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THE IfDRNKfG 0HEGXIAlTrugeiicfAT "133fte.
Its rsouton,
Catered at the Poetcfflce at Portland, Oregon.
vs second-claes matter.
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The Oregonian should be addressed Invariably
"Editor The Oregonian." not to the name of
any Individual. letters relating to advertising,
subscriptions or to any business matter should
be addressed simply "The Oregonian."
The Orepcnlan does not buy poem or stories
from Individuals, and cannot undertake to re
turn any manuscripts sent to It without excita
tion. No stamps should be Inclosed for this
purpose.
Puget Sound Bureau Captain Ai Thompson,
office at 1111 Pacific avenue. Tacomk. Box 863,
Tacoma poetofflce.
Eastern Buslmm Office Te Tribune build
ing. New Tork city; "The Rookery." Chicago;
the S. C. Rackwlth special agency. New York.
For sale In San I Tanclsco by J. K. Cooper.
7C Market street, near the Palace hotel, and
at Goldsmith Bros.. 236 Sutter street.
For sale in Chicago by ths P.'O. News Cc.
21 Dearborn street.
TODAY'S WEATHER. Increasing
ness and threatoningr; variable winds.
cloudl-
PORTLAXD, TUESDAY, MAY 14.
Thomas A. Jordan was Chief of the
Portland paid fire department from
January. 18S3, to July, 1SS4; Sheriff of
Multnomah County from July, 18S4, to
July, 18S8; Inspector of .Customs from
July, 1892, to June, 1893; superintendent
Of Stark-Street ferry In the Summer of
1893; Deputy Sheriff from 1S9C to April
10, 1900. Mr. Jordan's long and arduous
labors In the public service entitle him
to the dignity and repose of private life.
Dr. Daly's platform demands:
that the volume of circulating medium be
speedilj Increased to an amount sufficient to
meet the demands of the business population
of this courtry. and to restore the Just level
of prices of labor and production.
It becomes a serious question how far
currency Inflation should proceed in the
direction of raisins prices. Prices may
be too low to afford Just return to the
producer. They may also be so high
as to lay Insupportable burdens on
consumers. If we compare present
prices with those prevailing the day
Mr. Bryan was nominated for President
In July, 1896, we shall see: .
1600. 1900.
"Wheat SO 49 $0 50 $0 E2 j$0 525
Salmon 1 00 1 50
Rice 3 50 4 00 OOVi
"IV'jol. Valley .. OS 0 10 12 13
Hops 02 03 02 OS
Hides 01y) 10 15 13H
Hogs 3 00 J 3 25 5 00
Veal 04 04& OGlfcf OTlfc
Mutton 3 00 3 50 & 3 75
Reef 3 00 325 4000450
How much more does Dr. Daly want
us to pay for meat and provisions?
Mr. Armstrong's retirement from the
race for the County Superintendency of
Schools closes ,for the present the offi
cial career of an able, efficient and
conse'entious public servant, and sets
an example that might be followed by
several other "Independent" candidates
with credit to themselves.
In a New Tork paper of high standing
and great influence we encounter this
paragraph:
Mr J J. Kill Is reported to have reached
the conclusion that vilth an unlimited amount
of Igirtwr to bring East from "Washington ho
can carry freight to and from Asia at rates
that have not yet been approached, and which
he believes the California lines cannot ap
proach because tney cannot earn anything
like as much en fruits shipped Eastward. The
project attributed to Mr. Hill Involves carry
ing the freight to Puget Sound at a little lwss
than rot. the proflt being derived from tho
returning shipments of lumber. From Pugot
Sound to Asiatic ports goods will be carried
In extremely large and rather slow steamers,
redu-irg the .cost to a minimum, and by this
combination the charges from Buffalo to China
can be reduced below the present charges from
St Paul to the Pacific Coast. The trade of
this country can be Increased to a remark
able degree If such a reduction of freight
charges can be effected, and Eurojic will learn
another painful ieeson of the great difficulty of
competing "ft 1th the United States.
The information and comment would
be cf much greater interest to Orego
nlans if the Union Pacific's namo were
substituted for Mr. Hill's, and the
transportation arrangement applied to
the Columbia River Instead of Puget
Scund. The support this section gives
to the Union Pacific through the O. R.
& N. entitles it to some such pro
gramme. Will not Mr. Daniels provide
an announcement of this sort as a se
quel to als recent visit?
The Gold Democrats who hope to
support Bryan on a straddling platform
must reckon without Mr. J. Sterling
Morton, at any rate, who finds the anti
imperialist blanket too short to cover
the nakedness of financial dishonor.
The New York "World asked him where
be stands politically in 1900, and learns
that he stands where he stood in 1896.
"Bryan." he said, "Is 16 to 1; silver at
16 to 1 is Bryanlsm. A majority at
Kansas City for either is an indorse
ment of both." The ex-Secretary of
Agriculture insists that there can be no
reunited Democracy with either, and he
declares of the Gold Democrats that
"not one of them in all the Republic
Is prepared to renounce honest money
and accept Bryan and his vagaries in
stead." Mr. Morton is probably wrong
If he thinks the Gold Democrats will
not join, man of them, in renominat
ing Bryan and ratifying the Chicago
platform. In this way they will reha
bilitate themselves as Democrats. But
he may be entirely correct in his view
that they will vote for McKlnley on
election day. That is a horse of a dif
ferent color.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer de
moted several columns in a recent issue
Jo large-typed blovlatlon of itself as the
greatest Pacific Coast newspaper. The
quantity of advertising matter and
number of pages Issued were the test.
But there are other tests: the volume.
quality and timeliness of news, edltor-
l? ana miscellaneous matter, for ex
ample. The Oregonian prints every
day ten to twelve columns more read
ing matter than any other paper In the
Northwest, as It always has, and It
thinks that in importance and value it
is all up to standard, it pays two or
three times as much for its special tele
graphic and news features as any of
Its competitors, and It does very little
blowing about it. Still, the Post-In-tclligencer
is a very good newspaper,
considc-rlng its obvious limitations. It
managed to publish an imperfect syn
opsis cf the important Alaska code
within two weeks after The Oregonian
printed an exhaustive summary of it,
which was quite a notable achievement,
in view of the loud claims of Seattle
newspapers that Alaska is their special
field and its interests are always
promptlyand zealously fostered. "Withal
The Oregonian is pleased that Its Se
attle contemporary is printing more
columns of advertising than it did a
year ago; and Jt is likewise pleased to
observe that It is printing nearly as
much news matter of nearly as good
quality.
TnE INESCAPABLE RESPOXSIBILITY
Every ballot cast in Oregon June 4 Is
a vote for or against the development
of the Pacific Coast. It Is a responsi
bility one might well wish to evade, but
there is no help for it. A sweeping
Republican victory will declare for re
tention of the Philippines and Pacific
expansion. A Fusion victory or a re
duced Republican majority will declare
against expansion and for abandon
ment of our foothold In Asia.
The Oregonian has obtained opinions
from three men whose judgment on the
matter cannot be impeached. Senator
"Lodge, who is to be the permanent
chairman of the Republican National
Convention, and who is now chairman
of the Senate committee on the Phil
ippines, asked what the effect would be
in the Philippines should Oregon go
Democratic this time, says:
It -would encooragc tlie opposition
to the American Army in those
islands. The Filipinos -would accept
It as the first frnn of victory in the
United States for them, and it -wonltl
le liailed everywhere as nn indica
tion that the ttentlmcnt of this conn
try Ik atrainst th policy wc have
been pursuing in the Philippines. It
would simply enconrage the insur
rection -which liau almost been
stamped out.
Senator Carter, of Montana, who was
once chairman of the Republican Na
tional Committee, speaking of this
phase of the question, says:
A repnhllean reverse in Oregon on
.the platforms adopted -would fan
the flames of rebellion In the Phil
ippines, cxHt the live of many more
hrnve soldiers and -wonld no douht
necessitate n large increase of the
Arinythere at a still jrreater expense
than before. The Tnsals -would hail
a Democratic victory anywhere as
an Indorsement of their opposition
and resistance to tbe United States.
Senator Spooner, of Wisconsin, one of
the most conservative and ablest men
in the Senate, a man who opposed the
Spanish "War until the country was In
It, and then supported it with all the
strength he had, but a man who has
not yet fully arrived at the conclusion
that permanent retention of the Phil
ippines is best for the American people,
says:
Democratic success in Oregon
means encouragement to the Fili
jilnos. And that is something great
ly to he deplored. The United States
cannot enter upon any scheme to
organize and form a stable govern
ment in the Philippine Islands until
the insurrection has been pat down
and peace prevails. Even the Dem
ocrats in the Senate recognize this,
and ire all know that Democratic
success anywhere in a. Republican
state -will he used in the Philippine
Islands to encourage the Filipinos
to further acts of Insurrection.
The State of Oregon must elect a Re
publican Legislature. The First Con
gressional District must re-elect Rep
resentative Tongue, and the Second
District must re-elect Representative
Moody. Multnomah County must elect
a Republican Sheriff, and Portland
must elect a Republican Mayor.
EVERY VOTE FOR A FISIOX,
"CITIZENS" OK "INDEPENDENT'
CANDIDATE IS A VOTE TO SHUT
AMERICA TRADE OUT OF ASIA
AND STIFLE THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE PACIFIC COAST.
THE LIVESTOCK BUSINESS.
Thp livestock business has attained
enormous proportions in the great cen
ters of this trade In the Middle West.
That at the Chicago stockyards, whence
the markets of many Eastern cities Is
supplied, was never larger than at pres
ent. The Tribune's report of the indus
try for April showed a total of -JG7,6S2
head of cattle received at the four lead
ing Western markets during the month
an increase of 55.3G0 over the number
received for the corresponding month
of last year. Of this Increase, Chicago
Is credited with nearly 40,000.
To realize something of the enormous
movement of livestock from "Western
ranges to the stockyards of the Middle
West and thence to Eastern markets in
refrigerator cars and packing cases is
difficult, even when the figures are
given. Its magnitude is expressed in
figures showing that receipts for the
first four months of the current year
were 1,770,424 a net increase of 137,278
over the same period of 1899. Of this
increase, Chicago claims nearly one
half. Within the same period a total of
5,420,000 hogs were received at the
stockyards of Chicago, Kansas City, St.
Louis and Omaha, being the largest re
ceipts on record as compared with the
first four months of any previous year.
Two-thirds of these were received at
Chicago. The receipt of calves and
sheep were correspondingly large in
their totals, showing a marked degree
of prosperity In the meat-packing In
dustry, as well as In that of raising
livestock for the market.
In the meantime, the natural Increase
in sheep has been, so far as reported,
100 per cent upon the ranges, while that
of cattle has been satisfactory to an
unusual degree. There Is great wast
age In the business, as shown through
the very large number of calves sent to
the slaughter pens, the high price of
veal tempting stockmen to sell closely.
It is thought, however, that prudence
will put a timely check upon this feat
ure of the livestock trade, and enable
the ranges not only to keep up the sup
ply, but to respond to the growing de
mand from year to year.
Tho Industry has In It many details
that shock the humanities, but one
feature of cruelty has been eliminated
from it by the certain profits which
make It paj to gather the herds and
flocks in off of the bleak ranges In the
Fall and feed and shelter them during
the Winter." The sufferings of the
creatures In former years, from neg
lect during the rigorous weather that
prevails upon the great ranges In Win
ter, .were pitiful In the extreme, but the
demand for meat products being no
longer limited, and good prices being
assured, this great source of suffering
and wastage has practically ceased to
exist. .
The announcement that General Bul
ler started to attack the Boer position
at Biggarsberg, in Natal, on the 3d
Inst., the day that Lord Roberts crossed
the Zand River, shows that Lord Rob
erts' success has again opened the way
for Buller to victory, as it did when
Lord Roberts' turning movement in
March forced the Boers to let go of
Ladysmlth. The retirement of the"
Boers from before Glencoe and Dun
dee means the evacuation of Natal by
the enemy, and the speedy retreat of i
Uie whole Boer army to their defenses
before Pretoria. Evacuation of Natal
will place all Its railways soon In pos
session of General Buller, who at
Glencoe will be only seventy miles from
Lalng's Nek, where the railway crosses
the Drakensberg range into the Trans
vaal. From Ladysmlth General Buller
is but sixty miles distant by rail from
Harrismith, in the Orange Free State,
and when "Van Reenan's Pass Js
cleared General Buller and Lord Rob
erts can establish railway communica
tion as far as Bethlehem, in the Orange
Free State. But the natural line of
advance for General Buller will be
along the line cf the railway from Glen
coe to Lalng's Nek tunnel, for Lord
Roberts next forward movement with
his main army will be along tho rail
way from KroonEtad to Elandsfonteln,
where it joins the railway from Lalng's
Nek. Marching along the railway from
Kroonstad, Roberts will soon give the
hand to Buller moving along the rail
way from Lalng's Nek, which will, of
course, be untenable by the Boers be
fore the advance of Roberts Into the
Transvaal.. It is clear from these facts
that Lord 'Roberts' movement of 12S
miles from Bloemfontein to Kroonstad,
measured by its fruits. Is even a more
splendid success than that which cap
tured Cronje and occupied Bloemfon
tein, for it has really left nothing for
the Boers to do but to fall back to Pre
toria as their last ditch. The same
blow which has practically cleared the
Orange Free State has cleared Natal,
too. Lord Roberts shakes the tree
while Buller picks up fruit.
APPItOVE THE SERMON, BUT JfOT
THE STATUTE.
BigProhibitlonlst meetings are report
ed throughout the state, but no matter
how large these meetings may be, the
prohibition vote will not be increased,
because while the great body of the
people approve of sermons exhorting
men to temperance, they do not believe
In prohibitory liquor laws. The figures
In all the states for the last twenty
years show that while there Is far less
Intemperance than there was twenty
years ago, prohibition Is a slowly dying
cause.
There are between 73,000,000 and 75,
000,000 of people in the United States;
there are about 25,000,000 of church
members. There were nearly 14,000,000
of votes cast at tie Presidential elec
tion of 1E96. Of these votes, there were
cast 145.97C for the National Prohibition
tickets. In 1892 there were cast for the
Prohibition ticket 2G4.133 votes. In
1SS8 the National Prohibition vote was
249,907. If it be said that the falling
off in the Prohibition vote in 1S96 was
due to the peculiar stress of the cam
paign, it will not be unfair to Judge
Prohibition by its vote in the state elec
tions of 1S9S. In Connecticut there
were 1460 Prohibition votes out of a
total vote of nearly 150,000. In Illinois
In a total vote of 87S.5S7 there
were cast 11,753 votes for the Pro
hibition ticket. In Indiana, out of a
total vote of 573,311, there were 99C1
Prohibition votes. In Iowa, In 1899, in
a total vote of 433.439, the Prohibition
vote was 7650. In Massachusetts In 1899
;in a total vote of 299.1G6 there were 7402
votes cast for the Prohibition ticket.
In Michigan in 1898 there were cast
vbut 7006 Prohibition votes out of a total
vote of 421,164. In Minnesota in 1S9S
the total Prohibition vote was 5299 out
of a total vote of 252,562. In New York
In 189S there were 18,383 votes cast for
Prohibition out of a total vote of 1,349,
974. In Ohio In 1899 there were 5825
Prohibition votes out of a total of 920,
872. In Pennsylvania in 1699 the Pro
hibition vote was 18,072 out of a total
vote of 790.4SS. In Rhode Island In 1899
there were but 1200 Prohibition votes in
a total vote of 74,024. In Wisconsin in
189S the Prohibition vote was 8078 out
of a total vote of 329,429. In 1S92 the
Prohibition vote in New York State
was 3S.OO0. This was the highest vote
ever obtained by that party In the
Empire State. Since that date the Pro
hibition vote has declined more than
one-half in New York, to 16,052 in 1896,
19,553 in 1897, and 18.3S3 in 1898.
This is the record of Prohibition dur
ing the more than fifty years of life
since its first enactment In Maine. Dur
ing that time Prohibition has been
given a fair and thorough trial by the
great and enlightened State of Massa
chusetts at the East, and by Iowa at
the West, and has been abandoned. In
Massachusetts It was assaulted by a
great statesman, a philanthropist, and
a most accomplished Jurist, John A.
Andrew, the great War Governor of
that state. Since 1S74 Massachusetts
has had local option.
It is but a few years since the lead
ing clergyman of Portland, Me., con
fessed in a public speech that Prohibi
tion was a costly farce in Bangor, Port
land, Lewlston, and all the large towns
of the state. The United States licenses
for retail liquor dealers are quite equal
In number, measured by population, to
those taken out in the non-Prohibition
states. The Portland (Me.) Press re
ports that ""Prohibition In Maine does
not prohibit, and that the people "are
boglnnlng to get very tired of paying
the bills of the farcical process known
as suppressing the liquor traffic" The
Auburn (Me.) correspondent of the
Boston Herald, writing under date of
May 2, says that In Auburn and Lew
lston and elsewhere In Androscoggin
County the business of liquor-selling is
not restricted; the number of places
where liquor is sold has not dimin
ished, but Increased the past year; that
liquor-selling is done openly, and bars
with their glasses and bottles may be
seen from the street; that there are
fifty liquor-sellers In Lewl3ton; that,
"local officers, after making raids and
securing in some cases large quantities
of liquor, have found the grand jury
under some circumstances unwilling to
grant an indictment; and the case, af
ter passing through the Municipal
Court, has been dropped and the liquors
returned." Men of influence in the
county, politically, socially, and relig
iously, are opposed to the law.
On the other hand, the present liquor
tax law has diminished the number of
saloons and decreased drinking in New
York State. The number of liquor sa
loons In New York State of all kinds
eight years ago was 40,259, but on Oc
tober 1. 1S&9, the number of saloons
was 27.739, a reduction of 13,000, or
nearly one-third of the whole number,
in eight years, although the population
of the state has been Increased stead
ily and Is now estimated as 600,000
greater than it was at that time. The
comparison between results in Maine,
the cradle of Prohibition, and New
York, where the law really decreases
the number of saloons, is Instructive
New York does not attempt what is im
practicable, and does through regula
tion something abate -the drink evil,
while Prohibition has slowly but stead
ily fallen into discredit during the last
twenty years. There cannot be too
much temperance, but there is always
a choice, of methods when you resort
to legal remedies for social evils.
We have refrained from reply to a
recent complaint of the Eugene Guard,
in order that we might do so advised
ly. Incensed at The Oregonlan's rec
ognition of Abdul Hamid as. the "Prince
of Populists" because "he pays in
promises to pay,' the Guard remon
strates: The editor of The Oregonian well knows there
Is no other mode by -which National debts can
be paid than by "promises to pay." ... And
yet The Oregonian sneers at Populists as deal
ing In promises to pay. It is only another
cample of Oregonian spite and malignity.
If Populists are in favor of paying in
anything besides promises to pay. The
Oregonian has failed to observe It.
Fortunately, the National conventions
of the Populists have Just been held,
and we are enabled to speak by the
card. The Sioux Falls convention,
being a Bryan sideshow, was under
some obligation to treat sliver cau
tiously, though silver, having some
value in Itself, is only a little less des
picable In the Populist regard than
gold, which is worth its full face value.
But even this Bryan convention de
nounces the Republicans for making
bonds payable in gold, and for "strik
ing down the greenbacks." The desire
for greenbacks as the sole money is
very thinly veiled under the necessary
show of friendship for silver. The Cin
cinnati convention was subject to no
such embarrassment. Thither we must
look, therefore, for Populism the genu
ine article, and If there is anything In
this utterance leaning to payment of
debts in anything but promises to pay.
The Oregonian must admlWthat its
"spite and malignity" prevent it from
finding it:
Fourth A scientific and absolute paper
money, based upon the entire -wealth and popu
lation of the Nation, not redeemable In any
specific commodity, but made a full legal ten
der for all debts and receivable for all taxes
and public dues, and Issued by the Government
only, -without the Intervention of banks, and
in sufllelent quantity to meet tlje demands of
commerce. Is the best currency that can be
devised.
Upon the heels of the criticism of the
British Navy for its lack of modern
guns In its equipment comes an article
in Engineering from the pen of a Brit
ish writer, D. B. Morrison, which says
the navy Is so short of competent en
gineers that It would be almost useless
In the event of a war that brought It
into conflict with another navy of even
the strength of the United States. It
has less commissioned engineer officers
today, with its great number of steel
armored vessels, than it had for Its
wooden vessels forty years ago. It
supplies the place of skilled engineers
by using "engine-room artificers," who
are merely enlisted mechanics, and has
so few of this poor substitute that stok
ers are also utilized. The passenger
steamer Lucania has twenty-two en
gineers, while the great battle-ship
Terrible has but seven. Here certainly
Is a great weakness In that navy, which
appears so powerful on paper. The Im
portance of the engineer is shown by
the comparative efficiency of maneu
vering of the vessels and condition of
the engines in the American and Span
ish fleets, both at Manila and Santi
ago. If the British Navy is so sadly
deficient In this respect, and if many of
the vessels are of an antiquated type,
slow, and armed with old and much
Inferior guns, its efficiency in actual
war would certainly fall far below the
paper rating given It, based upon the
number of vessels and guns. The Span
ish War proved that actual condition,
and not theoretical rating, is what
counts in battle.
The St, Louis proposal to annul the
street-car franchises because of failure
of the companies to run cars Is dell
clously cool. The stoppage of traffic is
due to tho failure of the city to sup
press mob violence. It Is the duty of
the city to prevent disorder and protect
the companies In their right to operate
their lines, or any other corporation or
citizen In the exercise of his legitimate
business. It Is one of the best-known
legal maxims that no one can take ad
vantage of his own wrong. The city,
being at fault for not preserving order
and protecting the men operating the
lines, is in no posItionto forfeit the
franchises. On the contrary. It is more
likely to be In a position to pay a bill
of damages for property destroyed.
The equal suffragists make an appeal
to voters in the earnest hope that the
Constitutional amendment to be voted
on at the Juno election will not be
overlooked. A full and fair expression
on the question is all anybody can aslc
General understanding of a similar
amendment and Its merits led to its
defeat in Washington a year ago last
November by something like 10,000
votes.
The Democracy of Washington has
split wide open. It, had not been sus
pected that there was enough of it left
to split, but then the late Fusionlsts of
our northern neighbor are artists. They
can make two blades of trouble grow
where one grew before.
Captain Dreyfus, late of Devil's
Island, is again in Paris. The Captain
has unequaled drawing powers as a
show attraction, but he ought to retire
and give the exposition a chance.
President Steyn's capital will be in
his hat till further notice. Evidently
he fears that the English will have use
for -the hat.
One Independent candidate is out ot
the race; and the others are not in it.
Register today,
row.
You cannot tomor-
Reglster.
McCarty's Statistician.
The Statistician and Economist stands
alone among books of reference. It con
tains all of the past that must be pre
served for dally use, together with more
of the present than all other year-books
and almanacs combined. Within its cov
ers are thousands of curious and valu
able facts never before chronicled in abid
ing form under a systematic classification.
It contains oyer 400 new and corrected
pages, included In which will be found
the result of elections in every state and
territory; acts of the 53th Congress; dif
ferent kinds of internal revenue; special
taxpayers; cigars and cigarettes manu
factured; manufacturers statistics; sal
mon fisheries; liquors and liquor-dealers;
wool production; corn, cotton, hay. oats,
wheat, potatoes, fruit, produced both for
the United States and the world; domes
tic animals of all countries; products of
the dairy; aomestlc fowl and eggs; min
erals and mineral substances; distances
between cities of the United States; occu
pations by sex in the United States; pat
ents, how obtained; copyright law; colo
nies, dependencies and protectorates of
the world and colonies of tho Ulnted
States; shipping owned by each nation;
forest reservations and military posts;
customs duties and war tax of the United
States; Imports, exports, revenue, expendi
ture and public debt of every country;
statistics of production, banking and
money circulation; population of foreign
countries and cities, corrected to date;
domestlo and foreign chronology and
necrology; commerce and population of
every principal port In the world; relig
ions, armies, navies, crime and sporting
intelligence, and corrected tables of every
thing produced, manufactured, bought
and sold, and a thousand other subjects
too numerous to mention. Louis P. Mc
carty, of San Francisco, is publisher" and
proprietor of this admirable work.
THE "PER CAPITA."
Four Years Have Shown Up the Error
of Populist Notions.
New York Evening Post.
Time was when the adequacy or Inade
quacy of the Nation's "per capita" money
circulation appeared as a burning ques
tion in politics. When the Populist party
In 1S92 made Its entry Into the arena of
Presidential politics. Its Omaha conven
tion platform demanded that the circulat
ing medium "be speedily increased to not
less than 80 per capita." The Treasury's
estimate of the money then In circulation,
on which the figures of the Populist de
mand were doubtless based, reckoned
t2i 47 as the average per citizen. The
Populist plank obviously contemplated,
therefore, the doubling of our circulating
medium a proposition made more invit
ing by the "per capita" phraseology, be
cause tho average Populist constituent
Inferred at once that the money in his
pocket was to be promptly doubled. The
Populist platform of 1SS6 modified Its pro
posals to some extent, demanding only
that money circulation "be epeedily in
creased to an amount sufficient to meet
the demands of business and population,
and to restore the Just level of prices of
labor and production." These platforms
are somewhat interesting to recall now,
In view of the very rapid Increase which
has actually occurred, both In absolute
and "per capita" circulation, and espe
cially in view of the fact that gold ex
ports, often a sign that a currency is In
excess of present needs, have begun
again.
In July, IKK", the Treasury estimated
the "per capita" circulation at a trifle
over $2L Tho monthly report Just is
sued, as of May 1, 1SC0, places the figure
at $25 58. This Is not very near to the
$50 per head demanded at Omaha in 1S92.
but the gain Is material. In fact, the
actual addition to the currency, outside
the Treasury's reserve, during the last
four years, foots up $450,000,000. This gain
will probably be admitted, in any quarter
) of trade, to have been "sufllelent to meet
the demands of business and population."
At all events, money rates have declined
In the face of a $3,000,000 export gold en
gagement. This being true. It is some
what Interesting to observe that, of the
$450,000,000 Increase in circulation since
July, 1ESS. $315,000,000 came in the shape of
gold, and that of the Increase in gold $200.
000,000 is directly attributable to the ex
cess of gold imports over exports in the
period, the rest coming directly from new
gold production In this .country, which
has reached, in the three past years, to
nearly $200,000,000. Not only, in short, were
our mines exceptionally active, but as
soon as our Internal and foreign trade,
which was dull for numerous very ob
vious reasons prior to lS&J. started up Into
-vigorous activity, our circulating medium
responded automatically to the call, as it
always will if left unhampered. It is true
today, as the Populist of 1S92 Imagined,
that money in the pocket of the average
citizen has increased rather mpre rapidly
In fact, than the net Increase would have
been if the silver-purchase law had never
been revoked. But tho reason why his
pocket money has increased is perfectly
plain. In the bounty of nature, he has
bad more than before to offer in exchango
for it. It may be doubted whether, under
tho circumstances, much use will be made
of the "per capita" argument in this
year's political campaign.
Unexpected .Results.
Baltimore American.
"Say," said the man with the worried
look, "do you remember giving me a lot
of advice on how to conduct my love af
fairs about two months ago?"
'Yes," replied the man with tho wise
expression.
"Told mo If I wanted to win the girl, I
should make love to her mother!"
"Uh huh."
"Said If I could get the old lady on my
sido all I had to do was to toddle around
with a ring and say. 'When?' to the girl."
The wise man nodded.
"Said for me to compliment the mother
on her youthful appearance," continued
the worried man, "and give her a jolly
about how sad It was that the young ladies
of the present were not to be compared
with those of the past?"
"Yes. Yes. You won the girl, I sup
poscT' 'Yes, I did not. The old lady has sued
her husband for dtverce, and me for
breach of promise."
One Secret of Leadership.
Chicago Tribune.
One of Governor Tanner's greatest
faults was that he could not let bygones
be bygones. The men who had fought,
him In convention he persisted in looking
on and treating as enemies. As a conse
quence, tho number of his enemies in
creased, while that of his friends was
strictly limited. Wiser politicians; who
take broader views of life, are not vindic
tive. They cherish no grudges. Men like
Flatt or McKlnley when once put in
command of the party In state or nation
do not ask about a man, whether he
supported them for the nomination, but
whether he worked loyally for their elec
tion after the nomination was made. To
the broad-gauge politician all members of
his own party look alike who have con
tributed to his election. He makes it his
business to forget all unpleasantnesses
which preceded the nomination.
Preferred Speech.
Youth's Companion.
The spirit of love and kindliness to all.
which pervaded every word and deed of
Phillips Brooke, did not hinder his keen
appreciation of others' failings and short
comings, or his own.
"Why In the world doesn't Brown write
his autobiography, and have It published?"
said one of the Bishop's friends, referring
to an incessant talker and most egotistical
man, who had been wasting an hour of the
Bishop's most precious time by a rehearsal
of some unimportant happenings.
"Why, he'd rather tell It, of course,"
said the Bishop; and then like a flash
came regret for the quickly spoken truth,
and he turned on his friend with a half
humorous, half-distressed face.
"What do you mean by asking me such
a question as that when I'm off my
guard?" he demanded, reproachfully.
m
THE IiAST CHANCE.
No -roter can resrisitcr after today.
Under the laxr, the hooks In the
County Clerlt'n office clone t 5 P. 31.
3Iay 1C, until the next biennial elec
tion, and he has no option but to
obey it plain provision. There
fore any voter whose name Is not on
the rolls niunt forfeit his right to
cast n. "ballot June 4 and November
G, unless he jroes to the GIIEAT liA
BOR AND TROUBLE of procuring SIX
FREEHOLDERS to help him swear
In his vote. A freeholder is a citi
zen who holds real estate in fee
simple and It can he seen that the
tank of securinjr such a body to ac
company a derelict voter to the
polls is a formidable one.
IT IS EASIER AXD SI3IPLER TO
REGISTER. It avoids annoyance
hereafter and it puts the voter in
the way of discharging his clear
duty, both in Jane and. November.
The books arc closed today for two
years.
ASPECTS OF THE CAPE NOME RUSH
One thousand argonauts will take ship
at Portland before June 1 to hunt the
"golden fleece" at Cape Nome. They aro
a minor fraction of the mighty tide of
humanity that will sweep northward with
tbe breaking up of the Ice fields and tho
opening of navlgatioa in Bearing Sea.
'It is Impossible to estimate accurately
tho numbers of persons who will Join the
great rush, but that they will be many
thousands perhaps 25,000 or 30,000 Js cer
tain. Tbe destination of all Is Nome City
or some adjacent spot on the Seward
Peninsula. They face the 'certainty that
every available inch of gold-bearing land
within 60 miles of the Arctic mining camp
has been pre-empted, except the beach
ana the all but unaccesslble sands under
Bearing Sea. What Is taking this
eager throng away from a land of plenty
and comparative prosperity, with abund
ant opportunities for the Industrious and
thrifty, to an unknown realm under the
Arctic circle, with a. Inhospitable cli
mate, with frozen soil and with all condi
tions of life rigorous and uncomfortable,
not to say hazardous, in the extreme? It
is the eager lust for gold. A multitude
has taken a chance in the great lottery,
with the certainty that for a portion of
them perhaps" the majority the drawing
pwill bo a blank or worse. They know it.
but the spirit of adventure and the ex
citements of speculation control the
thoughts and actions of men in all other
respects normal-minded.
Of course, there Is gold at Cape Nome
much gold. The fabulous stories that
camo out from the remote north last
year had a substantial basis In fact. Some
of the creek claims were demonstrated
to be enormously rich, while along other
streams no colors at all were found. The
value of the tundra claims extending
from the beach back to the foothills is
problematical. It appears to bo a fact
that the yellow stuff ia found at the
grass roots, but It Is also a fact that
no easy and profitable process of work
ing these claims has yet been discov
ered. They offer email Inducement for
the individual miner and prospector of
ordinary means. Their development will
bo on a large scale by large capital, and
to that end water will have to be brought
from the distant foothills. On tho beach
are the "poor man's diggings." There is
the public highway, and there the ordi
nary miner had and has just as perfect
a right as the millionaire. Last season
the whole beach was free to work, and
hundreds and even thousands of broken
and stranded miners made strikes that
put them "on- velvet" for the Winter, and
enabled many of them to come back to
civilization and comfortable living with
more than they had when they went in.
This was the exception to the rule of
Alaska experience. The majority of those
who started for the Klondike, full of high
hopes and golden Imaginings, had as their
reward bitter hardships and empty pock
ets. It Is difficult to tell just what these
hyperborean beach-combers averaged to
tho man, but it was observable that, In
the large numbers who last Fall filled
tho returning vesoels, all seemed to have
something. There was a notable absence
of hard-luck stories. Undoubtedly they
exaggerated the extent of their good for
tune, but they had bags of dust to back
them up, at least In part. The probabil
ities aro that tho larger portion of these
graduate "cheehawkers" had a few hun
dred dollars, and that those .who stacked
their ounces by the thousands of dollars
were Infrequent.
Tho proposed new Alaska code limits
the field of free mining. The kernel to
this whole much-discussed feature of the
Alaska act is that it cuts the .beach in
two nearly equal parts, one of which shall
be and remain public domain and the
other be subject to location under tne
present United States laws. In other
words, mean high tide is made the divid
ing line. Now, mean high tide Is not much
more than half way up the beach to the
tundra. The poor man's diggings are be
low this line; the tundra claims, already
pretty fully located, are extended down
over the upper part of the beach thereto.
Tho area of profitable beach mining, how
ever, seems yet to remain below the high
tide line, and the low Summer tides will
not Interfere with the continuous working
of the claims to the extent that might be
anticipated. An undoubted advantage of
tho proposed new requirement Is that it
definitely and fully pl.ces In tho hands
of the miners themselves the power to
regulato the exploration and develop
ment of tho beach sands and of the
contiguous bottom of the sea out to the
three-mile limit. In view of the probable
value of tho seabed and the proposed
extensive Installation of elaborate dredg
ing machinery, this may be a concession
of the highest value and importance. It
is to be remembered, however, that tho
Alaska bill is not yet a law, and prob
ably will not be for some weeks. The early
birds In the northward migration may
therefore arrive at Nome in time for the
exercise of their sovereign squatters"
rights op the sea beach, which Is at pres
ent public domain. It may be remarked
here parenthetically that no hardship
would have been Imposed on the miners
if Congrees had let the beach strictly alone
and not attempted to define its status.
Miner's equity settled all disputes last
year without serious conflict ot any kind,
except early In the season with the sol
diers; and that trouble originated with
the Government officers and not with the
citizens, who were and are law-abiding.
Tho curse of Alaska placer mining Is
tho inexcusable discriminative provision In
tho present law permitting claims to be
located by power of attorney. There is
abundant testimony that the major part
of the. Cape Nome region has been taken
up In the names of people who were never
there, and furthermore are not likely ever
to go, or to develop their properties. Hon
est and deserving prospectors have been
excluded by the hundreds and thousands
In the Interest of persons who have lo
cated claim after claim by proxy for some
corporation or Its officers. This colossal
game of grab was engineered by corpora
tions operating in the North, and It was
done originally If tho testimony of many
persons Is to be believed through a lot
of Laplanders, who were not citizens of
the United States and with whom declara
tion to become such was an after-thought.
Citizenship with them was merely a con
venience for the purpose of possessing
rich properties, .which they either worked
themselves or professed to sell to others
It Is to be hoped that some way will be
devised of having the validity of these
claims tested In the new Alaska cour's.
The proapept is. indeed, that it will be,
and that persons who In good faith go. to
eeek and develop the mineral lands of the
Government may be given full opportunity
to do all the law contemplated that they
should be allowed to do.
Experience Is the only teacher most
people will take lessons of. and good ad
vice Is generally wasted. If you are going
to Cape Nome, the wisest advice is
Punch's Don't! But If you do. Godspeed
and good luck!
K0TE AND COMMENT.
Register today, or you're out ot It.
The candidate and his money ere soon
parted.
J. J. Kelly Is not a candidate for Vle?.
President.
There are men now living who will sea
the end of the Boer war.
Agulnaldo Is alive, 'and, it is reported
is again busy writing ultimati.
Hobson is coming home now; but it'
all right. Tho kissing-bug is extinct.
The sick man of Europe has got th
right idea about how to heel himself.
Prohibitionists have one big advantage
They don't have to spend any money ha
treating.
Where are Senators Hoar and PettigreW,
that they have not Introduced, resolution
of sympathy with Turkey?
Now doth the street girt graduate.
Rope In her .fond adorer.
To turn bis fondness to account,
And -write aa essay for her.
Perhaps tho reason penxes are so fre;
quent in Spring Is that the worklngmen
got driven to desperation by the house
cleaning at home.
Colonel Thomas Wentworth HIgglnson
has given the Boston public library a col
lection of 207 valuable letters relating to
John Brown, written between 1S3S and 1SC0
by Brown, Colonel Hlgglnson, Frank B.
Sanborn, Wendell Phillips, Theodore Par
ker and others.
Stephen Crane, the novelist, -was never
remarkable for his attention to text-books
and lectures at Lafayette College. On
the contrary, the Center Square of Easton
was his favorite post. He would stand
there for hours alone and idle, except for
the continuous smoking of cigarettes.
A packing-case which contained a Peru
vian mummy, intended for a museum la
Ghent, was-xecently opened by mistake at
an English railway station, thereby caus
ing a great deal of trouble. Murder was
at first suspected, but the Coroner's Jury
disposed of the case by bringing in this
unique verdict: "That the woman was
found dead In the railway station, and did
die on some date unknown, in some for
eign country, probably South America,
from some cause unknown. No proofs of
a violent death are found, and the body
has been dried and buried in some foreign
manner, and the jurors are satisfied that
tho body does not show any recent crime
In this country, and that the deceased
was unknown and about 25 years of age."
We doubt if any other mummy ever got
such an indorsement.
The Democrats of Florida are to hold
their state convention in the City of Jack
sonville on June 19. for the nomination of
candidates for sundry state offices, the
term of which offices is four years, wittt
tho exception of the Attorney-General ot
the state, who serves for two years only.
The Governor of Florida receives a salary
of $3500, and the Lieutenant-Governor re
ceives X00. but one advantage which
Democratic candidates for public office
in Florida enjoy Is the fact that a nomi
nation is equivalent to an election. At the
last contest In the Peninsular state the
Democratic vote was 20,000 and the Re
publican vote 4000. In the Presidential
election of 1S96 Bryan not only carried
the state by a plurality nearly twice as
great as McKlnley's vote, but he had a
plurality in every one of the counties of
Florida as well, notwithstanding the sup
port of the McKlnley ticket by many
Florida Democrats.
"Notes on the Bacon-Shaakespeare
Question" Is the descriptive title of abook
soon to be added to the voluminous bib
liography of the controversy over the au
thorship of the English master dramas.
It is by -the Hon. Charles Allen, late of
the Massachusetts Supreme Bench. Af
ter collecting a formidable array of evi
dence from every available source, the
author has given the case a review in
the most impartial manner. The decision
is for Shakespeare, and is based upon a
study of every important Shakespearean
student, commentator and editor, and
upon a minute study of the legal terms
used by Shakespeare a study which has
led to the decision that Shakespeare was
too poor a lawyer to be confounded with
the great Jurist. Bacon. One of the 16
chapters composing the book treats of
Shakespeare's early life, and then deals
with his probable companions, while a
third gathers up the expressed opinions
of his contemporaries concerning him.
PLEASAXTRIES op PARAGRAPHERS
In Sulu Society. "Is ho a bachelor?" "Com
paratrtely. He has only 12 wives." Life.
In the Bakery. Jaggs Did you ever see a
cakewalk? "Waggs No; but I've seen a crack
er box. Chicago News.
An Imitative Dog. "B&byJaidog 'Is a great
Imitator. He can stand' on his hind legs and
drink from a bottle." "I suppose he has often
seen his master do that." Cleveland Plata
Dealer.
The Downward Path. "Brethren." said the
repentant man at the revival meeting, "mine
Is a sad story. I was born In Brooklyn, but
soon went from bad to worse." "How long
did you stay In New York?" asked the long
whiskered man near the organ. Baltimore
American.
But It Hadn't. "Here's the clockmaker come
to fix our sitting-room clock," said the funny
man's wife; "won't you go up and get It for
him?" "Why, It Isn't upstairs. Is It?" replied
he, lazily. "Of course It Is. Where did you
think It was?" "Oh! I thought It had run
down." Philadelphia Press.
Simply Hadn't Learned Yet. The Rev. Dr.
Queen, observing the Janitor wabbling about
uncertainly on his new wheel In the street In
front of the church, called out: "George, do
you ever take a header?" "No, Doctah
Queen," replied George, with visible Indigna
tion, "I neveh take nothln" strongah. 'n caw
feel" Chicago Tribune.
Doubtful. "These Boers are an agricultural
people," said the man who wears knickerbock
ers and smokes a short pipe. "Yes," answered
Mr. Corntossel. "I don't purtend to know
much about International politics, but I must
say I begin to feel kind o' skittish about them
fellers' chances as soon as I found out they
was a farmers alliance." Washington Star.
Borrowing- the Baby.
Josh Wink. In Baltimore American.
"Good mornln. My ma sent ma
To ast you how you was.
An' hope you're well you know 'at te.
Th way she alius does. j:
My ma she sez, you're strangers,
But then she kind o" thought
M
Sh.e'd like to bony th' baby
At you folkses 'as got.
.'
"My ma sets by th winder
An watches you .an' him.
An kind o smiles an cries to wanst,
Cause he's like baby Jim. ' ""'
Who's Jim? He was our baby
We named him after pa.
Say, c'n we borry your baby
A little while fer ma?
"My ma she sez she wouldn't
Mind If your baby cried.
She sez t d be like music
Since little Jim has died.
She sez she'll be good to him.
An' she'd like a whole lot.
If we can borry the baby
'At you folkses 'as got.
- r