Morning Oregonian., July 16, 1900, Page 4, Image 4

THE MOTOWN OnKOOTCTAN. MONDAY, JULY 16, 1900,
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Puget Sound Bureau Captain A. Thompson,
office at 1111 Pacific avenue. Tacoma, Box S53,
Tacoma postofflce.
Eastern Business Office The Tribune build
ing. New Tork City; "The Rookery," Chicago;
the S. C Beckwlth special agency. New Tork.
For eale In San Francisco by J. K. Cooper,
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217 Dearborn street.
TODAY'S WEATHER Fair and continued
warm; northerly winds.
PORTLAND, MONDAY, JULY 1C, 1O0O.
Saturday night's accident on the
Fourteenth-street bridge should put an
end to growls at the Street Superin
tendent for his firm closure of similar
thoroughfares in dangerous condition.
The pedestrian and street-car patron Is,
in these cases, his own worst enemy.
He howls because bridges are closed,
and compounds a felony with murder
ous property-owners who would rather
see a crowded street-car go down to
liopeless destruction than prevent the
catastrophe by $10 for repairs. This ac
cident should serve to show the City
of Portland that wherever there 13 a
defective bridge or elevated roadway
we are standing on the brink of a hor
ror like those of Victoria and Tacoma.
If it serves to show us this, and does
the work a dreadful catastrophe would
do, it will prove a blessing in disguise.
It is a comforting reflection that City
Engineer Chase has always shown a
becoming sense of municipal responsi
bility in these and other matters. Doubt
less this warning will do him no hurt,
and it ought to array public sentiment
solidly behind him in any preventive
measures he finds necessary.
The strenuous purpose of Mr. Richard
Croker to deliver the -electoral vote of
New Tork to McKinley and Roosevelt
has led him into acceptance of a place
on the executive committee of the state
organization. Few would be rash
enough to deny that the post will afford
Mr. Croker a strategic position of pe
culiar advantage. His desire in this
matter is beyond doubt, though the
press of New York dislikes to say so.
The Evening Post is apparently the only
paper in the city that has the courage
to hint at the truth. "Croker," it says,
"has done his best to give Piatt control
of the state government for the next
two years." Specifications are derived
from the Kansas City proceeding. The
Post observes that Crokers forcing of
"Van "Wyck upon the committee on reso
lutions, in place of Hill, who was enti
tled to the place, was Just what was
needed to assure the triumph of the
silver men, as it deprived the opposition
of their strongest leader. "His absurd
selection of Keller as New Tork'B can
didate for Vice-President only empha
sized the contemptible position which
the Empire State occupied throughout
the convention. In order to assert his
power, the Tammany boss consistently
pursued a policy which renders the suc
cess of his party in this state utterly
out of the question." Croker evidently
would have liked nothing better than
to force Hill on the National ticket for
purposes of immolation.
The ralson d'etre of Croker's opera
tions in behalf of up-state Republicans
is1 not far to seek. Tammany helps
Piatt and Piatt helps Tammany. If the
city can be kept as a preserve for Tam
many exploitation, Croker will do the
right thing by the Republcami in the
state as a whole. What Piatt can do
on his part was shown in the nomina
tion of Tracy and the resultant election
of Van Wyck. Doubtless the same ar
rangement can be made again If neces
sary. Croker has no Idea of letting
Coler run for Governor. He might be
elected. But the game is for Piatt, with
Roosevelt safely out of the way, to nom
inate a candidate of his own personal
choice, who can be depended upon to
serve his master loyally. The arrange
ment resolves Itself Into a political
trust The destructive effects of compe
tition -are realized as keenly by Piatt
and Croker as In another field by Stand
ard Oil or American Tobacco. Why cut
each other's throats? Why not, say the
government of New Tork State and the
government of Manhattan Island, divide
the field, maintain rates, and save the
expense of rivalry except such as is
absolutely necessary to keep up appear
ances? A working agreement of this kind has
long been in force in Pennsylvania un
der the master hand of Quay, though
there the Democratic share of the spoils
is a much smaller proportion of the en
tire capitalization. From the steel grip
of these unscrupulous and crafty com
binations It is not surprising the people
struggle fiercely, if vainly, to escape.
How to cut their way out of the spider's
web is the question they ask each other
in small hope and great dismay. It Is
not surprising that conservative jour
nals of enlightened Eastern opinion are
turning to direct election of Senators,
and direct primary nomination of can
didates for all offices. When the bosses
of opposing parties have absolute con
trol of all nominations, and a friendly
understanding through which a weak
candidate is put up for the office the
Democrat has agreed to deliver to the
Republican, it is clear the pretense of
popular government is becoming very
attenuated. Hitherto we have enjoyed
the privilege of rebuking bad nomina
tions by voting for the opposing good
candidate. But if we are to be shorn of
even this choice by consultation of rival
bosses and apportionment of govern
ment through joint balancing of candi
dates, reform must take on the proper
ties of revolution. The only way to
break up the political trust is to take
nominations out of its hands.
Though stockmen may complain at
the shrinkage of thp public range and
the Increase of small farms, it must be
recognized that this is the way to the
development and enrichment of the
state. Important as the. livestock In
dustry of Oregon is, it Is of still greater
Importance to get the land occupied by
settlers who will build homes and till
the soil. Oregon is gradually getting
past the grazing stage. There will al
ways be land that cannot be otherwise
utilized, but land that can be cultivated
ought to bt. It is the close working of
natural resources that pays. The
change is coming slowly, and will not
do vlolonce to any Industry, but It is
surely coming", and is welcome.
A PATTERN FOR STUDY.
Simplicity and effectiveness are the
best qualities of the primary system
which the Republicans of Lincoln, Neb.,
have adopted for city eleotlons. Boss-J
ism Is Bhorn of all Influence, except the
recommendation of slates and the direc
tion of campaigns, and the choice of
candidates rests with the individual
elector. To get his name on the primary
ticket, the candidate presents his peti
tion, signed by the requisite number of
legal voters, to the city committee.
Combinations between several candi
dates for the same ofllce to throw the
victory to one of their number by a
plurality vote are made impossible by
the requirement that a majority vote
Bhall nominate; that when there is no
choice at the first vote, a second primary
shall be held; that at the second pri
mary only the two leaders in the first
contest shall be voted for; and that, if
there Is a tie at the second primary,
lots shall be cast for the nomination.
The entire matter of nominations Is in
the hands of the voters. They even
elect the members of the city central
committee, the candidates choosing its
chairman and secretary.
The drawback of the Lincoln plan is
the presence of the city central com
mittee. It is true that the committee
men are reduced to clerical function
aries, but the germ Is preserved. The
committee system ought to be swept
out of our politics. Possessed of its full
powers, it Is dominant; if dormant, be
cause of reaction in the public mind, it
is ready for a spring at the institution
that has crushed It and destroyed its
authority. At Lincoln the city central
committee provides the ballots and sta
tionery, rents the polling place, appoints
the judges and clerks, canvasses the
returns and declares the nominees,
hears and determines contests, and is
the depositary of the election records
It assesses the candidates for money to
pay the primary expenses, and divides
among the contributors the surplus re
maining after all accounts are settled
It is still an existing, cohesive body,
having the first and last say in the
primary election. In a measure, it is
still the party, and its Influence directed
for or against any man or measure
Is sure to have weight. The Lincoln
Republicans have only clipped the
bird's wings. They have not brought it
down.
The beneficial effect of the direct pri
mary system at Lincoln is shown in the
strengthening of the party and the
more business-like administration of
public affairs. When it was adopted,
the Republican party was in disfavor.
The office-holders, presumably the fa
vorites of the Republican bosses, had
been extravagant in the conduct of the
city's business, and there had been com
plaint of the sale of appointments and
enforced contributions to the pot by
city employes. Granted participation in
the choice of candidates, the Individual
Republicans have taken an Interest in
the make-up of the ticket and have
loyally supported at the polls the candi
dates they nominated at the primaries.
While first-class nominations have not
been made at all times, the results have
been generally satisfactory. It would
seem that more economical men have
been called to office than formerly, for
in one department $29,000 was saved to
the taxpayers In a single year.
The direct primary system which the
next Legislature should enact for Ore
gon should remove committees entirely
from any control of primaries. Peti
tions for counts nominations should be
filed with the County Clerk, and that
officer should arrange the ballot, the
county paying all expenses. In Minne
apolis, Hennepin County requires can
didates filing petitions to deposit a tee
of $10. Some such plan for meeting pri
mary election expenses could be adopt
ed in Oregon. In any event, political
committees should be as effectually ex
cluded from the management of pri
maries as they have been from the
general elections.
ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION.
There Is nothing surprising in the
story that comes from Cape Nome ex
cept that so many people should be sur
prised at the conditions they find there.
It was well known that the shore of
Behrlng Sea is bleak and inhospitable;
it was well known that the corporations
that had been operating In Alaska for
years had secured to themselves the
cream of the gold diggings; it was well
known that the transportation compa
nies were making the most of their
opportunity for gain; it was well known
to every discerning man that the in
fertility of the soil was not due solely
to the excessive proportion of gold in
it. Such information as was available
was sufficient to warn the prudent that
Cape Nome would be no Utopia, and
that the Cave of Mammon was not lo
cated on the gilded strand or swampy
tundra of that Arctic headland. And
the prudent stayed at home or went
prepared to find such conditions as are
now reported.
The man or woman who joins a stam
pede to reputed gold fields expecting to
scoop up a fortune In a day and to find
exemption from hardships and perils is
too verdant to make much of a success
in this practical, not to say sordid,
world. The man or woman who was
fooled Into the belief that beneficent
corporations had gone into the rugged
northland with purely altruistic mo
tives, and that they were promoting
the exploitation of the country for the
fun of it, was assured a rude awak
ening. We had reports from men who
had won and from men who had failed
at Cape Nome before tfie Spring stam
pede set In. There were even Govern
ment reports Indicating clearly enough
that that country was not made of gold
and that disappointment was in store
for most of those who should go there.
Many took due notice and went pre
pared for eventualities, or remained
away. Others didn't. To these heed
loss careless, Improvident or reckless
oriesjtejill come rough experience, and
theyeven breed conditions that In
crease the peril of their more careful
companions.
They who went to hunt gold at Cape
Nome are not on a Summer picnic. The
chances are In favor of those who dear
from the throng and go forth to enjoy
more healthful conditions and to find
new gold. If they do not find the gold,
thoy at least stand a good show to es
cape the pestilence that promises to
deiimate the congested camp on the
beach. Those who expect to gain from
the productive toll of othera must take
the fortunes of the camp. The people
at Cape Nome do not appear to be es
pecially bloodthirsty, and the govern
ment of the town, now In the hands of
the military authorities, promises a
reasonable degree of order and secur
ity. There Ib nothing unexpectedly
alarming in the reports coming from
there. It does appear a little clearer
that the popularity of Cape Nome is
due to the enterprise of Interested
transportation and provision compa
nies. But it is also clear thai there is
gold In the country, and that much will
be brought out. Here is a demonstra
tion of human nature that is as old as
the race. We will now get as more or
less startling news that whloh prudent
people foresaw and foretold.
THE IMAGE-BREAKER.
The historical image-breaker has
again been getting In his work with
his iconoclastio hand about Boston. He
has destroyed the pleasing tradition
that the great elm, which stands in the
middle of the street on the left of the
Cambridge Common, actually sheltered
Washington when he took command of
the Continental Army on July 3, 177e".
To expose this fiction is worse in the
eyes of the descendants of the men 6f
Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hilt
than to cut down the tree Itself. The
woodman. Nature, could not always
have spared that tree, but the tradition
concerning it would have long survived
the tree, had it not been for the cold
blooded iconoclasts 6f Harvard College.
Their historical investigations had al
ready disposed of the Norse legend con
cerning Lief Ericson, whose statue
stands in one of Boston's public
squares. The late Justin Winsor could
find no ground for the assumption that
the land reached' in America by the
Norse sea rover was In New England,
so that the statue of Ericson has no
more particular appropriateness In Bos
ton than if It stood in Eastpoft Me.
This elimination of the Washington
elm is the latest illustration that his
tory is never safe from the incursions
of the image-breaker, whose vandal
hands have shattered Its most lovely
shapes, have proved that the rosy
clouds we saw In youth were nothing
but damp, chilly vapor; that our heroes
were no heroes at all. The original
story of William Tell, of Pocahontas, of
Joan of Arc, of Beatrice Cencl, of Lady
Godlva, have all been divested consid
erably of historical foundation. Some of
these charming tales are mere poetic
inventions, some of them historical lies.
Even the modern story of Cambronne's
words at Waterloo, "The Guard dies,
but never surrenders," Is without foun
dation, and Cambronne declared that
Victor Hugo' vulgar version of his
words was a pure invention. As a mat
ter of fact, "the Guard" became a mass
of fugitives finally at Waterloo, and
Cambronne, who was wounded, was
very glad individually to surrender to
an English officer.
The story of "Jessie of Lucknow'who
In her fever delirium heard the pibroch
of her clan and cried, "The Campbells
are coming! Oh, dinna ye hear It?
DInna ye hear It?" is another pleasant
myth. The story of Barbara Frletchle
Is also a myth. Barbara was Teal and
patriotic enough. She was ndted for
her Intense Union sentiment, and kept
the Stars -and Stripes flying from her
cottage attic window through the Civil
War. But when some part of the Con
federate Army passed through Fred-
erick, Md.. in 1S62, before Antietam
battle, General Jackson was not with
them, and none of them marched past
Barbara Frietchie's house.
Every day finds some dry, groping,
fact-smelling fellow smearing our
Idols with pitch, or absolutely hurling
them out of the topmost window of the
temple of Fame, or making some his
torical flend shine with angelic splen
dor. De Qulncey says a good word for
Judas Iscariot Froude glorifies Henry
VIIL Richard HI, Frederick the Great,
Peter the Great Robespierre and Dan
ton have all been whltwashed with
considerable skill by some historians,
who first pity them, then excuse, and
finally forgive all their crimes. The
most regrettable of all these broken
images is that of Pocahontas, that
sweet, nut-brown maid, whose figure
was long a beautiful historical shape
of love and humanity Interposing be
tween the head of Captain John Smith
and the impending war club of Pow
hatan, who was naturally enraged be
cause Smith had stepped on his Indian
corn. That charming picture has long
ago become a dissolving view, for Po
cahontas was a well-featured young
woman who used to amuse the colo
nist by "turning a cartwheel," naked
as she was born, in the market-place
at Jamestown. It was very painful to
lose Pocahontas from the roll of nice
people in history, and find that she was
nothing but a copper-colored wanton,
who finally married John Rolfe, who
was probably the first voluntary
"squaw-man" In the United States.
We shall soon have no saints and
heroes left upon our historical calen
dar, for he that was a saint Is painted
as a sinner, and he that was a sinner
is pictured as a saint
The celebration of a golden wedding
Is an interesting event in any commu
nity. Interest in it is not, Indeed, con
fined to the immediate community, but
extends over a much wider field. While
It lacks all of the romance of the event
of fifty years before, it is rich in the
records of life's experiences, and por
trays in colors soft and subdued Its
shifting realities. The worthy Polk
County couple, Claiborne E. Walker
and Louisa Purvine, his wife, who cele
brated their golden wedding a few days
ago among the neighbors and frlefcids of
half a century, are congratulated as
having been a part of a community life
covering this long space of years, the
elements of which were harmony, pros
perity, hospitality and contentment, of
each of which they contributed to the
general fund their full complement
Such lives, moving along their 6ven
channels, furnish the essence of the
state's growth and greatness.
According to a dispatch published in
the Chicago Times-Herald, St Joseph,
Mich., was all astir during the first
days of July, the occasion being the
gypsy national convention in that towp.
It appears from this that the "Roman
ies" have beeh moved by a desire to be
in the fashion this great convention
year. Their delegates assembled from
various parts of the Middle West, their
chief roamlng-groujnd. They did not
travel in Pullman cars, but In wagons
in various stages of dilapidation, and
their errand was not to put & Presiden
tial nominee 5a the -field, nor yet to in
dorse Bryan as the poor man's candi
date, but to elect a chief of their wan
dering tribe.
Two candidates were In
I tUe field Gene Fenmdo, ol Indlanfti
nrnd Gala Marcui, 61 Kentucky. The
first-named candidate, after a long
struggle, gained two-thirds of the vote
cast 106 and is now "Chief of the
Gypsies." His policy will be to do what
he can to keep the various gypsy faint
lies throughout the country united, the
Idea, perhaps, being that his people will
thus be more successful in securing re
turns from their peculiar type of en
deavor. ThiB is the first National con
vention the Romanies have ever held
If It results In keeping these pilfering
vagrants confined to one sectlcm of the
country, all other sections will have
good reason to rejoice and that special
section to apply for military protection.
The refusal of the Finnish Parliament
at Helslngfors to pass legislation re
quired of tbetn in the imperial effort to
wholly Russlanlsse the Finnish people
calls attention again to the fact that
a small but brave people In the North
of Europe are in the death throes of
constitutional liberty. Recently Gen
eral Bobrikoff, Governor of Finland, in
the name of the Czar promulgated an
ordinance decreeing that thereafter the
Russian language should be the bfnclal
tongue in all Finland. According to the
constitution of that grand duchy,
which has not yet beeia formally abro
gated, no grand ducal decree can be
come legal without the consent of Par
liament and that body was accordingly
asked to give legality to the Imperial
act by ratifying it This, after careful
deliberation, has been refused. The
Finnish Parliament has also refused to
ratify a law giving to Russians the
right to engage In certain lines of trade
which have hitherto been prohibited to
FInlanders on moral ajad other grounds.
Beyond an indication of the desperation
td which these" people have been re
duced in their effort to maintain a sem
blance of their ainclent constitutional
liberty, this refusal Is insignificant
Russia finds ways and means whereby
to enforce compliance with her wishes
in her own dominions. This battle of
the Finns Is pathetic, but it can Only
end in their national humiliation.
The household of Minister Conger at
Pekin consisted of himself, his wife, his
daughter, Laura, and his niece. Miss
Mary Pierce, 6f Des Moines. Other at
taches of and residents at the Lega
tion were. Miss Payne, of Chicago,
French teacher; Mr. Squires, First Sec
retary of the Legation, his wife and
three children; Mr. Bainbridge, Second
Secretary of the Legation, and his wife;
Mr. Cheshire, interpreter, and Miss
Mary Condlt Smith, a sister-in-law of
Governor-General Wood, of Cuba.
While there Is every reason to fear that
these people have fallen victims to Chi
nese atrocity, there is a slight hope,
pending definite Information, that they
may still be living. If living, however,
without ability to protect themselves,
their fate is even more deplorable than
that of the German Minister, Von Kette
ler, whose life was destroyed within a
few minutes after he was set upon by
the mob in the streets. Suffering that
ends speedily in death is the lightest
phase of the horrors incident to falling
Into the hahds of unrestrained savages.
We may hope that our people have es
caped or been spared the latter fate,
even at the expense of sudden dispatch.
The United States Government is soon
to establish three stations at widely sep
arated points for the scientific study of
magnetic currents and electrical phe
nomena. These are to be fixed at Wash
ington, Sitka and Honolulu. The con
struction of these stations and the ad
justment of their delicate Instruments
will require a degree of skill and a
nicety of discernment that can only be
acquired by the mo3t careful study.
Magnetic Storms, their correlation to
sun spots and the phenomena of the
aurora borealls are discussed upon the
basis of theory, mainly, and It is In the
hope to bring demonstrated fact to this
discussion that these magnetic observa
tories are to be established. This field
of investigation is an entertaining one.
So close Is the connection between mag
netic disturbances, meteorological phe
nomena and human affairs, that it could
not be otherwise. It may require years
to obtain any appreciable result from
the minute sttidy of the forces of the
air, but such results as are likely to be
obtained will prove ample recompense
for tedious and baffling effort
Pendleton is the home of the most de
lightfully inconsistent newspaper in
Oregon. It prints an editorial para
graph in a recent issue about the
"unfairness and bitterness" of classi
fying Candidate Bryan as "a cross be
tween a crank and a quack," and In
the next paragraph displays Its own
fairness and sweetness by calling ex
Mlnlster John Barrett a "pest with im
maoulate gall," a "self-seeking political
harlot," a "human fly In search of mo
lasses," etc all because Barrett refuses
to support Bryan's programme of finan
cial dishonesty and National dishonor.
If the Russian envoy's reported fate
should be confirmed, similar tragedies
and mournings are in store for several
capitals. Besides De Glers, the Russian
envoy, and Von Ketteler, the murdered
German, foreign representatives at Pe
kin Include our own Minister, E. H.
Conger; Sir Claude MacDonald, British;
M. Pinchon, France, and the Japanese
Minister. M. de Meissen, the Belgian
Minister, is at 8haighal.
At Oregon City a man whose wife wa3
In the insane asylum was granted a di
vorce recently, and now a man at Hllls
boro, In the same judicial district, sues
for a divorce from an insane spouse.
To be sure, insanity Is not alleged as
the sole ground for the decree In either
case, but it is Impossible to eliminate
it from the cage as an Important factor.
If the Chinese at Tien Tsln will only
act on the offensive, we may see some
effective work done by the allies. Dan
ger will drive some of the foolishness
out of them.
Latest news from Pekin is darker
and from Tien Tsln a little brighter.
The Japs are giving a good account of
themselves.
Jan. n. Eckels for Republican Ticket
Interview In Chicago.
No Issue set forth, no matter how cun
ningly devised and arranged, can be made
paramount to the Issue of Mr. Bryan him
self. No man is fitted for the Presidency
who proclaims, in the midst of a demon
strated better condition of affairs, the re
verse to be true, In order to foment a dis
content which will gain to himself and
party a political advantage. Mr. Bryan
hardly appeals to tho thoughtful citizen
when upon one hand he is .presented by
the Populists, and on tho other by Tam
many. Tho joining hands with the one
Constitutes an offense against safety in
Governmental Administration; tho alli
ance with the other an offense against po
litical decency. If elected President the
public must be prepared to see Bryan as
chief executive, and those associated with
1 him as Cablao counaJJtor, fconatnto ery
law bearing upon the currency and the
powers of the Treasury Department in
such a manner as to nullify, as best they
can, Its provisions in so far as they bear
upon the question of the maintenance of
the gold standard. I shall be surprised if
any German voter, heretofore the bulwark
of the country against every assault upon
the Integrity of the country's currency
system, and protesting against any de
basement of the country's coin, will now
old and abet such a proceeding because
of a belief In any injustice done by Great
Britain to some affiliated race 10,000 miles
away. I do not believe- any man benefits
his country by being a preacher of dis
content Ab between Republicanism and
Populism, filtered through the channel of
Bryanlsm, I prefer Republicanism.
EIECT CANDIDATES AT PRIMARIES.
Here I Apparently the Only Effect
ive Weapon Against BoKseff.
New Tork Evening Post.
At Philadelphia the sense of restlveness
among the delegates, of resentment at
being treated like' dumb, driven cattle,
was perhaps the most marked. "Whom
are you for as Vice-President?" "I don't
know; I haven't been told yet" That
was the kind of cynical and bitter ques
tion and answer which passed back and
forth. What Hanna calls "organization"
had done Its perfect work; and the result
was a convention in which the signs of
life were only galvanic. And at Kansas
City the platform adopted was openly and
notoriously In the teeth of the prevailing
sentiment of the party. It overrode the
demonstrated preference of three-fourths
of the Democratic voters. And even In
the packed committee the decisive votes
were those of delegates from- Oklahoma
and Hawaii, neither with" an electoral
vote. Talk about the tall wagging the
dog!- This is tho grin of the Cheshire
cat weighing more than the whole anl
maL This Is the bray of a mule, set to
pull a load In place of the mule.
Wo think a beginning Of better things
may be discerned in the spreading prac
tice in the South of nominating United
States Senators and Governors in a
general primary election, rather than by
conventions or caucuses. Not for dele
gates, but directly for candlates, do the
party vdtera cast their ballots. The sys
tem has worked well, on the whole, and
Is growing in favor, it is an appeal back
td the people again from the machine,
allowing the members of the party freely
to express their opinion, not as to who
should be delegates (to be owned or
bought by a boss), but as to who should
be the nominee. Imagine the method
applied to a National nomination. Does
any man suppose that a free Republican
prlniary would have returned McKinley as
its unanimous choice and man whom the
party delights to honor? How would
Bryan have fared under such a test? We
know that political conditions .In the
South are peculiar, and that what works
well there cannot always be extended to
other parts of the country. But whst
all can see Is that the breath of life has
gone out of the old system of Presidential
nominations, and that. If It cannot bo
revivified, dlrecter and surer, methods
must be found. The new way, if .one
has to be devised, will surely take the
form of a larger and freer mandat lm
peratlf by the party; and direct voting in
the primaries would seem to promise it.
At any rate, by one means or another,
the hideous oppression of the reign of
King Convention, as displayed this year
with an unblushing tyranny never be
fore known, must be brought to an end.
Drranlim ilie Paramount Issue.
New Tork Evening Post
A man who as candidate could thus run
the convention of his party would dom
inate his Administration if he should be
elected. There would be no element of
restraint upon him. All of the conserva
tive influences have been driven out of
the party, and the possession of power
would simply whet the radicalism of the
Altgelds, the Tlltmans, the George Fred
Willlam3es, ahd the other wild and reck
less men who now control the organiza
tion. There would inevitably be a tremen
dous pressure for upsetting the financial
situation, and Bryan himself would like
nothing better than to demonstrate his
power to repeal the gold-standard act
Even without that he could, Iri the opin
ion of many of our best authorities, begin
paying out silver Instead of gold through
his Secretary of the Treasury under the
existing law, and thus cause at once a
tremendous financial convulsion. That
the country appreciates that the Kansas
City convention has made Bryanlsm the
Issue of the campaign is already plain.
The Democrats of the old school who re
volted In 1S96 stand almost unitedly
against the same heresies now. The at
tempt to put trusts ahead of the old
planks, and the declaration that Imperial
Ism Is to be regarded as "the paramount
Issue In the campaign." do not deceive
anybody. People appreciate that they
have Bryanlsm to deal with, and all over
the country we see the same evidences
of unwavering opposition which were
manifested In 1SS6.
A Cry to Hill for Relief.
NeV York Times.
The greatest service that David B. Hill
could do for his state and his country
would be the driving out of politics and
public life of Richard Croker and the
coarse and scoundrelly Tammany gang
who surround him. If Mr. Hill would
take up his residence in New Tork and
undertake the reorganization of the Dem
ocratic party in the great city he might
reasonably hope to accomplish this Auge
an stable-cleaning by the time the next
Mayoralty election occurs. There are
more than 2GO.O00 Democrats In tho city.
A resolute, able and resourceful leader
who would undertake to resoue the or
ganization from the corrupt band of pub
lic, depredators who now control the New
York Democracy could cut the out-and-out
Tammany vote down to less than 50,
000. A strong and reputable Democratic
party could be built up In New Tork, in
sympathy with the principles of the old
Democratic party in National affairs, and
not wholly given over to vulgar corrup
tion and tax-eating in municipal matters.
MEN AND WOMEN.
Maurice Orau. tho grand opera, manager; Is
to write a book of reminiscences of tha fa
mous singer and composers he has known.
Frederick Wlnklemaira. -who was last week
selected by tho New York Board of Education
as lecturer on music for the public schools
of that city, baa been blind all his life.
Both candidates on tho Republican ticket
were born In the respective- states from which
they arc now accredited, while, curiously
enough, Bryan, of Nebraska, first caw the
light In Illinois, and Stevenson of Illinois,
set up his first wall In Kentucky.
The Bishop of Japan, who was of the class
of 'SO at Tale, haa been -visiting In New Haven,
where he Is remembered as Sidney Partridge.
Ills brother, William Ordway Partridge, the
sculptor of note, designed the Shakespeare
statue In Lincoln Park. Chicago.
Senator Spooner has announced that he does
not wish to stay In the Senate after the ex
piration of his present term, which will end In
1903. His legal attainments, especially In tho
domain of constitutional law, have given him
& Commanding position In the Senate. His
chief reason for abandoning the flsld of po
litical activity, In which It was hopd he would
long remain. Is the ill-health of his wife.
fix-Governor William Marvin, of Florida, now
a resident of New York State, has sent his por
trait to Tallahasce, where It Is now displayed
In the executive chamber. He Is 62 years old.
He writes to Governor Bloxham. of Florida:
"I am tho sole survivor of the 60 or TO dele
gates that composed tho first constitutional
convention of Florida, held at St. Joeophs, in
1838. or 1S30.
The talented daughter of Charles Kingsley
has Just died in South Africa. A dispatch from
Capo Town says: "The funeral of Mary Kings
ley . which took place here today, was impres
sive. It was attended by naval and military
officers and civilians, and also br representa
tives of the Boer prisoners. In nursing whom
she contracted the fatal fever. At her special
request, her body was burled at sea. It was
carried several miles oft Cape Point by a tof
i Patent jagJMlgaedg, tlwea,' -
DEMOCRATIC REJECTION OF BRYAN
Detroit Free Press).
While imperialism Is made paramount
by the Democratic platform, 16 to 1 is
made positive. Silver Is subordinated, but
Its sinister presence, written all over with
failure, division and defeat is still there
to work woe to the party that was not
wise and courageous enough to leave it
quietly inurned.
"Wlimlnjrton Every Evening.
The action of the Kansas City conven
tion places thousands of good and consis
tent Democrats in the position they were
In during the campaign of 1S96, unable
to follow their party and unwilling to
give the slightest aid or encouragement
to the Republicans. What they will da is
a question.
New Hriven Reffiater.
It was tho old, weather-beaten, and
water-logged issue of free silver at a ratio
which Is more arbitrary than ever In Its
history that dominated, combined with
the really Impressive determination of the
party master to show his power. In the
face of such a revelation to insist that im
perialism is the paramount Issue Is to
play tho American people for cabbage--heads.
Uilca Observer.
The lC-to-1 plank 13 an obstacle to party
unity. It Is as absurd, commercially
and economically, to declare 16 ounces of
silver equal in value to one ounce of gold
now a3 It was four years ago. Mr. Bryan
has' insisted on making people who want
to express disapproval of imperialism and
its consequent dangers and burdens ap
prove also of the fallacious and dangerous
policy of freo sliver colnago at 16 to 1.
Baltimore Nevra.
Unfortunately, the declaration against
imperialism cannot be taken by Itself. It
has to be taken In conjunction not only
with tha uncompromising pledge for free
silver, but also with the character of the
elements behind the platform, of the
breed of politicians who are now at the
front in th6 Democratic party. There is
little in these elements to Inspire confi
dence, and there is much in the free-silver
declaration to Justify tho moat seri
ous alarm.
Manchester Union.
Imperialism or no Imperialism, we can
do nothing If Mr. Bryan is to have his way
and his free-coinage nonsense receive any
further encouragement We utterly and
entirely repudiate the platform and Its
candidates, and we hope and believe they
will be beaten by an overwhelming vote.
The only way to put the Democratic party
upon Its feet is to take Mr. Bryan at his
word and utterly and entirely bury him
and the cause the only cause he stands
for beyond resurrection. Anything can
wait for that
Chattanooga. Time.
In 1S5S the Times believed Mr. Bryan to
bo wrong; that to force a fictitious value
on silver, a metal thoroughly discredited
as a money standard by every civilized
nation on tho globe, was not only bad In
theory, but morally dishonest. Since 1896
wo have had no reason for changing our
opinion. What we believed was dishonest
then Is not a whit more honest now; and
as Mr. Bryan refused to surrender his
convictions and declined to eliminate this
false and dangerous doctrine, the Times
refuses to surrender Its Ideas of right and
Its notions of fair dealing between man
and man. We believe wo were right In
1SSS and we shall continue to be right In
1900 by contributing nothing to tho elec
tion of Mr. Bryan.
Charlotte (N. C.) Observer.
The Observer Cannot support the candi
date nominated or the platform promul
gated at Kansas City. This Is of no con
sequence to the candidate or the plat
form, but the decision Is of much Im
portance to the Observer. Wo are op
posed to the free coinage of silver and
gold at the ration of 1C to 1, and whllo
there is little danger of this for four
or sis years to come, the perpetuation of
the agitation for It Is to be deprecated.
The reaffirmation of the Chicago platform
In general terms would have been bad
enough, but Its two most obnoxious fea
tures were singled out and emphasized
when free sliver and "government by In
junction" were specifically Indorsed. The
latter Is a bid, as It was m 1S96, for the
support of tho lawless, and It Is by far
tho most offensive plank in the platform
to one who believes in the supremacy
of the law and In upholding the hands
of the courts. The saying that the antl
imperlallstlc plank presents tho para
mount issue does not make it do so, and
moreover the Issue does appeal to us. This
country had no business In a war with
Spain, but It got into one, and as a con
Sequence certain territory fell under Its
control. It cannot shirk its obligations
In Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippine
Islands If it wanted to. But it is not so
much tho platform that is to be feared
as the man upon It. Mr. Bryan Is essen
tially a dangerous citizen. He Is an hon
est fanatic. Neither his ability nor his
Integrity Is open to doubt But he Is radi
cal, self-willed, headstrong. Imperious, de
termined to have his way and deter
mined If he cannot do so, that the proces
sion shall not move at all. His way is
not the wise way. He is not a fit man for
President In charge of tho craft, he
would run It upon tho rock3.
PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGRAPHERS
That Funeral. Employer Was much feeling
shown at your grandmother's funeral? Book
keeperTea; they mobbed tho umpire. Har
per's Batar.
Fudfly Mrs. Brownrlgg always speaks of her
physician. Dr. Stlckker. as an "old war horse."
Isn't that odd? Duddr Oh. I don't know.
They say ho is a terrible charger. Boston
Transcript.
Something to Bo Proud Of. "Well," proudly
remarked the Chief of tho Hoboken Fire De
partment as he wiped the grime from his
brow, "at least we caved tho rlverl" Cleve
land Plain Dealer.
"Do you believe that Lusher really saw a
sea serpent on hi laet yachting trip?" "I have
nO doubt of it at all. I was with him when
ho was purchasing his supplies." Chicago
Evening Post.
"Well, there's one thing certain." mused
TJncle Allen Sparks, who was watching a. boy
dangling his legs over the pier and holding
a flshlng-pole In both hands. "Tho capital
ists can't organize any happiness trust."
Chicago Tribune.
"Do you really think it's necessary to have
the Emperor assassinated again?" asked a
member of tho Chinese imperial family. "I
do," was the answer. "Well, you know we
must economize. Perhaps it would be cheaper
to employ a regular assassin and keep him
on tha pay-roll, instead of having the work
dono by the Job, as heretofore." Washington
Star.
Double Entry. Professor Browne "I have
a new system of mnemonics, and now I never
forgot even what my wife asks mo to pur
chase for hei1 down town; I Just Jot It down
in my little memorandum-book, and as soon
as I see ttio first word It all comes back to
me. Student Yea, sir but why haro you
got that string tied around your finger? Pro
fessorOh, that's to remlad xae to look la tha
j 6oofc--BrjjpfcJjpi iifa, --'' - .;
. NOTE AND COMMENT.
The trouble with the Boxers Is that wo
didn't know they were loaded.
Tho statute of limitations continues to
run on that little bill the Sultan owes
us.
The report that ex-Secretary Alger has
purchased a rat embalming plant In Can
ton is malicious.
It is noticed that Democratic orators
are not so silver-tongued as they wera
four years ago.
A New Tork man recently died because
he had an abnormally large heart It
was not Russell Sage.
It may soon be necessary to fish Dewey
out of political obscurity and send him
over to China to land more glory.
No one ever suspected that Webster
Davis was sufficiently friendly to thei
Republican ticket to oppose it openly.
It Is said that Mark Hanna is going
to Lincoln this Summer to take a pest
graduate course In tho art of bossing.
Moving pictures ore great institutions.
Without them we would never be abler
to get a life-like photograph of Aguln
aldo. Tho man who successfully shoots Niag
ara Rapids usually attempts to shoot
tho Falls next Such as have done so
are now doing- their boating on the
Styx.
The fourth annual lecturer of the "Cer
cle Froncals de TUniverslte Harvard"
will be Monsieur Gaston Deschamps, the
well-known literary critic of tho Paris
Temps. He will sail for America early
in February and will give at Harvard,
under the auspices of the Cercle Francois,
eight lectures on the "Theatre-Con tempo
rain." People ioungln under trees,
On the velvet grass,
Peoplo loafln 'long tho paths
Watchln others pasa.
Children crowdln 'round tho pit,
Throwln' to the bears;
Candy-venders at the gate,
Sellln out their wares.
Children pokin' at tho seals,
Layln on the bank.
Children crowdln fur a drink
'Bound the water tank.
Children racln up an down.
Chasln here an' there.
Children ridin lh tho swings.
Children everywhere;
Star in' at the animals,
Ntppin at the flowers.
Not a thing to fret about
Through the happy hours.
14 fe ain't got no cares for them.
Nothin but a lark.
Makes you young again to spend
Sunday in the park.
N. Li. Gllham. who resides at Hills
dale, on the hills west of this city, hav
ing occasion to build a woodshed, cut
off a maple tree, which stood on the
site, thinking that when the trunk was
Inclosed and deprived of light and air, to
say nothing of rain. It would die. He
did not understand tho vitality of the
Oregon maple, and the power exercised
by growing things as well as he does now.
Shortly after the woodshed was completed
the maple trunk began to throw out
sprouts, and they grew and they grew,
without any sunshine and without any
dew, and hence this tale of woe. A few
night ago Mr. Gllham heard a great
crash and cracking In his back yard. Ho
Imagined that cattle had broken into his
premises, and went out and looked around
but saw no cattle nor anything else to
account for the noise. Next morning he
found that the tender sprouts from the
maple had torn the whole roof off his
woodshed. He has not yet decided what
he is going to do about It
Many persons ask for Information on
some subject as for Instance "What con
stitutes a 'miner's inch' of water?" and
expect a categorical answer. This Is a
question which may be answered In many
ways, and legal decisions produced to
back up the answer in each case. For
example, there are five different defini
tions of a miner's inch of water In use la
Oregon, and there have been some 30 de
cisions of courts In this state on tho
subject. A majority of these decisions,
but not all by any means, have been In
favor of the definition giving the flow
of water through a hole one inch square
with a head of six Inches. The question
as to how thick a plank the Inch-holo
Is to be In has probably never been ad
judicated, but It Is a fact that more
water would' flow through a hole In a
thin plate or plank than In a thick one.
Colorado and other mining states have
different definitions of a miner's Inch, and
In all the states together, courts havo
rendered about a thousand decisions on
the subject It can, therefore, easily bo
seen that it Is not possible to answer
definitely off hand just how much water
goes to make a miner's- lnefci .
)
"Farmer" Bryan's Photogrraphsi.
Baltimore American.
They're talking Farmer Bryan with the bio
graph machine
The movlng-plcture man says it's the best he's
ever seen;
They show him in his overalls, with boots up
to his knees,
A-picking luscious melons from tho water
melon trees.
They have a splendid view of him behind tho
old pig pen.
Presenting moving arguments to his old set
ting hen.
And, best of all the films they've got Is ona
of William J.
A-drlvlng his self-binder in a waving field
of hay.
Another view depicts him with a heavy
handled hoe
He's hilling up the growing wheat in a well
planted row,
And then they have him In a tree, where
earnestly he tries.
To find enough dried apples to concoct some
tasteful pies.
With old blue Jumper, big straw hat and
rolled-up sleeves he stands
And contemplates the callouses upon his horny
hands
But all the farmers will admire the energetto
way
He drives tho big self-binder in tho waving
field of hay.
Tho picture man has other views. There'
one of Colonel Bill.
In Bearch of cracked oats in the field upon
the peaceful bill.
And still another shows him with a scythe
and he looks great.
Ah, there is naught the matter with tho "far
mer candidate!"
Ono view shows William harnessing a horse,
and you can see f
That he has hung tho crupper where tho bridle
ought to be.
The hold-back is a check-rein but the best of
all, they say.
Is where he's binding Into sheaves the scented
new-mown hay.
Tho overalls show creases that aro straight
from waist to toe
Tho tailor made them that way, and tho tailor
ought to know.
Tho blouse Is cut In proper style, tho shirt
is drossy, too.
And, oht a stand-up collar lends enchantment
to tho view.
For William is a farming man, he harvests
his cracked oats.
And has tho photos taken, so they'll harvest
him somo votes;
And won't the farmers shout for him with
voices blltho nnd gay.
Each time thoy seo tho binder la tho waving
flfiW hayl - -