Nebraska Newspapers

    0 THE OMAHA DAILY B.I3E : FRIDAY , JANUARY 20 , 189SJ.
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE
PUUUSHEb nVBHY MOHNtNO.
TEHM3 OK 8UU8CU1PTIOX.
THUMB OP BUU8CJUPTION.
Dally Hco ( without Sunday ) , Ona Ycar.J6.00
Dally Ileo and Sunday , Ono Year . 8. fl
Plx Month * . i . J-W
Three Months . J.W
Bundny Hoe. One Yenr . J-JJ )
( Saturday He ? , One Year . -JS
Weekly Hco , Ono Year . . . . . . . . w
OKF1CUS
Omaha : The Hco Building.
South Omaha : City Jlall building ,
Twenty-fifth and X streett.
Council HlufTs : 10 Penrl Street.
Chicago : Slock Exchange Building.
New York : Ternplo Court.
Washington : 501 Fourteenth Street.
COimnSPONDENCB.
Communications relating to news and
editorial matter should bo addressed : To
DIG Editor.
Editor.BUSINESS I.KTTKHS.
Huslnec/9 letters anil remittances should
bo addressed to The Ileo Publishing Com
pany. Omahu. Drafts , checks , express and
postolllco money orders to bo made payable
to the order of the company.
TUB BEL ! I'UHLiaillXO COMPANY.
STATEMENT OK ClUCUhATION.
Btnto nf Nebraska , Douglas County , ss. :
George U. Tzschuck , secretary ot The Bee
Publishing company , being duly sworn ,
Bays that the actual number or full and
ccmpleto . copies of The Dally , Morning ,
Kvenlng and Sunday lice , printed during
the month of December. 18SS , was as fol
lows :
Less unsold aid returned copies. . . . ini07 :
Net total sales 7 : O,0 : j
Net dally average 2i.B71 :
' GEOnOH B TXSCIIUCK.
Sworn to before mo nnd subscribed In my
prescenco this 31st day of December , 1S93.
( Seal. ) N. 1' . FEU , , Notary Public.
All Is quiet nt Lincoln and Manila.
The pump trtiHt will probably experi
ence no ( llllleiilty In watering Its utoek.
With twenty-seven plnnoH piiyiiiR n.
rental of ? . " a month on the Install
nient plan klmlorsplel eomes rather
in Omi'.liu.
In tSl ! the police court Hues aggre
gated over .f-'lVKM ) . In 1S)7 ! ) they hail
Hlmmereil down to less than $1,500 ,
which jroi'.s to show the tender nyiu-
pathy of the police court to lawbreak
ers.
At tlie present pace of the court or
cassation the trial of Warren Hastings ,
which was begun In one generation and
concluded In tins next , will stand out as
n marvel of judicial celerity when com
pared to the Dreyfus case.
Nebraska is not the only state wlicwc
legislature Is threatened with a sena
torial deadlock. The California and
Montana legislatures have been ballot
ing for two weeks and the Pennsylvania
legislature Is liable to keep on balloting
for a mouth.
What 'a great opportunity Church
Howe lost when lie changed his mlud
about accepting the consulship to Sa
moa for tins consulate of Palermo.
What an Important role he could have
played as umpire between the rival
kings In brcechclouts.
Senator McLaurJu's statement that
MoKinley has more frlemU In congress
than any president we have had for n
long time is correct , and with perfecl
truth he in lull t have added that IK
president since Grant has had BO nmnj
friends among the people.
As our retention of the Philippines
would cost England nothing and would
probably later on place this country In
the position of an enforced ally , then
Is little doubt about the sincerity oi
Mr. Cluunborlalu'H statement that lit
Views American expansion without dls
trust or Jealousy.
It Is to be hoped that the I'ostoillci
department can bo persuaded to mipple
inent the fast mall services with ai
addition to the clerical force of tin
Omaha postottlce. Fast malls are oi
no use unless they can be elliclcntlj
Imndk'd and promptly distributed ui
their point of destination.
A bill is now before the legislature ol
Missouri to abolish the grand Jury eys
tern. Undoubtedly that ancient Instltu
tion has Its faults , and some of them nr <
glaring ones , but from similar cxpett
incuts tried elsewhere It would seem ti
this regard that it Is better to bear Uu
ills we "have " than to lly to those w <
know not of.
Count Douglass In his message to th <
Diet of Sweden says that whatever nmj
bo the outcome of the czar'n disarm a
ment policy that the country must g <
right on strengthening Its fortlllcatlons
from all of which It may be Inferivc
that the count has as little oontldenc <
In the success of the plan sw has evoi
Nicholas himself.
The barbarous custom of selllni
paupers that the poor commissioners o
Lackawaim township , Pennsylvania
have carried out for years without tin ;
legal authority , received ft temporar ;
Kcthack a few days ago , when an oh
woman who had "been sold for $ ! . ) i
week put In an upset bid of $5 a inoutl
on herself and marched otl the Held wltl
colors Hying.
The property owners west of Twcu
tloth street south of Ftmmin are or
pnnlzlng a movement to bring abou
the construction of a viaduct over tin
Union Pacific and Burlington tracks oi
Twenty-fourth street While a Twen
ty-fourth street viaduct Is one oC tin
Improvements that must be undertake !
in the near future It seems to us ttiu
any movement In that direction at till
time is liable to Jeopardize the bnlldlui
of the new Sixteenth street viaduct
which should have been under wa ;
mouths ago.
f
TJIK
Tlie character of the special 'commis
sion npiKilntiMl by President MeKlnley
to InviMtlpalc and report cu conditions In
the Philippines has received general
commendation. Prof. Schurman , presi
dent of Cornell university , Is a dis
tinguished Btliolar who hat * given n
great deal of study to affairs In the
Orient. He l not In favor of the
acquisition of the Philippines. Prot.
Worcester of the University of Michigan
resided for several years In the Islands
and knows more of their people than
perhaps any other American. He
says of them that they are amenable to
klndncM and friendly reasoning , but
that they are fearless lighters and have
naturally been rendered distrustful by
thulr experience under Spanish control.
Colonnl Denby , former United States
minister to Ohlmi , Is most thoroughly
equipped for mieh a service as tlie com
mission Is to perform. Dewey nnd otto ,
the other members of the commission , It
is needless to eay are admirable selec
tions.
It appears that the object of the com
mission Is not , as nt lliwt reported ,
merely to Investigate economic condi
tions , but to report In a general way
what the Philippine people desire nnd
what they consider practicable In tlie
way of political Institutions. The coin-
mission , it Is Btatcd , Is appointed essen
tially for the put-pone of holding out the
olive branch to the people of the Islands
nnd will have authority to bind the ad
ministration to a reasonable extent in re
spect to general proi > osltlons. Its ef
forts , In rihort , will be chlelly directed to
Inducing the Filipinos to accept the con
trol of the United States. Perhaps Home
good may be accomplished In this way ,
but there l reason to believe that the
commission will find It a pretty dlillcnlt
task to persuade all of the people to give
up the idea of Independence nnd ac
cept a new sovereignty. In order to ac
complish this It will be necessary to otter
some very liberal concessions.
MVSTKIIIXU OUT VOLVA'TEEim.
The rejoicing of the volunteer poldlers
at Havana on being Informed that they
would soon be mustered out 1 an Indica
tion of the feeling that prevails generally
among the volunteers. To most of them
camp life nnd garrison duty are exceed
ingly Irksome and they feel that hostili
ties with Spain having ended they
should be allowed to return home.
There haw been no serious complaint
from any of them , but there is no
doubt that many think the government
is not acting iu strict observance of the
terms of the act under which they en
listed.
It is provided In this act that olllcers
and men enlisting under it shall be dis
charged when the purposes for which
they were failed into sen-Ice shall have
been accomplished , or on the conclusion
of hostilities. Technically the war Is not
ended , the ratification of the treaty of
peace being necessary to nu absolute
conclusion of hostilities , so that on this
ground the government may plausibly
claim that the volunteer army law is
not being disregarded. It may also be
urged that one of the purposes for
which the volunteers were called Into
service wne the pacification of Cuba ,
which has not been accomplished. Hut
It is obvious that when the treaty shall
have been ratllled It will uot bo easy
to justify holding any of the volunteers
in the service.
Meanwhile it is probable that con
gress will pass a bill for Increasing
the regular army , which will allow the
discharge of volunteers at least as rapIdly -
Idly as their places can be taken by
regulars.
AMElllCAN CO-OPEUATIOX.
No member of the British govern
ment Is a better authority in regard to
olllcial and public sentiment in Kng-
land than Mr. Joseph Chamberlain , sec
retary of state for the colonies , in his
speech at Wolverhampton Wednesday
Mr. Chamberlain referred with evident
gratlUcatlou to the fact that the United
States had supported Great Britain in
opposition to the French demand lor
an extension of the settlement at
Shanghai , characterizing It as a sig
nificant fact , which he hoped will be
come history. "It shows , " he said ,
"that circumstances are bringing
about a community of interests be
tween Anglo-Saxons which In the
future may have far-reaching and
benelk'Jal results. " Ho declared that
the British people would regard our ter
ritorial expansion , with Its open door
policy , without jealousy and welcome
our co-operation "In securing the gen
eral adoption of a principle to which we
attach eo much Importance. " There
can be uo question that in this the colonial
nial secretary reflected the practically
unanimous sentiment of the British
people.
In tlie United States senate on Wed
nesday the British desire that this
country shall retain permanent posses
sion of the Philippines and thus be
brought into co-operation with Great
Britain in the east , received Dome at
tention. Senator Bacon of Georgia , in
the course of a strong speech against
expansion , said : "Knglund Is espe
cially eager that the United States shall
seize the Philippines. W'hyV ' Is It
because she is nuxloua to witness the
further expansion and aggrandizement
of the power of the United States , or is
It because she sees ahead of her a gi
gantic world's war over the partition o
China , In which she wishes that the
United States fchall be compelled to take
part and In which she wishes and hopca
that It may be her ally ? " He declared
that the object of England is that if
war shall come lu the east the Vnltetl
States may bo drawn Into It , that It
may secure this country as an ally.
Wo presume that no rational man can
for a moment suppose that the British
desire to see the United States In
permanent possession of territory In
the far east springs from Interest In
the future welfare of this country. It
Is uot prompted by a wish that the
United States shall grow greater com
mercially. Neither Mr. Chamberlain
nor any other Englishman regards with
pleasure the advance of this nation In
material power. They welcome Amer
ican co-operation wholly from the ef
fect it may have in conserving aud promoting
meting British intercuts. The open
door to Irndo In tilt' Philippines makes
It practically certain that Great Britain
will continue to have nearly three-
fourtlis of the trade of those Islands.
Can there be any doubt that had a dif
ferent policy been decided on a policy
discriminating In favor of American
commerce that British statesmen , man
ufacturers and merchants would be
vehemently denouncing American terri
torial acquisition In that quarter of the
world ? If we hold permanent posses
sion of the Philippines the British fully
understand that we shall not only be
compelled to maintain there the open
door policy , from which British trade
will derive the largest advantage , but
we should Inevitably be drawn Into any
complications or conflicts that may
arise between European powers In
China , with the possibility of our be
coming , sooner or later , a party in the
partition of that empire.
Let us not be deluded by British dec
larations of friendly concern and the
smooth assurances of shrewd statesmen
like Mr. Chamberlain that we are all
right. The prime motive for all this Is
selfishness. The promotion of British
interests is its sole purpose.
THE SAMOAN TltOUliLES.
According to advices from Samoa Ma-
lletoa Tanus , who was declared electee !
to the throne by the chief justice , has
been defeated In battle by Mataafe , his
unsuccessful rival , and has taken refuge
on a British war ship , while Dr. Kafael ,
president of the municipal council , in
concert with Consul Hose , has pro-
'claimed himself chief Justice , against
the protests of tlie American nnd Eng
lish consuls , who , however , have rec
ognized the rebel Mataafe us the < le
facto king pending instructions from
their governments.
While matters are undoubtedly In a
deplorable condition lu Samoa , this story
carries intense evidence that It should
be taken with a large grain of salt. The
treaty of Berlin , participated in by Ger
many , England aud the United States ,
expressly stipulated among other things
that any contest arising between claim
ants to the throne should be referreu
for adjudication to the chief justice ,
whose Judgment upon the matter should
be llual. This very contingency arose
in the recent election , when Mataafe ,
the unsuccessful candidate , refused to
abide by the result. The matter wag
then referred to Chief Justice Henshaw ,
and his decision lu favor of Mnllcton
Tuiuis under the treaty is conclusive ,
Therefore it would seem beyond the
bounds of reason that Consul Hose and
Dr. Kafael , whose government was a
signatory party to the treaty , should set
up the president of the municipal coun
cil as a dictator. That Germany would
never sanction such an act of violation
and bad faith is as certain as Is the
fact that the English and United States
consuls would never recognize , even as
the do facto- king , a rebel whose rights
had been adjudicated by a competent
tribunal provided by the parties to the
treaty of Berlin.
Later advices will in all probability
show the story to be unfounded , and
that there Is no danger of international
complications , grave or otherwise , from
this source.
When the Otoe Indian reservation
lauds were offered at public auction
eight or ten years ago there was a
awarm of laud speculators to bid them
in at fancy prices , considerably above
their appraisement. The purchase
money was placed to the credit of the
Indians and is held in reserve for them
in the United States treasury. Now tin
speculators ask congress to give them
relief from their own recklessness and
pay them back the excess of what they
paid over and above the appraised value
of the lauds. This bill has actually
passed the senate , but is not likely tc
pull through the house. While it may
be the duty of our representatives In
congress to give Nebraskaus all the ns
slstaucc they cau to recover legitimate
claims , It is very doubtful whether they
are justified from the moral standpoint
In robbing the Indians for the benefit ol
speculators. Had these lands been
purchased from a railroad corporation
or real estate syndicate the purchasers
would hardly have thought of such s
thing as demanding a part of theli
money back on the plea that they haf
foolishly outbidden each other.
Evidently the bitter objection raised
by southern people against Senator But
ler's proposition to pension confederate
soldiers has another side to It. The
senator has read In congress a petltloi
from fifty-live confederate veterans ol
Muskogee county , Georgia , which con
eludes ns follows : "We therefore hop <
that you will press your bill and thai
congress will pass It , nnd by so doliu
show to the world that we arc a reunltet
people. " Just why the passage of such i
measure should be necessary to shou
the world that we are a reunited peopl
Is not altogether apparent , but when i
fellow takes to waylaying a govern
mental stipend of this kind , the onlj
conclusion 'he ' wishes to draw Is the pen
slou.
The State Board of Agriculture , com
posed largely of political farmers wh (
milk the taxpayers , has declared tlx
contract under which Omaha win
awarded the privilege of annual statt
fairs for live consecutive years can
celled. This action was taken on tin
motion of the postmaster of Lincoln
who plows his cornfield with a goosi
quill and mows his hay with a pair o
scissors. The pretext for annulling tin
contract Is its alleged violation by thi
Omaha Fair and Speed association
Manifestly this is the preliminary ste |
lu the program to locate the fair per
manently nt Lincoln.
The statistician of tlie state assocla
tion of volunteer flremcn , now in ses
slon nt Beatrice , gives the number o
llres that occurred last year as SKKi , li
which property was destroyed valued a
J100.400 , which was Insured for117'J01
Indicating , at least fo far ns these statls
tics go , that the property owner cauii
out even with the game.
Then Cnnirrem Will Act.
Chicago Record ,
After -the Philippine commission lias in'
vretlgated all the facts it can report them t <
congress , which will proceed promptly to in
form the public whether or not the commis
sion's views accord properly with Its own ,
Kind ( if i : | innloii ,
Qlobc-Democrnt.
One of the new thing * under the sun Is
the balance of trade last year in Undo Sam's
favor of JC21.000.000.
The KtnlinlniPil INHHP.
Chlofico Post.
Bryan la quoted an eaylng thnt silver is
not dead. Bryan would never do for a
coroner. He wouldn't know when ho had a
Job.
Our UiiKrntrftit Ally.
New York Sun.
This strutting little mongrel pretender
( Agulnaldo ) trying to bully the United States
nnd force his way to a power resting on no
fitness of the governor or desire of the
governed le greeted by antl-lmperlallsts as
a champion of liberty , and the mugwumps
caper to his golden whistle !
Ciilinim Know n < ! oo < l ThlnK.
Chicago Journal.
The strike ot Cubans at Clenfuegos for 80
cents an hour unloading freight when 40
cents A day used to bo enormous wages goes
to show how rapidly the Cuban can take
advantage of the changed condition of af
fairs. It there Is ouo enterprise that seems
bound to pay large dividends on the Invest
ment it U being a Cuban.
Jimt i.i < i
New York Sun.
A few daj-e ago Mr. Brown of the Kansas
legislature hurled a charge at Hon. John W.
Lcedy , then governor. Mr. Leedy hurled
back the charge and hurled the Ho with It.
Mr. Brown hurled back the lie and hurled
with H a challenge. A warm spell ot cor
respondence followed , but without warlike
result. Mr. Brown positively refused to
agrco that the governor should be allowed
to flre the first speech. Mr. Leedy felt that
as governor ho should have the right to flro
first. And so ends a great hurling match.
Snmc Old "General. "
New York Tribune.
Is this "General" Julio Sangully who Is
getting "Insulted" three times a day in Cuba
and Is making so much trouble for those who
are trying to glvo that island a decent nd-
tulnlstratlon the same Julio Sangully who
year before last was a prisoner In Spanish
hands , and claimed 'to be an American citi
zen , and so put the Washington government
tea lot ot trouble in his behalf , and finally
was released through United States inter
vention ? Is ho the same Sangully ? If so , a
good deal moro sllenco would be eminently
becoming to him.
llnnm of the Army Hill.
Springfield Republican.
The bill to Increase the standing army to
100,000 men could not before have passed
the senate without very material modifica
tion. But this army scandal precipitated by
Eagan doubtless means the death of all
schemes to effect a large Increase of the
regular force in the Immediate future. All
eyes are now turned upon the problem of
army reorganization rather than umiy In
crease. Before the United States has a big
standing army the people demand that It
have officers worthy of It and a staff system
able to direct It without scandal.
UiMvuril Trend of 1'rlce * .
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Bradstreet's record of prlco Index numbers
shows that the general trend of prices con
tinues upward and that on January 1 they
bad reached the highest level since October
1 , 1893. Compared with January 1 , 1898 ,
the enumeration ot 107 staple articles shows
flfty-elgiht advanced , thirteen remained un
changed aud only thirty-six reduced. For
the month of December alone forty of these
staples advanced , forty-eight showed no
changes and only nineteen decreased. These
( acts are convincing indications of a won
derful prosperity , showtrfg as they do that
in spite of a remarkable' expansion- out
put In almost all of < the products of the
field , forest , factory and mine , the con
sumptive capacity of the country has more
than kept pace with It.
IIBET
Vuiit Extent of the Great Indaitry In
Germany.
St. Louis Republic.
Official statistics of the sugar production of
Germany for the crop year of 1897-98 are
presented In a recent issue ot a sugar trade
Journal. They show -what an astonishingly
largo quantity of sugar the German beet
farmers manage to produce on a compara
tively small quantity of land.
In the crop year covered bytho returns
there were 1,080,236 acres in sugar beets.
The beets worked amounted to 13,697,891
tons. In the official table the average yield
Is set down at 12.22 tons per acre. Some
deductions are evidently made , for the aver
age really figures out 12.68 tons per acre.
Based on raw sugar , the sugar production
Is given as 1,844,399 tons. This would make
the yield average 3,763 pounds to tbo acre.
These figures , if the prevailing conditions of
sugar making In the United States could be
relied on as permanent , would hold out a
promise of profit to American agriculturists.
According to present Information the
sugar manufactories In the United States
pay $4 to $4.50 per ton for sugar beets. Plac
ing the beet yield at 12.22 tons per acre and
estimating the prices according to the
standard quoted , between $49 and $55 would
bo realized for the sugar beets produced
upon an acre of land. This Is more than four
times as much as the avcrago value per acre
obtained by American farmers for the wheat
they raised In 1897 , when -they - had an un
usually good demand nnd a favorable mar
ket for the sale of their wheat.
CUBA ! ' I'AI'EH MUMAXDED.
Exaction * of the Triint Render. a
Leslie's Weekly.
That effective and representative organi
zation , the American Newspaper Publishers'
association , lias presented to the Anglo-
Amei n Joint High commissioners a
very strong argument in favor of free
paper and free pulp. The exist
ing tariff of $6 a ton on print
paper Is obviously prohibitory , and the as-
fcoclatlon Insists that the rate of $1.67 a ton
for mechanically-ground pulp Is excessive.
The association claims that the American
paper manufacturers need no protection , be
cause they can make paper cheaper than
any other manufacturers In any other
port of the world. The proof of this
assertion lies In the fact that
American paper mHls are now supplying the
Australian , Japanese nnd British markets ,
in competition with Swedish and German
mills. Moreover , the entire- revenue re
ceived from the Importation of mechanically
ground wcod pulp during 1897 was only
about $41,000. For this trifling revenue
every newspaper and magazine In the
country was put under tribute to the paper
trust known as the International 1'aper
company. This organization Is on a capi
talized basis of $55,000,000 , while the pub-
Ushers' association shows that an Invest
ment of $15,000.000 would reproduce Its
plants. The publishers pay the dividend on
the Inflated capital of the paper trust.
Every Increase of a quarter of a cent a
pound in the prlco of news paper , adds $34-
000,000 to the value of the trust's securities.
Already the trust has Increased the cost ot
paper to tbo publishers by more than $2-
000,060 a. year. The Interesting statement
Is made by the publishers that the wood
pulp made by the paper mills of the
United States annually Involves the strip
ping of tbo spruce timber on 625 square
miles of territory , and it Is added that , as
our spruce wood supply la limited , it would
bo an aid In protecting our forest reserve If
wo encouraged the shipments of Canadian
pulp by placing tbo latter on the free Hat ,
A I-'Alll KXCIIAM1K.
One War "f I.ettlnK < ! < > the Tronlilc-
New York Mall uiul Express.
The solution of the Philippine problem
proposed by the Mall nnd Express on the
day after the news came of Uewey's ' victory
at Manila still seems to us the easiest as
welt as the brut. By the ratification of the
Paris treaty the United States will come
into at least temporary possession of come
1,200 Islands on the other side of the world ,
which were practically unknown to the aver
age American a short time ago , and the
acquisition of which one would hardly have
dreamed of a year ago. The fortunes of war
left them upon our hands. Wo could not
return the Islands to Spain , nor could we ,
after having destroyed the only sovereignty
which existed there , sail away and leave
the Islands to anarchy , or to seizure by
some other power. As all the commission
ers , even Senator Gray , agreed , the only
alternative to put in the peace treaty was
that ot cession to the United States.
But that cession need not bo permanent.
The United States may maintain Its pro
tectorate until the Filipinos are qualified for
self-government and then turn the Islands
over to them , or It may substitute another
protectorate for our own. To maintain our
position In the Philippines and keep military
possession until the natives are fit to govern
the archipelago will expensive , embar
rassing and full of hidden dangers. If wo
can honorably get out of the Philippines ,
with conscience clear as to the future of the
natives , there are few , we think , who would
not say "let It be done. "
H can bo done by substituting for our
protectorate that of Great Britain , whose In
terests In the far cast are such that any kind
of occupancy of the islands would bo of
enormous value to her. The Philippines ore
within England's sphere of influence ; they
are far out of ours. She has experience In
ruling dependent colonies and now rules
them with moderation , Justice and klndneea.
Wo have had no such experience , while all
our traditions limit our sphere of influence
to the western hemisphere.
On the other hand , England has at our
very door In the Atlantic certain Island
possessions hitherto Jealously held nnd
guarded , but bound to the mother country
by gradually relaxing ties. We refer to the
Bahamas , the Bermudas , Jamaica nnd the
smaller British Islands iu the Antilles.
These Islands , now that wo possess Porto
Ulco and control the destiny of Cuba , are
more than ever within our sphere of in
fluence. To them , if in our control , the
Monroe doctrine would geographically apply.
It Is an elastic doctrine , as has been demon
strated In recent years , but it Is not ductile
enough to bo stretched around tbo
world. Wo could make the inhabitants of
the British West Indies 'prosperous ' and con
tented. England cannot. With the Clay-
ton-Bulwer treaty In acknowledged binding
force , and an expectation on England's part
that she would eventually share In the con
struction of the Nicaragua canal , there was
a certain logic , menacing as H was to us ,
in the erection of the frowning British for
tresses which face us In the Caribbean sea.
But now that Great Britain has unofficially
assented to the abrogation of the Clayton-
Bulwer treaty , and admitted our right to
build and control the Nicaragua canal , the
former necessity , from England's point of
view , of ber continued occupancy of her
Antlllean possessions , is diminished , if not
removed.
Here is an inventory of England's Island
possessions which lie within the American
"sphere of Influence , " omitting a few of
minor Importance :
Popu-
_ , Sq. Miles. latlon.
Bermudas . 41 15,631
Bahamas . . . . . . . 4,406 43,600
Turks nnd Calcos . IGS
Jamaica . 4,193 cso.SOO
fjt. Lucia . . . 233 3S.500
St. Vincent . 133 40,500
Barbados . JGO 171,860
arenada. . 130 42,403
Tobago . . . . . . . . 114 18,051
Vlrpln Island . ' . . . . . C7 0287
St. Christopher . 63 29,100
Novls . 60 11,860
AntlRUa . no 31,901
Monts-errat . 32 10.000
Dominica . 291 28200
Trinidad . 1,754 IK.m
12.075 1,223,679
Why not instruct Ambassador Choato to
enter upon a negotiation having for Us ob
ject the exchange of a quit-claim deed of our
"rlgbt , title and interest" in the Philippines
for a warranty deed of the above list of
American Islands ?
AM ) OTHERWISE.
Joshua M. Sears Is the biggest Individual
taxpayer of Boston and annually puts $57-
003 Into the municipal treasury.
Peter Joyce , a captain of police In St.
Louis , has worked seven days a week for
thirty-seven years without a holiday.
Governor Plngreo has taken an aversion
to silk hats on the ground that they belong
to "swells , " undertakers and Englishmen.
Ambassador Choato wears the largest sized
hat known to the trade , but as he has done
it for some time , his recent distinction isn't
tbo cause of it.
Addlson C. Harris , the new minister to
Austria , is said to bo one of the best classical
scholars ever graduated from the North
western university.
Lucinda M. Morton , widow of Oliver T.
Morton , Indiana's war governor and who Is
in straightened circumstances , has arranged
to sell her late husband's library to the In
dianapolis school board for $450.
Paderowskl , the pianist , has bought a farm
of several hundred acres In Gallcla , near the
Russian border. He will raise live stock and
grow grapes , making bis own wine. His new
opera , although virtually completed , will not
be produced until next winter. It will be
brought out in Dresden.
Guided by that prince of press agents ,
"Tody" Hamilton , the bearded lady , the liv
ing skeleton and other human curios in the
Barnura & Bailey show In London have
issued a protest and sent it to all the news
papers objecting to the term "freak , " as
generally used In describing them.
Jose Milro , formerly Inspector of police and
later leader of the Spanish guerrilla force In
Havana , is said to have confessed that the
Spaniards organized a bogus Nanlgo society ,
Into which Cubans were drawn and which re
sulted In their deportation to Ceuta , and that
fully half the political suspects who were
sent away were guiltless of the charges
made against them.
Bishop John P. Newman of the Methodist
Episcopal church , who lias been compelled
to abandon all kinds of ministerial work for
the last few months on account ot nervous
prostration , is now convalescing at the
.Murray Hill hotel , New York City. The
friends ot the bishop will be gratified to
learn that be expects soon to bo restored to
his usual vigorous health. He will attend
all of the approaching conferences assigned
to him.
President McKlnley , it Is said , has had
moro public money placed at his disposal ,
without any restriction as to iti use , than
any president since the foundation of the
government , and the New York Herald says :
"It has been suggested that the president
might Eee fit to use some of It to convince
Agulnaliio that American domination of the
Philippines would be to his advantage , but
It Is not considered probable it will bo so
used. "
Using big , heavy coaches In place of the
light , early type of trolley cars has resulted
in improving the Job of oiotorman. A
Brooklyn trolley company has found it
neccfisary to advertise for picked met ) , de
scribed as "first-class American citizens ,
weighing from 160 to 200 pounds , and not
lees than 5 feet 8 Inches In stature. " An
official explained tbat only quick , strong ,
courageous men could manage the fifteen-
ton cars.
HOTICTIOX.
XATIOXAI * I .
Innitranep Compiinlm Weary nf ! Mnte
ItCKiilntloiin and IllaeUiuall.
Washington Cor. Chicago Record.
The managers of the great Insurance com
panies throughout the country fire , life and
surety are having prepared and will soon
Introduce in congress a comprehensive bill
placing nil corporations engaged in an lu-
siirauco business In more than ono state
under the Jurisdiction of the federal govern
ment , represented cither by the secretary of
the treasury or the secretary of the Interior.
Their desire la to have the Insurance com
panies of the country placed under federal
surveillance similar to that now extended
over national banks , which , they believe ,
can bo done under that broad provision ot
the constitution which gives congress power
to control commerce between the states.
The chief motive for this now arrangement
in to avoid thu Irritation nnd expensive liti
gation which the companies are compelled
to undergo by the Insurance commissioners
In the different states. They complain that
It has developed Into well-organized black-
mall and costs them hundreds of thousands
of dollars every year to meet the demands
of certain state officials who have the au
thority to mnko them a great deal of trouble
and even prohibit them from doing business
If they do not submit. The financial man
ager of one of the largo life Insurance com
panies of No\v York states tbat U costs his
company about $250,000 a year to comply
with the demands of the many state nnd
foreign commissioners who have authority
to Inspect them , and the greater part of the
sum was pure blackmail. As an Illustration
ho cited a visit which had been made to him
a few days previous by nn Insurance com
missioner from a western state. This official
had gone through the form of examining the
books nnd records of the company , had re
ceived various explanations concerning the
financial condition of the company which
wcro perfectly legitimate nnd had been
treated with respect and deference until ho
sent to the secretary of the company his
hotel bill , which Included a number of items
which the latter refused to pay. It appears
that ho had ordered suits of clothes for him
self , Jewelry , furs and oveti garments for his
wife and children , amounting to several hun
dred dollars , which had been eent C. 0. I ) ,
to his hotel and having been paid for by
the cashier the items were placed In his
bill.
bill.When
When the secretary refused to pay the
bin the state commissioner became indig
nant and warned him that Oils company
would regret it. His indignation was so
treat and his threats BO fierce that the secre
tary brought the matter to Lho attention of
the executive committee and was In
structed to pay the bill and say nothing
moro about It. A few days later the com
missioner called upon the chairman of the
finance committee and Informed him that ho
felt it his duty to personally appraise all
the real estate investments of the compaiiy
throughout the United States , which amount
to several hundred millions of dollars , and
are scattered In almost every city of Impor
tance from Portland , Me. , to Los Angeles ,
Cat. Ho intimated also that ho might find
It necessary to Inspect the property of the
company in Europe , where it owns build
ings and holds several million dollars worth
of mortgages. Ho said the company of
course would be expected to pay bis ex
penses.
As ho spoke with great determination no
attempt was made to argue -with him and
this matter was also brought before the
executive committee , which recognized It as
a now form of blackmail and reluctantly de
cided to submit as usual. The chairman of
the finance committee was Instructed to la-
form the abate commissioner that they
would bo very glad to have him make the
inspection and appraisement bo proposed and
offered him a check for $5,000 in payment of
his expenses. The check was promptly ac
cepted by tbo commissioner , who went back
to his homo the next day and has not been
heard from since , his proposed Journey beIng -
Ing simply a subterfuge to extort money
from the company.
There are other reasons why insurance
managers think it would bo well to place
their companies under the Jurisdiction of
the general government , and the bill Is now
being drawn. No attempt will bo made to
pass it at the present session of congress
but it will probably bo Introduced very soon.
PIIOMISIXG IIUSIXESS COXDITIOXS.
Marked Evidence of General nnd Sub
stantial Prosperity.
Philadelphia Times.
The business conditions of this country
were never eo promising for general and
substantial prosperity as they are at pres
ent. The growth In 'Industry ' and trade and
the rapid increase in values are not the re
sult of mad Inflation. They are the logical
outgrowth of the strong financial condition
of both our government and people.
This country now for the first time holds
the largest amount of gold of any nation
in the world , and our public and private
credit Is unsurpassed. Our exports Im
mensely exceed the average amount of our
supplies to other nations and tbo balance of
tnatlo is enormously in our favor. These
are conditions which are Inseparably con
nected with the prosperity of the producers
of the land , and when they are prosperous
the whole people are prosperous.
The bank statements of New York , Is
sued on Saturday , show that the banks of
our financial metropolis hold $237,214,500 ,
being the largest amount ever held In the
history of the city. The bank clearings
for the week were $1,251,904,989 , the largest
ever known. The deposits In the banks con
nected with the clearing house alone
amount to $835,805,700 , an Increase of nearly
$9,000,000 in a single week.
The accumulation ot money In the great
financial centers of the republic does not
always indicate a prosperous country. In
the severe business depression of several
years ago , money accumulated in business
centers because the people had neither the
credit nor the opportunity to Invest It
profitably , but today the investments are
larger than ever before known. The sale
of stocks and securities on the New York
stock board last week were unexampled In
volume , nnd yet with all this great ab
sorption of money in stocks and bonds
and speculative ventures there Is a very
largo surplus of money In all tbo leading
cities ) . It means that wo are EO largely
earning In cxce-ss of our expenditures that
It will require a floodlldo of Inflation to
produce a stringent money market.
Thus far the advance in the prices and the
development of new enterprleeu have been In
the 1'no ' of healthy progress. There are
plenty who say that securities are too high
because they command a higher prlco than
they did a score or half a score of years ago
In prosperous times , but they forget that the
6 per cent standard of tbo value of money
accepted only half a generation ago Is now
reduced t the standard of 3 or 3'/4 per cent
as a fair return for money. It was the high
rate of Interest tbat exhausted the resources
ofthe producers of the land and brought
millions of capital here from abroad for In
vestment but toda > money Is cheaper In
Now York than It Is In I/omlon because we
have the superabundance that they once had.
Everything now points to a season of most
nubstantiil prosperity and there U not now
even a cloud as big as a man's hand on the
business horizon to Indicate the possibility
of revulhlon. There Is danger of reaching
the point of reckless Inflation , but that has
not yet been approached and until It does
come the general buslneM of the country
may bo regarded as based on the most sub
stantial foundation. Our country has today
every poulblo element of prosperity for all
classes one ] conditions , with every Indication
that it must endure until some great failure
of Industrial products or wild inflation In
cpeculs.tlre circles shall bait the hlgheat
tide ot the incut healthful progress the
cation bis ever known. ,
MATTr.ns.
Detroit Journal ! The mor doctors a
inan Imi , the less certain nre , they what
nil * him , nnd the more certain nro oilier
people.
llurlem l.lfo : Old Mr. Clrump-My bov ,
you spoml live times ns much money on
yourself im 1 ti-uxl to.
Youtiu Mr. Orumtt How cntt 1 help that ,
father ? I belong to a good dciil wealthier
family than you tlld , remember.
Somervlllo Journal : WlgRlen Don't you
think my ( laughter has n. line voice ?
WiiK-Klef Well , there ought to be a finer
nttnchtxl to It.
Chicago Post : "Dead. l he ? "
"Yes , Died Bitddonly.r
"Old story , I HUppose. Looked In the gim
to BOO If there was a charge in It. "
"No. New story. Ktllt of the trolley
wire to POP If there was u clmrgo in It. "
Indianapolis Journal : "Who , " nuked the
horny-listed man , utter the rest of tha
crowd hail departed from the grocery ,
"who Is this hero John C. Depew that
they was tnlklu' about'.1"
Chicago Tribune : Kthel Yes , I've taken
these pretty bird wings off my hat. It's
horrible , when you come to think of It ,
to wear the plumage uf a song bird ns an
ornament.
Mubol I bellcvo you're right. I always
wear tlui whole bird.
Tribune : Military Chloftaln ( to
subordinate ) What do you HUKKCBI ns the
best way to get a ship pant the cnemy'i
butteries nnd cnpturo thn cltyV
Subordinate ( rousinir himself ) Hey ?
Military Chieftain lly Jove ! That's the
thing exactly ! We'll protect the ship with
hay !
Boston Transcript : Mrs. Oreene Do you
nlwuys glvo your little boy castor oil for a
cold ?
Mrs. Oray Yea ; 1 giveIt for Its moral
effect exclusively.
Mrs. Greene -Kor Its moral effect ?
Jlrs. Gray Yes ; It will have an Influence
upon him not to catch another cold.
WnshliiRton Star : "Is it a fact. " said
the Filipino , "that you dmlro to bo the
GeorKo Washington of this country ? "
"Well , " nnswered Agulnaldo , cautiously ,
"the biography 1 have been rending nityn
that George Washington accumulated a
great deal of weultli.
Chlcniro Post : "They nro engaged , " who
had s.ilil , after having watched the coilplo
.across . the aisle for Home time.
"Why do you say engaged Instead of
married ? " ho asked.
"Went , nfter a woman IB married Bh Mill
exhibits the same proprietary lute-real In a
man , but she doesn't seem to bo BO proud
of it. "
Detroit Journal : Day nnd nlffht the
chemist tolled with his crucibles and re
torts.
"If I discover the Ingredients of tnli
popular pattmt medicine , " he exclaimed ,
hopefully , "my fortune nhall bo made ! "
Day nnd night tolled he.
"The vital secret eludes , me ! " he sighed ,
nfter four or live weary years. "I have
discovered , whnt the Ingredient Is that
mnkes the medicine curative , but , nloa. I I >
nm baffled to discover whnt Ingredient
makca It taste so bad ! "
THE AFTEK-UI.NNEH CIGAR.
Plttsburg Dispatch
Oh , 'tis ivell enough
A whiff or n puff
From the heart of a pipe to get ;
And 41 dulnty maid
Or a budding blade ,
Mny toy with the clgnrette ;
But a man when the time
Of a glorious prime
Dawns forth like a morjilng tar
Wants the dark brown bloom
And the sweet perfume
That go with a good cigar.
To lazily float
In a ualnted boat
On a Bhlmmorlng morning sea ,
Or to flirt with n maid
In the afternoon shnde
Seema good enough sport to be ;
Hut the evening hour
With its subtle power
la sweeter nnd better far
If Joined to the Joy
Devoid of alloy
That lurks. In a good cigar.
When n blanket wet
la solidly set
O'er hopes prematurely grown ;
When ambition la tame
And enercy lame
And tbo bloom from the fruit Is.blown ; , , , , .
When to dnnce nnd dine
With women and wine
Past poverty's pleasures are ,
A man's not bereft
Of all peace. If there's left
The Joy of a good cigar.
Last
Chance.
You will regret
not taking
advantage of our
great pants
sale.
Because you will
never have
the chance to
purchase a pair
of good pants for
the prices
we are
now offering them :
$1.50 , $2.00 ,
$2.50 , $3.00 ,
$3.50.
These prices
are way below
what they are worth
and
another day or so
will end the .
sale.
So accept
this last chance.