.1 v TW9 OMAHA DAILY BHBj SATDITllAY , MAT .14 , 189S. ] _ TITE OMAHA DAILY BEE U. noaKWATBtl , Editor. rumiBiD MOKNINO. THUMB 01' BUUSCJU1TION. Dally lice ( Without Sunday ) . One Ycnr.r .W Dally Hofl nntl Sunday , Ono Year . f.W Hlx Month * . j-w Throe Months . * Sunday Hoc. Ono Year . * - 8ntiird.iy Ilec , Oni Ycnr Weekly Hoc , Ono Year * * OFFICH8. Omahas The HOP UulUtlne. South Omnlia ! Hlucer lllocK , Corner N and lh Htreet'1. Cuiincll iUufh : 10 Penrl Street. Chicago Olllce : S02 Chamber or Com merce. Now York : Tomnlo Court. Wnshlnuton : 501 Fourteenth Street. All communications relating to new * and cdltorlnl matter Hhould be addressed : io the Keillor. All buslneis letters and remittances nhould 1)0 addressed to The Hcc Publishing Company. Omiihn. Drafts. checks. express and postollleo money orders to be made payable to the order of the company. TJIR IJKK PUUL18HING COMPANY. STATKMENT OF CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska , Douglas county , sa. : Oeorso 11. Tzsclmck , secretary of The Ileo Publlahlng company , being duly aworn , nay * that the actual number of full and completa copies of The Dally. Mornlns , Kvctilng and Sunday Hee , printed during the month of April , 1S98 , was OH follo t : l 2i,2r.H is au.110 2 21 , IIS 17 24,202 IS 21.7-17 4 . air.si : 13 2.inro c . si,7ir. : c . ai.ina 21. 7 . iMot : ar.iia : 23 ! 2 , iu : 21. . . . 21,8:50 : 10 . si , o7 " " " " ' " " 11 . ao.ir.o . ! ! 12 . asHO 27 211,017 is . aia4r S 20r,41 14 . a Mini Ki 2 ,441 15 zn 20,0:1.1 : Total . 7H , sna returns and unsold copies . 17,42O Not total sales . 7 ,10T Not daily average . 25,639 QKOnOB n. TZSCHUCK , Sworn to before mo and subscribed In my presence this 30th day of April , 1S98. ( Seal. ) N. P. FKIL. Notary Public. The caball.stle loiters X. N. G. have transformed Into U. S. V. Pnlil-for police protection for Rumbling resorts docs nut always protect. Ono tlilnj ? wo limy depend on the new military illllos will outlast the war for eerurnl Among otlii'r popular things of 1SOS the Oinnhn exposition postage stamps urc going to take high rank. Hi war like elioss it Is tinunusual rarity when the losing opponent does not occasionally rupture a stray pawn. Dewey has uren thanked by congress , but who is there toillmnk the poets wlio 1 have made free with his mime In his 1 absence ? The minority party iin congress gives signs every day of being almost ns badly diviiled as the majority party in the Cortw. w that , the cuBf < TtO Manila Is again In working order thj special dispatches to the yellow fakirs under the Manila date line will not be so numerous. Credit to whom cmKt Is due. The prompt return of n verdict of guilty In the gamblers' 'trial shows how skill fully County Attorney Buldrlge handled this dlflicult case. Mayor Moores has dssnert a call for rthe peopje of Omaha to celebrate Satur day , May 21 , as Hag day. Patriotic citi zens Irrespective of class , creed or poli ties will respond In n belltt'rng manner. The army surgeons who are examin ing recruits are not given to preaching sermons on the baneful effects of nar cotics and stimulants , lint they are mak ing records that count for more than sermons. Heeent new * from Italy Indicates Unit Slgnor Oispl was on the right 'track when he stated a short 4lme ago that for Spain to go to war with 'the ' United States endangered other European gov ernments. Omaha is making grat Improvement In the condition of its sidewalks and the good work Hhould go on without In terruption. Visitors will take note of the sidewalks If 'they do not notlco an other thing. Last year It was the drouth in India that brought about u temporary separa * lon between the price of wheat and tin jtrlee of silver. This year it must be the drouth In California iUmt lias resulted in divorce without alimony. In Madrid the San Juan encounter I ; placarded ns a great Spanish victory I't ' will bo remembered that according tc original Madrid minonnccmcnts the bat tie of Manila was merely a skirmish ir which the Americans got slightly the bolter of It. \Vldle every day Is a ( lag day nhlt year , it Is well to have ituys special ! ) designated for display of the Hags li recognition of the fact that the defend ers of the stars and stripes are addinj to the reputation of that emblen throughout the world. Tiie redoubtable Charley Fanning ha admitted that he cannot qualify on i bond in the d * trK't court In a sum mor than $1,500. The same Charley Fan iilug , however , was accepted on a bom for $5 , < XN ) by ( Jovernor Holcomb's bogu police board reformers. The people of Omaha and Nebrask : lire glad to hear of the merited promt t. iirt of the army olllcers who have b > e familiarly Klentllied with the regiment HtntloiH-d at Nebraska uonts and the dv jmrtiiu'iit headquarters at Omaha. The are aU friends of this city and state. The Yankee HCII cuptalmi are engage In making ulnory ! , tind there la nom lilory-mnking : l > eing done by tli Ynnkeo lal iwii In congress at tli nm' > time. Mistaken made on Jhe so inny lw nvtlflwl In a day or two , but 1li that lira nmde In congress mu future TIIK CO.V/AV7 ffAVALJJATTLK. . An now Indicated , the next battle be > tween Spanish and Amcrktiu IIeels will be In the Caribbean sea. Admiral Samp son's . * Mundron ] and flic Spanish squad ron repon'tnl to bo off Martinique should meet within the next forty-eight hours If the latter Intends to give battle mid In any event It nmy be forced to tight , since It Is not apparent how It can uvuilj Hnmpson. The exact strength of the Spanish squadron is not known to our naval au thorities , but it is a formidable fleet , containing SOIIHI of the most powerful ships In Spain's navy and 4s expected to do effective lighting. There is no doubt , of course , in regard ; to the ability of tli2 American squadron to defeat and destroy the enemy , but we must not ex pect so onu-slded a battle as that at Man < Ila , It Is by no means Improbable tlnit.ln the coming fight we shall lose one or more of our ships and we must ( ( Hint upon a considerable loss of life. Tlie Impending battle will be a far bet ter ttst of modern fighting ships than was that at Manila and will probably also bettor , determine the relative skill of Sxinlsh | and American seamen. The result of the hiocrlng of these lleets may bo decisive of the war , so far us Spain Is concerned. If her squad ron b beaten and destroyed her cause will bo utterly hopeless. On the other hand , if the American squadron should suiter a reverse the effect would bo to glvo a new impulse to Siutln's Avar op erations and strengthen thn sentiment in favor of lighting < o the b'.tter onil. The question whether the war is to be protracted or of short duration will per haps be st-ttlcd by the result of the com lug naval battle. TIIK ATTACK ON SAN JUAN. The bombardment of the fortifications at San .luan do 1'orto lllco , by a par lion of Hear Admiral Sampson's squad rou , was without decisive result. The Spanish batteries were damaged , but whether very seriously or not does not appear from Sampson's report of the engagement. According , to Spanish re port no material Injury was done by the American guns , but a different state ment was not to be expected from that source. The Spanish gunnery appears to have been as poor ns usual und our hhlps were uninjured. There Is nothing especially Instructive In this Incident. Tlwre seems to be no reason to doubt that hud all of the American squadron been engaged the Spanish fortifications could have beoji reduced In a fv'W hours mid this sug gests that the tu.sk at Havana , If otn fleet shall ever be called' upon to bom bard the fortifications there , will not prove to l > 2 very dllflcult , although the defenses nf Havana arc considerably stronger than nt the I'orto Hlco port. We should engage the former , however , with a much more powerful force than the entire .squadron under Sampson , as sinning , of course , the destruction be forehand of ithu Spanish tleet a work which .the American squadron will , It Is hoped and expected , accomplish wlth i the next f > w 'days. ' That Is the task of lirst nml greatest Importance , for with that lleetdisposed of what would re main to be done , should Spain not sue for a "termination of hostilitres , would not be' very dllllcult or require much time. We should l > e able to deliver a decisive blow In Cuba at once' and carry out promptly whatever other operations .should be deemed necessary to the com pletion of our triumph. IMPKXD1XO CRISIS IN SPAIN. All Spain Js under martial law. The strong arm of military power Is every where present , ready to be mercilessly used in repressing ai' > teinpts"nt popular demonstration's of discontent and dis satisfaction. Throughout the kingdom the press has boon muzzled and any newspaper that shall dare to say any- thlng offens've to the government will take the risk of being confiscated and of- having the offending editor transported' to a penal colony. Ths cabinet Is falling to pieces , In sp'.tc of .the earnest efforts- Sagasta to hold It together. The resignation of several of Its members Is reported and there Is likely to be difficulty found In replacing 'them ' , for public men are not disposed to assume the responsibilities imposed by existing conditions and run the risk of destroying whatever popu larity they have as statesmen. The dis trust of the government must neces sarily be shared by any one who enters its service and how great that distrust Is has been shown by the debates In the Cortes. Factional divisions are strongly drawn. Carllsm and republicanism ure vigorously asserting themselves. The manifesto of Don Carlos , In which he referred to Sagasta as "the apostle of expediency" and said Of the queen re gent that she U unfit to cop * with the problems of state which confront her , was received by his adherents with en thusiasm. There seems to be no d&ubt that Carlos , who must be presumed to bo thoroughly Informed ns to the sltua- 1Ion In Spain , Is getting ready to again assort h's right iio the throne , thus Indi cating that he fully expects the over throw of the reigning dynasty. The re publicans In the Cortcw ure demonstra tive In demanding a change of govern ment , their loader urging that this should be accomplished even tit the. sac- rlllce of colonial possessions In order to save 'the nation from complete ruin. If he luis been correctly quoted , Sa gasta himself takes a most gloomy view is : of the situation. lie Is reported to have n said : "The future is In the hands of .0 fSoil ; none can foresee It" There Is n . sugge.stlon of hopelessness In this which ul was not present in the utterances of is Sagnstn and other Spanisli beforj , the destruction of their tleot at Mnn'la. On the contrary they wert u boastful and confident , but the people have been undi > iu > lv tl and will not be again deluded by biuve promises. II ts may be that the government Is stll e- clinging to the hope of Kuropenn Intervention - vention ; still trusting that the powers may be Iwl to take n hand before tin ruin of Spain Is nn accomplished fact Perhaps It may find some encourage ne nient in itlie assurance of French aiu he Austrian sympathy. If so It Is doomei ho 'to d.sappolntment. There will be in ea "convert of Kuropu" to dictate what tin he United States shall do m this war uy Spain must pay the full penalty of tin couUlct , whatever of wicrlUce and hu initiation It shall bring her. Thene niny be niliiliiilrod if Spain does not persist In protracting hostilities. The world realizes the hopelosmieM of her struggle. Let the nations that are In sympathy with her Induce her to abandon It and she can save some of her possec.dons and avert the ruin that Is otherwise Inevitable. VO H7DK 0//V / ; TOH'JV. Many business mon who occupy promi nent positions In the community and arc In good standing In society openly favor the reopening of public gambling houses during the exposition. Those people delude themselves Into the belief that gambling houses are essential 1o busi ness prosperity because they make money circulate. The Invariable experience of town * that have tolerated the opun gambling den contradicts 1hls assumption. In stead of helping business , gambling demoralizes - moralizes business and wrecks business men. Those who advocate n wide open town forget that the money so circulated Is money stolen from wage workers , farm ers , and other wealth-producers decoyed by hired stool-pigeons into places where they arc fleeced and plundered. They forgot 'that ' the money won by gamblers would circulate just the rfaiae In iJie legitimate channels of trade which "tip- ply the wants of the families of the vic tims of the card table and faro bank. They forgot also that public gambling Is the source of embezzlement , defalca tion and suicide among men who , with out tills temptation , would lead honest and frugal lives. They forgot that every treasurer convicted In this city and state can ascribe his downfall to gambling. Not only this , but most every scheme of corruption and bribery of our public officials can bo traced directly to Hie gamblers'gang who have operated upon the venal and vulnerable. They have time and again sought to bribe legisla tures Into legalizing gambling. Tlicy have notoriously bought police commis sions and police chiefs and police offl cers and -thus made efficient law en forcement Impossible. They have reached not only down to the low level of cheap politicians , but way up to the chief executive of Nebraska , from whom they have procured by their influence Ilia reappointment of their notorious tool , Itobert K. I.ee Hcrdmuu , as mem bcr of the police board of this city. 13uslnc-ss men who favor th& wide open towli seem -to forget that every public gambling house is recognized as a house of refuge for criminals , who always find there.congenlal spirits ready to conceal their booty , to advance them money , to go ithclr ball when arrested and to bring Influenvo 1o bear upon prosecutors and courts to get them out of the clutches of the law. These facts are attested by the records of courts and the oxiHH'ieuce of prosecuting attorneys , Onve entrenched in power tiic gamblers usually have no difficulty in destroying the memory of po liccmen , spiriting away wltncssc' ' and tampering with juries. Nearly every case of jury fixing can be traced directly to members of the pro fcsslonwho , not coretcnt with taking care of their own affairs , bring their cor rupting : machinery to the aid of confcd orates and sympathizers In other lines of crooked business. Under .Hie statutes of Nebraska the keeping of a gambling house Is n felony The law recognizes no difference be tween the professional gambler and the professional robber. When those who engage In this lawless business are made to understand that ithey take the same risk as the burglar and the foot pad , there will be an end to all the schemes for n wide open town. Although -there will , of course , always bo more or less card playing for money for amusement in club rooms , hotels or private houses , gambling Is not a neces sary evil. So long as those who Indulge ' in It aa private pastime do not prey upon credulous dupes , do not decoy and rob strangers , .they will not subject themselves io the penalties of the antl- gambling law. The American farmers do not pretend to know all that 'there is to know about corn growing. At a recent agricultural show In Paris a novelty exhibited was a variety of maize , said to have been imported from China , and Improved by cul-.lvntlon in France , which grows to maturity In seven weeks. The ears of tile corn are small and the cob slender , tints making It an excellent variety for fodder. It is proposed that 'this ' variety of corn be introduced Into England , Denmark , Sweden ami otlur countries where the American corn cannot be grown. If It Is successful there it will also bo found of great value Ju the northern part of the United States In the strictly hard wheat country. Representatives of < rwo American uni versities last week debated the question of restrictions on Immigration and de cided that the present restrictions Im posed by the United States government are iiiMimVUnt. Yet immlgiuuts are coming from Europe every week by the thousands and they are of the class tha make the best citizens. There is room for millions more , and even the colleges and universities would bo bettjr off for their coming. I And what are those good reform po lice commissioners going to do about the liquor license of the man convicted of turning his saloon into a gambling re sort ? Isthe pull of the gang on Com missioner Peabody as strong as ever ? la Commissioner Gregory still hypno tized ? From Hcrdmuu nothing , of course , Is longer expected by reputable and law-abiding citizens. Ill the Name of Mercy. Chicago Chronicle. "We shall bo only just to ourselves and merciful to Spain's colonial forces If wo hasten the inevitable by every means at our command. Here I.UBB Itoom Needed. Indianapolis Journal. Judging from tbe number of volunteers who have recently been rejected by medical examiners for failure In chest expansion , the common school ! ot tbo country can dc a national service by Instructing the generation In that operation. It U , by th * way , very beneficial to tbe general health and. Uwell worth practicing aside from any military connldcratlona. Comparatively few peronn know how 4n tine the chest and lungs aa nature ' "frflfrthem to bo used. 4\rf ( he People , KnnanMMty Time * . Preparations forlho Omaha exposition KO right ahead , which shows that the American people can have war. have fun and attend to business at thoWBie time. Tlint W r. Kansas City Star. The United Statotf Ulpolnn to Imvo some thing to say hereafter about who and what Its neighbors nro to be. And , by the way , It Is not going tothe - trouble and expense of driving Spain out pf Cuba to permit a " government In that "island that Is not en tirely friendly to this country. 'Pint Money In Hpuln. Philadelphia Record. U now takes two dollars in Spanish paper money to buy one dollar In gold. It Is seriously proponed by the flatlsts In congress to Imltnto the financial expedients ot Spain. It would bo so easy to pay our soldiers and sailors with a paper promise Instead of n dollar that would buy a dollar's worth. PntrlotlMin ConllntMl < o the Mouth. Chlcaco Chronicle. Whatever may bo the valor of the Insur gents under Gomez and Garcia , It is cvl- , dent that the Cubans in Florida prefer to devote their energies to the manufacture of cigars rather than seek glory In the tented field. From the 10,000 Cubans In Florida one monger regiment has been recruited , nd the members of that organization show io burning desire to be placed In the ad- anco guard. It is becoming more evident very day thnt we shall hnvo to capture uba single handed. The "patriots" arc trong only In pronunclamcntos , and at that nmo the Spaniards have the advantage rising from several hundred years' of con tant practice. Gonier. mill HIM McB. , Huston Transcript. If Gomez has with him , under his immo late personal commuud , 3,500 Insurgents , o has not a small force , but an oxcepilon- lly largo ono for a Cuban leader. An a ulo the insurgents have operated In small ands , very often not more than 300 r 400 being present' under one leader , 'ho ' most careful estimate we have card from an American observer long set- led in Cuba placed the total am oil utrcn ih f the insurgents at about 35,000 men. The ibserver had , up to a year ago , never seen * nero than 2,500 Insurgents in ono body , end uch a strength was exceptional. Tims cor respondents who think Gomez Is weaken ng because he has 3,500 men with him nro mistaken. Ho Is concentrating and drawing Is scattered bands to his headquarters. Go mez Is also ono of the men who Know howe o "make a little army go a long way. " I.OSSIQS IX NAVAL BATTLES. loilvrit SlilpN LVN DmiKeroiiN to Life tlinii the ( Mil AVooilcn Ci-ulncm. Philadelphia Press. The difference between the American and Spanish losses in the-naval battle fought n the harbor of Manila Is probably the greatest known in an engagement of Its izo and importance. The Spanish loss will never be known accurately. The defentct Ido rarely or never ascertains and pub- Ishes the number of it's dead and wounded t is left in a great degree to conjecture Dut at Manila tlfp Spanish loss will un doubtedly reach 700 , and It may go to 1,000 which compared with the six wounded anc none killed on the American side is a dis parity not equaled In recorded history. There Is , however almost always n wide Ifference between tlie losses of the Ictors and the vanquished , and especially in naval battles. This is rue of modern as woli as of ancient Imcs. The most modern instance before Manila was the battle of the Yalu be tween the Japanese and the Chinese. The reported loss of the former was ninety killed and 204 wounded. The Chinese clalmec only thirty-six killed and elghty-elgh wounded , but it In knovn that there were from COO to 700 Chinese drowned. Goln ) back to tbe war of 1812 It U found tha there was a considerable difference in al the well' known contests on the water be- .wcen the Americans and the British. In ho battle between the American frigate Constitution and the British ship Guerrlerc only seven men were killed on the former while the latter had fifteen killed and slxty- .hree wounded. The difference in casualties in this Instance was not so great as a little ater when the American frigate , the United States , met and vanquished the British ahl Macedonian , the former having five men killed and seven wounded , while the latte had thirty-six killed and elxtjr-elgh wounded. Another naval duel in the same war was between tbo Constitution and the British ship Java , resulting in an American loss o thirty-four killed and wounded , and a Brit Ish loss of 161 killed and wounded , or nearly five to one. In a third engagement th same frigate Constitution captured the Brit Ish ships Cyane and Levant with a loss o only four killed and ten wounded , while th two British ships had .thirty-five killed and forty-two wounded. In the three naval bat ties fought by Constitution she had in all only sixty-two men killed and woundec while the four ships she fought with bad total of 316 killed and wounded , or ovc five to one. The record of other naval en gagements of the war of 1812 shows a great- disparity in the number of killed and wounded and Invariably in favor of the American side. The two successive Ameri can ships known as the Wasp had three noted engagements with British ships , and the total loss on the American side was thirty-eight killed and wounded , while the total British loss was 171 killed and wounded. Tbo Hornet and the Boxer also had engagements with British ships In which the difference In losses was as great and always against the latter. The superior character of American sea manship and gunnery became BO apparent In the war of 1812 that even the English themselves had to admit It. The London Times of October K , 1813 , in commenting r.yon oneof these % ea fights , said : "The feet seems to be but tbo clearly established that the Americans have some superior mode of firing an'd-i\vo cannot be too anxiously employed' ' In ( discovering to what circumstance that"/ superiority Is owing. " The British admiralty , also acknowledged American superiority1 'by ordering British ships to cruise in company and never to engage an American'ship ' single handed. In the eighty-five years that havn passed since the close of the war < jf 1812 the American navy has had no fatr ! opportunity , before the battle of Manila , to'show ' that It is made of the tame stuff andis animated by the same Invincible spirit that Inspired it In tbe early years of the cdntury. A comparison between the losses In naval battles fought In the' old wooden ships and the modern Ironclads is greatly in favor of the latter. At the battle ot tbe Nile tbe French are estimated to have lost 5,225 while the total British loss was 895. At the battle of Trafalgar tbe allied French and Spanish loss wa reported to be between 6.000 and 7,000. The British lou was said to be 1,587. In other naval engagements in tbe old wooden battleships tbe loss wa proportionally tionally as largo. So tbe modern Ironclad la doubtless a life-saver am well as a destroyer , and the Ionic range , rapid fire gun , by ending a battle quicker , resullg in fewer fatalities. But in tbe old wooden ship or In the new Ironclad American uperlorlty on tbe BM ftr la equally evident from tbe much smaller number of louea on 1U id . OTIIK.lt I.A.XDS THA * ODHS. Italy has been going down hill In n poltt- cal sense for years. The high hopci ot lavour and tbo patriots ot the time of lurllmlcll appear not to have been realized by the plain people of the country. Civic Irtuc docs not seem to nourish In the Hal- an atmosphere. The Parliament has been orrupt almost from the beginning ot United taty. Ministers have been obliged to bo orrupt and corrupters to retain power. As eng OB foreign loans could bo placed money was borrowed to spend on log-rolling chcmcs ot deputies. Much has been spent n n navy , much on the army , much on the \byeslnlan colony , but it Is all but a trnc- lon ot , what has stuck to the hands ot ccr- upt dcptitlcs and corrupt officials. 1'ailla ment the source ot all power being thus otten , taxes have become unendurable , "here ts , It seems , no hope of relief , because ho people will not elect n better class of men. All are self-seeking , trying each to prey on someone clso under the fornu of aw. The people , as usual , blame everybody else but themselves. One holds the King responsible for the bard times , another the nobility , n third the government , lluvolu- lon Is preached openly and the liizy as n-oll as the hungry are Invited by agitators to sclzu on everything In sight. Spain , It mny > e added , is in much the same condition and for like reasons. Corrupt , unlntelllgpnt leputles , served by corrupt officials , II.T.VO exhausted the resources of the government and arc powerless to meet emergencies. Spain's position Is even woreo than that ot tuly , since Italy has no war on its bands and may pull through. The payment of the flnal Installment of he Chinese indemnity to Japan , amounting to $60,000,000 , ought to put the Japanese government In good shupo for carrying out ts plan of adopting the gold standard of value. It has this large gold fund In the Dank of England to draw upon. Probably no other government In the world has been of late years making heavier drnfto upon the resources of its people than the Japan ese government. Its expenditures have been In excess of 20 per cent of the whole an nual Income of the population. With n ces sation of the extraordinary expenditures growing out of the expansion of the anny and navy , which did not stop with the end ing of the war with China , It may be pos sible for Japan to keep the place It has so suddenly acquired as a force to be reckoned with In the determination of Asiatic affairs ; but it is very doubtful. The pace has been too rapid. We should not expect any other power than Japan to succeed. It uau , how ever , done so much In the last thirty years and has so far outrun expectation that it may continue to be the surprise of the cen tury. * * It Is Incredible that the German people should continue the efforts of the Agrarians Io restrict the franchise , and It Is most un likely that any such attempt will meet with popular favor. The empire has progressed under universal franchise , and but for the staggering load of militarism would bo , to day , highly prosperous from the energy and drift of the population. The emperor wisely refrains from Interfering In the verbal warfare over the suffrage which agitates all classes of his subjects. No matter how hot the disputes may be In the llelchstag nor how revolutionary may be the sentiments of the socialists , they arc , so far , outwardly loyal and urge no reforms unless by constltutlona means. Universal suffrage ts not only the safeguard of German institutions ; It is likewise a safety valve for discontent. Muz zle the people by denying them popular rep resentatlon , and the criticism of the govern ment , which expends Itself harmlessly in the Reichstag , will become a destructive agent finding vent only In open revolution itself With characteristic Bourbonlsm , the reac tlonarles either fall to perceive this or else thoyjgnprp it , but the War Lord recognizes it , and' , much as he detests socialism , re fuses to become an"actlve agent in the un wise and even dangerous policy which the agrarians advocate. Outwardly , the maneuvers of the rival European powers in China are at pause From Odessa and Vladlvostock the Russians are sending troops , engineers , ships , artll lery and munitions of war generally In numbers and quantities to Port Arthur. As rapidly as Russian energy and resources can accomplish the task , it will become a strong naval and military station , practically closed to all men but the subjects of the czar. There are shrewd suspicions , espec ially In London , that the neighboring Ta- llen-wan , In spite of Russian assurances , will in the end much more resemble Per Arthur than a port open to the commerce o the world. The German zeal for the devel opment of the commercial and mining possl billtles of the district behind Klao-Chou is almost enthusiastic , and there is no sign ye of any abating of the promise of full free dom of trade. France sought Its concessions more to keep pace with the other powers than to make real use of them , and they are likely to bring little advantage or dlsadvan tago to trade. The result of tbe French parllamentar ; elections Sunday means the continuance lu power of Premier Mellne for some time longer , barring unexpected upheavals. Ho has already held office two years and a few more months will make his ministry the longest in the history of the third republic M. Mellno stands for conservatism , oppor tunlsm and mediocrity In home affairs. Hi supported the army in the Dreyfus and ( Zola cases and thus kept on the popular sld of the anti-Semetle question. At the sam time , he caters to the farming class by hi bimetallism and to the wealth of France by opposing the income tax program of th more moderate radicals. Socialism , o course , he repudiates entirely. In foreign affairs the foreign minister , M. Hanotaux has full rein , and ho has succeeded , appar ently , in winning popular confidence In Franco more than any foreign minister o his time. England holds sway over a territory fifty three times as great as the area of France fifty-two times as large as Germany , three and a half times as largo as tbeUnltcc _ States and three tmes | as largo as the whole of Europe. Its population is more than three times as great as that of all Rus sla's possessions , British territory embrace- more than 11,000,000 square miles , occuple one-fifth of the whole globe and contain 3SO.OOO.OOO souls , one-fifth of the world' population. England's possessions are scat tercd over four continents , embrace 10,00 islands , 2,000 rivers and 500 promontories With all this territory and this enormou Tbe Royal U tb highest grade twkiag powder fcmwa. Actual testa bow it goes MO- Uilrd further than any other brud. HOVM. tuna rowe eo. , ntwvex. lopuUtlon , with itt vast .wealth and tinllm- tcd credit , with Its historic pluck and In- otnparabty the greatest navy In the world , t Is not strange that tbo other nations nro cry polite to England. 111 nil ml Mniiiiixiin'o Miiiinilron nnil the S iitnl h Arnmiln. Having definitely located the Spanish fleet hlch untied from Capo Vcrdo , April 9 , the econd naval battle ot the war will be ought In a few days. The Spanish fleet IB t Martinique , distant COO miles from Porto : lco , where the American licet has been at \ork the last two days. Admiral Sampson vas sent southward to find the Spanish ( ! " > ' . nd test Its metal , and ns he is out for iiislncss and anxious for the fray n trial of trcngth will be had Just as soon ns tliu American fleet gets within range. Speculation on the outcome ot the battle s not permissible. To entertain it doubt of American success Is to discredit history. .caving seamanship and gunnery out of the question , the American fleet Is superior to the Spanish In number of ships , touting. ; , guns and men. To this must be added the unequalled marksmanship of American gun ners , which ts half the victory , The Aniol'- ' cnn fleet consists of eight ships , as follows : \rmorcd cruiser Now York , battleships Iowa and Indiana , monitors Puritan , Terror and Amphltrltc , cruiser Montgomery and the auxiliary torpedo gunboat Mayflower. The combined tonnage of the Meet Is 47.S27 tons against 36,000 tons of the Spanlnh Meet. The \mcrlcan fleet Is armed with 160 guns , cnpa- ilo of throwing 23,247 pounds of metal tone ono discharge. It has a complement of ,601 men and carries nineteen torpedo tubes. On the Spanish licet nro 140 guns , capable f discharging 10,582 pounds of metal In one round. It Is manned by 2,467 men and has .wenty-clght torpedo tubes. The advantage n favor of the American fleet Is still de cided In the heavier armor of thu battle ships and the low freeboard of the battle ships and monitors , particularly so In the alter. On the other hand the Spanish cruisers stand high above water , furnishing an excellent target for gunners. There Is some doubt as to the Puritan being with .he fleet , some dispatches locating It at Mantnnzes. The probabilities arc that It Is with the fleet , because It Is rated as a better sea going vessel than Its twin ship * The navy expert of the New York Sun , discussing the possibility of the Oregon and ; ts consort withstanding nn attack by the combined fleet , points out the great strength of the so-called Armada ns follows : "These tour fast war ships have so often been re ferred to in press dispatches ns "cruisers' ' that the Impression has gone abroad that they ore ships like our protected cruiser Olympla , or , at the best , our armored cruis ers New York and Brooklyn. "The Oquendo , Maria Teresa and Vlzcnya are sister ships of a class not found In tht American navy cruising battleships. The > carry battleship armor , 12-Inch side belts and 10-Inch gun protecting armor. The armor Is much Inferior In quality to the Oregon's , ( sister ship of the Iowa and the Indiana ) , but it Is sufficiently heavy to keep out nil but the heaviest shells. The armament of these ships Is much superior to that of our cruisers , but Inferior to the Oregon's. Each ship mounts a pair of 11- Inch guns , ten 5.5-Inch gnus ( the Vlzcaya's being rapid-fire ) , In addition to sixteen small guns , similar to those on the Oregon The Colon Is a less formidable ship , but she too , Is a fighting cruiser. She carries 6-lncl armor and her heavy guns are a pair of 9.8-lnch rifles. She Is remarkably strong In rapid-fire guns , mounting ten 6-Inch and six 4.7-lnch guns of this type. She has been built but a short time and is .regarded as one of the finest cruisers afloat. "No mention has been made of the fight ing qualities of the destroyers Furor , Plu- ton and Terror. The uncertain clement of modern naval warfare is the torpedo : Naval authorities are very clearly unanimous in the belief that rapid-fire guns have con quered the torpedo boat as an clement In fleet action. Our ships at Manila , with their Inadequate armaments of rapid-fire guns , had no difficulty in driving off the hrco Spanish torpedo boats which attempt * ! to got within firing range , Th Spanish officers of these mi armored and practically inarmed crnft exhibited lKnM heroism la running directly into the dendly fire of tbe rnpld-fire guns , until one of the boats wai ilown In two by an explosive hpll , * ai ? ho other two were riddled by shot. " AIHY NOTIMMIS. IndfunatKills Journal : "You don't nocm much occupied , " unld the rural visitor In the "imlatlnl rafo. " "No. " unit ! the bouncer , "nil I Imvo to do U to till rimh orders. " Detroit Journal : "One wnllov doesn't make n Hummer , " remarked the observer of men nml things , "but she makes u danger- OUB Imitation. " Judge : Mrs. Shaekolford-Tlipy nay that n MlMlnct monn romrn from Nluffimi. Mr. Slmckelfonl- xuppimp thai Is bo- cnumj Magura Is plui-cit in n falls position. Oilcns < r Tribune : "M this the man we nro to Initiate tonlfhtV" asked thu Illus trious Conductor. "It 1st. " replied the Outside Guard. , Thi ; Illtistrlotm Condui'tor walked nrouml the KO-pouml ciuiilliliUe , Inspected him care fully uiul turned tu his nK l tunt. " 1'ut the coat back , " hu walil , "anil bring mo n mulul' Huston TrntiHcrlpl ! Fudd.v Let's go und hear Mat cow ; ho U Rotting oft somu of hl be t jokes to thiiHu KtiBllshmen. Duildy How do you know ? You can't hear what hu Is tiilklnc about. Fuddy Ilut 1 can see how solemn the inull ! lniieii look. Detroit Free Press : "What do you find the most common tldliblon amonK your i > u- UrntH. doctor ? " "That wu physicians care nothing about hill-Ing our bills paid. " t Chicago News : "Darling , do you think your father Is reconciled to our engage ment ? " "Yes , Arthur ; ho asked mo last night what your naino won. " Detroit 1'reo Press : "I thought your American gentlemen prided themselves on standing up for the weaker sox , " laughed the pietty girl from HlasKOW , as she swayed from a strap I" the street car. In thu twinkling of an cyu there wure a dozen seats at HIT disposal. Washington Star : "You see , " said the man with n theory , "alcohol Is harmful be cause It ih'coinpoMes thu water in thu human system " "Which , " Interrupted Colonel Sttlwcll gravely ; "proves the correctness of my alignment that a gentleman ought not til put wntah Into his system In thu tirst place. Judge : Mediator HU'J bin goln' on llko dat for a week , He don't Kit no sleep , but keeps moniitn1 an' mentlonln' yer natnu. l.lzzle Does he refuse lilo wit ties ? Mediator Oh , no ! Lizzie Dun It Isn't love wot's a-wcvryln * him. Wet ho wants Is exercise. Mtixlfiit Muliol. Soniervllle Journal. When Mabel plays , the neighbors cloio Thulr windows tlKht. and curl their toes , And softly swear , If they arc men. And Krlt their teeth , and wonder when She'll stop. Oh , they aru doleful day ) , When Mabel plays ! Hut when she plays and sings ! Ah , mot That Is thu height of misery ! Her discords throiiKh thu night air wall , And women faint , und men Krow pale ! Such biiflerliiK her imtslu brings , When Mabel slims ! IMIli : YE TO TIIE FIGHT. Frank L. Stanton In Atlanta Constitution. Our ships have put to sea. And to windward and to lee The old fhiK Is ilylnir , llyintf , Hying ; And It ripples Its red bars And the glory of Its stars Where the spirits of the stormy deep ar crying : "On to the fight Let the stars ot Freedom light The land beneath th tyrant's banner gory ; Till every tyrant lias Is n torn and trampled rag , And alone. In the sunlight waves 'Old Glory ! ' " Our ships have put to sea , And thu llsht ot Liberty Dawns o'er a people sad and dying ; Tlie chains of thrnlldom break. And the thrones of tyrants ulmko While the spirits of the stormy deep ar crying : "Faro yc to the Unlit ! Let the stars of Freedom light The land beneath the tyrant's banner gory ; Till every tyrant llaK In a torn and trampled rag , And alonu In the Junllght waves 'Old Glory ! ' " "If men wish to be held in esteem , . they must associate with those only who are estimable. " . . Likewise , if they wish to be well dressed they must buy clothing only that is estimable Good clothes depend just as much for their charac ter on the character of the makers , as do goods of any other sort. We have been making clothing for a great many years , and are always ready to stand back of any garment with a guarantee that insures perfect satisfaction of the purchaser. Just now we are selling clothing of our well known standard of excellence at lower prices than we ever quoted before for instance , blue and black cheviot sack suits for men at $6 , fancy cheviot at $7.50 , blue serge at $9 and $ JOand a genuine Eng lish clay worsted cutaway suit at $10 that can't be duplicated in the city for less than $ J8. There are any quantity of good values here now , and you remember the old proverb , "The early bird catches the worm. " 6 * W. Cor. lOth and Douglmm at * . ;