Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, October 29, 1899, Part I, Page 10, Image 10

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    10 THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : STJJsDAY , OCTOBEH 20 , 1890.
ROUGH RANGERS OF TEXAS
War Wngod for Sixty Yean on Oattlo Thieves
and Desperadoes *
SPLENDID RECORD OF THE ORGANIZATION
-inrntlorin | fur a Ill-union nt Hnn
Antonio SInry of Stlrrlnif llfe
Told liju Tlirrc-Yrnr
Hrcrull.
The Texas Hangero , an organization made
up of former members of various companies
of the Lone Star state's famous frontier
lighters , will meet In San Antonio , Tex. , November -
vember 2. H Is likely that many hundreds of
i-x-lUngcrs will be at the meeting , for about
0,000 of those men are still alive , nnd they
nil take a great prldu In the organization.
Some of the ex-Rangers are old , white-
haired men who fought the murderous
Apaches , Comanches and Klowas In the MOs
nnd 'fjOs , hut the greater number arc those
who saw ctiually dangerous service on the
Texas frontier In the fifteen years Imme
diately following the civil war nnd whcso
principal duly It wan to drive out the Moxl-
ran raiders from across the lllo Grande nnd
to overcome the white desperadoes who
banded together nnd terrorized the settlers
of the harder counties.
In nil truth It may be said that no body
of frontier constabulary In the history of the
world ever held such a record for bravery
and effective work im the Texao Hangers.
They have been magnificent fighters ever
Hlnco the tlmo when forty of them fought
their way through Santu Anna's army to the
Alamo to Join Its little hand of desperate
defenders , nnd there gave up their lives with
Davy Crockvtt , Sam Bowie nnd Travis.
Those men were the original Texas Hang-
ern , and their example hns ever been In the
minds of their successors , apparently , for
It Is a matter of common knowledge In Texas
that no Hanger over shirked his duty or
turned his back to the enemy , no matter
what were the odds ngulr.ot him.
In thr war for the Independence of Texaf ,
In I lie Mexican war and In the civil war the
Texas Hangers did notable service. Many
of them Joined the Hough Illdcra when the
Spanlnh-Amcrlcan war was declared nnd of
tliem Colonel Hooscvelt has written :
"Wo drew a good many recruits from
Texas ; and from nowhere did wo get a
higher average , for many of them hnd served
In that famous body cf frontier lighters ,
thi < Tcxna Hangers. These needed no tench-
Ing They worn already trained to obey
and to ta'tc responsibility. They weic splen
did sliotH , horsemen and trailers. They
were accustomed to living In the open , to
om'tirlng great fatigue and hardship , and
tc encountering all kinds of danger. "
Incidents In the
But wars have been but
carcor of the Hangers , for they have been
fighting'a war of their own on the Texas
frontier for over sixty years. During that
lime they have fought against the enemies
of law and order In their state nnd hnvc
hnd hundrcdn upon hundreds of battles and
skirmishes with the enemy. The work
of wresting Texas from the control of the
lawless clement which formerly reigned
supreme alcng her borders has been slow ,
hut It has finally been accomplished by
the Hangers , fighting for every fcot of
nround throughout the long years.
Tin"Writer it Itiumrr llliiiMclf.
to bo a Texas
H \\os ny high privilege
Hanger for nearly three years from lb o
to 1878 and I therefore feel qualified In a
imttsure to net as their historian , although
I ho ItailtB ot this nrtlle are far too cir
cumscribed to admit of any but the briefest
reference to the work ot thi > Hangers , us a
whole. I shall rather cc < iflno myself to
telling of Bomo of the exploits of my Im
mediate comrades In the service of the
Ktato aud endeavor to glvo in sketchy out-
lltui an Idea of our life from day to day
In camp and In the saddle.
Captain L. H. McNelly , who had achieved
famu throughout the southwest as n leader
of Irregular cavalry In the confederate serv
ice during the war , was In command of the
Hanger company which I Jolne < l at the age
of I'J on the Hlo Clrando border. There were
but little more than forty men in our com
pany , but the flrst work we were set to do
wa.T to put an end to the cattle stealing by
thousands ot Mexican raiders along the Hlo
Grande , a task which had proven too great
for the many United States troops htatloncd
along the river. The raiders were well or
ganized and had carried on their depreda
tions for years. They were fine horsemen ,
expert plainsmen and courageous fighters
when cornered. Their leaders wore notorious
bandits who had fought their way to their
places ot command.
But although the Hangers In our troop
wore llttlo more than boys they ranged
from 18 to " 3 years of age , and McNelly him
self was under 30 they did not shrink from
the work ahead of them. The captain had
picked Ills men from thousands of applicants
and the result proved how splendidly ho
could Judge men , I doubt If such u fearless
body ot young dnru-dovlls ever took the
saddle In the seivlco of any stnto ns wore
McNclIy's Texas Hangers. But Ihero was
nothing of the border rulllan , "cowboy" cle
ment In tlio malteup of the troop. They
wcro all well educated young fellows , many
of them college graduates , In whoaa veins
flowed the best blood of the south nnd south
west. They were real "gentlemen adven
turers" not of a kind , however , with those
who sailed tlio Spanish Main.
They had sought excitement out on the
open prairies where wild cattle nnd wild
horses Btlll roamed at will and where thu
last herds of the buffaloes yet grazed , bill
the Hanger company offered superior Induce
ments for such IIH they tind It was with zea
nnd enthusiasm they entered the services o
the Btiite.
Thirl ) lliiHIt-H In Thror VfiirN ,
Under McNolly wo found nil the adven
ture wti 8oupit , nnd to spare. In the thrco
years I was with the company wo hnd nearly
thirty open battlea with Aloxlcan raiders
ind Texas desperadoes nnd any number o
minor encounters with them. Wo arraUoi
over 2,000 outlaws In that time and broke
up gang after gang ot horsethloves nnd cat-
Do thieves and murderers who roamed over
th western part of the state.
Wo literally lived In the saddle. We car
ried our blankets with us and wherever
darkness overtook IIB on the plains or li
tlin chaparral there wo lay down nnd slept
For two years I novcr once Jiad so mud
Onpt. W. II , Dunlnri , Ghnttv
noogtiTerm.says : "Several years
go boils nnd carbuncles appeared
upon me to an alarming extent ,
causing mo great troubln and pain.
Physicians' treatment did not seem
to avail , and finally I decided to
give S.S. S , n trial. I improved at
once , and after taking six bottles
ttio boils and carbuncleidiaapneared
entirely. "
( Swift's Specific ) is tha only blood rein-
wly guaranteed purely vtgelable ; it
forcea out every trace of impure blood
and cures cases that no other remedy
can touch. Valuable books mailed frei
by Swift Specific Co , , Atlanta , Ga.
ns .the shelter of a tent over mo at night.
If It ralne < l , wo pulled our hats over our
face * for raindrops are cold when they
htrlke the bare skin nt night and slept
the sleep of tired children after a hard
day's play ; If it snowed , wo let the snow-
add a whltu covering to our bcOs and slept
the sounder for It. But frequently wo rode
all nlcht long BO n to bo where wo could
surround some desperado stronghold at dawn
nnd arrest or kill , If they showed fight
those whom wo sought.
Well armed with six-shooters and car
bines , tlrclefw riders , ready at nil times to
eek danger , quick to shoot and well able
o shoot straight MeNclly's Hangers were
formidable body of men and It did not
akc long for their fnmo as fighters to spread
rom ono end of the stale to the other.
On ono occasion thirty of us pursued a
icdy of Mexican raiders five miles Into
Icxlco and fought .them there. They out-
lumbered us more than ten to one and they
ought their beat , but we killed twenty-
even of them nnd finally brought the others
o tcrma nnd made them return the cnttlo
icy hnd stolen. At another time seventeen
t the Hangers met fourteen of the Mexican
ildcrs on nn open prairie nnd attacked
icm under a hot fire. They killed ono of
ur number , but wo killed the whole fourteen
f them ,
Tucnly-Klvr AKiilimt Hundred * .
With twenty-five men we went to tha
tronghold of King Fisher's great band of
cspcrndocs , numbering hundreds ot the
lost desperate outlaws In Texas , nnd fought
icm to a standstill , scattering the band nnd
Illlng n number of the worst men In It
hen they resisted arrest. With soventcen
icn , linden lieutenant Jesse Leo Hall , wo
uccccded In putting nn end to a feud of
orty yearn' standing In Do Witt county , al-
A TYPICAL TEXAS BANGER.
hough both sides numbering hundreds of
men , were arrayed against us. Wo made
20 arrcbts In that county in one month
nest of them for murder. We pursued and
captured stage robbers , train robbers , bank
robbers nnd any number ot lesser criminals
vlio had successfully defied the efforts ot the
sheriffs and other peace ofllccrs , nnd once
vo put down a serious railroad riot by
simply riding on the scene , giving a few
yells and firing our slx-shaotcrs In the air.
The rioters disappeared so quickly that wo
aughcd.
A number of us were encamped at ono
line In one of the suburbs of San Antonio.
Wo were resting after months of hard rld-
ng on the plains. A message came to Cap-
aln McXolly saying that many desperadoes
had bandnl together for the purpose of mas-
sacrclns ten ot our men who , under Ser
jeant n. P. Orrcll , were In camp on the
Nucccs river , about 2f.O miles distant. Mc
Nelly called for two men to ride to Orrell's
camp nnd warn him of his danger. Wo wcro
nil eager to go and we drew lots for the
irlvllcgo. George Boyd , a Ranger from
nllfcrnln , nnd I were the lucky ones and
n ten minutes wo were In the saddle and
on our way. It was late In the afternoon
when wo started , and wo rode all night at as
rapid a pace as wo could keep up without
silling our horses. We stopped to make a
cup of coffee In the morning and to let our
torses graze for awhile. Then we rode on.
We reached the Nueces river on the after-
loon of the third day only to find It so swol-
cn by recent rains as to be Impassable , and
Drrell and his men were on the other bank.
Wo rode up the river for miles trying to
find a place where we could cross.
Finally we reached a place where It secmeJ
practicable , although even there the stream
was full a half a mile wide and very rapid.
But wo took off our boots and tied thenn to
our saddles and urged the horses Into the
water. Wo managed all right until wo
reached nbout mid-stream. Then the horsoa
hnd to swim. The current was very swift
nnd the poor animals , tired as they were ,
could not mnko any headway. Wo let them
go nnd by tremendous exertions managed
to roach the hank morn dead than alive.
In our bare , feet wo walked five miles be
fore wo reached the Bangers camp , and by
that tlmo It was long after dark nnd they
wcro all nslcep. They didn't even have a
man standing guard. Wo woke them up and
explained why we had come. Orrell looked
ui ; over and laughed :
Didn't .Vi-fil HIP WnmliiB.
"You iboys are duni fools , " he said.
"Why didn't you stay on the other sldo
of thu river till It went down a bit so'a
vnll pnnlil nrnfrM ? "
"Wo were told to hurry and warn you
nbout the desperadoes , " said Body.
" 1 thought you and the captain had bet
ter sense , " said Orrcll. "You ought to
Unow that there are not enough desperadoes
In Texas to tackle ten of McN'elly's Hang-
era , oven when we're asleep , The best
thing you can do Is to turn In nnd get
fuimo rest after > ou'vo had something to
eat. "
Wo knew that ho was right about the
desperadoes and wo felt a llttlo ashamed
of ourselves , although we had only obeyed
orders. Them was no guard et that night I
*
and the Hangers were never attacked. We
found our horses the next day , for they had
reached land after nil.
Novcr were men more obedient to their
superior officer : ) in time of actlca than the
Rangers , and probably In no like organiza
tion was there ever such a lack of "mil
itary dlsclpllna" when there was work to
do. The officers treated the men ns their
social equals , as they were. We wcro not
"soldiers" and hardly of the material of
which soldlera are made.
I remember ono Incident of our camp life
which will Illustrate our lack of so-called
discipline In tliiica ot peace , although , as
I said , wo would cheerfully and unques
tionably obey any order when danger was
afoot.
afoot.Wo
Wo wore encamped at the upper end of thu
long , straggling village of I-as Ruclas , on
the bank of the Rio Grande , some forty
miles above Brownsville. The boys were
restless , for they had not bn.-n on a scout
for two weeks and time hung heavy on their
band * . At the loner end cf the vlll.'Ee , about
three-quarters of a tnllo from our camp , a
protractf l fandango was In progress and
we knew It. It to happened that at thU
tlmo nearly all the boys were In bad stand
ing with Captain McNelly and Lieutenant
Robinson for going ocroru the Rio Grande
a few nights before nnd shooting out the
lights at a. fandango there , and we were
under strict orders not to leave camp with
out pcrmlMlon. We didn't Ilko this n bit
and the grumbling was loud and contin
uous. Captain McNelly Os called away
on some bus-lntss and Lieutenant Hoblrwon ,
a very charming fellow from Virginia , wns
In charge. A committee ! waited upon him
with the request that a few of us should be
permitted to go to the fandango each night ,
but lu- declined to entertain the proposition
for an Instant. Then the men talked It
over and half a dozen decided to t.ike
chances and KO lo the dance. They slipped
out of camp nnd eoon were having nil kind *
of fun dancing with the Mexican senorUns
nt the fandango , With a hint from tholr
sIx-shootcrB the Hangers had made the
Mexican men stand up as wall flowers about
the dancing enclosure.
.Miule tliu Seruennt Dnnoc.
Right In the middle of the fun Lieutenant
Robinson suddenly appearexl with notebook
and pencil In hand. Ho was cordially In
vited to get a partner , but ho quietly de
clined nnd ns quietly ordered the six Rangers
to report for extra gtlnrd duty nt C a. in.
to Sergeant Orcll. They reported and were
put to work cleaning up the camp , but the
next night went to the fandango again with
Orcll and six other men. Again the lieuten
ant appeared on > the scene and this time
ordered nil hands to report to Corporal
Uudd nt G o'clock for extra guard duty.
Now Rudd was something ot n martinet
to a heartrending degree , so wo knew ho
on a small scale and "attentive to his duty"
would not be EO easily led astray as Orrell
had been. He worked us hard that day and
made himself unpopular. That night Rudd
ivas put over sl.x men to guard the camp ,
and I heard Robinson aay afterwards that
ho retired with a feeling ct perfect security
that orders would be obeyed.
But about 11:30 o'clock that night the lieu
tenant was awakened by the sound of re
volvers firing In the direction of the fan
dango. Ho Jumped up and called for Rudd ,
but got no answer. Then he Investigated
and found bo was alone In the camp. We
had captured Rudd nnd his guard and
marched Ihem off to the fandango and were
making them dance In the middle of the
ring to the accompaniment of our revolvers
when the lieutenant appeared. Ho merely
shook his head and a shadow of a emllo
crept about the corners of his mouth , but wo
never heard again of our mutiny. Ho knew
that the wild , harebrained boys there were
loyal to the core to him and would have
risked their lives a hundred times over to
fellow him into danger.
But very few of McNelly's Texas Rangers
are allvo now. Many of them .went "over
the range" In the service of the state , and
others have scaltercd far and wide. A few
of the survivors will be at San Antonio at
the rangers' reunion , but their hair will bo
streaked with gray and the weight of yearn
will be on their bread shoulders for the
times of which I write are these of nearly
a quarter of a century ago.
There are a very few Rangers still In the
service of the state , but their work Is light
now compared to what their predecessors
had cut out for them. Still , they are effica
cious , brave officers of the law and always
acquit themselves well when called upon to
assist n sheriff In rounding up some particu
larly dangerous criminals.
C'AHUIAr.i : OF THI3 MAMI.A. GIIIT , .
nn Uie AViill of a HOIIHC She
Iloliln Her Iliidy.
The carriage and walk of the native women
of Manila are thus described by a returning
traveler :
"As a rule the women of all classes are ns
straight as the wall of n house , if not
stralghter. A plumb line dropped from the
nape of the neck would. In mcst Instances ,
fall well behind the heels. But the gait Is a
peculiar swing which Is quite noticeable.
Some charge this , as well as the straightness -
ness , to their habit of carrying nil burdens ,
from a cnko of soap to a house and lot , on
the top of the head , That Is probably the
cause of the erect bearing , but I think the
peculiar gait due to a certain awing of the
limbs required for keeping the shoes on the
rcet. _ 'jno local woman's shoo consists us
ually of a flat solo with a too cap. Some-
tlincn the cap has room for all the toca ;
sometimes not. Often the solo la
raised from the ground by wooden
heels and sole * blocks like , but
lower ( Lan those used by thn Jap
anese. Stockings are not unuolly worn. Let
my gentle render take a pair of her llttlo
slippers nnd cut away from the soles all of
the superstructure except a cap that will Just
about cover her toes , nnd after sticking her
tow Into them try to walk around her
boudoir , nnd see how many shoes she has
on after the trip. Try It again with the llt
tlo outward curving swing from the knee ,
with a resultant side swing from the hp. |
After a few years of practice the slipper will
etny on , nnd you will have acquire * ! the
gait of the Flllplna. There is , perhaps , a
certain grace in the movement , and there la
also a good deal of 'shuflllng1 ' nnd a general
appearance of being slipshod. "
Story of n Inve.
To be ' ound hand and foot for years by
the chains o ; disease Is thn worst form of
slavery. George D. Williams of Man
chester. Mich. , tells how such a slave was
made free. Ho says : "My nlfe has been BO
helpless for five years that she could not
turn over In bed alonr. After uslnc two
bottles of Electric Bltteis she is wonderfully
Improved and able to < ln her own work. "
This supreme remedy for female diseases
quickly cures nervousness , sleeplessness ,
melancholy , headache , backache , fainting and
dizzy spel ! i. This miracle-working medicine
Is a godsend to weak , sickly , run-down
people. Every bottle guaranteed. Only CO
cents , Bold by Kubn & Co. , druggists.
CREED THE MOTIVE FOR \V1R \
Storj of British Aggression in South Africi
Told by an American Officer.
ENORMOUS COST OF THE STRUGGLE
Xot tlie AVroiiRH of tin ? Outlnmlern ,
lln < tlir Oolil Mliu-n nml ninnies'
ItnllM-ny tinCnnoc of It-
I'rulinlile Duration.
The opening of hostilities between Eng
land nnJ tlio South African llepubllc marks
the beginning of tlio last act of the drama
which ban been playing In Africa for fifty
years. Beginning with the Innocent ex-
ploratlons of Mutigo Park nnd the mission
ary labors of David Livingstone , the In-
nucnco of England has been slowly extended
over Africa by every means possible to mod
ern utilitarianism. Speko and Uratit tracing
out forty years ago the sources of the Nile ,
Sir Samuel linker solving the problem of the
Nynnza , Gordon na governor of the Soudnn
nnd Lord Cromcr as tlio uncrowned king of
Egypt , have been forgliiRi link by link , the
new chains which rivet the Inhabitants of
unfortunate Africa to the car of progress.
The modern policy of England Is strictly
utilitarian. British diplomacy goes hand In
hand with British aggression , seeking n mar
ket for British manufactures and commerce
for England's great merchant marine.
The enormous riches of the gold and
diamond fields of the South African Ropub-
lie have whetted the appetites of British
merchants , whoso legitimate African trade
has been weakened by French , German and
Portuguese competition. No student of his
tory can forget that England guards the
great continent of Australia , with Us
wonderful gold fields , coal mines and sheep
pastures upon exactly the same title pos
sessed by the Boer In the occupation of the
unused Transvaal nnd the original discovery
of the gold and diamond fields. And It Is
convenient at this juncture for her majesty's
government to boldly back up Cecil Rhodes'
project of pushing the Cape to Cairo rail
way through , regardless of blackened homes
and seas of human blood. The brutal and
Inexcusable raid of Jameson finds Its sequent
In the determined , aggressive policy which
has caused the Boers to strike the flrst blow
In a war force < l upon them by cold-hearted
British aggression.
IMlilcn Hacked liy IltillvtH.
Whatever cause may embroil weak peoplw
with foreign nations , England , with Its Ir
resistible fleet Is sure to find Its sphere
of Influence extending EO far as to derive
territorial prollt from the sufferings of the
secondary nations and aborigines occupying
the little available , stealablu territory left
upon the earth. The British blblo Is
backed by the British bayonet , and no other
policy than that of the Interests cf the
British pocket has directed the foreign
ofllco of England since steam-carrying
became profitable. Old principles , wis ; max
ims , and newly brightened moral saws are
always produced to Justify any profitable
onslaught of England upon weaker pcsples.
The cold-hearted sifbjugntion of Egypt In
the last thirty years has been brought
about by a secret pollry determined upon
many years ago , which has for Its objol
the development of the entire unprotected
areas left In darkest Africa.
England's territorial aggrandizement dale )
from the tlmo of the great Ellzabe'.h
Cabot , Drake nnd Froblsher were pioneers
In that exploration of the seas which forms
the most honorable period of England's an
Hals. All that cculd bo fairly acquired
by original discovery fell Into the hands
of the British sovereign through those bole
navigators. No publicist can attack Eng
land's titles to the colonies successfully
wrested from France and Spain In wars
not of her own seeking. But for India
Australia , the African possessions , Its Chi
nese dependencies , and all of England's
territorial acquisitions In the Victorian era
there Is no npolcgy but the lust of con
quest and the greed of gold. No gain has
been too small , no tribe , community or
nation found too weak , too touchlngly ho'.p-
less , to feel the paw of the British Hon.
Illooily AfvKrcNNloii , Ever.
It was mere self-interest which caueec
Great Britain to champion Turkey against
Russia In the Crimean war. It was the de
sire to dominate in Egypt which dictated to
England the wisdom of curbing great Mo
hammed All , and , later , grasping the reins
of power In Egypt from the hands of the
luxurious Ishmael. British morality has
yielded pllantly .to an Infamous loyalty to
Turkish Interests demanded by the treaty of
Paris.
For years the voice of suffering Bulgarians
fell upon deaf ears In an appeal for British
interferenco. The humanitarian policj
which caused England to unite with France
nnd Rufsla in the annihilation of the Turkisl
fleet at Navarlno was coldly changed when
the InterestH of India's vast empire made it
profitable to wink at Turkish butchcrlcn In
Crete and the continued desolation of Ar
menian homes by the bloody Kurds. In
vain the Greeks hurled themselves against
the Turks in their lost unfortunate war. In
vain Russia poured forth Its blood nnd treas
ure to extinguish the Turkish butcheries In
Asia Minor. It was an irresistible fleet at
Besika bay which bade the czar of Russia
pause in his work of extirpating the Turkish
horror.
The policy of England In China since the
Infamous days of the opium war has been
simply ono of cold aggression , backed by a
superior force. The Persian-Afghanistan nnd
Penj-Deh questions have Illustrated the
rapacity of the British foreign policy and es
tablished the fact that only In Impregnable
Russia does England find an enemy pene
trating all her designs and ready to mce
her at any moment ,
Her Cournf In Smith Afrlnn.
As to the policy of Greet Britain In Soutl
Africa since the occupation of the Capo o
Good Hope In 1800 , the varying Kaffir warn
the struggle for Natal , and the temporary
annexation of the Ornngo Free State , the
whole record is ono of the extinction o
Dutch Interests and a cold disregard of the
Justness of the Innocent Boer population
The discovery of the vast local richca It
gold nnd diamonds has eealed the doom o
the smaller South African atatca. At the
outset cf this bloody war England has pur
chased for herself a strong place of amis It
Delngoa bay from which to reach the hear
of the Transvaal by a 250-mile line of march
Instead of .tho COO stretching out to the- Capo
. The payment of a score o
of GooHope. ( \
millions for this naval base while peace no
gotlntlons with President Kruger's govern
ment were still supposed to bo in progrcte
conclusively proves the pre-dutermlnatlon o
England to extinguish all Boer sovereignty
regardless of whatever concessions might bo
made by a weak republic In the face of the
all-conquering British lion.
No man dares to assert that the Boer
have at any tlmo contemplated any attack
upon legal British interests. Whatcvc
nollcy of the exclusion of the foreigners ha
obtained In the Transvaal , was euro to ylcli
In tlmo to the infiltration of the commcrcla
and mining population drawn from the
various civilized nations. But such gradual
relaxing of harsh rules affecting foreign resi
dents would only benefit a cosmopolitan , not
r > rr-iy nnglish class. It la not for that that
England's mightiest fleet and Sir Rcdvers
limicr with two army corrs hurl themselves
upon thin brave aud pygmy people In arms.
It Is to control gold mines end diamond
fields , to round out the map of Eastern
Africa , to connect the Capo of Good Mope
with British South Africa , British Central
Africa and British East Africa , and to open
CHICAGO. ST. touu.
.
OHAHA.
B ° " 0f" DENVER.
CINCINNATI. f'lTTSBUM.
WASHINGTON. Ntw Your , INDUS-M-OUS ,
KANSAS CITY. SANFRANCISCO. MINNEAPOLIS.
PORTLAND , ORB.
Do you trade witli Nicoll ?
Do you know how fair our prices are ? * j
Do you know that under our roof you
will find the largest variety of
Fall and Winter Woolens in the
city ? 3M J
We want you to get acquainted with : = S/ /
our method of doing business. We want to convince you that it
pays to trade here.
Do you think that the garments that we make
to order at $15 and 820 will not satisfy you ?
You Then convince yourself by examining the wool
ens we offer inspect the linings and
then ask to sec the cqm-
pleted garments.
We mean to be fair with you ! If we fail in any of the details of
tailoring , we offer to make new garments or refund your
money.
& | R | < |
Asking CASH PRICES that is prices with no profits added to
cover BAD DEBTS , is one reason why we can offer better val
ues than the average EXCLUSIVE CREDIT TAILOR. i *
209-21 ! Karbach
So , 15th St , Block.
the way for the great Inland highway which
will give England a great strategic advan
tage and the monopoly of the carrying of the
vast regions soon to be developed under the
Influence of the telegraph , the steamboat and
the locomotive. Whatever horrors of war
follow the determined and spirited resistance
of the Boors will bo charged by the English
to their cbstlnacy of eplrlt and their Dutch
phlegm , Instead of being counted as the ultl-
mate heroism of a people born free devoting
their homes to flro and eword rather than
to slavery.
Xot I.llce Our Wiir Tvltli .Sjmlii.
There Is no analogy between the position
ot the British in South Africa and that of
the people of the United States In regard to
the war with Spain. On ono hand , the Boers
are an Inland community , agrarian and
patriarchal , avoiding all foreign complica
tions nnd living the life which Abraham led
among his nocks and herds. Without a sen-
port , without a standing army , with no navy ,
with no foreign agents to embroil It ; looking
only to foreign nations for a peaceful ex-
chanKO of manufactured goods for natural
commodities , It Is difficult to conceive how
the Interests of the Boers and the British
could clash In anything save some mere
local matter of border police.
The war between the United Slates and
Spain wns brought about by fifty years of
unending persecution of American citizens ,
by an intolerable and brutal disregard of all
the Interests of the United States. With
Cuba , an armed Spanish stronghold , lying at
the open gates ot the Gulf of Mexico , with
the record of massacre , spoliation and In
humanity left by the butcher Weyler , it was
with a righteous Indignation that the United
States at last fought to proven the final ex
tinction of the Cuban people. The solemn
guarantee of the United States opens every
acre In Cuba to the peaceful occupation of
all well disposed people , regardless of re
ligion , color or station. The continued
domination of Spain In the West Indies wns
n menace to our unprotected southern coast
and the rights of man demanded that the
intolerable cruelties of Spanish rule should
glVH way to n reign of pence ,
The moral responsibilities of England In
engaging In a fight to n finish with the
Boers are appalling. Tbo English nrcny 1 *
eager to avenge the dlegrnco of Majufca Hill.
The medal-seekers of the KnglUh regiments
hall with delight the prospect ef a victorious
campaign in South Africa. The navy en
ters upon its work of guarding the coast
nnd convoying the transports with profes
sional enthusiasm. The 'trained ability of
the British forces will bo manifested In
thla latest Inland campaign , with all the
adjuncts of modern warfare. But there are
peculiar difficulties and obstacles to bo sur
mounted , which may defer the hour of vb-
tory and make the struggle ) ono long ti ha
remembered for Its obstinacy and prrpor-
tlonul bloodshed , The difficulties , delays
nnd expenses of a foreign campaign In-
crcaso In ratio vastly greater than the
square of the dUtanco.
IIiiKtanil'i VilMt Military I'riitilrnix ,
No other war affecting the destiny of a
great power was as quickly to be concluded
as our struggle with Spain for the domina
tion of the Carrlbenn. The reoscn l found
In the trifling distance. It was In our
power to throw regiment by regiment onto
Cuban shores by twenty-four hour trips.
Supplies and reinforcements were'nvallab'.c
to any extent and with the least delay.
The removal of the wounded , the trars'or
of diseased troops , and thu policing of the
narrow Cuban channel were matters pro-
Efntlng minimum dllH.ultlcs as to tlmo and
expense. Spain at a distance of 3.0CO mlloj
was powerless to succor its Cuban forces
or to repair the loss of even a drawn battle.
How vastly more dltllcult are the military
problems of England with re-sard to a suc
cessful conquest of tbo South African re
public ! A voyage of 7.000 mllco , averaging
thirty days of transit under the most favor-
r.blo conditions end tha transportation of
hugo quantities of munitions , animals- and
material 10 the Immediate theater of war.
Involves the maximum of rUk. delay and
expense. Every cbitsicle of climate. Inferior
roadi , ulrangd dlscasea ml natural confu-
elou will increase the tabcrc of the British
supply services. To forward from the Capo
of Good Hope the supplies neode'd for an
Invading army is a herculean task. The ab
sence of fuel , forage and water will be se
verely felt by the Invaders. It Is clear
that England will bo obliged at dispropor
tionate expense to transport levies of vol
unteers from Canada and Australia , as well
as the troops wl.lch can be spared from
India , in order to finally crush Krugor's
army. Thoroughly familiar with the coun
try , self-devoted nnd united the Boers will
undoubtedly destroy till tha available rc-
sourccrs In any region exposed to the Inroads
ot the British.
Famed as skirmishers , the Boers will bo
enabled to not only harass and delay the
British advance , but to skillfully elude- the
English , commander In hU desire to crush
the Boer power In ono great field battle.
The operations of the Boers will be assisted
'by ' every appliance known to modern me
chanical Ingenuity. The employment of
dynamite , the use of rapid-firing gnus , the
substantial aid of the entire population ns
flplcs and the peculiar conformation of the
lonely veldt will determine n campaign of
flcico surprises , harassing combats and n
stubborn resistance In which cnormoue loss
will bo Inflicted upon tbo Invaders.
The ingenuity of the African trader and
his desire to coin n profit out of the
troubles cf others will cause adventurous
dealers of all nations to use every possible
menus to Introduce ammunition , high ex
plosives , military supplies , etc. , Into the
South African llepubllc. In the stormy six
months pai't ' the Boers have secretly Hup- |
piled themselves with great stores of war
material. The defense of the disputed territory - i
ritory will be obstinate. The voluntary de
struction of lie in CH and towns will delay the
British advance nnd rob thu invadcru of' '
their final victory. The destruction by the
Boers of the millions of pounds' worth of
machinery in the great gold and diamond
mines has already begun. Tito slender rail-1
ways to the cast and south havei been nt- j
tacked by parties of Boer horsemen , and
every bridge and viaduct will bo blown Into
f ragmen ts ,
Tri'inciuloiio IOHM of rroirry. (
The low to the outlandcrs by thin sense
less struggle will exceed any military rav I
ages olnco the burning cf Moscow. The
final victory of the British nrms will come
only with the disappearance of the last
considerable hnndn of Boors able to Var j
arms , The relative lenses of thu British
forces engaged will bo appalling , for the
hardy habits of the Boer soldiery will give
them a clear superiority in the detached
operations ef the Irregular warfare.
It Is not , however , possible for the ad-
hcrento of Kruger to prevent the final oc
cupation of the South African republic by
the British forces. The period which will
bo marked by Boor victories is limited by
the final arrival of British troops In suf-
flcicut numbers to guard ami malntuln Hie
double line of advance from Dclagoa bay
and Capetown. After six months the con
tinued nrilval of llrlthh ri-infircements nnd
supplies will enable the British commander
to firmly hold the ground gained and by thn
UBO cf cavalry nnd light troops to brsak
up the disorganized masses of the Boors.
However bravo and gklllful the pcrsmal
warfare , It U not possible for the Inferior
forcen to finally mnko u successful stand
against the British army , smarting under
the severe losses of many bloody out pent
battles.
Tlio Boers luck discipline , solidity nnd
familiarity with the practical bran.'hcB of thu
military art. The only Individual object of
the British Is to break up thu masses of the
Borra and by advancing In force Into the
country to rt-atter the Interior enemies nn I
nllotv privation , slrkneaa nnd the absence of
military Hupplleu to bring about thu Ilinil
extinction cf the Boers as an organized
army.
The British commander who rashly ad
vances or who illvlilea his forcea In the face
of this stubborn ene-my may pay dearly for
his temerity. There U but ono royal road to
success for the English commander , and that
Is with an IrreslHtible force to advance
slowly along the natural lines of operation ,
covering hie front with a strongly supported
cavalry screen and guarding against all pos
sible attacks upon his lines of communica
tion.
In artillery and cavalry the Boers must
soon yield the palm to the Invader. It U
only by the most skilful use of the entire
defensive Infantry In positions admirably
chosen and whore the British artillery and
cavalry cannot bo brought Into play that
Krugcr's generals may hope to Inflict a de
cisive check upon the British advance. If
the British commander Is not galled Into ad
vancing too soon , the final rate of progress
toward victory will bo materially enhanced.
It Is naturally to bo expected that In the
destruction and capture ot private property
In the minor skirmishes , and In all the de
tached operations of the British , they will
often be taken nt great disadvantage. The
final outcome of the campaign is a foregone
conclusion. The romantic assistance of
women nnd children , the occasional help of a
few restless adventurers , the speculative et-
forts of outside supply agents , will , after all ,
but poorly replace to tbo bravo and devoted
Boers the advantages of solid numbers , a
sound military organization , and continued
and regularly furnished military supplies.
The Hermit Inevitable.
The South African republic is a natural
treasury cf gem and precious mutate hid
den under the dreary cattle ranges of the
desc'.ato and treeless land. Dut devoid of
manufactures , with Imperfect Internal com
munication , with no open seaports for Il
licit supplies , It Is clear that the sharper
nnd more active the operations the s oner
will arrlvo the period of the military ex-
liaustloii of the country.
For many miontha nfter the final military
objects of the British have been accom
plished , bands of determined cclonlsts may
keep up a resistance Inspired only by the
desire of avenging their fallen brethren
and their rulncrj homes. But with the
meeting of tbo two ntrcng British columns ,
euro sooner or later to force the boundaries
of the Transvaal , all capacity for organized
resistance will come to an end. The folly
of an ultimate resistance on the part of thla
br.ivo nnd unfortunate people Is apparent
with the flrst eholH of the campaign. The
hope that a devoted und ehlvnlrlo struggle
may brlni ; to their nld the remonstrances
of outraROl inturimtlonnl sentiment may
cauro thu Boers to light up to the very
last moment.
The Jealousy of Russia and ( Jcicnany
may cause either one of these great powers
to Intervene- , with HusHlu presumably an
tagonistic lo British Interests , It is'lear
that In such a Juncture the balance of
power would bo left In the hands of France ,
should Franco decide to follow the c ar
In any mandate which should forbid tha
destruction of the autonomy of tbo S.uth
African republic.
It Is hopeless , however , to Imagine that
any moral resistance of an outraged civ
ilization will hold back the Urltlih gov
ernment In Its purpose to finally pojsci.i
itself of the Transvaal. Thu louses and
e-xponst-a , however Iwavy , will bo atoned
for by the surely gained prollt In the ac
quisition of the rl best undeveloped terrl-
toiy now open to the grasp of any ptrong
im'.lcn. The geographical advantages ot
the move to make the Capo to Cairo railroad
a national necessity a well us a preor
dained success ; and &t whatever cost ot
blood und treasure , at whatever dispropor
tionate Hluughu-r f-f Ilrltlrli troops , the dom "
inating Idea , rf Cecil Khodcs will bo car , -
ried out nnd that Idea Is expressed In the
declaration 'that , though stained with blood
nnd unfurled ugaliitt the dictates of national
morality , the BrltUh banner bhall wave
victorious from the Cap < > of ( jocd Hope
to the minarets ut Cairo. The greater
Includes the lesser , and the extinction ot *
thu Boer autonomy will bo but ono bloody
page In the history of the parceling out
tf Africa to the strongest. Hlclmrd Henry
Savage , tcnlor major Unltorl Statw volun
teer uiglnecr corps.
Walter1 A dozen on half shell , bdfae cel
ery and a pint of Cook's Imperial Ohampacne
1 wish to dine with the gods.