage , a majority of them living In South
and Central America.
There are more , than 200 lakes within the
boundaries of Venezuela , one of the largest
b'lng l.COO feet above the level of the sea.
The Orinoco river , the largest In Venezuela ,
Is 1.1GO miles long. It Is five times as long
as the Hudson river , but less than one-third
the length of the Amazon , and less than one-
half the length of th5 Mississippi. The roads
of Venezuela arcInferior. . Communication Is
difficult. The government , however , has cx-
pc-nded largo sums of money for the Im
provement of the approaches to some of the
laiger towns. There are twenty t'tates ' In
Venezuela , the official division being based
on the constitution of the United States.
There is also a federal district , corresponding
to the District ot Columbia , and there are
several outlying territories.
Venezuela Is In the extreme northern part
of South America , directly facing the Car
ibbean se-a. To the west of It Is the republic
of Colombia , to the south Is Brazil , to the
met nrn tlm territorial nossesslons of three
European governments combined under the
geographical name of Guiana. The furthort
away from Venc'/uela Is French Guiana , a
territory of 46,000 square miles and 25,000
population , the chief city of which IB Cayenne -
onno , whence comes the popper , and to which
French criminals convicted nf serious of
fences arc transported. Next nearest to
Venezuela , but not touching It at any point ,
Is Dutch Guiana , a territory of almost ex
actly the same size as. the French colony , but
having a population twlco as largo. Para
maribo Is the chief town. Next , and adjacent
to Venezuela , Is British Guiana , the t-lzo of
which Is In dispute.
_
'I'll a I HiiNNlaii I , nun.
I'lilLiilelphla Ileruid ,
Hurala has been BO porxh'tent a borrower
In the money markets of Europe that thi
story concerning her offer to loan $100,000.000
In gold to llio United States , without Inter
est , seems abiurdly Incredible. It IB true
that a largo amount of the precious metal Is
locked up In the "war chest" of the c/ar , but
It la Imposii'blo ' to bellevo that the Russian
government would bo willing to dissipate this
Immense treasure- , which has been so pain
fully gathered for uw In n special emorg ncy.
The ways of Husslan diplomacy , however , are
past finding out.
i-- II rxlcl < ! ! < In ( 'itniiila ,
C'lilcuc' ) Tribune.
Canada's objection to bacomlag a part of
u& Is doubtless duo to observation of cltlznia
of the United States who now llvo north ot
the St. Lawrence . But Canada should rolled
that no American would go to Canada If the
other Americans would let him stay here ,
run YKiii'.s nnrono.
TV Of SlllIKlf ( III *
rcnltirc * or ISt- .
Chlc B3 Till > unp.
It will I * of Intefwt to Kl.ance briefly at
what the jcar 1SJ5 has broitfihl lo this world
In the \\ay of misfortune , especially ns com
pared with Its predecessor. 1S94.
Fortunately 1S95 ha * not been ui prolific
In disasters as 1S9I. The record of losses
of llto by ship wreck , for Instance , aggre
gate only -1,250 , a compared \\llh 6S81 In
1S91. The railroads of this country Imvo
killed 3COO persons , ag compared with 3.C4S
In 1894. In the general record ot fatallllcs ,
such as tlios by drowning , flro , mines , ex j
plosions , cyclones , lightning , etc. , both at
homo and abroad , the aggregate Is 2.1,091 ,
ns compared wllh 25,719 In 1S > OI. The loss
by Urea In the United States for 1895 waa
$131r.7S.20C. as compared with $115,590-
S42 In 1S9I. The low of life by epidemics
has fallen off nearly one-half , the total be
ing 79,161 , as compared with 179,910 In
ISO I. the most ot thl ? loss having been oc
casional by the chulera In Kiuwla. Japan ,
China ami India , On llio other hand the
los ? of lite In battle has been nearly twlco
that of 1S94 , Using U.7.9SC. as compared
with 82,070. TlitIncroa.'o \a \ mainly ac
counted for by the falallltrs In ( ho closing
weeks of the war between Japan .and China ,
the uprising of tlio Cuban patriots , the
numerous revolutions In South America ,
anil the horrlblo atrocities practiced upon tho. .
helpless Armenians by the unspcnlublo Turks ,
for which no Indemnity has yet boon made ,
owing to the sclfiphncss and jr.alousle , ! of the
European treaty pjwers.
THO DincKtfli rc.itiiro ot llio yonr Is tno
nlnrtnliiR Incrc.isc of pulcliUs mul murders
nn Incrciso out of all proportion to the nat-
tirnl liicrrati ? of population. In ISO I there
wcro1,912 rcportctl cases cf inilcklo In the
United Stntes ; In 1S9. them wt-ro 5,769 , an
Increase of SI" . Vor llio la'l l n ycara eul-
cldcs have Increased at an avcrago rate of
nearly 1,000 n year. Murder Is Increasing
at a still more rapid and nhnuliiR rate. In
ISfll them \vero 9.SOO murders icporteil and
10,500 In 1S95 , an Increase ot 700. It Is nn
umimi.il coincidence tliat the snmo number of
criminals \\na Imtigud In 1S95 and 1S94 , 132
In each year. The lynching , on the other
hand , show n tiratlfyhiK decrease , ther
having bsen 171 In 1S93 , as compired with
1M ! In 1S)4. ! ) It ROCS without snyltiR that the
Kroat majority of vlctlma ot JudRO Lynch
\\cro ncgrres In the southern states , and It U
nn additional dlsKrace to that section thai
there \\oro sewral women among thorn. Hut
under the Influences of n healthier condi
tion of piihllc sentiment and the1 reprcsslvi
action of sveral of tlio southern governor !
anil legislatures there Is umiuestlonahly a determination -
termination In many pirls of the south to sol
the wlic'elsi of justice In better running ordot
and to minimize the dreadful evils of mob vlo.
eice. : Kmbe//.lcments and violations of flnaii *
clal trusts may be clatuc * ! In this general
category of crime. It Is most gratifying
to observe , however , that this form of ras
cality Is diminishing , the st-allngs of 1S95
lntf ICH than half of thorn of ISO I. The
cord for lhii ! ! sho\\H a loss from thl' source ol
$10,423,203 , as compared with $25,234,712 In
Turning from this black record of human
weakness nnd dishonesty It Is gratifying
.o contemplate the results of hunun gen
erosity and philanthropy. The generous men
nnd women of the United States , cither by
jequsst or by gift outright , have given to
college. ! In 1S95 llio largo sum of $12-
379.820 ; to charities , $5,74C,670 ; to churches ,
> 2OS9lfiO ; to nuiacunu and art gallsrles ,
! 1,72I,500 : to libraries , $532,433 , and to othci
nstltutlons , $ C-171.97G a total of $28,934,519 ,
au compared with $19,967,110 In 1S94. Till !
s the way a good deed shlnco In this naughty
1 > OIXTI3II TUIFM3S.
Philadelphia Hecord : Mrs. WIgwag-1
hoped you liktxl the cigars I gave you , dear.
And. by the way , 1 had them charged.
Wigwag What with ?
Detroit Free Press : "How do you suppose
the now woman will use her latch key ? "
"Precisely ns the old man did. Sit on
the btcps and wait till the house comet
round. "
Chlcag-o Tribune : "I couldn't nffonl a loy
of that kind , " said tlie bleyollHt on his way
to woik , wheeling contentedly past the
high-stepping hor.se. "It costs too much to
Keep it. And , besides , It's too slow for a
Iran of business. "
Philadelphia ncroid : Koli-I wouldn't
Ilko to be in your phou.i ! " Hslle No ! they'd
pinch you frightfully , wouldn't they ?
Detroit Tribune : "Why did I assume the
shape of si serpent when 1 tempted I0ve ? "
repealed the Prince of Kvll. "Oh , I wished
to be very smo not to put my foot In It. "
Saying : which he lit u. fiesh cigar.
Chicago Post : "Poor follow ! " she said
sympathi'tlc.illy. " ' "
"WImt's tht > matter ? ho
asked. "The pnor man was disappointed In
love , " she . " "
replied. "Of course. he re-
turneii. " "It never does como un to expecta
tions.
Imllnnnpolta Journal : "I hear that the
o'lly ' man ' who had any maiked success at
Ullllps' poker party was HIlllpH hlmse'.f. "
"
"Yos. and we haven't llpured out to a
certainty whether It was his SUCCCSB or the
cards that hud the marks. "
Cincinnati Knqiilrer : "Hollo. Jnclc ! " said
the man In this railroad station , flapping
the back of the man walking ahead of him.
"I guess jou have read your hand wrong , "
said the man , who turned out to be n strun-
ger. "I ain't no Jack. My mime's King , "
Chicago Tribune : "It doesn't alwavs fol
low , my boy , " said Undo Allen Sparks ,
"that because people nro not saying any
thing they nr < " necessarily niwfng wood.
Look nt the Sphinx. It hasn't snld a word for
.1,000 years , and nil It has to show for It
Is a pllo of cheap sand. "
Harper's Har.ar : "Tho prisoner hroko In
your honor and ate tip three plea my wife
had cooki'd and then stulo IIvo roples of my
book of poems , " began the complainant.
"Then , " said the Judge , "this Is not n
case for my court. A lunacy coininlsslou
must take It up. "
HANDY WITIl" HIS PHN.
ICnnsna City Journal.
"Monroo ? ah , yes , " wild .Smllhkliu ,
"Ono nf our nblost men !
Few writers of Ilila country
More handy with the pen.
Decides hl ruinous 'doctrlno'
That holds the world nt bay ,
Hn wrote some mighty spicy
I3lmo novels In his day , "
1,0VIS'S KVIUI3.VUIS.
New York Hun.
Oh !
How we love you ,
Don't ' wo , though ?
You can bet
That this Innermost depths of our voluml-
IHJIH gizzards
Palpitate for tbue ,
A met Iky.
PlenMj turn awny your heads whllo wo
Pat you on the back
And place a few fortresses nnd Huch sig
nificant murk' ) of our affection aiuiinJ
your borduru ,
Rlmply to show you
That we lovn you
llko fiam Hill.
Our dfnr American cousins ,
'I led by blood ,
We , love you always ,
Hilt the best
When you accept our Idea of your rJuhtl
nnd Ihosti of other nations
And don't Inteifeio with us
In any way whatever.
Wo loved you ut the time of the ,
Itevolutlnn ;
Only you were wilful nnd disobedient ,
And didn't know what was
( jood lor us.
Then , by permitting ( slavery , you gave of-
foil so to our high Idcuu of
National morality.
Ami wo Jumped In and tried our best
To do you up ,
For your onn good ,
Hut the Minnie , sweet , Biigar-coatcd hlan-
dlshmnnU wo constantly keep In HtocM
uml dlfwemlnuto without stint ,
And the prlnler'H Ink we dally waste In
showing why yuu should not lick UH ,
No matter ulmt wo do ,
Prove that
Our love la u howling tuccesu ,
Highest of all in Leavening Power. Latest U. S. Gov't Report ' ' 1
*
