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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1900)
THE MORNING- OEEGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, I960. Tft POLVGAMIST'S FATE OPETCING'OF THE DEBATE IN THE ' ROBERTS OASE. Plans of the Majority and Minority of the Committee No Agree ment for a Vote. , (Continued from Itrst Page.) "They would," said Littlefield, "make him the Boswell of the constitution." (Great laughter.) Littlefield said the minority stood -with Burke, the statesman of the ISth century; with Jefferson. Madison. Hamilton, Morris and the men who framed the constitution; with the decisions of the courts of Mary land, Montana and Virginia; -with the opin ions of Storey, Coo ey, Cushing, John Ran dolph Tucker ana "Webster. He then challenged Tayler's statement that no precedent existed against exclu sion, citing the case of Benjamin Stark, in the senate of 1SC2, -who was charged with disloyalty, yet who was seated with out subject action. The majority, he pointed out, had cited this case, but had not informed the house of this fact. "I believe." said Littlefield, concluding his comment on this particular case, "that Mr. Roberts has a full constitutional right to a seat in this house." The applause which swept over the floor In response to this statement extended to the galleries, many of the ladies there par ticipating. The Whittemore case; which occurred Immediately after the war, Littlefield saliT, was a poor precedent. The passions of the war had not cooled, and he believed the action of the house in excluding him at that time on the ground of selling his cadetship was unwarranted and 111 ad vised. Littlefield attacked the proposition of the majority that Roberts had violated the compact between Utah and the United States. He asked where the authority for the statement that there was an under standing between. a state and the United States came from. Eloquently he declared that the idea of a compact between the state had been the father of secession, b.otted out by the lives of half a million of men. Littlefleld's defense of the proposition of the minority that the house had a right to expel Roberts concluded his argument. He aroused a great deal of enthusiasm when he recalled the difficult position in which ex-Speaker Reed had been placed in the last congress when General Wheel er returned from the Spanish war covered with laurels to resume his seat in the house, and the difficult task of Speaker Henderson, then chairman of judiciary, who was obliged to report against Gen eral "Wheeler. No mere patriotic senti ment permitted them to override the plain dictates of their duty. Proceeding, he pointed out thTi unquestioned right of either house to expel a member for any cause deemed sufficient. This power was unquestioned, and before it was exercised Roberts should be sworn in. "We state upon our consciences and oaths," saidhe, "that he should have the full benefit of the fundamental law of the land." (Great applause.) Littlefield closed rather abruptly. Tay ler then renewed his request for an agree ment for a vote at 4:30 Thursday. Crum packer (rep. Ind.) objected. Roberts Defends Polygamy. Upon the request of Tayler, Roberts was then given an hour and a half in which to present his side of the case. He spoke at first very low. but his voice soon xose, and he was at ease, apparently. The two arguments just presented, ho began, made it appear that there was a difference of opinion as to the method of procedure in the -case of the "member from Utah." From his standpoint, he could agree -with neither view presented. "I find -myself In the position," said he, "where I might' say with propriety, 'A plague on both your houses since both propose my undoing, (laughter), but," he continued, "the situation is not altogether without its advantages." He was convinced with the minority that the hous6 had no right to exclude him, and with the majority that admitted he could not he expelled. "Between the two," said he, "matters fall out as I would have them, and substantial justice will be done." (Renewed laughter.) Roberts gave notice that he should ap propriate the arguments of the majority against expulsion and those of the mi nority against exclusion. His constitu tional qualifications were admitted by both the majority and minority of the committee, and he declared that the mem bers of the house, if they had regard to the constitution of their country, would call him back to the bar from which he had been improperly turned away. He warned the Jbouser that nations fell be cause they separated from their tradi tions. If a nation indulged in "constitu tional Immorality" it died as did the in dividual who was guilty of physical im morality. He beseeched the house not to yield to the clamor of unthinking people. "What was the emergency for this pro posed departure from the constitution? A man who had married in the sanctity of the church a plurality of wives had been elected to congress. The cry had gone up that the American home was endan gered, and these extraordinary proceed ings had been Inaugurated against him. "For a few moments," said Roberts, "I want to pay attention to the nature of this crime, not with a view of showing that the American people have not the right to establish monogamy as a system of marriage that shall prevail, and not for the purpose of defending polygamy either; for In the early debate that took place with reference ta .this case ori the floor of the house, I then declared that I was not here' to represent polygamy, nor to defend it. "We have long ago passed that stage, apd the thing Is out of the realm of discussion. I do not wish my remarks construed as a defense of polygamy, but I do want to call attention to the nature of this crime. In order that we may ascer tain whether it is so awful in Its aspect as to warrant a more lawless act than polygamy itself. In order to .rebuke a man who has been elected to the house of rep resentatives. Goes to the Scriptures. "Take the Jewish people, for instance, who were made the repository of God's revelation to humanity. You shall not find the crime of polygamy referred o among that people as of the character it Is described here in the report of the committee. Evidently it is malum pro hibitum. It is not malum in se. If it were you would not find the Jewish law en folding it under some circumstances, .reg elating it under other circumstances, and men after God's own heart sustaining those relations which are now supposed to justify you in closing the doors against the member from Utah. If you go to the teaching of the great Master, whom, I take it, we all revere, although he de nounced every crime, every sin that man can commit, you shall find no word of his In condemnation of the conduct of the patriarchs or the law as it was given to Moses and ancient Israel. "Last week, when taking a walk in the residence portion of your city, I passed a magnificent heroic statue' of stern old Martin Luther the nations of Western Europe and America owe no man more than they do to him for the religious and civil liberty that they now express the founder of Protestant Chris tendom. And that man, upon this subject that is Aere so much denounced, declared in the -early days of Protestant Christen dom, when be was informed that his dis ciple. "Carlstadt, was teaching polygamy, -I indeed must confess that I cannot pro test when one takes many wives, for It does not contradict the Scriptures. "And again, in his letter to Philip, the landgrave of Hesse, remarking upon the fact that Philip had taken a second wife, his first wife being still living, he said: 'In the matter of matrimony, the laws of Moses are not revoked nor contradict ed by the gospels.' Yet we build monu ments to Luther, notwithstanding his tol eration and defense of that form of mar riage. "Now, I say all these things,, not for the purpose of arguing here upon the rights of polygamy, but I do say what 1 have here remarked for the purpose of fixing it in the minds of members that it is merely a crime oecause prohibited by law. I say that the United States had the right to make that law if they wished to. The states have the right to make it Utah had the right to make it the law of that state, and has done so. Conse quently, it is outside of the realm of dis cussion, further than in this Incidental way." Roberts then explained the Mormon be lief in polygamy, and said the church thought their creed on this point came within the constitutional inhibition against laws prohibiting the free exercise of re ligious belief. He then continued: "In 1S76, desiring to put the matter to a test, and not to be under the odium of violating the constitution or the laws of the country, and being confident that the court would sustain the views that they had held, the Mormon church themselves furnished a case, furnished the evidence and witnesses, and brought that case be- , fore the courts, carrying it from one court to another until, in 1S79, the law against this form of marriage was sustained. It has been recited as the chief offense both of the people and of the member from Utah that, notwithstarding this decision, the people still continued to maintain the rightfulness of that institution. The infer ence seems to be that as soon as the de cision of the supreme court was rendered they should have dropped their hands and instantly conformed to the law of the land. "Limited, Indeed, must have been the reading of that man who would suppose that controversies of this character would be so instantly disposed of, and that a groat religious conviction would be Imme diately given up on the decision of a court. Worthy cf all respect as the supreme court of the United States unquestionably is, and held in hieh esteem, amounting almost to veneration by my people, still we could not forget the fact that the court was still human and liable to fallablllties. Wo corld not overlook the fact that this court of ours, high and exalted as It Is, frequent ly reverses Itself. We remember that It had sustained the constitutionality of the fugitive slave law, and that its decisions had been overturned by the people by rev olution in tenets as well as revolution In arms. I see upon the floor of this house a man belonging to a race, who, if abso lute submlseiveness to the decisions of the supreme court was to be the last of con troversy, would have been but a piece of goods and chattels In this country Instead of being the member of the house of rep resentatives. Applanse and Hisses. "So we thought," said Roberts, "believ ing as we did in the righteousness of our doctrine. We hoped there might spring up a sentiment which would lead to a re versal of opinion. But It did not come," and Roberts, with arms outstretched, ap pealed to the country not to be too hard on the people of Utah. He described the condition that existed In Utah In 1SS2 as a reign of terror. The federal courts were being used, he said, to drive women into exile. A man was brought before the court. He was told that he need not go to prison if he would give up polygamy. "But then," said Roberts, dramatically, "I felt it would have been deserting the cause of God to have agreed." A wave of applause passed over the gal leries at this utterance, but it was quickly drowned with hisses. "I had rather had my flesh hewn from my limbs than to have been untrue to my people. It was this feeling that was the incentive to the lawlessness, such as it was. "But," he continued, "the time came when the Mormons of Utah were obliged to submit and did submit Since then there has not been a single plural mar riage In Utah. The plural relations had been broken up In many cases. Death had kindly solved the problem for some, and the heartaches it left for some made them wish the same end had come for them." He Insisted that the compact with the United States had been observed; that J polygamy had practically ceased; that the Mormon church had given up polygamy In good faith. Roberts said he had been In public life for 20 years, and was not driven to the defense of his moral character. He was not here representing the Mormon church. He had received a greater number of votes from. Gentiles than from Mormons. "You can neither exclude nor expel me," said Roberts In conclusion. "I will cling so hard to the pillars or UDerty that you shall not drag me from them without bringing down the whole temple. (Ap plause and hisses). I have lived with a good conscience until this day, and am sensible of no act of shame upon my part. You can brand me with shame and send me forth, but I shall leave with head erect and brow undaunted, and walk the earth as angels walk the clouds." There was a great outburst of applause in the galleries when Roberts concluded. Many of the ladies in the galleries were especially demonstrative. At 5:35 P. M. the house adjourned until H o'clock tomorrow. THE ALL-ABSORBING QUESTION To Persons Contemplating: t East Trip Is. which route shall I take? The O. R. & N. offers the choice of two routes to the East. The northern route is covered by lines of the Great Northern railroad. Through cars are run direct from Port land to St. Paul via Spokane; they are modern-equipped cars, with the latest safety devices, and are exceedingly com fortable. The second Toute. which traverses the central portion of the country, Is by way of Huntington, Granger and Omaha to Chicago. The already famous "Portland Chicago Special" Is operated over this route, and makes the fastest time between these points ever made by passenger trains. The trains are new throughout, and consist of magnificent palace sleep ers, buffet library and smoking cars, Pull man diners, free chair-cars, and comfort able ordinary sleepers. By this complete service, passengers are enabled to reach the principal cities between Portland and Chicago not only In the shortest possible time, but also in the most comfortable and enjoyable manner. For any informa tion in regard to rates, time of trains, etc.. I call on or address. V. A. SCHILLING. City Ticket Agent, 254 Washington st. a i Alaska Land Ofllcc Changes. " WASHINGTON,. Jan. 23. Commissioner Hermann, of the general land office, has recommended that the two land "offices in Alaska be abolished and one established. The effect of this will be to place Western Alaska In two districts instead of three. By this arrangement the offices at Peavy, on the Koyuka river, and at Circle City, on the Yukon, will be discontinued and an .office at St. Nicholas will be created. The office at Rampart City will remain. o Nominations Confirmed. WASHINGTON. Jan. 23. The senate to day confirmed the following nominations of postmasters: Montana W. Alderson, Red Lodge; J. C. Rlcker. Havre. Oregon J. R. Smith, Lebanon; E. B. Woodward, Newberg. California W. C. Campbell, Los Gatos. a C Professor Hnzen Dead. WASHINGTON, Jan. 23. Henry A. Ha zen, one of the chief forecasters of the weather bureau, died here tonight as the result of the Injuries received last night by a bicycle collision with a negrp pedestrian- RUSS1ANPR0GRESSINASIA RAILROAD TRAVEL SOUTHWARD IX TURKESTAN. Sketch of Russia's Military Opera tions in Central Asiatic Provinces -Never a Retreat. CHERNAYEVO, Russian Turkestan, July 19. The traveler who wishes to visit Both termini of the eastern extension of the trans-Caspian railway has a day to spare at this new junction town in the steppes. a place which reminds me quite as much of La Junta. Colo., as any place I have ever seen before. The train from Samarkand, which arrives at Tashkend at 10:40 o'clock at night when it is on time remains there but one hour for 'cleaning and an exchange of crews before starting on its return journey. Last night, at Tashkend, the train was not only an hour late in starting, but all the places In the secbnd-class car were filled and no more tickets would be sold, The result was that I bought a third-class ticket to this -place, and added to my ex- perlence with Russian railways. There is not a great deal of difference In the de- grees of comfort in the two classes. The space allotted to each seat in the third city of Tashkend. The defense was stub class is a little less, the woodwork a little born, and the Russians- were at first re- LOOKING OVER THE BAZAR OP TH plainer, the upholstery missing to a high- pulsed, with considerable loss. Then Gen er degree, and the people are not quite as j oral Tchernaleff employed the strategem likely to be companionable, but for a j which has seldom failed in . the desert, night ride that was not of much conse- j He seized a small fort some miles away, quence. Rolled up In my steamer rug, which guarded the water supply of Tash with an air pillow, I passed a fairly com- kend, diverted the stream, and a few days fortable night, and reached here at 7 i later accepted the unconditional surrender o'clock this morning. Having now trav eled In Russian sleeping-cars and regular passenger cars of the first, second and third class, there remain for me but the fourth and fifth to complete the gamut of train equipment in the empire. The through train for Samarkand loafed about the junction for an hour and then drew out across the steppes westward Chornayevo is not the most uncomfortable of places to pass the day, even though there is nothing hare to be seen. I could not conceive any possible profit or pleas ure In walking out into the treeless and houseless prairie, and the snowcapped mountains which were such a picturesque sight on the southern horizon are far out of reach. Instead, I have wandered about i rectlon of General Constantine Kauf the little village, watching Russian and ' mann, who had come from Russia to or Mongol workmen on the houses under ganize the government of Turkestan after construction. , that province had been captured. He de- There is no bazaar or market street or feated the Bokhariot army in one more any consequence here, for the town Is campaign, during which the small army much too small for that, but In front of he had left behind to hold Samarkand the little shops In the main street gather bad to sustain a very trying siege. That the camel caravans that come from the was the end of warfare for the time. The steppes with the merchandise of the no- ' emir of Bokhara signed a treaty ceding mads, so that there is some activity for ( the fertile valley of the Zerafshan to a -.few hours In the morning. Not many j Russia, including the city of Samarkand, ircraians nave come into vnis pari oi tne country yet, so the races represented are chiefly Mongolians, Tartars and Russians, with a few Sarts, who own the stores. They are the merchant people of this re gion, and until the Armenians arrive to enter Into competition with them, they have a virtual monopoly of the shops. During the day we have had some ex- citement 'from the arrival of a construe- tion train, which Included In its equip ment the "store" car, which I have de scribed In another letter, and several car loads of Immigrants. The people of Cher nayevo gathered around the store and bought flour, potatoes, match'es, tobacco, canned goods, pretzels and Icons most eagerly, while the train waited, and the three clerics were as busy as a department store at Christmas. When the train pulled put, the little black dog which seemed to be filling the office of mascot was sleeping on the lower step of the stairs that led up to the side door of the car, apparently fearless of danger. At present immigration from Russia to Turkestan is somewhat rapid. Not all the restless ones go to Siberia from the crowd ed and famine-stricken districts of the empire. The government is glad to have a Russian element established In Central Asia among the tribesmen, to act as a quieting factor by Its Influence, and to be the nucleus of a Russian sentiment that may be of great value In the event of threatened uprisings. So the govern ment Is aiding in every way the move ment of those who come, giving them the same concessions as to transportation, land and cash that are granted to the im migrants to Siberia, and establishing an agent In Tashkend, with several-assistants to advise and direct the strangers as wise ly as possible. The accommodations provided for imml- RAILWAY STATION grant travel into Turkestan seem primi tive, but they are quite sufficient and as comfortable as could be expected in com parison with what Is available for other passengers. The Immigrants travel in ordinary fourth-class cars, which are quite of the fashion of box cars at home, and, like all fourth-class cars on the Russian railways, are inscribed with the significant lettering: "For eight horses or 40 men." In the immigrant service, however, they are not that crowded. Across each end j was prompt and definite. The khan him of the car are built two or three wide self rode out to meet the conqueror, and shelves of rough boards, which serve as seats in the day or as beds at night. In the middle of the car is a stove for heat ing and cooking. The rest of the space is the living-room of the family to which the car is assigned, and in another car of the train are carried the household goods of the family. I have seen some of these cars arranged most comfortably, with rocking-chairs and a kitchen table Included in the fur nishings, the Icon hung upon the wall and the samovar steaming merrily. Often a family Is permitted the use of this con venient home for several days, after reaching its destination, until some other shelter is provided. The journey itself, however from the Caspian sea to the re- j glon of Turkestan, where most of the set tlement Is centering, requires a full week. by the slow trains which carry the immi grants, so it Is necessary that they be ac commodated In some such fashion as this. It is easier to emigrate to Turkestan than it was when the Russians began to move into Central Asia. Years passed , after the tragedy of the Perovski expedl- tion against the Khlvans before it was salt iu iiiivci iiiiu mu lumuiw:, uuiiug which time the Russians were sending' ! varIous unsuccessful missions. Find ly in response to an English question, the reed to leave the khanates of Central Asia to serve as a neutral zone between Russia and India. Russia therefore turned her attention to a 'more eastern road, and moved toward Tashkend by the rdute from Orenburg and Siberia, extending her llne of communications and m.lltary pcsf3 through the country of the Kirghiz horde m wo""eni lureesmu. in ie -hs ana '50s these Psts were advanced well Up . tne Slr Daria river, by way of the Oren- bur5 road and the Aral sea thus virtually inS around the khanates of Khiva and , Bokhara on the way to Tashkend. i Progress was interrupted by the Crl- ! mean war. After that conflict ended the ' Asiatics began to take active measures to expel the northern invaders who were slowly but surely encroaching on their territory. That was the fatal move. The ruler of Khokand, Khanalat Shah, with an army of 15,000 men, advanced against the Russians on the steppes. The Kho- kandians were defeated, and the definite . excuse-was created for a war of Invasion and reprisal. In 1S64 the Russians cap- , tured Chemkend. capital of Turkestan, and then pushed on to attack the famous I E NATIVE CITY OP SAMARKAND. of the city at the hands of a delegation of citizens. Military Progress Sontlrvrard. In December of the same year the peo ple of Turkestan made an effort to re capture their holy city, and the emir ot Bokhara formed an alliance with the Khokandiane, marched against the Rus sJa"s aild sent home word that they must become Mohammedans at once. The Bok- harlots were defeated in battle, and Khod jend was occupied by the Russians. The victorious forces continued their advance, this time toward Samarkand, which was taken without opposition on May 14, 1E6S. This later campaigning was under the di- "" "o ituuuua cupuui oi xa.ineria.ne re' verted to his successors' in Asiatic power. Just as this campaign was ended, shift ing conditions in the province of Jungarla of the Chinese empire turned attention In that direction. A Mohammedan insurrec tion in that province had proved too strong to be put down by the Chinese troops, and the Chinese had abandoned I the territory in disorder. The Mohamme dans were in possession of the district of III and the city of Kulja. At once a Rus sian army of 2000 men departed for the scene of difficulties, on the pretense of quieting a disorderly neighbor, occupied the province without serious opposition, and settled down to administer It as Rus sian territory. It is true that a prompt notification was sent to the emperor of China that the Russians were holding the province only as a measure of peace and In trust for him, and that they would be glad to evacuate whenever he was ready to resume authority. Nevertheless, the fact remains that it was only after 10 years of occupation and several years of negotiations, which included at the end some excellent Chinese concessions 10 Russian trade, that the peacemakers act ually did evacuate their temporary quar ters In 1SS1. It was In 1876 that the rich valley of Ferghana was annexed to Russia after a war with Khokand. The conflict had be gun as a civil war In which the Kirghiz subjects of Khokand rebelled against the payment of certain taxes. The worried khan fled to the Russians when the up rising outgrew his power to resist, and his son became ruler. The latter sent mes sages of peace to the Russians, but almost at the same time a holy war was de clared against them, and they were sent a summons requiring them to become Mo hammedans at once. AT CHERNAYEVO. This was the signal for an aggressive war on the part of the Russians. Town after town was taken, and at last the vic torious armv reached the , walls of the capital. The humbled monarch sent en voys to the Russian commander, but he refused to deal with them, merely re plying that If he was treated with proper submission no harm would be done the people, but if any resistance was offered. I the city would be destroyed. The effect conduct him Into the city, through which the entire Russian army made a trium phal progress. A few weeks more of campaigning against the other important cities of the khanate. Marghilan, Namangan and Andi jan, and the occupation of those centers by heavy forces of Russian troops, sub dued the whole of the territory, and on March 2, 1S76, the khanate of Khokand was declaredv a portion of the Russian empire under the name of Ferghana. The first governor was General Skobeleff, his appointment coming as a reward for his f energy in the campaign. This was the last exterislon of Russian authorlty outhoastward Into Central Asia until the absorption of the Pamirs In 1S92. TRUMBULL WHITE. A whale, said to be CO feet lonj? and 40 feet In girth, has been found dead In the Thames at Y.'oolwich. 'It to believed to have baen killed by the chemical refuse that flows into the river below 3 -vndon bridge. j first Nicholas of Ru;sia declared that he I saw the necessity of cdm'.ng to an agree ! ment as to Bokhara fend 'KhlYa. and he GROWTH OF THE ALMANAC WONBERFtJL: EVOLUTION r OF THE. BOOK OF TIME DIVISIONS. Ancient Egyptians ConinieMced "With Feast Day Record Publication Now Includes Many Subject. Some people may want to know how the ancients got along without almanacs, a question answered by the fact that they had them as far back as history goes. says the Chicago Chronicle. The British museum possesses one of Egypt's "first i editions" of an almanac, issued in the time of Rameses the Great, 1200 years before the Christian era. It Is a papyrus from a tdmb, and covered with red Ink hieroglyphics, making a achedule for six years of the religious ceremonies of the land, with various warnings interspersed concerning what to do and what not to do In domestic and public affairs, on cer tain days. The fourth century had cal endars sent out by the Roman church, 'giving the feast, fast and saints' days, with information of a religious character and records of astronomical phenomena. Among people along the Baltic sea ax helves and staffs were notched for the days of the week, with deeper cuts for Sundays, and with carved symbols for saints' days. Their religion forced these ancient people to some sort of a recogni tion of the division of time. The derivation of the word almanac is thought to be from the Arabic al-manah al (the) manah (reckon' and from It the French and Spanish got their names, almanach and almanaque. Modern alma nacs follow, in some features, the prac tice of the ancient Eastern nations In hum bugging the credulous by making divi nations by the stars. In ancient Rome the use of the calendar was confined to the priests, who were thus exclusively informed as to festivals and the time3 for law court proceedings, but one, Fla vius, acquiring this Information, put it on white tablets for use in the forum. After that they were cut in white stone and came into more general use. What were termed "clogg" almanacs, relics of an old style, were In use in Eng land as late as the end of the 17th cen tury. They were small square blocks of wdbd, notched on the angles to correspond with the days of the year. First One Printed. The earliest printed almanac was the work of the astronomer, Purbach, of Vi enna, In 1457; the earliest In England was the Kalendar of Shepardes, from the French, about 1497. It was not until the 16th century that almanacs were arranged so as to be for one year. Rabelais pub lished at Lyons, France, almanacs for the years 1533, 1535, 154S and 1550. Prophetic almanacs have always had, and have today, without reason, a re markable Influence with the ignorant Nostradamus, the celebrated astrologist, made so many predictions through those publications that, some of them being fulfilled, Louis XlII of France in 1579 pro hibited their issue, and Charles IX in 1628 required that such almanacs must bear the approval of the diocesan bishop. One almanac, the Almanac Llegois, Issued at Liege in 1625, and still published, con tained the rankest of superstitious stuff. People who could not read it were assist ed by such signs and symbols as taught them to know when to take medicine, to have their hair cut and to be bled. The French at last had to take notice of these works, and in 1S52 over 7000 alma nacs and chap books were under exam ination, and many were found to be of such an objectionable character as to re quire suppression. Scotchmen had almanacs as far back as the 16th century. Their "prognostica tions" were first issued at Aberdeen in 1677, and their average circulation was 50,000 a year. In 1683 the Edinburgh True Almanack was begun. It contained but little besides the calendars of the months, lists of fairs and weather predictions, but in 1745 was added a list of the Scottish members of parliament. It is now known as Oliver & Boyd's New Edinburgh Al manac, and contains 1000 pages. Thorns' Irish Almanac Is the only Important one of its kind In Ireland. France has a gov ernment annual similar In purpose to the Nautical Almanac of Great Britain, and, like it, contains many valuable original memoranda. It is called the Connalssance des Temps, and was begun in 1679. Is World-Famous. A world-famous book is the Almanac de Gotha, begun in 1764 and issued annually at Gotha. It Is a small pocket volume in fine type, in both the German and French languages, and has 1100 pages be tween covers. It is an encyclopedia of information on the great families and the political standing of Eurjp.an nat ons, and affords a great deal of diplomatic knowl edge not elsewhere obtainable. Of this book .the great Napoleon suppressed an entire edition In 1S0S because In Indexing Anhalt was permitted to come before his name. By his- orders It was then printed in French instead of German. Germany has another Important year book in the shape of the Berliner AstTonomlches Jar buch, established in 1776. China beats the world on Its almanac, which is issued at Peking by the gov ernment, is In 12 volumes and Is given up mostly to Indicating the lucky times and places for performing the deeds of every day life, though reliable astronomical in formation Is- presented. So much do the people rely upon the warnings of this book that It is said that a few years ago the minister of that country to Ger many refused to sail on his mission be cause the day appointed for his departure was put down In the almanac as an un lucky day. This huge publication is a monopoly, belonging to the emperor, no other work of the kind being allowed to. be sold In that country. Several million copies are printed and disposed of each year. The natives of Central America have the most curious of all calendars. Their months are only 20 days long, and are named after animals. In the United States. The United States has not much to show In the way of almanacs with peculiarities. The earliest one was published by William Bradford in Philadelphia, 1687. Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac" appeared from 1732 to 1757. There were some In cheap form, published especially for the use of farmers; many were Imported; all had weather predictions, tables to guide the sun and moon as to the time when It wa3 proper for them to get up and sit down In the new country, where everything. even nature, was somewhat irregular. Ev.n. the clouds were regulated as to the time of weeping and of getting out of sight; it was Intimated to the sheep when they were to be sheared and to the pigs the month of their killing. They had verses of senti mental poetry, extracts from patriotic speeches, written but never spoken, like those In modern congresses, and recipes foe cooking at home Instead of at the bake shops and restaurants. They were so ar ranged that every one might doctor his own cattle instead of sending them to a land of sainted hoofs by way of a slaughter-house. As a matter of fact those harbingers of modern quackery were very much like the real things of today save in the volum inousness of their advertising. A few comics, like Elton's, had a Jlchenhke hold, but the humorous weeklies smothered their languid growth. The "American Nauti cal Almanac," an Imitation of those of the English and the French, -was started in 1S55. The shabblness of this peculiar line of literature at the beginning of the cen tury has disappeared in the last 25 years, giving way to full-dress annuals, of which half a dozen Issued by newspapers are wonders of information on nearly all the matters that enter into modern political, commercial, social and religious life. Franco and Germany have annuals In the shape of almanacs devoted. to certain subjects, such aa music, the drama, wom en, religion, politics, etc. England has be come renowned for her almanacs in colors. They began to appear in artistic habili ments about the year 1875, before which tlmd they were crude affairs. One tlrm in Leeds produces about 2.0CO.OOO each year of ordinary colored almanacs, such as are presented to their customers by trades men at Christmas time. Glasgow and Manchester printers annually turn out about 1,000,000 for each city, the selling price ranging from 4 to 12 cents. Several firms in London bring out each year mag nificent pictorial almanacs costing rrom 5 cents to 52 each. While there are big almanacs there are also tiny ones, and illustrated, at that. One. the "Chemin de la Croix," has 119 pages, the printed part measuring one inch high and one quarter of an Inch In width; the "Bijou Almanac" Is an inch in height. Between the two is a German one. The evolution of the almanac has been the work of centuries from pagan sm to a Christianity that has converted thesi books Into something useful and beautiful, even though it has not eliminated all traces of their origin. Keeping house without an almanac Is like keeping a norse without a stame neither pleasant nor profitable. Nor Is there any excuse for it, for all the patent medicine people Issue almanacs by the hundreds of thousands just before and just after the first day of every year, and they are tc be had for the asking. "Pie-ease give us an almanac. There are lovely things in the almanac," say the girls in "Rag Baby," and It is truer today than it was in the years gone by. Where the almanacs for the year 1900 seem to differ from all which have pre ceded them in recent years is In having an eclipse of the sun where somebody can see It. Usually the first page or two of the book Is taken up with graphic ac counts of eclipses visible in Kamschatka, Spltzbergen and the southwest corner of Van Diemen's land. But for this new year there Is to be a total eclipse of the sun, with the line of totality beginning in Egypt and ending up In the Pacific ocean, the people of Norfolk, Va. Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans being entitled to a full view of the entire performance. This is to take place on Monday, May 2S. It will not be total In Chicago, but those who care to arise early enough can see the beginning of it at 6:56 o'clock in the morning. Something Is always hap pening on washday In Chicago. Some of the Eclipses. There will be another eclipse of the sun on Wednesday, November 21. Here the almanac-maker recovers his presence of mind and announces it as visible only In Borteo, Sumatra and a few places like that. At least, one of the almanacs says that, and anotr r postpones It until Thurs day, November 22, and announces It for Southern Africa and Australia. It really makes very little difference. This second almanac, by the way, makes the eclipse of the sun in May start la quite the other direction, going from Mexico to Algiers. It says that here in Chicago eleven-twelfths of the sun's sur face will be obscured, the performance ending about 9:15 o'clock. There Is also a storm announced to begin on May 25 and last until June 1. This last sounds natural. A little corner of the moon Is touched by the earth's shadow on June 12, not more than the thousandth part of the disk being obscured. Being absolutely unimportant, it can be seen almost anywhere. Jupiter will begin the year as a morn ing star, change to evening star on May 27, retain that position until December 14. when It will become morning star again until the year runs out. Venus begins as the evening star and acts In that pleas ant capacity until July 8, when It turns morning star and stays so until, the year Is over. Mercury can be seen just after sunset about March 8, July 4 and Octo ber 29, and just before sunrise on or about April 22, August 19 and December 7. Mars Is evening star only until January 16. and morning star the rest of the year. Saturn Is morning star until June 23, then even ing star until December 29, then morning star for three consecutive days in 1200. For the Curious. For the curious In such matters, the year 1903 will be the 121th year of American Independence until next Fourth of July, when it becomes the 125th. It Is the year 56S0 of the Jewish era until sunset on Sep tember 23, when it becomes the 5661st. It Is the year 2560 of the Japanese era, and the 33d of the Meljl period. Until May 1 it is the year 1317 of the hegira, or Moslem era, the year 131S beginning on that day. January 1, 1903, Is the 2,415,021st day since the beginning of the Julian period. The Dominical letter is G, the epact 29, the lunar cycle or golden number Is 1, the solar cycle 5, the Roman Indictlon 13, and the Julian period 6613. It Is the first year divisible by four which has not been a leap year since 1800, and there will not bs another until 2100. by which time we shall be very little Interested In such things, If we are now. Washington's birthday comes on Thurs day in 1800, and Fourth of July on Wednes day. St. Patrick's Is on a Saturday, and Christmas on a Tuesday. Thanksgiv ing will probably be November 29. Epiphany, or twelfth night, is January 6, In 1900, which is the orthodox time to take down the Christmas greens in the homes and churches. Ash Wednesday la the last day In February, and Mardl Gras or Shrove Tuesday the day before. Palm Sunday Is April S, Good Friday April 13, and Easter Sunday April 15. This brings Ascension day on May 24, Whitsunday on June 3, and Trinity Sunday on June 10. Advent Sunday Is December 2. Those who are particular about begin ning the seasons promptly will be pleased to learn that spring Is due at 7:1S In the evening of March 20, surmaer at 3:19 In the afternoon of June 21, autumn at 6 o'clock in the morning of September 23, and winter at 12:21 midnight of December 22. All this useful learning Is the common property of all well-regulated almanacs, but it is not to be supposed that there is nothing else In them of Interest. There are merry jests of all degrees of merri ment, and other jests of all degrees of hebetude and desuetude. There are wise saws, if not modern Instances, pearls of thought like "There are more people cross eyed In the tongue than In the eyes; they talk one way while they are thinking the other." There Is good advice for the ail ing, not only In the particular direction of tho cure-all the almanac advocates, but in general therapeutics, as in this instance: "Putting the feet In hot water will In variably cure a headache, from whatever cause it arises. The head aches when, from any cause, the little blood vessels in the brain are too full. Putting the feet In hot water draws the blood from the head." Some persons, those who think with their feet, should reverse the process. Many unusual anecdotes are collected to gether In the almanacs. You may learn, for instance, that a Boston man wears a card on his underclothing with the statement, "My appendix has been cut out." He does this, so It is said, because he fears that he may faint away some time and the surgeons open him on the theory that If there Is anything the matter It must be appendicitis. With this goes a method for treating stiff boots wl h vacellne or glycerine, of even greater im portance to the reading public. A New Medical Discovery. Philadelphia Times. On top of the discovery of a scientific treatment for the perpetual renewal of youth comes the scarcely less Importer;: announcement of two Trench physicians. SappeMer and Thebault, of a specific se rum aeainst alcoholism. The serum is derived from a horse which has been "primarily rendered alcoholic by artificial means," and gives to the dipsomaniac a lasting distaste for alcoholic drink, i i a The men employed by the Cardiff (Wales) Railway Company have pre tested against excessive hours of labor. Tho aetition sets forth that they are on duty on specified dates from 21 to 37 con secutive hours, without meal or rssting hours AN INFORMAL DINNER BRYAN'S MEAL AT THE NEW YORK DEMOCRATIC CLUB. No Spcech-MaUInsTf lut n Reception anil a. Crowd of Politicians on Hand to See the JTebraskan. NEW YORK, Jan. 23. WHMam Jnnln3 Bryan took breakfast at th Hoffman house this morning with a number cZ free silver and single tax leaders. Bryan 3 cal ers today were nearly all ailverices. The gold democrats held aloof. Tonight Mr. Bryan dined at the Deiro cratlc Club as the guest of President John W. Kellar, with 12 others. The clubhouss was crowded from 5 o'clock. The fact that Colonel Bryan was to be a guest at the club caused the seats in the general dining-room qn the third floor to be at a premium. Most of the tables In the room were taken possession of as early as 5 o'clock. The rooms and the corridors of the club were thronged long before Mr. Bryan arrived- Mr. Bryan was accompanied to the club by James S. Oliver, sergeant-at-arms of the national democratic committee, and ex-Governor Hogg, of Texas. President John W. Kellar, of the club, pushed hla way forward and grasped Mr. Bryan by the hand. There was a crush la the dining-room, and many persons were stand ing. The table at which the 14 were to sit down was near the inrth-avenue front. There were other tables all about, all thronged with prominent members of tho club. When Mr. Bryan entered the brill iantly lighted room there was much ap plause. Those at the table of honor were: John W. Kellar, W. J. Bryan, Maurice F. Hola han, ex-Governor Hogg, Judge James A. O'Gorman, O. H. P. Belmont, Norman E Mack, John Whaien, John F. Carroll, Thomas F. Grady, Bernard J. York. An drew Freedman, Dr. J. B. Cosby and W. L. Brown. There was a running vfire of conversation on all sides of the table. For a little over an hour Colonel Bryan and his fellow din ers at the little table -ateVand drank. Just as the last course had been finished. Mayor Van Wyck entered the room, jos tled his way over to the table and sat down at one corner, between Commission er Kellar and Mr. Bryan. When the diners arose the party pro ceeded to the large reception-room. Then a line was formcd and President Kellar introduced those who shook hands with his guest. Nearly all the heads of fhe departments of the city were represented. At a few minutes past 10 o'clock Mr. Bryan complained of a headache and was driven to his hotel. After Mr. Bryan had left ex-Governor Hogg said: "This shows that there is no dissension. The club has given Mr. Bryan a royal reception. Of course, he is hero not as a guest of the club, but you can see that he Is welcomed by all the mem bers." Many of the members declared that the reception gave a decided emphasis to the fact that the protest of Doyle, Fox and Roosevelt did not represent the sentiment of the members of the club as a whole. Texas Legislature Meets. AUSTIN, Tex., Jan. 23. The Texas leg islature met In special session today, be ing called by Governor Sayers to pass new tax laws. The proposed changes are radical, particularly toward corporations. Call for Prohibition Convention. CHICAGO, Jan. 23. The national pro hibition party has called a meeting of the delegates at Chicago, June 27, to nominate candidates for president and viee-presl-dent of the United States. Extra Session California Legislature SACRAMENTO, Cal.. Jan. 23. Governor Gage has called an extra session of tho state legislature, to meet January 29. A United States senator will probably be elected. Kentucky Election Contests. FRANKFORT, Ky., Jan. 23. The guber natorial contest committee today voted t j extend the time for taking evidence, giv ing each side two more days for that pur pose. . "THE PRESIDENT'S OWN." Tiventy-nrst Showed It Could Fisht as AVell as Look Pretty. The Twenty-first was the swellest of the regiments at Tampa In the spnng of lU. It was called "The President's1 Own," because it had been made much of by President McKinley when he stayed In tha summer of 1897 at the Hotel Champlaln. which overlooked the home post of tha Twenty-first at Plattsburg. N. Y. Thi; post had long been considered one of tna "softest snaps" In the army. The regi ment possessed the best regimental band in the corps. Its idolized colonel had just been made' one of the new Brigadier-generals. Its camp on Tampa Heights was spick and span; its uniforms were immac ulate, and its officers were at all times the best-dressed men in Tampa. The officer then in command of the Twenty-first. Lieutenant-Colonel Cham bers McKibben, was considered, says the Philadelphia Inquirer, which tells the story, almost a martinet about his personal attiro and military discipline and eti quette. One evening early in May, Colo nel McKibben was In a bad temper. Ho was on the examining board for the pro motion of officers, and had been hard at work for several days on the field exami nations, and he was tired out. The change from his comfortable housa at Plattsburg to the camp bad given h:ra a very bad cold, of which, as an old cam paigner, he was thoroughly ashamed. What had upset him , most was news- that every one of the regime-rats on the Height had been brigaded for the expedition to Cuba, with one exception; that exception was his own Tegiment. the Twenty-first. That, he was afraid, could mean but ona thing, that the Twenty-first would not do allowed to go. One of the colonels, with, a uniform faded by prairie suns, had even dared 'to suggest to him that the "Prer dent's Own" was- to be kept as a kind, of showy home guard for the president in Washington. Colonel McKlbben's feelln. for the president on that May afternoon was not, perhaps, what It bad been tha summer before, for now the Itch of fight ing was upon him again. Tired and half sick as he was, he or dered his horse saddled, and when asked by one of his officers what he meant to do, he thundered out: "I am going to find out what this means before I sleep tonight. I am going trai?rt up to the hotel to see General Shatter, acid beg him to let the regiment go to Cuba with the first expedition, and It w& can-'t go well, I shall go, if I have to resign my commission and go as my own orderly." He did go to Cuba with the first exr -cZctlon. commanding Ws regiment, ard every one knows what a record he macTa ajid what a magnificent charge tve Twenty-first made at San Juan. L'c-u-termnt-Co'ortel McKibben wis promoted immediately afterward to a briRacHer-c:-eralshlp. for bravery and gallantry on tl" field. A few clays later he rode Into Svn tlago with the single star of a brlgad " general cut out of tin-and pinned on tr" shou'ders of his blue flannel shirt, as the first United States military governor of the captured city. Englishmen Prefer Country Life. Baltimore American. F'gures recently produced to show a comparatively small per cent of English living in Chicago, has led an observer tf remark that English immigration to thia country generally avoids the large cities The English people prefer to live in u i country, and generally when coining to thig country; settle .In the smaller places i