0 THE OMAHA DAILY TCT3T3 : FRIDAY , MAHCTI JJ , 1800. THE OMAHA DAILY DEE. K. KOSEWATKtl. 1'Mltor. ' rUULISHED 13V13UY M.OKNINQ. THUMB OF SUUBCH1PTION. Dally Uco ( without Sunday ) , Ona Year.IC.00 Dally ueo nnd Sunday , one Ycnr 8.10 Blx Months 4. Thr a Months 2 Sunday lice , One Year J. Saturday Uee. One Year ! Weekly Bee , One Year OFFICES. Omaha : The Ucu Utllldlne. South Omaha : City Hull building , Twenty-fifth nnd N streets. Council Ulufls : 10 Pnrl Street. Chicago : Stock Examinee Building. Now York : Temple Court. Washlncton : 501 Fourteenth Street , COURESPOXDENCR Communications relating to news nnd editorial matter fhould bo addressed : bdl- torlal Department , The Omaha Ueo. BUSINESS LETTHUS. IJuslncss letter * and remittances should bo addressed to The lleo Publishing Com pany. Omaha. Drafts , checks * , express ntul postofflco money orders to be made payable to the order of the comnany , . , . . , , „ Tilt : UEE PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT OP CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska , Douglas County. ss.J Gcorso TJ , Tzschuck , secretary of The Uco I'ubllBhlntf company , being Au\y \ ffjvorn. says that the actual number of run ami complete copies Of The Dally , Mo 1" * ; ; Evening and Sunday Hea. printed during the month of January , ISM , was as fol lows : 1 21,005 17 . , . 2lHIO ! ( 2 sna o is . ai : , 9o 3 ua , oi : 19 . uiso : 4 aa , - 20 . sisiu : c ai , 8o 21 . IM.ftlO 6 2j,710 : 7 Hj,710 : a Bl , 70 8 1M,0.-.0 24 S1 , 50 9 nit..tno 23 81,1'IW 10 za.'iio 2S ai.Ttn 11 2:1,770 : 27 a 1,850 12 23 8-MBO is 29 81,850 isU 1M.O1O 20 24,200 15 a 1.410 31 84.100 1C aiH : 7 . ' - , Total T.7-ISr Loss unsold and returned copies. . . . i .i- > - Net total sales ' ' ! ? ' . ' ! ! Net dally average il' , . ii UEOIU1E B. TKSCHUCK. Subscribed and sworn to before ma this 31st day of January. 1E99. ( Seal. ) H. I. PLUMB. Notary Public. Wanted The man with the Key to the senatorial deadlock. The action of the senatorial candidates In sending a. tank of Ice water Into the caucus room should be resented as a cold deal. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ If tlu > Van Dusen primary election bll ! becomes a law the occupation of the political maverick will oncuitntcr perilous times. Having felt the impetus of good times , tlie South Dakota legislature has raised the salary of Its governor , supreme and district Judges. If there is a county In the state that Is not sure It has just the proper loca- tiwn for a normal school it should have a prize for ovcrweanlug modesty. The leaky old ship , Sagasta , has gone down In the troubled waters of Spanish politics and not all of the aSr bugs of the ministerialists are able to raise him. Congress just now has an advantage over the legislature In the faet that it can see Its linlsli , while the legislature Is still In for an indefinite period of time. A glance over the dally real estate transfers should convince the most doubting Unit Omaha realty furnishes one of the best places for profitable in vestment to be found anywhere. If tiie police force Is cut down much lower Omaha may have to go back to the old system of watch and ward and Impress eacli citizen into the service a certain number of days during the year. It will be noticed , paradoxical as it may seem , that the men who are fighting hardest to prevent any changes in the present city charter are the same men who opposed its enactment two years ago. Having set several records during the past few months Omaha will next week add another feather by holding the largest foreclosure sale of land that has been pulled off within the memory of man. AmbassadorChoato made nbasehlttho first time up to bat on landing In Eng land with kindly greetings about equally divided between the grandstand and the bleachers and everybody in England Is today willing to admit that he is good enough to stay In the game. The slaughter of normal school bills continues In the legislature. There lias not been a session for many years in which less than half a dozen of such measures wore Introduced and they have Invariably met the same fate. Yet the projectors never appear tu bo dis couraged , The lilll to prohibit Urn manufacture and sale of cigarettes is making tine progress In the legislature. If the ciga rette trust does not accept the invita tion tx > come down and siiunru Itself the coming generation of Young America In Nebraska may have to give up the ciga rette kindergarten nnd start in at once with Its first lessons on the cigar. Sir John KalstafTs encounter at Uadshlll with "eleven villains in buck ram and nine In Kendall green" was a tame feat of the Imagination as com pared with tint latest performance of the Filipino junta , which has magni fied two stragglers picked up by the in- mirgeuts Into " 000 American prisoners. " If a corporal should happen to stray Into the hands of these imaginative pa triots the world would soon bo told that General Otis nnd his whole com- in a ml had been captured. The local popocratlc organ and the popocratlc county attorney should try to get together on the question of the ability of the republican county Judge to render an Impartial decision In the preliminary hearings on criminal charges brought before him. Speaking editorially the organ of the gang In sists that the county judge Is biased and Ignorant uf the law. Speaking through its county attorney it praises him us a model of fairness. It always takes a popocratlc organ to blow hot flutl cola at the tmiuo tluiu. _ T11K ! > K\r \ ARMY 1111,1 , , 1'oar of nn extra session of fhe 1'lfty- slxth fOJijm'ssas the most potent In fluence In securing the postage of the army bill , but tills was not accom plished without concessions to the op ponents of n permanent standing army. The me.is.ure l.s not Just what the ad ministration desired , but It will be approved by ( lie president nnd go Into ? effect at once. ruder ( he provisions of the bill the piesldent may keep under arms and in the field until July 1 , JX)1 ! ) , a force of IdU.OOO soldiers , the numuer to be re duced after that time to 117,000. As originally repoited In the senate the bill provided for a minimum fniv" nl'toi July 1 , litOi , of , ' ! S,000. Tills legislation will dispose of ( he question of the or- cntibutloii of the army at h.i&t untlj the assembling of the I'Mfty-slxth ' con gress In December next , by which time I lie situation probably will ha\u con siderably changed and further legisla tion may be unnecessary. Meanwhile ( lie volunteers who are hoping to be soon relieved from service and per- mined to return home will very heartily welcome the legislation. Doubtless some of the volunteers will re-enlist under the new law , but t'io ' expccta tlon Is that most of them will accept tin.1 earliest opportunity to got back to the United States and resume peaceful pursuits. Tills Is undoubtedly the case as tu the volunteers who are In the Philippines , many of whom , as was stated by Senator Allen n few days ago In the senate , do not like lighting a people with whom Americans should be on friendly terms. AMttASSAUOlt CJ1UATE ; Tlio reception given Ambassador Cliontc on Ills arrival In England was of the most cordial character and \vlll bu pleasing to most Americans as a manifestation of llrltlsh good feeling. It is nut the hublt of Englishmen to accord Mich a greeting to the diplomatic representatives of other countries than tile United States and In view of the fact that Mr. Clioute is a new figure in tlie ll ( > ltl of diplomacy lite welcome to Eugiand is perhaps to be regarded as peculiarly slgiillieant. There can be no doubt Unit the new A murk-mi ambassador to the court oT St. .Tames will achieve a popularity as great as was enjoyed by any of ills predecessors. While known not to have had any experience in diplomacy , ills fame as a distinguished lawyer and a brilliant orator preceded him and it is to be expected that at the llrst favor able opportunity he gets to talk to Englishmen lie will make an impression that will place him high In their es teem. The only drawback lie may en counter is hi finding ready appreciation for the rare wit which gave him the foremost place among American after- dinner speakers , but he knows how to adapt himself to circumstances and will dqnbtless use this faculty to the best advantage. Mr. Choate represents the highest type oC American culture and he Is moreover thoroughly Ameri can in sentiment and feeling. We maybe bo sure that he will say or do nothing to Impair the friendly relations between the two countries , but everything to strengthen them. TllH ALLEGED FILIl'IXO ALUASCE. The question as to the nature and ex tent of tba alleged understanding be tween consular representatives of the United States and the Filipino leader , Agulnaldo , will possibly never be satis factorily settled and perhaps too great Importance lias been given to the quos- tlun In the dissuasion of the course and the duty of this government toward the people of the Philippines. On the one liandl it is asserted that in the conferences held between Aguinaldo and the American consul at Singapore , with a view to inducing the former tune- company Dewey to Manila , there was a clear understanding that if the Filipinos should co-operate with the Americans tills government would respect the ef forts of the natives to obtain Independ ence. Agulnaldov it is said , fully out lined ills policy In these interviews , which embraced the Independence of the Philippines , with a liberal government. The assurance of co-operation given by Aguinaldo was accepted by the Ameri can consul and by Dewey nnd the Filipino pine leader accompanied the American fleet tu Manila , where It Is nn unques tionable fact that he rendered valuable service. But Mr. Pratt 1ms stated that In the arrangement with Aguinaldo this government was not committed to any course or policy , while there Is no doubt that In accepting the assistance of Aguinaldo Dewey made no agreement on behalf of the government , he having so stated. The Filipino claim is that there was virtually an alliance and that this contemplated recognition of the right of the Insurgents to Independence In the event of the American fleet being victorious. In the house of representatives , on last Monday , Mr. Grosvenor of Ohio re ferred to tills matter , asserting Unit no alliance had been made with Agnlnaldo by virtue of which ho was entitled to the support of the United States and that the light against the Filipinos was a breach of good faith. He cited the president's proclamations and orders and the dispatches of the State depart ment to prove ( hat there was absolutely no ground for the statement that an alliance of any kind had been made with Aguinaldo or with , any one else In the Philippines. lie asserted that ( hero had been no aggression on the part of the American forces In the Philippines , which liuvo been lighting only in self- defense. Ho said the orders of the presi dent , all through January and into the month of February , railed upon Otis and the other commanders to forbear shoot ing anybody , to stand only upon the defensive. Admitting that ( hero may have been no arrangement or understanding Unit committed ( Ids government to the support - port of Aguinaldo , it is still u question whether In accepting Filipino assistance an obligation was not incurred which we have failed to regard In the course pursued - sued toward those people. Admiral Dewey , If correctly reported , has said that there should have been some acknowledgment by our government of the services they rendered aud that they should Lave been given assurance of at least local Kclf-government. Perhaps If this had been done the conlllt-t with them would have been averted , but they have been treated 'tis a people unworthy of any such consideration. Instead of eff > rts lo eonclllnte , our course has been such as to Incite their hostility , so that they have learned to regard Americans with even moro bitter hatred titan they did Span- lards. It Is true that our forces 111 the Philippines are lighting on the defensive. that they did not Iegln the conflict , lint will Impartial history acquit tlds nation of all responsibility for this condition of affairs ? May It nit find that we owed an obligation and a duty to the Filipinos which was disregarded. n ri'xii on xu SIXKIXU ivxn Itccciit discussion of proposed charter amendments has emphasized the fact that Oumlin as a city not only has no sinking fund ( u extinguish Its bonded municipal debt on maturity , but also that under existing limitations no such fund can be amimulntcd. The reason Is that the money now raised under the name of a sinking fund levy Is all re quired to meet the Interest on outstand ing bonds , leaving nothing to be laid aside to meet ( he principal when due. While the charter permits the council to issue renewal bonds to 'take up the city's matured obligations , thus avoid ing what might be the disastrous con sequences of default , no provision is at hand for reducing the total Indebted ness of the city. On the contrary the new bonds Issued from time to time to meet the demand for public improve ments or to take up fl'Ouitlng ' debt keep rolling up the grand aggregate and hold It verging close on the percentage of assessed valuation allowed by the law. Summed up in u word the question presented is nothing more nor less than that of a permanent or a temporary bonded debt. If Omaha pursues its present practice it will have a heritage of permanent debt to hand down to the future. Interest payments may lie diminished by repeated funding at lower rates , but the total indebtedness will not be reduced. In this respect Omaha is nv > different from a great many other American cities which have sinking funds in name only aud are content blm- ply to meet annual Interest payments , but the general policy of the people has as a rule been against the permanent debts that mark the financial conditions of European countries and cities. Before committing Omaha Irrevocably tu the policy of permanent debt the many intricate features of the problem should be given more careful study than has yet been bestowed upon it by our people. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ HAND irillTlXG KXPEIITS. The handwriting expert once more bobs up into prominence to confound gods mid men with contradictory theories and opinions. The results of the coroner's Inquest in the New York poisoning case have not readied the grand jury before numerous other ex- ports , more or less distinguished , arise to confute the evidence of those who testified that the defendant wrote the address on the death-dunlin ? package. The crux of the whole question Is whotljer the handwriting on that pack age was that of Mollneanx , the ac- ctised. Around that point the battle will rage and from all Indications a host of experts will swear botli ways , each equally certain lie is right and the other who contradicts him a fool. Tills has been the result of every such trial for years and the public is beginning to take the cocksure opinions of ex perts with a largo grain of salt. Of the last six prominent criminal trials in which these experts played prominent parts in at least three of them the only thing demonstrated was the lamentable Ignorance of these wit nesses. In one of them , the Kennedy case , the experts for both sides agreed that an unimportant writing was in the hand of the defendant when , as a mat ter of fact , it was not. Similar blunders were made in other cases. These expert witnesses , if they know anything about the subject , seem lo for get It when they go on the stand nnd confine themselves to the theory most favorable to the side In whoso behalf they arc called , Irrespective of reason or other considerations. This Is so well known that It has operated lo lessen the confidence of both the courts and the public In such evidence. Until the experts can reach some rules of agree ment among themselves in the absence of other incriminating evidence the average jury is sure to give the accused the benefit of all doubts. l Not only the English-speaking races cid but the civilized world will draw a breath of relief over the news that Mr. Kipling lias passed the crisis and is likely to live. For days this peerless - " less master of poesy and expositor of human nature has lingered on the verge of death's dark river , while the world has watched anxiously but alnvost with out hope. Had he died at this tlmo It would have been n public calamity , for much as ho has done he yet stands In the noonday of manhood nnd the past is but an earnest of what he shall do In the future. America feels * that Mr. Kipling belongs as much , if not more , to her than to England , and wo unite with our English brethren in a sincere prayer that the sweet singer may bo speedily restored to health. Another new party boru at Cincinnati. New parties have a habit of being born with the regularity of children In a poor man's family. Whllo each has a dif ferent name , those brought Into ex- jj Istenco in recent years have all the symptomsof a common parentage. These now parties.always start out by father ing all the political vagaries extant. When they succeed in attracting any considerable number of followers the moro conservative throw overboard the radical doctrines and the disciples of dis content proceed to hatch another party. The fight In the Idaho legislature In which distinguished statesmen scarified eacli other with penknives Is a tils- grace to the state. It would have been bad enough had these solous ambitious to carve out careers for themselves ro- jj sorted to Jnckknlvcs or dirks for that nurnose , but wlicu it comes to peii- knife * the Inadequacy of the tool Is KO nppnuMii i as lo bowimo ridiculous. A ! standard weapon for the Idaho legls- Mature Is n matter f no 'small Im portance , and If that body does Its duly i It will not only adopt one at tills session , but will be careful to com promise | on nothing less effective ( ban galling guiis. As was to have been expected the Lincoln 1 newspapers are doing their best to I hold Omaha down In I he showing to be 1 made In tin- next census by oppos ing the consolidation of Omaha nnd South Omaha. The fact that the Lin coln papers are against the proposed annexation ought to furnish one of the best reasons In the world why every body In Omaha and South Omaha should bo In favor of it. Cottiiitcnilitlilt * Olcrlly. Philadelphia Times. Talking of Franco , n nation that can bo deprived of a president ono day and elect another the next , U not likely to lese Its head for very . . ! * ( lint I'nlliMl. 8t. Paul Olobe. A Nobraskaii has been sentenced to a yeur in the penitentiary for trying to steal a trabilond of cattlu. Ho ought also to bo voted n leather medal for his "norvo. " Too Manx In tlio Secret. Chicago Post. Ian ilaclarcn eays the Hrltlsh navy was ready lo assist the United States If It became - came necessary during the late disagree ment. H Is surprising how many , many pcoplo the British authorities have taken Into their confidence on thin subject. N on ( lie ; Mo ml. Baltimore American. Largo orders for locomotives have been recently placed by several of the great trunk lines , and a. better Indication of Increasing business could not bo had. When the rail roads arc having all they can do , the people of the country arc not Idlo. CoiiKrnliilntloitN All 'Hound. Buffalo Express. The passage of the army reorganization bill gives both sides cause for congratula- tlon. The administration la to bo con- gratulated on being allowed an adequate military force to caVry out Us policies ; the opposition Is to bo congratulated on its success fn preventing the permanent en- largemcnt of the army ; the country Is to bo congratulated on escaping an extra session of congress. Germimy'H ( .mill Will. Kansas City Star. Germany Is talcing steps to remove re strictions Imposed on American Insurance companies doing business within its domain. The Germans ara also displaying a disposi tion to modify some of the governmental restraints on the Importation of American meats. The Germans seem to have suddenly became exceedingly anxious that England shall not monopolize .tills country's friend ship In international affairs. I'lty the I'oor Plumber. St. Paul Pioneer Press. It Is probable that the plumber , whoso depredations have for so long Impoverished these who live by modern Improvement , will actually feel himself aggrieved If tbo Prof. Wood plan of thawing out pipes by electricity should become popular. It maybe bo that the mills of God , which have scemod to grind everybody , more or less , excepting the plumber , arc about to suck that gentle man in between their manifold wheels. I'roNiicrlty I'utcrliiK New Sprinullold The wave of business Improvement observable In the west for a year past ap pears gradually to be creeping over Now England. The state labor "Bulletin" for January reports a distinct gain in the volume of employment nnd payments of wages among the loading Industries , as com pared with even three months ago , and other evidences are not wanting of a quickening 1 In ; trade and Industry all along the line. Especially striking Is the testimony coming from tbo cotton goods 'market , which has been BO terribly depressed for so long a time. Creature HpnriiM Itn Creator. Philadelphia Record. In jiroceedlng under the Ohio anti-trust law against the Standard Oil monopoly , the attorney general of that state has been con fronted 'by corporate power exercised In Its most cynical and unsparing form , go that not only has the law been set at naught , but those who have sought to enforce It have in addition felt the sting of contempt ad ministered by a creatura of the state that Is beyond and above legal regulation. Even an order to produce the 'books ' of the cor poration in court has been reolstod , on the ground that they would disclose facts and circumstances tending to prove the com pany guilt of the offenses charged , nnd the prosecution Js thus effectually blocked , while the offenders tnko the remote chances of punishment for contempt of court. The monopoly continues , on Its course unruf fled , although under the Ohio law It has no legal existence. UIIJIXG FOR A 1\V1I , . TriiNtN TnkliiK Un nil DvrnloNc of -fil Cniillul. Chicago Post. The announcement that the Pottery trust Is rocking to its fall will scarcely exclto surprise. As ono of the banking houses con cerned In the combination explains , the main dlfllculty Is overcapitalization. This , Indeed , a dlfllculty which Is serious enough to up set the best-planned trust. The stock of the American Potteries company has been fixed at about | 30,000COO , whllo the annual output of nil the potteries In the combination amounts to only 110,000,000. No business can bo profitably conducted which does not "turn over" its capital at least once n year , ac cording to the banker who has subscribed heavily to the project and who now believes that the consolidation Is In danger. Hero wo have ono of the weakest spots In the trust scheme , Consolidation Is ad vocated In'tho interest of economy nnd re sulting cheapness of the products to con sumers , but where Inflation and over capitalization are permitted there can bo no economy and no reduction of prices. Conservative financial papers have felt themselves called upon to sound a note of warning. The Investor lately called atten tion to the collapse of several trusts In the panic year 1S93 and pointed out the danger of similar disasters at the first appearance of unfavorable Industrial symptoms. Solid enterprises can withstand a period of de pression , but overcapitalized and watered companies find their stocks reduced one- half or moro in value In the shortest spaca of time and are helpless to avert the debacle. Dauks have also been looking askance at various projected trusts and have refused financial assistance to promoters. The whole movement Is felt to bo a gigantic and doubt ful experiment at best , for there are recognized limits to the economic advantages of oven tbo most legitimate consolidation. Competition cannot bo eliminated In any field at all attractive to capital , and in bomo cases the trust distinctly encourages com petition. If Its prices arc too high a small competitor at once perceives the chances of tuccessful rivalry , and In any event he expects to bo Invited to join the trust and get moro than his plant Is worth. No trust can succeed which is not cither based on a natural monopoly or cUe genuinely con siderate of the popular Interest and so $ honestly and efficiently conducted as to glvo the consumer a share of the benefit of the economy effected , IMIMIIIAIKHM : i.v IMMA. I'liiiitiie iiml rtiiKiic , ' ! ' > rniinjnnd for Kiniilrr. Boston Transcript. Lord Charles Hercsford failed to give thnt momentum to the volley of expansion In this country vhlch Its friends expert from every prominent KnBll limnn. especially If ho Is connected with cither the army or the navy. Speaking for his own country ho de clared that the llrltlsh empire was n grout deal too big already and lie Old "not with to fieo any more of the charts marked with the crimson. " With respect to this country IIP did not know what the American policy was , but ho doubted Very much If wo wantoJ "any moro property , " nnd ho tnailo this statement , too. right In Peace Commissioner Hold's hearing. Ho was probably thlnkliiK of India , what It was , what It In. what It lias cost and of nil the crimson with which It has marked not only the geographical charts but also the pages of history. The strong hand of Hrltlsh rule Is still able to keep the many millions of that great section of the globe In sullen subjection. Out It has been found necessary to suspend the boasted privilege of free speech. In the : native newspapers the methods em ployed to check the plague and relieve the famine , wcro praised In English , whllo In parallel columns and In their own dialect the natives have 'been ' urged to cvado the outrageous laws and resist all police Inter- fercncc. .It . did not take long for Inflam matory speeches and editorials to develop revolutionary tendencies , which were as sisted by the exhortations of ono Tllah , a kind of Indian Peter the Hermit , who , ac cording to Mr. Washburn .Hopkins . of "Vale university , "In known In Europe and Amer ica as n Sanscrit scholar , in India as n dan gcrous malcontent. " Ho had given his countrymen this startling counsel : "Down with the Ilritlsh ; now Is the moment to act. Our people are already Inflamed with hatred. " Doubtless ho spoke true , and the British were actually attacked In Poonn. Ono ofllcer 'was ' killed nnd an other was wounded. "Then , " says Mr. Hop kins , "tho British woke up , applied thcb usual rule of thumb to the break In the machinery , convicted Tilah of treason , sent him to Jail , passed a law that prevented free speech nnd returned to polo nnd the suppression of the plague. " The plague and famine , which "answer the same purpose In India ns does the annual overflow of rivers In China" that Is , carry away .the surplus population are now In their third year , or at least the former Is , for famine Is moro or less permanent. Last year it raged moro . than in 1S9C-97 ; but now it is slowly dying n natural death , havlug about run its courso. Hut oven India docs not seem to satisfy entirely the British jingo's lust for empire. An officer of the government has proclaimed that It is time to solzo Thibet. "What are wo sitting herp for , doing nothing ? " he asks. "Wo ought not to let our soldiers rust out , now that the Tllah campaign Is over. We ought to take Thibet. It would make a capital summer resort ; it irould be a defense against possible aggression on the part of Russia ; and , finally , they all drink tea up there , nnd it would open a first-rate market for our Indian teas. " They must have sol diers and have something for them to do. oven when "order reigns" In India. A steady undertone of suggestion of the lull before the storm , of the quiet stress and wary lookout of the camp In the enemy's country , predominates in all the latest cor respondence from India. PKHSOXAL A\D OTHERWISE. Senator Jones of Nevada has been In formed 'by the manager of his gold mines In Costa Rica that a valuable lead has been found on the property. Gcorgo McC. Harvey , ivho has Just pur chased the' North American Review , began work as a reporter at the age of 18 on the Springfield Republican. Harvard university prides Itself on the fact that Joseph II. Choato Is the eighth alumnus of that Institution to represent this country at the court of St. James. In southern Saxony the people are going to honor the memory of the late Prlnco Bis- marclc by having a competent sculptor carve the features of the great chancellor on the highest rock In that region. Supreme Court Justice Edgar L. Furaman was the only Judge in Now York who held court on Washington's birthday , outside of police magistrates. Fourth of July and Christmas ore the only holidays which he observes as legal. An enormous pipe has Just 'been ' made for President Krueger by a Dublin firm. It Is of the finest briar root , the stem of cut vulcanite , and the case 13 of leather lined " with chamois. On the front of the head of the pipe and carved into the wood is the Transvaal coat-of-arms. The German emperor has just completed his 10th birthday. Among the eighteen Euro pean kings ho has twelve seniors and five juniors. The average ago of the sovereigns of Europe Is fit , and their average length of reign twenty-two years. The oldest Is the 'king ' of Denmark , who will bo SI this April. General Marcus P. Miller , who commanded the forces that captured Hello , will reach the ago limit March 17. Ho bears the honor of .having received live brevets for gallant and meritorious conduct In active service three In the civil war nnd two In Indian campaigns. General Miller was born in Massachusetts. at D. . Hall , president of Clark university , lc says : "I can't get over the feeling that the lcn argument ihwt wo ought to take up the whlto man's burden , as Kipling calls It , Is false teaching. M , Is n bad pedagogy to teach people at the point of the bayonet , and Is repugnant to our methods. As a gcueral principle It does not succeed. " The voting by the Now Jersey legislature of a sword to Admiral Sampson recalls the fact that the only other Individual who over received such distinction at the hands of New Jersey was Captain Samuel French , for valor during the Mexican war. When thn civil war ibroko out Captain French deserted his state nnd Joined the confederate army. Emperor William never plays cards ex cept for very low stakes. Yet in a game . with a Leipzig lawyer once upon a tlmo the latter lost 20 marks. Ho laughingly exclaimed - a claimed : "I have got Into a regular rob bers' den. " Everybody roared with laughter , the emperor as heartily as the rest. When it his majesty was staying the following year at Ilarby and noticed the lawyer , ho went up a to him , handed him n 20-mark ploco set In diamonds , In the form of a scarfpln , and said : "Ilestorcd by the robbers. " In his eulogy of the late Mr , Ulngloy last week Hepresentatlvo Dockory spoke of the great changes In the house since it met at the opening of the Forty-eighth congress. Of the 35G men who were then sworn In , only seventeen are still there , and fn the next session there will bo only fifteen , namely : Hlngham , Ermentrout mid Harmer - mer of Pennsylvania ; Heed and Doutcllo of Maine ; Cannon and IIHt of Illinois ; Payne , Hay and Wadaworth of New York ; Henderson and Hepburn of Iowa ; Illand of Missouri ; Stccle of Indiana , and Latiham of Texas. It Is Interesting to learn that the English man Is the greatest user of lntoxlcants In > the United Kingdom , that the Scotchman stands second In the list and that the Irish man 1 * the third. This Is not according to what has generally been believed concern ing the use of alcoholic drinks In Great Drltaln , but that It is the proper order Is shown by Btatlstlcs Just published. For every man , woman and child in the United Kingdom the expenditure for liquor was J10 during the last year , The Englishman spent $20.50 , the Scotchman $15.25 aud the Irish man $13.25. In the same order , there was consumed 2.41 , 1.60 aud 1.51 gallons ot alcohol. : s or TIIIJ w.\n , The bill lovlvltiR the Rrn.lo of admiral In the nnvy litJ K - o to the president for np- pro\al. The pufpoBO of the act In to fittingly j rccognlro j the pre-eminent services and valor of Ueorgo JJewoy nt the battle of Manila hay i nnd subsequently. Under existing law ( he nilmlrnl would ho retlied next December , but thu net Just passed suspends that feature of the law In Dowoy's case , so that ho may remain In active service during life , unions ho chooses to go on the retlied list volun tarily. Admiral Ic ) ey will he the third American to attain the top rank In the navy. Admiral Farrogut was the first and David Porter sec ond. The honor wns conferred upon them by congress ns a reward for distinguished service In the civil war. With the death of Porter the rank and tltlo lapsed. Like coni dltlons arc attached to Its revival as a reward - ward for Uowoy. The rank carries a salary of $13.000 per annum , without the customary deduction when on shoio duty. An admiral appoints hlR own chief of staff , who must not bo under the rank ot captain , and the personnel of the staff otherwise In made up of as many olllccrs ns ho deems requisite , selected by hlmsulf. On his flagship he lias n cabin of his own , In which hu may dwell In solitary stale , lie has nliin his own cook , his own steward nnd two rabln boys to wall on him. A separate range Is provided for the preparation of his meals , and the gov ernment finds him In n dozen of everything In the way of tablouiire , excepting crockery , which ho Is obliged to purchase for himself. A superb military band is always at his orders. The duties of the commanding admiral of the navy have never been defined by legls latlvo enactment. In fact , ho hn.s none , save such as the secretary of the navy may choose to assign to him. Porter , after ho was made a full admiral , never did any thing in particular. Nominally , ho was chairman of the Board of Inspection and Survey , but this simply meant that the board reported to htm at Intervals a mere formality. It was much the same way with Farragut , of whom no duty was required after he came back from the famous cruise which , as admiral , ho made In foreign waters to show himself nnd his ships. Dewey may possibly be put nt the head of the retiring board or board of Inspection , but ho will not bo obliged to do any work , presumably. Admiral Dewcy's now uniform will have on the collar of the coat four silver stars and two foul anchors In gold. On each sleeve will be a strip ot gold-embroidered oak leaves , which arc Insignia peculiar to admirals nnd vice admirals. The shoulder straps will display four silver stars and two foul anchors In gold. The dress sword belt will bo of navy blue , cloth edged with gold cord and embroidered with oak leaves. Like all other naval officers , Dewey must wear white pantaloons at nil seasons whllo In the tropics. The flag of an admiral is a blue rectangle with four white stars upon It. It will float from the peak of the Olyinpla In a few days and every war ship in the harbor will salute it with ( seventeen guns. Long may Admiral Dewey bear the honors so worthily won. in M.MS. Those readers of Dickens who have read the grave deliberations of the Pickwick club over the Oil ! Stumps stone will be pleased to know that insofar from such things occurring solely in fiction ono of them has transpired within the last few- days. Sorno wag at Kensington , Minn. , either singly or through a conspiracy , caused' to be published In the papers that he had dis covered a runic stone of great nnclcntness , covered with queer devices , which it was believed by the test local scholarship would throw some illumination upon the vexed question whether America was discovered by Columbus or the descendants of Hcnglst and Horsa. It happened at this juncture a learned ) professor of the Northwestern university -was deep in researches of Norse t. discovery ] and when the glad tidings of the discovery reached , him his spirits nnd ex pectations arose and sang together oven as did of old the stars of morning. Visions of immortal fame floated before his entranced Imagination. Ho would prove not only that the Norse discovered America but that they also obeyed scriptural Injunc tion and multiplied and replenished nnd possessed the land. What was moro natural than they actually founded a vast empire with Kensington for the imperial capital. The very derivation ot the word favored the Idea. By dividing it up into Its thrco syllables and using n liberal translation ol "Ken" would mean to look around , "sing" to produce music and "ton" undoubtedly a corruption of "tune. " Clearly then when n the weary Norse reached this delightful S spot they looked around , sang a selection In tune and settled down to grow up with the country. Has not the fact that the descendants of In the Norse flocked to 'Minnesota ' some strange On connection with Its previous occupancy by their forefathers ? The ox knoweth hU stall . and the ass his master's barn , and what would bo moro natural than this subtle In Th stinct should lead the descendants of the viking to "yump their yobs" In Sweden and Denmark nnd flock to the ficenes of aiices- j A { trnl greatness ? The .whole thing was clear as day , .but a moment must not ho lost. ' \ Then the learned professor made the wires \J hot with instructions how to embalm the , stone In moss and get It to him with the least possible delay and Irrespective .of cost. I lo ; Ho eat down to ruminate. Days passed , Of but the runic stone came not and the pro fessor took to haunting express offices. At A last his suspense 'became ' unbearable. Ho went to the railroad officials. Tracers were Eont out , 'luit all In vain , and now ; u the poor professor dreams of the American viking palaces that wight Jmvo reared their A liaughty bastions and towers around Ken sington ho Is reluctantly realizing the fact ' Tl that they did not , and moreover that the TlTl ! discoverer of that runic stone Is just ns TlTl great a wag ns the rustic gentleman who Tl TlA drove the hard bargain with good old Mr. A ; Pickwick. A - I Ai . Private John Allen , the wit of the house , I ' .ells a gpod joke , which , ad usual , Is on | ' ilmsclf. During the last campaign ho said Tl drummer met a friend In Memphis and said : "Well , sir , I have heard the hottest Ai W lebato today to which I have over listened. AiAl was down In ( Mississippi and the repub- AlTl Ican candidate was a whlto man anil ho made IsAl Al good speech , hut when ho finished a llttlt In Rot up and tore hi * argument t tatters. " "Did you lenrn his nnme ? " In quired the surprised listener , "Yes , 1 think they call him John Allen. " Mr. Allen Is below - low medium size nnd Is very dark. Those Inclined to regard the conduct ol the Cuban soldiers ns pomonhnt unhopeful at thin tlmo have probably forgotten that our own troops nfler the close of the rove lullonary war were guilty of many unseemly nets that made them cut but n poor lliuro In the eyes of the world. That they were Inexcusably neglected Is now known of all men. but few remember that these heroes , nt least on one cr two occasions , acted moro as though they were the followers of sotna Robin Hood or mediaeval knights than ns liberators of their country. in the early spring of 17S3 whllo congress was In session In ] Philadelphia the grievances of deferred pay i over amo soldierly patience and formidable ] mutiny followed. The mutineer ! proceeded ; In company formation to Indo- pendeneo i hall , nnd filing down the street proceeded to bottle up congress beyond the means of escape. The committee appointed for i that purpose waited on the perturbed legislators I nnd were received by n commit * lee compoKcd of John Adams , Thomas Ncl son and James Wilson. These gentlemen \\cro Informed by the mutineers that eon- Kress had just twenty minutes In which to pass the appropriate legislation to secure tha soldiers' 'buck pay In full. Only after the most Olflk'iilt work and .by . promising that their Interests should receive the Immediate attention cf congress wore the soldiers con vinced of the unreasonableness of their de mands and Induced to raise thn blockade. General Washington learning of tho-troubls sent General Leo with n regiment to the relief of congress , but when ho reached In dependence hall the slcgo was over. Pur suing the mutineers , however , they were overtaken nt Cherry Hill and made prisoners after n slight resistance in which thrca men wt-ro killed and several wounded. Th ringleaders were tried , convicted and sen tenced to death , but afterwards pardoned by Washington nt the request of eongrcss. Tills , however , did not end the Matter and the muttorlngs of discontent In the anny , coupled with the fact that the .municipal . authorities of Philadelphia had shown no Inclination to protect congress In its peace ful deliberations Induced It to withdraw to Trenton , 'uhero It remained until Homo tlraa In February , 17Sfi. In the meantime an other stormy meeting had occurred among the troops in the command of General Wayne , but that stern old patriot was not as merciful an Washington nnd ho sup pressed It bv summary executions of the in stigators n llch did much to discourage further trouv.Jes of this nature. Congress finally settled with the soldiers by giving them due bills for the full amount of the pay duo them , redeemable at the pleasure of the government , and most of these were sold by the soldiers for one-eighth of their face value. They wcro finally redeemed near the beginning of the present century and the profits realized on the transaction formed the cornerstone of many Immense fortunes in both Philadelphia and New York. MIHTHKUL , K Chicago Tribune : "What ? Flzzlewlg a lawyer ? Has he the face to eel himself up In that business ? " "Yes , ho has. And If ho had the head to back It up he'd moke the best lawyer In this town. " Brooklyn Life : "But you pot a pretty good hand on that gago' yours In the becond net. " "They'd Just begun to laugh then at the jokes In the first net. " Chicago Record : "Do you think the Indian will ever bo civilized ? " "Yes ; Spotted Crow sent In a request the other day to have his name changed to Polka Dot. " Indianapolis Journal : The Housewife Is this hero milk pure ? Don't you try to de- celvo me , now. . , The Jtllkman f will not , ma'dm. It Is' not purp. It la half cream. Yonkers Statesman : Penelope Your friend Miss Fussanfeather Is so Indiscreet In the selection of terms. Patrice Why so ? "I asked hero If thorn was a cru = h at Mrs Flirt's reception and she said she never saw so much mashing Jn her Ufe. " Washington Star : "Mammy. " said Pick aninny Jim , "was George Washington first In war ? " "Yasslndeed.1' "Well , I doesn't wuntcr 'sinuate dat any body Iij In do same class wlf OconjeWaah - in ton. Hut I wantp tcr call 'tentlon to ila fack tlat Dewey was on do ground befo' do wall happened , waltln' fur it. " Indianapolis Journal : "Say , that was a mighty honest looking old farmer. " said the omco lonfer. ns the ellont went out. "Just tho. kind of a good , whole-souled face to In vite confidence. " "Just what Ii3 has been doing , " the lawyer explained. : "Ho Is In to see about n llttlo , gold < brick transaction ho was drawn Into. " AN UMtEAMKED DIIKAM , Denver Post. the widen sprlnjfdny of life I Btood , the llower-llnert border of womanhood - ° SU" Wns br'Kllt ' "nd tlls " Joy-1)lr(3s wcro s'nglnjr ' every- ° boj-nf0' WaE > a < Ir ° am thllt wns llavcn- ( ; hat ! follows ° r.oso U | > ° " lhn Glorious1 morn the waning of girlhood's dnva And the woman banked in Its cheery ray ' suitor came In a manly youth IO.SQ eyes were mirrors rellectlnir truth Whose face an Apollo might ' envy well And whoso voleo was clear as ft ve per bsll But I steeled my heart to the golden nare , or mad ambition WBH nestlntr tlfcro relBii as queen In th ; tlns.fln.1 siiow the upper world , and I bade him go. yeai' sped on , nnd another cnmo , A.'I" ' fiht tllL ISH | | of lenl . ? , * ' " > ne , And he whlHpeml ( ho story low nnd sweet And laid h hlo heart at my queenly feet. Hut his name wa ? m'lsslnir ' from titled lore niWTlfl in ! V.olV ln"f0' , " ° more. ' In , resrntful nhraso OTZO' " my S'sllt ' with reprovfnff ! , ? nrcs , of " 'ibltlon warmer burned ' 11"10 10V < ? 1 ftnd ° f llCar'S ' "lat wor * hrnva And pure In affection as vlrjrln gold. ItliiBi would como with n titled name , . , i n" nH fiuet-n I" the world of fa 1 T" " " Wlth " ' "HBinK p lines on my once fair face- , ? * ' llC"rt W"a Illorcp'1' ! la l With the Brewing feur thut I'd dlo n rnuld. And when hope W-HH waning another came ftiKl I forced H smile nnd nssunwl his name ! rim ilr nmmof Kingdom I'm rulln o'er ' a illiiKy old corner grocery store And T aid my bustling old king of kings selling bacon amli cheese and thing ? WAIT If you want to take advantage of the Discount Sale \ve ire offering on all Winter Clothing for men , boys and chit Iron. The suite , ulstore , overcoats and trousers'that are bo ng ottered at the big discount of 25 per cent "aro moving out if store with strides. " our rapid At prices now placed bo- ore you it's a good investment if you buy for next season. Nothing kept back. You can take your choice of any of our lenvy clothing at this special reduction of 25 per cent. S. W. Cor. lath nnd Douglas Sts.j R , S , WILCOX , Manager ,