( i 11113 OMAHA DAILY BEE : TUESDAY , .TAXTABY 0 , 1000.
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE.
1J. HOSliWATIiH , IM.lor
PUBLISHED BVBUY MOKNING.
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Sunday nnd Illustrated. Ono Year 2. *
Illustrated lice , Ono Year * >
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Weekly Bee. Ono Yonr w
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STATU.1IU.\T OF CIRCULATION.
Stain of Nebraska , Douglas County , ss. :
George B. Tzschuck , secretary ot ' 1 he Uco '
Publishing Company , being duly sworn ,
nays that the actual number of full anil
completes copies of The Dally , Morning ,
Evening nnd Sunday Bee. printed during i
the month of December , 1K0. was ns fol
lows : ,
1
I
|
Subscribed and sworn before me
day ot January. A. D.f \ JUTNGATI. : .
( Keal. ) Notary Public.
The weather man Is not under the
suNpldoii of being sulmldl/.LMl by this
coal barons.
The arrival of the man of destiny has
causpd a 'sudden drop of 1 ( ! to 1 tli'Krees
in the temperature.
"Senatorial contests disposed of with
neatness and dispatch" Is the slsxn which
the Iowa legislature lumps out.
How ina'iiy blrthday.s did Ccneral
.Tnektmn have and how many annivor-
Kurlrs of the battle of New Orleans do
we have to celebrate ?
A Kentucky court which was heariiiK
adjourned to witness alight
a murder case ;
light in which two other men were
killed. At that rate the court can never
catch mi with Its business.
The IJee has scored a notable
news beat on nil its alleged rivals in
the story of the unraveled murder mys
tery at Kearney. The Uec's readers al
ways get the b'-st and get it lirst.
Senator Clear will read a title clear to
another six years' term as soon as the
Iowa legislators can KO through the
legal formality of registering their votes
for him ami certifying to his commis
sion.
The ex-Hev. Mr. Brown , who played
traitor to lieutenant Cllmore's com
mand of prisoners while in the hands of
the Filipinos. will probably take up his
permanent abode with 'the sultan of
The voting machine Is said to bo a
handicap to the ignorant voter. Wonder
if that Is the reason the democratic or
gan Is having such tantrums over its
prospective adoption for the coming mu
nicipal election.
Scarcely a week passes without an
announcement of some new business en
terprise establishing itself In Omaha.
As an attractive Held for capital Invest
ments Omaha Is not to be excelled by
any of Its competitors.
The Kngllsh generals In Africa have
telegraphed the American commanders
In the 1'hlllpplnes for the recipe for mak
ing their opponents run. Oeneral Otis
has offered to trade It for the English
method of inducing them to stop and
light.
. _ = =
Numerous democrats have denH'd that
an effort Is being made to displace the
present leadership of the party and
place It In the hands of ex-Senator Gor
man. 'But It is noticeable the Maryland
ex-Kcnalor and his close friends are not
among those who make the denial.
Every department of the city Is sure
that It needs greater iippmprliitlnns for
maintenance the coming year than It
had the-last year. It will devolve upon |
the council to persuade most of them
that theft estimates can be considerably
contracted by wringing out the water In
them.
*
Our anilablo ponoerntlc contemporary ,
which Is so anxious to Jiavc the Slocumb
law enforced In all Its drastic provisions ,
Is reminded of the fact that the county
attorney Is a popocratle olllclal , who Is
doubtless ready to carry out any orders
that do not Interfere with the revenue
of the gang.
Boss Tweed once Inquired , "What arc
yon going to do about ItV" when taken
to task for misappropriating public
funds. Boss Tweed was landed In prison
In spltu of ills defiance. The ex-county
olliclal who sent a defy to the county
commissioners should have Ills challenge
as promptly accepted ,
Senator 1'ettlgivw is wearing away
his life sitting up nights writing resolu
tions to Introduce in the senate. The
production of one each day must be a j
severe tax upon his resources and if
congress does not wish to sec him pros
trated from overwork It should take a
short vacation to give him a rest.
AO srilUltDISA Tiny OK SlWhlt
\Vhllo thorp are di-moi-rats In every
vi'HInti < if the c.nmtry who desire that
silver shall be subordinated If not la-
nored in tlij * year's campaign , tlulr wls'.i
makes no Impression upon the leader of
the parly. Uecently the chairman of the
New York democratic state committee ,
having made a trip through the south
with a view to ascertaining the senti
ment there , stated that none of the lead
ers whom In1 mi't was disposed to Insist
upon making free silver the main Issue
of this year's campaign. They were
not wllllii ? to abandon the Chicago pint-
form , but they thought the sliver ijues-
tlon should he subordinated to the newer
Issues. There are democrats In other
sections who take tills view and a few
who urge that It would be well for the
parly to drop the silver Issue altogether.
It Is noteworthy that tills question re
ceived no attention from the speakers
j at the banquet of the Chicago Jackson
club , with the .exception of the chief
guest.
Mr. Bryan , however , will tolerrtte no
subordination of sliver. Ills declared
platform Is. silver , anti-trust and anti-
imperialism and the greatest of these is
silver. In his Chicago address Mr.
Bryan declared that the demand for the
free coinage of silver had been vlntll-
wited by the experience since ISOli. for
had not the Increase In the supply of
gold and the resulting better prices for
commodities demonstrated the sound-
ness of the quantitative theory of
money ? "The light for bimetallism at
the ratio of 1(1 ( to 1 lias not been lost , "
said Mr. Bryan. "The Increased pro
duction of gold has shown the advantage
of more money and lias answered the
argument so often made that the parity
could not be maintained because of the
overproduction of silver. " The mean
ing of the last part of the sentence Is
not clear , but that is not Important. It
Is sulllclent that it serves notice upon
Mr. Bryan's adherents that no heed will
be given to those who favor placing
silver In a sulMmllnato place among the
Issues of the national campaign of 11)00. )
Whatever others may think as to thn
policy or expediency of keeping that
question at the front , Mr. Bryan be
lieves that It should continue to occupy
that place and what lie believes "goes. "
The "bimetallism" for which Mr. Bryan
stands was badly beaten In 1S ! ) ( > and
again suffered defeat wherever it was
an issue in 1SS. ! ) It has nnquest'onably
lost ground everywhere. States tl't. '
he carried In IgOO he could not now
carry on tills Issue. Every state that
went republican In that year is practi
cally certain to render a verdict against
free silver next November.
These considerations , however , have
no weight with Mr. Bryan , and why ?
Because adherence to free silver is abso
lutely necessary to his retention of po
litical leadership. Whenever that ques
tion is abandoned by his party Ills domi
nation will end. It is this question
that gave him ascendency and has kept
him at the head of the party. It Is his
political capital and the moment it Is
dropped he will fall back Into the ranks
or take a. subordinate place among the
leaders. No one understands this but
ter than Mr. Bryan himself. He knows
that as an anti-trust and anti-Imperial
ism champion he is seriously handi
capped. During his two terms In con
gress lie never uttered a word against
trusts. When the treaty of peace with
Spain was before the senate he advised
his political friends to vote for Its rail-
lication. He is striving to make politi
cal capital out of these questions , but
he realizes that without the silver issue
his party leadership would ho lost ami
he therefore insists upon keeping that
issue prominent. That he will compel
the national convention to do as lie wills
is not doubted.
TUK SOUTH AFRICAN Sl'fUATHX.
There Is nothing encouraging to the
British In the South African situation.
It seems evident that the Boers have
determined upon more aggressive tac
tics and If this shall prove to be the
case a terrific battle or series of battles
may be expected at any time on the
Tiigola river and about I.adysuilth. Ac
cording to the latest reports that place
Is very likely to bu captured , but this
will not bo accomplished without tre
mendous lighting , for the British garrison
risen Is composed of veteran soldiers and
General White is n brave and able com
mander. It Is probable that the. army
besieging Ladysmlth has been materi
ally reinforced , while it appears'to be
abundantly supplied with artillery.
If the Boers are able to prevent Bui-
ler from crossing the Tngeln river with
out withdrawing forces from Ladysniith ,
that place must fall and its capture
would be a tremendous blow to the Brit
ish. It would very much strengthen the
Boer position and add greatly to the dlf-
llcultles of the British , to say nothing of
the loss of prestige which the latter
would suffer. General Buller , In com
mand of an army very much larger than
the Boer forces confronting him , ap
pears to be unable to strike an effective
blow and It Is not surprising that he
should be the subject of some sharp
criticism In the English press and that
doubt Is expressed whether he Is quail-
lied for the great task committed to him.
It Is certain that thus far he has done
nothing to justify great confidence in
Ids ability. But as to that no British
olllcer in South Africa lias distinguished
himself for generalship , with the possi
ble exception of General White , the com
mander at Ladysmlth. There Is no ques
tion in regard to their bravery , but as
strategists or tacticians they have shown
no great skill , being In this respect con
spicuously Inferior to the Boer com
manders. Even If It be admitted that
they were somewhat at a disadvantage
at the beginning of hostilities , It l.i still
a fact that they have not fully Improved
their opportunities. This lias been clearly
pointed out by some of the military ex
perts of the London newspapers. The
fact is that the British military estab-
llshment had greatly degenerated. The
statesmen of the country have been
chlelly concerned In maintaining thu
navy and the army has been neglected.
The consequence Is that In a war re
quiring a high order of generalship
Great Britain la without a soldier of
flrstrate knowledge of Hie art of war.
lii-r ; i n MN hnvi' had mn.'fiT'Xperloncc'
In Imlla and in ( luhtlng natives In Af
rica , but they now have to deal with a
civilized white fee. as Intrepid and do-
i termlned as any people In the world and
i who are demonstrating an astonishing
familiarity with the art of war. The
Boer tactics may not have been fault
less , but they have certainly shown a
skill and sagacity that were not ex-
i peetod of them , particularly by the Brit
ish.
ish.The
The situation appears to fully justify
, the apprehension that is said to prevail
In England. A great and possibly de
cisive battle is imminent In which there
will he great loss of life on both sides ,
whatever the result. Should the British
suffer another reverse It may Increase
the gravity of the situation for them by
causing fresh accessions to the Boer
ranks. Should the Boers lie defeated
they would perhaps retreat to the Trans
vaal and nwnlt the British invasion ,
which It Is believed they can success
fully resist for an Indefinite time.
AltOl.lSIt THE FEE SYSTEM.
The experience Douglas county has
had with fee olllcers during the past
ton years emphasizes the imperative
ii'jed for the abolition of the entire fee
system. Every dollar collected In fees
for whatever service should be turned
into the treasury ami every public ollicer
from constable to .sheriff ami clerk of
the court should receive an Income fixed
by law. There should be no grub-bag
or chance in the compensation of public
servants. The fee system Is in the na
ture of tilings an Incentive to imposi
tion and a source of corruption. It Im
pels public olllcers to charge exorbitant
mileage while traveling on railroad
passes ami is a premium on perjury ami
padded vouchers. When a candidate for
ollice knows exactly how much lie will
get for his service he will have no
ground for complaining about being un
derpaid and overworked.
The fee system is chargeable with
.sham oil Inspection and sham meat in
spection. It Is also chargeable with the
wholesale arrest of Indians as witnesses
against bootleggers and the recent up
heaval among United States deputy
marshals. It Is responsible for a sys
tem of transporting prisoners , imbeciles
and Insane persons In single Hie from
county seats to the state penal Institu
tions , reformatories and asylums when
they could be bunched together and con
veyed In charge of deputy sheriffs In
one trip. But so long as deputies can
draw 10 cents a mile for each prisoner ,
truant or lunatic they are not likely to
miss the opportunity to make a fat fee
out of the state , which In the cud means
out of the Individual taxpayer.
It is the temptation of the fee system
that makes one class of ofliclals dis
honest and extravagant and the other
class wink at imposition and fraud.
The only remedy Is an enlightened pub
lic sentiment that will demand at the
hands of the next legislature the aboli
tion of all fees as perquisites of ollice
and the fixing of salaries for every uul- )
llc ollicer who Is now dependent for his
income on the volume of fees and extent
of mileage.
The Interest of the taxpayers In the
police court Is brought home by the
statement that only ? 'J1 ( ! were-collected
from police court lines during the past
year for the benefit of the school fund.
Ins'tead of being a source of income the
police court , as now conducted , is a posi
tive burden. It Is worth while for the
school board to look Into the situation
with a view to revising the methods now
employed.
The present is an age noted for the
utilization of all manner of forces to
meet the needs of man. Nolle have
been developed to greater perfection
than the injunction , but It remained for
an Iowa man to go the limit by secur
ing a writ to iirevent the marriage of
ills daughter. As love laughs at lock
smiths , Cupid will doubtless be able to
break jail If sent up for contempt.
The treatment of American prisoners
by the Filipinos will have a tendency to
make thinking opponents of the admin
istration adjust their spectacles and
wonder if their optics have not been
playing them false on the Philippine
question. Barbarous acts are not the
work of a people intent on self-govern
ment of an enlightened character such
as modern civilization demands.
The civil service rules under which
competent and faithful school teachers
enjoy protection against annual hold
ups and summary removals for frivolous
cause should not be disturbed. Any at
tempt to abolish the permanent tenure
rule will Justly arouse public resentment
and stir up a hornet's nest over the
heads of the school board.
Some of the Omaha populists waift to
know whether they will be allowed to
make suggestions , as to the makeup of
the popocratlc city ticket. That de
pends tqion the suggestions. If they
are modest enough to concede to the
democrats the whole piece of pie they
can suggest all they want.
Co ni I n K Our AVny.
Indianapolis Journal.
For a government which Is new In world-
\vldo diplomacy It is certainly a triumph
for tlio United States to obtain the open-
door In China after Great Britain had
failed.
Tlinc'N Involution ,
Globo-Dcmocrat.
A steamship loaded with American coal Is
on II& wuy to the birthplace of Columbus.
The acnccso little thought In the time of
their famous navigator that some day they
would be sending across the Atlantic for
fuel.
iK'fx Coini ! In tin * Mountain.
Son Krunclsco Call.
The United States , having demonstrated
Its right to the title , "First in war. " Is
about to bo conceded "First In peace. "
Most of the nations on earth uro clamoring
for American Intervention In the war In
South Africa.
lliiiirlionlHiii In SoimTliliiux. .
Springfield Jtepubllran.
Anglo-American civilization Is obatlnutely
old fogylsh In some matters. France has
adopted in all olllclal departments ( ho sys
tem of tee 24 o'clock day. following the ex
ample of IJelcium and the railroads of sev
eral European countries. To adopt this
method of reckoning the hours of the day In
England or the t'nltcd States would require
more effort probably than to establish the
! metric system.
nlj' .Toxin ill UK *
Ktinfms City Star.
A rare flash of humor In the speech of
Mr. Bryan , nt the annual banquet of the
Nebraska Traveling Men's club at Lincoln ,
was the observation that "tho November
elections destroyed the last hope of UiMc
who sought to modify the creed enunciated
at Chicago In ISOfi. " Mr. Bryan probably
meant that It would be vain to modify what
hail been utterly demolished.
\ol nn ItlnrK IIH I'nliitvil.
Philadelphia Ledger.
Too great precautions cannot bo taken
against the spread of the bubonic plague ,
and the appearance- a single case at any
point is just cause tor alarm , but there is
no need for excitement , much less a
panic , on Its account. It was found when the
disease was raging nt Its height In India
that persons of white race were but little
affected by It , and those of cleanly , tem
perate hnblts were almost entirely Immune.
This class of persons , to which nil clvlllzcj
bOlngs should belong , need have very llttlo
fear , wherever the disease may obtain a
foothold.
A SUMTlltlOIIK | ( 'Ollllllllllll.
Now York Tribune.
Admiral Montojo finds fault by the most
courteous Implication with Admiral Dewcy
for taking advantage of the superior range
of his guns at Manila , .nnd keeping at n
distance at which his own guns would bo
cffdctlve upon the Spanish ships while the
SpanUh guns could do him no harm. At
the same time ho blames his own govern
ment for not giving him longer range guns ,
so that he could have pounded the Yankees
without himself being annihilated. We are
afraid the two complaints have something
the effect of n double negative. Either
alone might bo effective , though really wo
do not see that honor or valor or courtesy
or nnythlng else requires a commander to
put his ships and men In unnecessary
peril. Hut to nnd fault with Admiral Dowcy
for something and then complain because
he was um ! ef ] not able to do the same
thing seems to the critical Judgment well ,
let UB say n trlllo superfluous.
. - - A MiSMl.VSICA SAMP Mi.
IU > bt-l'nj-iiiK PiiNHlbllttlcM of an Av-
I'ritKt : HarvvHf.
American Investment , lluffnlo.
A few years ago hard times made the
western farmer deny himself everything
save the barest necessities of life. Then
crime the great crop year of 1897 and with
It n story.
A Nebraska farmer carried n mortgage
of $4,200 on his property , nnd It was a
burden hard to contend with , The wheat
crop of ' 97 was enormous and prices were
high. Ho appeared at the bank shortly
after harvest , pulled out $4,000 and asked
for a loan of $200 to enable him to cancel
the mortgage note. The banker , who held
the note , urged him not to bother about It ,
but go and buy cattle with his $4,000 , feed
his corn crop and In that way get the
maximum for his product. "No , sir , " re
plied the farmer , "I want to pay that note
now. Then when I harvest the corn crop
I'm going to pay you back that $200 I Just
borrowed , and then do you know what I'm
going to do2" and his honest face beamed
all over with pleasure , "I'm going to buy a
buggy ! " This little'Incident tells the stcry
of thousands of others out In Nebraska , and
the fact that during the past six months ono
| concern has shipped to one firm In Omaha
alone 130 carloads of buggies and carriages ,
averaging about twenty-two to the car ,
makes It very evident that prosperity Is
with Nebraska. It Is a wonderful state with
i great resources , and the crops of the past
fe.w years have put 'Nebraska farmers In an
enviable position.MI ; * '
BI1H TII1B IX ItAIIAVAY FA1MJUKS.
Iusl Year'N Itppn'ril I'rovokrn Slicnlfl-
timt C'ontriiNf N.
Phlladcliihla Times.
Indications of business prosperity are of
two kinds positive nnd negative. The first
relate to the volume ot business actually
transacted , Including business failures , sus
pensions , extensions , compromises with
creditors , etc. In dull or disastrous busi
ness seasons the list of personal nnd cor- '
p&rato failures Is Invariably a long one , and
in prosperous years It Is quite as invariably
lessened.
The list of mercantile failures for ISO ! )
has been shown to bo In line with this in
variable rule. The most striking feature
of the year's bankruptcies , however , relates
to the railway receiverships , which num
bered but ten , comprising but 1,019 mllt-s
of railway all told , being but one-half of
1 per cent of the tbtal mileage of the coun
try. But ono road of importance , the Kan-
saK City , I'lttBburg & Gulf , was Included
in the list , two of the others being short
logging roads , one an old narrow-gauge
railway , nnrt the others merely short local
lines.
JVhen this record It ) compared with that
o' 1803 , | n which the receiverships Included
seventy-four , companies , with nearly 30,000
miles of rpad-tjio ; contrast is very marked ,
nnd Indicates thnN railway construction Is
either getting on n sounder business basis
than ever before or that business was t-o
good last year that any sort of n railway
could meet Its obligations.
ST.YTU EMiCTIOXS OF ISt ) ! .
KliruroN that Indicate tlu > Drift of
1'ulillf Sc-lltlniciK.
Philadelphia Press.
Eleven states held elections In 1899 In
which general tickets were voted for and
In three other atntcs there were elections
for legislatures or Important county ofllccrs.
In the latter states the vote has not been
compiled and Is known only approximately ,
but In the eleven states the official vote
cast by the different parties has been de
clared. It Is as follows :
States. Hep. Dem. Pro. Pop
Iowa 239,613 lt,325 : ! 7.C50 ] .C9 |
Kentucky 193,711 191,331 L',310 3,038
Maryland 116,280 128,409 5,270 ST.2
MnSMflchusettH . . lfiS.W.2 103,102 7,402 10,778
Michigan 218,828 1G5.1S2 8,7 9 4 , 51
MlHslHHlppi 42,273 C.C&7
Nebraska. flt,213 1(0,320 (
Ohio 417,199 M.-.nG 5K > 5 10B.721
Pennsylvania . . . . 431,000 227,512 18,0,2 1,9 < S
llhodo iBlnml 2I.30S 14,602 1,27ft 2.C41
South Dakota. . . . 21,201 18,601
Totals Itl33,19l 1.652.434 62,735 132.1CS
The result shows that of these eleven
states the republicans carried eight nnd the
democrnts three. The total republican vote
!
was 1,933,191 nnd the total democratic vote
1,652,434 , leaving a republican plurality of i
280,760. The aggregate prohibition and j '
populist vote and some scattering votes. Im '
passible to classify and therefore not given
In the tnble , sum up about 230,000 , leaving
a clear republican majority of 50,000. This
Is an excellent showing In a year when there
was very little political Interest outside of
two or three state * . The three states hold
ing elections , but In which there was no 1
general ticket , were Kansas , New York nnd
Virginia. The republican plurality In the
first state U estimated at 20.000 and In the
'
second state at 33,000 , a total of 53,000 , and
the democratic majority In the third state
Is placed between 00,000 nnd 55,000. So
they just about balance each other.
The elections In the year preceding the
presidential election year are closely looked
to for Indlcatlpns uf thu drift of public senti
ment. If there Is opposition to the party
In power which la likely to become formid
able It In sure to show Itself. IluJ if the
country Is atl fled with the administration
a vote of confidence will be given. It Is In
the latter light that the clectlona of laet
year will be Interpreted.
lit IIIUMi IMMVV TIIK SCH UMMiHS.
New York World The Canadians In < ulh
Africa behaved very like Amerlcar-
I Philadelphia Times : England fenrt if
j food for the IJoer tables Is declared contra
band , in time tht tables may be turned on
Itself.
Washington Post : England Is not paying
much attention * 10 China. John Hull's time
1 Is fully occupied with the open Doer In the
'
Transvaal.
San Francisco Call : It looks n If Huller -
ler had decided not to make nny further ad
vance In the war until be has made up his
mind whether ho Is fighting In the nine
teenth or the twentieth century.
Olobe-Uemocrat : A humorous report
comes to the effect that England will send
President Kruger to the Island of St. Hel
ena. The first trouble will bo to get him ,
nnd It Is ccrtnln he will never follow Na
poleon's example of voluntary surrender.
Indianapolis News : Man to man , the
llrltlsh are no better than the Doers , nnd
with the Doers entrenched ns they arc , on
their native heath , knowing , with the un
erring Instinct of Indians or frontiersmen ,
how to take advantage of every feature of
the ground , something that the Urltlsh do
not know , man for man , they cannot be
defeated , although they are not so good
marksmen as they were supposed to be.
They are strong , sturdy men and can shoot
strnlght. Hut they cannot do the fine In
dividual shooting of the good marksmen
nmonK the English or American people.
An article in the Forum says tbat a Doer's
favorite mark is a herd ot 200 or 300 bles-
bok nnd that ho refuses to lire nt a single
nnlmnl , for fear of wasting his ammunition.
Dud armed with modern rapid-lire rlllcs ,
nnd shooting straight ns ho does , nnd be
ing a bravo man ns ho Is , neither the Eng
lish nor nny ono else can tnko him on the
frontnl attack unless the attacking party
have men to waste ton to one.
COXTUAllAXn OFVAIIt
naltimore American : The United States
has notified Great Drltaln that seizures of
American vessels will not be tolernted ns n
matter of Drlllsh right. This sounds llko
an echo from out of the dim pasts of his
tory.
tory.Duffalo Express : Another strong point ]
scored by German newspapers In discussing
the seizures In IJclagoa bay Is that In 1870
English firms made considerable money by
selling not only food and ordinary mer
chandise , but even arms to the French.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat : It ought to bo
apparent to the Drltlsh government that
the repeated seizure of German vessels In
South African waters Is bad policy. A Ger
man historian In an article In one of the
American oiagazlnes recently said there
was only ctie man In Gernmny who did not
hate England and that was the kaiser. The
story now Is that the kaiser himself Is be
ginning to get angry at England. This may
or may not bo true , but the folly of Eng
land's course Is pretty apparent to most
persons by this time.
Kansas City Star : Speaking of seizures on
the high seas , probably the most high
handed affair since the Urltlsh frigate
Leopold searched the United States frigate
Chesapeake for British deserters was the
taking of the Confederate commissioners
from the British mall steamer Trent by the
United States steamer San Jaclnto. When
England demanded their release the State
department made the amusing contention
that the commissioners were contrabands of
wnr and hence liable to seizure on the high
seas. England's reply was to prepare for
war and the prisoners were released.
Detroit Free Press : Ambassador Choato
has been to see the British premier about j '
those Delagoa bay Hour seizures. He told ,
Lord Salisbury that the three captured cargoes - 1
goes In two British and one Holland chip ,
were , A erlcan b.readstuffs consigned to
rcputnble merchantsiln a neutral porl and
therefore not properly subject to seizure as
contraband of war. The premier was non- j i
committal. The British government had yet |
to ascertain what -considers contraband.
"But don't borrow any trouble about It , "
eald Lord Salisbury to Ambassador Choate ,
In effect. "Tho commercial rights of our
dear kinsmen across the sea will be equit
ably considered. " So ended the Interview.
New York Times : There Is nothing high-
flown or fantastic about the German Insist
ence thnt their commerce shall not be In
terfered with wantonly. Without doubt we
should seriously resent the seizure of an
American ship which was followed by de
taining and searching her to the extent of
unloading her cargo , unless undoubted and
unquestioned contraband was. found on
board , the ship's papers to the contrary not-
withstanding. We have been saved from the
i Irritation the Germans are undergoing by
the fact that the seizures of American goods
have been effected on board of British ships.
If the ships had been under our Hag we
should have been much more disposed to
take otfense.
Washington Post : If England can stop ,
search , perhaps seize , any vessel bearing
freight to a neutrnl port , no matter upon
what pretext , then our commercial Interests
are at England's mercy absolutely. For our
part , we think that the government of the
United States should address Itself to this
clear-cut question. There should bo no
hldo-nnd-seek nonsense about specific In
stances , no long postponements over diplo
matic Jargon. Are we to submit to , or shall
wo peremptorily forbid , all Interference
with our commerce with neutral ports ?
There is no other Issue consistent with our
dignity nnd material welfare. The alterna
tive Is clearly before us. Either free com
merce for us , or a ruinous suspension of our
foreign trade and a paralysis of our do
mestic Industries ,
IMilt.SOXAI < AXIJ OTIIHHWISH.
Captain Loary of Guam Is monarch of all
bo surveys.
Slgmar Mohrlng , editor of a Berlin comic
paper , has been sent to prison for six months
for making fun of the Catholic church. This
Is no joke.
A gifted Boston scientist has constructed
a diagram to prove that the twentieth cen
tury will begin next year , and now UoBlon
no longer doubts It.
Senator Hale , with his own wealth and
that which was added by his marriage with
n daughter of the late Senator Chandler of j
MlchlKtin , Is a multl-mllllonalrc. j
It Is related of a popular lecturer now (
touring n portion of the country that his ]
tickets of admission read : "Li-cturo by Dr. I
Hensoii of Chicago on 'Grumblers. ' Admit
one. "
Captain Slgsbee. the hero of the Maine.
'and who will take charge of the naval In-
telllgenco bureau on February 1 , has pur
chased a house In Washington which will
bo occupied by tbo Slgfibeo family. !
The first official act of Mayor Hart of Bos
ton on taking olllco on Monday last was the i
appointment of Patrick A. Collins , whom I
he defeated ut the recent election , to be u
member of the special commission for the
revision of city ordinances. Mr. Collins was
formerly a member of thla commission , but
resigned In September last , when It was
decided Uial he was to be a candidate for
'
the mayoralty.
In the opinion of the Chicago News the
historic codfish of Boston , so long displayed
as the city's heraldic crest , must now hide
Us diminished head. Its glory pulen before
the matchless brilliancy which must Illume
the first fish caught In the Chicago river
In thirty years. That fiah. preserved and
glided , should be set on high In the city
council chamber und kept there that future
generations may see and marvel at the
light. j
A nitOPPKII-OAY Vl'.AIt.
\o Prrnnn l.lilnu Now Will Srp An
other I.IkeII. .
St. IxMlis Itrpubllc.
Whciher or not It Is due to the fart that
' women miss the privilege of usurping male
, prerogatives which come to them with leap
| ) ear. It Is certain that much anxious In-
j qulry has arisen as to why the year 1900 ,
( although It Is the fourth year. Is not a leap
year. It Is not , that Is certain. February ,
1900 , has only twenty-eight da > s.
It Is fortunate thnt In this way attention
Is fometlmcs directed toward the calendar ,
ns perfect n llljtlc device ns nny which man
has ever fitted himself into the unaccom
modating phcnomtna of the solar system.
The year 1'jOO Is n "dropped-day ycnr. "
No person living now will ever see another.
The year 2100 IB the next "droppcd-dny
year. " The trouble comes about in this
wny :
One day of twenty-four hours Is the time
required for the enrth to make one rotntlnu
on Us nxls , producing the change of day
and night.
One lunar month Is the time required for
the moon to revolve once around the earth.
Ono year Is the time required for the
enrth to revolve once around the HUH , pro
ducing the changes of the seasons.
For these different periods of time there
Is no "common devisor , " thnt Is , the day Is
not contained nn oven number of times In
the month or the month nn even number of
times In the year. For Instance , the mouth
ccntnliiH exactly 29.S305SS4 days , nnd the
yenr contains exactly 3C5 days. C hours ,
48.75 minutes. Thnt makes nil the trouble.
The Mohammedans , In making up their
calendar , disregarded the year entirely nnd
base their reckoning en the month. Under
this plan the Mohammedans have the blithe
some spring sometimes In January nnd
sometimes lu August.
Christians disregard the month entirely ,
using nn nrbltrnry division which they call [
n month , which has no connection with the
month , nnd use the ycar as the bnsls of
their calendar. This makes the seasons
always fall nt the same time.
Now , the true year contains 3C5 days , 5
hours , 48 % minutes. The odd number can
not well bo formed directly Into n calendar
year , which must contain only complete days.
Pope Gregory XIII. , who In 1582 Improved
the cnlendnr Invented by the astronomers of
j Julius Cne.sar , mndo a rule , which has
adopted by all countries except Hussla , thnt
"tho closing yenr of each century , 1600 , 1700 ,
otc. , Instead of being always n leap yenr , ns
In the Julian calcndnr , should be A leap
jear only when dlvlsablo by 400. "
Therefore the year 1900 Is not n leap year.
The plan produces c'oso ' coincidence be
tween the calendar yenr and the sun's yenr.
You can figure It out. The sun's year Is
365 days , 5 l.ours , 4SM minutes long. The
ordinary cnlendnr yenr Is 363 days long.
The leap year Is 366 days long. The average
year U 3G3'i days long. In this way the
calendar gains on the sun 11V4 minutes each
year. In 100 years the gain Is 1.125 minutes
or 18 % hours , almost n dny. Dropping the
leap-year day , therefore , once every 100
years balances up the 18 % hours and leaves
the sun B',4 hours abend of the calendar.
In 400 years the sun will be nlmost a full
day ( four times 5Vi hours ) ahead of the
calendar. Making every 400lh year n lenp
yenr brings about almost absolute coin
cidence.
enn wx Tin : AVAR TAXES.
U 'nt mill MOH ! FviiNlliIc Plnii of Pre-
VFiitltiw ll StirpIiiM.
Louisville Courier-Journal ( clem. )
The republican party , If It expects to re
main In power , had better speedily set about
some reform In revenue legislation. The
way money Is piling Into the treasury In excess -
cess ot the government's requirements
threatens continued danger to business , be-
sides being a constant temptation to ex
travagance.
A few figures will show this. The ordi
nary receipts' and expenditures of Decem
ber left a surplus of $7,703,604 , besides which
the .anticipation of the January Interest , and
the Items of Interest duo In December ab
sorbed $4,346,000 more , making the real sur
plus for the month over $12,000,000. No
vember's surplus was $6,175,724 and Octo
ber's was $3,359,561. Here Is nn actual ex
cess of $17,238,889 of receipts over expendi
tures In cash for the last quarter of the
year , and If the Interest payments of Janu
ary had not been anticipated It would have
been $21,500,000 , which Is at the rate of $86-
000,000 per annum. January promises an
other large surplus , and by the close of Au
gust the excess of receipts over expendi
tures , It Is officially estimated , will amount
to $00,000,000 and It will go to $100,000,000
by the close of 1900.
With the vast Increase In business activity
which Is calling for the use of every dollar
of our currency It Is manifest that this enor
mous sum cannot bo spared from the gen
eral clrculntlon. The treasury already has a
net cash balance of $282,000,000 , and there
would be no reason In permitting It to reach
$400,000,000. The only way to obviate It as
the Jaw now stands Is for the secrctnry
either to buy bonds or else to Increase the
deposits In the national banks.
With the presidential campaign going on
It Is reasonable to suppose that the adminis
tration will not subject Itself to any more
charges of favoritism to the national banks.
Money Is so valuable now that the privilege
would bo worth a great deal to the banks ,
and would embitter the already great preju
dice against them. And to buy bonds at
the exorbitant prices now asked would
hardly bo good financiering or good politics.
The more feasible plan would bo to re
duce the revenues. What Is the use of tak
ing money from the people when It Is not
needed ? The abolition or reduction of some
of the war taxes would be nn easy solution
of the question , If the sacred structure of
the DIngley tariff cannot bo meddled with.
The fact that It Is necessary to go carefully
because there Is no clear Idea as to expendi
tures In our dependencies may bo alleged
as an excuse not to touch the tariff , but the
war taxes should be cut down In some way.
01 it MVV : TicitiMToitiis. :
Their < ; OV < TIIIU 'II < n SrrloiiH I'rolili'iii
lor CoiiKrcHH lo ( ; niiilc | | Wllli ,
Hultlmoro American.
Ono of the most perplexing matters which
ciingreHS will have to deal with Is the gov-
( iniincnl of the now territories. This per
plexity docs not arise from any Inherent
illlllculty. but from the eagerness to give
BHIIKI of these territories n complex form
uf government totally unsulted to existing
conditions. The people of Puerto Hlco , fcr
Instance , nro quite ns cnpablo of sustaining
thn ordinary territorial form of govern
ment IIH nny of the southwest territories
were twenty years ago , but an effort will
bo ma < le to glvo them n complicated nffalr
absolutely unique In our political history ,
with the Idea that they will bo benefited.
The effect of such a government would 1)3
to convert u people who are more than
friendly to the United States Into bitter
critics with u serious grievance.
If they are not yet llttcd for the regular
territorial form of government , why not
let them remain ns they uro ? They appear
to be thoroughly satisfied with the situa
tion as It is and they will condone grlpv-
UIKCS In the present rule which would ba
very galling In a government prescribed by
congress , In which they were treated us
grown-up children. To establish u com
posite territorial rule In the Island. In which
nil authority and all power and all emolu
ment went In foreigners , while the natives
were allowed to play at government. tvoul'J
bo a blunder that would long con 11 nun to
plague the Inventor. If they are not fit for
Hclf-government let them remain as they
are , or glvo them a commission suh a *
exists In the UlKtrict of Columbia and him
existed there with uuccess for many yearn.
What ban been eald of Puerto Rico ap
plies with greater foree to Hawaii The
proposed plan of government for those
Islands vlolnlrs the bnsl' ' prlndplw upon
which the government of the United Slates
rests. There has never been any division
Into parts of the privilege of citizenship. A
man In the United StnUs Is cither n citizen
or ho Is not. There re no cla es amm ?
the citizens of this country. If a man ran
vote for members of congress he can vota
for the members of the legislature , which
fleet United States senators , nnd he ran
vote for the president of the United Staloc ,
But under the Hawaiian bill they are di
vided Into classes , one nnd the much largei
class bring given a Blight tnste of citi
zenship , while the other , an oligarchy , Is 1C
bo given nil power nnd authority. The
truth Is. thnt Hnwall Is not fitted for nny
form of government but the sliuplc.it nnd
will not be for n number of years. If the
present government Is not acceptable then
the government of the District of Columbia
will lit the cnee exactly , with the supple
ment of n delegate In congrern.
Ki.Asiins or PI N.
Indlatmpolls Journal : "What U n bache
lor , Aunt Martha ? "
"Oh , lie's a man who thinks every girl
that looks at him Intends to marry him
Chicago News : "Don't you pity ttuo
glrln who marry foreign tltle ? "
"No ; any girl who Is n genuine Anirrliiw
ought to give the man the worst of It. "
Cleveland Plain Dealer : "You say the
n an stele your umbrella ? "
"Well , I don't want to be too sure nbmit
It. Ho may have been the. original owner. "
Washington Slur : "There's no doubt
about It , " snld the man with a largo diamond
mend In his necktie ; "that man Is a genuine
patriot. "
"How do you know ? "
"Why , he can get up ns much enthusiasm
over an election as ho does over a prim
light. "
Chicago Hocord : "This Is n nk-e round
steak , " remarked the landlady , as Mho
wielded her knife.
"It may be madam. " ppoko up the
comedian boarder , "but It will take a
miracle lo make It go around. " '
Boston Transcript : Mrs. Fogg A gentle
man culled to see you , David , this m rn-
Ing * .
Mr. Fogg Did ho have nnythlng to nay ?
Mrs. Fogg Only that lin would call again.
Mr. Fogg H'm evidently a dun. but to
give warning of his second coming betrays
inexperience. Heckon there's no great dan
ger from him.
Chicago News : Mrs. DlggrHow Is It
you nro . o successful In managing1 your
husband ?
Mrs. Biggs Ob , 1 simply feed him well
and trust to luck.
Harlem Life : "Did yon know thnt Miss
BJonos was going to marry young Smith ? "
"I knew It ; but I cannot understand how
ti girl as intelligent as she In can ronsent
to mnrry a man Mupld enough to want to
marry her. "
Chicago News : He How long should a
man know a girl before proposing ?
She That depends on his Income.
Indianapolis Journal : "If all the money
In the world were divided .equally , each
person would got about $ .TO. "
"Is that so ? Well , I move we let things
stay as they are. "
ColIler'.M Weekly : HUsbnnd My dear , I
want to a."k you one favor before you go off
on that long visit.
Wife A thousand , my love. What is It ?
Husband Don't try lo put the house In
order before you leave.
Wife U Isn't hard work.
Husband Perhaps not ; but think of the
expense of telegraphing to you every tlmo
I want to llnd anything.
Chicago Tribune : "What shiftless people
there must have liecn living on earth at
the beginning of tin Christian era ! " ex
claimed the mnn who was nil tangled up
over this twentieth century business.
"How so ? " asked the person who hap
pened In for the purpose of helping out the
dialogue.
"Because nobody appears to have been
able to look out for number 1. "
Effect oil Attire.
Detroit Journal.
"You're aibrlck ! " cried a fellow named Will ,
To his sister , nor took she. It lilt , -
Till ho added , "Oh ; yes , ' " '
You're but half-baked , or less.
But you're certainly dressed up to kiln ! "
XB.VUIvR HOME.
Phoebe Cnry.
One sweetly solemn thoucht
Comes to mo o'er and o'er ;
I'm nearer homo today
Than I have ever been before.
Nearer my Father's bouse.
Where the many mansions be ;
Nearer the great white throne ,
Nearer the crystal sea ;
Nearer the bound of life.
Where we lay our burdens down ;
Nearer leaving the cross.
Nearer Kninln ? the crown !
But lying darkly between ,
Winding down through the night ,
Is the silent , unknown stream ,
That leads at lust to the light.
Closer and closer my steps
Come to the dread ubvsm ;
Closer Death to mv lips
Presses the awful chrism.
Oh , If my mortal feet
Have almost gained the brink-
It It be I nm nearer homo
Even today than 1 think 1
Father , perfect my trust ,
Lot my spirit feel In death
That her feet are ( irmly set
On the Rock of a Living Faith !
Your Health
is worth more than all the
c'othing ' in the world but
it doesn't take a fortune to
get all the clothing you
need if you go to the right
place ,
We manufacture more
goods than any other simi
lar house in the world ,
We put our best judg
ment and taste into the
work and we don't permit
anyone to make a better or
more stylish garment than
we do and our prices are
as reasonable as any
$10 to $25 for Suits ,
$10 to $40 for Overcoats
and Ulsters.
