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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 2, 1900)
EffwWfwflg wire i 'elyg -n w'ptniwc5 f SS" "3C rs, ?"fT THE MORNING OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1900. k. Catered at the PectoflW at Portland. Oregon, zjt 0ecosd-clasi matter. TELEPHONES. Eiltori&l Hooma.. .106 1 Business Ofllce... .6C7 REVISED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. By Mall (postage prepaid). In Advance Daily, vrlth Sunday. ;er month ....$0 53 Dally, Sunday excepted, per year ........ 7 SO Dally, with Sunday, per year 9 00 Sunday. pr year 2 00 The Weekly, per year . 1 60 The Weekly. 3 months... ....... M To City Eubac-itxr . Dally. Pr week, delivered. Sundays excepted.l3c Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays lncluded.20a The Oregcnlan does not buy poema or stories from Individuals, and cannot undertake to re nin: any manuscripto sent to It without aallclta. tloa. No stamps should ho Inclosed lor this purpose. News or discussion Intended for publication In The Oregonlan should be addressed Invariably "Editor The Oregonlan." not to the name of eny Individual. Letters relating to advertising, subscriptions or to any business matter should be addressed simply "The Oregonlan." Puget Found Bureau Captain A. Thompson. ofllce at 1111 Pacific avenue. Tacoma. Bex 053. Taeoma pjstofflce. Eastern Bustnms Ofllee The Tribune build ing. New Tork city; 'The Rookery." Chicago; the S. C. Beckwith special agency. New Tork. For sale In San Francisco by J. K. Cooper. 48 Market street, near the Palace hotel, and at Goldsmith Bros., 230 Sutter street. For oale In Chicago by the P. O. News Co., 217 Dearborn street. TODAY'S WEATHER. crly winds. -Fair; warmer: north- PORTLAXD. WEDNESDAY, MAY 2 AXIOMS OP TRADE. The basis of active 'and prosperous trade is advantage to buyer and seller alike on each transaction and on each end of the transaction. If we trade flour to China for silk, it is not enough that we want to sell our flour and China wants to sell her silk. "We must -want the silk and China must want our flcur. "VVe must know that we are more comfortable and better pleased with China, silk than without it. and China must be conscious of increased satis faction when in possession of Ameri can flour. Ignorance of this principle often leads to false views of trade. "We are art to Imagine that we have played a ery cute trick on the Chinese If we can in- elgle them Into purchase of our wares, and on the other hand to. view with chagrin and resentment any ad vance made by Chinese wares in our markets, "taking money out of the country" and reducing our "balance of trade." The basis of successful trade between distant communities Is mutual de mands met by mutual supplies. Our prospective customer must produce what we want, and what he wants we must produce or else go to some trouble to get it for him. Tou can't build up thriving trade on either of these con ditions alone. Tou must have both In conjunction. Of these two principles of trade there Je two present applications. One fits South America, the other fits Asia. In the one case the conditions are largely unfavorable. In the other -they are all favorable. One of the chief sources of anxiety to the National Association of Manu facturers, at their session Just ad journed In Boston, Is the South Ameri can trade. Mr. Search, the president, painfully groping between antagonistic sts, hopes to promote that trade tursrsgn tne subsidy bill. The hope Is apparently vain. But Mr. Search him self, recently 'at the head of a delega tion of commercial men, sent thither to investigate, reported that the shipping facilities to South America are ample. The more detailed report of Mr. Har per, secretary of the delegation, pub lished by the association, showed that freight rates were rather more favora- ?VIa n n... l,t .11 x. -r- .... . , .w ui ii auijjpen Liiu.ii to jiniisn; mat lu Opportunities Of Shinment -frnm mir ports were frequent, that they exceeded the demand from shippers, and that they had been increased and would be increased at any Indication that more were needed a prediction which has elnce been verified. We have the facilities for South American trade, but we don't do the business. "We are doing less and less as time goes on. The exports of Amer ican products, which were valued at 1783,000,000 for the fiscal year 1890, were valued at $1,227,000,000 for the fiscal year 1899. Had this great expansion applied to exports to South America" as well as to the outside world generally, the consumption of American goods In South America would have increased 60 .per cent There was in reality a de crease. Exports to South America In L-18S0 were valued at $37,750,000, and In ios at 535,660,000. In 1890 the United States took 590.000.0CO worth of South American products and the last-mentioned year only $80,500,000 worth. There has been a decrease in the total volume of trade between South America and this country. Were it not for coffee And rubber, the imports of which last year were valued at $57,000,000, few South American products would be used here. Nobody has ever offered to explain this phenomenon by application of the principles outlined at the beginning of this article. Mr. Search suggests ship ping subsidies, but he is answered out f his own mouth. The Consuls blame "the Merchants for being enterprising, and he merchants declare the fault Is all that of the Consuls. Criticism is generally leveled at our exporters for "cultivating the European trade." and for "abandoning the South American rade to Europeans." Why not look the fccts in the face and admit that to la creat extent the basic conditions of profltaTile trade between North and South America are lacking? Do we fant their trade? They would like tn 2ll us their wheat, cattle and wnnl. and we should like to sell them our wool, cattle and wheat. The desires of Europp bring these South Amer ican t'ds Into Liverpool, Havre and 'Hamburg. The .desires of European consumers also attract to EuroDean -ports the bulk of other South American products, Ike coffee, rubber and hides. Europe is bound to pay for these things, not in gold, but in merchandise, such as the South Americans desire. l Jt will supply of its own productions as far as it can, and for the rest It will tret them somewhere, even If It has to . buy them from -us and carry them twice across the Atlantic. When South America can sell her export surplus here and have her credits in our banks. ' J5he will draw against those credits for the cotton goods, wines and spirits, woolens, Iron and steel, etc., she now bus In Europe. This is not likely to occur -until our tariff laws are made lore liberal. We now buy a great deal t coffee and rubber from South Amer- and pay for them in manufactured joods. But coffee and rubber are both m the tree list, as long as we levy tnport taxes on wool, hides and other Iputh American products, we cannot complain if they are marketed in Eu rope and paid for with European wares or American wares sold In Europe. It Is the solid ground of hope for trans-Pacific trade that these untoward South American conditions are reversed In the case of Asia. The great Asiatic staples, silk, tea, hemp. Jute, matting, dyes, spices, ums, we do not produce at all. On the other hand, the desires of awakened Asia are for things we produce In exportable surplus wheat and wheat flour, lumber, iron and steel goods, textile fabrics, implements and machinery. Here Is the basis of limit less trade. The diversity Is greater and therefore the possibilities are greater, than prevail between the United States and Europe. Trade will take care of itself if gov--ernment will give It a chance. There Is only one thing worth while for Amer ican manufacturers and producers gen erally to lie awake nights or call con ventions about, and that is the neces sity for removal of restrictions on trade between the United States and Asia. They are oppressive. Iniquitous, suicidal. Delay and neglect are inexcusable. AX HONEST LABEL. The chief chemist of the internal rev enue ofllce. Dr. Charles A. Crampton, in an article In the Independent on food adulteration, expresses the opinion that the solution of the evil of adul teration of foods and the fraudulent substitution 'of Inferior or imitation products is found in the three words, "an honest label." This would, indeed, cure much of the evil, and is as far In that direction as legislation should go, except that adulterations deleteri ous to health might be prohibited. The word "adulteration" is generally used to signify the addition to any article of other ingredients for the purpose of decreasing Its cost. In its broader sig nificance, It embraces the substitution of one article for another, such as but terlne for butter, and the use of sali cylic acid, boracic acid, etc., as preserv atives in the .preparation of food prod ucts for market. A great wave of In dignation swept over the country be cause of the alleged use of antiseptics in preserving meat for use of the Army, yet there is scarcely an Individual who does not eat more salicylic acid every month in canned vegetables and other preserved foods than any soldier consumed In Cuba or the Philippines. It does not follow necessarily that adulteration In any of the senses used above is unhealthful, though In most cases fraudulent. In- some Instances the effect Is a decided improvement. Many cheap substitutes sold under the names of more expensive articles are wholesome, and if their fraudulent na ture were eliminated It would be an Interference with the natural rights of both producer and consumer to prohibit their sale or to lay any special burdens upon them In the matter of taxation. If consumers want to use cheap and not unwholesome foods, they should have the privilege of doing so, even if the producers of foods for which these are substitutes object to the loss ot trade occasioned by the sale of the cheaper article. If the Government protects the consumer against imposi tion and against injurious food adul terations, it has gone as far as it has any right to go. A food adulteration law which compels every article to be sold for exactly what it is, with an honest label that all can see and under stand, is all that Is needed in the mat ter of food substitutes. In the matter of adulterations, the label should show the nature and degree of adulteration, the consumer then being his own judge as to tne comparative merits of the pure and adulterated articles. Adul terations injurious to health might be prohibited, but that is a delicate mat ter to handle, and in most Instances the Intelligence of the consumer might be relied upon to curtail the market for harmful adulterations, whose character was distinctly declared by the labels under which they were sold. If legislation on this subject were to be based upon the Idea of protecting one industry against the inroads of another, then a broad field would be opened up', embracing nearly every manufactured article sold to the general oonsumer. In which textile fabrics would be found not far behind food products in fraud ulent adulteration, for the silk and wool Industries suffer severely at the hands of King Cotton. The consumer should be protected against impure and harm ful foods, but he also has the right to purchase cheap and wholesome foods if he desires them. He also has a right to purchase cheap fabrics to wear If he prefers cheapness to quality. The Gov ernment should not undertake to abridge his rights, even under the pre tense of protecting him from fraud or harm. BAZAIXE'S CONDUCT EXPLAINED. The mystery of Marshal Bazaine's conduct at Metz, in the Franco-Ger man war. Is unraveled by a writer in an English review. It appears that the Marshal's course was directed by the Empress Eugenie, who now Is quoted as saying that he acted In obedience to her orders, in pursuance of a course of political policy or intrigue, which, how ever, did not produce the results ex pected from it. All France called Ba zalne a traitor, and the Republic dealt with him as such; but this narrative goes far to clear him of that Imputa tion, since he was strongly attached to the Bonapartes, and the Empress, as regent, was at the head of the only government of France that he knew or recognized. His surrender of 200,000 men was unexampled in tho history of - war. The English review gives the ex planation thus: When Bazalno first shut himself up In Metz Napoleon was not yet a prisoner of war, whllo supreme power was vested In the hands of Em press Eugenie, as regent of Franco. It may be remembered that during the course of tho siege the mysterious Regnler. furnished with a passport signed by Bismarck hlmsolf. and bearing an autograph portrait of the young Prince Imperial by way of credentials, arrived at the German headquarters before Metz, and was forthwith passed through the lines and admitted into the besieged city, where ho had several secret interviews with Field Marshal Bazalne. The nature of these lntorvlews has always remained a profound mystery, and was never revealed by Field Marshal Bazalne, not even when he was on trial for his life. But at Berlin It Is well known In military and polit ical circles that Bazalno capitulated, not from motives ot cowardice or treachery, but In the expectation of being permitted to placo hla own services and those of his army of 200,000 men at the disposal of his sovereign, for the purpose of crushing the revolutionary move ment which he was Informed had broken out In Paris. Tho German version of the story has now, after these many years, been confirmed by no less a person than Empress Eugenie, who over ber signature admits that she herself directed the marshal to capitulate, in the expectation of an armistice being concluded with the Ger mans, and tho huge army of Metz left fr.ee to restore the Napoleonic throne. Bazalno was. therefore, not a traitor, but a too faithful and iyhlU? acrsaaS ofhs amapaxto, xrj ya- content to- sacrifice not only his life, but, what was Infinitely mor.c dear to him, his military fame and his namo as an honorable 'soldier to the causo of his master and patron. TnE LAW OP THE ROAD. The first of May has come, and once more the people who travel on foot an unfashionable but still goodly mul titude may begin to feel that they are safe from sudden assault upon the sidewalks of the city. The old-fashioned few who still trundle baby car riages about may hope to engineer these obsolete vehicles with their pre cious freight safely along the sidewalks in the residence portion of the city, and old people can venture to walk around the home block without danger of be ing run down by the silent wheel, urged at top speed by the reckless scorcher. In short, the special privileges of the sidewalk conferred by ordinance upon bicyclists from November to May have again expired by limitation, and If the police does Its duty without fear or favor, the sidewalks of Portland will be for a term of months dedicated to their legitimate uses. The public does not need to be told that "the bicycle is here." This fact Is In ample evidence; nor that the "bi cycle has come ta stay;" the presump tion being strongly in favor of this proposition. Nor do reasonable people object to the facts. thus set forth In boastful strain. The bicycle as an agency of rapid transit, on an Individ ual basis, has properly taken and justly holds its place In the moving life of the latter-day community. It is proper that the law should clothe the bicycle rider with certain rights in the use and enjoyment of his wheel. But since air rights are correlative, he is by this Just recognition and protection subjected to certain responsibilities In common with the owners or drivers of all other ve hicles with reference to another very large portion of the public using the thoroughfares the foot travelers. From now on for several months the streets of the city will be thronged with bicycles, but fortunately the sidewalks will be reserved for those who walk. Many, indeed most, bicyclists recog nize the necessity of ordinances regu lating the use of the streets, and obey them; but there are dozens of reckless riders who dart' about the city, across street intersections and around corners, utterly oblivious to the restrictions and rules intended for the safety of the public. Condign punishment is due, and It may be hoped It will be speedily visited upon these reckless riders. Eut the sidewalks being now clear (presum ably so), the right of foot travelers to use the crossings will claim some at tention. In all properly governed urban communities street traffic Is regulated to guard these crossings as far as con ditions will permit. The numerous ac cidents arising from the reckless man agement of the bicycle in approaching foot travelers are sufficient evidence of the lax enforcement of this law of the road in this city, and of the contempt uous disregard of the law by the of fenders. There is no disposition to re quire of bicyclists any more strict obe dience to this law than is required ol the drivers of other vehicles. The prin ciple involved is a' simple one. The convenience of vehicles must yield to the safety and convenience of the pub lic on the crossings. The speed of ve hicles on the streets is limited. Street cars are halted before crossing an In tersecting street, and must cross it slowly. In these and other ways the right of the foot traveler to exist and to be saved harmless from the perils of the street is conserved so" far as written statutes are concerned. They give to the bicycle no greater right than they give to any other vehicle, and they place upon those .who control it the some responsibilities that rest upon those who control other vehicles. This being true, there Is manifestly no rea son for the frequent repetition of In juries inflicted by reckless bicyclists, beyond laxness In enforcing the" laws. How much of this laxness Is due to the Influence of the bicycle in official life can only be conjectured. Less, proba bly, than the Irate victims of the scorcher are wont to believe, but more, possibly, than the indolent. Indifferent public Is aware of. The story of Germany's deal with Denmark for certain 'West India islands Is interesting. It may serve to remind us that a dog-in-the-manger policy has embarrassing features, however neces sary may be its pursuit It will Jog us up, also, to wonder just how badly we want the Monroe doctrine enforced. Would we really take the field and launch our new Navy to keep Germany out of the Danish Islands or Brazil? We Jhink so now, but objection would be made in Congress. Meanwhile, the whole affair Is ducks for the Demo crats. They can keep us from buying the islands, and then, if it comes to a direct issue with Germany, they can denounce the Administration, either for an unholy war, or, If we don't fight, for cowardice. Whatever the country finds It necessary to do, Mr. Bryan's party will cheerfully vow Is altogether wrong. At this sort of thing It is facile prlnceps. If ppportunity offers, it will repeat Its course of 189S drive us into war and then denounce the war in unmeasured terms. It would be a pity to spoil so alert and resourceful a party of opposition by putting It In power. The efforts of the Common Council of the City of Astoria to secure addi tional Oriental trade for the Columbia Blver are commendable. The resolu tions adopted by the organization, how- evor, would have received greater con sideration had they been drafted in language less suggestive of Ignorance or prejudice. What Is the meaning of this "cheap charter port" that would "add millions of dollars annually to the pockets of the Columbia producers who would trade in Portland"? There has never yet been a million tons of prod ucts exported from the Columbia basin. If "millions of dollars'' means anything. It means at least 52,000,000. Accordingly, there would be 52 per ton saved by loading at this "cheap char ter port." There is a disengaged ship at Astoria now. She has been offered 40 shillings to come to Portland to load. Her owners demand 41s 3d. If 52 per ton can be saved by loading at Astoria," the Allerton will accept 33s 3d. But will she? Ships now in the Orient or en route for there have been chartered freely for new-crop loading at 40 shil lings, with the option of Portland, San Francisco or Tacoma. Now, by what particular line of reasoning does the Common Council of the City of Astoria arrive at the conclusion that these ships would go to Astoria at 33 shillings when they could get 55000 to 56000 more by taking cargo at San Francisco, Ta coma or Portland? Rates are now Jilsher in .S&ri gvgnclscn than thev ai In Portland, but for the past six months there has been hardly any difference In any of the Coast ports. Ocean charter rates are governed entirely by the Im mutable law of supply and demand, and conditions world-wide In extent enter Into the strength or weakness which they show at times. These conditions cannot be changed by the resolutions of the Astoria Common Council. a deeper channel is needed at the mouth of the Columbia. In proof of this It is unnecessary to go farther back on the records than to the William Law, In-verness-shlre and Belgian King, the latest vessels to leave Portland. At the same time, Portland Is not going out of business, nor Is she going to magnify the condition of things which, will surely be remedied in due season. There jvill be no evasion of duty, nor effort to shift the responsibility, by the citizens of Portland. They have made a channel by which ships move without difficulty between Portland and As toria, and they will also work for a deeper channel at the mouth of the river, so that there will be no more de lays such as have hampered shipping In the past. Superintendent Frye, of the Cuban schools, proposes to bring a lot of Cu ban teachers over here on an excur sion and let them see the country. He should be called up forthwith and called down. Our only hope of plea&ing the Cubans Is to conceal our tyranny and despotism under the professions of liberty and justice. Once let the Cu bans find out from actual observation what slavery American sovereignty means, and of what tyranny the flag is the emblem, there will be no holdlnj them. Then, if they tell the Filipinos, it will be all off with them. The true and faithful delineations of our peonage and serfdom, ruthless oppression and bloody conquest, made by Ervlng Wins low, Edward Atkinson and Senator Hoar, cannot convey, so perfect an idea of conditions in this country as the Cuban teachers will obtain through per sonal Inspection. It is surprising that the antis, who seem unwilling to quit the United States, with all Its bloody and despotic purposes, have not already seen the alarming possibilities of Mr. Frye's scheme. The suggestion Is thrown out for their benefit, and with out charge. Reports of serious' differences be tween President McKInley and Senator Hanna are probably manufactured to meet an ever-present demand for sen sation. That is, the story'Is probably too good to be true. The President has shown evidences of growth in states manship -within the period of his term of office. He has said some grand things about trade in general, about our duty in the Philippines and about Justice to the dependencies, though he has allowed himself to be overruled by politicians for partisan purposes. In particular, he has seemed of late to ap preciate the Importance of good men in office as never before. But there is no evidence to show he has carried thl3 growth to the point of disapproval either of Mr. Hanna's Ideals or his methods. If there were, every hones: man in the country could sleep a little more soundly nights, because of the hope for the coming four years. A very entertaining little volume, "Tales of the Sierras,' has been writ ten and published by J. W. Hayes, and illustrated by John Lr. Cassidy. Mr. Hayes Is well known in telegraphic cir cles on the Pacific Coast. For a num ber of years he was manager of the Wostern Union office in Portland, until his failing eyesight compelled him to relinquish his position. Though the world has grown dark to him visually, he still sees with his mental vision, and this little volume is the result 'of his gazlrig into the past. It contains many short tales of his telegraphic and other experiences. They are well writ ten and entertaining, and must be es pecially Interesting to the thousands of manipulators of the key and to the multitude of friends the author has made in the years that are past- It is not improbable that Continental Europe would be pleased on many ac counts to see us in a broil with Turkey. It would be a tedious and costly affair. Involving many embarrassments and humiliations, In full view of the world. Russia may be encouraging the Porte with the view of distracting our atten tion from her little affairs In Asia, or of gaining some assurances from us of neutrality in case Bhe takes up arms against the open door In China. Be sides, what less of prestige might not the Monroe Doctrine itself receive, once we set armies on European ground? We may be sure that Turkey is not acting without Russian and German cognizance, and that both these powera regard our rising force In politics and trade with Jealous eye. The rest is mere conjecture. Gold-standard money is being pro vided Porto Rico In exchange for Its variable sliver currency, and the same programme is to be carried out for Ha waii. Thus does our imperialistic des potism extend its baleful sway. And we all know what an accursed thing the gold standard Is. Here is a chance for Mr. Bryan to make a point. Why doesn't he complain that the United States Is fastening the gold standard on poor, helpless Porto Rico and Ha waii? There would be no answering him. Governor Allen's Inaugural breathes a spirit of patriotic purpose and high statesmanship. Its effect on the Porto Ricans will doubtless be excellent, but the speech will not deceive Senator Hoar and others who know the bas purposes of American civilization, which Governor Allen's specious phrases are designed to disguise. One may not realize it until his espe cial attention is called to the matter by a map, but it Is a fact that a circle drawn with Shaniko in the center Is just as big a' circle as one of the same size drawn around New York City. Senator Carter Is wise to withdraw the amendments that cumber the Alas ka bill. Longer delay In this matter would be monstrous injustice. Alaska Is being treated worse than Porto Rico, and it has been longer waiting. Catch. 'Em Comin' or Coin'. New York Commercial Advertiser. An analysis of a college professor's re cently published reflections on expansion gives something like the following re sults: The only possible as well as the only right motive ot a nation's policy is oaii-interest. That was our motive when we went into the Spanish-American War, though Wo Dretended It -wjih Tint Thno Jxacnirsiifi that wa&oul&do.tbls 4hat from motives of duty or generosity are Imbecile. Those who criticise the Gov ernment for what it has already done arc also Imbecile. To exclude the Constitu tion from the islands Is tyranny; to ex tend It to them is dangerous; to let tho islands go Is impossible. If wc govern them as dependencies we shall sacrifice their Interest to ours; If we admit them as states we shall ruin ourselves. Great moral Ideas as a basis of national con duct are lurking-places of corruption and abuse The advantage of this view is that it arms a man against attack from any quarter. If an opponent talks about moral duty you smash him with the self-interest dictum; If he talks about self-interest you smash him with morality. What then? That Is the point beyond wnich this class of thinkers never go. Having defended their discontent against all com ers, they rest secure. "We have done wrong and we are going to keep on doing It, and wo cannot help ourselves, and we are fools to try. Besides the pleasure of having established these truths, a man may feel a pride In having his own kind of discontent. There Is a rivalry among those people as among collectors. A man likes to feel that his discontent is bigger than that of others, or has better rea sons for It. No one need suppose that a large political social grievance makes Its possessor unhappy. Running things down is a somber sport, but It Is a sport. Just tho same: men go Into it for Its own sake and forget their personal cares in the ardor of competition. It Is like bowling, and a man like this college pro fessor, who can roll down every element of virtue, wisdom and success In a single ton-strike Is the envy of all the rest. PRESIDENT KRCGER'S ADVISER. Hovr That Smart Imported Dutch man Hji Run Thing. Poultney Bigelow In the Independent. Dr. Leyds could not find enough edu cated Boers to conduct the business of the government, so, instead of drawing aaststanco from the other South African states, ho Imported clerks directly from Amsterdam, and In many other ways set about eradicating the English lan guage and every trace of connection wkh the Union Jack. OKI Paul Krugor took kindly to this disastrous policy. His narrow and un educated mind was more open to the argumento of a Dr. Leyd3 than to the truth from tho Hps of a Bryce or a Lecky. Hie early life had been spent among treacherous natives and other wild boasts, and his habits predisposed him to suspect treachery in every magnanimous move on the part of England. Dread of Englieh domination has beers Krugers bugaboo for many years, and In this he shows hla incapacity to understand the character of tho British constitution as it operate? in our time. He sits In Pretoria and talks of his precious Mbertlee, while next door to him is a British colony where the Boers can have 'more liberty than in the Transvaal. One mny say roughly that the Trans vaal has no more liberty than a South American republic There is nominally a constitution, but it Js at the mercy of a majority of the Volksraad there Is no Supreme Court thai dares Interfere be tween tills majority and the rights of In dividuate as In tiie United States. Trade In the Transvaal Is not regulated as with us by general laws applicable to all, but monopolies are sold iy the government Just as they are In China, or as t-ey were in France before the French Re-olutlon. On tho occasion of my visit to the Trans vaal, in the year of the Jameson raid, Boers complained to me that they could not give their children a good educstion in their own country owing to the efforts to exterminate the English language, and :nwt in ordor to -do so they had to send their children to the Orange Free State, where tfie government was more liberal. Paul Krupor Is part and parcel of this Systran ls the very life ot its medieval Ideals. He Is aiming to erect in the mkM of tfift linked States of South Africa a government as anomalous Jn- Its way as Utah under Brigbnm Young. Xced for Small Postnl Checks. New York Evening Post. The need of a convenient form of cur rency, by which small sums may be trans mitted through the malls, without danger of loss, has been long felt. The money order and the registered letter are notable advances over former methods, but they Involve much Inconvenience, since the re mitter Is required In every case to make a visit at the postoface and go through certain forms which consume valuable time. Moreover, tne registered letter la liable to be lost or stolen, and In such case the Govornment does not make good the loss. It Is now proposed to introduce a system of United States post check notes In denomlnationy ranging from 5 cents to $5. each note to contain blank spaces for the namo and address of the payee, and his signature, and that of the person who sends it; such signature to make It payable at tho postomce -wnere the payee resides, and transforming it Into a check on the United States Gov ernment to be used the same as a per sonal Check Or the nrPSPnt mnnov-nrrlpr Theso notes would be as safe as checks on a Dank, and as they could be bought in quantity, they could be used for mak ing small remittances without visiting the postorflce. The Government would derive Its compensation from a revenue stamp on each. 2 cents on each note of 51 or more, and 1 cent on the smaller ones. A bill to carry out this plan has- been intro duced In both Senate and House. The plan Is absolutely unobjectionable. The bill Is solely for the public bene.lt, and It ought to be lwssed without unnecessary dolay. PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHEUS Check. Parent If you don't stop crylns at once, sir, I shall give you a severe thrashing. Son and Heir And I shall tell the conductor I am ov$r age. Ba-hool Punch. In the Menagerie. The Elephant Profession al life would not bo so bad If It wore not for the long Jumps. The Kangaroo Oh, I don't mind them. Baltimore American. In the Fashion. "Here's a new suit for you." said the Deputy Sheriff on the morning of the execution. "H'ml" grunted the condemned. "For once In my life I'll be dressed to kill." Philadelphia North American. "There's been quite a change In old Back b!t hasn't there?" "How so?" "He has taken to riding a wheel." "I can't see that that's any change. He'll still continue to run down his neighbors."' Philadelphia Record. "I've bought a bulldog" said Parsnlff to his friend. Lossup. "and I want a motto to put over his kennel. Can you thlntt. of something?" "Why not ubo a dentlst'n notice Tth In serted here? ' cwggested Leesup. Tlt-Blts. Not Used to the Motion. "Who Is that man so violently seasick?" asked the captain of the ocean steamer. "I don't know his name, Mr," said tho supercargo, "but he's an ofliccr of a revenuo cutter on a vacation.' Chicago Tribune. When the Boldest Are Timid. "Did your courage ever desert you?" ehe asked of the popular hero. "Did you ever entirely lose your nerve?" "Madam," ho replied. In a tone that was an admission In Itself, "I once played the leading male role tn a big church wed ding." Chicago Evening Post. A Fearful Suspicion. "Don't you sometimes feel a twinge of self-reproach In connection with this Porto Rlcan matter?" "To tell you tho truth," answered Senator Sorghum, "I do. Every now and then I half suspect that we didn't get quite as much out of the deal as we might have secured." Washington Star. At the 31rlua Club. "I say, old man," said the Mastiff to the shaggy St. Bernard, "don't you think It rather bad form to wear heavy furs so late In the season?" "Possibly It Is," replied tho St. Bernard, "but certainly not so bad as to appear at all sorts of functions In a short coat, as you do." Brooklyn Life. The Motlvo. "I will ask you now," tho at torney for the prosutlon said to the witness, "if the defendant In this case confessed to'you his motive in shooting tho deceased." "Hold on!" Interposed tho attornoy for tho defense. "I object." "I only want to find out wheth er " "I object!" Legal wrangle of half an hour. "The witness may answer," ruled the Judge." "Now, then, sir, I will ask you again. Did or did not tho prisoner confess to you his motive In shooting the deceased?" He jt - cjjjsyja Trnwry, ma." "What was ltT" "He wanted to kill BRITISH MILITARY BLUNDERHEADS In the current number of Scribner's Magazine. H. G. Whigham, a well-known Army correspondent, now with the British Army in South Africa, has an interesting review of the Boer war up to the arrival of Lord Roberts and his assumption of command in the field, in February. Among hla Important points of criti cism are-that during the operations which ended with, the repulse of General Buller before Colenso, December 15, 1S09, there was not enough artillery, and what the English had was inferior to that of the Boers. Lord ilethuen. when he started for Kiraberloy with S00O men, had but 12 guns, exactly half of the amount of artillery necessary. At Colenso General Buller bad four brigades of infantry and but 20 guns, when he was entitled to 4S. As soon as he lost 11 of his guns he was helpless, and was compelled to retire when, with his proper complement of guns, he would have been able to go on with the fight. At Ladysmlth Sir George Yvhite was one battery short of tho mini mum allowance of artillery, and was hopelessly weak in garrison artillery. The Boers had Creusot six-inch guns round Ladysmith, with a range of 10,000 yards, while the British field artillery Is not effective beyond 4CO0 yards, and had not Sir George "White been reinforced by tlfe naval guns, taken off the ships at Dur ban, he would have been unable to reply to the Boer heavy guns. The British War Ofllce ought to have had five-lncb and six-Inch guns at Cape Town and Ple termarltzburg that could have been easily moved up to Ladysmith, or Colesberg or Orange River, as the case required. Mr. "WTilgham explains the failure of the Brit ish "War Office to take any proper precau tions for garrison defense because they never regarded the possible invasion of Natal In a serious light. By hopelessly bad strategy, Ladysmith was fixed upon as a suitable advance base for the Natal field force, although it was encircled by. hills, which gave the Boers an Ideal chance of bringing their big guns to bear on the English camp, and after selecting Ladysmith as a base the Eng lish commander took no means whatever to prevent the Boers bringing down their big guns by rail from Pretoria at their leisure. The simple destruction of a tun nel and a. few culverts would have long delayed the arrival of the Boer siege ar tillery. General Joubert had a big gun stuck on a spruit for 15 hours between Estcqurt and Mooi River, two British camps less than 30 miles apart, and no attempt was made to go out and capture the gun. although there were 50CO British troops at each station. No wonder Joubert found so little difficulty in moving his guns about the country! The final conclusion of Mr. "Whigham Is that it is not the Boer artillery, save In Natal, where they had modern guns and smokeless powder, but the Mauser rifle that has checked the British advance. Had Boers been able at Magersfontein to turn loose a few batteries of field or horse artillery the check might have boon turned into a rout. In the matter of quantity, the English artillery was deficient, but In quality no better work was ever done than that performed by the Royal Artil lery at Modder River and Magersfontein. There was not cavalry enough, but the failures of Generals Methuen and Buller were due to insufficient numbers and bad tactics. With the exception of the raid ing party which descended as far as MooJ River, the Boers have never exhibited any wonderful mobility. They allowed Gen eral Yule's infantry to walk away; they surrounded Ladysmith because they were allowed to do so by Sir George "White; they sat around KImberley when they could have easily captured Orange River bridge by a dash; they halted about Coles berg when Naauwpoort and De Aar were absolutely at their mercy. But If the Boers were not terribly mobile the Brit ish commanders wore very slow. Meth uen made one march of 12 miles the day, but after that his "flying" column never accomplished more than nine or ten, al though it had a railway line In its roar, which conveyed the heavy baggage. "Whon General Bullor started from Frere to Pot gieter's Drift, it took his column over five days to cover CO miles, and. of course, he found the Boers sitting on Splon Kop waiting for him. The Boers got away from Belmont and Graspan simply be cause the British had no horse artillery and but ono regiment of overworked cav alry. The initial mistake in Natal was the endeavor to hold Ladysmith and Dun dee, Instead of being content with defend ing the- line of the Tugela. a decision made by Sir George "White in obedience to political pressure that these towns should not be abandoned. This disastrous error obliged General Buller to abandon his scheme of Invading the Orango Free State and hasten with nearly half his army to save Natal. Buller was compelled to hold the Invading Boers in check at Stormberg and Naauwpoort, to secure the Orange River bridge and to abandon all thought of invading the Orange Free State until reinforcements had arrived. So far Bullers strategy was the outcome of sheer necessity, but now he began to blunder. He sent Methuen to the relief of KImberley when it was In no desperate situation; sent him with S000 men of all arms, with no cavalry to speak of, and insufficient artillery to attack 12.000 well armed Boers. Buller blundered atraln In Natal. "With his 20,000 men he could con fine the Boers to the north bank of tho Tugela, but ho had not force enough to force his way by sheer strength Into Ladysmith. General French alone of all the British Generals showed superior mili tary brains before the arrival of Lord Roberts by tying the hands of 7000 Boera before Colesberg. for two months, with a force not exceeding that of the enemy. Mr. WTilgham says that the younger men in the British Army 'are as Intelli gent and zealous In their study of the profession as any officers, German or otherwise, can be. For that reason they had been driven to regard their Generals In South Africa, until Lord Roberts and Kitchener arrived, "with an air of amused contempt" Such glaring want of resource or knowledge or common sense as was displayed at Modder River, Stormberg. Magersfonteln and Colenso cannot be passed over In silence. The article closes as follows: At Colenso General Buller made a direct frontal attack against a tremendously strong position, without the slightest attempt to turn it. He further chose two re-entrant angles for the exact place3 to bo assaulted; Aid this. In spite of the fact that the enemy's left ex tended across the Tugela, and was. therefore, -vulnerable to a flank attack. It does not seem as If lack of common sense, to uso no harsher term, could possibly go farther. Flfty-Tvro Years Without Water. Some animals can live many years with out water. A paroquet lived 52 years in the London zoo without taking a drop of water., A number ot reptiles live and Erosnor In places where thero la no water. NOTE AND COMMENT Perhaps Build's grandson may eat , Christmas dinner In Pretoria yet. The United States is willing to becoma a Turkey gobbler If it Is forced to it. Captain Coghlan Is not tho only naval officer who eomctlmes does bis talking flret and his thinking afterward. Kentucky contends that if some of her shot-gun methods were Introduced Into Pennsylvania politics. It might be better for that state. If the Sultan confesses to solvency by paying that $100,000, h will have the qpl tectors of tho otlher powers at his front door for the next 10 years. Thero is some question about the trouble Admiral Schley made for the Spaniard, but there Is nono about the trouble ho has made for tho Navy Department. If wo get into a war with Turkey we con send an ample force agalnet her and clear the political atmosphere at home by forming a few corps of Vice-Presldentla! possibilities. Mr. Depew says the Senate is a poor place to secure stories. Judging by some of his later efforts. It would seem that ho found the Roman Senate journals a vecy fertile source of supply. Bishop John H. Vincent, of the Meth odist Church, recently expressed hhnselC In favor of a full revision of both creed and the Bible. The next revision of the Bible, he averred, must In the light ofT present and coming research, be a most Important one. This Is encouraging con trast to the young men who are trying to make out that Prof. Mitchell, of Bos ton "University, is a heretic. Ono of the jokes that Is being told about the result on the Quay case Is accredited to Senator Dopow. The Senator, it will ba remembered, was paired with Hanna. Depew being in favor of Quay and. Hanna. against Quay. "How is it," Depew was asked, "that Hnrma Is against Quay" "Well, I only heard," responded Senator Depew, "that it was because Mr. Hanna was opposed to the election methods of Mr. Quqy." The familiar lament that foreign sea men compose so large a proportion of the' men In the navy is heard In England rela tive to British shipping Interests of all. classes, merchant marine as well as nav al. Earl Grey, In a recent address, gave some surprising facts. The number oC British seamen had decreased from 1S8, C2S. in 1S33, to 174.9S0 In 1S98. while the number of foreign seamen in British ves sels In the same period had Increased from 29,549 to 35,000. More alarming still, In the Earl's opinion, was the fact that the number ot British apprentices had di minished more than one-half since 1SS0, and about two-thirds since 1S70. When the flowers of the Maytlma Breathe their perfume an the air, When the Holds an bright with blossoms And the world seems free from care; When the song birds sweetly carol Lays of happiness and love,. And the butterflies are sailing Through the balmy air above; Whon the forest trees are leaving. And the skies are soft and blue. '. And the Iceman, too. Is leaving ' Ten-pound chunks that weigh but two, That's the time the festive scorcher Finds the copper on the beat Camping on his trail, to make him - - Do his scorching on the street. r Through the dreary months of winter j He has had his own sweet will, . i g And the voices of his victims . ., Are forever hushed and still. . &. Through the city streets the peopla Marked where he had gone before, By the moaning of the dying." ' And the flaming trails of- gore. Straight and speedy as an arrow On his dreadful course he sped. Marking not the maimed and mangled. Marking not the ghastly dead; Deviating from his pathway Every now and then to. fell Some fresh victim as he sounded On his gong a charnal knell. -i But the flowers of tho Maytime Now have filled the world with bloom, And the lilacs and the roses Scent the air with rich perfume. All the world seems bright and better. And, to make life's Joys complete, Scorchorz with their lovo of slaughter r Must hereafter keep the street. The National Educational Association through A. R. Thayer, of Emporia,. Kan. chairman of the committee having the matter in charge, has offered prizes aggre gating J1200 for the best and second best essays on school hygiene. The prizes of fered are as follows: Two hundred dol lars for the best essay on each of the fol lowing topics: Tho seating, tho lighting,, the heating and the ventilating of school, buildings. For the second best essay sub mitted on each topic. $100. Some of tho requirements regarding the essays are as follows: Each essay shall be limited ra 10.000 words, and shall be submitted in printed or typewrittcn-icsopyr' without sig nature, but with the name of the author inclosed with it In a sealed envelope andi addressed to the chairman of the com mittee, at Emporia, Kan. Three copies of each essay shall bo submitted. They must be mailed not later than February 1, 190L The committee desires that eachi essay shall treat each topic Independently., and be complete In itself, no reference being made to statements contained in another essay. Generalities and specula tions are not desired, neither are detailed technical formulae and demonstrations. The essays should include figures and dia grams, illustrating the general plans and principles Involved; should set forth meth ods and devices for detecting defects, and suggest remedies for tho same in build ings already constructed. The essay on ventilation should include full suggesaons concerning the use of disinfectants. . Nothing1 Will Die. Alfred Tennyson. When will tho stream be a-weary of flowing Under my eye? When will the wind bo a-weary of blowing Over the sky? Whoa will tho clouds be a-weary of fleetlng?r When will the heart be a-weary of beating? And nature die? Xever, oh! never; nothing will die; The, stream flows. The wind blows. The cloud fleets. The heart beats, Nothing will die. Nothing will die; All things will change, ' Thro' eternity. . - Tls the world's Winter; Autumn and Summer , ' . Are gone long ago; Earth Is dry to tho center. But Spring, a newcomer, A Spring rich and strange. Shall make the winds blow Bound and round. Thro and thro', Hero and there, i Till the air And the ground Shall be fllled with life anew. Tho world was never made; It will change, but It will not fade, So let the wind range; For even and mors Ever will be Thro eternity. Nothing was born; , Nothing will die; All things -will chance.