6
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: THURSDAY, FEBTTCATIY 7, 1001.
Tiie omaiia Daily Bee.
K. ItOHEWATER, Kdltor.
r 1
I'UHLISHKD 15VEHY MORNING.
THUMB OP 8UH8CRIPTION.
Pally Hon (without Hunday), One Year.46.00
Dally Hen and Sunday, One Year S OO
JIlUHtrated Ileo, One Year 'CO
Sunday Hen, One Year 2.00
Saturday lleo, Ono Year LM
Twentieth Century Farmer, One Year.,. 1.00
Weekly Hoc, Ono Year 25
Ol-'l-'ICBH.
Omnha- The Uen lljlldltig.
Smith Omnha: City Halt Ilulldlng, Twen-ty-llfth
and M Street.
Coun II Bluffs: io Pearl Htrcet.
Chicago, l&io t'nlty Uultdlng.
New York: Temple Court.
Washington: 601 Fourteenth Street.
CORRHSPOND13NCK.
Communications relating to news and edi
torial matter should t addressed: Omaha
Bee, Editorial Department.
jiuhinkhs lbttkus.
Business letters and remittances should
he addressed; Thu Uco Publishing Com
pany, Omaha.
RHM1TTANC10B.
Remit hy drnft, express or postal order,
payable to The Hen Publishing Company,
only 2-eent stamps accepted In payment of
mall accmintH. Personal check, except on
Omnha or Eastern exchange", not accepted,
T1IK HEE PL'HLISNINO COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCuTaTION.
State of Nebraska, Douglas County. ss.:
tli-urgo II. Tzschuck, secrotary of Tho Dee
Publishing company, hemic duly nworn,
ay that tho actual number of full and
rompleto roplcn of Tho Dally, Morning,
Jsvcnlng and Hunday Heo printed during the.
month of January, 1WI, wns as follows:
1 'M.MU 17.
2 18.
3 XH.'.V.W 19,
4 Utl.l'HI 20.
B 1!I,I1U 21.
C i:il,H,-.(l 22.
7 211,110 23.
X 1!I,:H0 24.
9 iMI.SMll 2..
10.. ittl.HO 26.
11 Sill.UlO 27.
12 20,-IHO 2S.
13 i!0,7!M 29,
14 uM.nnu 30.
15 au.ino 31.
ic i!i,;u:i
Total
2l,!2tn
Jlll.illMI
'M.uxn
'Jtl,7UO
id, 110
.i:ii,in(i
.ll!,770
.UH.HIO
....Hio.oxn
Less unsold and returned copies.... 10,017
Net total sales WMl.lMIH
Net dally average 211,770
OKO. 11. T.SCHUCIC,
Rihscrlhed In my presence and sworn to
huforo mo this 3lHt day of January, A. D.
1901. M. 11. HUNGATB.
(Heal.1 Notary Public.
It wns illscoveroil t lint thoie Is n dtf
fcri'iico lx'twcon .Sarah's French nntl
that spokt'ii In Omaha.
Two dajH of rest and opportunity to
think It. over illcl intu-h to clonr the wny
to a solution of tho st-nntorlnl Hitnatlon.
Tho committee on mines nml mlnlnp;
might Invest lj!tttc the vein of holdup
Mils which It Ih alleRcd has been die
covered at Lincoln.
Iowa democrats luivo declared In
committee npilnst fusion. The Htul end
of democracy in that state is too short
to make another weld.
With $l.r,0XMK)0 In onsli to stnrt on
St. I.ouIh Hliould be. nbln to get up n
Kood exposition, particularly If a little
Omaha energy Is lujected Into the enter
lirlsc. Undoubtedly tho council feels the mat
ter most keenly, but the majority of Its
members huvo courage enough to face
tt world darkened by tho frown of Mr.
Topplcton.
There wens .'!0,tl7.'l applications for
patents Hied In the United .States dur
ing tho past year. The record does not
ncem to Indicate that the. Inventive
Senilis of this country Is worked out.
The son of Inventor Edison has pur
chased u farm and gone Into the poultry
business. If he can Induce his father
to Invent a method of making hens lay
during cold weather It will bo a money
maker.
The magnitude of the Union 1'ncltlc's
late moves Is Just beginning to dawn
on the business world. Omaha will bo
more directly benefited by tho expan
sion of the great Overland route than
any other community.
A bill hat. passed the house which Its
sponsors fondly hope will result In glv
lug Nebraska good roads. If it accom
pllshes that result that alone will be
Milllclent warrant for the existence of
tho present legislature.
Major Ciencrnl Chaffee originally en
listed In thu regular army as a private
The general is the best argument that
can be raised for the American system
of promoting worthy men from the
ranks, as compared with the favorite
system In vogue In several of the Kuro
pean countries.
Now that Queen Victoria Is dead and
burled the correspondents are busy
sending out stories of the various dis
eases with which tho new king Is nf
lllcted. They have Just got started and
they have already given him more com
plaints than an American patent medl
cine Is warranted to cure, but the king
insists he Is feeling qtiltc well.
The members of the senate returnee
to their work after the three days' va
cation exhibiting a disposition to ge
through with some of the accumulate!
business which the committees hai
ground out In the menntlme. It Is an
parent that when both houses get Into
full swing they will not disappoint the
friends who have been calling for
busluess session.
How ama.ed would lie some of the
members of the Twenty-ninth congress
If they were permitted to take the trl
that Is now possible from the Cireat
Lakes to the Pacllle coast. One of tin
objections raised to the proposed rail
road was that It could not be operated
during several months In the year on
account of snow. All of which shows
that a man may ho a statesmau and
still not know everything.
The tax levy has been made anil tho
committee which demanded a reduction
has expressed Its contempt for thu city
council. Hut there will be no attempt
mnila to repudiate any of the obllga
tlons assumed by the city government
and the credit of Omaha will be main
tallied by tho very easy method of pay
lug public bills. It Is absolutely neces
sary to spend money to properly tak
care of the affairs of a great and grow
lug city, and this money can only be
raised by levying taxes, i
leqisla ti rc a rronrtoxMKX t.
It Is plain that no legislative appor
tionment bill can bo put through the
legislature except ns n party measure.
Tho attitude of the fusion minority will
be determined by fusion caucus nt tho
dictation of the steering committee that
has been appointed with unrestricted
powers and no question exists but thnt
the fusion members will bo almost sol
idly lined up against any scheme of re-
districting that places them at greater
disadvantage for capturing the legisla
ture than they now suffer. Tho fusion
machine would rather keep the present
pportlonment and saddle upon the re
publicans the responsibility for falling
to accord proper legislative representa
tion io those sections of the state which
under the now census arc entitled to ad
ditional members of the two houses of
the legislature. Nothing would suit the
fusion managers bettor than to be
placed In position to make political capi
tal out of a grievance of this kind aris
ing from republican Inaction or disagree
ment. Under the circumstances It Is Incum
bent for tho republicans to agree upon
an apportionment plan among them
selves. The arrangement of the several
districts should conform as closely as
possible to tho population schedules of
the 1000 census with a view to a per
fectly fulr distribution of the represen
tation. Where the combination of coun
ties Into float districts must be inndo to
the bcnellt of one or another party tho
republicans have a right to reap that
benellt to themselves rather than give
it to their opponents, but arbitrary ger
rymandering for partisan advantage al
ways reacts to the party detriment.
Whenever and wherever redlstrlct'hg
bills must be acted on the minority is
sure to charge the majority with undue
partisanship. The only thing for the
republican majority to do Is to perform
Its duty fearlessly as promised In Its
state platform and rely on tho people to
sustain the measure beouusc of Its In
trinsic fairness to all Interests.
1IAXISUMEXT Vtt DklATllt
That is the question which the for
eign envoys In Chlnn are called upon to
determine as to certain ofllclals nnmed
In the list of those submitted to tho
Chinese plenipotentiaries for punish
ment. The representatives of China
have pointed out that while the Im
perial government hopes to carry out
the demands of tho powers nnd to make
the punishment of offenders satisfac
tory, there arc certain persons who,
because of their close relation to the
throne, the government feels should be
punished by banishment and not death.
One of these Is I'rlnce Tuan, a mem
ber of the royal family and a man of
great Influence in the empire. There
is no question as to his complicity In
the nntl-forcign uprising and the gov
ernment admits that he should be pun
ished, but there Is the danger that !f
tho death penalty bo luslsted upon the
people will revolt and that the over
throw of the dynasty Itself might re
sult. An order of banishment could be
carried out probably without much tllftl
culty. but there Is very good reason to
apprehend that nn order for the ex
ecution of Tuan would meet with
formidable resistance on the part of
his followers, who doubtless Include all
the anti-foreign element. Another In
the list submitted by the foreign en
voys Is n general who has n large force
under his command auii who it is be
lieved would use this force to resist
an attempt to punish him with death.
It might not be a very hard matter to
make this the nucleus of a very large
army, for tho Chinese people are not
nil In symputhy with the attitude of
their government, but many of them,
on the contrary, are ripe for revolt.
Moderation in this matter would seem
to he the wise and prudent course, but
this some of the powers, notably Ger
many, have not shown a disposition to
adopt. In tho Interest of unity In the
negotiations, our government acquiesced
In the demand for the, execution of sev
eral of the minor otlicluis connected
with tho anti-foreign uprising, but thu
American minister has strenuously op
posed such punishment for the higher
otllchtls charged with participation in
the outbreak. lie should be permitted
by the government to maintain this
attitude, because- tt Is In the Interest of
peace and of an early settlement with
China, Insistence on the demand that
the persons closely related to the throne
shall be punished with death will not
only add to the gravity and dlttlcultlcs
of the situation, but very likely result
In war. That Is manifestly what tho
Imperial government fears and It must
be presumed to understand the feeling
of the people. Possibly some of the
powers are not unwilling to have war
with China, but so far as this country
Is concerned all Its efforts should anil
undoubtedly will be directed In the In
terest of peace.
PASS THE SVOQXEIl OIUj.
It Is reported from Washington that
the question of an extra session of tho
Fifty-seventh congress Is still In abey
ance, but the opinion Is expressed that
In the eveut of the passage of the
Spooner Philippine bill nn extra session
may be avoided. Othonvlso It Is ex
pected that an extra session will be
called.
This measure should bo passed. .Such
legislation has been urged by tho Phil
ippine commission and It Is not to be
doubted that It would have a favorable
effect upon tho Philippine situation.
The Spooner bill simply provides thnt
when nil Insurrection against tho sov
ereignty ond authority of tho United
States iu the Philippines shall have
been completely suppressed "all mili
tary, civil nnd judicial powers necessary
to govern the said Islands shall, until
otherwise provided by congress, bo
vested lu such person nud persons and
shall be exercised In such manner ns
the president of the United States shall
direct for maintaining nnd protecting
the inhabitants of snld Islands In the
free enjoyment of their liberty, prop
erty nnd religion." The Taft commis
sion has pointed out thnt under existing
conditions no purely central civil gov
ernment cau bo established, no public
franchises of any kind granted and no
substantial Investment of private capi
tal in lutemal Improvements Is possible.
The secretary of war has snld to con
gross that the development of the Phil
ippines along the Hues of peaceful In
dustrial progress now requires the exer
cise of powers of civil government not
vested In the executive department of
the government, but requiring a grant
of authority from congress.
Such grant Is contained In the Spooner
bill, which Is substantially Identical
with legislation to govern the territory
acquired under the Louisiana purchase.
Itegardlcss of the question of an extra
session, (his legislation being clearly de
sirable should be enacted by the pres
ent congress, so that the legislative
powers which It has been decided the
Philippine commission does not possess
may be conferred upon It.
MOKE FUSION UEfOllM.
Tho last Issue of the Independent,
which professes to speak as tho olllclal
mouthpiece of Nebraska populists, con
tains a pitiful appeal for donations to
keep the fusion machine a-runnlng
and lift the millstone of Indebtedness
that Is weighing It down. In the in
terest of reform nnd the divorce of the
Judiciary from politics It addresses the
fuslonlst lawyers enjoying soft berths
on court benches as follows:
Tho supremo Judges havo to moke, their
personal campaign but onco In six years
and they ought to contrlbuto liberally.
They have been accorded high honor nt tho
hands of their fellow citizens gratitude and
party pride should open their hearts and
pockctbooks. District judges have a per
sonal campaign to mako once In four years.
They, llko tho supremo Judges, havo been
signally honored by their fellow citizens
and they should not crlppto the party by
withholding contributions.
This Is certainly reform with n
vengeance. Think of the nllled forces
of reform attempting without disguise
to hold up supreme court justices anil
district Judges for partisan purposes
by telling them they must pay for the
honors they are enjoying, with the Im
plied threat thnt a refusal will Justify
Installing as their successors good
fuslonlsts who appreciate the true
money value of thu positions.
If the republicans should issue such
nn appeal what a howl of wrath would
be precipitated from the "reform" press.
As long as It comes from tho fusion
camp, however, the dutiful Judges will
promptly obey the edict of the machine
nud with the wheels once more grensed
the patriots in command will take up
the banner of reform for another for
ward movement.
TO VHEVKXT UA7AXG.
Tho provision In the mllltnry academy
bill, which passed the senate yesterday,
for the prevention of hazing at West
Point, will probably prove effective. It
requires the superintendent of the
academy to make rules, subject to the
npprovnl of the secretary of war, for
preventing the practice of hazing and
provides that any cadet found guilty of
participating In or encouraging the prac
tice shall be expelled from the academy
and will not thereafter be appointed to
tho corps or bo eligible for a command
in tho army or the navy.
Of course the effectiveness of this leg
islation will depend a good deal upon
the care and vigilance of the otllcers of
the academy, but It Is perhaps safe to
assume that very few, even among tho
most reckless of the cadets, will run the
risk of expulsion and loss of eligibility
for appointment In the army or navy by
violating the regulations against hazing.
There Is now an agreement or promise
on the part of the cadets to nbnndon
the practice, but none the less tho leg
islation for Its prevention is necessary
and it Is not to be doubted will have a
salutary Influence upon tho institution.
At any rate there Is tho assurance that
there will not soon be a recurrence of
tho brutality which tho Investigation of
tho academy disclosed.
Public control of quasi-public func
tlons Is not promoted by the granting of
perpetual franchises with unlimited
privileges, even for tho purpose of mak
ing such franchise "attractive." The
county commissioners will serve their
constituents better by guarding the In
terests of the people rather than those
of tho promoters, it mny be true that
capital Is uot anxious to venture on the
construction of a system of suburban
electric lines around Omaha right now
but never Is a long time and when
eapltnl does get ready to take an In
terest In this matter It will bo much to
tho advantage of tho people to have the
control In their hands, rather than In
the hands of n body of speculators.
Wholesome safeguards for tho public
will not deter moneyed men from ven
hiring In a prolltablo Held. Being safe
Is preferable to being sorry.
Senator Vest expresses himself as of
the opinion thnt the United States,
neither through congress nor the execu
the enn exercise any control over the
Cuban constitution when It Is adopted
by tho convention, but that this coun
try nt the same time must bo responsi
ble to the world for tho good behavior
of Cuba. Klther one or the other of the
senator's conclusions Is certainly wrong,
The supreme court of the United States
has declared Cuba to be a foreign conn
try, but for all that tho United States
certainly has tho right to say whether
It will stand sponsor for n government
lu that Island, and will undoubtedly ex
erclse the right If tho constitution
adopted Is not such as to command tho
conlldenco of the president nnd con
gross.
Thoso country people who are so urg
ently insisting that Omaha people
should not Interfere In tho couutry elec
trie roatl proposition aro reminded that
Omaha people pay four-tlfths of tho
total taxes collected for Douglas county
and have as deep an Interest In the
county roads ns any farmer may possl
bly have.
St. Louis is proceeding steadily In the
promotion of Its proposed great oxposl
Hon. (lovernment support Is now prac
Men My assured. The present legislature
must make ample arrungementtj for Nc
braska's appropriate participation in the
show.
4- llnlly (Irlml.
Indianapolis News,
General Kitchener has another regret
coming.
.Merely nn imltntnr.
Indianapolis Press.
General MacArthur seoms to be emu! at-
ng the examplo of Mrs. Stanford In deal
ing with obstreperous persons who Insist
upon freedom of speech.
Itrvlvnl iif Antiques.
Baltimore Herald.
It Is a great consolation to reflect that all
the reasons now advanced why the country
must Inevitably go to the dogs were out
lined not long after the constitution had
been adopted.
I'IujIiik the llrllrr Part.
Boston Herald.
Helen Gould's J 100,000 gift for the hall
for tho benefit of the sailors and marines
of tho Brooklyn navy yard contrasts rather
ravorably with tho Caatellane Investment
In Werthelmer bric-a-brac.
OpprrsftlriK thr Poor.
Baltimore American.
Such wonderful things are being pre
dicted of electricity In tho way of artificial
sunshine, germ-killing and cheapness In
tho future that humane pcoplo aro beginning
to talk of a society for the prevention of
cruelty to tho poor gas companies.
Sample of Krenk I-avra.
Chicago Post,
If the Indiana legislature Is not careful
It will outdistance tho lawmakers of Kan
sas and Missouri In tho way of doing freak
things. Its latest bid for notoriety Is a
decision In which tt declares the buyer of
a vote abovo reproach, but tho seller a
rascally criminal.
-Measure of a Cuban Patriot.
Chicago Chronicle.
It Is unpleasant to hear from Havana
that the venerablo Maximo Gomez, who has
been doing a largo business ns a Pure-
Mlndcd Patriot, has been raking off a matter
of $30,000 per year from tho provisional
government right along. There has always
been a suspicion that Maximo was not In
tho Patriot business exclusively for his
health, but the public revelation of his
mercenary proceedings will come with a
shock to tho gallant liberators whom he
dauntlessly led ngalnst General Shatter's
commissary stores at Guantanamo.
.Mildly Man-anllr.
Chicago News.
Lord Kitchener's gallant little army con
tinues to struggle bravely but Ineffectually
against tho overwhelming numbers of the
Boors. It Is unfortunate thnt there Is no
trustworthy census of tho Boer forces. But
an the English In the Transvnat are about
200,000 strong and as the Boers largely out
number them whenever they como together,
It Is evident that the flghtlnc population of
South Africa has been greatly underesti
mated. The official dispatches Indicate that
there are nt least 1,000,000 Boers in arms.
Greatest of All Cnnnnlldatlona.
Philadelphia Ledger.
The purchaso of the Southorn Pacific
railroad by tho Union Pacific syndicate,
with the allied Interests, gives the purchas
ers not only a line from ocean to ocean
under ono management, but almost a mo
nopoly of the railroad business of tho whole
Pacific coast, a monopoly which will be
come virtually absolute If the syndlcato
carries out its reported Intention of secur
ing the Atchison, Topoka & Santa Fe line
also. These are days of gigantic railroad
enterprises, but this Is tho greatest of
them all.
Cost of the Xfw Army.
Springfield Republican.
Chairman Hull of tho house committee
on military affairs would not he disposed
Io exaggerato tho cost of maintaining the
United States army under the bill about
to become a law. His estimate, therefore,
of from $112,000,000 to $114,000,000 for the
first year Is of Interest. Ho Is optlmlstlo
enough to say that later on the cost may
drop to $100,000,000 or below, but, of
course, tho future will determine that ques
tion, uur own opinion Is that the army
will cost more than $114,000,000 before It
will cost less. Thn American soldier Is the
most expensive one In tho world. In 1809
tho 1-rcnch army of 61C.000 men (neace ba
sis) cost about $130,000,000, and that Included
tho expenso of military service In the
French dependencies. Our own army of
but 100.000 men Is to cost about $114,000,000
at the start, and no ono knows how much
later o.
KAIIMXG AS OPPORTV.MTV.
flnerraa Aehlrrril hy Thorough I'rrp.
aratlon for It.
New York Tribune.
An anecdoto concerning the lato Senator
Davis which Is going the rounds of the
press, and which bears the marks of truth,
contains a lesson which Is well worth at
tention. It Is given In the form of a narra-
tlvo by Senator Davis of the way In which
he became chairman of the foreign relations
coramlttco of the senate, a position which ho
filled with rare ability, and In which his
usefulness to tho country would certainly
have continued in Increasing measure but
for tho misfortune of his untimely death.
It seems that years before ho went to the
senate, when be was practicing law In St.
Paul, he formed tho habit of pursuing some
special study during the evenings at home.
He never spent these evening hours over
his ordinary business, making It a rule nover
to carry a law book home with him. But
he cared little or nothing for society, and
during the long evenings he busied himself
with reading and research along Rucb lines
as happened to attract hlra. By chance he
became Interested In the study of Interna
tional law. Having once made a start in
It, he became profoundly Interested and
delved as deeply as he could. When he
had exhausted tho works in the English Ian
guage on tho subject ho took up those In
French and Italian. He did not suppose that
this study was ever going to bo of practical
valuo to him, but ho pursued It because he
came to love It nnd because the knowledge
and insight which It gavo him were them
selves sufficient rewards. When he went to
the senate- he was assigned to a place on the
foreign relations committee, nnd a few years
later, the republicans obtaining control, the
question of filling the chairmanship arose
Mr. Davis was not the senior republican on
the committee, but by this time his wide
knowlodgo of International law had so Im
pressed itself upon his associates that
with the graceful and generous Insistence
of tho senator who by custom would have
becomo chairman, and tho ready acnules
cence of bis other colleagues, the place was
given to hlra. How well his training hnd
fitted him for It, and how well he was able
to use all that he know, are matters of
common knowledge.
It Is not uncommon to describe the suc
cesses of men who achlcvo greatness as
being duo to good fortune, to chance oppor
tunlty, to circumstances under which any
other man of average Intelligence ond aver
ago energy would have been able to gain
as much. By such occasional glimpses as this
the fatuity of such a philosophy Is revealed
Perhaps It Is true that sometimes Fortune,
In one of her curious freaks, lays hold of n
man who has done little or nothing to do
serve it and beam him upward and onward
to heights which he lacked the strength o
the courage to win alone; perhaps there are
men who by earnest toll have fitted them
selves (or opportunities which have not
como and which never are to come. But no
man has a right to expect the former cxper
lence, and no man ought to permit himself
to fear the latter. Il Is safe to expect that
opportunity will come to those who are fi
for 1U
noVllH.VMIINT OF CtflA.
Detroit Free Press: Tho administration
Is mora or less embarrassed by the discov
ery thnt tho Cubans are taking thnt free and
Independent business seriously.
Chicago Post: Of all tho excuses for
breaking faith with Cuba tho "geographi
cal'' one Is tho flimsiest. It deceives no
one. Let tho advocates of "criminal ag
gression" come out Into tho open.
Chicago News: Foreign dlplmats gener
ally express the opinion that the United
States will establish a protectorate over
Cuba In regard to foreign affairs. By
whatever name It may be called, It Is cer
tain the United States, while willing th.U
Cuba should govern Itself, will not permit
It to endanger tho Interests of this country
by International complications.
Philadelphia Times: Tho new Idea about
Cuba seems to bo exactly In lino with the
British policy In South Africa. If the
Boers leavo off fighting they are to be al
lowed h qualified Independence under Brit
ish suzerainty, with tho understanding that
everything they do Is subject to British ap
proval, This docs not satisfy tho Boers
any more than it would satisfy the Cubans.
Baltlmoro American: Insistence upon a
protectorato will be suicidal, Impeaching
this nation beforo the world und necessitat
ing a deliberate disregard of u solemn prom
ise, to which we voluntarily pledged our
faith. There Is but ono rulo by which
our relations to Cuba may bo regulated.
That is embodied In the concurrent resolu
tion adopted in April, 189S, declaring that
Cuba Is, and of right ought to be, freo nnd
Independent.
Chicago Inter Ocean: Tho government
now devising tn Cuba will be no friendly
state. It It comes to pass, sooner ir later,
we shall be called on to suppress It, either
to keep tho Island from tho handH of a
Kuropcan power or to protect tho Interests
of our own citizens. Wo havo spent Amer
ican blood and American money onco to
save Cuba. Will thn indecision of our
statesmen go so far as to forco us to spend
them both again.
Boston Herald: It would be better that
tho Cubans should attempt self-government
with assurance of our sincere wish for their
success than that they should bo prevented
by mensuren that would turn their present
respect and confidence into distrust nnd
sottlod hatred. If they should fall, be
lieving the United States to have acted tn
good faith and cntlro friendliness, they
would naturally turn to us for succor and
be gtud to have us take permanent control
of their destiny. If wo Insist upon such
control prematurely, we shall havo an
other dependency filled with discontent nnd
the spirit of revolt.
riviisovAi, poi.vrr.ns.
Africa seems to be the only quarter of
tho world now In which a battto can have
an old-fashioned mortality list.
By an enabling net of the legislature the
schcol children of Now Hampshlro are to
decide by their votes In Juno next what
shall bo tho state flower.
Thomas A. Kdlson, In a recent Interview,
declares hln belief that electricity should be
Introduced In the public schools ns a study.
o rank In Importance with spelling and
arithmetic.
The only perqulslto "Private John"
Allen asks, after his long service In con
gress, Is a fish hatchery for his district.
John Is much too modest for tho company
he has been keeping.
Prof. A. V. Williams Jackson of Columbia
university sailed last week to try to pene
trate Into Afghanistan by way of tho Khy
bcr Pass, which has hitherto been regarded
as Impossible tor travelers.
Judge Kay. one. of tho New York dele
gation In congress, Is said to be able to
smoke a cigar faster and to smoko more
cigars In a day than any other congressman.
He never neglects nn opportunity to smoke.
Senator Butler of North Carolina an
nounced thn other day that Immediately
upon tho adjourning of congress hn would
begin tho practlco of law In Raleigh, N.
whero ho will also look after his news
paper.
Lincoln's birthday, Sunday, February 10,
s to be rnado tho occasion of special offer
ngs throughout the Methodist church for
the cause of education In tho south, through
the Freedmnn's Aid and Southern Educa
tion society. A special appeal has been
sent to all of the 15,000 ministers of tho
denomination, urging an observance of tho
day In tho manner indicated.
A bill asking for an appropriation of
$50,000 has been Introduced In tho Indiana
legislature, to bo added to funds collected
by the Indiana Lawton commission, for tho
purpose of erecting two equestrian Btntucs
at the capital city of tho Htate, in memory
of General Pleasant A. Hncklcman, who was
killed early In thn civil war, and GenornI
Henry W. Lawton, killed In tho Philip
pines. TIME) TO STOP LOOTING.
Operation of the PnvriTN In Chlnn
thr Scandal of ('I vlllint ton.
Chicago Tribune.
It Is a relief to see that Field Marshal
Count von Waldcrsee has at last drawn
up a plan for tho ultimate withdrawal of
most of the allied soldiery from China. Tho
record mado by somo of the allies since
tho relief of Pekln has been a dlsgraco to
civilization. Tho so-called punitive expedi
tions oent out In every direction have
looted, burned and murdered tn a style
more suggestlvo of red Indians than of
civilized nations. Unopposed by armed re
slslance, these raiding parties havo killed
large numbers of unarmed Chinese, plun
dered their homes, committed criminal as
sault, and left a rocord of savagery far
worse than that of tho Boxers. A corre
spondent of the Cologne Volks Zeltung,
writing from China, expresses tho hope that
these awful conditions may soon cease,
adding: "Tho depravity and bestiality
among our troops Is enormously on the
Increase."
The iniquity of tho present situation Is
strongly set forth by Thomas F. Millard
In tho latest Scrlbner's. He denounces all
this later activity as a criminal campaign
of revengo, and his striking recital of facts
carries conviction with It. Ho may be
unfair In laying tho chief blame upon Count
vor. Walderseo's desire for military glory,
but tho fact Is undeniable that there has
been no armed resistance worthy of the
name since the relief of Pekln. Tho so
called military operations of tho allies since
then have been nothing but looting expedl
tlons wltbno excuse but the poor one of
revenge. J
The sooner the troops are withdrawn from
China tho better It will bo for the men
and tor the honor of the nations to which
they belong. It Is unfortunate that the
frozen condition of the rivers may delay tho
departuro until March. So long as tho
soldiers remain in China they will continue
their plundering and brutality. The
Chinese aro thoroughly cowed. Mr. Mil
lard tells of a civilian who went alone from
town to town twenty miles from the army,
wringing tribute from tho people, and haul
ing it away In carts unmolested. After
selling his plunder at Tien Tsln ho started
on another expedition of tho same kind
This Is a sample of what Is going on
throughout the region.
Northern China Is under a reign of terror,
while millions ure suffering from hunger
or are homnlcsB because of the devastation
wrought by the "civilized" soldlerB. The
only bright spot In tho situation Is found
In the fact that the Americans havo not
Joined In this disreputable work, and that
the Japaneso and British aro also largely
free from blame. The rest of the allies havo
records which they ought to be glad to ter
mlnate by withdrawing their forces at the
earliest possible moment.
ai,ajiica' notr.nAiiY.
Feature of the rr Dividing l.tne
Hrerntly !lalillhcd.
New York Sun.
The so-colled provisional boundary be
tween American territory in Alaska and
British territory in Yukon has now been
surveyed and marked by tho American and
the Canadian commissioners. Their Joint
report was handed In at Washington and At
Ottnwa yesterday.
These gentlemen have simply done their
duty as astronomers nnd topographical en
gineers. They did not make the boundary.
It was made by exchange of notes between
tho secretary of stato of tho United States,
the Hon. John Hay, and Mr. Reginald
Tower, formerly charge d'affaires of the
British embassy.
That is to say, tho Hon. John Hay wrote
a noto defining tho proposed new boundary
and Mr. Reginald Tower, acting In the
absence of Lord Pnuncefote, wrote a reply
formally accepting, In behalf of his gov
ernment, Mr. Hay's proposition.
rnorcupon Mr. Hay professed himself
much gratified. The achievement was pro
claimed from tho ante-rooms of the State
department as "another diplomatic triumph
for Secretary Hay."
By this simple provisional method of
map-making, without consulting the senate,
or In any way occasioning troublo to either
houso of congress, tho secretary "tempo
rarily" transferred from American Jurisdic
tion to British Jurisdiction, from the Amer
ican flog to the flag of Great Britain, a
piece of territory about equal In area to
tho stato of Rhode Island.
Tho territory thus temporarily set oft
to Great Britain had been In our undis
puted possession for moro than thirty years
when Canada sot up a claim to It. Our
tltlo was derived from Russia by treaty,
and tt has been steadily asserted by alt
American authorities, Including our repre
sentatives on the joint high commission
appointed to settle mattora In controversy
with tho Dominion of Canada,
This Is technically a modus vlvendi, that
Is to say, a manner of getting along com
fortably with Canada by hauling In tho
American frontier for 100 miles or so; Mr.
Hay alone nnd unaided doing the hauling.
When it was discovered by tho Stato
department that tho beautifully easy ex
pedient of tho secretary failed to exclto
tho enthusiastic admiration of tho nation,
wo wcro Informed that it was only a tem
porary arrangement, anyway: that our ulti
mate rights were not surrendered; that tho
case would be decided later on Its merits;
and that Mr. Hay had been solicitous In
preserving tho Individual property rights
of American settlers thus suddenly and In
spite of themselves thrust by blm under
another flag than their own.
They arc undoubtedly grateful.
Tho view that is taken In Canada of Mr.
Hay's temporary and provisional lino was
strikingly expressed In a dispatch from
Ottnwa yesterday: "Tho adoption of this
provisional boundary probably means the
postponement tor many years of tho final
decision as to the truo boundary."
And when the time for the final decision
comes Mr. Hay may bo gone, but the Brit
ish flag will be there, and tho Canadian
government In possession of that part of
Alaska,
A IMCAYUNH TAX.
Annoyance and Time Lost In Stamp-
Ins: ClirrUn.
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The senate revenuo reduction bill pro
poses to retain thn tax on bank checks,
which the houso bill proposes to abolish,
and It does this so that It can make a
total reduction of moro than $12,000,000 on
beer, tobacco and cigarettes. These are
taxes on luxuries that have not even tho
merit of satisfying an aesthetic or Intel
lectual want of mankind. Tho tax on bank
checks yields about $7,000,000 a year, or
say $7,200,000. This means that 360,000,000
-cent stamps havo to bo handled by tho
users of checks. Now, when It Is recalled
that thesn stamps havo to bo ordered and
purchased and engraved and printed upon
tho checks or nttached and canceled, not to
mention thn delays occasioned by neglect
to attend to tho matter. It does not seem
an exaggeration to estimate that on the
nvcrage ten seconds per stamp nro required
to gn through with all these various
processes. If this surmise Is correct the
aggregnto tlmo consumed In one year tn
provide tho government with a paltry
$7,000,000 Is something stupendous. It
would amount to 3,600,000,000 seconds, or
1,000,000 houis, or 114 years. In other
words, this Is tho amount of time lost every
year by all thoBo engaged In commercial
transactions. And even If the extremely
conservative average of five seconds per
stamp is used, tho aggregate loss of tlmo
would be fifty-seven years. Add to this the
tlmo wasted hy tho writer tn calculating
and Inditing nil this and tho aggregnto time
consumed by tho hundred thousand men,
women and children who will devour this
pnragraph and we have a grand total of
dead loss that ought to convince even a
dawdling old senate that the tax on bank
checks should be repealed Instanter.
Three Days
More
Numerous requests from patrons of our juve
nile department, have fairly compelled us to
continue that advance sale of boys' and chil
dren's summer suits.
The weather has been such that a large
portion of the ladies were unable to attend
so, Thursday, Friday and Saturdaythe
exhibit will remain for those who could not
attend.
These dainty suits arc samples that are
made up for inspection for you to choose
from, nnd are made of light weight, wool and
washable fabrics, and are choice selections
from both foreign nnd domestic makers. Tho
very cream of fashion and high excellence of
manufacture is shown, and eveu if you don't
care to purchase, it will be a treat to see the
ideas that are put together for the comfort
convenience and elegance of the little folks.
THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATUR
DAY, are positively the last days left for the
purchase of these suits.
STOnn OPKN UNTIL O P. .M. SATUHDAYS.
Browning, King & Co.,
R. S. Wilcox, Manager.
Oinuhn's Exclusive Clothiers (or Men cud Hoys.
OUt TIM 11111 Slll'l'hV.
-A J-Vrr l-'ret Left and thr CJrnTrth
Kqunl to llir CoiiNiniiptlon.
Cleveland Lcudrr.
It Is a pleasant surprise to find that Dr.
Gannett, tho chief geographer of the United
States Geological survey, believes tho
growth of timber In tho United States to
exceed the annual consumption. Ho calcu
lates that there Is n natural Increnso of
over 300,000,000.000 feet of timber, board
measure, In the United States. Only one
tenth as much Is considered to be of tho
grade of mercantile timber, but that frac
tion of tho whole yenrly growth means no
less than 30,000,000,000 feet. As the. annual
cut of timber Is somewhere near 26,000,
000,000 or 27.000,000,000 feet, board measure,
the margin on the right sldo seems to be
big enough to cover a great deal of loss
by fires and other sources of waste.
At any rate, the Inroads made upon thn
capital of tho American people in the form
of forests are small, and the total supply
should last for many centuries. If no wood
grew and tho present rate of consumption
were kept up, tho supply would last for
fifty years.
It appears, therefore, that the natural
endowment of the United States In timber
Is so great that only criminal carelessness
and neglect of reasonable measures for thn
prestrvatlon of forest areas and tho plant
ing of young trees can bring about a serious
lack of timber In any form, at any time.
Enormous areas aro so HI suited for any
other use that thero is no reason why they
should not grow successive crops of timber
forever ami supply tho needs of a great
population for centuries..
Tho cheerful fact Is that we have now
not less than 1,330,000.000,000 feet of 1 1 li
ber, board measure, standing of merchanta
ble quality, and the annual Increment from
the natural growth of trees Is apparent
greater than tho lumber demands of an,
country In tho world.
I'OLlSlinn TO A POINT.
Philadelphia. Times: "He's remarkable
for a rich man b hoii."
"In what rasped?"
"Nobody every threatened to kidnap him
when he was a hoy."
Detroit Journal: One of the first sign
of ngn in a man Is a tendency to wear his
whiskers tho same way year In and year
out.
Boston Transcript: Diner Come, tell me
straight. It Is ntty real advantage to a.
man who gives you a tip?
Truthful Walter Honestly, I can't sav
that It Is, hut It Is apt to go hard with
tho gentleman that dousn't tip me,
Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Tho oldest man
in the world nover was sick, nover llkeil
tobacco, hut Iuih always been uddlcted to
thn uso of liquor."
"Wonder how much older hn would Im
If ho had used tobacco, tool"
Philadelphia Tress: Teas Mamma vai
rummaging through tho attic today nnd
sho found tho cradlo I used when I wait
n baby. Sho was going to throw It out,
hut I wouldn't lot her.
Jess I nhoiild say not. Antiques are all
tho rago now.
I'lttshurg Chronicle: Fond Mamma
Thero ho is, Undo Charlie, Isn't he a flue
boy? Ho's Just a year old.
Cactus Charllo (on a visit from his west
ern ranch) Don't say? A yearlln', eh?
Had 'Im branded yet?
Somcrvlllo Journal: In Chicago peopln
ask: "How much la ho worth?'1 In
Cambridge people ask: "How much does
hn know?" In Boston people nsk: "Who
are his ancestors?"
Chicago Tribune: "Now, my Idea of a
statesman," continued Mr. Blunderhcels,
warming with his subject, "Is a man who
keeps his ear close to tho ground listening
to tho pulso of thn people."
Detroit Freo Tress: "How that woman
glared at you!"
"Yes: I've either bowed to her when 1
don't know her or else I know her and
haven't bowed to her."
"Washington Star: -'I suppose It would
delight you beyond menmire If nil thesn
mysteries about tho hahltehlllty of Mors
and tho conditions on thu moon could bo
finally settled."
"Delight met" echoed the astronomer.
"Certainly not! What would become of thn
Inromn I derlvo from thn composition nud
sain of theories on tho subject?"
Philadelphia, Press: Employer Now.
whero havo you lionn nil tho tlmo? At the
matinee, I suppose. Come, confess.
Office Boy (In fear nnd trembling) Tes,
sir. I was.
Employer I'm glad to hear It, Terhaps
vou'vo picked up a now tune. I was getting
tired of that old ono you whistle.
THIS STEADFAST ONK.
H. E. KlBer In Chlcugo Times-Herald.
The world may laugh to see mo fall.
Hut mother won't!
The world may denm mo weak or smnll,
nut mother won't!
Tho orowd mny say, If I. somo day,
Hucceed In winning, that I won
Through luck or in somo shameful way
That all but fools nnd kuaveH would shun,
T?ut mother won't!
Thn world may cavil nt my song.
But mother won't!
My friends may sneer If I go wrong,
But mother won't!
The child that clnlms my love and shn
That gave mo all her heart, one day,
May, como time, lose their faith In me
And mercilessly turn away
But mother won't!