TlIE OMAHA DAILY 11EE: SATURDAY. JAUUAKY 21, 1003.
The umaha Daily Bee
.E. ROSEWATEU, EDITOR.
PUBLISHED EVERT MORN1NO.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION I
Dafly iw (without Sunday), one Year. $4 oo
Ji"uXrS?d 2
un.iay bef, u.-,e lear J.uo
Kn'SV
delivered BY carrier.
ftJI'irMilV-iK
Dally live (Including Bunda). pr week.lTo ghowed that tl)e orIgual proposition of 8oIves flrnl,T ln favor of "IiAc Bp
v.n"nut government was too low, while the proprlntlons for every state Institution.
fcvenli.g Jbee
liuciuding Sunday), per
ioo I
compiainVs'of 'YrreiuiVrUiVs'Vn'dMivery
should be addressed to City nirculatiod De-
l-artroent.
. n T,OF"C-
Kol;7nha5ctyBu1inf)Uiiding. TW.-
ty-tiftn and m strt.
council uiufie-i pearl street
chicago-iwo UMy Buii.iing.
witrt&rt"u&
correspondence.
..Sr,"1'
WPt'K
nee. Editorial Department.
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1 81,470
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Sub.cr.bed lnfy0.EenBceT.ZndC.IwUot,,
hffora me this Slat day of lecemrer, a. xj.
M. 11. HUNUATE.
(Heal)
Notary Publio.
To the legislative revenue committee
Get down to business.
By common consent the coal dealers
still have the center of the stsge.
The Colorado legislature should be
given quarters In a Keeley cure lnstl-
tUt6. t
to wrestle with the Nebraska elevator
trust.
If Colorado ever builds a new state
house it should equip it with an arsenal
on the premises for use of warlike leg-
I
Islators.
The omnibus statehood bill does not
flnd the legislative track as smooth as
did the omnibus building bill. EvJ-
dently the building bill was so heavy
that it wore rats In the -road.
The on!y labor organization that Is
not preparing for a strike is the politi
cal wire pullers'. They have altogether
too much business In prospect to take a
lay-off lu these coal famine times. I
After the experience of his farewell I
reception Minister ThoJipson should be
better prepared when he comes to' the
eat of government In Brasll to wltb-
tand a siege than was Minister Conger
at Tekla. I
When D. E. Thompson looked at
himself on the front page of the Lin-
coin Journal the morning after the re-
ceptlon he exclaimed" with Marc An
tony, "This was the most unklndest
cut of all."
The fight between the advocates of
the deep water harbor at Port Arthur
and at Sablue Pass threatens to break
out again. The gll boom having sub
sided Texas laud speculators must work
some other scheme.
While the legislature is iu the repeal-
ine business whv not rennnt ih n
treat" law. That law has been oa the
statute books Just twenty-two years
and the first man is yet to be arrested
and fined for violating It either behind
the bar or In front of it
The prospectus of the consolidated
street railway for 1003 Is a little more
modest than the New York news broker
laid out for It Its 200-mile suburban
street railway system will for the pres
ent content Itself with an extension
from Omaha to Florence. The remain
ing links are on the map.
President Koosevelt's proposition to
accept au Invitation to 'go hunting In
Wvnmlnir ontiilltirkned fin thrt Avintlnn nf
all uewspoper reporters from the hunt-
ing ground Is hardly fair. It -would be
giving the newspaper men a hunt for
news about the president to which they
aro not accustomed.
Many years ago coroners' Inouests
ended with the verdict, "Came to his
death for want of breath." More re-
cently these verdicts have ascribed
mortality to heart failure. The latest
verdict of coroners' Juries is "Died
from causes unknown." AVe live in an
atre of Intelligent progress.
If the members of the state leglsla-
turea want to protect themselves
against delegations from home they
should pass a law prohibiting conven -
tious of state organizations at Llucoln
during legislative sessions, which en-
able tuosa wno wisu to attend to travel
to the state capital on half fare.
Tha president of the German Reich -
stag has resigned his position as pre-
siding offlcvr because of advene sentl-
nient roused by one of bis rulings dur-
ing a debate.. Presiding officers of
American legislative bodies are not so
sensitive to publlc criticism. If they
were to give way for every objection
entered sgalnst official action and fol-
lowed up outside, none of them would
sen s very kmg
Panama CAHal TRKATT BiaiftD.
Tbe signing of the Tanatna canal I
treaty may be accepted as settling the
question of an Isthmian canal and as-
surlng the construction and control of
I . . n
K 1 'UiHiua viirrni; vy me ium-u i
States. The matter that had obstructed
negotiations and seemed for a time
to threaten their failure, the question of
the amount of annuity to be paid to Co-
lombla by the United States, was set-
tied by comnrotulse. Investlcation
demand made by the Colombian govern-
nient was exceggTe The amount of
the annuity agreed upon Is not yet
made public, but It Is said to be equl-
table and It is believed will be approved
. vncrrM .hnn h& fart nnon whieh
"X congress vt Hen the racts upon wnicn
t j based are fully set forth. Co-
lombla ha. accepted all the terms and
conditions proposed by the United
States in reran! to the control of the
canal and the BtrlD of territory contleu-
.... .. . . inr
jour ijipitio reouirea nv ine uniteu
States. The general feature of the
treaty as at first framed have been ad-
neml to tne onIy important Change re-
'
sulaU V-r UIO pAUUUtl vvilCIUtJL (a tiuu
lating to uie pecuniary cuusiueraiiou, i
tth!ph , ,aMornhl mor than wn t
... . .
-- --
ii rut contempiatea. iue sum to oe paiu
down to Colombia, when the treaty
shall have been ratified. Is 110,000.000
Instead of 17.000.000 and the annuity Is
probably three times the amount at first
nronoaed hv our eovemment.
The treaty must be ratified, of course,
by the senate of the United States and
. lv 1- rnmhL.art ,aaa a
expectation Is that there will be no un-
necessary delay In Its ratification by
I'thft nennte. hilt the Cnlnmhlnn vn r men
' " '
will not be In session until spring.
There anpears to be no doubt, however.
of the ratification of the treaty by that
congress. It seems safe, therefore, to
regard the Isthmian canal Question as
settled and that within the present year
the work of completing the construction
of the Tanama canal will have begun,
The Spooner bill giving authority to the
president to negotiate for the ourchase
0f the Panama route and make a treaty
with Colombia, provides that when this
shall have been accomplished "the pres-
,dent Bnall th . ta excavated.
con8tructed and completed, utilizing to
i - hnf onrl nu far am Tmntna1ck Ua yvml
w v a.u t iivtll.u UIW (UV via
Vtntwif fiM 9AnA lv U T-
caDal PT of France and Its prede-
cessor company,- a ship canal from the
Caribbean sea to the Pacific ocean."
President Roosevelt, It can be confl-
dently assumed, will lose no time In
Inaugurating the work when everything
. ...
L18 m reaainess tnerefor and will ave
It pushed with all possible vigor. Estl-
mates as to the time that will b occu-
pied in completing this great enterprise
vary somewhat widely, but probably at
least ten years win be consumed In the
construction ' and the cost will very
likely reach $200,000,000.
CAB1SO FOB RURAL DELIVERY.
There Is favorable promise that con-
gross will appropriate $12,000,000 for
the support of the rural free delivery
service during the next fiscal year. The
appropriation for the current year was
$7,500,000, which is just about twice as
much as was allowed for the preceding
year. The expansion of this service
has been notable and there Is abundant
room for Its continued trrowth. Viva
years ago there were forty-four rural
f '..n, ntA.. nn h ,
500 mi by July t there wIU be 15 000
Thl8 ,8 very progress.
It is understood to be the intention
of the Po8tofflce department to estab
lish 10,000 more routes with the money
that will be available after July 1. At
the present time the carriers travel
I dally over 275,000 miles of cotmtry
roads to serve about 7,000,000 of the
strictly rural population. The area cov
ered by these routes is about 300,000
squace miles. The establishment of the
Be7,ce ha ben fuUy Justified by re-
BU,lB- " aa longer an experiment,
bulhas bcorae a flxed nd Permanent
part of the postal department which
must be cared for and steadily ex-
panded until there will be no accessible
rural community without free mall de-
livery. It Is a system the promotion of
wh,ch 18 for tue Keueral welfare.
TBI? GKttMAX BOUBARDtoEXT.
The bombardment of Fort Sail Carlos,
Venezuela, by the German cruisers, is a
very serious matter. So far as appears
there Is no justification for It and It
looks like a piece of wanton aggression,
wholly unwarranted and Inexcusable.
The right to maintain a blockade of
Venezuelan ports," pending an adjust
ment of the preliminaries to arbitration,
h" not.be! O1" " the prlvl-
lege oi me imwers nanng claims
against Venezuela to make the blockade
as effective as possible. But this does
not include the right to seize and de
stroy Venezuelan ships of war and to
BUU enezueia ports under whose guns
lno8e 8UIp8 are al anchor.
Tue urse of .the Germans in this
ruatter. would be Justifiable only In case
of war aud tuere nas heea no BPeelflc
declaration of war against Venezuela,
u tne contrary the understanding is
tnat the powers maintaining the block-
ade are not at war with the sou Jiera
republic, but are simply exercising a
recognized right for the collection of
I their claims. They have consented to
n amicable settlement through arbi-
1 1 rat Ion and their diplomatic represents-
Uvea are to meet the representative of
uiuguu o eueci ar-
rangemeuts for the arbitration. In such
circumstances It would seem to be the
1 clear and unmistakable duty of the
powers to avoid any aggressive action
toward Venezuela, except what may be
essential to the maintenance of the
blockade until arrangements for the ar-
titration shall have been completed,
While the American 'xtople feel a
great Interest In this matter, It Is not
apparent that our government Is called
upon to loterpoae. At any rate it Is not
likely to do so unless It should be ap
pealed to by the Venezuelan govern-
moot What the German government
nhouhl do Is to Instruct Its Daval officers
in Venezuelan waters to confine their
otwratlons to the blockade and stop In-
ii j . t i r i.
uuiguiK 'u such wanme ueuiuuiiaiioiis
as that at Fort San Carlos.
i ..
UAKB specific appropriations.
The legislative committees that are
formulating revenue revision should at
the outset of their work plant tfaem-
I whether benevolent or educational. Ap-
proprlntlons of Indefinite sums by the
ImnoKltlon of n hnlf mill of mill tax for
imposition or a nnu mm or mm tax iur
particular Institutions are mis-
lending and calculated to produce
either a feast or a famine,
.,
The originator of the mill tax scheme,
the late Boss Stout, understood very
wel1 that It was easier to pull through
appropriation that did not specify
the aggregate amount to be taken out
me trensiirv man an nnnrooriaiion
that would specifically name the
"mount to be levied against the tax-
This was the
fv" l
reason why he p.
nreferred to lobbv
.--.---.
through the legislatures bills ap-
nrnnrlntlno - n half mill or mill tax for
-
the construction of the state capitol
building than by the Imposition of a
nxou 8um tnat was 1,Key T0 00 lm
PPular and embarrassing to members
of the legislature who were persuaded
to assist him In his Jobs.
The university half mill tax and the
later university rr.ll tax were of the
same oruer. it was mucn easier ror
the university lobby to logroll a mill
tax appropriation through the legisla
ture than would have been an appro
priation bordering closely on f200,000.
The university min tax, or any tax
based on that principle, should by all
menns be abolished
A m111 Ux toT 11)02 was equivalent to
(IS4 - 0 - I' the true value basis Is
adopted for all assessments a one-mill
tax for 1903 wou,d be e1"al t0 not ,es8
tuan U00.000. or an amount sufficient
to y a11 tbo running expenses of the
Btnte nn(1 ,Dteret on the state debt.
A tas of such co5oS8al dimensions for
university education wouiu create a
popular uprising in every section of the
state; nor would a half mill or quarter
mill tax on true value basis be toler
ated. The correct principle for disbursing
the Publlc revenues Is to appropriate
for each Institution a given amount of
money ana compel tnat tnr.muuon to
,lve w,thln ,ts lncome' The experience
t9 Af rioi (if Q foal n.hgtA Innnnnlta tn vsa
" " " '"
UHT ueen JUJlfeu uaB ca wanncai
W1M umi OI ieorHSKu. ., cyecincv ap-
Proprlatlons for state Institutions are
B(tvoeated bv the governors of every
Btate where mdeflnite taxes have
formerly been levied upon the grand
assessment roll of states under the
misapprehension that the taxpayers
will never find out how' much they
have been forced to contribute toward
the maintenance of the Institutions fa
vored with Indefinite tax appropria
tions. .
The proposition to abolish precinct
assessors In Douglas and Lancaster
counties and Impose their duties upon
the .county a8e8or wlth Bucn deputies
as he may find necessary is In line
with the movement for tax reform
enacted with the creation of the office
of tax commissioner for cities of the
metropolitan and first and second
classes. In addition to Insuring greater
uniformity of assessment, the proposed
law creating the office of county as
sessor would effect a large saving to the
counties by requiring the county as
sessor to adopt the assessments made
by the city tax commissioner for the
appraisement of all property within the
respective cities.
No trust bill will find favor in or out
of conereB8 that does not provide for
mnl nnhllrttv rf tmat flnanooa Pn.
forced publicity resulting from the pert-
odlcal Btatements to the comptroller of
currency was the best thing that ever
happened to national banks, and If the
nat,0nal banking law were repealed
the8e institutions would still continue
to make regular exhibits of their condi-
tlon. When the trusts are forced into
reasonable publicity they will wonder
why they ever opposed the proposition.
The county board Is getting ready to
launch its reform program for 1903.
The first reform In order will be the
discontinuance of star chamber sessions.
Tubllc business should be transacted in
public. That relates as much to com
mittee meetings as It does to regular
meetings of the board. ' Star chamber
sessions have cost the taxpayers of
Douglas county thoustnds upon thou
sands of dollars.
In proposing to do away with odd
year elections In order to double
the terms of county officers, the
county commissioners' association has
undertaken a larger Job than it can
carry through during the present year,
it will take a constitutional amendment
to do away with state and district Judi-
cial elections, aud that means the post-
ponement of the scheme to 1005 or 1907.
I The exalted ruler of all the Elks is
I going south. The potential potentate
of all the Buffaloes will probably go
north, and the grand Mameluke of the
imperious and imperial . order Jlastl
cutuscs is preparing to take a tour
around the world to pay his respects to
all the crowned and uncrowned rulers
I of the earth.
The Bear as a Tall-Twlater.
Chicago News.
It la becoming one of the chief pleasures
of the Russian ministry to drop a warahip
Into the Dardanelles and watch the British
ministry throw a fit.
Taktaa a Lara Contract.
Baltimore American.
Tha TVnartment nf Arrlrultura la trvln
- jto aaa something that will niak Ut ofl
lean. It will be a long time,, however,
before any tort of treatment except hypno
tism will make people lean toward modern
breakfast foods.
TVhere'a that Fir Sont
Chicago Record-Herald.
A Tale profenaor claims to have dlscoy-
ered that all Ufa originated at the north
pole and that man came from the primates
through fire. This of course happened long
before the coal combinations got to doing
business.
Larked Caltnre in the Art.
Indianapolis Journal.
The woman who called a member of con
gress a liar from the galleries because he
made a prediction about the future attitude
of Canada toward the United States had
not studied the thics of lying. A mere
difference of opinion regarding some sup
posititious event in the remote future does
not furnish Just cause for a charge of
mendacity.
Small Rlak la Traveling:.
Minneapolis Journal,
According to the figures of the Inter
state Commerce commission It Is safer to
travel ttfan to stay at home. Last year
the railroads carried 607,278.121 passengers.
Including killed and Injured the aggregate
or casualties was 6,080. It appears that
only one passenger out of 119,643 was In
danger of Injury, however slight; the risk
of death was only as 1 to 1,702,903.
' Time for National Sadaeaa..
, New York World.
The sultan of Jolo is dead; long llvs
the sultan of Jolo! His Highness Hadji
Jumalul KIram is gathered at30 with the
faithful; but his honors were hereditary,
and as his collection of sultanas knew no
limit except his. pay envelope there are
plenty of heirs, one of whom may be se
lected, by the Oriental method of killing
off his rivals, to wear the robes of state.
I'neoverlms Ancient Scandals.
Indianapolis Journal.
For those who have rated General Fre
mont among the bright lights of the repub
lican party It Is unfortunate that a recent
debate In the house brought to light the
scandals incident to his command In Mis
souri in 1861. He showed himself visionary
ana unequal to the task he had undertaken
He became a victim of rapacious army con
tractors, but his unpardonable sin was In
consenting to be a bolting candidate for
president against Lincoln.
Let the Money Flow.
Springfield Republican.
Corrupt practices legislation was quite
tne rage a few years back, but its prae
tlcal achievements are not known to have
been tremendous. Bills are pending In the
Minnesota legislature repealing the cor
rupt practices act. and Judge Herrlck of
the New York -supreme court for the dis
trict of Albany has Just pronounced 'un
constitutional the law requiring candidates
for public office to make public returns of
their campaign expenditures. , While this
legislation has probably been of some re
straining Influence, still money seems to be
as potent an influence- In politics as ever.
ana as largely used.
Objections to the Laac Bill.
' :-'. : ' Minneapolis Journal.
That the problem of low to utilise the
arid public, lands Is no easy one to settle Is
Indicated by the protest of western Ne
braska stockmen against the lease .bill in
troduced In the senate by Senator Dietrich
The small grazers think this hill Is favor
able to' the big dues.. They want a lease
law, they. Say.'Tmt not this one. .Yet it
must be entirely possible to work out some
sort of scheme1 which, while not interfering
with the privilege of the homesteader, will
make it possible1 to utilise the publie lands
for grazing In a more advantageous manner
than at present, both to the public and the
cattlemen.
The I'nreaaonable Prodacer.
New York Evening Post
In connection with the recent extraordl
nary advance In the price of petroleum, we
near of some mutterlngs from the produc
ers because they are given so small a share
of the enlarged profits. To the consumer
oil has advanced in the. last four months
$1.47 a barrel. The producer maintains that
he gets but 27 cents of this, and perversely
argues that he ought to have more. But
he should understand better the wise and
benevolent ways of the Standard Oil com
pany. The considerate gentlemen at the
head of that charitable institution know
well the temptation which sudden wealth
brings in its train. Thoy could not think
of subjecting a mere producer to such a
test. So they restrain their instinctive de
sire to give him six-sevenths of the In
creased price, and keep it themselves out
of regard for his moral character. Besides,
bow could they be sure that he would en
dow Chicago university?
A SORRY MOMME1T.
American
Writer's Zeal
for Claas
and Royalty.
Detroit Free Preas.
Few American newspaper correspondents
are able to withstand a European environ
ment. For every MacGahan, who is the
soul of conscientious devotion to his work,
there are a dozen Smalleys and Ralphs who
are so dazzled by the glitter of rank and
caste that they blindly singe their poor,
weak wings in the flame. Mr. George
W. Smalley went to London as the corre
spondent of the New York Tribune, and
became so saturated with the spirit of
British institutions that he soon earned
the sobriquet of "the Tory squire," which
still clings to him. As the Washington
correspondent of a great New York daily,
Julian Ralph, who died Tuesday, gained a
national reputation for able, Intelligent,
fair-minded service. Then after a few
yers of "free lance" work he was sent to
South Africa by one of the Jingo news
papers of London and succeeded in casting
dlb.-redlt the efforts of a lifetime.
No iive-born Englishman who accom
panied the British troops equaled this
American correspondent in ecstatio devo
tlon to the British cause and venomous
denunciation of the Boers. Mr. Ralph set
out from London to maintain the thesis
that the Boers were semi-savages with
none of the institutions of civilization, and
he allowed nothing so inconsequential as
fact to Interfere with f.he elaboration of
this theme. Days before he was in sight
of the Transvaal or the Free State he was
sending letters to the Mall describing
minutely the barbarity of Boers be bad
never seen and acts of savagery that were
never committed. The British army repre
sented all that was chivalrous and brave
and noble; the Boers represented all tbaj
was brutal and degraded and detestable.
Presumably, that was the kind of news
from South Africa that the Mail desired,
but the writing of It was sorry business
for a reputable newspaper correspondent
to be engaged In. And In the end, when
the truth became commonly knon and
Englishmen generally bad begun to testify
to the valor and courage and honor ol the
Boers, Mr. Ralph bad nothing to show for
bis worse than wasted opportunities except
the wreck of reputation for accuracy and
Impartiality. This will remain as a warn
ing. perhaps, to other brilliant fallows who
are seduced into the belief that there (a
lasting profit in writing down to the pas
sions and Uoorance sad superstitions of
tfes ds
OTIIEIt LANDS THAS Ol R.
In 1902 England put Into service, laid
down or provided for a very respectable
navy, as navies of moat countries go. From
the public dork yards two 15.000-ton battle
ships one ft. 800-ton armored cruiser and
two 6,880-ton protected cruisers were
launched. FYom private yards were
launched four 9,800-ton armored cruisers,
besides a number of submarines and tor
pedo boats. At present there are on the
blocks five 16,3,'.0-ton battleships, one 9,800
ton armored cruiser, six 10,200-ton armored
cruisers, two 13,500-ton armored cruisers,
four 3,000-ton third-class cruisers, two
1,070-ton sloops, four l,G00-ton scouts
seventeen torpedo boat destroyers, four
torpedo boats and four submarines, fhlps
that are completing comprise six 14,000-ton
battleships, thirteen armored cruisers,
ranging from 9,800 tons to 14,100 tons, and
two sloops. The ships that were completed
and commissioned during the last year
comprised one battleship of 12,000 tons,
three of 15,000 tons, four armored cruisers
of 12,000 tons and one of 14,000 tons, one
sloop and two gunboats. The greatest suc
cess of the year was the armored cruiser
King Alfred, which maintained a speed of
23,465 knots with 31.071 horsepower, Its
coal consumpton at full power being 1.81
pounds per hour per 1. h. p. This estab
lishes that King Alfred could go from
England to Australia at fifteen knots an
hour without recoaling.
Among other signs of unquiet and dis
content in the Russian empire is a curious
exodus, for the purpose of vadlng mili
tary service, of Tartars from Crimea Into
Turkey., It was found necessary not long
sgo to put a large steamer on the line
running from Sevastopol to Constantinople
In order to accommodate the Increasing
number of emigrants. Moreover, the Tar
tars are using other opportunities for es
cape and the Russian authorities have
found it necessary to lay special Injunctions
upon sll' local fishermen forbidding them
to assist the fugitives In their flight. They
say that they do not regret the departure
of the Tartars, as it makes room for more
desirable Ruistan peasants, but feel com
miseration for the emigrants, who ar
going from bad to worse, and certainly the
Tartars are grossly mistaken if they ex
pect to find Turkey a land overflowing with
milk and honey. The suggestion has been
made by the Mahommedan priesthood that
all Tartar recruits should be enlisted In
one special regiment, and it Is believed
that this would remove many sources cf
discontent, but the authorltlea fear that If
they made an exception of this sort I tr favor
of the Mabommedans It would not be long
before similar privileges would be de
manded for the Jews. The Novoye Vremya
says that a remedy must be sought in ed
ucation.
'
Compulsory free elementary education
having been established In France In 1882,
the conscripts drafted into the army, and
born within the last twenty-five years, have
passed through the communal or other
schools. Thus Frenchmen who cannot read
and write are becoming rarities. Captains
In various parts of France laBt year sub
jected the conscripts drafted into their
companies to a sort of examination, which
proved that nearly every man was fairly
proficient in reading, writing and arith
metic. But beyond this the Ignorance of the
great majority of the men was astonishing.
According to the Revue Pedagoglque, a
captain of the Fifth, army corps, of which
the headquarters are at Orleans, where the
population Is supposed. to be rather above
the average in intelligence, discovered that
two of the forty-four conscripts -drafted
Into his company were completely Illiterate.-
' The others could read and write
fairly well, and the- greater number could
solve a problem of, arlthmetlo -.correctly.
Having ascertained these facts the cap
tain assembled the conscripts, and giving
them pen and paper aoked, them to' write
as full answers as ' tbey could . to three
questions: "What do you know about Joan
of Arc?" "Of what does tte national fete
of July 14 remind you?" "What do you
know about the war of 1870?" It was found
that more than half the conscripts .knew
nothing at all about Joan of Arc, that
three-quarters were Ignorant of the event
commemorated by the national fete, and
that two-thirds had no knowledge what.
ever of the Franco-German war of 1870.
The publication of this fact has caused
somewhat of a sensation.
Steadily and methodically Rusla Is con
tinuing its preparations for tightening Its
grip on Manchuria. The Russki Invalid rf
St. Petersburg publishes an order of the
minister of war dwelling upon the Impor
tance of having a supply of officers ac
quainted with the local languages among
the troops stationed in the Amur territory,
and announcing that arrangements have
been made at the Oriental Institute In
Vladivostok for the instruction of forty
officers In the Chinese, Japanese, Corean
and Mongolian languages, as well as In
French and English. The course of In
struction will last four years and ten
officers will be ' admitted every year In
order to study the languages chosen for
them by the general In command of the
Amur military district. There will bJ
no entrance examination. The officers se
lected for these courses will enjoy various
privlllges, among others, annual allowances
of 120 roubles for books, and 200 roubles
for traveling expenses. For every month
which they spend abroad during leaves of
absence in order to perfect themselves in
their languages they will receive an addi
tional allowance for living expenses.
The Insecurity of the Prussian author
ities in the matter of the suppression of
deulling Is amusingly appparent In the
answer of the minister of war to a memo
rial addressed to hlra by German students.
The .latter desired an arrangement by
which duels between officers and students
should be fought with the sabre rather
than with the pistol. The minister of war
says that he recognizes in the attltu'e of
the students a general desire to avoid af
fairs with officers, a wish which, he says,
is reciprocated In the army. The location
of garrisons In university towns, he points
out, was arranged with the object of glv
Ing students a convenient opportunity of
serving their year with the colors. On the
whole the relations between the officers
of these garrisons and the members of
the universities have been excellent. He
cannot, he sara. agree to take part in
any formal regulation of duelling, because
"the duel in Itself Is forbidden by law
and Is punishable," He then refers to the
emperor's cabinet orders for the preven
tion of quarrels and the arrangement of
differences In the army, and adds: "For the
rest, it must be left to every one to main
tain his own honor, since even one Is
the representative and guardian of hi
honor." He then goes on to suggest tnat
courts of honor ought to be Instituted for
tha students in each university, so as to
co-operate with the military courts of
honor for the settlement of quarrels. Bo
long as the highest authority plsys fast
and loose with the lew in this way, auei
ling will eerUinly continue.
A. Cnansre for the Better.
Buffalo Express.
The decision of the t'nlted 8tates su
preme court that six months', residence in
South Dakota does not give a legal domicile
has the effect of Invalidating .all South
Dakota divorces obtained by nonresidents.
It fsophaslzes sgaln the need for uniform
divorce laws among tbs various states.
rOMTICAI, DRIFT.
David Bennett Hill drew the legal brief
that is credited with knocking out the stats
franchise tax law In the New York appel
Iste court.
A Missouri Wlnlntor who answers to the
name of Colin Sclph sports a valet in sight
of his colleagues. In the heyday of Mis
souri's greatness such conduct would pro
voke a lynching.
The Arkansas legislature has one member
who Is 6 feet 8 inches In height, but when
the question Is put to him he says he Is G
feet 20 Inches tall. He Is a school teacher
J. S. Rowland of Valley Springs.
Among the distinguished dead In the sen
atorial melee is the late James K. Jones of
Arkansas. Mr. Jones was pressed into a
round cotton bale by his opponents, but
his fame as a political prophet will linger
as long as American sovereigns appreciate
campaign humor.
Former Governor James S. Hogg of
Texas, who made millions In oil, now de
Islres to succeed Joseph W. Bailey In the
United States senate. Though the contest
is four years off, Hogg Is trimming his sails
for it by getting on Intimate terms with
the members of the present legislature.
Judge John H. Reagan of Texas retired
to private life the other day and will write
Some memoirs which ought to be Interest
Ing.'ln view of his sixty-four years In pub
lic office as a member of the Confederate
cabinet, Judge, t'nlted Btates senator, mem
ber of the Texas railroad commission, etc.
The only female member of the Vtah leg
islature voted for Apostle Smoot's nomina
tion la thu republican caucus. The fact
that she Is a GentHe and the executive
head of the Federation of Women's Clubs
In that state may tend to Ice water the
claims of some of the folk who are expect
ing to overturn the situation out that way.
Prof. John W. Burgess of Columbia uni
versity declares In a magazine article (hat
the t'nlted States senate at the present
moment Is the worst rotltn-borough Insti
tution in the civilized world. He bases this
assertion on the fact that of the 76,000,000
people In the union 14,000,000 are repre
sented by forty-six senators and 62,000,000
by only forty-four senators. Prof. Burgess
does not believe that popular government
will long endure so great an inequality In
Its representative system.
Glx members of the Kansas legislature
are expert cowboys. They are all in the
house C. M. Beeson of Ford, W. H. Wel
don of Clark, W. W. Martinof Morton, Fred
Friar of Wichita. R. B. Campbell of Meade
and 'Sherman William of Stanton. "Chalk"
Beeson Is dean of the outfit. He has al
ways been a cowboy, though he owns a
fine ranch In the southwestern part of the
state and keeps It stocked with from 700 to
1,000 cattle. It was Beeson who In 1880
got together a real cowboy band, which
later became famous all over the country.
STATUS OP TUB ISLE OF PINES.
Americana There Anxlons to Know
Where They Arm At.
Philadelphia Record. '
Forcible resistance is threatened by 300
American citizens residing -and owning
property In the Isle of Pines to any fur
ther exercise of sovereignty there by the
Cuban government. The malcontents make
out a fairly good case sgalnst the Cuban
authorities; the taxation Is high, but the
taxpayers receive nothing In return, all
the money collected being appropriated to
the use of Cuba,' and the Isle of Pines re
mains without adequate police protection,
without proper courts of Justice and with
out schools. -
The position of the Island Is certainly
anomalous, in, accordance with the Piatt
amendment It has been excluded from the
constitutional limits of the Cuban republic.
.... ... - , ...
Hence, probably, the neglectfulness of the
Havana government in providing a system i
of- administration. Nevertheless, the island
not having been ceded to the United States,
the government at Washington can exercise
no authority therein.. The situation ought
to be relieved. Still, the American real
dents ought to be the last persons td set so
bad an example to their Cuban neighbors
as to seek redress through lawless methods.
ELECTION EXPENSE LAW VOID.
New York Supreme Conrt Works Its
Hammer Effectively.
Philadelphia Ledger.
The supreme court of New York has
decided that the election law of that slate,
so far at it provides for the forfeiture
of office by the failure to make and file
a sworn statement of the election expenses I
of candidates, is unconstitutional and void.
That Instrument provides tbat no declara
tion shall be exacted from officials except
the oath prescribed by the constitution.
The constitutional provision applying to
the case In New York Is not to be found
in all state constitutions. The laws of
other states requiring sworn statements
of election expenses from candidates tor
4fflce may be unassailable. The New York
law was accepted as a very desirable re
form. It was expected that Its execution
would purify elections, check bribery and
all illegitimate expenditure. It has been
helpful in these directions, though many
candidates have probably been Ingenious
In devising ways and means of evasion.
The forfeiture of office which followed ex
posure was a severe penalty.
The law was . bllev3t to be necessary,
or It would not have been enacted. It was
earnestly discussed before passage, and Its
enactment was - regarded as a very Im
portant and efficacious reform measure.
Similar laws have received public approval
In England in the Parliamentary conteats,
and In certain American states. Too much
money is spent In elections. It is a com
petitive prodigality sure to become more
and more demoralizing unless some way
be found to check it.
The direct or Indirect purchase of votes
cannot be stopped entirely by drastic legis
lation. - Crime of all descriptions exists
and persists, despite the criminal code.
The portion of the New York election law
now declared void was in line wltb other
measures designed to secure pure elections.
and it Is regrettable that it Is not con.
Htutlnnal. In nrdar to revive the law It I
will be necessity to amend the constitu
tion. In many of the modern constitu
tions the oath of office proscribed is in
tended to restrain officials from spending
money corruptly in securing appointment
or election..
This Is the house of line clothing and clothing at close cost. Making
room for our spring invoices compels us to have extra space and to get it.
We are compelled to offer some extra reductions to sell quickly. Therefore,
broken lines of suits, overcoats and odd sizes and extra trousers la fact oar
whole stock teems with special Inducements and you can make a big saviDg
In nearly every kind of men's apparel. ' Now Is the bargain sf seon.
No Clothing Fits Like Ours.
' R. & WILCOX, Manager. '
HOW MEXICO DEALS WITIt TRl'STS.
President Dlas Drops a Hint and a
ronaplrary roltavaea.
Cleveland Tlaln Dealer.
It the gentlemen in Washington and else
where who are losing sleep in trying to
solve the monopoly problem In this land
of the free will cast their eyes southward
they will see across the Mexican border
something that they may find to their ad
vantage. The strenuous gentleman who
presides over the destinies of the Mexican
republic Is given to taking short cuts and
Is not In the hsbit of being hampered by
red tape or legal formulas. Just at this
time the story of how be tamed a Yankee
octopus that bad found Its way into bis
bailiwick may be of Interest. "
Some months ago the Mexlraa Central
railroad suddenly Changed hands, and
thereon bangs a tale. It appears that a
Mexican, while trying te obtain water near
Tamplco, struck oil. Hs was Ignorant of
the value of bts discovery, but a chance
American recognised It and the two went
Into partnership In the oil business, doing
eventually a large and profitable trade.
Like roost parts of the arth Mexico la In
the grip of the oil monopoly and the big
concern was soon aware of the operations
of the humble pair who had ventured te do
business for themselves. An offer to buy
them out wss mads and refused. The cor
poration's agents hastened to San Francisco
and soon the news came out that the Mexi
can Central had changed hands.
The trust's agents knew why the road had
been sold even If the public did not, and
the old familiar process of putting the
screws to the Mexican and his Yankee
partner was at onee begun. The trick was
played that has for years driven out of
business every American oil producer who
has dared to stand out against the trust.
A tariff was adopted which practically pro
hibited the Sale of Tamplco oil flftr miles
from that place, and the two humble part
ners were forced to suspend operstlons.
But they were not to be beaten so easily.
They wasted no time In taking their griev
ance to court, but proceeded posthaste to
the City of Mexico, laid their case before
President Diaz, and showed him all the
accumulated evidence. He promptly or
dered that the former tariff of the railroad
be restored under penalty of forfeiture of
Its charter to the state In case of refusal.
The old rate cm oil was at once and by wire
ordered restored. The oil well Is again In
operation and tb,t monopoly Is booking no
business In that section of the country. In
the meantime the railroad, bought for the
purpose of freezing out the two partners.
Is paying a reasonable dividend on the
investment and the new owners are suffer
ing no loss on that score.
All of which goes to show that there may
be something In the claim so often set up
that a benevolent despotism may be the
best of governments. We are rather In
clined to look down on Mexico; not always,
It would appear, with good reason.
PASSIXCl PLEASANTRIES.
"Do you know what I can take for indi
gestion after dinner, doctor?"
"Yes; pie." Xonkers Statesman.
"Bpeak louder," said the Judge, "so the
Jury can hear yoti."
"Why," asked the witness,. In astonish
ment, "are they Interested in the case?"
Chicago News.
She Doctor, is fiqeedunk a good place to
go for rheumatism?
Doctor flu re. That's where I got mine.
Detroit-Free Press. a
May She still considers herself a girl, hut
she's getting to be an old maid, isn't she?
Fay Yes, Indeed; a few mure summers
yUi find her pacing for her ice cream and
Soda water herself Philadelphia Press.
"Quite a stormy time at the theater this
-week," Said the Jocose manager. x
"What happened?:.'-
in ugnimng caicumior penormea to
thunder, of atiolauaa," WaahWum star.
Mrs. Upjohn What beautiful floors! How
do you keep them ao nicely polished?
Mrs. Gaswell (giving her the icy glare)
I don't. I leave that to the housemaid."
Chicago Tribune.
"Oh, shucks!" exclaimed the shredded
Fodder. "I'm broke. Can't you lend me a
little money?"
"No," replied the Hay that the' farmer
waa preparing for the baler; "I'm all tied
up myaelf, and expect at any moment to
be pressed for money." Baltimore Amer
ican. "Pardon me," said the polite man in the
cheap restaurant, "but I don't like anything
sweet in my coffee,"
"It ain't been sweetened at all," replied
the waitress aa he set down the thick
china cup before him.
"Ah! I may be wrong, but I thought I
saw your thumb In It." Philadelphia In
quirer. Cyrus waa asked how he managed to re
member the name of every soldier under
him.
"It's eBay," replied the great Persian.
"When I lived In the suburbs I UHed to buy
all my wife's threads and ribbons."
Marveling at the nlmpliclty of genius, they
withdrew. New York Tribune.
GLORY IN THE GRANITE ROCK,
Ella Wheeler Wilcox in Success.
L
A granite rock on the mountain side
Oased on the world and waa satisfied ;
It watched the centuries come and go
It welcomed the sunlight and loved the
snow.
It grieved when the forest was forced to
fall,
But amlled when the steeples rose, white
and tall,
In the valley below It, and thrilled to hear
The voice of the great town roaring near,
II.
When the mountain stream from. Its idle
play
Was caught by the mill wheel, and borne
away
And trained to labor,, the, gray rock mused:
"Tree anil verdure and Ktream ore utd
Py man, the muster, but I remain
l'"rluiid of the Mountain, and Btar, and
Plain;
Unchanged forever, by'God's decree,
While pusalng centuries bow to me!"
Hi
Then, all unwarned, with a mighty shock,
Jjown from the mountain was wrenched the
rock.
BrulaeU and battered and broken In heart,
It waa carried away to a common mart.
Wrecked and ruined n peaoe and ride,
"Oh, Ood is cruel!" the granite cried;
"Comrade of Mountain, of Btar the friend
By all titst rted how sad my end!"
IV.
Oased on the granite with thouKhtful eye;
I Tht?n. eflrreii with a nurooae. Huoreine and
graad,
He bade his dream In the rock expand
And lo! from the broken, a'ul shapeless
rtlHBS.
That grieved and doubted. It came to pasx
That a glorious vtatue, of Infinite worth
A statue of LINCOLN -adorned the earth.
Right Here
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