6
TELE OMAHA DAILY HEJSt SATURDAY. DECEMBER 8, 1900.
The umaha Daily Bee.
E. UOBEWATEH, Editor.
.I'lfUMBHED BVEIIY MOHN1NO.
terms of atmscniPTioN.
Dally lice (without Hundnyj.jOna Tear.J6.C0
Dally Hee and Bunday, One Tear 8.W
Illustrated Uec, One Year 2.00
Hunclny Hoc, Ono Year 2.00
Baturday Ue( Ono Year l.tO
Weekly Dec, One Year.... 63
OFFICES.,
Omaha: The Bee nulMltm.
. South Omaha: City Hall Hulldlng, Twenty-fifth
and N streets.
Council Muffs: 10 I'enrl Street.
Chicago: 1040 Unity Uulldlng-.
New York: Temple Court
New York: Templo Court.
Washington: 001 Fourteenth Street
Bloux City: 611 Park Street.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Communication!! relating to news and edi
torial matter should be addressed: Omaha
Bea, Editorial Department.
"HUBINESS LETTERS..
Business letters and. remittances should
be addressed: The Ueb Publishing Com
pany, Omaha.
REMITTANCES.
Romlt by draft, express or postal order,
Sayable to The Hee Publishing Company,
nlv 2-cent stamps accepted In payment of
mail accounts. Personal checks, except on
Omaha or Eastern exchanges, not accepted.
THE REE PUHM8HINO COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
State of Nebrosku, Douglas County, ss.:
Oeorpo U. Ttschuck, secretary of The Hee
Publishing Company, being duly sworn,
nays that the actual number of full and
aomplcto copies of The Dally, Morning,
Evening and Sunday llro printed during the
raontn of November, liwo, was as iouows
1 .'JO.H70
18 IW.IWO
1 It4,UIft
t 81,(110
4 2H.0I0
t 81.320
82,010
7
41,i!.10
ai.iiio
10 ....10,700
ll,. as.Kio
U 20,200
13 28,1)40
14 2M.IINO
IS 24,550
17 2H.2II0
13 2S.100
19 2M,!tH0
20 2M,:t70
21 2H.410
22 27,070
23 27,020
24 2M.220
25 2,410
2 27,000
27 27,20
23 27,740
20 27,770
so 27,rnn
Total oan.'ir.i)
Less unsold and returned copies,... 12,l)ilM
Not total sales....,.,.., i:i,42l
Net daily average, 30,447
OEOAn. TZ8CHUCK.
. Subscribed In my presenco and sworn to
before mo this 1st day of December. A. D.,
1800. M. D. HUNQATE.
Notary Public.
Aro we to have a oontest between tho
Sunday theater find the Sunday sermon
ns a drawing card?
The NcbniBkn legislature convenes
thlw time on New Year's day. An early
Htart should mean an early adjourn
ment. Several statesmen would like to get
Into tho Nebraska senatorial game, but
And themselves left without cards by
the' dealer.
By tho time South Omaha's charter
gets down to Lincoln It Is likely to ap
pear In duplicate or triplicate and each
copy different.
It should not bo Inferred from tho fact
that the Hocra are to bo conllued on the
race track nt Pretoria that they will
lead fast Uvea there. '
Mr. Bryan has already begun to break
hfnj rule about refusing to bo Inter
, Tlewed on questions raised by current
events. The Interview habit will, not
down.
: Almost a week of congress has gone
by and Senator Pettlgrcw has only In
troduced one resolution of Inquiry,
i'ho late election must have taken the
senator's breath away.
Christmas presents payablo on tho In
stallment plan Is tho tempting bait
Offered by advertisers in several eastern
newspapers.' But "beware of tho gift
with a strlug tied to It
' In all the cry for, relief for tho Nc
t braska supreme court the voices of tho
supreme court Judges are Inaudible. Tho
Judges do not appear to be disturbed
whether relieved or nqt.
. Santo Domingo wants u reciprocity
treaty with the United States. If It Is
negotiated tho president should Insist
an tho exclusion, of that country's most
prolific product revolutions. !'
Tho auditorium promoters should find
tome wealthy benefactor to slgnnllzo
tho lucomlng of tho new year with a
big jump in the auditorium fund.
Don't every ono speak at once.
Mr.. Bryan says ho has heard nothing
of the Indiana movement to form a new
party. Possibly tho promoters arc
keeping the affair quiet for fear tho
Nebraska man will want to join It.
Iowa sheriffs are combining to ask tho
legislature to authorize an increase In
their fee bills. Tho fees of Nebraska
sheriffs could be cut down to the Iowa
,scalo without any hardship on litigants
who havo to pay them.
A number of fusion stato officials have
reached tho conclusion that with their
exit from office next month they have
nothing more to expect In politics. They
should bo given credit for reading the
meBsago, of tho election correctly.
Portugal uud Holland are at outs nnd
tho ministers of tho two countries
havo taken their playthings and gone
home.- A wnr between theso two coun
tries s as much to be feared as a duel
with brickbats ut a half nilie range.
As a general thing Americans are not
considered slow, but congress on Us
opening day was several laps behind tho
Eugllsh Parliament In sensational fea
tuxes. Unless America Is to fall be
bind, Texus should muke haste to return
Joe Bailey to Washington.
General Funstou is back at his old
tricks, swimming rivers to get nt the
rebels lu tho 'Philippines. Geuoral
Wheeler should at onco climb a tree,
just to show Iho country that he Is not
falling behind in tho ruco simply be
VcauBolio Is on tho retired list. '
At tho tall end of, his term Treas
urer Moserve has reduced tho amount
pf school money lying Idle by half,
tho uninvested portion now nmount
lng to $105,008. Thero may bo
some good reason why this should not
havo been dono long ugo, but It Is not
apparent to outsiders aud the treasurer
has never uiado It known. ,
DlSCVSStm THE Tlt&ATY.
Discussion In the senate of the liny-
Pauticefote treaty has thus far given no
certain Indication as to the probable
fate of that convention. It Is assured
that there will be no action on the canal
bill until the treaty Is disposed of, its
ratlilcatlou being generally regarded as
a necessary preliminary to legislation
authorizing the construction of an Inter
oceanic canal. Should It fall of rntlll
cation It Is possible that the Nicaragua
canal bill will be passed by the senate,
but In that case It Is highly probable
that President McKlnley would feel It
to be his duty to veto the measure, since
there would bo danger of It Involving
this country In a, vexatious controversy
with Great Britain.
Senator Morgan of Alnbnma, who
thinks it Is competent for the United
States to proceed with the building of
the canal regardless of the treaty or of
Great Britain's wishes In the matter, yet
said In Ills speech on the subject Thurs
day that ho had no doubt that If the
United States should proceed with the
construction of the Canal without llrst
taking Jtteps to secure the neutrality of
tho waterway Great Britain would be
grievously offended. Ho thought It
not Impossible that the offenso would bo
considered sufficiently grave to lead to
hostilities between the two countries.
We do not think there need be any ap
prehension on this 8eot5. Great Britain
would not go to war with the United
States for such an offense. But this
country cannot afford to disregard nn
International duty and obligation, even
though it may do so with Impunity. Wo
have a treaty with Great Britain which
our government has admitted Is In full
force and effect. That treaty the Clay-ton-Bulwer
convention of 1850 provides
for Joint neutralization of a canal and
forbids exclusive control, together with
fortification nnd colonization. The
treaty before the senate modifies the
terms of the convention of half a cen
tury ago. It yields the prohibition of
control, but retains tlie theory of Joint
guarautec of neutrality on tho lines of
the Suez canal luteruatlouallzution. If
tho new treaty falls international duty
will require that the United States ob
serve tho terms of the old treaty until
such time as It could be ubrogated and It
Is not to be doubted that President Mc
Klnley would veto a canal bill that dis
regarded our International obligation.
It is not probable that tho British gov
ernment can be Induced to mnko any
further concession. It may bo re
garded ns absolutely certain that It will
not yield on tho question of tho neu
tralization of tho proposed canal and In
this It will havo the moral support of tho
commercial nations of the world. Tho
principle established In rcgnrd to the
Suez canal is universally accepted as the
correct principle and Great Britain, In
Insisting upon it in connection with tho
Nicaragua canal, will have all the com
mercial nations on her side. Can tho
United States afford to create a situation
of this kind? We do not think it can
and wo havo been unablo to find In the
arguments of thoso Vho . oppose neu.
trnlizatlon any sound; reason for be
Uevlng that tho policy they advocate
would give this country any substantial
advantages.
NEEDED PAV1NQ LEGISLATION.
One of the tasks devolving upon the
legislature, which concerns Omaha par
ticularly, consists In straightening out
tho Jumblo. created in the legislation
governing paving by reason of the nu
merous court decisions which have given
new Interpretations, playing havoc with
tbo old and established practices.
Omaha has already done a great deal
In tho last few years in putting its
streets In good condition for traffic, but
has yet considerable paving to do. Ilav-
lug started out with the plan of assess
ing the cost against abutting property,
any change, forced by defective legisla
tion, throwing the expense upon the gen
eral community would compel property
owners who have already paid for their
own paving to bear a second burden for
others equally ablo to pay for them
selves.
If It is possible,, and no good' reason
exists why it should not be possible, to
correct tho errors which have led to tho
vacation of so many paving tax levies,
it should by all means bo done. If
there is a way further than that to
framo tho law so that the courts will
give the public the benefit of legal tech
nicalities rather than tbo tax-shirking
property owners trying to evade their
obligations, that, too, should be dono.
In justice to the'tnxpaylng public nt
large, tho validity of these levies should
bo upheld Irrespective of minor techni
calities, unless it is shown that actual
fraud has played a part, br gross Injus
tice would ensue. In most cases, how
ever, whero paving assessments have
been Invalidated thero has been nclthor
fraud nor Injustice, and tho only way to
sccuro exact Justice Is to rclmposo the
lovy and enforce collection. Such as
sessments have beeu validated by legis
lative action over and over in other
states whoso examples should bo fol
lowed by tho coming legislature.
READY FOR STATEHOOD.
Tho report of tho governor of Okln
houm shows that the territory is pre
pared for statehood. It is In n highly
prosperous coudltlon and Is steadily
growing In population and in the devel
opment of Its resources. Really no state
or territory can show a record of growth
lu tho past decado that compares with
that of Oklahoma. The territory bus u
population of 308,245, which Is more
than eight of tho states have, nnd this
population Is of the progressive kind,
which goes In for public schools and
banks and is industrious and thrifty.
Tho governor says thero Is nn excellent
public school Bystem and that thero arc
llvo higher Institutions of learning
which are not excelled by tho similar
Institutions of any stae. The assessed
valuation of property is nearly r!f50,
000,000.
Tbo governor is fully warranted lu
saying that Oklahoma, wheu compared
as to population, area and wealth, with
a, like condition prevailing in a large
number of states at the tlmo of their
admUilou Into the union, amply Justifies
its claims to statehood. The eight states
In the union today with a smaller popu
lation thnii Oslnhomn are: Delaware,
Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Utah,
Wyoming, Vermont and Nevada, Most
of the states were admitted with
smaller population than that territory
now has.
THE ARMY DILL.
The democrats of the houso of rep
resentatives, with three honorable ex
ceptions, voted against giving the gov
ernment the mllltnry force required to
suppress Insurrection In tho Philippines
and establish law, order nnd good gov
ernment In the Islands. They did this
upon tho specious plea thnt the army
bill provides for the permanent increase
of the standing army. One republican,
whom It is safe to assume does not rep
resent the sentiment of a majority of
his constituents, voted with tho dem
ocrats. ,
In proposing an Increase of the regular
army the republicans arc simply provid
ing for existing conditions, which are
believed to require bucIi fx force ns the
army bill authorizes. A succeeding con
gress may reduce the standing army to
Its former dimensions If circumstances
shull warrant its being done or public
sentiment demands it. There Is conse
quently nothing in tho talk about the
Increase being permanent. Bcpubllcans
generally are as much opposed to a large
standing army ns are democrats, and' it
is not to be doubted that If before the
end of the next congress' the conditions
shall bo such ns not to require so, largo
n force as at present it will be reduced.
As to tho professed fear of so-cnlled
mlllturlsm, It Is so manifestly ridiculous
thnt no one of ordinary Intelligence will
glvo it serious consideration. Seventy
six millions of people arc In no danger
from an nrmy of 100,000, four-fifths of
which will bo employed thousands of
miles away on the other side of the
globe.
The determination of n republican ad
ministration and congress to suppress
tho, Insurrection In Luzon has been ap
proved by u large majority of the peo
ple. .As wjjh said by Representative Hull
in closing tne general oeuato on tue
army bill, the president under tho. treaty
pf Paris must nssert tho sovereignty of
the United States over the Philippine
Islands. "As long as the Islands were
ours, wo must enforco.our authority or
disgrace ourselves In tho eyes of tho
world." There Is n responsibility and
an obligation to be met and the repub
lican party, having received tho mandate
of the nation, will not hesitate to pro
vide tho means for properly and fully
meeting them.
A question which the tnxpnyers of
Omaha should nsk themselves Is whether
tho experiment of n tax commissioner in
its present form has proved a success;
The original idea of creating a special tax
department for the separate assessment
of property for city taxation was that a
more equable valuation would be se
cured nnd property listed that had pre
viously escaped taxation altogether.
The great complaint had always been
that real estuto was bearing almost the
entire burden. Has the burden on real
estate been lightened by tho tax com
missioner system? Have the Inequali
ties of assessment been abolished? Is
tax evasion and tax shirking any less
prevalent thnn before? Satisfactory
answers to tho questions would afford
desirable light upon a dubious subject.
An Interesting contention Is in prog
ress lu the Central Labor union in
which the domination of tho socialists
haB'been manifested by proposing an
amendment to tho constitution of tho
American Federation of Labor making
ono of tho objects of the organization
tho abolition of the wago system. This
resolution has given the Omaha trade
unionists the reputation throughout tho
country of being committed to socialistic
schemes, whereas we are sure that no
where lu tbo country are the wngework-
era better satisfied with conditions than
they arc right hero in Omaha, whero
they aro sharing in the general pros
perity and making strides forward right
along.
If we are to have competition between
tho school board and tho city council in
making tax levies for city and school
district tho competition ought to bo to
keep the levy of each at the lowest pos
sible point consistent with efficient ad
ministration, rather than for tho one to
get ahead of the other. When two in
dependent authorities are empowered to
fix the tax rate, the taxpayers usually
get the worst of It
Tho Indian supply depot at Chicago
has been developed Into a great Institu
tion, handling hundreds of thousands
of dollars' worth of goods every year.
Omaha la better located than Chicago
for tho purpose of distributing Indian
supplies and thero Is no good reason
why the Omuha supply depot cuuuot.
bo built up In tho same way with equal
benefits to the local jobbers aud manu
facturers. ,
We Can't Lose 'Em,
Indianapolis Press.
Nebraska's dream has been rudely shat
tered. The populists are not going to emi
grate. '
Oar Wind-Swept Bahe.
lialtlrnoro American.
Ouara wants a Utile of our overflow pros
perity. And whatever else way be said
us, It cannot be charged that we ever hesi
tated! tc give to our distressed neighbors
out of our abundance, The relief vesseTU
a peculiarly American Institution.
Conclusion Well tuanded.
Springfield Republican.
Reports from Nebraska have It that the
populists there ure platming an extended
emigration to the Indian Territory, Some
of tho state officials retired at tho recent
election are prominent In the movement
evidently being convinced that Nebraska
has returned to tho republican fold to stay.
Keen Sense of Dellnaejr.
Kansas City Btar.
It wna noted at the opening of congress
that the offerings of flowers were mostly
on the republican side of the house. This
Incident does not argue, necessarily, a Jack
of friendly regard for the democratic mem
bers or a disposition to slight them. The
moro reasonable Interpretation Is that the
failure to (decorate their disks was
prompted by a seme f delicacy and by the
thought that (lowers under certain circum
stances nay be associated with bereave
ment and mourning as well as with victory
and rejoicing. The condition of the democ
racy at this time Is really such as to ren
der floral attentions somewhat embar
rassing. Senntor Clanrlen A. Toirnc.
Minneapolis Journal (rep.)
This much at loast may bo said of Charles
A. Towne's appointment to tho United
States senate: However objectionable his
political vlows may be to republicans, It
must be conceded that ho Is a man of
ability. Hence, hot oven for n fow weeks,
will there be a break in tho record Min
nesota Is acquiring for sending able mon to
Washington.
Illeetlon of Senators.'
3'. Sterling Morton's "Conservative'.
The Conservative hopes that tho election
of the senators by tho next legislature may
be speedily and satisfactorily accomplished.
There should bo no stubborn chicane, cor
nipt bargains! personal pique postponing
results, as in the legislature two years ago
when tho lamented llayward was elected.
The stato needs and demands tho selection
of two practical, reputablo and able men to
represent Its commercial Interests and the
dignity and character of its public life.
A Itevotntlonary Heritage.
Philadelphia Record.
The government has Bbown a warrantable
liberality In the expenditure of money to
turn tho battlefields of tho clrll war into
publics grounds set apart and beautified In
honor of tho nation's dead. It would bo
Justifiable expansion of this use of the pub
lic funds to pass Representative McAleer's
bill appropriating $200,000 to establish a
military park at yalloy Forgo. Tho whole
country has a revolutionary pride and a
revolutionary heritago In that hallowed
ground.
t
Dealing with the Philippines.
Ban Francisco Chronicle.
As soon as tho Tagals ceaso to engage In
hostile acts against 'tho government and
the Philippines are permitted to work out
their career In peaco and quiet, the con
clusion reached In tho case of Porto Rico
will be'applled to our Islands In the Pacific
as well as those In the Atlantic. 'The
genius of,our institutions will not permit
tho making of flesh of ono part of our ter
ritory and fowl of tho other. No matter
what th6 outcome may be even If It !s
onlyood red herring wo will be sure As
a peoplo to inBlst on a square deal alt
around.
inniOATION AXD FOllliSTRV.
Tnla Problems the Government
Should Solve Together.
Minneapolis Times.
In his annual ronort tho secrntArv. nf th
Interior urges tho Importance- of govern
mental am in the reclamation of the arid
lands of the west by Irrigation, thnuarh h
does not go further In tho lino of practical
suggestion than to recommend that a com
mission composed of experts now engaged
in tho examination of water and forest re
sources be formed to nut the data nrnlllrf.fi
in compact and Intelligible form and
present woir recommendations to con
gress. The last congress appropriated
1100,000 to bo used by tho geological survey
In its study of tho nroblo m nf IrrlfraHnn
and the secretary advises a further in
crease.
If Irrigation Is tn hn
large scale in the west, tho participation
oi. too icucrai (goYcrnmont in the work,
seems Unavoidable. Private enterprise
may reclaim comDaratlvelv
land and control streams here and there,
but If there is tivbo anyvadequato conserva
tion of 'the water supply on the water
sheds for the . irrigation q considerable
stretches orterWtorjr' there must be federal
assistance, and It is the belief of many
students of (fcMubjoct that this aid could
be oxtonded.wl.tb direct proflt to the treas
ury. Forest preservation and the Irrlga-
nuu m arm tanas are itwin problems and
tho solution Of ono oarrlnn with It tha
consideration of tho other. The co-operation
of state and national governments in
putting a stop to the waste of resources
now in progress Is of Imminent Importance.
A niULLI.WT HECOHD,
Deserved Compliment to a Pnlnstuk
1ns;, Progressive; l'ablle OtHcer.
Boston Transorlpt.
It was. a gratifying evidence of har
mony in the administrative family that
the president should ask all the mem
bers of the cresent cabinet to roraaln In
their several positions and continue to
give him tho benefit of their counsel. It
has been hinted that Secretary Wilson
of the Agricultural department might wish
to retire at the end of the present term,
but W trust the hint Is without anthnrltv
or significance, for the reason that It would
naraiy be possible to fill bis place as sat
isfactorily as he has been filling it, and,
whllo giving his colleagues due credit for
distinguished ability, the same can hardly
be said of any other cahlnut nfflcnr The
duties of the' secretary of agriculture are
naraiy ever as dramatic as those which fall
to several of the other departments, and
events of great national and International
Importance have very strongly emphasized
this contrast during the last three years.
He deals with unseen though powerful
forces and the evidences of service have
to be looked for In results rather than
in processes.
Applying the test nt that point, we And
a record of almost marvelous progress In
work that Intelligently and practically pro
motes the Interests of our nation's funda
mental Industry. To begin with, the serv
ice Is one that tho secretary itjiorougbly
understands from Its broadest relations to
Its smallest details. Ho is a practical
farmer In tho largest sense, possessing not
only a profound knowledge of routlno
affairs, but of scientific principles as well
Before he was called to his present position
ho had boen a successful and prosperous
farmer, had been tn charge of the Iowa
experiment .station and a leMuror at the
agricultural college. It has been said that
the Agricultural department Is a colossal
experiment station, and for that purpose
be has employed the resources at his
command with striking .and tn some
cases even brilliant results. What he
has dono has not been alone of interest
and valuo to this country, but has at
tracted tho attention of educated agri
culturists nnd scientific bodies abroad.
Secretary Wilson Is an enthusiast, an
Indefatigable worker, a man of keen and'
suggestive mind. He has been Impartial
Iq his labors nnd Investigations and has
studied tho conditions In every section
of this broad land. He has Impressed 'him
self In so many ways upon agricultural de
velopment that It la difficult to particular
lio, On of these ways, however, which Is
widely appreciated la tho extension
of the work of the weather bureau during
the last threa years. The establishment of
stations around tho Caribbean sua during
tho war proved of suoh great benefit to thu
commerce of all nations that steps wero
taken to make the service permanent and
we havo an advance guard In the region of
storms that has already proved of great
value and promises Inestimable service In
the future.
Dally forecasts and warnings to rural
communities , have been Increased from
Bf.000 in 1807 tb 72,000 the present year.
Measures looking to the Improvement of
the storm-warning service In the lake
region' have been adopted; the conditions
of mountain snowfalls'and Irrigation have
been carefully studied, as have also those
of rainfall, frost and electricity. All these
and many more evidences of tho secre
tary's value to the country are no new
discovery,
OTIItnt liAM9 THAN Ol ltS,
Tho attack on Finland's Independence,
which Included a constitutional government
and Its own system of military religious
and educational organization, was Initiated
on February 15, 1890, when a ukase of the
czar practically marto the legislature of tho
Grand Duchy a mcro council for consulta
tion and for tho recording of his Imperial
wlshos. Though tho horror with which this
order was received In Finland canio to tho
crar's cars ho refused to receive any Fin
nish petitioners nnd no change -In the ad
ministrative plans woro made. It Is true,
In July, 1899, he Issued a rescript explain
ing that tho Finnish Estates misunderstood
tho governor's position, but tho fact re
mains that tho practical effect of the order
of February, -1899, was to undermine tho
aeparato existence of tho Grand Duchy,
whero the czar rules as a grand duko and
not as the czar. In consequence tho coun
try Is on tho high road toward becoming a
mere Russian province Imperial laws now
apply there, ns olsewhero, without modifi
cation and If Finnish Immigration continues
and tho educated poasantry aro replaced by
Illiterate Russlon moujlks It will not be
long before tho country that had tho lowest
percentage of Illiteracy in Europe will not
differ so much from tho rest of tho czar's
empire as to Invito the envy of Its free
Institutions that havo been its downfall.
Tho admirers of Nicholas excuse his part
In the dragooning of Finland by declaring
he Is not awaro of what Is being done, but
unless he should reverse nil that has been
dond when bo recovers from his Illness Fin
land Is Just as apt to sutler under a czar
supposed to be liberal as under one known
to bo reactionary.
It now seems that whllo the question ot
a general amnesty for all persons concerned
In the Dreyfus case was being examined by
a commission of tho French senate, Com
mandant Esterbazy, who was then In Lon
don, made an exhaustive deposition before
tho local French consul general, which,
however, was either not communicated to
the commission or rejected by It. A recent
numbci of tho Independence Uolgo, pub
lished In Brussels, contains the full text of
tho deposition, which Is sworn to by Kstcr
hazy. Copies of tho documents to substan
tiate the declarations aro also tn some In
stances presented. Tho deposition Incrimi
nates Colonel du Paty de Clam, Colonel
Henry, Oenerol RUIot, General Bolsdeffre,
General Gonse and General Saussler.
Estcrhazy swears that tho bordereau,
which was tho boIo legal pieco of evidence
against Dreyfus, was forged by Ksterhazy
and that; therefore, the examination of It
by the handwriting experts was Illusory.
He practically confirms ahe conclusions ar
rived at by tho Cour de Cassation as far
as they went, admitting the truth of tho
charges made by this court against him,
but declaring that in forging the document
he acted In obedience to orders. Moreover,
ho declares that tho alleged letters from the
kaiser containing evidence of Dreyfus' trea
son wero simply fabrications.
Durlnir a general discussion In the French
chamber tho other day upon the budget,
M. Pueck. complained of the constant
growth of expenditures, and urged tho
necessity of a revision of the fiscal aystcm
in order to lighten the burden of taxation
upon tho masses. M, Calllaux, the minis
ter of finance, In replying, maintained that
the Increase of expenditure was smaiior
In Franco than elsewhero, It amounted In
England to 36 per cent in eleven years, he
said, whereas In Franco is was only 6 per
cent. .He argued that the outlay on na
tional defence, tho postal service, and pub
lic works was indispensable. Tho deficit
Of 198,000,000 francs caused by the Incor
poration of the special military budget with
the ordinary budget would be partly met,
be .declared, by the salo bt national prop
erty, yielding 15,000,000 or 20,000,000 francs,
and by that of the fortifications of PaVls,
which would produce about 150,000,000
francs. Tho floating debt was reduced
every year, and a first step had been taken
for tho reduction of tho permanent debt,
of 22 milliards. In flvo years that debt
wculd be automatically reduced by 500,000,
OOQ francs. The cost of tho expedition to
China and the occupation of the oases of
Twat would bo met, he said, by increased
revenue and by an Indemnity, from China.
Franco was prospering, he asserted, and
would be still moro prosperous If certain
politicians did not constantly represent
lior as being ruined. Tho remodelling of
the drink and succession duties, he added,
would bo a financial reform which had boen
awaited for fifty years.
Tho Bosnian railway question, which for
some tlmo has been a cause for dispute
between the two parts of the Austro-
Hungarian monarchy, haB temporarily beon
settled by a compromise, which, according
to the Keue Frclo Prcsso of Vienna, is a
"concession, but' no compromise," as "Hun
gary gets the line from Sorajovo to the
sandjak of Novl Bazar and the Servian
frontier, While -Austria, which pays two-
thirds of the cost, gets nothing." The sur
render,, it is reported In Vienna, will be
keenly felt all over Austria, where the
papers of all political parties, except the
government organs, find explanation
in the faot that tho Austrian ministry was
inadequate to doal with that of Hungary.
In tho latter country tbo ministry Is drawn
from tho Parliament, and, tn order to exist
at all, must have' at Its back a strong ma
jority of the legislators, whllo In Austria
tbo cabinet officials' aro chosen by the sov
ereign, with no Parliamentary support
whatever, and at present represent a coun
try divided against Itself, and ono In which
legislation has practically been Impossible
for the last tbreo years,
Tbo compromise, however, Is said to hold
out some hope In Austria that the condi
tions may be modified, provided that tho
January elections to Parliament shall make
It possible to break tbo legislative dead
lock. The prospect held out Is that the line
to the DalmeMun frontier, to bo begun In
three years, a, subject to the approval of
the Austrian and Hungarian Parliaments,
and .consequently conditional. It Is also
truo Hhat tbo extension to the sandjak of
Novl Bazar, which Is to bp begun at once,
la also subject to Parliamentary sanction,
but, while It Is sure of being adopted by
tbo Hungarian Chamber of Doputles, the
chance of Its even bolng seriously con
sidered by the Austrian Parliament Is said
to bo extremely doubtful, in which case the
emperor may lmposo hla prerogative, .
According to tbo official statement of tb
French government the ral'tmd tn the
French Soudan has boen completed at the
beginning of tho present year to the extent
of 136 miles and by the end of 1900 155
miles will have been completed. Next yoar
fifty miles will be built and by 1904 the line
will reach Koullkoro, on tho Nlgor, 355
miles from Kayen, tho cost por mile having
been 123,000, It will be run for many years
by subsidies amounting to eomo $200,000 a
year, tho trattlo receipts being under X200
a yoar. It Is a great point of French po)o
to tup the traue ot tne upper reaches of
the Nlgor by means ot this railroad for the
French port on the Atlantic and prevent It
from going southward to the sea through
British or German territory. The com
merce of Tlmbuctoo and the adjacent re
glons may be diverted, It Is thought, Into
exclusively French hands,
The new bill on strikes, which the French
government, through the agency of Its so
cialist member, M. Mlllerand, has Just In
troduced Into the chamber provides that
In every factory employing fifty or more
men a printed notlco shall state whether o?
not arbitration ts one of tbo conditions of
employment. In case ot the affirmative
and U state contracts will require this
(ho men are to elect delegates, who will
submit any complaint or demands to the
employer and, falling an agreement, both
sides may nominate arbitrators. If the em
ployer refuses to do this tho men may re
solve by secret ballot on a strike, but tho
votes of a majority ot those present and ot
one-third of the men employed aro neces
sary. Thero must also bo a weekly vote to
decide on the continuance or cessation ot
the strike. '
POLITICAL DIUFT.
Senator Tillman Is tho latest convert to
tho prevailing fashion. Ho has had his hair
cut.
Tho cost of tho election In South Caro
lina was 40 cents per vole. In Kansas City
tho cost w $i por vote
The Mobile (Ala.) Register, sobered by
the result, bluntly denounces fusion as a
"sacrifice of principle for pap."
Senator Stowart, the patriarch ot free sil
ver, la now settled In tho republican band
wagon. His name appears In tho party
caucus roll.
Senator 'Wellington of Maryland, who
drifted to Bryanlsm last tall, has repented.
Ho has put hi name on tho caucus roll of
republican senators.
Somo Indiana democrats, nettled over tho
conversion of young W. H. English to re
publicanism, revenged themselves by mu
tilating his father's statue.
Hon. John Wanamakor of Philadelphia Is
being tried at Beaver, Pa., on the charge ot
crlmlna) libel, the outgrowth ot a speech
against tho Quay machine- delivered two
years ago.
"Ex-Governor Peck ot Wisconsin, father ot
"Pork's Bad Boy " Is about to return to hU
old tricks. Ho has accepted the editorship
of tho comlo section ot tho New York Sun
day World.
Mr. Woolloy has the satisfaction ot know
ing that he received more votes at the re
cent election than Mr. Debs. Tho moral ot
this Is that It pays to advortlse, even to
the extent of hiring a special train.
Pennsylvania's fiscal year closed Novem
ber 30, and tho stato rejoices that Its in
come was the largest In any year ot Its
history. Tho receipts 'amounted to f 17,494,
211,78, an Increase ot over $2,000,000 over the
preceding year.
Tho mayor of Springfield, Mass., received
a flattering compliment at tho polls lost
Tuesday. His majority was greater than
tho voto cast for his opponent. This be
cauBo he required local corporations to live
up to their contracts with the city.
Ttfp late Senator Cushman K. Davis had a
lucrative law. practice, but bis absorption
tn public affairs during the last years of his
life prevented him from accumulating much
property. Hla .estate, it is said, will not
much oxceed 175,000, aside from bis library,
which is a valuablo one.
When .Senators Hanna and Jones ex
changed greetings in. the senate chamber
last Monday Bryan's manager remarked
"You'll have to tlx up that leg of yours It
you are going to run for president next
time." "A republican without legs can out
tun any democrat In 1904," retorted Hanna.
Senator Dolllvcr's term as representative
did not oxplru until the day he took the
oath as senator, thus avoiding a vacancy In
the pay roll. When tho senator was given
a place on the committee on agriculture
Senator Proctor, chairman, extended a
cheery greeting. "We farmers," he ex
claimed, "must affiliate .or wo are lost."
milOOSHIP WORTH HAVING,
Spain's Recovery from the Bffecta of
the Late War.
Cleveland Leader.
We have taken several occasions to com
ment upon the. evidence of Spain's re
markable recovery from tho effects of the
war with tho United States and from tho
prostrating drain of men and money which
had beehjgolng on In the struggle wlthjhe
Cuban revolutionists and tho Tagals of
Luzon. . Various proofs of bettor conditions
havo been noted, but the most remarkable
of all is found in the statistics of the
growth of the world's merchant martne In
the last twelvo months. Unless there Is
some explanation which In no way appears
qn the surface, those figures demonstrate a
most remarkable development ot Spanish
shipping.
The net gain In steam tonnago since the
autumn of 1809 Is stated at 637,000 tons for
Great Britain, 186,000 tons for Germany,
136.0fiO tons for the United States, 47,000
tons for France, 62,000 tons for Norway
and 76,000 tans for Spain. Other nations
show smaller gains, where any are reported.
All tho rest of the world has made an In
crease ot but about 156,000 tons. Sweden,
Japan, Holland, Italy and other countries
of no little maritime activity ana prestige
are Included In that total.
When Spain can beat France or Norway
In building up steam merchant shipping It
Is clear that there must be much life and
promise In tho Spanish nation. Since the
end ot the war with tbo United 8tates Span-
isn Dusiness nouses and tho Spanish peo
ple have manifested a disposition to en
courage trade with America, They should
bo met more than half way.
Looks and Service.
These ore attributes of all our clothing for chil
' dreii it is sure to be the fashion and becoming
and it is also durable in material and workmanship
and this is important,
The choice we offer you in vestee suits, sailor suits
and 2-pieqe suits,
Today at $5.00
are extra value and quality We ask you to. exam-v
into them. They will show you at a glance why our "
clothing is far superior to the common kind.
NOW is when the boys are changing from
. soft to stiff front shirts trnd we want to calji atten
tion to our magnificent line at
75c and $1.00.
AND boys from, say 15 to 18, who have had trou
ble in being fitted in gloves and mittens can be ac
commodated here
75c SI.OO and up.
Hats, caps and furnishings ns well.
Browning, King & Co.
R. S. Wilcox, Manager.
OniHhVs) Qaljr Excliuir Clothier for Mt Btya
A nUNCIt OF SMIIjK".
Chlcngo Record! "Well, now we. ran
settlo down and think about Christmas."
"flettlo down? Oct stirred up, you mean."
Detroit Journal
"Von could hardly call
her
tne
If c
tilnk of rirnnHMvl"
"Of courso noil Pink Is obviously not
her color!
Pittsburg Chronicle: "Ho doesn't cut so
much Ico aa he did," remarked Mr. finngja
to his wife.
"Who doesn'tr' asked she, Innocently.
"Tile tco man."
Dotrolt Journal! There would be consid
erably less good fellowship If U had to fco
drunk In cod liver oil.
Indianapolis Press! "I should tike to
lenrn to dlo like a hero," said the young
man with aspirations.
"Well," said tho young woman,
ilcl
gin
"why
don't you begin practicing?
iff"
Chicago Trlhune: Mrs. Pneer Johnny's
getting so fat theso dnys 1 can hardly lot
out bis clothes fast onough to keep up with
Mr. Pneer That's , all rlghtl Let him
grow ns fat ns.ho will. Ills akin Is worth
3 a square Inch.
Washington Star!' "I eupposo you will
bo glad to got In tho harness again?" laid
the friend. .
"I wish you woudn't use that phrase."
answered the sensitive member or congress,
"It sounds too much ns If I wero depending
on a pull."
DISCONTENT.
E. V. tn Chicago Tost.
The llttlo maid was sighing,
And crying
Of courso 1 naked her why.
I'd bought her lu my folly
A dolly
I thought would please her eye.
Sho bad, of courso, a-plenty
Borne twenty
Thn last superb to nee!
Yet hero sho was bowalllng
Borne fulling
That wum concealed from me.
"I prithee, maiden pretty,
Havo pity,
And tell tno what I've done."
'Twas thus I wna Inquiring,
Aspirins
To please tho llttlo one.
"Tho doll that I have bought you.
And brought you,
Is costumed ns a brldt.
Is aught wrong with bar dresses,
Hor tresses?
Has fashion been defied?"
"Oh, no,'" she auid, "this dolly
la Jolly,
And goes well with tho rest,
. I wanted her to marry
Mr. Haxry
Tho boy doll I llko best.
"I got them all quite ready,
With Freddie
To act as his best man.
For bridesmaids I had Nora,
With Dora,
Matl!da. Jano and Nan.
"But dearie mo! tho gladness
Is sadnecs;
The bride Is In despair.
They gathered to be married,
But tarried
No preacher doll was there."
I passed It oft by laughing,
And chaffing
Sho would not have It so,
But held that it was fearful,
And tearful,
And meant a llfo ot woe,
"I think It's mean nnd spiteful,
Just frightful."
At last she hotly cried,
"For you to sit there smoking,
And J ok In,
And laughing at the bride,
"Her cup of woe' Is heaping;
Sho'a weeping,
Llko any girl afraid
That sho'll Be married never
Will over
Remain a poor old maid."
Sho'a llko somo fathers, mothers,
And others
This llttlo girl of mine. ,
Wo scorn our rightful treasures,
And pleasures;
For what we luck we pine.
Mother's
Glasses
A nlco pnlr of Gold Glasses for
mother's Christmas might be just
what she needs.
Other
Suggestions
Solid Penrl Opera Glasses. . . .55.00
Fancy Houso Thermometers. f 1.00
Solid Nickel Heading- Glasses 76c
J. C. Huteson k Co.,
Consulting Opticians,
1520 Douglas Street.
t