THE MOTORING OREGONIAtf, TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 1900.
SHIP SUBSIDY TRUST
Real Objects of the Hanna-Prye-Payne
Bills.
WERE FRAMED BY CAPITALISTS
Corallines Formed and Korminjc to
Get Their Hands la the Public
Treasury.
BOSTON, Feb. 28. The New England
Free Trade League Issues the following
letter by ex-Congressman John DeWitt
"Warner, of New York:
In view of all the evidence that govern
ment bounties In the protective tariff lead
to the formation of "trusts," this country
should profit by experience and refuse to
create a shipping: trust by a shipping sub
sidy. The ponding ship subsidy bills provide
that the United States Treasury shall
contract to subsidize owners of certain
shipping, for trom 20 to 30 years, up to
(,000,000 a year. The subsidy varies from
1 cent to 3.8 cents per ton of registered
tonnage per 100 miles sailed, and will
average about 14, cents for sail vessels
and those making less than 14 knots an
hour, and about 3)k cenrts for swift passen
ger steamers. Minor features of the bill
are Incidentally discussed.
Characteristics.
(1). The philanthropy and patriotism
with which the title and preamble fairly
drip:
"A bill to promote the commerce and in
crease the foreign trade of the United
States, and to provide auxiliary cruisers,
transports and seamen for Government
use when, necessary.
"Whereas, The prdfltablo employment
of the surplus productive power of the
farms, factories, mines, forests and fish
eries of the United States imperatively
demands the Increase of Its foreign com
merce; and
"Whereas, The merchant vessels, offi
cers, engineers, machinists, electricians
and seamen necessary to the lncreaso of
the commerce of the United States are
also essential as auxiliary to the forces
of the United States in time of war, and
otherwise, and to the better security of
the Nation and the protection of Its pos
sessions; and
"Whereas, It Is deemed especially ex
pedient to mako Immediate provision to
these ends."
(2). The extent to which, In the body
of the bill, provision is made exclusively
for Government bounty to shipowners,
without material relation to our export
trade, American labor or the Navy.
(3). The provision In favor of foreign
built shipping, of which American citi
zens at present own a majority Interest;
this is dependent "upon such American
owner or owners of such majority in
terest" obtaining the remaining Interest
thus excluding' other American citizens.,
(4). The contrast between its provis
ions, the required 100 per cent Immediate
American capital and the suggested 25
per cent of American labor with such an
exemption clause that under this bill no
American sailor will ever be hired unless
otherwise profitable to hire him, since
shipowners get their sailors anywhere,
and no wage standard Is suggested.
(5). The contrast in deep-sea fishing be
tween the ?2 per gross ton yearly for full
registered itonnage, though employed only
three months In the year, with but one
third American crew, and the bounty to
each American member of the crew of 51
per month "during his time necessarily
employed." Without a minimum wage,
this $1 bounty to sailors simply enables
the shipmasters to get sailors at a dollar
less a month the Government paying the
difference.
(6). The proviso that, "if" required, a
subsidized vessel shall carry "one Amer
ican boy for each 1000 tons gross ton
nage," "who shall bo kept at work at sea
manship or engineering, to be paid what
he earns the boy being given no guar
antee of after employment.
Concern for Export Trnde & Sham.
Subsidies are graded by the capacity and
speed of ships, with no requirement of
any cargo the highest subsidy to 'the
ships that carry the least cargo e. g., 3.8
cents per registered ton per 100 miles, to
the "great 21-knot ocean flyers," but only
1 cents per ton per 100 miles to steam
ers of less than 14 knots' speed.
Cabins, saloons and other accommoda
tions for passenger traffic leave but a
small space for freight. Fast steamers
also need more room for coal, engine
room and crew-room; e. g., a 10-knot
freighter burning 35 to 40 tons of coal a
day, and needing 12 men to Handle It,
would. If built for 20 knots an hour, re
quire 300 tons of coal a day, with" 100 men
to rush It; while a "12-000"-ton, 10-knot
freighter can, therefore, carry 10,000 to
15,000 tons actual freight, a 12,000-ton, 21
knot passenger steamer carries only 1000
to 3000 tons making the subsidy. In pro
portion to freight carried, from 10 to 25
. times as high for the typical passenger
'steamer as for the freighter. (Amend
ments so for proposed do not cure this.)
Promotion of Sirlft Mall or Trans
port Cruisers a Sham.
Swift passenger steamers are so expen
sive to rug, that they have no existence
except lntrado (mainly trans-Atlantic),
in which they are already the most profit
able. For this trade, therefore, they have
been built, and -would be built without
subsidy.. This Is admitted at page 34 of
the House hearings of January 10. Mr.
Clyde, shipbuilder, speaking on behalf of
the bill, says:
"We know from the Inquiries we have
made as to what ships will be built if
this bill Is passed, that all the vessels
contemplated will be vessels of moderate
speed none of them exceeding 17 knots."
The Actual Object of Thi Bill.
It Is not hard to find the -real object
of this bill. At "House Hearings," pages
24-25, Mr. Grlscom explained:
"I should say offhand that the 14-knot
ship of the largest possible size lhat
would carry 10,000 tons would be the ship
that under that (subsidy) bill would get
the best compensation. A great many are
building in Great Britain now which will
carry 10,000 tons of cargo, and not meas
ure 10,000 (registered tonnage)."
Of such ships thero are comparatively
few in the -world. They have only re
cently been built at all. In 1898, the great
est year for shipbuilding In the world's
history, but six in all were turned out
four in Great Britain and two In Ger
many. But on September 30, 1899. there
wero then building of such vessels 16 in
Great Britain and several In Germany
largely for our subsidy beggars.
Take two instances: Mr. Grlscom, of
the International Navigation Company, or
."American" line ("House Hearings," page
25), admits his company has eight vessels
of over 10,000 tons, and of speed 14 knots,
or above, on which to colleit subsidy. At
page 265 of the last report cf the Commis
sioner of Navigation we find that of these
eight, in September last, four were con
structing abroad three not to be com
pleted until 6ome time in 1901; also that
the Atlantic Transport Company had then
four others under foreign construction;
also that In 1S9S this last-named company
built abroad five steamers of over 14
knots' speed, averaging over 7000 tons
gross register each these, -with the four
"now building, being the only ones of their
vessols that are fast enough to get the
extra "speed" subsidy.
Of T. Hogan & Son's fleet of 12 ships
(aggregating 47.000 tons) awaiting subsidy,
seven (aggregating 31,500 tons) were under
construction In foreign shipyards In Sep
tember last. The case was similar with
two (aggregating 9i00 tons) of Grace &
Co.'s fleet of six (aggregating 21.600 tons).
The key to this energy is furnished by
Senator Frye, who explains ("Senate
Hearings," page 2) that in 1897 the coterie
hehind this bill was organized.
In short, the object of this subsidy bill
Is not to encourage the building of ships
-wlch would not otherwise be built; but
further to line the pockets of prosperous
gentlemen who, without subsidy, have
built or contracted for the very ships to
subsidize which this bill Is framed.
Sham. Patriotism.
The proposed guaranteed contracts for
building ships here are farcical. For the
great steel shlp3 that are now rapidly
supplanting all 'others can be built in
this country cheaper than elsewhere in
the world.
The only danger is: (1) Allowing
trusts to continue to charge American
shipbuilders higher prices for raw ma
terials than those at which they supply
foreign ones; (2) such a shipbuilders'
combine as, though ships are built here
cheaper, shall compel our shipowners to
pay more for ships.
Thero is no probability of this, unless
(as proposed by this bill) shipbuilders are
either bought oft by Government largess
from insisting upon their rights against
the steel trust, or guaranteed, a rates
to be fixed by themselves, such an amount
of shipbuilding that they can charge
trust prices, instead of competing to build
ships at fair profit.
Again, 16 voyages are permitted In each
year; even if a United States built ves
sel be assumed to draw subsidy upon only
10 round trops of 6400 miles each, say 64,
000 miles, this, at the rate provided (24
cents per gross ton per 100 miles for
1500 miles on each outward and homeward
trip, and 2 cents per ton remaining dis
tance), means $1 43 per ton for each voy
age, say $14 30 per ton each year and $143
per ton for the 10 years permitted. That
Is, in the case of ships now having Amer
ican registry, the aggregate security ex
acted for new construction within 10 years
is but 52 50 per ton of present tonnage,
and this security is a little less than cme-fifty-seventh
of the amount of the sub
sidy which the subsidy getter may have
drawn from the Government before the
security can be enforced.
Foreiam Capital Admitted to Subnidy.
While 100 per cent American ownership
Is required to entitle a vessel to a 20-year
subsidy contract, thero Is nothing to pre
vent prompt sale of this interest to for
eigners and the payment of the subsidy
during the whole 20 years to foreign cap
italists. Indeed, by the proviso as to corporate
ownership, it is contemplated that pres
ent stockholders of corporations owning
subsidized shipping shall be enabled to
"realize" at once by selling It abroad the
bounty of our Government thereafter to
go to foreign owners. See Senate hear
ings, page 16:
Senator Elklns Now that corporation
might be made up of citizens of the United
States, and incorporated under the laws
of the State of New York or West Vir
ginia, or your state, and yet all the cap
ital be held in England.
Mr. Edmunds (counsel for promotion of
the bill) That Is perfectly true.
Shipping: Industry Prosperous With
out Subsidy.
President McKlnley, in his speech at the
Chicago commercial banquet, on October
10. 1899. said:
"Our shipbuilding has been greatly in
creased. Our tonnage increased during
the year 100,000 tons, and Is without a
parallel in our recent history: More large
ocean steamships are under construction
in the United States than ever before.
Our shipbuilding plants are being en
larged and new establishments projected."
From Marine Review (Cleveland), Feb
ruary 8, 1900, is clipped:
"The Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry
dock Company, of Newport News, Va.,
has assuredly had Its full share of pros
perity during the past year. The aggre
gate value of the new vessels and repair
work within the twelve-month has never
had a parallel In any single year In the
history of American shipbuilding."
Constant Dcscrimlnatlon Afralnst
Public Interests.
The Secretary of the Treasury is to con
tract to pay subsidy for 20 years or more,
and there is no condition under which the
Government can commute, much less get
released. As to the vessel-builders, how
ever, It Is provided: "But If It shall hap
pen that any such hew vessels shall, with
out any fault or want of diligence on the
part of the owners, fall to be built and
registered as required, the Secretary of
the Treasury shall extend the time (for
building) for such period or periods as
shall seem to him to be Just."
Under section 5, the Government Is
pay subsidy as per speed test; (this
. fa?S
the corresponding assumption that
costs more than slow steaming.) But,
under this bill, this same ship, In earning
high speed subsidy, can actually sail at the
lowest speed that Its owner finds most
economical.
In the deep-sea fishery, the vessel-owner
Is paid his yearly subsidy, even though
the vessel may have been employed three
fourths of the time outside of this Indus
try, or laid up Idle; while the petty boun
ty to American sailors Is limited to "H
per month during the time necessarily
employed."
Xo Increase of Shipping.
Mr. Fitzgerald, of Massachusetts How
much money, Mr. Criscom, would your
company (American Line, etc.,) receive
next year?
Mr. Criscom About 5L400.000 or 51,500,000.
(Expert calculations show this to be more
nearly $2,500,000). But we would have to
relinquish to the Government the $750,000
we now get.
Mr. Fitzgerald That would make how
much?
Mr. Grlscom About $750,000.
Mr. Fitzgerald You say a net profit?
Mr. Grlscom I didn't say profit. I said
compensation. Compensation goes toward
equalizing the extra cost of running un
der the American flag.
At page 33, of the House hearings, we
find:
Mr. Clyde The sum that the American
line shins will get under this bill will be
more than sufficient to compensate their
American owners for the addition In cost
of furnishing ocean transportation with
that type of ship, as compared with fur
nishing It under the British or Norwegian
or other foreign flag, In the same type of
ship.
If the full subsidy permitted by the bill
Is bare compensation, as these gentlemen
assert, then It Is no encouragement what
ever to any increase of shipping. Indeed,
to any extent that the $9,000,000 limita
tion reduced the subsidy paid below the
full rate allowed, these subsldyeggars
could not afford to run as many ships as
they do now.
But any one who might otherwise credit
the veracity of Messrs. Grlscom and Clyde
will be cured of such a mistake when he
notes that, to one after another Interest
which grumbles at being left out, amend
ments are offered by which their own
subsidy Is further lessened unless these
amendments are but the basis of a larger
combine, promptly to remove the $9,000,000
limitation.
An Ideal Field for a Trust.
Mr. Edmunds says (House hearings, p.
6): Then another characteristic of this
bill, and I might as well say it here. Is
that It provides an open fieid for every
body. There can be no syndicate formed,
as there can In the case of railroads and
plants which are on lands, which are
fixed, like the Standard Oil Company, for
illustration1,, Inasmuch as there are prob
ably 1000 places in the United States where
ships can be built; It would be impossible
for a syndicate of all the shipowners that
ire now In the United States to prevent
anybody else who can get $100,000 today
from his neighbors from building one of
these smaller classes of ships, that are
capable of sailing all over the ocean, and
he could not be squeezed out.
Compare this with his statement (Senate
hearings, p. 19) Mr. Edmunds (The United
Kingdom.) Building ships for all the
world and able to build them cheaper,
aside from the cost of material, etc, from
the fact that they do a wholesale business
in this.
"It is Just like the case of the manufac
turerthe man who has got a market for
10.000,000 yards of cotton can turn that
cotton Into the cloth and sell It at 10 per
cent profit. Whereas I. who have an es-
J tablishment and a capital enabllnr me to
do only a quarter of that amount of busi
ness, would go bankrupt the first year
If I only got 10 per cent."
Of concerns that are competent to handle
contracts for such shipping, 10 Include all
In the United States that can claim bo
to be.
Indeed, a late report of the Commis
sioner of Navigation shows only five are
now actually handling contracts for deep
sea shipping of even 3500 tons or upward,
and only three the Nowport News Ship
building Company, William Cramp &
Sons and the Union Iron Works build
ing ships of over 6000 tons.
These three concerns are the giants of
this Industry, the Investment of the first
two being at least $10,000,000 in etch case,
and the Union Iron Works probably using
$6,000,000 to $10,000,003 of capital. One can
easily imagine how much chance Mr. Ed
munds' American citizen, with his hard
earned $103,000, would have in competition
with them.
Trusts Behind Ship-Subsidy Scheme.
The lion's share in this scheme is held
by interests that can be named on the
fingers of one hand. The coterie behind
It are the leading trust Interests of the
country.
As to the prime movers, Jin, Griscom'fl
company, the International Navigation
Company, the American line, will be by
far the greatest beneficiary under this bill
The Chicago Tribune (Rep.) thus sum
marizes: "Among the officers of this so-railed
American line company are Clement A.
Griscom, president, and W. H. Barnes,
Alexander J. Caseatt and W. E. Elklns,
directors. That is not the only directory,
however, of which these gentlemen are
members. They are also directors of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and Cas
catt Is president of that company.
"John D. Archbold and Henry H. Rog
ers are also directors of the International
Navigation Company. The first named is
a prominent director and the last named
director and vice-president of tho Stand
ard Oil Company.
"There is a concern known as the Na
tional Transit Company, which Is a part
of the Standard Oil trust, and controls
Its oil-distributing business. Its relations
with the Pennsylvania company are ex
ceedingly Intimate. Among the directors
of the National Transit Company are
Archbold, H. H. Rogers and Clement A.
Grlscom. The latter is the connecting
link between the International Naviga
tion Company and the Standard Oil Com
pany." Shipbuilding: Trusts Organizing?.
The following from the New York Her
ald of November 13, 1899, speaks for itself:
"Much interest has been aroused by the
recent announcement in the Herald that
steps are being taken to form, a syndi
cate for the purpose of purchasing five of
the largest shipbuilding plants in the
United States.
"These are the plants which it Is said
the syndicate Is anxious to obtain: Will
lam Cramp & Sons' Shipbuilding & En-glne-BuIldlng
Company, of Philadelphia;
Newport News (Va.) Shipbuilding & Dry
dock Company; Union Iron Works, of San
Francisco; Columbia Iron Works, cf Bal
timore, Md., and the Bath (Me.) Iron
Works. J. W. Seligman & Co. Bre said
to have a hand in the financial arrange
ments. When I spoke to Mr. Henry Sel
igman yesterday ho said:
" 'I will say that negotiations ere In
progress for a combination of several of
the largest shipbuilding companies In the
country. They have not yet been com
pleted. The amount Involved may be sold
to bo In the neighborhood of $20,000,000.
" 'I am not at liberty to discuss the
matter further at this time, nor can I give
the names of the concerns or individuals
who are interested in the project. You
may Bay that the firm of J. & W. Selig
man & Co. Is not interested as an in
vestor. No foreign capital will be Invest
ed. Several New York men are interested
in the plan.' "
A large stockholder In the Cramp Com
pany said:
"It is a fact that a syndicate has been
formed with a view to combining the larg.
est shipbuilding plants In the country.
This syndicate, I am Informed, already
secured options on the Newport New?
Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, the
Union Iron Works, of San Francisco, and
the Bath (Me.) Iron Works. There Is
plenty of money back of the syndicate.
The publicity which has been given to
this scheme In the last few days may
seriously interfere with its consumma
tion." In view of the claims that Fhlpbulldlng
concerns on the Great Lakes can build
deep-water vessels, and' the great interest
in the subsidy bill shown by Cleveland
gentlemen, the following from the Chicago
Chronicle of April 3L 1899, is of interest:
"With a capital stock of $30,000,000. the
newest of all the giant trusts a consolida
tion of the shipbuilding Interests of the
Great Lakes was effected in New York
yesterday. At the same meeting the di
rectors practically decided that Cleveland,
not Chicago, was to have the headquar
ters of the combine.
"In the new trust are the following con
cerns: American Steel Barge Company,
West Superior, Wis.; Milwaukee Drydock
Company, Chicago Shipbuilding Company,
Detroit Drydock Company, Cleveland
Shipbuilding Company; Lorain Globe Iron
Works, Cleveland; Shipowners' Drydock
Company, Cleveland.
"Though the authorized capital Is $?.0,
000,000, the actual capital Is only $14,000,000.
Of this sum, $7,000,000 is nonaccumulatlve
7 per cent stock, and $7,000,000 common
stock. What purports to be an authori
tative announcement of the formation of
the combine Is made In the Cleveland Ma
rine Review of today. 'Shipyard Consoli
dation is the appellation which the publi
cation gives to the new trust. Organiza
tion of the company has been effected
under the laws of New Jersey, and the
concern Is to be known as the American
Shipbuilding Company.
"From the start the trust will be in a
position to pay big dividends, the promot
ers say, all the companies being in a pros
perous condition.
"In all, not fewer than 10,000 persons
have had eteady employment In tho
yards of the concerns absorbed. Whether
the formation of the trust will have tho
effect of reducing tho number of employes
Is a problem which those interested say
cannot at present be answered. However,
the consolidation Involves a plan to lessen
operating expenses as well as to control
the output and regulate prices."
Subsidy the Mother of Trusts.
Mr. Chamberlain, our Commissioner of
Navigation, cites the relation to Great
Britain of the Peninsular & Oriental line
as a normal beyond which we have not
gone, and as an example of the benefi
cent effect to British Interests of this pol
icy says:
"No more explicit statement could be
asked for than the declaration of the
president of the Peninsular & Oriental
Company at the annual meeting two years
ago:
" 'Our policy is that of a British com
pany, which Is keenly alive to British in
terests, and I believe that, in this respect,
represent the general feeling of the ship
owners of this country.' "
In view of Mr. Chamberlain's reference
to the Peninsular & Oriental as a sam
ple of what we may hope for, he should
be Interested In the actual experience of
Great Britain with that company. Mr.
Thomas Scanlon's letter on "Trusts in
Great Britain," recently Issued by the
New England Free Trade League, Is au
thority for the following statements on
this subject:
"Mr. E. E. Williams, in his interesting
little book, entitled 'Marching Backwards,'
published a couple of years ago, shows
how the 'shipping ring keeps up freights.
From this It appears that the Peninsular
& Oriental reciprocated the subsidy given
it by charging much higher freights to
English, shippers than to their Belgian and
German competitors. At Hong Kong the
success of non-British as against British
competition in trade became so pro
nounced that the Governor appointed a
committee to Investigate tho cause. The
report of that committee was to the effect
that the lower freights from foreign as
compared wih British ports was due to
the action of the shipping conference, con
sisting chiefly of British steamship-owners,
which, while maintaining freights
from British ports, carried cargo at a
much lower rate from Continental and
American ports. The report went on to
suggest whether the imperial government
would not be Justified In requiring from
the conference & modification of their
freight rates before continuing a sub
sidy or support to any shipping company
which Is a party to a compact that places
British manufacturers at a disadvantage
as compared with foreign rivals.'
Mr. Chamberlain's reference to French
subsidies Is equally fortunate for the op
ponents of the Hanna-Frye-Payno bill
The committee of the French Chamber of
Deputies last year reported that the mer
ohant marine was In such a state of deca
dence as to cause uneasiness About the
navy; and the New York Journal of Com
merce notes:
"The construction bounty paid to steam
ers not receiving postal subsidies has had
no beneficial effeot. The construction of
steamers under this head averaged 19,434
tons from 1SS1 to 1894, and only 6116 tons
from 1S?5 to 1897. In 1893 the half bounty
paid to foreign-built vessels under the
French flag was withdrawn for the benefit
of the French shipyards. The consular re
port summarizes the evidence in the state-
I
THB VOLGA RTVER AT SAMARA.
ment that 'the law of 1S93, enacted for the
purpose of Improving the efficiency of tho
French merchant marine, has not accom
plished Its purpose.
'Evidently the French shipyards had
combined, not only to avoid competition,
but to exact the entire government aid
from the shipowner. Speaking of the law
of 1893, the consular report saye tho ship
owners, 'at first disposed to give orders
to domestic builders, found tho latter con
stantly Increasing their prices, until the
point was reached where the builders
were accused of calculating the amount
of premium which proposed constructions
would command, and adding that amount
to their own cost price, thus absorbing
the premium for navigation and the one
for construction. It Is said that the three
companies named are virtually agreed as
to prices.' "
Trust Anarchists.
If It were not too serious, it would be In
teresting In this conection to note the lack
of a sense of humor in men like Hanna
and other leaders and go-betweens in this
matter when they or their kind deprecate
populism, anarchy and other heresies as
cribed to those who question their rep
resentation of patriotism and Providence,
Every time Senator Hanna defends auch
a steal, or Mr. McKlnley connives at It,
or Mr. Grlscom stands in public, holding
his pockets open to be filled from the
treasury, more conservative American
citizens, who until then have believed they
belong to tho party of Abraham Lincoln,
are convinced that if this be government,
then something else Is better, than could
ever have been thus persuaded by tho
most eloquent avowed anarchist In the
world.
A HIGHBINDER WAR.
Two Prominent Chinese Merchants
lUlled.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 5. The war
of the tongs In Chinatown was renewed
today by the murder of two of the most
prominent merchants In this city, and the
wounding of a third man, all members of
the Sam Yup organization. The victims
of today's outbreak are Poon Gee, Low
Soon and Long Chouj members of the pork
packing firm of Tuck Wo & Co. The two
first named were killed and the third
seriously Injured.
The store of Tuck Wo had Just been
opened for the day's business when four
highbinders darted out from a small alley,
opening up a fusillade on Poon Gee, who
was standing In the doorway of the store.
Low Soon went to see what the trouble
was, and was also killed. The murderers
escaped, after wounding Chou. The police
have been at work for some time trying
to rid Chinatown of this horde of high-
k fP
RAILWAY STATION AT CHELIABIXSK, WESTERN TERMINUS OF THE SI
BERIAN RAILWAY.
binders, and lately Chief Sullivan notified
the Chinese consul that ho would not
further Increase his forco in the Chinese
district, but would look to the Chinese to
do their share In putting down the war,
or, In case the trouble was not settled,
ho would clear Chinatown out. Some de
cisive action on the part of Chief Sulli
van Is looked for.
Electricity on Warships.
Philadelphia Press.
The conclusion of naval experts regard
In the use of electricity on warships Is that
electric motors will ere long be employed
to drive all auxiliaries on warships, steam
being used only for the main engines and
the central electric generating plant. Tur
rets oro handled by machinery as easily
as a boy sslns a top.
o i
"Wonderfully "Well.
Detroit Free Press.
Mr. Llttlefleld, of Maine, Is doing his
"share toward the filling of the vacancy in
the House statesmanship left by Mr.
Reed.
Our Increase of Iiumnlty.
Much discussion has been aroused lately
by the alarming Increase of Insanity. Our
high rate of living Is the cause assiimed.
In tho tush for money, both men and
women neglect their bodies until the
breakdown comes. The best wajs to pre
serve health Is by a faithful use of Hos
tetter's Stomach Bitters. By curing all
stomach ills, this remedy prevents nervous
break-down. It Is also an excellent medi
cine for constipation, dyspepsia and biliousness.
LIKE OUR OWN PLAINS
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COUNTRY
WHERE THE COSSACKS ABIDE:
Changrea In Towns Brought by Ad
vent of the Railroad and Di
version of Trade.
SAMARA, Russia, Aug. 11. Travelers
who Journey by the through trains of the
great transcontinental line across the
Russian Empire may Judge this city to be
but a way station of a larger size and
not worth any other attention. As a
matter of fact, however, as It Is the place
where tho system of railways extending
to the Ural Mountains and Siberia
leaves the Volga River, It Is one of the
most Important shipping points In the
country- An immense traffic passes here
on the river, and It i3 the Initial place
of shipment for large quantities of agri
cultural products raised In the Immediate
vicinity. Some weeks ago I reached Sa
mara by a Volga-River steamer, on my
way from Nljnl Novgorod to the Cas
pian Sea. This time I have come to the
city from the West over the European
line that ultimately becomes the Siberian
Railway when It crosses the Urals into
Asia.
In the Journey from tho base of the
prfe
Caucasus Mountains to this city one sees
a large part of the moBt characteristic
agricultural region of Russia, as well as
the edges of the Industrial region that
centers at Rostov-on-Don. The great
plains where the Cossacks live are prai
ries, like those of Iowa and Nebraska,
entirely without forests, but covered with
the richest of pasture grasses, splendid
grazing lands, or equally good for the
raising of grains. Where they are left
uncultivated there springs up a gor
geous growth of highly colored wild
flowers, and song birds are very numer
ous throughout this portion of the
steppes. The Cossack needs no sympathy
for the character of the land where he
makes his home. Monotonous as it may
seem to one who has been accustomed
to forests or mountains. It Is Just what
these warriors like. They always have
preferred treeless regions, because there
Is less danger from tho coming of an ene
my unawares where he can be seen for
many miles across the prairie. They
love their prairie grasses, and the song
of the meadow larks has been called by
ono of their own poets "the music of the
steppes."
All through the first day's Journey tho
succession of wheat and corn fields, the
multitude of hay and grain stacks, the
profusion of wild flowers and the numbei
of song birds were constant reminders of
ourown Western farming regions. The
differences, however, were marked. Great
fields of sunflowers, alike a necessity and
a delicacy for the Russian peasant, al
ternated with the wheat and corn. The
houses of the little Cossack villages had
their roofs corded on by cables that ran
right around them and reminded me of
a round-topped trunk roped for a long
Journey. On this section of the line the
locomotives wero equally familiar, for
they were "Baldwins" from Philadelphia,
burning coal. In the Caucasus and Turk
estan naphtha refuse Is the only fuel,
and north of the Don coal measures wood
is burned In the locomotives.
Many of the more prosperous towns and
cities of Russia are on the line between
Vladikavkaz and Samara. Rostov-on-Don
Itself, with a population of some
70,000, Is the seat of two fairs each year,
where horses and cattle are sold In great
numbers. Its exports are received chiefly
from the Caucasus, and they are shipped
In barges down the Don to the road
stead at Taganrog, on the Sea of Azov.
The bar at the mouth of the Don forbids
any but small vessels to come up the
river to Rostov, but above the bar river
steamers of considerable size ply be
tween the neighboring towns. A railway
connects the Don River, at the town of
Kalatch, 333 miles above Rostov, with
the city of Tsarltsln, on the Volga. The
distance between the rivers at this point
is but 50 miles, and the flow of traffic
back and forth Is considerable. Un
doubtedly the most available means of
opening the Caspian Sea to ocean trade
is to construct an ample canal across this
distance and Improve tho channels of
the two rivers. There would then be a
fairly direct course from the Caspian to
the Black Sea, and thence to the outer
oceans. Rostov, next to Odessa, Is the
largest industrial center In South Rus
sia, its tobacco manufactories being the
most Important commercial Institutions.
Capital of Cossaclc Country.
Novocherkask, 30 miles from" Rostov,
Is the capital of the country of the Don
Cossacks, and In its archives are pre-
served many highly prized relics and tro
phies of Cossack history. VaroneJ. with
60,000 Inhabitants, maintains four annual
fairs and otherwise Is most famous today
for its great trade In corn. Unseed; tallow,
candles and soap. Kozlov, 515 miles north
of Roztov, with 2S.000 Inhabitants, Is a
center of tallow-melting houses, breweries,
distilleries and kindred industries. Around
It is one of the most fertile of the "black
tfloll" regions of Russia, corresponding
i with the prairie loam of our own central
grain and cattle. RIaJsk Is a much smaller
place, but lt3 merchants control a large
trade In the agricultural products of the
region.
From RIaJsk the trains from the south
continue directly on to Moscow. Trains
for Samara, however, run from Moscow
l to Tula, and thence turning east at a right
angle pass through RIaJsk and continue
toward the Volga. Between RIaJsk and
Samara the agricultural conditions are
particularly favorable, except In years of
j famine, which have been recurring all too
J frequently of late, as a result of lnsuCl-
07 v
dent rainfall. The towns on the way are
not Important until the Volga River Itself
Is reached. The only places worth nam
ing in this distance of 403 miles are Morsh
chansk, Penza and Kuznetsk, which like
wise catalogue all sorts of agricultural
products as their Industries. At the lat
ter place, however, larsre Quantities of
agricultural Implements are made, while
Penza Is famous for the manufacture of '
cloth of camels' hair and peculiar Rus-
elan hoods made from that beautiful fab- ,
TIC.
Trains reach the Volga at Syzran. Al
though a city of 35,000, with Important ag
ricultural Industries and a large trade In
the asphalt worked from desposlts in the
river banks neur by, Syzran is not a
point of any consequence In the adminis
tration of the railway. The honor of end
ing the division Is given over to the vil
lage of Batrakl, 10 miles beyond, where
the construction of the great Alexander
bridge across the Volga started a town
which has grown rapidly of late years.
Large transfer yards and docks have "been
constructed, and Batrakl bids fair to rise
as a rival to its neighbor. Once across the
long bridge, a splendid work which has
played an Important part In the uniting
of Russian territories east and west of
the great river, It Is a run of SO miles
to Samara.
From Samara to Orenburg, 261 miles
southeast of here on the Ural River, ex
tends a railway which has played a promi
nent part In the trade of Russia and In
the plans for a line across Siberia. It
was the earliest line to be extended that
far east, and naturally was considered as
a possible start of that possible trans
Asiatic railway which seemed so visionary
but a few years ago. Until tho building
of the Transcasplan Railway virtually all
the travel between European Russia and
Central Asia was by way of Samara and
Orenburg, so that the construction of the
rail line to connect these two cities was a
notable undertaking. Most of the military
expeditions against the khanates traveled
over this route, and the traders of Bok
hara, Khiva and Khokand brought their
wares to tho fair of Nljnl Novgorod in
the same way. Of course, all this travel
over tho caravan route was by camels,
and until tho railway was built to Oren
burg In 1S77 the processions of these use
ful carriers of the desert were familiar
sights as for Into the heart of European
Russia as this city. The construction of
that railway made the caravan route end
at Orenburg, and the two cities continued
to dominate the shipping trade with the
khanates until tho railway was completed
fromthe Caspian Sea to Samarkand. Since
that time Orenburg has retrograded ma
terially from Its proud position as the
most Important city on the Euro-Asian
frontier, although It Is still a city of prob
ably 70,000 inhabitants, with handsome
buildings and shops and a large trade
In wool from the herds of the Kirghiz
Tartars, whose steppes extend for hun
dreds of miles from tha Ural River. The
famous Orenburg shawls of goat hair axe
the most famous products of the city, and
are sought by travelers as much softer
and lighter than the finest Shetland
shawls.
Trade "Was Diverted.
The people of Orenburg havo hopes that
tho Transcasplan Railway will be extend
ed through the 1000 miles or less between
their city and the present terminus at
Tashkend, along the old caravan route by
way of Orsk, Uralsk. Turkestan and the
Jaxartes Valley. They believe that this
rail connection would restore their pros
perity by diverting traffic from the Cas
pian Sea route that it now follows. Un
doubtedly the wares of Bokhara and Sam
arkand would reach Russia by this alter
native route, thus avoiding the annoying
transshipment at the Caspian, but It is
hard to see how Orenburg even then
would bo anything but a way station. Al
though such a line must be built before
many years, and through trains put In
service from Moscow to Tashkend. in all
probability It will not be done until after
the completion of the proposed extension
from Tashkend to a connection with the
Siberian Railway at Omsk by way of Ver
noe and Semipalatinsk. Indeed, the pro
moters and supporters of tho Transeas
pian Railway oppose the plan altogether,
with tho argument that the latter railway
would suffer by the diversion of traffic.
In a sparsely settled country where the
lines havo to be built by government this
argument becomes one to be consldered.
At any rate. It is not likely that any
thing can restore to Orenburg Its halcyon
days when more than 100 caravans arrived
annually from Central Asia, laden with
cotton, silks, rare carpets, precious stones
and other products of the khanates, to be
exchanged for textile fabrics, hardware,
sugar and other European goods. Bank
ruptcy has come to the merchants, proper
ty has declined In value, and social life
has become dull and subdued. The pros
perity of the Kirghiz, whose great herds
of camels once served to carry all the
goods between the railway and the khan
ates, has suffered likewise.
TRUMBULL WHITE.
THE SPADE IN WARFARE.
One of the Lessons Taught by the
South African Cnniiiaigrn.
London Dally Mall.
Probably one of the sharpest lessons the
British military authorities have learned
from the Boers Is the remarkable power
of the spadesman as compared with the
swordsman In modern warfare. Provided
they are Intelligently placed, the Judicious
digging of a few trenches, carefully pro
tected by lines of barbed-wire entangle
ment or hastily Improvised abattls, Is of
Incalculable benefit to a regiment acting
upon the defensive.
This has long been recognized upon; the
Continent, tho great armies of which are
amply provided with entrenching tools.
For Instance. In the Austrian Army 99 and
Uses
ABRAHAM
E. ELMER.
118 YEARS OLD
BTAsnsirisaa.TAjroTiBoaoTrai.T. DBFFY
In the German 100 men per company
carry entrenching spades. In tho French
Infantry each company carries 78 entrench
ing tools, 30 of which are loaded upon a
mule, while 20 axes and SO spades form
tho Russian allowance per company.
A favorite dodge is to dig a deep ditch
in front of the actual position and to half
fill the excavation with the entangling
branches of trees. Tho effect of such an
obstruction upon a charging enemy is
most disastrous, since the exact rango
having previously been measured out, the
defenders have merely to pump lead Into
the floundering moss of men and horses
until they either retire or surrender.
Needless to say, the great art in all en
trenching 13 to render your diggings In
visible to the enemy until he Is right be
neath your guns, an art, by the way,
which the Boers appear to have mastered
to a nicety.
a o
AN ANGRY INDIAN CHIEF.
Peo, of the TTmntlllaa, Is "Wroth at
Showaway, of the Caynses.
Pendleton East Oregonlan.
Peo. Czar of all the Umatlllas, Is maflv
considerably madder than a hatter. His
anger is directed against Paul Showaway,
the hereditary chief of the Cayuses, who
disputes the title of Young Chief to tho
throne. Peo wanted to make the journey
to Washington to see his Uncle Samuel
and his cousins who attend to his Undo
Sam's affairs In the departmetns at th
capital. He and one or two ether Indians
got up tho scheme, and proposed to take
Showaway along as an Interpreter. The
latter talks good English, and Is not ac
knowledged by Peo to rank as a chief, or
even as a head man. But they were will
ing to havo Showaway go with them aa
a subordinate and stand between them,
and Undo Sam in a linguistic relation.
Showaway. however, stole a march on
Peo. He procured sufficient money to pay
the expenses of tho trip to tho national
capital, and employed legal counsel to go
with him. In his trappings and with all
the glory of usurped regality Showaway
boarded the cars, and Is now just about
duo to make his triumphal entry into
Washington and bo for a season" the cyoo
sure of all eyes on the streets there.
And Peo remains here, dad In hds ac
customed greasy garments, and contract
ing a semi-occasional "Jag," and ridinff
to and from the reservation on his scrub
by "cuitan," the while Showaway struts
along Pennsylvania avenue and attends
the theaters with all "de swell guys" of
tho capital.
All this hurts Peo, and makes him vow
vengeance upon tho head of Showaway,
His anger is so fierce and resentful that
he may be expected to assemble his
braves and take tho warpath against tho
pretended chieftain now whirling across
the continent to hear tho music of tho
waves washing tho Ehores of Chesapeaka
Bay.
Peo says, too, that Showaway is a falsa
envoy, anyway, and that he bears no le
gitimate mission from the Indians hero.
The outraged Umatilla chief gives away
tho whole game by revealing that the al
leged council of tho Indians was a fake
affair. Poo asserts that no council waa
held, and that the report sent out to that
effect was Invented by him and one or
two others, merely to lend their contem
plated Journey an air of Importance and
mako them appear like ministers plenipo
tentiary from tho Court of St. Peo to thts
Court of Uncle Sam: In short, Peo turns
state's evidence and testifies against his
fellow-plotters who wanted notoriety and
took that way to achieve it.
Peo also say3 that the Indians seem not
to care anything about tho Simon bill for
tho sale of the ceded unsold lands, and
that the fullbloods are not concerned
about the other bill permitting tho half
breeds or those of less than half Indian
blood to sell their allotted lands. It is
further asserted that many of tho part
bloods were really not entitled to recelvo
allotments, and that they paid old Chief
Homily to get them on the allotment lists.
It is claimed that at tho present time
notes given to Homily aro In existence
unpaid and standing against those who
signed them.
AH of which proves that the Chinaman
has no monopoly on ways that aro daric
and tricks that are vain.
1 0 P i j
A Father of Popular Education.
Chicago Tribune.
An Illinois newspaper speaks of the can
onization of Jean Baptiste de la Salle as
an honor to America. It has evidently con
founded tho founder of the Christlani
Brothers with Robert Caveller de la Salle,
the French explorer and discoverer of tho
"Mississippi River, which he named tho
River Colbert In honor of the French finan
cier. The explorer was born eight years
earlier than tho priest. The latters great
service was to be the real founder of pri
mary schools, of simultaneous or class in
struction, and of the first regularly or
ganized training school for primary teach
ers. In his work he gathered around him.
a band of young men, who were known
.as tho Brothers of the Christian Schools,
and who still continue his work along tha
same lines. Today they conduct schools
that are among tho best In the world,
steady progress having been made accord
ing the ldeala of their founder. La Salle'a
doctrine was that the pupil had a soul to
be saved as well as a mind to be instruct
ed. His schools wero the first to mako
Latin optional, using the vernacular for
Instruction, thus making the schools really
accessible to the plain people. The growth
of the Christian schools has been enor
mous. A writer In the Catholic World re
cently estimated the" number of their pu
pils at 326,579 In France, Belgium, Spain,
England, United States, Canada. Span
ish America and other countries.
They are taught by 14.913 brothers.
In the United States are 16,769 pupils under
the direction of 239 brothers. The church,
by the canonization of La Salle, will pay
on May 24 fitting honor to the cause o
popular education.
Duffy's Pure Malt Whiskey.
I
AbrahamE. Elmer, Who is in His 119th Year,
Says That Duffy's Pure Halt Whiskey
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Nearly 50 years Beyond the
"Three Score and Ten."
Feb. 10th.
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