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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1900)
" '"? T-i i ' THE MORNING OREGONIAN, -FRIDAY, APIUE 20, 1900. a v7 "j":r he (Drsaomcm Entered it the PostoSce at Portland. Ortioa. as aeoond-clsss raatttr. TELKPHDNTg. Editorial Rooms....l06 I Business oaee....CS7 REALISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. Br Mill tpostase prepaid), la Advance Dally. wlth8unaay. per xncnth ....$0 S5 Dally. Sunday excepted, per year.......... 7 CO Dally, with Sunday, per year . 8 00 Bunday. per year .. 3 00 The Weekly, per year 1 SO The Weekly. 3 months. ......... ........... 60 To City Subscribers Hally. per week, delivered. Sunday excepted.lSe Sally, per week, delivered. Sunday tncludedOa The Crercnlan doe not buy poema or atorle from Icdlildusls, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuacrlpt ent to It without solicita tion. Xo atamp abouM be Inclosed for this Purpose. Jfews or dlv-usskm Intended for publication ra The Oregonlan hou!d be addressed Invariably "Editor The OrgonIn."" not to the name of any Individual. Letters relating to advertising, subscriptions or to any builnets matter should be addressed mply "The Oreeonlan." Pucet Sound Bureau-Captain A. Thompson. eOoe at lm Pacific avenue. Tacoma. Bex VA Tacoma portoffloe. Eastern Buslnem Offlee The Trltruns bulld tnr. New York city: "The Rookery." Chicago; " & B1th specie: agency. New York. For sale tn San Francisco by J. K. Cooper. TS Market street, near the Palace hotel, and at Goldsmith Bros.. 23C Sutter street. ?I "a,e ta Chicago by the P. O. New Co, 217 Ierborn street. TODATS WEATHER. Occasional showers; winds mostly westerly. POB.TI.AXD, FRIDAY, APIIII. 20. 1O0O. the ninn.vTs op -run nonits. The British are not pressing the campaign In South Africa, since It Is not now necessary they phould. It is evident that Lord Roberts is endeavor ing to avoid waste of life. By means of Its enormously superior resources the British Government can keep up a pres sure of force upon the Boer States which they cannot very long sustain. Even if there should he not much more lighting, the Boers cannot maintain for an Indefinite period the effort necessary to hold the British armies at hay. The resources of the two states will be ex hausted, under such pressure, within a short time within a few months, or a year or two, at furthest- As a result of such tension, collapse Is inevitable. The power of resistance will be worn out. Again it Is reported that the Boers will blow up the mines. They probably wlH.-And they may also destroy the City of Johannesburg. These desper ate measure , will not avert the doom of theso two states, but will only be the means of rendering their obliteration more complete: and they will JusUfy all the severltfps of nHeni mcT.i.k i.A j British Government may see fit to en force. To blow up the mines and to de j stroy the City of Johannesburg would riA note nf nnJ.II. .1.1 . M . ..a..uciiiiu, iwiuuui avail as military expedients, and therefore without excuse at the bar of the world. Citation of Moscow as a precedent Is absurd, for its destruction turned the French out Into a Russian "Winter, while Johannesburg is in a climate where shelter from cold Is not neces sary to armies. Destruction of the mines would be purely an act of venge ance, wmen could in no way help the Yillitary situation or condition of the Kwers. But it would furnish the Brit ish with Justification for their war upon sucn a people, and the world with proof that it was time such a people had ceased to exist, as an Independent po litical body in contact with the world. The world may look for this devasta tion; but the British armies will go for ward all the same, and the Boer States will cease to exist. The waste will be repaired in time, though the loss will be enormous. If the British Kmplre were fighting merely for the mines, simply for property. It might well de sist. But it is fighting a foe that has challenged Its sovereignty. Insulted Its majesty. Invaded its territory: and it will punish that foe at whatever cost, and without stopping one moment to count the cost, as all great nations have done, and always will do, in circum stances similar. It is not a wise valor that wantonly plucks lions by the beard. vmiust ix Tun vxa. east. Late news from Japan Indicates the certain and perhaps not slow approach of the time when Russia and the Island Kingdom shall become embroiled In matters that can only be settled by war. The demand of Russia to be al lowed to land troops in Corea is held to be evidence of the Intention to strengthen the Czar's grip upon Japan, and, together with other movements of aggressive significance, leads to the be lief that such embroilment may not be far distant. The war spirit is said to run high in Japan. Her people, believ ing the conflict to be Irrepressible, pre fer that it should come before the com pletion of the trans-Siberian Railway. "With pride in their new navy and abso lute confidence in its prowess, and in actual touch with their base of sup plies, the Japanese believe that they are in relatively better condition to wage war in Asiatic waters than Is Russia. Japan's fleet Is more than a match for that of Russia In these wat ers, and military critics estimate that she would be able to throw Into Corea, at very short notice, nearly a quarter of a million men, or a force sufficient to overcome by sheer weight of numbers the Russian strength on the Pacific The tension between these two pow ers became dangerous soon after the close of the Chinese-Japanese war In 1S94. Japan made war with China for the purpose.of making Corea Independ ent of Chinese control. After the close of the war, Russia robbed her of a part of the fruits of victory by forcing a release of the Llao-Tung peninsula. The humiliation which compliance with this demand placed upon Japan was bitter, and the irritation growing out of It has been increased by subse quent aggressions rather than softened by time, until now the differences be tween the two nations are apparently unreconcllable except through the ar bitrament of war. The question, sim ply stated, is this: Two aggressive races bent on expansion stand face to face in a fierce rivalry for power and influence over the same territory in the Orient. Heretofore the advance move ment of Russia has been careful and in a pacific though resolute temper. It has, however, been thorough-going and to all appearance Irresistible. Rus sian troops have occupied the great province of Manchuria for several years; and to all intents and purposes Russia now possesses that territory. The next step is to seize Corea; but cere Japan's Interests are so vital that peaceable possession Is not likely to be ellowed. Corea and China are not only the natural fields for Japan's manufac tures and products, but they form the storehouses from which she draws her supplies. Should Russia, by seizure or con quest, become the controlling power In Corea, Japan would be menaced seri ously. If not. In emergency, vitally. In a military sense, and her commercial activity would be confined to the nar row limit of her home territory. The warlike front which she presents to Rusqla, therefore. Is due to the belief that she must fight that power. If she would not surrender piecemeal the holdings and commercial Influence ac quired through her successful war with China, and that she Is now much better prepared to measure swords with her powerful enemy than she will be when the completion of the Siberian Railway brings Russia in close touch with her exhaustless source of supplies. T1ICY DOXT KXOW DKYAX. Boston sometimes has queer ways of looking at things, and Bostonese vaga ries of political reflection should not be viewed too critically; but when the Boston Herald, the most dignified and possibly the most thoughtful of all the Boston papers, begins its definition of the Issues of the campaign by exclud ing the only two things that really are Issues, it is time to protest. As for sil ver. It says, that "Is out of the run ning." As for expansion, "that Is set tled." As to Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, it says: "No party proposes that the United States shall give up their possession." The only objection to this view of the campaign Is that It is contrary to the facts. It would be all right, but it Is all wrong. Silver and the disposition of the Philippines are the Issued of the campaign. If the Herald doesn't know this, it hasn't read Mr. Bryan's recent speeches or the Nebraska platform, his work, or the Oregon platform modeled on the Nebraska platform. If sliver and expansion are not at Issue today, then the money standard was not at stake in 36. nor the tariff In 1S92, nor the extension of slavery in I860. The proposals In this campaign, as In 189G, come from the Democrats. They are the party of opposition, and It is the opposition's function to offer an alter native instead of the course pursued by the party In 'power. As for the party In power, it has to stand by its record. Whatever it professes, the people have a right to hold It to that record. It has pursued a purpose to retain the Spanish islands, and it must shoulder the responsibility. It has enacted a gold-standard law, and no professions for silver or "blmetallsm" It might make at Philadelphia can impair its en tire responsibility for advocacy and In tent to retain the gold standard. The party of opposition, then, as has been said. Is required to make alterna tive proposals: and Justice compels rec ognition that from this responsibility it does not shrink. It has alternatives and It puts them forward. One is free silver that Is, the Chicago platform. This is the first thing in all the Demo cratic platforms "We affirm the Chi cago platform In whole and In part." That is the first thing in the Lincoln platform and In the Portland platform, and will be the first thing In the Kan sas City platform. Bryan, In fact. Is and will be his own platform, and he stands by silver. If the Herald thinks nobody demands abandonment of the Philippines. It should read Mr. Bryan's speeches and the platforms that have been drafted at his dictation. What is the demand of the Democrats regarding the Philip pines? The answer is, their independ ence. This Is the burden of Bryan's speeches, this Is the specific declara tion of the Nebraska and Oregon plat forms. To say that nobody proposes to abandon the Philippines is as accurate as to say that nobody proposes to nom inate Bryan for President. Take silver and "antl-lmperlalism" out of the Dem ocratic proposals, and there Is nothing left but a mass of shapeless Jelly. The backbone Is gone. The underlying character of the Demo-Populist party is hostility to property and worship of the right of free riot. Its basis is socialistic, with tendency to anarchy. Free coinage of silver, debasement of money and sur render of the Philippine Islands are its affirmative demands. CRITICISM THAT KILLS. The criticism of General Buller and his subordinates by Lord Roberts is confirmed by letters written home to England by officers of high rank, who served under General Buller during the whole campaign on the line of the Tugela. Some of these letters have been printed, and one of them contains a denunciation of Gen eral Buller as fighting his splendid sol diers without either strategy or tactics. The officer who wrote this letter com pares Buller's generalship to the action of a blind man feeling his way forward by tapping a wall with his stick. He says that the splendid Irish brigade was Inexcusably sacrificed by its com mander. General Hart. The fiercest criticism of General Buller, Sir Charles Warren and General Hart does not come from the army correspondent, but from British ofilccrs of high rank and reputation, who served gallantly on the firing line during the whole of the fighting for the relief of Ladysmlth. These officers Indignantly deny that General Buller forced the enemy to withdraw, and Insist that but for Lord Roberts' movement Buller would never have entered Ladysmlth. Lord Roberts Is doubtless in posses sion of plenty of testimony to Justify his severe criticism of Buller's military capacity, and in face of such criticism the wonder is that General Buller Is left in command of an army of 30,000 men. Perhaps Buller has political "pull" enough at home to retain his com mand, but the logical effect of the pub lication of Lord Roberts' criticism would be the relief of General Buller or his resignation. With such an In dictment of his military ablllt as that framed by Lord Roberts, General Bul ler cannot hope to retain the confidence of his command in the future, and un less the War Office expected General Buller to follow General Gatacre to England it would hardly have pub lished Lord Roberts' report. Lord Rob erts has had a great opportunity to ex pose the utter military incompetency of the Wolseley pets in the English Army, and he has not thrown it away. He decs not make any attempt to dis guise his opinion that the English Army under General Buller before Ladysmlth Is correctly defined by what Klnglake called the English Army in the Crimea, "an army of lions commanded by Jack asses." If General Buller Is not relieved from command. It Is not likely that Lord Roberts will attempt any movement whose success will depend upon the co operation of Buller's army. Except un der his own eye and personal direc tion. Lord Roberts could not trust Bul ler's capacity; and for this reason Bul ler Is not likely to be given any Im portant work to do. Lord Roberts will pull the laboring oar, and may do to Buller's army what Grant did to the army of General Thomas In the Spring campaign of 1863. He may order its best troops, beyond what are neces sary to hold Ladysmlth and the rail way from Durban to the Boer frontier, sent to his own army. Thomas was too slow in preparation and on the march to satisfy Grant, so he ordered General Schoneld, with Thomas' best troops, to go east, and sent them to North. Carolina. TIID DEMOCRATIC GOLDEX-WINGED WOODPECKER. There Is a good deal of satire directed at the "Mugwump bird," a kind of po litical cuckoo that sometimes lays its eggs In the nest of one party and some times In that of the other, the chief solicitude of the mugwump bird being the hatching of its eggs and the shelter of its young with the least trouble and care to Itself. Sometimes the mug wump bird's egg doesn't hatch, either because the legitimate makers and oc cupants of the nest pitch it overboard or because they refuse to sit upon It and worm It Into life, so that It becomes an addled egg through neglect. But the Democratic golden-winged wood pecker Is not a cuckoo at all; it Is a bird of very strong local attachments to the original Democratic nest, from which It reluctantly took to flight In 1S96, when the Demo-Populist red headed woodpeckers and the piebald Silver-Republican woodpeckers became the ruling forces of the party. Some of the golden-winged Democratic wood peckers In 1896 undertook to flock by themselves; some of them Imitated the example of the mugwump bird and Joined the ranks of the Republican golden-winged woodpeckers, but, al though this brought them Into good so ciety and furnished them with revenge upon the red-headed and piebald Demo-Populist woodpeckers who had dispossessed them of their ancestral home, it did not furnish them with a warm official nest In which to lay eggs, hatch them and thus Increase and mul tiply their following. So the golden winged Democratic woodpeckers have been of late trying to fly back to the old nest, but the piratical birds who hold the fort deny them admittance on any tolerable terms of submission. They can come Into the nest, but must be content to occupy a back seat and must eat the same Identical crow that they refused to swallow when they took to flight In 1896. Theso golden-winged Democratic woodpeckers are the unconscious polit ical humorists of the time. They see plainly that Bryan will be renominated, but solemnly attempt to lubricate him before swallowing him. They say no harm can come to the country and to business, even If Bryan Is elected: that the Senate is surely Republican, and that the passage of the gold-standard law makes free silver coinage and a disturbance of industrial conditions an impossibility. But, unfortunately, this song and dance of the Democratic golden-winged woodpecker is discred ited by Mr. Bryan himself, who per emptorily refuses to be lubricated. "If you swallow me." Bryan says In sub stance, "you must take me Just as I am, without one plea." This is the answer of Mr. Bryan to the golden-winged Democratic wood peckers, whose delusive song and dance, as executed locally, seems to have excited nothing but mirth and contempt on part of the red-headed Demo-Populist woodpeckers and their allies, the silver-bellied Republican birds, who are the eccentric occupants of the ancestral Democratic nest, even as prairie dogs, rattlesnakes and owls will live in harmony sometimes In the same hole. When Inman, a leading golden-winged Democratic wpodpecker, was urged for Mayor, he was promptly turned down: when another returning golden-winged Democratic woodpecker with tears in his eyes pleaded against fusion with the Populists, he. too, was turned down. Why not? What else can a man expect who invokes the memory of Jefferson and Jackson In an assembly whose theory of finance would have seemed lunacy to Jefferson, whose theory of Popullstlc legislation la in complete subversion of Individualism In government, strenuously asserted by JefTerson and supported by Jackson? These returning Democratic golden winged woodpeckers deserve all the contempt they receive, for they are at least old enough to know better than to pretend that they can swallow Bryan as a Democratic nominee, but not as a Populist nominee. They will be obliged to swallow not only Bryan, who Is really a Populist and never was any thing else, but they will be obliged to swallow him standing on the Chicago platform, which Includes not only a free-silver plank, but a number of very rotten Popullstlc planks. They will be obliged to swallow Bryan without lubri cation. They will be obliged, if they accept the Chicago platform, not only to cut off their gold wings of 1896, but to wear the plumage of the red-headed Demo-Populist woodpecker. They will find out If they elect Bryan that they "have poured out the baby with the bath." The putting out of commission of so many warships Is significant at this time chiefly because of the explanation offered. In point of fact. It Is not neces sary or economical to keep all the ef fective vessels of the Navy in com mission In a time of profound peace with all maritime powers, neither Is It expected. But when one vessel after another Is retired for the reason that their commanders and crews are needed for the new vessels that must be placed In commission in order that contract ors' obligations to the Government may be canceled, the situation assumes a mildly serious aspect, which, under the shadow of a warcloud. might speedily become acute. Men competent to com mand and work naval vessels cannot be picked up at random under stress of emergency. The one arm of the gov ernment that demands trained handi for Its service is the Navy, and It ap pears that, though the United States Government is building a Navy slowly, as compared with the activity In this line of Its possible foes among the Eu ropean powers, its preparations to man Its ships are in a yet more backward state. Whether with the schoolshlps we have afloat, with men In train ing, and the cadets that are un der Instruction at Annapolis, this serious shortage In Naval officers will In due course of time be met, the public Is not advised. Certainly the strain will thereby be relieved some what. But the fact, as stated on the authority of the Naval Bureau, that there are at present fully 160 vacancies In the line of the Navy and the total number of officers Is really less than four years ago, notwithstanding the great increase In the number of ships, should put active brains In the Naval Department and In Congress at work to devise ways and means whereby an anomalous condition of affairs that might easily become serious Is corrected. Gratifying evidence of substantial growth of the type that attracts home bulldlng is seen In the petition for the extension of water mains to the dis trict, the industrial center of which is the Doernbecher furniture factory. The Buburbs of Portland present fine oppor tunities for the establishment of the homes of labor, and no form of growth is more welcome than that which takes on the manufacturing phase. This is, Indeed, growth along two distinct lines, both of which .are permanent. The free holder among the laboring classes Is the Ideal citizen. He is never In the an archist's audience, and he makes a spe cialty of labor's opportunities rather than of its grievances. Portland may well congratulate herself upon the es tablishment of nny Industry that Is the nucleus of modest suburban homes, and should not fall to extend to this and these, as far as Is at all practicable, the benefits of Bull Run water for the usual consideration. A suggestive ceremony, and In a way a pathetic one, is the annual presenta tion at Westminster Abbey on Maun dy Thursday of a small gift from the Queen to aged and deserving persons in number equal to the years of her life. Eighty-one of these feeble pensioners upon the Queen's grace and bounty tot tered up the Abbey chancel on Thurs day of last week to receive royal alms, the presentation of which Is the only rite of an exhaustive church formula which English sovereigns have prac ticed on this day since the reign of James IL As observed now from year to year. It Is chiefly suggestive of the great age of the Queen, relatively few of the thousands of spectators who wit ness the ceremony attaching any slg nlflcance to It beyond that which at tends a gracious bestowal of charity by the aged sovereign to a specified num ber of the aged poor of her realm. We may not be quite sure what ex President Cleveland Is driving at In his letter to the Democratic Club at Brook lyn, but It seems certain that he views several things with alarm. Speaking of the party in power, he gives utter ance to this lucid sentence: "We should too well understand their ability to attach to their fortunes the power ful contingent of selfish Interests to place confident reliance upon the weak ness which ought to be the penalty of their misdeeds." The rest of the letter Is In much the same solemn and pon derous style of vagueness. But his purpose seems to have been to whack the Republican party for Its misdeeds and the Democratic party for Its false leadership. It would have been more becoming to the record of the Prince ton sage If he had said plainly what he meant and all he meant. So far as heard from, Oregon was not represented at the Traiut-Misslssipp Congress. Bryan was. It used to be the fashion out here to take the con gress seriously, and public-spirited citi zens went to much trouble and expensa to attend. Governor Geer was at the Salt Lake session, a year or two ago, and found, what had already .been pretty well known, that it was In the control of wild silver propagandists and Bryan boosters. Since then Oregon has stayed away, and so have others who have not desired to contribute to the misrepresentation and stultification of the West by this Ill-advised and mis guided body. Debs contemplates another mission ary visit to the Northwest. All that Is wanting is the necessary funds. The jawsmlth Is worthy of his hire, but. In the case of Debs, his pay shouldbe pre cious small, a little less than enough to keep him out of mischief and Jail, which he once occupied with much sat isfaction to the public and with poor profit to mself. The President wants the Nicaragua CanaL The Republican majority wants the canal: the Democratic minority Is not fighting the canal; and the people are practically unanimous about IL Everybody Is for it, and nobody Is able to get It through Congress, nor has been for long years, nor will be until Its false friends are unmasked. Dewey Is wanting In the vital essen tial for Democratic Vice-Presidential candidacy, a barl. He would fill the popular Imagination, but Bryan does that, and always gives a good show for the money. Possibly Dewey could be put on as proxy 'for Brother-ln-Law McLean, who would provide the sinews. It cost Clark $S00.000 to be elected, and the Montana article of vindication may come as high. Let him move on to the State of Washington. If prece dent counts for anything, he can there secure for much less money a Populist Legislature and a vindication thrown In. The total collapse of the Dewey boom may not seem strange when It Is re membered that the New York World was Its sponsor. Unhappily, the child may not select Its parent. We are left uncertain as to whether the Republicans of New Tork want Tim Woodruff for Vice-President: but we are not left doubtful that Woodruff wants Woodruff. The German Meat 11111. Baltimore Sun. The provisions imported Into Germany from the United States In the year 1SSS were canned beef worth JUS.tW: fresh beef, S231.672; other canned beef, $36,333; tallow, J531; bacon. JJ.33S.8C3; hams. JMOJ.JM; f rtfih pork. JCG.3C0: salt pork, J4IS.i3S; lard, $12,820,843: lard compounds, S31S.C2; sausage casings, 3718.571 and miscellaneous meat products, t2.Wl.D3S. This entire volume of food products Is not affected by the meat Inspection bill which recently passed the German Reichstag, but only a part. If It becomes a law It will exclude immediately all foreign meat products except hams, ba 'con. sausage casings, canned meats and sausages, and from January 1, 1904, all foreign meat products except bacon and lard would be excluded. A very consid erable value, aggregating over 116,000.000, would continue to be imported into Ger many even after 1904. Some six or seven millions' worth would be excluded. Tho advantage of excluding that small amount tf. merchandise is rx slight In com parison v-trh the harm likely to be done to Germany's sales In this country, after we retaliate, (bat the meat bill would be dropped It the men behind it cared for German exports. But they do not care. They are farmers intent on "protecting" the home market, and are blind to- every thing but their own narrow interests.' THAT'S SO. Opposition to Puerto Riean Tmrlfl Was Jfot Altogether Fruitless. Chicago Times-Herald. Before leaving the Puerto Rlcan ques tion to the judgment of the Supreme Court and the verdict of the American people, let us recall what has been won for American honor. Justice and consist ency by those Republicans who have In sisted that the Island of Puerto Rico should become a part of the United States by tho old, safe, familiar territorial route. Let It not be forgotten that both tha original House and Senate bills were free. trado measures that Is to say, they ex tended the American protective tariff schedules to Puerto Rico, but removed all tariff barriers between tho Island and the continental ports of the United States. On February 2, tho ways and means committee of the House voted to report tha Puerto Rico tariff bill, which threw the whole country Into a turmoil over tha far-reaching principles It involved. This original tariff bill was a straight levy of 15 per cent of the DIngley duties on all articles of merchandise passing either way between the United States and Puerto Rico. It also provided that tho duties on Importations from Puerto Rico should "not be lesi in rate and amount than the internal revenue tax which may be Imposed In the United States." There was no time limit on the provi sions of this bill, which was Intended to be permanent. Now let us see what has been accomp lished by agitation In the way of mak ing the Puerto Rico bill less obnoxious to popular sentiment. Its very tltlo has been changed under the stress of publl- criticism to read "A bill temporarily to provide revenues and a civil government for Puerto Rico and for other purposes." The J2.000.000 collected on Imports from Puerto Rico has been voted for the relief of the Island. The 25 per' cent injustice was reduced to only 15 per cent, thus conceding 83 per cent of the "plain duty." This 15 per cent of Injustice Is to con tinue "until March L 1902, but not there after." Provisions and breadstuffs will be ad mitted free Into Puerto Rico in response to the demand of the Republican advo cates of free trade between parts of the United States. In a score of minor features the bill signed by tho President yesterday has been amended as a tribute to the people, who have not changed since the President told them their plain duty last Decem ber. Would lie Were Always Thus! New York Commercial Advertiser. The selection of Mr. Allen for Civil Gov ernor of Puerto Rico adds one more name to what is decidedly the most notable list of appointments to important places made by any President in recent years. It be gan with the appointments of Generals Wood and Ludlow for Cuba, and the first commission to the Philippines. Then came Judge Taft, with his four associates on the Second Philippine Commission, a body of men who for pre-eminent fitness for the work In hand could not be surpassed. The distinguishing characteristic of all the selections has been the complete absence of political considerations. Nobody can say of Wood or Ludlow or Taft or Wright or Ide or Worcester or Moses that he is in any sense either a. politician or a parti san. It was asserted with great positlve ness after the Spanish war was over that the control of our hew possessions would be turned over to professional politicians and bosses, with a crop of political scan dals unequaled In our history as the inev itable outcome. Nothing more diamet rically opposite to this policy could be con ceived than the course which tho President has followed. Itoosevelt to De "Drafted." Boston Herald. The talk about tho Vice-Presidency In New York still goes on. Nobody there Intimates that Hanna .and Piatt have not got the offlco to glvo away. A writer in the Tribune intimates that Roosevelt is to be "marooned" into It; that he Is to bo put forward to second the nomination of McKlnley, and then, by arrangement, to receive such a reception as will para lyze his nerve and compel him to accept. The leaders of the state delegations (al ready picked out by the conspirators) are said to havo received their Instruc tions. Plainly, this Is to be the greatest trial of strength between Piatt and Roosevelt that they have ever had. Re garding tho trial purely with a sporting view, we are Inclined to think it will be safer to place bets on Piatt. Roosevelt Is not in so good form as he was Just after tho Cuban War. The Hauls of Shipping;. United States Investor. The best evidence that this surplus of capital is beginning to affect its rental valuo In the United States Is the low rate nt which the Treasury can float the public obligations, and the millions which are tendered for British consols or Russian bonds. Ono of the great advantages of Great Britain In shipbuilding In the past has been the low returns which were ac cepted upon capital. If a British ship owner was content with 3 per cent upon his Investment, it was Inevitable that he should drive from the ocean the vessel which were' expected to earn 6 per cent. Kind Nature. Philadelphia Prreo. "Strange how nature equalizes all things." said the philosopher. "I mean to say that nothing Is lost In nature. What may be lacking hero Is given twofold there." "Ah!" remarked the novelist, "how about tho loss of elecpT' "Just the point I was going to make. The sleep you lose over the writing of a novel Is frequently gained by those who attempt to read it." i The Original "I'lnln Duty." Philadelphia Record. The Oregon Republicans Indorse Mc Klnley but evidently the original "plain duty" McKlnley: for they also declare themselves in favor of free trade with the Orient and demand that the tradi tions of the American people shall be pre served "by giving security to personal and property rights. Justice, liberty and equality before the law to all who live beneath the flag." SI Come to Town for n. Change. Detroit Free Press. "Let's go In hero and get something to eat," said one out-of-town visitor to an other, as he stopped before a reataurant with the sign. "Homelike Cooking." "No," replied the other. "We'll try some other place." i Xo Time. Indianapolis Journal. "Don't you over worry, Billy?" "Never!" "How do you get out of It?" "In daytime, I'm too busy, and at night I'm too sleepy." i s A Fixed Opinion. Detroit Frco Frees. Irate Citizen I am going to kill you, sir. for calling me a liar. Western editor (calmly That won't change my opinion at al, e Wealth nnd Luck. Philadelphia North American. "Would you rather be born lucky or rich?" "Rich. Then I wouldn't have to trust to luck." BRYAN HAS A FIGHTING CHANCE It Is a mistake to assume that the Re publican party has a walk-over In the coming Presidential election. The chances are strongly against the Democracy, but that Bryan and his followers are Justified In believing they have a fighting chance is evident to the Impartial observer. The Electoral Colleee has 44? votes, precisely the same as in 1896, making 234 votes necessary to a choice. In that year the respective states cast their electoral votes as follows: Rep. states I California. 8 Dem. states- Alabama 11 (Connecticut 6 Arkansas ... ..... s Delaware 3 Colorado 4 Illinois 24 Florida 4 Indiana l5,Georgla 13 Iowa 13 Idaho 3 Kentucky SiKansas 10 Maine 6 Louisiana ... 8 Maryland SlMlsslsslppl 9 Massachusetts ... 15,Mlssourl 17 Michigan 14 Montana .. 3 Minnesota 9 Nebraska 8 New Hampshire.. 4Nevada 3 New Jersey lOiNorth Carolina.... 11 Now York 36South Carolina.... 9 North Dakota ... 3 South Dakota. 4 Ohio 23Tennessee 12 Oregon 4Texas 15 Pennsylvania .... 32'utan a Rhode Island .... 41 Virginia 12 Washington 4 Vermont 4 West Virginia ... 61 Wisconsin 12 Wyoming 3 Total .176 Total 271 Candidate Bryan must take tS-votes from the Republican column to succeed. New York and Indiana, always pivotal states, would fill the bill, and leave three to spare. This Is assuming that McKlnley will otherwise hold his own, and that the Democratic nominee would lose nothing that Bryan had In 1896, a most unlikely supposition. If the election were to be held now, tho following Bryan states would probably give Republican majori ties: Kansas .10 South Dakota 4 Washington 4 Wyoming 3 Total ,7H Kansas elected a Republican Governor In 1S9S by 15,000 majority, after having gone the other way two years before by 12,000. The county and district elections of 1SS9 dis closed not only that the Republicans had held their -own. but had actually made farther large gains. South Dakota went fusion In 1S9G and 1S9S, by an exceedingly narrow margin, less than 300 votes, but In 1899 gave the Republican Supreme Judge nearly 10,000 majority. Wyoming was lost to McKlnley by 583, but elected a Repub lican Governor two years later by 1394. a comfortable plurality In a state of small voting power. Washington declared for silver four years ago by' about 12,aX). but two years later experienced a remarkable change, and elected two Republican Su premo Judges by 8000, and two Republican Congressmen by 2X0 to 5000. The over whelming sentiment for expansion seems to promise the continuance of Washington, as well as Wyoming and South Dakota, in the Republican ranks. The Democrats have grounds for ex pecting to gain the two following: Kentucky S Maryland S With a total of 16 votes. There can bo no question that Kentucky would have given a considerable Democratic majority In 1899, but for the Internal dissensions in the party. It gave McKlnley less than 300 In 1896 and the following year elected a Democratic Supreme Court Clerk by 1S.00O. Maryland elected a Democratic Governor last year by about 12,000; and Is now de batable ground, although the sound-money sentiment Is exceedingly strong there, and, with McKlnley and Bryan as candidates again, the former could doubtless have the advantage. But. conceding both these states to the Democrats, and being given the four Bryan states above named, the Republicans In the exchange would make a net gain of five. New York and In diana might, therefore, be lost to the Re publicans, and still they would win. The following would bo tho showing in that event: Bryan states of 1896. minus Washing ton. South Dakota, Wyoming and Kansas VS New York 36 Indiana 15 Maryland 8 Kentucky 8 Total .22 Or, two votes shy of the necessary major ity. It Is taking a highly favorable Republi can view to count on Washington. South Dakota and Kansas all reversing their at titude of 1S96. If any one of them were to fall, and the Democrats were to secure New York, Indiana, Maryland and Ken tucky, the election is lost. The new Li sues of 19U0 make all or these states de batable, and it may be taken for granted that any condition that would sweep New York and Indiana Into the Democratic camp would bo likely to carry several other states along. Indiana has recently given decided evidences of Its weakness for the Republican cause, and in a lesser degree, so bos New York. Therefore, tho statement is repeated that it Is foolish to regard the outcome of tho approaching Presidential election as a certainty. 111 Away With Superstition. Washington Star. T don't believe in superstitions." re marked one of two men with race badges on their coats. "Neither do I," answered the other. "I am trying to get away from them. I"ve noticed lately that every time I think of a superstition I have bad luck." t Mr. Kipling (With Apologies to Ilia "Tommy"). W. F. Gates. I went Into a library to Ket a book to read. Tho librarian, "e up an' sex, "We've, nought but Klpllns hero"; The people all around they laughed an' giggled Ht to die; I outs into the street again, an to myself seal: Oh. It's Klpllns 'ere an Kipling there an" Klpllns near an far. And its "Special news from Kipling" when you read about the war: When you read about the war, my boys, you reid about the war. Its "Special news from Kipling" when you read about the war. Tea, rendln" lots o telegrams an' wrltln while we sleep Is cheaper than to shoot a gun. an that's starvation chlap; "" An' tellln 'bout the soldiers woes when goln large a bit Is Ore times better business than paradln' in full kit. For Its Kipling 'ere an Kipling there an" Kipling- near an' far. An" Its "Poet of 'Is country," when tha sol diers go to war; When the soldiers go to war, my boys, the soldiers go to war. It's "Poet oC 'Is country" when the soldiers go to war. He writes o" better clothes for them an" food an' tires an' all. An" then 'e says that all they want Is treat ment rational; But Wy In all that's 'oly don't 'e put It to a test. An' give a guffrln public Just a week or tw o' rest? For Its Kipling 'era an' Kipling there an "Kipling's goln' to shoot!" Bis gun's forever loaded an' a million word to boot: An Its Klpllns 'ero an' Kipling there an Kin ling after fees. But the public ain't a bloomln fool, you bet the public sees! Philomath, Or. NOTE AND COMMENT. If General Roberts is wise he will not go home and run for President. This Is the season when the PresxVntlal bee has to hire a wholo swarm of assist. ants. Dewey may think the newspapera are rough on, him now, but wait till he Is really running for President. When the British Hon goes back to Eng land he will have to have his tail Ironed before he can be presented at court. A Colorado young woman was lately awarded 350,000 damages In a breach-af-promlse suit. Her heart Is still broke, may be. but she Isn't. President Earrlson's friends, when they think of McKlnley. are inclined to recite: Of ail sad words of tongue or pen The saddest are these. "We can't have Ben." The force which Great Britain sent toSt. Helena to guard Cronje. no doubt, has weakened her fighting force In the Trans vaal enough to account for the recent re ports with regret. The Chicago oculist who removed tha wrong eye of his patient outshines the dentist with the wrong tooth, and sheds another ray of confirmation on Napoleon's apothegm that a blunder la worse than a crime. When the Duke of Norfolk was about to depart from London for Africa, he took his sword to the private chapel In the Ro man Catholic Archbishop's house, where, according to an ancient rite. It woa sol emnly blessed before the altar by Cardinal Vaughan. Lost September George Weir and wife were granted a divorce at Concordia. Lost week they appeared In court and asked that the judgment be set aside, as they had reconsidered. The request was grant ed, establishing a new precedent in Kan sas Jurisprudence. Dr. E. B. Andrews has somewhat disap pointed his Eastern critics by declining the position of chancellor of Nebraska State University, to which he was chosen by a strict party vote. The former presi dent of Brown will remain Superintendent of Schools In Chicago. The Ohio Legislature has Just defeated a bill to Increase the salaries of the Su premo Court Justices from $4000 to JS00, and In Maryland the voters not long ago rejected a Constitutional amendment rais ing the pay of the Supremo Court mem bers from JSOO to $0000. The consumption of horsepower by tha British in South Africa Is causing great prosperity In the American horse market. British agents now In the United States are buying; Immense consignments In Chi cago and Louisville and New York, and the total purchases may reach 23.000 ani mals. There are 112 vacancies in the grado of Second Lieutenant, 70 In the infantry. 13 in the artillery and 27 In the cavalry. This number will be still further Increased be fore the graduation of the first class at West Point, and It Is stated that no civil ians will be appointed until after the West Point men and rankers have been provided for. Secretary Root has recommended to Con gress that provision be made for six Brigadier-Generals additional In the regu lar army, for the purpose of promoting Colonels Wheaton. Bates, Chaffee and Schwan, and two other Colonels, who have distinguished themselves since the out break of the war with Spain. The places have lapsed with the death of retirement of the Incumbents. By the decision of a Chicago Judge be lief In the faith cure is made a valid ground for divorce proceedings, and an ex-Congressman has Just got rid of an uncongenial wife nho reposed confidence In that method of healing. In his ruling the Judge gives sign of his belief that he who makes two divorces come to flower where but one blossomed before is a ben efactor of his species, at any rate of the discontented conjugal yoke fellows whom he releases from their bonds. Flnnegan. a Philadelphia mcsenger boy. Is thus quoted In the Philadelphia Record: "Jlst tell de great American publlck dat us messenger boys o' Philadelphia is agoln" ter hold a Indignation meetln' ter express our sympathies fer der British an' ter say we're agin de Boers. We're Trough wld de Boers since de mugs wot got up dat meetln at de 'CrEemy o" Music got a slob from New York fer to carry de mes sage to Kruger. Say, wot's de matter with us, anyway? Ain't we on de map? Are we counted out afore we gits Into do ring? Why. say, I seen dls New York mug's plxturo In de papers, an" say, ha looks like a Willie boy all right, all right. James Francis Smith he. colls hlsself. Wouldn't dat Jolt tyau? James Francis Smith! Hully gee! Why. I bet he wouldn't know a Boer from a fried egg. Desc here mugs Is Jlst a queerln" dere own town, dat's wot dere a-doln". Kruger"!! say to James Francis Smith: 'You cum from Philadelphia, don't you?' An' James Fran cis Smlth'll say: 'Not on ycr tintypes. Dey couldn't git no kids dere wot wuz fly enough for dls Jo"b. I'm from New York.' Dat's wot James Francis Smlth'll say. Anyhow, we're frough wld de whole push. De Boers has lost our support, an' you kin quote me as eayln' It. An' dat goes!" I s Thnt Sprlney Feelln. Atlanta Constitution. I've a sorter springy feelln o laziness, 111 state; You'd never ketch me nshln" ef I had to dig: the bait: An ef I hit the river bank, supplied with Jug an' cup. The calash bite so brisk, sir. they'd bo shore; to wake me up! Itnther let my soul leaf Itoun' the medders wide Dreamln on the river bank Or driftln with the tide. It come that springy feelln 'long 'bout this tlmeo' ear. When the bees air huntln honey, an the vio lets appear; A feller lest can't help It you want to take yer ease. An' fall asleep In blossoms, to the lull song O the brecie! lluther let rar soul loaf Roun" the medders wide J Dreamln on the river bank Or driftln with the tide. 1 9 ' The Damsel of the Plain. Theodore Watts In the Athenaeum. When Rowland found the Damsel of the Flats, Her datTodll crown lit all her shining head: Ho kissed her mouth, and through the world they sped. The beauteous smlllln; world In sun and rain. But. when long joys mada lovo a -rolden chain. He slew her by the sea; then, as he fled. Voices of earth and air and oceans cald: "The maid was Truth: God bids you meet again." Bntwoen tho devil and the deep dark sea He met a too more aoul-compelling still; A feathered snaka the monster seemed to bo. And wore a wreath o' tho yellow daffodil. Then spake tho dovll: "Rowland, fly to me; When murdered Troth returns aha cornea ba kill.- ,