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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 27, 1898)
13 THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY , MAKCH 2T , 1808. THE OMAHA SUNDAY BE& 13. nOSKWATEK , Editor. PUBLISHED uvunr MorwtNo. THUMB OF BUBSCItlPTlONl Rally Ilee ( Without Sunday ) , One Year..16 00 Daily IVc and Sunday , One Year 8 CO Blx Months W rtirco Monthi 200 Fundiy lice , One Year 200 Haturday I lee , One Year 1 W ; W ekly Bee , One Year w Omaha : The Hce IJulMlnB. , Kouth Oman * : Singer Dlk. , Cor. N nnd 24th Sti. Council Ilium : 10 rcnrl Street. Chicago OBICP : 10 ! Cliamber of Commerce. New York : Temple Court. Wathlngtoii ! (01 Fourteenth Street. COUUESl'ONDE.NCE. AH communications rclatlns to news nfl edits- Hal matter thouldia addroned : To the hdltor. IIU81NRSS LUTTEUS. All business loiters and remittance ! should to ddretted to The Ilco Publishing Company , Omaha , Draft * , check * , exprers and pontolllco money orJera to be maUo payable to the order of the company. Tilt ! HEIJ PUBLISHINO COMPANY. STATEMENT Of cntC'UI ATION. Etnte o. ' Ncbraifca , IJouKlnn county , its. : George 11. Tis/.huclt , iccretary of The UPC Pub- llslilrm company , belnp duly sworn , taya that the actual nuuibcr ot full and complete copies of Tha Dally , MoinlnR , Hxenlns ami Sunday Ilee printed fluting the month of Tcbruary , 1S8Svas ns lol * 20.931 - 1C 21.011 3 . 20,192 17 51.COJ 4. . . , . W.iGS IS SI.S1J r , . so.875 19 21,001 e . 21,0:0 50 21,091 7 . 20,803 21 21.3CT S . 21,034 S2 21,421 9 . 2 > ) ,9S3 23 21,535 10 . 20.SM 21 Z1.0J3 - , . . 23,141 12 . 21.070 M . . . . 52,221 13 . 21,012 27 2l.4 ! > 1 II . 20,903 28 22.3" Total S07.M2 returned nnd unsold copies " ' _ Net tola ! rales KJ.JV ; Net dally a\cr.iRC ; ; 2\fla \ cr.oun n H. TSMCHUCK. Bworti to before me nnd subscribed In my rc-ciiPe this 1st day of March , IMS. ( Seal. ) N. P. FRIL. Notary Public. Ill the Interval Hawaii is not even missed. ' 'And tliu railway ticket sculpcrs are nlso gcttliij , ' a reprieve. On a single ilny last week eight per- BOUS were found starving to death In New Yoik and they were not recouccn- .trailos. 1 It Is plain that what Is hurting the pbpnlist party in Oregon nndi several other states Is an Internal and not an external explosion. In accordance with that friendly racial feeling , wo have Just passed along to England one of those old-fashioned equinoctial storms. Americans are un selfish. ' If the western farmer Is not now in creasing his mortgage indebtedness it Is not because money Is scarce , but be cause It Is so plentiful ho docs not need to borrow. Not much has been heard lately aboul that proposed tax of ? 2 a bead on New Jersey bachelors. Freak legislation has not been popular in uny state of the union the past winter. ' 'A country that calmly proceeds with preparations for war without a panic in flnnnel-.il circles or anything Indicating 'danger of one , cannot be suffering mucl from a bad financial system. 1 Iowa republicans will not hold theh state convention until September , and as a campaign can never be started untl a republican ticket Is In the field , this means for them a short campaign. ' Although congress deems , disposed tc put n small tax on the tnfxers of corn and wheat flour , it Is not probable any thing will be done to disturb the time honored ratio between the two kinds ol food. 1 1C this thing keeps up the governoi of a state will soon have time for noth Ing else except answering requests o : eastern newspapers for opinions on al Korts of idiotic questions expected tc tickle the public curiosity. 1 Transatlantic steamship agents repor fto falling off In the number of bookings for Journeys during the season of Eu ropean travel. The average globe trotte lias courage and contldenco and will no let a war genre Interfere with pleasure 1 The progressive Japanese acccptet , vacclnatlon as soon as It was pointed ou to them that few of the foreigners vis Itlng their country show smallpox signs Civilized ways are accepted so rnpldlj l > y the Japanese that It will not be lonj tiutll they are near the top of th'c proces elou. 1 The , federal authorities will have gen crnl popular approval In everything thej puty do to put a stop to pension fraud : bn < I punish offenders who try to ge pension money out of the governmen Ly personating worthy pensioners. Im posing on the nutlon'.s gratitude tibouh Lo made odious. ' Now those who have called In ques tlou the value of state experlmcn stations have been silenced. A Call forulu professor of agriculture 1ms BUC cessfully grafted the morning glory 01 the sweet , potato and hereafter IMngrei patches in the coast cities will bu thing of beauty as well as usefulness. 1 Nebraska railroad managers say the ; nro not worrying over the probable uc tlou of the state railway commission litho the case brought In which they are askei ; to order n reduction In freight charge lu the state. Why should they worry It Is common notoriety that the bogu popocrntlc reformers who constitute th state commission never sign their name . without first having assurance from rail road headquarters that there Ls no oil Jectloa on the part of the railroads. 1 Suppose the present foreign compile ! ) Itloius had come just at the time the coun itry was in doubt whether the election o 1SOO would result In the choice of Me Klnley or Bryan- , what would have beei the result upon the business Interests ( Would not trade have Immediately become como almost absolutely stagnant ? Bu now wo see the march of prosper ! ! , scarcely slackened by the most serlou apprehensions of international dlfllcu tics. Is this not due to popular con I 'deuce both nt home and abroad In th integrity of purpose and the stlmuln las policy of a republican administration WAR AND The assumption that u country can promote prosperity by war Is both falla cious and pernicious. War converts a arge portion of the productive clement of the population Into a destructive ele- ncut. In other words , the army of iroducers becomes an army of destroy- era. The millions expended for muni- Ions of war nnd naval armament * must bo taken cither from the surplus nccu- nutations of thrift or raised by taxation ipon the necessities of life. In cither case the burdens of war fall upon the > roducng ! and wage working classes who not only fight the battles of the latlon , but also by their toll pay its U'btH. In case of war the rich may hire substitutes , but the poor must expose heir lives and if they escape being killed or maimed they must pay the penalty of war In years of burdensome exactions o pay off the war debt. War doubtless brings opportunities for unking some men rich. The builders of var ships , the cannon founders , the gun nakcrs , the powder mills , ammunition factories and contractors for army show , clothing and army supplies have a good chance to become millionaires. But every dollar they get must be wrung from the sweat on the brow of labor. The Idea that the farmer will get better prices and the laborer higher wages be cause of a war with a foreign nation Is preposterous. The men in the ranks oren on the .ships eat no more during war him In pence. Meantime the foreign de mand for American products , which os- tabllsluis the price at which the corn , wheat and cattle can be sold , Is cur tailed instead of enlarged because of the risk of transit and the higher marine Insuianco comes out of the American farmer's pocket. The railroads and steamships may earn more money by carrying troops from place to place , but In their turn they will lose a large part of their regular freight tralllc which con- stltutcs the principal source of their earnings. Kor the time being there may be an increased demand for railroad em ployes , seamen and workers In war ma terial factories , but when the cruel wai ls over and Johnny comes marching homo broken down , If not crippled , the public highways and public thorough fares will iigaln teem with tramps and the overstocked labor market will create n reaction that will keep wages down for a decade or more. As well might a man Imagine that ho can make himself richer by destroying his furniture and burning his uninsured house to make work for the carpenter and cabinet maker , to be paid for with borrowed money , ns for a nation to look for Increased prosperity by way of war. Even If there were no question about collecting a war Indemnity to cover the loss of property destroyed , no money payment , however great , can be ade quate compensation for the demoraliza tion which war Inevitably creates , the disturbance of the channels of commerce and last , but not least , the decimation of the most vigorous and prolific clement of its body of wealth-makers. OOZ.D FOR CUSTOMS liDTIKS. A bill has been Introduced in the United States senate , at the suggestion of the National Business Men's league , proposing that DO per cent of the duties on Imports shall be paid In gold. The language of the measure is , that in order to provide a gold income to meet obli gations required to be paid In gold , to avoid unnecessarily increasing the gov ernment's obligations In maintaining the gold reserve and to strengthen the public credit to meet all emergencies , 50 per cent of the duties levied upon- foreign importations of merchandise or manu factured articles or other articles im ported from foreign countries shall be paid in gold coin of the United States nnd the remaining 50 per cent in sudi currency of the United States as the sec retary of the treasury may designate. This proposition is of course prompted by the apprehension of conditions that will Impose additional burdens upon the public credit , for otherwise , lu view of the abundant and steadily growing stock of gold In the national treasury , there would be no good reason for sug gesting such legislation. It Is naturally assumed that In the event of war them would be a drain upon the government's gold reserve , now amounting to $172- 000,000 , which might bo BO great ns to compel the government cither to sus pend specie payments or replenish the reserve by borrowing. If , however , 50 per cent of the duties on imports- was nindo payable lu gold and the secre tary of the treasury were allowed tc designate the currency. . In which the re maining 00 per cent of duties should bi paid , the treasury gold reserve would be afforded a measure of protection , per haps sufficient to meet obligations callIng - Ing for gold and thus prevent any Im pairment of the public credit. In this view of the matter the propo sition , is obviously a good om > , but the question arises as to what its effocl might bo upon gold. Would it have Ji tendency to force gold to a premium' This cannot be answered with any de gree of certainty , though It Is not 1m proba-blo that such would bo the effect It Is to be borne In mind , however , thai there Is a very heavy stock of gold h the country * and it Is being steadily added to. Besides the large treasury reserve , it Is ; stated that In the clearing house vaults of New York City then nro nearly ? iX,000,000 In gold and prob ably ns much more Is held by othei banks and financial institutions in tin United States. Notwithstanding the np prehension of war , the yellow metal con tlnues to tlow into the country nni while actual hostilities would put a fitoj to the Influx , In the opinion of finan clers there is enough gold now In tin country to make It possible to meet nuj demand for money without resort to ex truordlnnry legislation , such as wai necessary during the civil war. Soim hoarding of gold has already taken placi and there will be more of it in the even of war , but perhaps not on a very ex tensive scale If hostilities should be con fined to Spain and the United States. It is quite possible that If the pro posed legislation were adopted the 1m mediate effect would be to cause a sllgh premium on gold , but this would proba bly bo only temporary and would no produce any serious financial dlsturL nco or Inconvenience. There Is , how- Tor , little if nny cliapx-e of its being doptcd , for while It proposes nothing ew , the payment of duties In gold hav- ng boon in practice until eight years go , no such discrimination In favor of old will , it Is safe to Bay , be permitted ) } the present senate , however strongly u-ged ns n measure for conserving the ubllc credit. A I'llOTKCTlUff LKSSUA' . One of the most notable triumphs of ho policy of protection Is seen In the 'rowth of the silk Industry , which has ttalned proportions that place It among he most important of the manufacturing nterests of the United States. Accord- ng to the Intent statistics the annual reduction of silks in this country mounts to ? 105,000,000 and this output s entirely absorbed by the American mrkct. It is said , moreover , that Amor- can silk manufacturers have made no real advances that they not only supply ho greater part of the American de- land , which In proportion to population and wealth is greater than that of any thor country , but they actually set the ashlou in styles nnd designs. This great Industry , the steady growth f which Is assured , has been established ml maintained as a direct result of the irotectlve tariff nnd the more than 100,000,000 which Is paid by Americans 'or this product each year is paid to Vmcrlcnn manufacturers , supports thou- ands of working people and finds Its vay Into the general channels of trade. -The , building up of this Industry has lei'ii the work of comparatively few 'eats , for whlle Its advance has not > oen so phenomenally rapid ns that of ho tin plate Industry , it Is not very eng ago that It was in Its Infancy. From vhat has boon accomplished In enlarg- ng this Industry in the last half a dozen ears there is every reasonto expect hat under the fostering effect of the ire.sent tariff ilt will continue to make toady progress and that within the next lalf a dozen years American silks will hid their way Into foreign markets. It is needless to say that besides giv- ng employment to a large amount of iVnierlean capital nnd a great number of American workers , the production of silks In the United States has reduced he price of such goods to consumers , operating In this respect ns have all Jther industries that owe their existence ind growth to the protective policy. THE l-AHMEUS' OUTLOOK. The farmer who studies the soil nnd climate and seed Is a bettor farmer than one Avho merely sows nnd plows. But ic who nlso farms with n view to meet- ng certain probable conditions of the market Is most likely to bo successful. Farmers of this latter class must feel reatly encouraged by the present out- ook for sure and steady markets. There s much to indicate that permanent n-ospcrlty for the farmers Is practically assured. Good prices for grain continue , not withstanding the beginning of exports 'rom ' other grain-producing countries , and there can be no doubt that a large part of the gainIn / values Is in no w y due to the shortage In other countries , It is important , also , that the American shippers have taken possession of the leading markets of the world and. they will be able to maintain their prestige here , while shippers from other eountikv tvill be forced to fight tl'clr way iuto the markets. The situation In regard to live stock nnd moats Is equally encouraging. Ship ments of meats to foreign countries have steadily increased nnd the homo con sumption of fresh meat has been greatly augmented by , the Improved Industrial condltlonsprevnlllng. Whllethellvestock prices have not been extraordinarily lilgh they have been unusually steady ; he past year , wltli promise of continued : oed markets. It is noteworthy thai according to the Department of Agri culture there has been. ' a > substantial de crease In the number of animals in the United States. At the beginning of the year there were 1,11-15,052 head of cattle less than * nt the beginning of last year , 810,282 less hogs and 838,317 less sheep , If the comparison Is made with othei rears the shortage of supply Is still more marked. There are In the United States nearly 0,000,000 less cattle and more than 4,000,000 less hogs than In ISO. These are some of the reasons why farm era may feel satisfied that for some time they will get good prices- for theh produce. Not In recent years has there been sue ! decided Interest In farming nnd fnrir land In all the transmlsslsslppl regloi from Texas to Washington and fron Minnesota to California as this spring and with good reason. The men win faun with their heads ns well as wltl their hands arc bound to come out ahead IKVEK'flVK UtlXnJS AKD MONOPOLY. The experience * of the man who in vented valuable labor-saving machinery used In the manufacture of shoes Illus trates the natural antagonism batweci genius and the monopolistic tendencle : of the age. The firm which purchasei his patents purchased his idleness wltl a lifetime salary to prevent him fron inventing other machinery that mlgh render valueless the first products of hi ; inventive genius. This Is a rare in stance of monopoly paying tribute ti genius. The objection to n patent system mos often urged Is that It creates mouoiw lies ; Indeed , that Is its chief purpose , that the Inventor may be rewarnwl fo his labor and genius , but iTucii monopa lies are usually limited and are con slantly being superseded by other created In the same way. It Is not oftci possible for monopoly to buy off gouliu as In the case cited , and thus put cv > i a temporary barrier around Mit llmitc < monopoly created by genius and prr tccted by law. The prejudice against labor-saving ma chines common to all laborers has tn same effect in stifling genius ns th monopolistic tendency , anil In like 111:11 : nor operates to prevent industrial rove lutlons. The man who is trying to main tain a monopoly wants only such laboi saving machines ns lie can control , an the man who fears the competition ? labor-saving machinery desires only tha the fiklll ho has acquired by years o application shalfiiot be rendered value less by new ntjjods of labor. However t may nppoardthjit genius Is the hand- nald of uionotiblf , the contrary Is true. Genius is lnvS\l6n. \ Invention lightens abor nnd adeto t * the comforts of man- tlml , breaks up\Vh distinctions between the classes , aiSvhlle ) forming the basis of great fortunes tends to uplift the mass of humanity. Wlnuc great monopolies are based on liiveitlve ) genius , but more often genius has been the means of pre venting mouopojyV-tho two arc In per- > etual contllct.j t In the house of representatives on Frl- lay Mr. Bnrtholdt of Missouri , himself foreign-born citizen , resented the view xprcssod by some European papers and heir echoes in this country that our ore'lgn-born citizens would bo a menace o the United States In case of war with foreign country , declaring that the Has of the United States Is the llag of Us nelopted citizens. It Is perhaps not remarkable that Eu- opcan papers , ill-informed regarding icpular sentiment In this country , should iiitertaln the , Idea referred to by Mr. lartholdr , but it is Inexplicable that any \.merlcin : newspaper should so rolled ipon the loyalty to this government of lie men of foreign birth who have sworn allegiance to It. It has been suggested hat In a war with Spain the sympathies f Spanish-Americans , including citizens f this country wjioso nativity or lineage s Spanish , would turn naturally to theli nether country , owing to their strong acial prejudices. Probably there arc some such , but we are not prepared to > eleve ! that all of them would be found n opposition to their adopted country , It Is true that In tho. . South American cpublle-s there has been manifested sym athy with Spain , chiefly by , persons ol Spanish descent who have wealth anil tower , but these can hardly be icgardeel as representative of the people of Span sh descent-in the United States whc mve lived under different conditions and associations in a word have be ue Americanized. Doubtless all thesi ) ooplo and they arc not numerous- would deplore a war , but that they generally orally would be hostile to the Unltee1 States is not to be admitted , in the nb scnce of definite evidence. But what of other nationalities ? Sup ; > o.so Germany or France should become involved lu a conflict with this country through a war with Spain , can there b ( any doubt thatjiutives of those countries who are cltlze'ns of the United State : ivould support ; thr adopted country even to the extent of taking up armi for it If called uhou ? However mucl they might doploic ; a conflict botwcei this country nnd their native land , theii allegiance nnd tholt duty are to the lam of their adoption , the country they hav < chosen because It offords them atlvan tages and opportunities they did no nvo In the country , of their birth. Thcj are no longer Germans or Frenchmen but Americans , solemnly pledged to sup port the government under which tlioj llvo and of wlUcUthey are a part. N graver reflection could.be casU-Upon theli Integrity and < upon the sincerity of thali oath of allegiance than to assume tha they would not readily and willlnglj give tholr services for the dcfer.se o this government if called' upon to do so under whatever circumstances. The foreign-born citizens of this re nibllc have never failed to dcmoiistrati their loyalty In every emergency am there Is no reason to think that they wll lot continue to do so , whatever the occa slon of the circumstances which shal n the future put their loyalty to the test To repeat the declaration of Mr. Bar tholdt : "The-flng of the United State : is the Hag oAts adopted citizens. " TlNh.KlilNQ. It is related by a philanthropic gentle man of Boston that when he visited ai asylum for colored orphans on Saturda : ho found the children without toys o any kind , anil ou Inquiry he was In formed that the playthings had all beci ; ) iit away so that the dear .nuc chlldrei might prepare their minds for the Sab bath day without the distraction o games and pleasures. That there i ; much more of this surviving Pnritanlca notion of the nature of the Subbath thai Is generally known Is shown by a de tennlned effort being made to secun amendments to the Massachusetts Sun day law passed three years ago whlcl permits on Sunday "an cntertalumen given by a religious or charitable so doty , the proceeds of which , if any , ar to be devoted exclusively to a charltabl or religious purpose. " The deslro o these who think this law not sufficient ! ; restrictive is that the only cxcmptloi shall be "a concert of sacred music. " Opponents of the change look upoi this as an entering wedge for a complot return to the Sabbath of colonial time In New England , llev. Dr. Charles C Everett , dc-an of the Harvard Theologlcn school , writes In opposition to the amend ment that ho wonh I regret to see th Sunday less quluti.tlian now , but ho ha < supposed "wo hurt outgrown the blu laws. " llev. Dr.'deorgu ' Hodges , dea : of the Episcopal , Theological school ei Cambridge , opposes.any enactment thn "would simply make- ' Sunday hated. " II desires "that Pjiuda'y shall be a joy nil a pleanuie , not j\\ljrel.it. \ ' \ " The men wh have set out to/iso tluke-r the Sabbat law of the old crfrtiinonweallh that It wl ' bo unsafe for a..jiej-son to do anythln that would glvo/pluusuro or Instructlo are not to have it'rtll ' their own way. Sabbath restrictions that are Irk&om to a majority of-persons do more ban than good. Hunftyn < > ihitiirc rebels agaut | unnecessary interference with the coi duct of the Individual , nnd the most sui cessful laws aru these Ihat give tli greatest liberty to all persons and y < restrain the vicious and the thoughtles Sunday laws that seek to repress inm cent recreation can never be popular. A significant movement Is on foot I Germany , where the. railway employe have started out to reform the mannei of the high officials and will try to h duce them to dispense with the "hi ; ; and mighty airs" assumed by then They argue that considerate treatmei of subordinates by these In authority wl produce better icsults and that there 1 no GXCUSO whatever for anyone more ucccssful than his fellows , or more ucky , to pose ns a superior being. American railway officials are not so nuch given to this objectionable con- luct , for nearly nil of them are men vho have risen from humbler positions n the service , but the tendency Is visible owartl the distinctly European notion of ixcluslvcncss nnd Imperious officialism , f the German railway employes effect ho reform they have In view It will udlcntc a steady growth of democratic entlmeut. The success of the federation move- nent In Australia is not yet fully as sured , for many of the leading states men of the colonies are lighting It ns are ! as did the extreme states rights ad- ocates In the American states n little nero than a century ago. The federal convention has already disposed of one f the most troublesome questions , that f the location of the federal capital , by deciding that It shall bo a now city on crrltory exclusively under the control of lie federal parliament. There is little loubt that federation could be ns sue- ! csstul In Australia as It has been in laniuln , but Englishmen arc proverbially ilow to tiako up with new Ideas or to nake experiments , nnd if effcctctl nt all 'edcratlon will come with much friction uid not a few harsh criticisms. The district court for Lancaster county ias handed down a decision affirming ho validity of the anti-gambling law of 1SS7 , by which gambling In Nebraska s made a felony punishable with 1m- irlsoumcnt sentence. While there has ecu considerable talk about the alleged nvalldlty of this law , no court of com- > etent jurisdiction has denied Its con stitutionality. The gamblers themselves mve made repeated efforts to have the aw repealed , something they would ardly do If they were sure it were al ready null and void , and these who uulertako to test it run an extra lax.ardous risk. The West A'liginla minister who left directions that an Inscription should be ) laced over his grave stating that he was "n firm believer In the Lord Jesus hrlst , Jeffersoulan democracy and the Methodist Episcopal church , " should mve been more specific. The doctrine of the church mentioned has been care fully written out and formally adopted so that there can be no controversy over t , but since the political demagogues [ llscovercel that Jeffersonlan democracy could bo used as a creed , a hobby or a lolitical fetich , no 'man can tell just what It means. New Hampshire Is one of the New Sugland state's still providing nn official fast day each year , and this year It will bo April 21. But fast days arc uot as popular as feast dnys nnd they have never been introduced Into the newer states , where the people see no reason ivhy they should make themselves need- essly uncomfortable eve'ii for one day lu : he year. A ICn 11 Rntoo Tlukcfe Washington 1'ost , The friends of the Nebraska statesmen nro bcglrniag to suggest Dryan and Lee as a ticket foj1900. . Can It bo possible that DryEalsm Is In need of a popular pusher like Fltz ? Tin * IH'jir lit Clilnn. Philadelphia Ledger. will , doubtless , find little objection to China's demand that Port Arthur shall re main tn Chinese hands , although permission .s .given to extend the Siberian railway to hat point. It Is a present concession to Chinese pride , and will not Interfere In the east with 'Russia's ' occupation and use of the port In due course of time. I'rlxew for Dnvy Jane * . Globe-Democrat. The armada Spain sent against Kagland Cad at least the merit at greatly outnumber- ng the English fleet. It 13 quite different with the quixotic armada which Spain threatens to dispatch lo far-off America to attack a much larger fleet. The first armada went to Davy Jones , and the second , In the nature of things , can hardly fare better. So MILFrlenilif of Our Own. Springfield Republican. Meantime what IB being done to apprehend and punish the South Carolina flends who murdered the negro postmaster and his help- ess child and burned down the building over their bodies ? While contemplating the awful deeds of the Inhuman Spaniards , let us not forget the capacities of an American white community la doing deeds that would shame : ho bloodiest pirate that ever roamed over : ho Spanish main. Xnllonnl Unlcty. Philadelphia I'reiss. The/south Is reported ns amused over the idea 'that In the event of trouble with Spain tha southerners could be stirred Into rebel lion against their own country. ( Amusement is the right frame of mind , slnco the Idea a BO ridiculously preposterous that no American , llvo he north or south , can poa- slbly grow Indignant over such a rumor. It must bo viewed In the light of a con tribution to the humor of an occasion other wise of lorbHdlns aspect. Dru-.i liavUn uf 1'iil.llc Life. Xcw York Times. iJIlrza Mahmoud Khan represents the eliah of Peri-la at Constantinople. The ealory of this lucky dlpjon.at is $100,000 and he doesn't cost 1'crsla a cent ! The mystery Is thus axplalnod : There arc In Constantinople 15,000 Persian subjects , and from these the ambassador , with the help of a half dozen able-bodied collector1 , extorts the sum inmeJ , and even more , according to cur rent rumor. Ho suffers from one hardship , however. Ho la compelled to hand over $20,000 a ycur to his colleague In Vienna , a city where the Persian method cannot conveniently be enforced. The contributors , moreover. Insist that ( Mahmoud Khan must spend n certain amount on hospitality , and whenever ho gives a dinner party , as ho did recently , to the corns diplomatique , a committee of taxpayers Is posted In an ante-roam , whence they can satisfy them- oclvcrt that their ambassador docs the thing In proper style and keeps up the dignity ol tUo cation. A lliipiix TlioiiKlit. Cleveland Main Dealer. That was a nappy thought of Secretary ol Agriculture AVllson to analyze articles ex ported to the United States by thoao nations which have shown a disposition to exclude American agricultural products on the ground of Impurity of one kind or another , Ho is going to ascertain beyond a pcrad- venture If thcae nations which are 3 fas tidious en regards Imports from America are equally fastidious us regards their own exports. A-s yet the chemical Investigation is Just begun , but already It has been de termined , o It Is raid , that Germany , uhlcli has been the meat obstreperous finder ol fault with articles American , muCa tc America sausages which , under teat , glv unquestionable clgns of adulteration , nr.i Impurity. H Is stated to be the purpceo oi the tocretary to continue the Investigation and to record the results , with the view ol wins them to good advantage at tbo rlghl time. So It stands the nation tn hunt which , fearful that America will ! got pea r.ooilon of Its markets , slanders America' ; products to look veil to the elmon pure nature of the utuff it ships westward. moV RAM'S iionjr. Adversity haa iharp teeth , Meditation la R tonlo for poor mrmo'ry. No fraud U moro wicked than cheating n a love game. Gospel bullets never reach the mark with out flro ( behind them. About the best waterproof for all kinds ot weather l a clear conscience. To marry for money may turn out to bo Iko going to the hornet for honey. The tears of genuine repentance are the sparkling dowdrope of life's morning. It Is a great accomplishment to know low to make the best ot life as It comes. The devil's claws are as eh-irp under white glovca as they arc under black mlt- cns. cns.Tlmo Tlmo Is always fooled away when wo try to build towers of our own from which to get Into heaven , Da not try to drive some undesirable topic from your mind , but crowd It out with something better. 1'liUSOX.U , AMI OTIIIOlUVlSn. The Belgian prince must bo a nice , moral buns man. Uoselp about him is meager and splccless. An Indiana county treasurer , who made away with $20,000 of the public funds , ac cumulated a flue ot $1,000 and a term lu the penitentiary. The alien three cents n day tax law en acted by the last legislature of Pennsylvania las been solar plcxuscd for the second tlmo by the courts. Weather charts and wind agree In reftit- ng the report of the fracture of winter's lackboiic. Medicine dial Is doing business at tbo olJ gtand. A St. Louis clrl has nindo n new record lor prompt repartee. Provoked by a remark of a fresh young man , she retorted by basi ns ; him with a flatlron , Civilization Is making gratifying strides In Oklahoma. Miss Inm Hcllpoppcr has chanced her name to Ima Helper , and her action was approved by the courts. Peacefully Inclined crooks who stole a mill- : la cannon in Chicago did not convert It Into plowshares or pruning hooks. They con verted It Into cash at a Junk shop. Rapid transit Is evidently on the decline n Greater Now York. Fifty thousand straps invo been ordered by the street car com panies to enable the people to hang ou to .he present system. Freak legislation Is not confined to wcst- 'rn and southern states. An eastern legls- attire has scheduled a bill for the protcc- lon of the mephitis Americana. If It rc- 'crs ' to the perfumed "bird , " protection Is superfluous. Perhaps It is Intended to head off an Investigation of shady legislators. Colonrl Aho Slupsky , the distinguished re- ormcr statesman of Missouri , Is adding new aurcls to his well-adorned brow. The col onel has undertaken to absorb twenty pints' of beer dally for thirty days. Ho began ils great task on the 18th , and at last ac counts < was unloading his schoonera with comfortable regularity. It the pictures ot the colonel are. true to life , his storage ca pacity Is sufficient for the emergency. CLKIllCAb CUT Jl.YTES. Lny Sermon I'renclivd on n. Worldly Text. Chicago Chronicle. Why should a clergyman ask for or accept a half-rate faro .from a railroad ? This Is the real question Involved In the controversy between Ilcv. W. D. Walker of Jollet and the Western Passenger association. The details of that controversy are neither Interesting nor Important. Whether Mr. Walker Is being discriminated against be cause he attacked the railroads In the news papers Is a matter which is of little cense quence. It is equally unimportant to inquire whether the railroads are violating the interstate - state commerce act by refusing to Issue naif- faro tickets to Mr. Walker. The real ques tion is , Why should Mr. Walker or any other clergyman accept what is practically a char ity from a railroad company or from anybody else ? It may be admitted that the practice is ot long standing , but that docs not render tt right. "Donation parties" used to be con sidered entirely proper , but it would bo hard to find a clergyman today so lacking in eelf- rcspect as to become the recipient of tea , sugar , candles , muslin , kerosene oil , flour , bedclothes and other household necessities at the hands ot a drove of his parishioners. The time for that sort of thing If it over exiatcd has passed , The calling of a clergyman Is or It should be the most dignified and ennobling of all vocations. The man who enters upon the cure of souls and the ministry of God as sumes a task beside which other undertak ings are unimportant and Insignificant. Ills work affects the eternal welfare ot Ills fellow men. He is to a greatre or less degree , ac cording to his talents , the intermediary be tween the Infinite and the finite , the moEsen. ger of the .Almighty to humanity. It is not fitting that the man engaged In such a calling should bo an applicant for favors or for charity. The English clergy man of the seventeenth century who sat below ealt or dined in the servants' ball , who served 03 a butt fop the squire's Jokea and married my lady's waiting maid , Is fortunately a typo that Is gone forever. The modern clergyman is the servant of no one save the Master of all. At least , that should bo his position. He has no one but himself to blame If ho lowers the dig nity of his sacred calling. The laborer to worthy of his hire and the worker In the vineyard of 'humanity should bo remunerated In accordance with the Importance of his position. If ho falls to receive a compensation that will enable htm tohold his ihead up among his fellow men , to llvo like a gentleman and a clergy man , then ho should doff tbo sacred vest ments and turn to secular pursuits. He who wears the cloth cannot afford to ap pear as a mendicant. The dignity of his profession forbids it. Hov. Mr. Walker , therefore , la cham pioning nn unworthy cause when ho at tempts to enforce his "rights" to reduced railroad fares. Ho Is putting a humilia tion upon the clergy and placing ililmrclf in an attitude of unnecessary cclf-abase- ment. Ho te saying , In effect , to the world that the clergymen of the United States are so lacking In proper self-respect that they not only accept but demand a form of Dcml-charlty that ia otherwise restricted to assisted paupers. ' Wo do not believe that ho truthfully rep resents the sentiments of the American clergy. ' NATtOKAI * FHOSPKMITT. Son nil FnanOntton KilnMlikcd ov Vorrlirn C'nmmcrcr. Chicago Itcconl , The heavy Increase In our exports of mcr chtndUo In February ! contrary to ox- Isolations ot many who have looked for a turn In the tide of trade after the cnormoua movement of the last two years. The balanc * of trade In favor ot the United States con tinues steadily to grow. With an Increase In February of $14,7ni,602 In our exports , imports decreased 11,127,517. The curtailment In Imports ] no doubt Is duo to the operation of the present tariff law , but after tbo re * ptrlctcd Import movement since last July It may bo assumed that the surplus suppllm acquired prior to the establishment ot the DIngley ( schedules have nearly It uot quite been consumed. With the stocks In hand reduced to normal proportions. Imports should bo greatly In creased , owing to the Industrial activity an well ng to Improvement In mercantile busi ness in this country. The reason for th * enormous value of exports Is easily found lit the heavy shipments of cereals and higher lirlccs tltnt now prevail. Exports In the oilcndar year 1S97 , It will to remembered , wcro valued at $1,099,743.654 , the largrst ever recorded In our commercial history. wb.Uothe heaviest total for any fiscal year was $1,050,9D3CG lu the term ended June 30 last. The monthly average of merchandise exports In the calendar year , therefore , was $91.045,290 , and In the flacal year 1S97 , $87- BS2,79G. In the right months nf the present fiscal year ended with February the average exports hnvo been $108,091.177 , a rate which , If maintained In tbo last four months of the current fiscal year , will bring the total up to $1,297,000,000 , or nearly $200,000.000 greater than the record-breaking exports of the laat calendar jear. The merchandise Imports In February show a decrease of $ ClK5,2fiO , but the receipts ot gold Increased $5,027,743 , making the de crease In the whole movement only $1,127,517. The excess of exports In the month amounted to $38,420,473. or $15.919,200 larger than lu the same month lust year. 'For ' the clRht months exports have amounted to $501,729,415. or $70.990,557 larger thun In the eamo period of the pre vious fiscal year , and Imports to $450,661- 20j , a. decrease of $ C7,01C,30C. The exports and imports. Including specie , for the eight months compare thus : , 1S07-S. 1SM-7. Exports . $501.7:9.415 $793.732,858 4M.fiCl.305 Excess of exports . $40SOCStlO $ i70,053lS7 The Increapo In the balance of trade In fa vor of the United States amounts 4o $138.- 012,923. The favorable trade balance In the last calendar year was $357,112,000 , which was by far the -larceat oven known , yet the bal ance for these eight months alone exceeds It by $30,950.000. It is estimated that this balance exceeds all requirements for Ameri can 'Interest and dividend payments and all other llko disbursements , travelers' letters of credit , steamship currying charges and , all other Items included In the running ac' count against this country , by fully $27D - 000,000 , suggesting In POIIIO measure the 1m- menso proportions of the floating foreign balance duo the United Statcu. The ques tion very naturally suggests Itself , la the United States btlll to bo classed as a debto * The Influence of this enormous volume ot lntcrnatloi.nl trade , co greatly In our favor 'tends ' directly toward the tittmulation of our Internal commerce. It Increases the re ceipts of the government , and , In the settle ment of balances , odds to our gold holdings ? i".Jnsros us "Ealnst any drain of specie. \ \ Itn the Income of the nation augmented. the supply of Idle funds has been swelled to a point that far exceeds any legitimate de mand of trade and speculation , and , as a re- cult , money ratea have been lower than ever ° fr > ° known In all ib r. parts of the country. Political apprehension momentarily has at- feetod the market for tlmo loans , but rate * for call money remain practically the ame as in January. Our foreign commerce makes a sound foundat on for prosperity , the Interruption or which by fear of war or even actual boa. tilttica with such a power as Spain will 1 * only temporary. POINTED PI.tUASAirriUES. ° ist.1n' .T'ancrPt ' , | : Fuddy-Do you really that Baskcra cares much for his -wife ? Di'My-'Cares rcr her ? He , dotes on her ! fw 8/ * tlme8 ,1 vo known Mm t" nasly V'fe ' W" ° n She lmd to Brooklyn Life : The Elder-So you want ° dau ntcr. h ? I ke your The Younger You ought to , sir ; I've been three months working it up. Indianapolis Journal : He-There are. at * ta'Z ' Cincinnati Enquirer : "Where on earth , I haven't any exact Information , but m'Sht ' haVC BPne wlth iv- . , "MrJame" v Barnboo " , WIs. said the clerk at the ex press office , reading the address on the HN "What are the content. . 11 ' " " ' ' " repUed th . 'What 18 the value ? " ' ' - me. " she said , still mor ] Hartford Times. "You say my daughter ypB you ? " questioned the old man. " , tmi.suro , . ° " " " Pllwl the younir man. "Well , well , returned the old man. lookl ing the young- man over critically , "thero'a no accounting for ( notes. Is there ? " And somehow , although the young man knew that he ought to bo happy over the posses sion of the Klrl , ho couldn't help scowllnff nnd speculating ! on that remark of th old I.OVK-S oim.v IJLOSSOU. | Written for The Bee. 'TU but a yellow violet , Tie ! only one In bloom ; I plucked It In the woods' dim haunt * Of silence uml of sloom , 1 plucked It , darling , just for you , I plucked it and I thought how tfu That 'tis , the gloom oj llfo wo see And walk therein. ( Hut , sweet , your eyes are telling tno That In these haunts of jrrlef Ilnj Bm Trove's RoMen blossom still Is found And weaves Its spoil of sunshine round. THEODORA. Just a Glimpse fj is all that the windows af fords of the store's contents. Come in. We don't undertake - = = take to show half the styles or materials , or more than an example or two of the variety of patterns that we have in the store. If people were only judges of sound clothing , we shouldn't have to advertise , and we are doing all that we can to educate them up to a point of understanding the advantages of well-made garments , and the unwisdom cf buying the cheap stufl that is so common. Our children's clothing especially , is an instance of what clothes for the little ones should bs , and , by contrast with the common sorts , show the advantages of dressing small boys it ) durable and well-made suits.