THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : FRIDAY , DECEMBER 0 , 1898. THE OMAHA DAILY BEE E. KOSEWATER , Editor. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNINO. .TERMS OP SUBSCRIPTION. Dally Bee { without Sunday ) , Ono Year. . $ .uo Dally Heo and Sunday , Ono Year 800 Six MonthH 400 Three Months , 200 Sunday lite , One Year 2.00 Saturday Bee. Ono Year l.M Weekly Bee , One Year 65 OFFICES. Omaha : The BOP Building. South Omaha : Sinner Hlock , Corner N and Twenty-fourth Streets. Council Bluffs ! 10 Pearl Street. Chicago : Stock Exchange. Bldg. Tjew York : Tpmnlo Court. Washington : 601 Fourteenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communications relating to ncwa and editorial matter should bo addressed : To the Editor. Editor.BUSINESS BUSINESS LETTERS. Business letters nnd remittances should be addressed to The Hce Publishing Com pany , Omaha. Drafts , checks , express and nostofflce money orders to bo made Payable to the order of the company. THE 'BEE ' PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska , Douglas County , ss. : George B. Tzschuck , secretary of The Bee Publishing- company , being duly sworn , saya that the actual number of full and complete copies of The Dally , Morning , Evening and Sunday Bee , printed during the month of November 1898 , was as fol lows : 1 2B.01B 10 24.4II2 2 a 1,877 17 21,11(1 3 2,8 1. IS 21.07U 4 24t30 : C 20 aiC0 | ! e 7 24.M22 23 U 8 t..24SMl : 23 9 UO.7.1O 21 10 27,8:12 23 24.U1U 11 24,427 26 23U2t : 12 2I.21H ) 27 24,855 13 24.H2.1 28 2iN81 : 14 24Ur , a 29 21,7:11 : 15 24,300 30 24.42U Total . . .747iJ4 Less unsold and returned copies. . . . 1RI2M : Net total sales 7U1,8 < M1 Net dally average ! MiU3 : GEORGE B. TZSCHUCK. Sworn to before me and subscribed In my presence this 30th day of November , 1S93. N. P. PEIL. Notary Public. Now that the scalping bill has gone to the United States senate , every senator will have to look out for his ecalp. What au appropriate Christmas present another distribution of exposi tion surplus funds would make for the stockholders. No popocratlc member of congress will be doing his full duty who does not In troduce a resolution for another war In vestigating commission. America expects to lend the world In Its bicycle exhibit at the Paris exposi tion. That Is because the wheels go round so much faster lu this country than In the more slow-going nations of Europe. The First Nebraska boys have earned discharge If auy of the volunteers have earned It. The order for their return homo to be mustered out would unques tionably be the most acceptable holiday greeting that could be sent them. The president has asked congress to make provision at once for the taking of the 1000 census. The people of Omaha should take the hint by beginning at once to make provision for a creditable standing when the enumerators come around. There are doubtless urgent reasons why Douglas county should have anew now Jail , but the Jail problem cannot well bo separated from the court house problem. When the time arrives to take the question up It must bo con sidered lu all Its many bearings. The popocratlc organs are becoming extremely anxious to stir up strife among the ranks \ > f the republicans lu the coming legislature. The repub lican legislators , however , may be de pended on to appreciate' this popocratlc solicitude for their welfare at Its true worth. The chairman of the house committee on immigration has wisely decided that the Immigration bill can wait. If the United States la to annex all the stray Islands of the Pacltlc and leave the doors open there may be no need of further legislation for the restriction of immi gration. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ True , wo want few changes In the Omaha charter , but we want those changes all In the Interest of the gen eral taxpayer and mass of the citizens and not lu the interest of frauchlscd corporations , city contractors , grasping taxeaters or taxshirkiug property owners. According to the offlciul statement 5130,000 of the $50,000,000 emergency war fund has been expended by or placed at the disposal of the American representatives on the Paris peace com mission. Peace commissions camehigh , but not quite so high OB a war estab lishment. Things must bo getting to a pretty pass when members of the facksonlan club democracy are referred to as bolt ers for refusing to support a man whom the Jacksonlau club by resolution de nounced only three years ago as a bolter and traitor to the democratic party who forfeited the respect of all decent democrats. It should be easy enough to establish the notorious fact that Nebraska cor poratlons have expended hundreds of thousands of dollars to corrupt legis lative bodies and to procure favorublo legislation or prevent objectionable leg ( station. What would Interest the pub lic more would be the exposure of the bribe-givers aud the bribe-takers. Democrats in congress never cease to lament the decadence of the merchant marine of the United States. Repub licans regret the fact as much a j the opposition. The difference bftweei the two parties lies in the fact that the republicans seek to correct the evil , while the democrats Just as persistently oppose any measure which gives prom ise of accomplishing this result A popocrat divorced from his chronic habit of grumbling would be at a loss ' t know what to do with himself. THE THE ATI" FlStSHKD. The announcement that agreement has been reached on nil the matters that will be embraced in the treaty of pence and thnt negotiations on the part of the commissioners are nt an cud , will cause a general feeling of relief. There 1ms been no doubt , of course , since Spall ) yielded to the AmeVlcnu demands ill re gard to the Philippines that n treaty would be concluded , but the recent tem per of the Spanish commissioners caused apprehension that the negotiations might drag along for n considerable time nnd it appears from the dispatch that the American commissioners even thought a rupture possible. It is not dlfllcult to understand thnt the Span- lards should be , under the circum stances , lu anything but nu amiable mood , yet the exhibition of ill-temper nnd resentment they made was not at all creditable. The treaty will include little outside of the terms of the protocol , most of the other proposals submitted by the Amer ican commissioners having been re fused , among them thnt for the ccssiou of a coaling station in the Caroliue is * lands. It Is highly probable that the offer made by the United States for a coaling station was rejected In the ex pectation of being able to make a hotter deal , either with this country or some other. Although there has been a de nial , said to be semi-official , that Ger many wants a coaling station In the Carolines , it will not be at all surprising to find that country negotiating for one after the conclusion of peace between Spain aud the United States. The mat ters not disposed of by the treaty which were presented by our commissloucrs will become the subject of negotiation through the regular channels of diplo macy when these are again open. The treaty to become operative must be ratified by the United States senate and the Spanish Cortes. The latter will not convene until next month , Sagnstn having refused to cull It together sooner. Perhaps the trenty will not be laid be fore the senate earlier than January. At all events it will probably be at least two mouths before It is ratified , assum ing that it can command the required two-thirds vote In the senate , which is not now assured. There Is no doubt as to Its prompt ratification by the Cortes , In which the Sagasta government has an overwhelming majority. THE CUBAN ANJHEXATtONlSTS. The assurance given by President Mo Klnlcy that the promise of the United States that Cuba should have an inde pendent government shall be faithfully carried out has not wholly discouraged the annexation ists. One of the organs of this clement , the Philadelphia In quirer , declares that Cuba must be an- ucxed. "Let congress take the commonsense mon-sense view , " eays that paper. "Ac cording to the president himself , the war was Justified as one of self-preservation ou our own part and our interests can only be preserved by maintaining con trol over the islaud. Cuba will have far greater freedom and Independence as a part of the United States than as a sep arate nation continually torn by strife and revolution. Leave her to herself and it cannot be long before the same old conditions will prevail and wo shall have to send our troops there to do the flghtlug all over again. Far batter end the matter now. Cuba's destiny Is with the United States and military occupa tion should be followed by annexation and that annexation , with our hold upon the Island * can very readily be arranged for without a resort to force. " Our Philadelphia contemporary would fiercely resent any reflection upon the Integrity and honor of this government , yet it counsels a coursa which would place the nation In a most dishonorable position before the world and Justly de prive us of the respect and confidence of the world. We are glad to believe that a very large majority of the Amer ican people are In full accord with the position of President McKlnley. OAOE ON TUB CURHENCY. The consideration which Secretary Gage gives in his annual report to the question of currency and banking re form is not likely to materially strengthen the cause which he unques tionably has most earnestly at heart. He has really added nothing of sub stantial value to the discussion of this question and ns the arguments which had been presented In favor of elimina ting the legal tender notes from the cur rency have failed to convince the people ple or a majority of the business men of the country of the wisdom of that proposition , or of the necessity for such a policy , we do not think that the latest contribution of the secretary of the treasury to the discussion will make a very great impression. The American people are extremely practical. They are Influenced and guided largely by facts rather than theories. This country has had lluau- clal experience as varied as any other nation aud It is not necessary to go out side of this experience for lessons. Ono thing the majority of the American people are convinced of Is that their currency must be sound-that the mone tary standard must bo the standard of the civilized world. Another thing they know Is that the country has grown enormously In industries , com merce and wealth during the last thirty years , lu which period the legal tender no tes have constituted a large part of the currency. Mr. Gage implies that this money has been and still is an ob stacle and embarrassment to industry and commerce. It is easy to assume this , but impossible to demonstrate It. The United States has made greater progress lu the last thirty years than any other nation. Can any rational man believe that wo should have accom plished more If we had had a paper-cur rency Issued exclusively by the banks'/ Mr. Gage says of the legal tender money Issued by the government that It is a deranging aud disturbing factor In Its relation to Industry and commerce. When has It shown Itself to be so ? Sll'- ver legislation that impaired financial confidence caused a demand for the re- dewptloq of legal tender notes nnd this for 11 time had an unsettling and disturbing effect , but except during this brief period there has .been no derange ment or disturbance to Industry and commerce that ran fairly bo attributed to the presence of the greenbacks In the currency. It is true there have been panics In the last thirty years , but there were panics before there wera government Issues of pnper money and besides such experience has not been , peculiar to the United States. Other countries whose governments do not issue notes have panics. Secretary Gnge wants n system that will give more elasticity to the currency. Doubtless this is desirable , but is It not practical without eliminating the legal tender notes ? The banks nre free to issue notes to nuy cxteut for which they deposit the required security. Lot them bo given some ndditlonal Induce ment to take advantage of this privi lege , as permission to issue notes to the par value of bonds deposited to secure circulation. The secretary of the trea's- , ury Is entirely correct In saying that there Is an honest prejudice against the proposal to substitute bank Issues for government notes nnd he must also realize that It is very strong and gen eral. Nor docs it arise , as he asserts , "from a failure to comprehend the true philosophy of a paper currency. " but rather from a well-deflned conviction that It would not bo in the public Inter est to give to the banks a monopoly of the paper currency of the country. A'O ItEACTION VISIBLE. The most plausible excuse with which people consoled themselves who dis couraged "the Trausmlsslsslppl Exposi tion project was that a reaction was certain to follow Its close that would nullify all the good Omaha might de rive from the enterprise. Chicago , San Francisco , Atlanta and other cities were held up ns examples where the after effects of the expositions held there were most harmful and demoralizing to the business Interests of the community. The predictions were likewise ventured that before the Omaha exposition had closed Its gates a week Omaha would wish it had never taken up the exposi tion plan. The Trnnsmlssisslppi Exposition passed into history six weeks ago , but the much-heralded disastrous rcnctlon is not visible , nor nrc there any signs of its approach. Of course the floating population attracted solely by the show has in a measure thinned out , but the permanent gains are evident on every baud. The demand for dwellings and tene ments is greater in Omaha today than at any similar period. The working classes are generally employed. Busi ness Is brisk in all lines. Although a rigorous winter has set In , the pressure for charitable relief is so small that it Is not to be compared with the recent years of industrial depression. What Is more important , the confidence of Omaha In Itself has begotten a confi dence in Omaha abroad that cannot fall to redound constantly and continuously to its benefit by promoting .Investments . and stimulating population growth. It Is wife now to assert that all ap prehensions of an Injurious reaction 'from the exposition have proved ground less and'visionary. 1 Those Cubans have the proper'concep tion of the , problem how to bring Cuba up to..the. plane of modern civilization and self-government who have fallen in with the plan for an effort toward educating the people of the Island. The people of means In Cuba at present are well educated , but as In all Spanish speaking countries , particularly In those directly under Spanish rule , the masses are densely ignorant The world's history has demonstrated too thoroughly to bo questioned that no country is capable of self-government with any great measure of personal lib erty in which the masses arc illiterate. Castcllar , the most broad-minded man in Spain aud an ardent republican , has been compelled to admit that the people ple of that country are for this reason unfit for a republican form of govern ment That plans for educating the masses In Cuba arc seconded by the intelligent Cubans themselves Is the best encouragement for the future of the country. Evidences are multiplying that the great rival steel manufacturing con cerns In this country are fortifying themselves for a struggle for supremacy in the home markets which may have results amounting almost to a revolu tion In that Industry. The new Federal Steel company on the one hand and on the other the Carnegie and other great concerns of Pennsylvania , which have heretofore dominated the market , are each securing sources of supply in iron nnd coal mines and transportation facilities. This will place them prac tically independent of outside intlu onccs nnd enable them to produce and transport for themselves every thing from the raw material to the finished product. Backed by unlimited capital aud managed by aggressive and cxperleuced men , tills struggle of the giants cannot but strengthen American Iron and steel products in the markets of the world where they already occupy a command Ing position. Charles Wooster , the Merrlck county statesman , wants it distinctly under stood that he Is against any Omaha ex position this year , last year , next year or next century. The only wonder Is that the recent exposition proved n success in the face of the persistent op position of the Mcrrick county man. This is as much of a puzzler as the question why the wheel continued to re volve after the fly had alighted upon it It Is announced that General Wheeler will see no more active service in the army , but from now on will devote his time to congressional duties. The gen eral can furnish useful Information to his democratic colleagues regnrdlng tho. conduct of the recent war , though it is probable his well known views will not be greatly sought after by those who think they can make capital by perpetual war investigations. Haverhlll , Mass. , Is the first city in the United States to have a socialist mayor , or , more strictly speaking , a mayor elected on an out-and-out socialist platform. He will have the. backing ot three members of the city council , elected nt the same time , though this1 Is not enough to give them the control of that body. This fact may bo fortunate for Hnverhlll , bi t unfortunate for other communities which have n desire to learn Just how the socialist theory will work in actual practice under conditions existent In this country , but whose curiosity does not go to the extent of bclug willing to take the chances of ex perimenting for themselves at their own cost. There Is little to Interest creditors In a majority of the petitions In bankruptcy filed In the federal court. In most cnscs the petitioner has several thousand dollars of cleats , and no assets. Wher ever the debtor has failed to take ad vantage of the restored prosperity of the country there Is little for the court to do but perform an autopsy on what was formerly an estate. There Is no more reason why the teachers lu the public schools should have to be re-elected by the board every year than that they should have to be re-elected every term or every month. Employment In the teaching force of the public school system should be ob tained solely by merit and retained solely by demonstrated fitness and faithful service. Reports from Lincoln that a prac tically clean sweep of the appointive state employes Is to be made when Poynter becomes governor are cal culated to have a chilling effect on the Christmas festivities lu several homes. Moving , never a pleasant task , when accompanied by a separa tion from a public salary Is actually ' ' ' painful. Lll' Little Dill. Chicago Record. Mrs. Domlnla has put In a claim for 16,000,000 as indemnity for the loss 'of Ha- vall , but why she limited the amount to his figure Is a regal secret Swelling ; rinnkn of the IleBnlari. Globe-Democrat. The regular army has nearly reached the ircsent legal maximum of 61,000 men and ho recruits have been selected with great care. There will be less talk hereafter of defective camps and military Inexperience. A Dill Loaded with Hope. Minneapolis Times. , General Miles' army bill Will bo popular In ha army at , least It doubles the existing number of regiments , adds several brigadiers and thus increases the chances of promo- Ion In a way \tiat \ must fill the humblest second lieutenant's heart chock full of hope. Where to Place the Load. Washington Star. If this country reaches the conclusion that t docs not desire to assume the cares ot colonial possession Great Britain will doubt- ess be willing to drift gracefully Into the responsibility and make liberal arrange ments as well. Dalklnk at the Co t. New lYork World. Nothing Is more rldculous than the outcry ot the wildest-eyed "Imperialists" over the estimates ot the cost of the new policy. If we are to have 'A ' ' 'great army and a bigger navy and spread ourselves over the earth , Is t any wondert&fctr the4 estimate * of ex penses mouhfaftiojoar ? Every rod of " x- > anslon" means a permanent war tax. . < . , 8kr , crnper . .Buffalo Express. "Slow-burning construction" ( there Is no such thing as fire-proofing ) ) vindicated Itself - , self In New York on Sunday night. The trouble with the ; big building was that It was too > high. The hose could not reach to Is top stories. - This is another warning against skyscraper construction , which was sufficiently condemned already on ths artistic side. > Where Will the Moiier Come From ? Chicago Chronicle. There Is food for reflection In the fact noted by the London Chronicle that In spite of the small army maintained by the United States the expenditures chargeable to the War department are far in excess of the sums expended In maintaining any of the European armies. That is to say , our army pension charges aggregate $145,000,000 per rear , while the .British military establlsh- nent costs but $90,000,000. Thus , we have o begin with a larger military expense than any of our foreign neighbors before we have paid a single soldier or bought a single round of ammunition. We are heavily ; andlcapped aud the Increase In the strength of our army will correspondingly Increase be handicap. When our colonial policy Is n full swing , with the Philippines , Porto fllco and Guam heavily garrisoned , it is going to be a very serious problem to find money to meet military expenses especially as the revised "open door" policy bids fair to decrease our revenues rather than in crease ithem. CITIZENSHIP IN COLONIES. fitutu * of the nc ldcut ot American Dependencies. Springfield ( Mass. ) Republican. The legal status of the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands and Porto Rico under annnexatlon will be determined by con- cress. These people will not necessarily become American citizens when we have taken their countries. Their allegiance to their former sovereign will have expired , and they will become amenable to the laws ot the new government proclaimed over them. In a sense , they will be the sub jects , under International law , of President MoKlnley , but citizenship and Us privileges can bo denied them so long as congress wills. All children of those Inhabitants , how ever , born after the proclamation of Amer ican sovereignty , will be citizens of the United Slates. In his Worcester speech Senator Hoar , who la chairman of the sen ate's Judiciary committee , said with entire accuracy : "If the Philippine Islands be come ours , then under the late decision of the fcupremo court , every child born here after In them becomes an American citi zen , free to come , free to go. " It will be * 033lblo to Interpret the constitution otherwise. The fourteenth amendment cays : "AH persons born or naturalized In the United States , and subject to the juris diction thereof , are subjects of the United States. " The clause , "subject to the jur isdiction thereof , " to unmistakable In Ite reference to the territory , or possessions , of this nation. Western newspapers that advocate ex pansion , yet halt at the idea of the very closest of connection * , eay that the Philip pines or Porto Rico can be governed as colonies without making any of their In habitants American citizens with the rights ot citizens. They neglect to state , how ever , that the preient Inhabitants will be deid within a few years , and that every one of their descendants will be an Amer ican citizen with all the rights of a Chicago cage editor to pass from one part of the national domain to another. You may .bottle up the present generation ot Flllplnoa , Tagals , Tagalogi , Mores and Chlneie 1n these Islands within so-called colonial bounds , but you cannot bottle up the next one. And generations are short In the tropic * UNCLE SAM'S NEW 8DIIJECTS. The Filipino Army nnd the Hopes of the Klllplnoi. The views expressed by American cor respondents at Manila respecting the Filipinos and the hopes and ambitions ot the Insurgent leaders make Interesting readIng - Ing nowadays. The hope entertained in expansion quarters that tA natives ot Luzon are divided In their support ot Agulnaldo is refuted by a correspondent ot the Now York Sun. He asserts the south ern natives are thoroughly loyal to Agulnaldo , regarding him as a liberator , and will support him to the end. A correspondent of the Chicago Chronicle details a reception given the Insurgent leader at San Fernando , elxty miles from Manila. The correspondent nnd three other Ameri cans were special guests at the "fiesta" and enjoyed exceptional opoportunltlcs ot viewIng - Ing the insurgent army on parade , ot measuring Agulnaldo and gauging the senti ment of the people. Ot the Insurgent soldiers , 3,000 of whom appeared In the re view , he says : "The review was by no means imposing. Indeed there Is nothing imposing about the Filipino soldier. He is neither Romnncsquo nor statuesque. Wherever I have seen him , on guard or standing in line , he presents it llfo-llko representation of one afflicted with 'that tired feeling. ' Ilia backbone appears to be plastic and his legs of unequal length. In all my experience ot four months around Manila I have never seen a company perform evolutions with anything approaching the precision and snap displayed by the Ameri can soldier , either regular or volunteer , even with but a few days of drill , nor have I seen anything but the simplest , movements attempted. They do not even keep step well , and the nlanual of arms seems as > a sealed book to them. They utterly lack that coher ence and solidity that come from drill and discipline , and to me eecm but an armed mob that would easily be brushed aside by a much Inferior body of trained troops. A few of them have served In the Spanish army and show signs ot training and possess a de gree ot military bearing , but the great majority have little of either. " A banquet followed the review and Agulnaldo and his counsellors responded to enthusiastic toasts. "Let no one Imagine , " says the correspondent , "that this was a feast of rice and garlic. On the contrary , way out here in an Interior province of Luzon , with no one present besides the na tives , except the few American guests , I sat down to as fine a banquet as it was over my good fortune to attend. There were spotless linen , fine crockery and tableware in abundance , cut glass and silverware , while the menu embraced a multitude of finely cooked dishes , with wine and Cham- pagne. Flan , flesh , fowl and fruit , with innumerable - ' numerable delicacies , served promptly and In good style , kept us busy for more than an hour , and then came the toasts , bpth In Spanish and Tagalo. " Concerning the sentiments of Agulnaldo and his associates as expressed at the ban quet , the correspondent saya they were friendly to America and at the same time clearly and fervidly for the Filipino republic. Every allusion to the work of the Americans was cheered , but these cheers were mild In comparison with the shouts that greeted home rule and In dependence. "In my judgment , " says the correspondent , "all the masses care for is to be relieved from Spanish rule and bur densome taxes , and If the American govern ment gives them this they would be perfectly satisfied with the present status were it not for the influential classes urging them on to the support of an Independent repub lic. At present the influence of the leaders Is powerful. Agulnaldo la almost venerated as 'el llbredor , ' and the idea of an inde pendent government under the. .protection of the" United States has taken a strong hold upon the class composing the army. It Is on this basis they cheer the Americans , and they always are careful to Include -the Re- publlca Filipinos In all such sentiments. Still , I believe the wealthy classes are satis- fled that 'American rule is better for them than an unrestrained government of the people , while the masses , as I aald before , are well enough satisfied to be relieved from the dominion of Spain. The element of danger in the situation , as I conceive it , Is the Filipino army , both organized and unorganized. Their heads are so swelled by their success in arms that they imagine themselves to be great fighters , and even think they could whip the Americans should it become necessary. "They want to rule , to confiscate Spanish and church property and collect taxes and exactions such as they have become ac customed to. Their Idea of a government ot their own is an opportunity to run things with a high hand and to do unto the Spaniards as was done unto them. The American Idea of government and civil and individual liberty they do not comprehend. For this reason there may bo friction In fully establishing American authority and laying the Republlca Flltplnas on the table In definitely , and It will call for diplomacy and delicate handling ; yet I believe this can be accomplished without a clash ot arms. My own Idea Is that the more wealthy and In. telllgent natives should be given positions , such as provincial governors and district offices , and that a degree of local self-gov ernment be provided for. In this way the aristocracy might be placated and the back bone of opposition broken. " PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. There la still a demand for about 25,000- 000 paper collars In the United States each year. James Whltcomb Rlley recently won the championship for checker playing in his native county. A young woman Is said to have been seen on Fifth avenue , New York , sporting a monocle. It Is English , you know. The Vermont legislature adjourned Just in time for congress to convene. The coun try is not large enough for both at once. The czar has had his special den in the St. Petersburg palace papered with cartoons relating to himself , including a great many caricatures of the most ridiculous sort. Harrteon M. Seal of Whltcomb , Ind. , prob ably holds the voting record of that state. He voted for Jackson in 1828 and for each democratic presidential candidate since then. George B. Holllster , the well known law yer of Cincinnati , who has just died , was a close friend of President Hayes. He was a native of Plattsburg , N. Y. , and came of old revolutionary stock , his maternal great grandfather having been a soldier under Ethan Allen. Nathaniel and Albert von Rothschild of Vkmna have established a foundation of $40,000 , the Income of which is to be used for the support of musicians , painters , sculptors and draughtsmen of the Jewish faith. Applicants for Its benefits must be Austrian citizens. The late Dr. Bliss was for many yeara General Sherman's physician. Once when the soldier complained , "Your stuff's doing me no good , " bo replied : "Take Shake speare's advice , then , and throw it to the dogs. " "There are too many valuable dogi in our neighborhood , " replied Sherman. Benjamin 8. Lear la first sergeant of Company O , First Colorado Infantry , now stationed at Manila. His father , Benjimln E. Lear , l a private In the same company. Sergeant Lear Is just turned 22 and Private Lear Is close to 60. Ben Lear , the elder , Is a first-class compositor and as suoh Is well known in various parts of the Rocky moun tain region. In days gone by he played good ball "with " the Plttsburg and Cincinnati tetroi. , OK Till ] ARMY , Should He TnUeii lltil of Politic * and n Clrncrnl SlnfT Provided. Kovlcw of Reviews. The molt urgently needed reform Is the absolute divorcement of the army In all ot Its departments from politics. It Is absurd to expect the same thorough efficiency and preparation found lu other departments ot the public service unless the same methods nro' used. Military service Is certainly as Important as civil service more so In time of emergency. Its administration ought to bo conducted with the same single eye to efficiency , and no department ot the nrmy should bo more exempt from political in fluence than the staff. This points at once to the most urgent reform , viz. , make the commanding general the real working head of the army , Instead of tha secretory of war. No good results have come to the service by tha extension of the secretary's powers in Grant's first administration. Most ot the evils of the service can bo traced < o the fact that the general commanding haa sine * that tlmo been practically deprived of his proper functions , and the real head of the army has been a 'politician ' , usually not versed In military science. Promotions In ths service should never depend upon politi cal Influence In any department , nor should the , recommendations of a politician carry any weight In the military service more than they would in those offices filled through fho civil service examinations alone. The testoratlon of Its proper functions ito the office of the general commanding , as Grant exorcised them when ho was commander-in ch let , would bo a long step In the right di rection. It would put the administration of the army in the hands of a soldier , and that would bo an origin of all other neces sary administrative reforms. Another thing Is the need of a general staff for the army. To this body pertains the problems of organization , strategy , logistics , the larger problems of supply , and the acquisition of classified Information pre vious to the outbreak of war. It forms plans for all emergencies In advance , super vises their execution at the critical mo ment , acts as eyes , cars and hands for the commander. As the will of the commander is the electro-motive force of an army , so la the general staff Its nervoussystem. It' ' Is the channel through which the com mander harmoniously energizes the whole military machine. It Is the thinking and planning part of an army. A commander has enough to do to meet unexpected emer gencies and to execute on time , without fall , the operations Intrusted to him. The gen eral staff relieves him of the burden of a mass of detailed work and leaves his mind free to attack larger problems. | I Such a staff need not be a largo body , but it should be very select. It should be I obtained by a process ot elimination , retaln- ing those most fitted for Its duties. There Is no part of the army where the principle of Interchangeablllty between the line and staff Is more Important than in this body. Its members should be acutely sensitive to the needs of the line of the army , should be thoroughly familiar with the operations of all the supply departments , and should have reached that age where long experi ence lends dignity to counsel. They should be distinguished In the profession of arms and proficient in its practice. Hence the general staff should be taken originally from the line of the army and should contain representatives of all the other parts of the service. It should con sist of men of mature years , and there should be a novitiate , or apprenticeship , In It , before an officer becomes a fully consti tuted member of the body. The great prin ciple of competitive examination should en ter Into the selection ot Its members , com petition being open to all properly qualified officers , and promotion into It should carry increase of rank and pay. ECHOES OF THE WAR. tt > Uncle't am is 'unloading about $500,600 of good American money every month at Ma nila , with the result that the town la en joying a boom of large proportions. Artist McCutcheon , in a letter to the Chicago Record , eays Manila la being Americanized at a rapid rate. The natives are adapting themselves to the customs of the conquerors. Already the signs' in the streets are Ameri canized , several American papers are in the enthusiasm of infancy , every third house sells American beer , and the Escalta in the busy morning hours , when It is booming with traffic , has such an American activity that one forgets ho Is so far away from borne. The Spanish business houses are printing their advertisements in English , and that sterling American Institution , pie , has been established in Manila. "A good many Americans , " ho writes , "are here watching chances for investment. One firm has bought up all the prominent saloons In town and is simply coining money. Tnero Is a great deal of drunkenness , and the men In this condition are so demonstrative that the Spanish women dread driving on the Ea- calta. All business houses are booming and prices have gone up. So far as trade Is concerned , a wave of prosperity Is making its headquarters in Manila just at present. " Rear Admiral Schley belongs to the Royal Arcanum , and the Arcanltes are going to give htm a $1,500 sword of Damascus steel. Inscribed with a description of the naval battle of Santiago , and the positions of the ships etched from the Navy department drawings. Schley Is past regent of Farragut i council of Washington , and built that coun cil up by his personal efforts. It is com posed almost entirely of naval officers , from commodore down. Most of the newspapers of November 23 published a dispatch to the effect that the I sentence of death passed by a court-martial I at Huntsville , Ala. , on Private Lindsay T. Holt ot the Tenth cavalry , for the killing j of Private Twlsby of the same regiment , was the first case of the kind to occur In our history for many yeara. This Is a mistake. On the 2d of last August Private Alex ander La Duke of the Second Wisconsin shot and killed Private Stafford ot the regular nrmy , In a quarrel In a saloon In Ponce , Porto Hlco. La Duke was sentenced to death by a court-martlol on August 3 and on August 4 the sentence was executed. The city of Olympla , Wash. ( Is going to place n commemorative tablet on the for ward turret of the Olympla , the flagship of Admiral Dewcy1 during the Manila fight. Th design wilt bo done In relief on copper , the central attraction being n figure represent ing Fame. Suspended from the arms ot th figure and falling across the front of the body will be streamers , on which will bo In scribed Dewey'8 famous order , "Grldley , you may fire when ready. " Hardtack Is no longer the exclusive reli ance of the army. Several divisions have been supplied with field ovens of galvanized Iron which turn out 200 loaves ot bread at a baking. Each soldier Is entitled to eighteen ounces of flour a * part of his dally ration , and economic baking represents an Important Item. A regiment at Savannah recently received $900 In cash for flour saved in one month. The bakery is set up by tha men lusldo of twenty-four hours and tht bakers are selected from the ranks. "Even heroes set upset , " says the Phlla ; delphla Press. "Admiral Schley , n tew nlghta ago , was the guest of a largo part ot Philadelphia of ns much of it as could fill one of Its theaters. He sat In a box with the handsome nnd benignant Colonel Mo- Clurc , and every movement he made was watched by the thousands In the place. It he took a glass ot water they applauded. It ho smiled they applauded. In fact , the wholi evening was an inceaaant ovation. But Schloy's defeat came at the end of ths second act. Ho arose with his usual grace and started to the next box to call on friends' , but be had not taken two steps before a deep bass voice from the upper gallery rolled forth : 'Let's all go out and take a beer,4 placing the accent on the 'all.1 The hero collapsed , sank Into a chair and shook with laughter , .while the audience shrieked. " LIGHT AND UHIGHT. Somervllle Journal : Once more the Unlttd States has a standing nrmy. At least , the > rcBtilars are slowly getting on their feet again. Chicago Tribune : "They say BlnkU women live longer than single men. Why is It ? " "I think they only seem to live longer because they are thinner. " Indianapolis Journal : "This " wild the mnn on the end of the disabled telephone , "this is simply unspeakable. " Chicago Post : "Do you believe in tht use of money In politics ? " asked the Amcr- "No , sir , " answered the Spanish states * man. "If you think the small fry In thfi government are going to get any of tnat $20,000,000 you're wrong. " Cleveland Plain Dealer : "What slM shoe , docs your father wear , Mr. Blossom. ' . ' "My father's shoe ? Really. I don't know , Bobbie. Why do you ask ? " "Cause ma said all you waa doingWM sitting around waiting for your father'i shoes. " j Chlcauo Record : "In your daughter hap- plly married. Mrs. Plump ? " "Oh , yes : her husband has bought her a sealskin cloak which comes down to her heels. " _ Washington Star : "Your friend doesn't pay much attention to the duties of hl office. " "Now , my dear sir , " Bald Senator Bor ghum , "don't be unreasonable. It only pays $6,000 a year and It cost him $5,997.59 to get it. You don't expect a man to subsist for n whole year on a profit of $2.60 , do you ? " Indianapolis Journal : "I know ; th pumpkin pie was rather thin as to filling , " said the landlady , almost crying , "but t don't think he had any right to say what he did. " What did he say ? " asked the second e If I didn't think that th piecrust w6ula < bb'ImproVed'ilf Ht > had' an * ' other coat cf paint" * Detroit Free Press : "My family 'can't help feeling n llttlo proud of having been carried over l > y the Mayflower , " said th young worn in who was visiting In Chicago. "Is that ED ! " answered the young man Interestedly. "None of our folks ever went Into the llor' t business. What brought us through wnr wheat. " TUB DATTLEFIELD. William Cullen Bryant Once this soft turf , this rivulet's sands , Were trampled by a hurrying crowd , And fiery hiarts and armed hands Encountered in the battle-cloud. Ah ! never shall the land forget How gushed the life blood of her brave- * Gusher warm with hope and courage yet , Upon tliq soil they fought to save. Now all is calm and fresh and still ; I , Alone the chirp of Hitting bird , And talk ot children on the hill , And bell of wandering klne , are heard. No solemn host goes trailing by The black-mouthed gun and staggering wain ; Men start not at the battleory O , be It never heard again ! Soon rested those who fought : but thou Who mlnglcst In the harder strife For truths which men receive not now , Thy warfare only ends with life. A friendless warfare ! lingering long Through weary day ana weary ytar ; A wild and many-weaponed throng Hang on thy front and Hank aim rear. Yet nerve thy spirit to the proof. And blench not as thy chosen lot ; The timid good may stand aloof , The sage may frown yet faint thou notr Nor heed the shaft too surely cast , , The foul nnd hissing bolt ot scorn ; For with thy sldo shall dwell , at last , The victory of endurance born. Truth , crushed to earth , shall rlso again * The eternal years of God are hers ; But Error , wounded , writhes In pain , And dies among his worsnlpcrs. Yes. though thou lie upon the dust. When they who help thee flee In fear , < Die full of hope and manly trust , Like those who fell In battle here ! i Another hand thy sword rhall wield , e Another hand the standard wave , * Till from the trumpet's mouth Is peaieA The blast of triumph o'er thy grave. To Close in our children's department on second floor yesterday we told you about $6.50 , $7.50 and $8.00 reefer suits that we were sell * ing at ftG.OO. The sale was good , they are nearly gone , and for the benefit of those who did not secure one of those fine suits. We are going to put all our Russian Blouse Suits on the same table and make them the same price as the reefer suits $5.OO. These Russian Blouse Suits we speak of have been selling at $6 , $7 and $7.50 they are made up in the very best of manner of cheviots and tweeds , plain or fancy , with plainer or nickerbocker pants. They are dainty , sightly little suits , and at $5.00 ought not to last one day two styles now to select Reefer or Russian Blouse , and only. $5.0O each. S. W , Oar. 10tb and