THE OMAHA DAILY BEE. n , KJItor. rUHMBHCD EVKUV MOIINWO. THUMB nf BWJBClUI'TIONl Dally Jlee ( Without Sunday ) , One Year . U M Daily lice nml Sunday , One Yei > r. . . . . . . < ! 00 Six Month * . M Thre Months . , . , . . . . 100 Hunilny U e , One Yc.tr. . . . . 20) HntiiMny lleo , One Ycnr . IM Weekly IIcc , One Yea > - . H OFF1CESJ Omnha : The Ilee 'tuMillng. Kuutu Omalm : BltiRor ink. , Cor. N nnil Zlth Sit. Council IllulTn : 10 J'rnrl Street. Chicago OfllCP ! 317 Chamber of Commerce. New York : Iloarn * I ] , 14 nml 15 Tribune Hide. Washington : Wl Fourteenth Street COItUESl'ONDUNCH. All communication ! relatlnK to news and eillto- rial matter tliotiM be nildresacJ : To the KJHor. HUMINKSll I.ETTEHS. All t > uMnes Ictteri nnj rcmltlnncei nhouM Irt flildre ! til to The lice Publishing Company , Omnlm. Dtatlt , cherki , i.-tprena anil postolllct monuy orJtt * to bo madit payable to the order of lli company. THE I1EU I'UUWHHINQ COMPANY. 8TATKMKNT OP CIIICUI.AT10.V. Ktntc of N'pbrnfkn , Dousta Ciunty. sn. : tlcorKC " Tzfchuck , ne.retrtry of The llec Pub- Hatilng ( "oiniitiny , being duly nvorn. iv that the uctunt number of full and complete copies of The Duly , Morning. Kvpiilntr nnd sundny H < > P prlnK-il ilurlnt ? the montli of December , U97 , was ns fol low n ; 1 . 21.227 17 21.197 2 . 21,378 is. ! . . ; 2ir.n 3 . JUKI 19 21,03 : 4 . : . JI.B'iT SO 212.W 5 . 2tf.S2 21 2I.3S1 ( ! . 21,353 82 21,725 7 . 21 , CCS 13 21,217 8 . 21,310 21 21,211 0 . 21.303 ! 5 ( m'rn'Ktinly ) 10 Kir 10 .1 . 21,203 20 21UOT 11 . 21,143 2i 21.10 12 . 21,020 28 2I.33C 13 . K2I7 29 21.081 ! II . 21,3(2 ( 30 21,016 13 . 21.677 31 21,533 1C . 21 , SCt Total . . * . . * . GoG.ST ! retiuriod nnd unsold copies . 12.32J Net total rnvlM . t\.W. \ Net dally nverriKo . 21133 anoitai * 11. TzsrmifK. Bwrrn to l.rfore . mo nnrt niibfcrlbcj In my rpK'iico ihis 1st dny of January. IMS. ( Sent. ) N. 1' . mil , Notary 1'iibllc. KIJIM' IT III3KOIII2 . TII13 1 > UIIMU. TiniiKKrcwilc c-iirHiT dfllvrrjelr - iMiIiiflini ii f TinKvcnlnwr Jli'i' l double tli ; iiKKriK < itr i-nrrlor delivery rlreiilatlnn of lluUvrnlnu' Worlil- Ilrrnld n.i ( I more tliiui Hlx " tlmev pTiMitrr tlinn tin' UKurrKiiti' currier dpltvi-ry elriMilutloii of tlic MornliiK AVoi'ld-IIornlil In Omaha anil .South OninliM. Tlii- furrier delivery rlreutiidiin of Th Kvciilni ; lice rrnelu'H T.IK ! I linnn flilr MilmerllierN Hint lire not rein-lied li > - ( litKvcllltltr Wurlil-lleralil anil 7ttHI milixi'rllier.N Unit arc not renelied 1 > > - tin- Mt.rnliiKWorldHerald. . More tlinti 1)MM Mirrlr delivery mili.serlliei-N In TinOmnliii KvrnliiK lleo anil Tin * Oninlia MoniliiK Hue nre not reiirlied cither liy tinMomliiK \Vorlil-IIcrnlil OP the livvnliiK Worlil- Ilernld. It K fit without miyliiK tliat tiniiitin - IIIT of copli-ft nt Tli ISvnilnK UPC or Tin.lloriilni ; ! < < noli ! liy ili-nlrr * anil liiMVHlinyN c.xt-eedN liy a vrry connlrtt-p- nlilc the iiiniilirr \Vorlil-Iluriilil dallies , moraine : and eveiiliiKT , sold l y dt-ali'rn and iicwxIiovN. Ill Ni w York City Hie process oClurn- nt ; Hits rascals In Is solus on intsrrlly. Prospct't or annjhur war In tlio Yellow SKI outfit to tfvo yellow journalism a llttlo boom. Row mucli lonst'i- art > the exposition InilUllnsk to lt ) > exposed to the risk of a conllairratlon ? The exposition biiiltler.s arc still fa- voreil Ij' ) thfveatlier elerk , but there Is no tolling Avhat a day may brlns forth. Now York custom house ofllclals linva abolislietl the farewell kiss. ICurojican travel will not bis as popular as hereto fore. The troubles of the Spanish sovern- uient multiply. Last year it had the ( Itiliau witr on its hands and now It alsn has Opiicrnl Weyler in trie same unuoin- fortublu position. Althoutf i Major McKlnloy wna elected president on a platform Unit save no proml.se about opening the mints It will be recalled that none of the mints have closed recently. A. Pacific slope paper hits the nail on the head when it declares that If this country will redeem Its waste and arid lands It will have quite enoutfi to do without annexing the waste and arid lands of other countries. The Chinese emperor was badly frltf.it- oned by that eclipse of the sun , but he has not lost his wits , as shown by tlr.- fuct that he has tijjiiln called LI Huns Chans from re > tliement as chief coun selor of the empire. This year the American laboring men will attend to their work and go on drawing fair wages and not trouble themselves tibout the demands of the Kllver bnlllonalre. The lesson learned the past year has been valuable. A Salt I/ake alchemist claims to be able to convert antimony Into gold , As bis process requires a beat of . " > , ( X)0 ) de grees , which Is blgher than the llior- momctcr goe.s tsvon In Arizona , he has not turned out a largo amount of the precious metal. Judge Keysor has not said a word for two weeks , but when he does speak the police board organ may hear something about the freedom of the press to hold up people without being subject to the penalties Imposed on Individuals guilty of the same practices. Trade reports from New Orleans In- dlcato that that city has recovered al most wholly from the disastrous effects of the yellow fever plague of lust fall. The movement of cotton Is brisk and KoutluTii trade In general Is good. Hut for thu paralysis of biiHlnes.s due to the f ver epidemic this south would have bad the past year one of the most pros perous on record. Dr. Nansen IR quoted us predicting failure of the project of .sending relief to the miners in Alaska on sledges drawn ly reindeer imported from Norway , lie rwys the deer will starve buforo they get to the minors. H certainly looks like u foolhardy venture , but the rumors of danger to thu miners luiyo been so per- tilstcnt that the government cannot well ul'fonl to tlo nothing for them. Thu rein deer route will be given a fair trial. A nwi.fl't , Ot'TI.OOK. Rperolnrj" Uage could do notnlng belter for the country than to ln > plr , conll dciico. As a practical man of nffnirs , viewing the conditions from UK > utand- polnt of business experience , the 5ccro- tnry of the treasury tells the country that the outlook for prosperity is most encouraging. Ills words of promise have i In them nothing doubtful or equivocal. They are In the spirit of a genuine and judicious optimism. He sees thing-i as they are nnd forms logical conclu sions. Men.Hiirlng Avlth practical judg ment what was accomplK-diett In the last year for the advancement of the general prosperity and for the progress of the country toward the goal of llnanclal In dependence , Mr. Uago looks to the future with serene and unquestioning conli- dence. He sees In the great trade bal ance In favor of the I'nlted States a fact that has placed this nation already In the position of a creditor country. Ho recognizes In the fact that we have been nblo to take care of the ecurltles that Kmopo has sent back to us , without the least financial disturbance , a degree of llnanclal powerand Independence unprec edented in our history. Ho rccogni/.os lu the accmnulatlon of capital , as shown In the Increase of bank deposits , not an Indication of business unhealthtulness , but rather an assurance ol ? llnanclal Mtrcngtli and resourcefulness. It Is a superficial view , says Secretary Gage , to assume that merchants and manufac turers lack confidence and that the coun try's general trade Is threatened with * shrinkage. Therels simply natural cau tion on the part of capital , after the ex perience of the last few years , but this nuiht In the course give way to the at tractions that are ottering for Investment and to the inducements which an Inevit able prosperity hold out. No capitalist , no business man , who has confidence in the practical and con servative judgment of Secretary Oago can read his opinion oC the outlook for thu country In a business way without deriving from it great encouragement , lie considers the situation in a way so entirely business-like and logical that it Is almost impossible1 not ! to feel that his optimism Is fully warranted and that h'.s ' cheerful forecast Is certain to be verified. The secretary of the treasury does an Invaluable service to the country in giv ing out such expressions as that to which reference Is here made. A I'HOH/.KJI IX TAXATION. A measure of radical reform in the matter of assessment and taxation of telegraph , telephone and express compa nies doing business In Towa Is em bodied In what was known as the Che shire bill In the last legislature , which provides for assessment of these cor porations on the total market value of their slock and apportioning' to the sev eral counties HITIIIS proportionate to the amount of business done or length of line operated. This measure will be earnestly urged upon the legislature which meets next week. It Is an assess ment plan differing from other plans in use in that note is taken of all th-e busi ness done in all the states Instead of simply , regarding thu value of the visi ble property In Iowa. In principle It is a form of taxation of the business and not the property. Opposition to this measure was suc cessful In the last legislature , because some members said it was too radical and others feared that by Insisting upon it oilier more important reforms in the matter of assessment and taxation could not bo got into the new Iowa code. It will have a better show in the coming legislature. Thu belief Is general , whether It has any foundation or not , that telegraph , telephone and express companies doing business in the western states escape taxation more easily than other companies , and that through some such measure as this It would be possi bles to compel them to bear their just share of the burdens of government. Some of thu opposition to this meas ure came from those who feared that If thu principle was adopted with reference - once to the three kinds of businesses mentioned It would , lie gradually ex tended 'to others and ultimately a sys tem would be built up approaching the income tax principle of raising revenue. There is this difference , that in the cnso of these companies doing an Interstate business and having rights and fran chises given by the status ordinary rules of competition do not apply nnd they lie In a degree public monopolies.Vit1i tills distinction clearly made there Is lit tle danger arising from adoption of the principle , and unless some reforms are made In the matter of assessing the property of these companies still more radical measures arc sure to bu at tempted. CUMMIHSION JIKPOHT. Thu report of thu monetary commis sion contains a large amount of Informa tion that will bu useful to Ihosc who ire Interested In the currency question. It gives a clear cUatemuut of thu different forms of currency , with the legislation molding for them , nnd presents a brief , [ hough adequate , "story of the staiul- ird. " All this the general rentier will Ind Instructive. In Its discussion of the currency problem wo do not find any thing essentially now and perhaps there s nothing new to be said on the subject. I'ho .report makes the familiar asser tions that our currency system Is defec tive and unsafe , that the standard of value Is not firmly enough fixed , that the large amount of government demand obligations Is a menace and that the cur rency Is hot sutlleiontly elastic. Tim commission recommends an ex plicit leglslativu definition of thu gold standard and a pledge that It will bu maintained ; also a requirement that all ) bllgatlons , public and private , unle.s. i otherwise stipulated In the contract , shall be payable In conformity with that itandard. There Is no doubt that this ought to ho done , but it Is needless to say that with a majority of silver men In the senate. It will not be done by this congress. It Is also recommended , of our.se , that the outstanding note Issues of the government bo gradually retired mil this is really thu central point of thu commission's plan of currency revision. The process of 'retirement suggested would cover a period of ten years , at thu end of which time the legal tender qual ity of any notejj then outstanding'would cease. This 13 inoits cousurvutlvo than the recommendation of tlus s uretnry of the treasury In rtgnrd to retiring th leg.il tender notw , but It will not dimin ish the opposition to the withdrawal oi that form of our enriviicy and the plac Ing In the bands of the banks a moiiop ely of the paper inonekv of the country The commission-uses the trite argument that the greenbacks arc an extremelj costly form of money , but what assur ance can there be that If they were ellm Inatcd and the people made dopi-ndon on. banknotes the latter would not cost the people more than the greenbacks' In regard to changes In the natlona banking system some of the recommen datlons are sound and It Is quite po.sl bio will bo adopted by congress , par tlcularly the one for permitting tin organization of national banks with a capital stock of .S'J..OOO In places of ' 1,000 population or less. The commission has worked faithfully and earnestly to find a solution of the currency problem and the conclusions reached merit careful consideration. The members of the commission are men of high ability and there can be no doubt of their patriotic desire that the coun try shall have a perfectly sound and stable monetary system which will com mand complete confidence at home and abroad n system firmly based on the standard of the civilized world. VOIAOK 11UAIID Dtil'llAVlTY. Ten days ago the comparative sub scription lists of The Kvoiilng Itee with the lists of the Morning \Vorld-lIeralt1 and Evening World-Herald lii Omaha anil South Omaha were published. In the face of the fact that these published lists show that thu carrier delivery cir culation of The Evening lice alone ex ceeds by more than -1,000 the carrier delivery circulation of the Kvenlng World-Herald , and by more than 'J00 thu combined circulation of the MornIng - Ing and Evening World-Herald , the dominant majority ef the polled commis sion , viz : Robert K. Leu llordman , Dr. John D. Peabody and J. II. Gregory , have decreed under oath that the Dally World-Herald , a fictitious name used to repre sent the arbitrary and * lawless combination ! oC papers published under the name of Morning World-Herald and Evening World-Herald , have the largest bona. fide circulation of any newspaper published In tills county. A more shameless perversion of the facts and the law and a more reckliMS viola tion of the oath that binds each mem ber of the police board to act Impartially and without partisan prejudice in the discharge of their duties could not well be imagined. And yet two of tiese ) men have heretofore enjoyed a fair reputation for integrity and honor. How these , men can unblushlngly lend them selves to such n piece of dishonest jug glery passes our comprehension. They certainly must realize that their brazen debauchery of truth and justice must deprive them of every vestige of pop ular respect and' ' confidence , nnd affords the most convincing proof that the so- called nonpartisan reform police board Is a monumental fraud. Instead of being nonpartisan and impartial It is a rank partisan machine , operated in total disregard of law or 'equity for promoting meting the schemes of political heelers and levying tribute upon the liquor in terest to feed nn unscrupulous partisan organ. ( In making itself a party to de ception and fraud the dominant majority of tiie board has said In so many words that It will tolerate lawlessness , provid ing that it contributes toward the sup port of the Ilurdmaii gang and" their organ. With such an example before thorn what is to IK > expected from the police force ? Do figs grow from thistles ? When a policeman knows that an oatli has no binding force upon a police com missioner why should bu have any re gard for the oath of a policeman ? If Jie men who keep disorderly resort ; ? can buy immunity from the law by sub mitting to being plucked by the police commissioners' organ , why should a policeman have compunctious about ac cepting tips from the keepers of gam bling houses and worse places ? The inevitable tendency of the perversion of law and justice on the part of the ) ollco board must be to destroy what little moral stamina there is left In the force that is expected under its direc tion to maintain law and order and suppress vice and crime. Fortunately for tills community the police commis sion Is not clothed with absolute power , nor Is it above all law In car rying on the affairs entrusted to It. I'll ere is still a power that can curb lt usurpation and compel It to act within the bounds which the lawmakers have defined for It. Up to this day no member of the Hoard of Education has yet shown any llsposltlon to ascertain by personal in- pilry how the Income of thu school ward can bu increased so as to enable the board to erect a $10,000 school house each year. Had The Hoe made nn offer to show how the board could turn mi honest penny In a school lot real estate deal , twenty-four hours would not have elapsed before some on- erprlslng member would have applied for the information. The exposition buildings should not pinaln exposed to the Imminent danger if being destroyed by lire for want of water. Some action should bu taken o secure fire protection either by con- leetlng the water mains and hydrants hat have been placed on the ground : ) with the water works mains or by the lequlsltlon of a steam fir ; > engine that can : be kept In readiness at all times to suppress a fire. The Heu Is still waiting for some mom- > er of thu Hoard of Education to call for the prize package which contains he Information that will enablu the ward to add $10,000 to the school fund annually without Involving thu board In the expenditure of ono dollar or re quiring It to scale anybody's wages or decrease thu number of Its employes. Why cannot thu city contract for Welsbach lamps for thu principal thor oughfares and for ordinary gas lights for the side streets and mihiirhnn lo calities ? Inasmuch as the United Gas concern owns the gas works as well as the Wtlsbaih psjtiiWs there ought to b no dllllctilty In jurtjtigiiig contract * fo both kinds of During the comfif&yoar Omaha shouh have the best llglltil tlloroughfrtrtM o any city In the jwjst. Five dollar. * s year more for a lamp that has three o four limes the candle-power of the ordl nary gas lanipsMiJnild not bo In tht way of contracting for the best. A Cliioli nt Until Kiidn. New Y rk Tribune. The Mo3lorranNn-wis ! once a French lake tt Isn't anybody' * like at present. Hut con sldcrlng the eratrnj.qireal .Urltain has of tli Suez canal and th ivay lo which she la In crcaalng her strength at Gibraltar It Is ap parcntly vcrgli.R toward that condition nsnin It does not matter so much who occupies tli bottle as who drives In the stopper. for Silver. IlunUen for t ! lil. New York Mull anil Kxprttw. Colorado , the homo of Ucltord , Teller ntit other eminent wecpiiiB mourners U the tomb of frco coinage , clcocs the year with a no gold production of about $22,000,000 , or per Imps $2.000,000 moro Mian that of any othc atato In the union. The complicity ot the Centennial etato In the crime of 1873 Is of the flrst degree acid eighteen- karats fine. In ItnlHvny Construction. I'lillailclphln. Times. While the railways already In operation carried moro frelfiht and passengers during the year Just closing than In either cf the twt years preceding , the. business revival startei too late 'In the season to Induce capitalists to put any cccU'ldcrablo amount of money It now railway constructions. 'Low ' water mark In railway building was roacho.1 In 1895 , when only 1,803 miles of now track were laid , nm the Increase over thls > record in 1897 was only sixty-mo miles , the now track lor 'the ' year amounting to but 1,864 miles. In olcvct states otld territories not a inllo of nor track was laid and In five others the nen track 'was limited to from a half mileto > a inllo and a quarter In cuch , I'hlliiCVlrililu llccord. Tariffs ! ! gunners seem to have acquired the habit ot making targets of foreign gunboats The firing on 'tho 'Uancroft ' at Smyrna has been followed by two similar attacks made In rapid succession upon Greek gunboats a 1'revesa , on the Gtdf cf lAmbrncla. It Is asserted that the assault upon the Grcel vessels Is to bo construed ns a notice from the Turkish government ot the closure o the Ambractan gulf to navigation. The Turks should he careful to conflno their rude ir.cthrds of intimating their purposes to the 8llpa of poor , tMssplrltcd Greece ; an other power might resent such discourteous notification by knocking a tow Turkish forts Into smithereens. 1 Spoil * la Clilnn. iLoutsvllIo Courier-Journal. China , which was a nation thousands c years before the birth of 'Christ ' , and which the German emperor says Is an 'artichoke , 1o be eaten by Europe bit by bit , contains abou one-fourth of the globe'a population , thus distributed : Square .miles. Population China ( proper 1.MC.OCO ISO.WW.OOO Coroa 113,000 8,000,0)0 Manchuria I 330,000 12.CXW.OX ) Mongolia \ , SX,0001,000,00 ) Thibet KXI.COO G.030.0W Kuku-nor iiiul Tsui- dan 120.000 ] : J0fr'X ) Kiishgarla. , 2S9.COO 1,009,000 KunBarlu 120,00t > SCO.OCO ICulja ' UO.OCO IJO.OOu Total 4.M7.000 331,000,000 It Is evidently not quantity .but quality that dlstingulshej b " ' 0611 artichokes and empires. - Trmflvll fiorrluv ill r < > rin. I'lillndelpHIa Lodger. Labor Commissioner Wright tells the sen ate , officially , that If'tbo last census hai ; been taken by anforcowroklns on clvl service principles nearly ? ] 0,000,000 might have been saved from Its cost. OH the other hand , Pension Commissioner Evans declares , also officially , that" the "civil service law does not accomplish the results expected of It and that lie could dispense with at least 100 ot the clerks In his office without affecting the efficiency of the force. The statements appear to be antagonistic. In reality they arc not. IJoth are arguments for civil service reform. True civil service principles would not retain Commissioner Evan's superfluous clerks , nor would the spoilsmen who are now trying to defeat the civil service law reduce his force. They would dismiss ono set of clerks , but would Immediately Install an other , and , If possible- larger one. If Mr. Evans thought ho was presenting- argu ment for the repeal of a law which has been proved to bo just and wholesome ho showed a lamentable confusion of Ideas. A Soolnl Function In AtclilECIl GlnVc. Miss Dorothy Pozzleman gave cmo of the most delightful whist parties of 'the ' season yesterday. There were seven tables , and the refreshments consisted of the usual Bluff sorvc < l on such occasions. Among the guests were Miss Alice Bllmsor , who holds a record of having attended every whist party last season and this ; Mrs. John Lludennan , who Is alwaj-s bummlns around when she oughit 'to bo at homo attending to household duties ; Miss Marguerite Hilling , who loafs nt people's hou.SEs so much that several hiw- Ixinds 3iavo prlvateiy threatened to thror > - her out ; Mrs. Jim. Slaugh , who hasi sick ening liablt of "falling in love" with other women ; MIra Martha , Pink , who thinks she Is so pretty thail she- will marry well , no difference 'whotihcr she knows anything or not ; Mlsj Edith Wyandorfer , the old maid , who Irles to create the Impression that she Is a very devout ctiurch worker , but who la such an awful grosip nnd so dlsagreeablo Lteit no man will have anything ito do with lier ; Miss Jane Ilanfoley , ivhcao parents are too poor to support her In Idleness , and who ought to go to work. And 'there ' wore others , Sin nil Till I. . I New Yorlc Sun , Mr. Albion W. Small , described as "head professor of sociology at the University of Milcago , " has returned to Cook county 'from , a five months' trip abroad. " Wo had not mlascd him. As befits a professor of "sociology" or sclollstlcs , Prof. Small Is full of obserra- lens which ho bestows freely upon his less gifted fellow citizens. One of these' observa- lena Is t'.iat "American diplomacy has made is the laughing stock of Europe. " Did the head professor of "sociology" or sclollstlcs lrirjon : to hear anybody In Europe aligning at the Monroe doctrine , the rcasser- lon of whk'.i Is the moat Important recent vork : ot American diplomacy ? With tin- proper length of oars ono may hear much ; and fiiirely nobody'ca'n hear moro than a professor of "sociology" or scbllstlm. "Our country , " continues tlio great Small , 'Is regarded by Eurhpo muc ) as la Kansas jy the New York papers ; still , I am proud tea > a a citizen of this -country. " Very nl-Jo of Small.i but can the country say conscientiously tint It U proud of the > rofessor oC "HocloloKy1' or oclollstlcs ? Amer ce n "sociology" oritmclollstlcs IMS made It- clf tbo laughing stdcltiof alt men ot sen.io. i uV KlntMiuliil Anomaly. I'hlludclplila Tlnn-s. Ono of tbo unexplained anomallra of the oriel of nuance la' found In the fact that in lie country that loads" the world In Its gold iroductlon a great' party should bo agitating or the free coinage of Oliver at a ratio cer- aln to drive Its gold to trie countries which produce loss gold , Iml have the goad Kcnte o try to keep what , they have at homo aud u circulation. Of the $210.000,000 of gold produced In Iho year just closed the sliaro cf tlia United Hates will reach $61,500,000 , or'a trlliu more ha one-fourth cf the total. South Africa omes second on the list , with about $53,000- 000 ; Australia third , with $51.000,000 , and Uissla fourth , with $25,000,000 , T'.io total ; old product of the world la 20 per cent more ban In 189G , and with a Klondike just opened up the proapocU are that the Increase In 1S3S vlll bo still greater. That the leading gold-producing country of ho world should lave : a largo body of citizens ntent cci driving gold out of circulation by an unlimited'Issuo of10cent silver dollars a e.xpialcablo only on the theory that there a moro financial Ignorance _ to the square nlla In this country than lu'any oilier with utiy claim to bo civilized. l.OOKIVU 1 OIIUAHt ) . l , i-nlx Tlirniiuliiitil tlipVorli1 , 8t Lull. * ClKilt Dctrh > rot Seldom In the world s history Imvo to in-iny oporli-iiiaklng events been impcndtaR In dif ferent parts of the enrth at tbo beginning of n jear as appear lo bo In sight at thp present moment. The most Important of there , because- promises to directly Involve the largest number ot nations Is the coming dismemberment , or threatened dismember ment , of China , tbo division between Her- n.any , Russia nnd Krarce on one side nnd nrglrrid and Japan on the other which It foreshadows , and the mighty conflict between these nml perhaps other countries which It promises to cause. In another part of Asia , at the frontier of India , England's troubles , which have aroused a great deal of concern In that coratry are still In. . the artito Ugo , with the dunces that the uprising will sprC'id. The work of the partitioning of Africa , which Is still actively tinder way be tween several of the large European nations , I0'ind'fl : ; ! advance up the Nile , the general Egjptlaiv quwtlcn , the 'Boer republic's diffi culties and other unsolved and more or ICM pressing problems threaten to preclpitHe a convulsion on ( bit continent. In Europe the political elements arc also la a condition cf perturbation. Krancla Joseph ties suspended the constitution , and will levy taxes , disburse moneys , conduct the admlnUtiatlon without the sanction of the Parliament , and play the role of absolute mcn-irch until Jucio SOnext providing a re bellion powerful enough to upset hU au thority , like that which drove out Ills pre decessor In 1S48 , does not Intervene. Tlio rebellion may not occur In that time , but It Is certain that the race fetido In the polyglot Omplro which caused the deadlock In the Austrian Parllamer.it are Increasing In In tensity , and portend , In the opinion of many Intelligent Austrian publicists , a general collapse of the empire. The frail thread which binds Norway to Sweden , which dtta monarchy Is a far looser league th.-n eve- the AtMtro-Hunnarlan cc-.illtlon has boon since 1SG7 , threatens to cither bo cut o tightened 'fy ' civil war. There Is a growing tension between Prussia nnd the eouthcn states ot the German empire , which , how ever , the kaiser's theatrical foreign potlcj may temporarily relieve. Franco's comliij general election for members of theChainbe of Deputies excltea among many republican fears ot a Uonnpartlat or llourbon reaction and the shadow of the nvan on horseback be gln.s to Ooom abo\o the horizon. Spain Is In serious etralts on account of her vast am vain expenditure ot llfo and money In th Cuban ccnlllct , and a. possibleCarllst or re pubHciin rising , or both , Is cciasta-atly In th minds of Spanish statesmen. . , while the Cretan question Is coming up In as menacing a shape as It took a year ago , when It prc clpltated thowar - between Greece am Turkey. On the American continent the Issues o world Interest arc the Attitude of the Unltei States toward tbo Spanlsh-Ctibtti conflict an t'lio question of Hawaii. Ilecognltlon ot th belligerency of the insurgents seems to b Impending In the flrst rase and annexation I certain In the second. Alaska Is about to b opened to devolcijmc.nt and the gold dls covorles In that region and In the Klondlk locality promises lo Immediately and Im mensely Increase the world's stock of tha metal , and to exercise an even more potcn Influence on the world's financial Ideas nm on International trade than the gold dis coverles In California and Australia half century nso caused. The federative idea I Central America Is likely to extend and t find more practical and permanent expre.s slon In the coming twelve months than I has thus far assumed , while down In th southern Pacific the experiment In constltu tlon framing on the United States model bj Australia Is likely to virtually add at an carlj day another mamo to the roll of nations Not slnco Bonaparte's overthrow In 1815 , ex cept In 1848 , when Franco's expulsion of the citizen king started a wave of revolution from St. George's channel to the Black sea when tbo cession of 'California ' and New Mexico to the United States advanced the country' ! southwesterly boundary to the Pacific , am when the gold dlscoverlca In California began to double the world's money stock of tfca metal , has so many events ot universal Im portance been foreshadowed at the opening Jays of any year as arooar to be Impendluf today. K.YI'OItT liKCOItll. Vnnkcc 1'usli it ml Kiiteriirl.se J'cr- inr.it > . * IIi Knrlli. Hasten ( llobe. It Is not too much to say .that . the year just going out has been the moat remark able In our lilstory aa to gains In foreign trade. Is the Yankee manufacturer yet to over shadow the earth ? It would appear so , as 3ne looks over the figures of exports for 1837. In the flrst ten months our Increase In lomestlc exports , as compared with the same months o 180G , was moro than 10 per cent , or $79,250,000. The ratio of gain In manu- 'acturcs exported was , In fact , greater than n agrlcultuio a most remarkable aud grati fying achievement. Even more astonishing have 'been our gains n pytinrts nf Irnninil Rfnol Tunmifaofurrva covering a great variety of goods , from a .j'pewrltlng machine to a locomotive. In he ten months under consideration this class of exports amounted In value to $51,333,000 , iiid showed an Increase over the same 'period ot 1890 cf 32 per cent. As for Iron and steel In their crude forms ind In manufactured articles of great bulk our exports are indeed astonishing. Ton 'ears ago the exports of Iron and steel were ilC.000,000. They crept up to $30,000,000 In 1803 , to $11,000,000 at the end of the Hscal year 1S9C , and at the end of the fiscal year n Juno of the outgoing year they were $57- 000,000. They are still growing. Our cx- > ort of steel rails has made a commotion In he world's markets. .As . for pig Iron , from laving but an export of $143,000 worth In 887 wo Jiavo mounted to an export of $2,552- 000 during the last year , or a gain of 380 per cent. cent.Many astonishing figures of Increased ex ports In various lines might be cited. They nay bo found In detail In the elaborate docu- noats published by the chief of the bureau of statistics. And what Is all the moro gratifying Is tlio fact that these Increasing exports are not accidental , except 'possibly ' n this year's export ot cereals , but may bo eckoned as permanent facts In our future udustrlal career. Ilarrlng too -much tariff tinkering nnd a narrow , selfish Bplrlt in our general foreign ) ollcy , our trade a-broad must go on Increas- ng , lining our -workshops , enriching our reasury , and removing discontent and nils- rust among the producing classes generally. HIJCOC.MIMCS Till.MClV . Kl.VO. Corn 'Holdx tin-'I liroiunnd the World IM ItH OyKtrr. Cleveland leader. Tbo Now York Journal of Commerce rowna corn as the king of American cereal reps , and declares that It la now ahead of vheat In all rcspocts but cue tlio volume xported. Tha/i / U true , too. The corn crop occupies 2,000,000 acres and. tho1 yleli averages about ,000,000,000 but'hels ; whllo only 34.000,000 crcs are devoted to wheat rals'li.g , and the leld of that crop Is about 450,000.000 bushelo ' .i the average. Of course wheat brings moro > er bushel , tut the average nelllng value of ho corr.- crop U $000,000,001) ) , whllo that of , -hcat U only $300,000,000. During the alx cars from and Including 1890 'to 1S9. > tlio ivcrago exports of wheat and flour were values ! at $157,000,000 a year , while , these of ccrn were only valued at $60,000.000. This ear , liowover , a change la taking place. For | ho first r.'lnn mtutha of 1897 the exports of 4icat and flour were valued at $95,000,000 , whllo thces of corn reached the total of i47,000,000 , nnd the exports ot wheat and cur for a Tart of this year have been ox- ceptlcnally largo. Corn Is likely to become moro Important aa a. crop from year to ysar. Not only Is IM otHumptlon In 'Hie L\ilted States enormous , loth uti a human tool and for hogs and cattle , nit there Is now a promise that parts ot the orn plant , which liuvo heretofore been din- carded as cf no utility can bo made to yield revenue equal to If not In C.XCCHS of what lie farmer rccnlvc-s for the grain. Indeed ; has been estimated that the com crop may , with the help of science , bo made 40 yield tut farmer $10 an acre where It yields but 11 now. Tlio American farmer has been nympathlzed Ith for years , and there hao been good cause or xympathy , but there are po 6lt/llltlcs la grlculturo In ttils country that wore cot reamed of , perhapa , a dozou years TII1M III.US IX IWMTIIMi AMl'.IUCA of 'U'nr Ili-ttvpon Tnnln Hlcrt nndloiirniuut. . NRW YORK , Jan. 3.A. . dispatch to the HcMld from IMnama saya The trouble be tween Ooota Hlca And Nicaragua has taken n now p'xifp , according to advices from hr Herald's correspondent In Managua. Tiio Costa lllcan oonaul nt .MatiagiM lum been BCII- Ic-nced to flvo ywrs Imprisonment and has filed. The Costa lllc.in consul , Scnor Kdu.irdo llcrocho , was arrested In that city on Sep tember 17 of last year and linprlroned. The clmrgo against hlmwis complicity In n revo lutionary movement against 1'rcsldetil Zelaya , Senor Hcrecho's oxcquateur was cancelled at Iho tlmo of hla arrest. Sencr iHcrecho was In prison for several weeks dcsplto the representation made by the Costn Ulrnn jtovernmenl to Nicaragua to tttcuro his release. Cosla Hlca demntidotl that proofs ngalnct Its consul be produced , but Hio demand went unheeded , though finally ho was release on ball. Considerable friction between the two governments was caused and this was followed by the Inter change ot several sharp notes. There were reports that both Nicaragua and Costa Hlca were quietly preparing for war. and HICPO ro- porla were not altogether unfounded. Finally , despite protrs's from Costa Him , the trl.il ot Consul llcrocho by coiirt-nmrtlal began. President Zelaya swop ! os-ldo Ccnta Idea's demands and a few tla > ago the court-martial passed set tcnce. This sentence was kept secre until yesterday. Senor Herecho 1 some way learned of this sentence about week ago , and Immediately let * Nicaragua though there wan a report that he would b pardoned. It Is supposed that he has gen to Coat'i KIra and will lay the case befor the president. This has aroused a now friction ho'.wcc the government and the- end came as befor told. War , It U believed In many qu.ir torswill bo the result. In the meantlm Nicaragua Is threatened from another source Uollovlng tha't ' war between tint gcvcrnnuu end Costa Hlca Is probable , Nicaragua * ! exile In Costa Hlca nro going to Salvador tr to Induce 1'resldont Gutierrez to aid thei against Nicaragua. Salvador , ( however , I In great danger of a revolution , so Presldm Gutierrez In the present case Is an iinknow quantity. An outbreak In Salvador Is ex peeled d.illy. The HoraUYi corresponded In San Salvador telegraphs that Iho slttHtlo financially n < nd politically could not bo worse \VKATIIKIL IS OIIIU.V l.V I.Y I , ASIC A Tlu-rnimiu'tcr 'HniiKrs from Fifty t Seventy lUliuvITU , SEATTLE , Jan. 3. The Klondlkers tin have arrived hero on the steamer Coron from Skagway and Talya say t'lo wc-athe Is extremely cold , the thermometer rangln from 50 to 70 below. The Ice along th river Is piled u .j ns high as .fifteen . feet am only the best climbers can get over It. Th mounted i3olce ! , with sixteen horses one twenty tons of provisions , were met at Dei net Lake , on the way down to Illg Salmot where Major Walsh Is awaitingthem. . The town council of Skagway has adoptci a set of resolutions protesting against th abolishment cf the sub-port of Talya. T.i reroutlc ! < is set forth that the- duty collcctci slnco the establishment of the port amotintei to $50,000 < uid that tlio revenue to be dt rived during the next twelve months wl probably exceed $20,000. I'ecplo are pou : Ing Into Skagway and Talya on ever steamer. Hotels nnd lodging houses ar taxed to their full aiixicity. The trails acres the mountains are not In good condition a present , owing to raw and warm weather eli li e coast and deep snows on the summit. Tbo estimates ot the amount of golt brought down on the Corona differ wldelj They range all the way from $100.000 t $500,000. Dr. Vanzamlt of Poora ! , 111. , an party of eight are eald to have $80,000. nin.vci.vr : ( ; oi. PHOM ici.o.vnncr. Ln.Mt Steamier Snlil to HaveCnrrloil i 'Million ' DoIlm-K Worth. SAN FRANCISCO , Jan. 3. A Chronlcl special from Port Townsend , Wash. , says There was $027,050 In gold nuggets In th steamer Corona , which has Just arrived Iron Alaska. The gold waa carefully guarded o the beat by iiic watchmen day and night Many ot the nuggets weighed as high a fifteen ounces. A man named J. Davidson who tays ho lulls from Cripple Creek , Cole , has a nugget which he says weighs flfteci and one-half ounces. Ouo oC the drawer In Captain Carroll's room was ( lacked wltl nuggets of all sb.es. The correspondent hai the ort'ortunlty of seeing this woaltti througl the kindness of Cantata Carroll. In addltioi to this amount there was considerably more carefully tied up In sacks , distributed among the returning Klondlkers. A careful cstl mate made of drafts and gold dust shows there was about $1,200,000 In wealth aboan the Corona. F. Harmon McConoell of San Francisco was one of the returning passengers. He verified the estimates given that over $1,000- 000 was brought out by the miners. In his opinion that is a conservative estimate. JWAGMISXTS OF ' 7. SlntlMtlcN of ' .SiilcJiIi-H , Wlll'K , 1/yilC'llIllfiM , KlIlllCZZlt'lllUlltN. ClilenBO Tribune. ' During the year 1897 there have been C.COO suicides In the United States , ngalnst 0,520 for the previous year an increase of 80. There haa been a more favorable showing as to murders , however , the number showing a decrease from 10,052 In 189f to 9,520 In 1897 , In aplto of holdups and burglaries In Chicago. The embezzlements In the United States In creased from $9,405,921 to $11,248,081 In 1897 , whllo the donations to educational nnd char- table purposes remained nearly stationary. The aggregate of the latter for the year was $33,612,814. of which $10,203,450 w&s for col- cges , $14,785,620 for charities , $5,023,738 for churches , and $1,218,000 for museums and inbllc galleries. The losses of llfo by epidemics and famine reported throughout the world in 1897 have aggregated 222,902. Of these It Is estimated that 40,000 succumbed to the plague In India and 150,000 from famine , the result of Wey- er'a concentration policy In Cuba. Some of ho estimates of American consuls In Cuba ilace the Ices of life from starvation In the stand at a etlll higher figure. The destruction of llfo by battle through out the world shows a decrease In 1897 as compared with 1890 , the number for the ormer being 103.451 , against 129,080 for the alter. As might bo expected , Cuba was the voret sufferer , the sacrifice there being 21,303 ; n Africa , 18,203 ; Ilrazll , 10,859 ; China 5,000 ; Turkey and Greece ( In Turko- Greclan war ) , 11,839 ; Philippine Islands. ,750 , and In Iho campaigning In India , .024. The statistics of lynchlngs In the United States Indicate that this reprehensible crime continues to flourish In splto of the woll- neant efforts in some part of the country o stamp It out. The whole number of ynchlngs for the year amounted to ICO , gainst 131 in 1806. Of those occurring dur- npr the last year , 146 were In ( ho south nd twenty In the northern states , 122 of ho victims being negroes , thirty-nine whiles nd flvo Indians , T.I3T 'l'IIH.11 PHiU'it JT ( ) | T. \llliTlrilllM ( llfiidy to 'll ' - < | < -lllHli tlio < 'iiiiiiulMNiir.v Depart me u I. Ban Kiunclpco ArKonnut. We read in the dally papers that the holesalo 'provision ' houses In San iFranelsco lave been Invited lo make bids for provisions for the Ilusslan military posts on the Pacific ; that the "mercantile 'community ' Is consider ably uxcltrd In cense < | UC'iico ; " that "tnu prices of rannei good * and flour are rising ; " that "Dodge , Sweeney & Co. have been In vited ( .0 bid on 1,200 tons of groceries ; " that "an order had been received for several ship loads of flour for the IIHO of 'Russian ' gar risons ; " .that . "agents of the czar have or dered 10,000 tonn of barreled beef from Chicago cage for delivery at Vladivostok. " The Arfioi-aut Is aware that many appar ently xano Individuals look with scorn en every American who does not want to Inter- fern In every row that la going on In every quarter of the globe. 'None ' the less , U may bo permitted to remark that thu gentlemen - men who wish us to Intervcno with force of arms and prevent 'Kuropo ' from gobbling up China are not nearly so xenslhlo as those traders In Kan Francisco who advocate non intervention , and who will have an oppor tunity In case of war to dlsposo of canned meats , groceries , canned fruits , flour , mess pork and canned beef to the combatants for a touslderatloo. . I. AM > OTIIIWttlSK. It Is still believed to be literally Imp that the rowers Interested lr the partition ot China are lee ntrong to flfilit. Si-ntor William II Hate of To-ncssro tcfia-i llfo * f an iimUrclerk on n ntcntnbo.it. HP owes his posltlm entirely to his own energy ami persistence- . Theodore S. IMrvIn of CdVir Itaplds , la. , has went his whole llfw collecting books on Mssanry and now has a library of about 30,000 volumcs-tald to bo the- best In tin world. Mrs. Hosing , widow of the last twstm.istcr of Chicago , has received a letter of con- ilolcwrn from the Nr-waboys" association of Uratul Hiplde , .Vllch. , and MJT.I that she prizes It ns highly as any letter she has received. A Chicago witness testified that he drank seventy-two bottles of wetss beer In ono afternoon and did tiot think U was Intoxicat ing. It would be Interesting l know how many tie would have to drink In order to bo certain aboue It. A'ftcr gravely reflecting for n tew momenta Jasoph Jeffcrjon replied as follows to a Cin cinnati bore who asked him when nn actor ought to retire : "Well , count lag the tlmo for getting out of coatumo and the sUnvncrn of hackmcn , I think nn actor should retire U about 11:45. : " Governor Plngrco of Michigan says that the newspapers have done him n great dc.il of harm recently ! ci a matter of business. Accordlrg to his statement he hail n pluw- phato mine In Venezuela that ho was going to buy for $80.000. The papers took tlio matter up and the owners at once doubled their price. John Campbell , proprietor of a hotel nt Warren. 0. , rnjoys the distinction of 'being a double cousin of President McKlnley. His father and Mr. McKlnley'a grandmother were brother and sister , ho ! mother and the presi dent's father having been cousins. Not only that , Mr. OjnipbeH bears a remarkable per- Bo * > il likeness to the nation's chief magis trate. In Pomona , Colo. , there died the other day a man who was torn In New York City in 1812 , but went west In 1S31 and knew IXuiIol Iloono. He was William Ulake , and was a lieutenant under Fremmt on the first expe dition to Callrurnla. Ho often told of his participation In the flrst planting of the Hagen on Pike's Peak. He made several fortunes , but left only a few thousand dollars. Governor Uushncll of Ohio gave n iwrdon. to Hnlph WIntoMglll , a llfo prisoner , oa Christmas day. which was promptly rcfuocd. Wlutcrsglll Is now 70 years old -and his served twenty years. In declining the par- ilrn he said the state had unfitted him for llfo and that he did not care to go lack Im lib old age to a world that had .forgotten him a-ud preferred that the state should continue to tare tor him to the end. LAST Vn.VU'S t.'AtJS. Clovolind Plain Dealer " ' : "The sultan's wrestli'i- coining to this country , " 'llu's u Mussulman , 01' course- . " lli-ooklyn Life : "Darllns ! " bo cried , nnd threw himself at her feet. The haughty diimscl s.livered , us In apprehension. "That ow Princeton tackle ! " she muttered , striv ing to bu calm. Detroit Journal : "A woman may con sider bcrsolf tiK-tful " ' , ri'iimrked the ob server of men and things"when she Is alilo la wind a innn around her lingers without breaking 'him all up. " Detroit Frco Press : "You live by butch- cry , " declared the mtinufiicturcr ot pills to the surgeon. "And you by pillage , " came the quick response. Chicago Tribune : "Mrs. Gnswcll , your daughter's visit to Kuropo seems to have made her quite : i polished young woman. " "I shDUld say HO. My land ! You ought to hear 'hor 'I shall ' " say , bo very pleased. Washington Star : "Ho doesn't seem to amount to much In thu comnlunlty ? " "No. He's so unimportant that nobody ever sends him a calendar. " Cincinnati Hnqultor : "False-hearted beauty. " IIP sobblngly shrieked , " 1 shall never love again ! " "No ? " asked the heartless one. "No. I shall start In now and try to save money. Philadelphia nullclln. "I wish to estab lish a tine private library. What book is the best to start on ? " "I would advise a pocketbook. " Memphis Appeal : "Jones thinks a great deal of me. " "So ? 1 didn't know you were such friends " "We're not ; I owe him money. " Cleveland Plain Dealer : "No , I never hear anything about the broad that mother used to bake. " "Why not ? " "I married a partner In a wholesale bakery and he never talks shop nt the table. " Indianapolis Journal : The Youthful Kn- IhiiHliiHt I have Just heard that two people , who have lived with each other In the bonds of matrimony for u long time , conrl to look much alike. Isn't It beautiful to think of ? The Savage Hacholor I don't see anything ; beautiful In the thought of IIA-O people grudt tinllv tfl.klllir nil : L Innlt nf nhrnnln u/rtrrv AVHUXVIII3.r WI2.WTO I'.VH. J. V. nm In Northwestern Miller. "Jnco on a time It matters not when , i'hero was much discontent , nnd many wlsa men Said the not distant future In pr iihctlo fight Would see mighty evlla triumphant o'er right. Pheru nag llttlo to call for prediction BO dire , Save tlio ono lonesome fact that men did aspire. To get nil they could and keep what they ot , Whether feeble and helpless should sufferer or not. "rom ijmlplt nnd platform nnd well Informed press Vero Issued appeals for relief of distress ; Vhllo victims of sweat shops sought pity for woe. And thousands of Idlers had nowhcrn to go ; ' "rom morning till night and from night until morn , 'hroufrhout a fair land fresh troubles were born , n city and hamlet. In palace and oot. No plac ? could be found whcro depression was not. rho poverty-stricken with hunger mada mad , Vould seek consolation where others were Klad. Vhen asked a crumb at the wealthiest door Vere told that too many had been thuro before ; Thtw hunger made brg'jjam and beggnrn nude crime , Vhon two loaves of bread could be bought ! for a dime , r.Hmid came at last of this hopeless con dition , aw faith lo.st In sight , hope end In fruition , t waa not solemn pleading * , for pleadings were vain , Vet PO inuiili because men found cnnloy- itient again , s that confidence ruled where once waa despair , Ivlng li.iiiquota where lately the cuplmrds were hare ; Vhen It iwaH , whcro It was , you may readily fiuns-s , nd nlKo the cause of this awful distress ; ho longed-for relief shone forth lllco a Ktar , Vhen Bllvcr went down nnd wheat wont to 1'ar , Ilio Koyfil Is Km highest grailo baking powder known. Actunl li-st sliovy It goes one- third further thjii oay other bravl Absolutely Pure FIOVAL r KiNo poworn co , , nut vonx.