TrE MOftNIXG OKEGOXIAN, FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1901.
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TODAY'S WEATHER. Generally fair and
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PORTLAND, FRIDAY, MARCH 29.
The one thing that must not be in
terfered with in any way, either by
private temperance oracles, practical
boards of managers or legislators, Is
the tipple of the inmates of Soldiers'
Homes. "Let the old boys enjoy them
selves," said a member of a Rocky
Mountain State Legislature, recently, In
opposing a measure requiring the in
mates of one of these institutions in his
state to surrender a portion of their
quarterly pension money to the author
ities, to be applied to their legitimate
needs. And though It was shown that
a large number of the "old boys" who
were sheltered and taken care of in this
Soldiers' Home went to the nearest
town on quarter day, "enjoyed them
selves" in the saloons until their money
was gone, and returned to be cared for
in the hospital connected with the in
stitution from the effects of their pleas
uring for a week or more, the proposi
tion to protect them frorn themselves
and their money from practical confis
cation by unscrupulous dealers in vile
liquor was voted down as an unwar
rantable encroachment upon the sacred
right of these old soldiers to "spend
their pension money as they please."
"What, though they are totally unable
in many instances, from causes that
.have no relation to military service, to
support themselves even by the aid of
their quarterly allowance from the Gov
ernment, were it Judiciously applied to
their needs, should their disposition
to enjoy themselves In ways most con
genial to them be thereby cut off?
Should they not rather be encouraged
to "have a good time" while their
money lasts? The Soldiers' Home in
this state has wrestled with these ques
tions, as have doubtless similar insti
tutions all over the country, but so far
as we know the old soldiers have come
off victorious in every encounter with
those who attempt to enforce against
them the old-fashioned principle that
self-support under all conditions Is In
cumbent upon man as far as his income
will provide for it
Mrs. Nation even has had to retire
discomfited from this field of endeavor.
Disregarding the sacred right of the inl
mates of the Soldiers' Home at Fort
Leavenworth, Kan., to settle the liquor
question for themselves, to the absorp
tion of their pension money for grog,
she visited that Institution a few days
ago, but was cut short In her harangue
upon the subject by the Governor of the
Home and escorted from the grounds
by a captain of the police. It may be
hoped that even she, the redoubtable
saloon smasher of the star prohibition
state of the Union, has learned that
there is one fortress that cannot be
taken by assault; one stronghold of
liberty, represented by the veteran's
right to "do as he pleases with his
pension money," that can neither be
undermined by economic logic nor over
come by force; one place where a man
can demand food, clothing, shelter,
nursing and medical care without ren
dering such equivalent therefor as he
may be able to do from a stated income.
This is a free country, as Mrs. Nation
herself should be made to understand,
and in all of its wide domain none are
so secure in the blessings of absolute
freedom as the multitude of inmates
familiarly and even affectionately
hailed as "old boys," who hold court
In the Soldiers' Homes throughout the
land. Hands off, Mrs. Nation. You
have at least gone a step too far! This
is a question that extends beyond the
limits of Kansas, and one with which
no intermeddling Is allowed. It repre
sents more than an inestimable privi
lege. It proclaims an inalienable right.
Attempts, more or less successful, to
make silk without the intervention of
the silkworm have been made for some
years. There are at present three fac
tories for the production of artificial
silk in Europe, one at Wolston, Eng
land, one at Sprellenbach, Germany,
and one at Besancon, France. The
first produces G613 pounds weekly, the
second 606.25 pounds daily, and the last
1984 pounds daily. It is said that other
factories for fiber silk production will
soon be erected in Belgium and Ger
many. Of this product Dr. Freund re
cently said In a lecture before the
Frankfort Society of Natural Philos
ophy: "Artificial silk Is a substitute
for natural silk very much as oleomar
garine is a substitute for butter. It
can compete with natural silk, but is
not as valuable. Although it has been
used as a covering for cables and a
substitute for horsehair, it has a tend
ency to break If wetted, and for this
reason it muse be mixed with natural
silk or cotton." This Industry is a
purely chemical one. More brilliant
effects can be produced with artificial
than with natural silk, and it is cheap
er. As yet there has been no organ
ized demand of silk manufacturers for
protection against artificial silk produc
tion; hence It may be supposed that it
does not as yet menace the silk in
dustry. The most that can be demand
ed is that artificial silk be placed In
competition with the genuine article
on its merits, and not as natural silk.
Its production will enable a greater
number of persons to wear supposed
silk gowns without materially lowering
the price or lessening the consumption
of the genuine article. The makers'
guarantee already accompanies the
high and medium-priced silks on sale
by responsible firms, so that the pur
chaser who is able to afford good silk
Is not likely to be deceived by the
product. The genius that imitates,
like the genius that originates, must
be reckoned with in these days of high
ly developed manufactures. Its value
Is estimated according to the view
point of the individual. Those who
can afford to pay the price of the
genuine article chafe at the Imitation
as cheapening the appearance, if not
the value, of the real, while others
welcome the Imitation as making It
possible for them to appear and really
feel "well dressed." On the whole,
these things regulate themselves or are
regulated according to the laws of sup
ply and demand. This is Just as well,
since It is both foolish and futile to at
tempt to regulate them by law.
Great Is the downfall of Senatorial
aspirants in Nebraska; and on the
whole the exhibit is such as to cause
the country to take heart. Disconcert
ing though it is to be reminded again
that the race is not to the swift or
the battle to the strong, yet In the col
lapse of these aggressive and self-seeking
campaigns is set out in large letters
the old-fashioned truth that the office
should seek the man. For months and
perhaps years, half a dozen determined
and not overscrupulous men have been
pursuing the Nebraska Senatorshlp
with unflagging and not over-scrupulous
zeal. What did they want it for?
In order to maintain the gold standard
or Improve the laws, or advance the
Nation's welfare? Verily not Their
ambition was personal. The best mo
tive that can be Imputed to them was
ambition for honor, and in most cases
this was mixed with desire for revenge,
or love of vulgar display, or hope of
gain through service of vast aggrega
tions of wealth. It is not to be ex
pected that the Nebraska catastrophe
will deter future activity of similar as
pirants, but such effect as it has will
be in that direction. The result is fur
ther reassuring In the superiority of the
men chosen. It is not uncommon for
such deadlocks to result in substitution
of some really worthy aspirant by a
mere trickster, but In the Nebraska case
the rule seems to have been reversed.
Politically, the effect will doubtless be
favorable to the campaign for election
of Senators by popular vote; for noth
ing else could be more demoralizing
from the party standpoint than disar
rangement at the last moment of all
previous plans. Twelfth-hour Senatorial
elections are dangerous to party disci
pline, especially when they overthrow a
duly chosen caucus nominee. Nothing
Is, more distasteful to our Hannas and
McKlnleye than the spectacle of the
rank and file taking, the bit in its teeth
and choosing men on their merits. Far
better, if we must, let us have a state
convention with Senatorial nominations
controlled by the machine.
SUBSIDY AND FACTS.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is either
profoundly Ignorant of the fundamental
principles of ocean commerce or its
blind desire to jump at the crack of
the party whip is leading it into a
maze of misrepresentation regarding
the matter. It mentions The Orego
nlan as opposed to "the proposal to
rehabilitate the rapidly declining Amer
ican merchant marine by a system of
bounties." The term "rapidly declin
ing" has a strange meaning when Gov
ernment statistics for the past year
show that e United State led nil
other countries but Great Britain In
the output of commercial vcrmcIm.
The marvelous growth of the German
merchant marine, which was the im
mediate cause of the Post Intelligen
cer's display of Ignorance, fell far be
hind that of the United States last
year, and even poor, old France, which
is paying the most liberal subsidies
that were ever granted to shipping, did
not turn out one-half the amount of ton
nage lhat went into the water from
American yards. The figures for the
three countries were as follows: United
States, 358,557 tons; Germany, 260,271
tons, and France, 165,348 tons. Never in
the history of the American Govern
ment has there been such activity In
shipbuilding as there is at the present
time. The reason for this is thus set
forth by the Post-Intelligencer in the
following editorial comment which ap
peared in that paper March 25:
This country nas now reached the stage In
Industrial development when it can produce
the material which enters Into the building of
ships more cheaply than It can be produced In
Great Britain. American ship plates were ex
ported to the Clyde during the shipbuilding boom
of last year In large quantities. When Amer
ican skill In organization and In substitution
of machinery for hand labor reaches the de
velopment In shipbuilding that it has In other
Industrial arts, ships can be laid down cheaper
here than In any country on earth.
In that paragraph the Post-Intelligencer
makes the most powerful argu
ment that could be presented, against
the payment of subsidies to the trusts
that seek to control the shipping of the
country. It is the fact that "ships can
be laid down cheaper here than in any
country on earth" that induced James
J. Hill, of the Great Northern, to let
the contract for his big Pacific liners to
an American yard, although he Invited
bids from all of the big builders of the
world. It is this fact that induced John
D. Spreckels to let the contract for
three million-dollar steamships to an
American yard. This matter of cheap
material and better work shows results
in the recent launching at an American
yard of the Korea, the largest steam
ship ever built in the United States.
No power under heaven can stop the
building up of the American merchant
marine so long as shipping property is
paying such enormous dividends as it
is paying at the present time.
The Pacific Coast organ of the sub
sidy grafters accuses The Oregonlan
of attempting to disguise the fact that
most of the growth of American ship
ping is in the protected coastwise trade.
It will probably be news to the Post
Intelllgencer to learn that at no time
In the print four yearn lmve the
"protected" coantlnj? tcskcIk paid
anywhere near as lnrjrc dividends
an Trerc paid by the deep-water
fillips under the American flnp.
It Is this fact which keeps nearly 90 per
cent of the Sewall fleet of the finest
American ships afloat in the deep-water
trade. A list of the present where
abouts of this representative fleet ap
pears in aaother column. Undoubtedly
a portion of that $180,000,000 subsidy
steal would go to the producers of the
Pacific Coast, but it would not be the
producers of the cargoes which fill the
ships, but to the producers of mislead
ing literature regarding the colossal
graft. American shipping will derive
no benefit whatever from the passage
of the subsidy bill, and It will carry
down to defeat any party which stands
sponsor for It.
WHAT TO DO WITH HIM.
The suggestion of Admiral Dewey
that Aguinaldo be sent to Guam Is
sensible advice. When the British
captured Arab! Pasha, after the battle
of Tel-el-Keblr, in 1S82, the Egyptian
Insurgent leader was sent to the Island
of Ceylon, where he still remains in a
far more comfortable state of captiv
ity than was granted Napoleon at St.
Helena. When the French captured,
the African King of Dahomey they sent
him to the Island of Martinique, in the
West Indies, where he still remains in
genteel captivity. In Guam Aguinaldo
could do no harm, and he would be too
far away from Luzon to pose to any
advantage. He Is a greatly overrated
man, whose ruling passion Is a love of
notoriety. He ought to be treated with
no more distinction than we treated
Geronlmo and other noted Indian chiefi!
who gave us a deal of trouble before
they were captured and placed In life
long restraint of their liberty. The
wretched little Tagal degenerate Is not
equal In brains and courage to any of
the Sioux or Apache warriors that made
war upon the white man, but his proc
lamation which plotted the massacre of
all our soldiers in Manila proves him
to be quite as cruel a barbarian. But
of course It would be folly to make a.
martyr of him; his influence has been
due chiefly to superstitious belief In his
Invulnerability through an amulet he
wears. His amulet and his gold whistle
are the earmarks that prove Aguinaldo
to be little more than a silly savage.
Secretary Long hit It exactly when he
said that Aguinaldo ought to be
spanked with a shingle; that is, he
ought to be made to appear ridiculous
and contemptible before his country
men. We cannot afford to execute him,
for that would make a martyr of him.
We cannot afford to let him run
at large in Luzon on his promise to
behave himself, for he has no respect
for his oath, and his love of notoriety
would soon tempt him into fresh plots
against our authority. He would bet
ter be sent to Guam to Join Mabini,
the real brains of the Tagal Insurrec
tion. Mabini, who used him as a mere
tool, -would probably take pleasure In
making Aguinaldo unhappy for the rest
of his days. A discrowned adventurer
Is always a subject for persecution by
his fellow-prisoners, if he was a mere
figurehead in his best days. To Ma
bini, Aguinaldo is now nothing but a
Merry Andrew who was wont to dance
when he pulled the strings. Let Aguin
aldo be sent therefore to Guam, where
Mabini can recreate himself with
laughing at the stunted little soldier
he dressed up in the uniform of a Gen
eral and furnished with the language of
a dictator. Mabini was the Tecumseh,
the brains of the Tagal insurrection,
while Aguinaldo was "the prophet" or
"medicine man."
BOSS PLATT IX GRAVE DANGER.
Governor Odell seems to have re
deemed his promises of an Independent
administration. His latest defiance of
Boss Piatt stands out in striking con
trast to the failure of Roosevelt to re
deem just such pledges. Odell did not
wish to be Governor. The nomination
was thrust upon him, but he is evi
dently a man with a high sense of the
dignity and responsibility of his posi
tion, and he has chosen a good time
for his flat refusal to obey the bidding
of Piatt Piatt Is 68 years old, and
broken In health. The opposition to his
continued supremacy in New York
State affairs has been steadily gaining
in strength since Ellhu Root became
a member of the President's Cabinet.
Odell was always known to be an able
man, of masterful character, with a
high sense of personal self-respect; and
the wonder Is that Piatt should have
made him Governor with the expecta
tion that he would be a mere mass of
political putty plastic in his hands after
election.
The blunder of Piatt was doubtless
due to his brilliant success in manipu
lating so pronounced an independent as
Governor Roosevelt to his own advan
tage at every opportunity! When
Roosevelt was elected his ostentatious
Independence before his accession had
led his admirers to expect from him a
spectacular display of backbone on
every occasion. An intimate friend said
to Roosevelt: "You have only to hew
to the line and you will carry the peo
ple with you." But Roosevelt threw
away his opportunity. He did not hew
to the line, because he had the Presi
dential bee in his bonnet, but became
what Is called a practical politician.
He had not the courage to break with
Piatt, who was allowed to have his own
way in everything, and the result was
that when Roosevelt's term was over
Piatt had the satisfaction of knowing
that he not only had used this effusive
"Independent'' as a machine executive,
but had made his renomination Impos
sible, so that Piatt had his revenge on
Roosevelt for old scores. He had used
him, exhausted his popularity and bur
led him In that political "bone orchard,"
the "Vice-Presidency. No wonder Piatt
felt confident, after drawing 'the teeth
and cutting the claws of the Hon of
the "Independents," that he could easily
manage Odell, who had always been a
machine man before his election. But
Piatt ought to have remembered the
story of Slxtus V, who was one of the
meekest of cardinals, but one of the
sternest and most arbitrary of popes.
Governor Odell is a veteran politician
who sees his advantage and promptly
seizes it. He sees that the Governor
ship of the great State of New York Is
the most conspicuous polhical pedestal
In this country, save the Presidency.
He remembers that Samuel J. Tllden's
executive courage, integrity and ability
won him the nomination of his party
for President in 1876; that Grover Cleve
land's administration of the Governor
ship of New York gave him the nomi
nation of his party in 1S84, and that
the applause and esteem of a state of
over seven millions of people are worth
obtaining and retaining, even If they
do not lead to higher political prefer
ment He knows that any well-ground-
ed suspicion that he 'had not risen to
the level of the duties and responsibili
ties of his great office would be sure
to be resented by the people of his
state. Odell Is a cool man, a resolute
I man, of large political experience. xHe
may have decided to break with Piatt
from the highest motives, or he may
have only taken an advantage of an
obvious opportunity to make himself a
conspicuous National .figure; but, what
ever may be his motives, he Is sure to
win In his fight with "Boss" Piatt. The
Presidential term Is Just begun, and
there is a clear field for a fight to the
finish between Piatt and the revolting
Republicans, who Include not only the
followers of Governor Odell, but the
friends of Ellhu Root, who has long
hated Piatt and patiently waited for a
chance to wrest from him the leader
ship of the party in the Empire State.
When Alexander Hamilton was polit
ical "boss," he could not bend Gover
nor John Jay to gratify his personal
wishes. When Tammany Hall under
took to bulldoze Governors Tllden and
Cleveland, they failed miserably. The
historical precedent of success is with
Governor Odell's decision to resist the
rule of "Boss" Piatt. In every in
stance in the history of New York State
the people have supported their Gover
nor in a fight with the party bosses.
The hour Is well chosen. The Admin
istration at Washington has no 'longer
any need to favor Piatt, while his lead
ing enemies In his party are In a posi
tion to combine for his defeat. The
chances are that it he forces a fight to
the finish with Governor Odell, Piatt
will be badly beaten. He is a sick
tiger; his teeth and claws are gone, and.
his growling frightens nobody.
The movement to eliminate racial
prejudice and religious Intolerance,
with the late Baron and" the Baroness
de Hirsch as object-lessons in such
endeavor. Is well worthy the attention
of wide-minded people of whatever
race or condition in life. The Initial
convention looking to these ends, held
in New York Tuesday evening, was
very fitly attended by a multitude of
Hebrews and Chinese. The meeting
i was addressed by Minister Wu, an em
inent colored preacher, Rev. Charles
T. Walker, and a number of ministers
of -various denominations, all of whom
expressed lament and intelligent sym
pathy with the purpose of the conven
tion. The subjects treated are as broad
as the world and as deep as humanity.
So broad. Indeed, and so deep that it Is
presumptuous to suppose that the prog
ress of the twentieth century will sound
them. Still, it is something to make a
I beginning to set up a standard In
scribed with religious toleration and
racial Justice, with the avowed Tjurpose
of pushing It forward and resting not
until it is planted high upon the ram
parts of universal brotherhood. Good
men have set themselves to the task.
It Is something to have their names
stand for the principles Involved, even
though, practically speaking, the effort
that they represent makes progress so
slowly that to the ordinary observer no
movement Is perceptible.
James Green, the Hood River as
sassin, acted with discretion In volun
tarily surrendering to the officers of the
law. He was so well known In the com
munity that his chance of eluding cap
ture was very small. Circumstances
had,woveh the"" chain of guilt around
him so securely that any" sort of de
fense based upon his denial of the crime
would have been the merest sham. It
Is possible to commiserate a man of
such ungoverned passions, though no
right-minded person can wish that a
life, full of such serious and dastardly
possibilities for mischief, may be pro
longed beyond the shortest period in
which justice can return her findings in
his case. It Is a disgrace to the com
munity even to whisper of lynching In
this case, since there Is little prospect
that the criminal will go unwhlpt of
justice.
One hardly knows whom to pity most
sincerely the sensitive, delicate Czar
ina of Russia, who Is laying tribute
upon her vitality if not upon her very
life each successive year in the hope of
giving an heir to the Muscovite dy
nasty, or the Czar, haunted at every
turn by the possibility of death by vio
lence because he occupies the fated
throne. Three daughters have been
born within five years to the "nun
faced Czarina," and again the thrlce
denicd heir to the iron crown Is ex
pected, while the Czar, the victim of
nervous terrors, takes flight at his own
shadow, mistaking it for a deadly foe.
Truly the pomp and splendor of the
greatest Empire on earth can but 111
requite the terrors and suffering of
those who sit upon its throne.
Aguinaldo is a cowardly little nigger,
who has taken care to keep out of
harm's way, at every fight or skirmish,
from the beginning of his rebellion till
hl3 capture. The ease with which a
few resolute men made prisoners of
himself and his band Is one more proof
of the weakness and worthlessness of
the little yellow xace. Men who are
not stiff enough to fight can't main
tain a government.
Presently we shall get past the bar
barism of , protection" the notion that
it Is Athe "prpvlnce' of Government to
promote one Industry' or set of indus
tries In which rich men are Interested,
at the expense of nU the Industries of
the country. Then we shall not have
ship subsidy bills and protection of
billion-dollar steel trusts.
With all kindness for our friend Rose
water, of the Omaha Bee, and with full
regard for him as a man and a Jopr
nallst. The Oregonlan must say it Is
not sorry he didn't win In his effort to
get a Senatorship In Nebraska. Every
newspaper man ought to hold himself
above that sort of thing.
Representative Warner declares an
archy and terror will follow our with
drawal from the Island. But what does
he think the Cubans waSt Independence
for peace? They have that now.
Nobody will regret the Government's
determination not to inflict severe pun
ishment upon Aguinaldo so much as
the Aunties. To see him made a mar
tyr would please them immensely.
Funston captured Aguinaldo, but who
can compel the surrender of old George
Boutwell, Edward Atkinson and the
"New York Evening Post?
English- cranks have frightened J.
Plerpont Morgan out. of his London
trip. Evidently they are afraid of
American iroperlaUgp,-,
. A GREAT SHIPPING SUCCESS.
Boston Herald.
The annual report of the Hamburg
American Steamship Company, which has
just been published, shows the net earn
ings for the year 1900 to have been 23.SS4.
924 marks, this constituting an Increase of
over 6,000,000 marks above the net gains
of the preceding year. Transposed in a
rough way to our currency basis, this
German company earned In the year 1900
J6.000.000, net profits, which constituted an
Increase of $1,500,000, or about 30 per cent,
over the earnings of the previous year.
The dividend declared to stockholders on
the basis of these late earnings Is 10 per
cent. In commenting upon the condition
of the trade, the directors state that the
Increase In profits Is to be chiefly attrib
uted to the higher earnings of the North
Atlantic lines, all of which show a heavy
Increase In receipts.
It Is desirable to call the attention of
the business men of the United States to
this remarkable showing, for the reason
that the Hamburg-American Company is
an Illustration of the commercial success
which can be attained by a corporation
that enters the shipping business unre
stricted by government Interference, and
with nothing to depend upon but the cap
ital and energy of those who are Interest
ed In the company Itself. The Hamburg
American Steamship Company has had
for years past the apportunlty offered
of purchasing Its vessels wherever Its
management considered that the pur
chase could be made with greatest ad
vantage to the corporation. It has had
vessels built in England and Scotland, as
well as In Germany. During the last few
years It has supplied Its demands almost
entirely from German shipyards, because,
with the gradual Improvement In mari
time construction, the Germans have been
able, In the opinion of the shrewd gentle
men who have had control of this com
pany, to do more satisfactory work than
their Ensllsh competitors, and it Is only
natural that, other things, being equal,
the company should prefer to build its
vessels at a place where they could be
easllj under the eye of Its superintendent
of construction.
But this exceedingly successful German
steamship company has never been asked
and has not directly obtained any govern
ment subsidy. It has, if we are not mis
taken, the largest merchant fleet of
steamers possessd by any company In
the world; It has the fastest steamers
afloat; It Is a pioneer in the work of
building a yacht steamer for cruising, and
was one of the first to develop the Idea
of building great freight-carrying craft.
It has always been progressive, but Its
.nanagers have never considered that. In
order to succeed, they must be the pam
pered favorites of the government. "When
the steamships of the line have carried
mails across the Atlantic, they have been
paid" for the service, just as all mall car
riers are paid, neither more nor less. The
fact that they have run some of the fast
est steamers has naturally drawn the
mail-carrying business to them; and, as
their payment for mail carrying Is de
termined by weight this fact may have
led to their getting larger stipends than
some of the transatlantic lines running
slower steamers.
In the Chinese waters, the Hamburg
American Company agreed, some time
ago, to fulfill the contract which the
North German Lloydd Company had
made with the government of carrying
the German malls, and for this service
a certain government subvention Is paid.
But according to the report made to tho
company, the Chinese branch of its serv
ice was the only one the operation of
which was attended with unsatisfactory
results. There Is not the least doubt that,
If the conditions were the same here
that they are in Germany. If our mer
chants and capitalists could buy or build
their steamers where they chose, we
could readily establish and develop a
great steamship company, similar to
the Hamburg-American, which would
have great steamers running over the
principal ocean routes, and the smaller
steam craft carrying the flag of the
United States to all parts ot the world.
It Is not a subsidy that our ship mer
chants need, but the same freedom of
action which the German Government
has wisely accorded to Its ship mer
chants, and which they have utilized In
building up the shipping tonnage and
commerce of the empire.
Party Lines In the Senate.
Kansas City Star.
The composition of the Senate of the
57th Congress Is practically determined.
Elghty-slx ot its SO members have been
elected. Delaware Is without representa
tion, and the Nebraska deadlock Is un
broken. The Senate which adjourned
March 4 was made up of 87 members.
Delaware. Montana and Utah had only
one Representative each. The upper
house of the next Congress will be of
about the same size as its predecessor.
The political complexion of the Senate
has been little changed by the election
of one-third of Its membership. The
body which recently adjourned contained
51 avowed Republicans, 26 Democrats, five
Populists, four Independent Sllverltes, and
one Independent Republican. Toward the
close of the session there was a tendency
among the Independents to go over wholly
to the old parties. Teller, Heltfeld. Petti
grew, Wellington. Jones of Nevada and
Allen voted generally with the Democrats,
while Kyle and Stewart joined the Re
publicans. Including these last two. who
may now bo regarded as regular Repub
licans, the dominant party has 51 of the
S3 members of the Senate .of the next
Congress. The Democrats can count on
29, Including Dubois of Idaho and Patter
son of Colorado, while they can usually
rely on the support of Teller, Heltfeld,
Harris, Turner, Wellington and John P.
Jones. Several of these will probably en
ter the Democratic caucus next Winter.
Not counting Nebraska, the Administra
tion can usually depend on 51 votes to 35
of the opposition. This la enough to
transact all business except the ratifica
tion of treaties, when seven more votes
would be necessary.
A striking thing about the representa
tion In the next session of the Senate
will be the number of solid party delega
tions. The Democrats will not have a
single representative outElde of the South
except from the mining states. The Re
publicans will have solid delegations not
only from the New England States, as
usual, but also from California. Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New
Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon. Penn
sylvania, West Virginia, Wyoming. Wis
consin and the Dakotas. Ayith such an
array Mr. Hanna's alarm over possible
Republican damage from the loss of Ne
braska is hardly warranted.
Roosevelt a Disturbing Factor.
Salt Lake Tribune.
In the calculations of politicians, both
Republican and Democratic, there is one
dlstm-blng factor. That Is Theodore
Roosevelt They have shamefully cari
catured him, they have tried to ridicule
him, but their shafts do not reach him.
They have pictured him at home on the
hurricane deck of a mustang, and that
is true, but then he Is at home when pre
siding over the Senate of the United
States, and when that duty Is over, he is
at home in his library, and all the words
of the great dead come back to cheer
him and give him inspiration. Then, too,
he Is of pure thoroughbred stock and can
compare pedigrees with the best of them.
The thing that bothers them Is that he
does the most difficult things without
seeming to trj with an air which seems
to say: "Give me something hard," and
so the politicians cannot make him out
and they are afraid that one of these days
when they think they have got something
fixed just exactly right, this scholar, this
soldier, this writer, this mustang rider,
and mountain lion killer may Interfere
with them and break their slates. So
they cartoon him and try to make sickly
Jokes at his expense, and It all only shows
how much they fear that It. would be
just like the people to want to vote for a
man who Is at home among gentlemen
and among lions of all degrees.
GERMAN-AMERICAN TRUST.
Chicago Tribune.
The report Is current that after the
United States Steel Company has been put
In running order Mr. J. Plerpont Morgan
Is to go to Germany to discuss with then
Iron and steel manufacturers of that
country the advisability of a "friendly
understanding" which shall do away with
the possibility of acute competition be
tween American and German producers.
Such an understanding might take the
form of a division of territory or an
agreement as to prices, or both.
The metal industries of Germany are
more effectively controlled by trusts or
syndicates than are those of the United
States. The public sentiment against them
is not so strong there as It Is here, al
though there appears to be no material
difference In methods. The policy of the
German syndicates, as of many of the
American combines. Is to maintain In the
home market prices which arc so high
and so profitable as to enable them
to offer their products In foreign mar
kets for much lower prices.
That the German manufacturers will be
willing to conclude "a gentlemen's agree
ment" with American producers may bo
taken for granted. They were willing to
strike a bargain with John W. Gates
about two years ago when he visited Ger
many to confer with them. They made
him liberal offers, but the prices which
they proposed the alliance should compel
consumers to pay seemed to him altogeth
er too high. Therefore no agreement was
entered into.
The German Bteel and Iron men have
even greater respect for their American
rivals now than they had In 1SS9, and
will be more willing than ever to make
terms with them when they witness the ap
pearance on the scene of the United States
Steel Company, which will have under Its
control something like two-fifths of the
world's product of steel.
It Is almost Impossible at this mo
ment for the United States to make a
commercial treaty with another nation. A
treaty may be negotiated with ease, but
the Senate will not ratify It. There Is no
such obstacle in the way of arrangements
between domestic and foreign trusts. It is
only necedsary for half a dozen men to
come together In a private office and
agree on terms. Then the whole matter
is done. No Senate can hang up a treaty
which has been negotiated by Industrial
diplomats.
If the United States Steel Company and
the German syndicates should agree to
divide the world between them, how
would Americans take it. especially when
they understood the agreement meant the
maintenance of unfairly high prices at
home? Surely an alliance between domes
tic and foreign Iron and steel Interests
would add force to the demand for legis
lation repealing tariff schedules which ex
cluded from the United States the Iron
and steel products of countries whose
manufacturers were outside the Interna
tional alliance of trusts.
As the Crowd Heads.
Springfield Republican.
It Is a significant fact that no fewer
than three prominent magazines think it
worth while now to go to the trouble and
expense of collecting regular monthly sta
tistics from booksellers and librarians In
all parts of the country of those new
books which are most In demand. Never
before has the plebiscite been applied so
efficaciously to criticism. Who cares
what a crabbed and finicky student of lit
erature might say about a new book,
when the book sellers and librarians both
agree that It "heads the list for Febru
ary"? February, to be mire. Is not a
long month, but It Is perhaps as long as
fame built on so Insecure a foundation
could bo expected to last. It Is not to be
gainsaid that In the long run It is the peo
ple at large and not the critics who settle
the fate of a book; but they have to
settle It by quite other means than a
senseleos stampede for the book that has
sold Its 200,000. And. in truth, while the
crowd la the nominal arbiter, the destiny
of bboks really lies In the nands of chosen
Individuals, gentle, receptive souls, in
each clamorous generation who read for
themselves, and quietly, unobtrusively
pass along the great tradition which they
are building up as the coral polyp rears
Its Island. And no rocky island Is solider
than a reputation built up on such delib
erate and independent consensus of opin
ion. Just as no wave-crest Is more unsub
stantial than the notoriety that comes
from the Jostling crowd for "the best-sell-lng
book." The publication of such lists Is
not an unmixed blessing, because tt tends
to confuse the minds of many people as
to the great gulf that lies between excel
lence and mere popularity.
t
Pulpit Influence In Sonth Africa.
Cornhlll.
A cause of the strength of the wave
of rebellion which Is laying the country
waste is to be found, Mr. Paul A. Botha
says, In the abuse of pulpit Influence.
"A religious people's religion la being
used to urge them to their destruction."
Of this he gives examples. His state
ment has unconsciously been borne out
even further than It goes by a deeply
Interesting letter from the correspondent
of the Daily Mall. Mr. Edgar Wallace,
who describes. In a recent Issue of that
Journal, a religious service which he at
tended at a little village near Port Eliza
beth a few weeks ago. and where the
righteousness of resistance to the "op
pressor" was openly preached, and every
sort of appeal, based on lies, to Ignor
ance and passion was urged with truly
dramatic effect. With both press and
pulpit thus using all their strength to
press tighter the bandage over the peo
ple's eyes. Is it any wonder that they aro
still blind and deaf to the voice of com
mon sense, and greedily swallow such
statements as Mr. Steyn's when he told
the burghers at Kroonstad, less than
a year ago, that "the British had lost 64,
000 In killed, while he had only lost 200,
and asked them to see the hand of God
In this"; or such assertions as that 60,000
Russians, Americans and Frenchmen were
on the water coming to their aid and
might be expected any day, that China
had Invaded and occupied England, and
that God was killing the British all over
the world with bubonic plague?
Differences.
Charles Mackay.
The King can drink the best of wine
So can I;
And ha enough when he would dine
So have I;
And cannot order rain or shlnei
Nor can I;
Then Where's the difference let me see
Betwixt my Lord tho King and me.
Do trusty friends surround his throne
Night and day?
Or make his Interest their own?
No. not they.
Mine love me for myself alone
Dlessed be they!
And that'll the difference which I nee
Betwixt my Lord the Kins and me.
Do knaves around me lie In wait
To deceive?
Or fawn and flatter when they ha, ,
And would grieve?
Or cruel pomps oppress my state
By my leave?
No. heaven be thanked! And here you see
More difference 'twlxt the King: and me.
He has his fools, with Jests and qulpa,
"When he'd play;
He has his armies and hla ships
Great are they;
But not a child to kiss his lips
"Well-a-day!
And that's a difference end to see
Betwixt my Lord the King- and me.
I wear the cap and he the crown
"What of that?
I sleep on straw and he on down
What of that?
And he's the Kins &nO I'm the clown
What of that?
If happy I, and wretched he.
Perhaps the Klnj would change with me.
NOTE AND COMMENT.
Now let Funston come home and cap
ture Mrs. Nation.
"W. J. Bryan Is not one of the Senators
elected from Nebraska.
And the British report that they have,
captured Dewet. 'Jealousy, only Jeal
ousy. Probably the first thing MacArthur said
when he saw Aguinaldo was: "lb Is he
dead?"
Herbert Spencer's condition Is proba
bly not the result of over-excitement su
perinduced by reading his own works.
The prospect of a new paper In Seattle
has undoubtedly caused Editor Blethen to
dust and sort over his well-known vocab
ulary. Between the breaking of the Nebraska
deadlock and General Funston's exploit,
Carnegie, Plerpont Morgan, et at, will
have to hide their diminished heads on an
inside page.
If news comes from Russia In the quan
tities indicated by present events, an epi
demic of writer's cramp may be expected
among the correspondents over there,
after they have sent a name or two.
A young matron tells this joke of her
bridal attempts at housekeeping. She
had employed a greenhorn as a servant
and spent many weary hours teaching
her the way things should be done In the
correct 3tyle. Her latest lesson related to
the correct way to receive a visitor, and
the maid was Instructed in the mysteries
of card3, card trays and the accepted
formula to be gone through when open
ing the door for a caller. One afternoon
the door bell rang, and Mrs. Gregory
heard the "maid" tearing up the stalrd
two steps at a time. "Shure, m'm, there's
one of them machines outside with two
men a-slttin on the top of It, and a lady
on the Inside, an "looking at the card
In her hand, and with a dash down the
stairs again "I've forgotten me pan!"
Matrimony is manifestly becoming popu
lar In Southern California. Heretofore
the number of brides has been such as to
consume the surplus output of orange
blossoms, and keep the crop down, and
there has been no difficulty In marketing
the product This year there have been
few brides, and as a consequence the blos
soms have been allowed to remain on tho
trees, come to fruition and overstock the
market so that the growers have more
oranges on their hands than the world will
buy at paying prices. Here is a matter
which has not yet been examined by the
learned professor of the agricultural de
partment, and which seems to afford a.
fertile field for investigation. How to
Increase the number of brides is a dlfilcut
problem, but perhaps It may be solved by
the offer of a reward, either In money, a
household outfit or a home for every wed
ding which shall take place In the season
when the fragrant b!ooms overload the
boughs, and by their profusion threaten
to swell the crop to an unmarketable size.
We respectfully recommend this course to
the agricultural department In the hope
that some good may be accomplished
thereby.
Knniton An Epic.
O Goddess, sins the wrath of him who clear
from Kansas came
To terrify the Tajjalogs and swim his way to'
fame. " ' -r '""'.
For, after many valiant deeds, he soueht his
native land.
And listened to the welcoming of many a cor
net band;
But. brushing Hshtly fame aside, he soon set
out upon
A second Journey to the wilds and marshes of
Luzon.
Where, woe of woes, he found the foe was
holed up In his lair.
And learned from old MacArthur there was
nothlns doing there.
"Accursed of gods am I." cried he; "had I In
Kansas stayed
A noble part In scenes of blood I surely might
have played;
But over here the white-winged dove of peace
Is hovering.
And all my hopes for hot old tlmea havo
straightway taken wing."
Thus loud bewailed . he In his wrath, but
paused and thought awhile.
Then lifted up his bearded face and smiled a
savage smile.
"Now. by my troth. I'll have some sport."
said he. with visage grim;
"For If the foe won't come to me, forsoojfei,
I'll go to him." ' P
So up ho rose, and with a small but brave.
heroic band
He act about a Journey through that wild,
barbaric land.
The arrows of the foe poured In. but from him
glanced aside.
The legions of dark-visaged men he valiantly
defied.
Until at last he found a cava dug deep be
neath the ground.
Where gallant Aguinaldo in an ague fit ha
found.
"Come forth and fight. O Tagal chief," great
Funston cried aloud.
"Not on your life; I'll stay right here," quoth
Aguinaldo proud.
Then with that reckless abandon with which
he stemmed the wave
Bold Funston girded up his loins and plunged
Into that cave.
What happened there no man can tell, but
when It all was o'er
The gallant Aguinaldo was disposed to fight
no more.
And thus great Funston, loved of Gods. In
peace did find the means
To get new stuff for articles for Eastern mag
azines. PLEASANTRIES OP PARAGRAPHEHS
Bilious Comment. "The Joneses are attend
ing Lenten services very faithfully." "When
did they get their new clothes?" Chicago
Record.
Mistress What I want Is an active girl. Ap
plicantThen I think I'll Just suit you. I've
moved about a good deal of late been In no
less than 12 different places In six months.
Boeton Transcript.
Mother Tommy, I'm sorry that you and
your little stater quarreled about that orange,
and that James had to Interfere. Whose part
did he take? Tommy Whose part? He lock
the whole orange. Tlt-B its.
Church I see some of the theaters are re
ducing their prices. Gotham Tes; It looks as
Is a fellow would be able pretty soon to see
a twenty-five-cent show In New Tork for only
fifty cents. Yonkers Statesman.
An Exception. Native See that young man
over there? He has saved sixteen persons from
drowning. He plays the flute, too. Visitor
Oh. well, a man who has saved sixteen Uvea
has a right to play a flute. New York Weekly.
Bench and Bar. "Frlsoner." said the magis
trate, "haven't I seen you before?" "Oh, yes,
your Honor," replied the prisoner. "I thought
your face was familiar. What was the charge
the last time I saw you?" "I think It was
twenty cents, your Honor; you and the gent
you was treatln' took whisky." Philadelphia
Press.
Cook (to young mistress, who has received a
present of some game) And please, 'm, do you
like the birds 'lgh? Mistress (puzzled) The
bird's eye? Cook What I mean, mum. Is
some prefers the birds stale. Mistress (more
puzzfed) The tall? (Decider not to seem Ig
norant.) Send up the bird, please, cook, with
the eyes ar.d the tall! Punch.
Domestic Mnemonics. Newlyblessed Lt'
see, when was It that Lambertson was here?
Mrs. Newlyblessed Well, let me think. It
was the th- of January. He came here the
day Nora left, and she left the day after
mother went home, and mother went home
three days after the baby cut his second
tooth, and he did that the last day ot De
cember. Puck.
r