THE , MORNING OEEGONIAN, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1901.
A RECORD YEAR IN TRADE
BUSINESS ACTIVITY HAS PASSED
ALL PRECEDENT.
Annual Figure of Bank Clearing:
Far Exceed Former Statements
Phenomenal Prosperity.
NEW YORK, Dec. 27. The annual re
view of American trade, finance and In
dustry prepared by Bradstreet's and given
publicity today declares the year 1901 to
be a "record-breaker." Its pre-eminence,
the review says, was all the more notable
because it suffered from a combination
of happenings that in a normal year
would have proved depressing, if not dis
astrous. Enumerated in the latter are the
machinists' and steel strikes; the stock
panic of May, tho failure of several Im
prudently managed combinations, the ef
fort of some combinations, Including that
of copper, to fix prices, the shortage In
corn, cotton and oats, and the assassina
tion of President McKinley. Summariz
ing the general situation, the review says:
"Briefly summarized, the year has seen
transacted an aggregate of general busi
ness as reflected in "bank clearings far in
excess of any preceding period; has wit
nessed stock speculations rampant be
yond the dreams of old-time brokers,
checked and curtailed by one of the sharp
est stock panics in history, and yet with
a remarkable minimum of disturbance of
general financial operations; has watched
general industry and production grow
steadily until new and larger figures were
needed to express the outputs of coal, ore
and Iron and steel and leather and lum
ber; and a multitude of other branches
have seen the freight transportation fa
cilities of the country strained to the
breaking point prove insufficient to handle
tho volume of business offered. The vol
ume of holiday business has passed all
previous bounds. From the viewpoint of
the present estimates the clearings this
year will exceed the highest record by
one-fourth.
Details of the Prosperity.
Gross railway earnings have Increased
12 per cent, and net returns have gained
16 per cent over the best preceding year.
Pig-iron production will be not far from
one-seventh larger than the heaviest ever
before recorded. Shoe production and ship
ments and larger leather production have
been apparent. Iron production and ship
ments were never before equaled. An
thracite coal production will be fully 10
per cent larger than last year, and 5 per
cent heavier than the record. Woolen
manufacturing has been helped by low
cost of material and good demand for
clothing. All the returns are not so favor
able. There has been less money in cot
ton for the South this year. The agricul
ture Interest has been favored by heavy
advances in farm products, which have
done much to counterbalance reductions
in yield. Export trade has shown signs
of hesitation after years of steady ad
vance, and Imports have increased, but
mainly in materials intended for domes
tic manufacture, and the margin in favor
of exports Is still enormously heavy. The
bank clearings are estimated at $11S,000.
OCO.OOO, a gain Of 38 per cent over last
year and 2G per cent over 1S99. The Middle
States show the greatest Increases In
clearings. The failures for the year are
placed at 10.775, with aggregate liabilities
of $130,000,000 and assets of SGO.CO0.O00."
Sinnll Liabilities.
As to this showing, the re .'lew says:
"This is a gain of S.S per cent In num
ber over 1900 and of nearly 12 per cent
over 1S99, but back of that year compar
isons favor the current one. Liabilities
have not gained relatively, as is shown
by the fact that they are only 2.4 per cent
larger this year than last year and S.6
per cent larger than in 1SS9. In only three
of the past J3 years, In fact, were liabili
ties smaller than they were this year. A
point often lost sight of Is that there is
a constant accession of new individuals,
firms and corporations In business each
year, and tihs alone furnishes a basis for
the recording of numerous unsuccessful
ventures. There are now 172.000 more peo
ple In business than there were a decade
ago, an increase of 10 per cent, but fail
ures have only increased 5 per cent in
number during that period, and liabilities
are only 20 per cent larger. A continuing
unfavorable feature Is the small percent
age of assets to liabiliites. It is only 46.4
per cent this year, as against 47.2 per cent
a year ago, and 52 per cent in 1829 and
189S."
As to Prices.
As to prices, the review says:
"Wheat has reached the highest point
since 1898; corn and oats arc higher than
for almost any decade, and other prod
ucts have sympathized. Food products
as a whole are higher than In the general
price boom of 1S9S, while manufactures
are lower, notable In this respect being
leather, textiles, coal and coke, naval
stores, building materials, chemicals and
drugs, and miscellaneous products.
"Prices as a whole are 8 per cent lower
than In February, 1900, and December, 199,
but are higher than in any year from
1893 until tho third quarter of 1S99. If
other products follow the lead of food
products, as is not unusual, a further ad
vance of the former is not unlikely. Iron
and steel prices seem to lead in this latter
day advance, but the other metals have
broken away from them, and copper, lead
and tin are weakening, the result of fail
ures of Injudicious attempts at controlling
production.
Imports and Exports.
"Food products, largely Imported, like
coffee and" sugar, have reached the low
water mark prices on large production."
Summarizing the foreign trade, the re
view declares that there has been a fall
ing off In the demand abroad for Amer
ican iron, steel and copper, a loss In
profits In cotton exports a reduction in
the exports of corn and oats, phenomenal
wheat shipments, and large shipments of
animals and provisions."
Exports are estimated at $1,435,000,000 or
1 per cent less than the record of last
year. This calculation treats Porto
Rico and Hawaii as American territory.
As to Imports, the review declares:
"Imports have gained slightly. They
will aggregate at least $875,000,000, a gain
of 5.5 per cent over 1900. leaving the bal
ance of domestic exports over imports
not far from $500,000,000, or the third larg
est excess in the country's history.
"Many elements of strength and some
of the opposite character present them
selves. The quietness of export trade,
checked by relatively higher prices here
and lack of new demand abroad, partic
ularly In Germany, which country is re
ported selling iron and steel products be
low cost, are obstacles to Increased ship
ments by this country. On the other
hand, English trade advices are rather
better, and the predicted early suspen
sion of hostilities in South Africa and
the resumption of large gold shipments
from that section are favorable features
presenting themselves. Europe apparently
must buy our wheat and cotton freely,
but as domestic activity In trade, par
ticularly iron and steel, continues, the
need of a foreign cutlet is not regarded
as pressing. If only a portion of the high
hopes Indulged in as a result of the recent
conferences of capital and labor material
ize, industrial peace and good commer
cial feeling and prosperity will have been
powerfully furthered."
LARGE SALES OF IRON.
Amount of Transactions Hns Never
Been So Great at This Season.
NEW YORK, Dec. 27. Bradstreet's -will
say tomorrow:
Pig iron sales for the week have never
been equaled at this season, and lack of
adequate transport facilities alone is a
bar to still greater volume of distribu
tion. The outlook is for a production of
16,000,000 tons of pig iron of 30,000,000 tons
of ore and of 12,000.000 tons of steel in
190L Prices have advanced of late, and
$15 7516 is freely paid at valley furnaces
Xor Bessemer deliveries in the first quar
ter of next year. In finished products the
mills are crowded with business. "Wire
rods have advanced $1 per ton. In the
coke trade supplies are piling up near the
ovens, but furnaces are shutting down,
owing to the lack of cars to move one to
the other.
"Wheat apparently cut loose from corn
this week and displayed exceptional ac
tivity and strength for a holiday week.
The Winter wheat markets took the lead
in this respect. Reports of lack of snow
over the. Winter crop were circulated, and
reports of a smaller surplus in Argentina,
better cables, light receipts West and
Northwest and smaller gains in the vis
ible supply have all been features. Ex
port business has rather been aided by
the rise. Corn has been dull, though
steadied by wheat, while oats have firmed
up a little. Provisions have shown more
strength and cheese has been helped also.
The cut in refined sugar of 10 to 25 points
is really a reflection of the reduction in
raw quotations, though talk of the "war"
continues. Coffee Is stronger and in bet
ter demand.
Business failures for the week number
219, as against 263 last week, 213 in this
week last year, 220 in 1899, 213 in 1S9S, and
297 in 1897. Canadian failures number 16,
as against 24 last week. 16 In this week a
year ago, and 22 in 1899.
Bank Clearings.
NEW YORK. Dec 27. The following table,
complied by Bradstreet. shows the bank clear
ings at the principal cities for the week ended
December 20. with the percentage of Increase
and decrease, as compared with the corre
sponding week last year:
Clearings. Inc. Dec.
NewTork $1,170,877,000 0.1
Chicago 142.150.000 16.0 ....
Boston 104.OUS.000 .... 5.7
Philadelphia 91.S32.000 2.4
St. Louis 45,000.000 41.5 ....
rittsburg 30,454.000 10.8 ....
Baltimore 18,505,000 S.C ....
San Tranclsco 18.W50.10O 7.4 ....
Cincinnati J5.80S.000 8.3 ....
Kansas City 15.S4a.O00 .... 2.6
Minneapolis 13,034,000 35.0 ....
Cleveland 11.C02.000 13.7 ....
New Orleans 13.777.000 2.2 ....
Detroit 10.2C4.000 31.7 ....
Louisville 8.120.000 7.9 ....
Indianapolis 8.037.000 24.9 ....
Trovldcnce S.S99.000 .... 6.8
Omaha 0,344.000 14.2 ....
Milwaukee 0,000.000 12.0 ....
Buffalo 5,448.000 11.3 ....
St. Paul 4.7S2.000 11.0 ....
Savannah 4,083.000 4.4 ....
Denvr 3.712.000 11.7 ....
St. Joseph 4.105,000 31.C ....
IUchmond 3.52C.O00 10.3 ....
Memphis T.J40.000 .... 21.0
Ssattle 3.I08.4KS 47.0 ....
"Washington 2,503,000 14.5 ....
Hartford 2,110.000 10.7 ....
Los Angeles 3.230.000 44.S ....
Salt Lake 3.373.000 47.0 ....
Toledo 2,223.000 13.7 ....
Portland, Or 2.P52.032 &5 ....
Rochester 1.830,000 .... C.7
Teoria 2.450.O00 10.2 ....
Fort Worth 2.437.000 21.0 ....
Atlanta 2.031,000 24.4 ....
Norfolk 1.2SS.O00 l.l ....
Bes Moines 1.359,000 01.5
Ne-.v Haven 1.270.000 7.4 ....
Springfield, Mass.... 1.240,000 7.5 ....
.Auguata 1,000,000 10.C
Nashville 1,458.000 13.0
Worcester 1,373.000 20.5 ....
Grand Itaplds 1,108.000
Sioux City 1.424.O00 33.3 ....
Dayton. 0 1,176.000 3.3 ....
Syracuse 1.1CS.O0O 2.9 ....
Scranton 1.1CO.O00
Portland, Me 1.107.000 8.3 ....
Spokane 1.145,007 39.1 ....
Tacoma 1,091,256 4.5
Evansvllle 020.000 .... 23.0
Wilmington, Del 1.04(1,000
Davenport 749.000 15.0 ....
Fall River 940,000 3.7
Birmingham 1.244.000 14.6 ....
Topeka 1.127.000 24.0
Macon 7S0.O00 37.S ....
Little Rock 850.000 15.0 ....
Helena 711.000 8.3 ....
Knoxvillc 009.000 17.5 ....
Lowell 02S.000 31.3 ....
"Wichita 550.000 25.7 ....
Akron 440.000 10.5
New Bedford 422.000 15.9 ....
Lexington 405.000 .... 2.7
Springfield. Ill 475,000 8.6 ....
Blnghamton 300.000 .... 4.7
Chattanoega 309,000 13.0 ....
Kalamazoo SOB, 000 .... 4.0
Fargo 404.000 10.9
Youngfltown 458.000 40.9 ....
Springfield. 0 304.000 22.5 ....
Rockford 290.000 21.2 ....
Canton 347.000 10.4 ....
Jacksonville 310.000 32.4 ....
Sioux Falls 235.000 57.7 ....
Fremont 80.000 .... 20.3
Bloomlngton, 111 150.000 13.7 ....
Jacksonville. Ill 101.000 11.0 ....
Columbus, O C.O20.O00 7.3 ....
Galveston S.5S4.000 22.2 ....
Houston 11,310.000 40.0 ....
Colorado SprlngF .... 050.000
Wheeling. W. Va.... 583.000
Wilkesbarre 704.000
Albany 3,214.000
Beaumont 172,000
Totals IT. E n,840.G2G,44C 3.0 ....
Outside N. Y $ GG3.740.5S2 9.1 ....
CANADA.
Montreal $ 13.7CS.277 8.4
Toronto 9.SS0.707 8.0 ....
Winnipeg 3.425.474 72.0 ....
Halifax I,fl3349 13.5 ....
Vancouver, B. C 710,501 .... 11.7
Hamilton 731.002 .... 4.0
St. John, N. B CS3.054 7.7 ....
Victoria, B. C 518.808
Quebec 1.212,145
Totals $ 31.304,249 12.0 ....
"WOOL IS STRONG.
Demand From 31111s and Speculators
Gives Impetus to Prices.
NEW YORK. Dec. 27. R. G. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review of trade tomorrow
will say:
If any evidence was needed of the un
paralleled prosperity with which this Na
tion has been plessed during the past year,
the expenditure for Christmas gifts and
decorations should be ample. Distribu
tions of Christmas goods among the em
ployes of large firms and corporations was
on the same scale. Often the Increase
over last year amounted to 100 per cent,
while the profit-sharing at the end of the
year will reach an unprecedented figure.
Following closely upon the Interruption
by floods and storms last week, trans
porting and manufacturing facilities were
further handicapped by numerous acci
dents. Iron furnaces and steel mills were
tide up and the movement of coke was
hampered. This resulted in such insuffi
cient supplies of fuel that many stacks
were banked at a time when full activ
ity was especially desired. The situation
as to coke is more critical than at any
previous time this season. Business In
wholesale dry goods has been Interrupted
by holiday influence and stock-taking
among jobbers. Cotton goods have ruled
quiet. Cotton mills are sold ahead for
several months as a rule, and there is no
urgency to make new contracts, especially
in view of the uncertain raw material.
In the woolen goods division overcoat
goods find ready purchasers, while prices
on some lines Just opened are about 5
per cent higher than last season. Wool is
strong and tending upward, with a good
demand not only from mills and dealers,
but on speculative account. Stocks are
closing the year in much better condi
tion than at the start. Footwear shops
are actively engaged. Leather and hides
are strong, but comparatively quiet
Wheat has recovered most of the recent
moderate decline, supported by a fairly
steady demand. Notwithstanding the
high level of quotations, as compared with
earlier years, exports for the week from
all ports of the United States, including
flour, amounted to 3,510,972 bushels, com
pared with 2,765,014 bushels a year ago,
and 2.417.01S bushels two years ago. In
terior receipts were light and flour mills
have been handicapped by the car short
age. Corn continues about 60 per cent over
the price a year ago. This readily ex
plains Atlantic exports of onlyi 313.25S
bushels, against 3,319,255 bushels last year.
Sugar became conspicuous through the
aggressive cutting of quotations by com
peting refiners. Raw grades declined
slightly on account of big crop estimates,
and other outside Influences, but the fall
in standard and granulated was dispro
portionately heavy, and at the bottom
point, after deducting all rebates, no
profit could be figured. Even at the low
est price buyers were slow to take ad
vantage, evidently anticipating more fa
vorable terms.
Failures for the week number 250 in the
United States, against 237 last year, and
23 in Canada, against IS last year.
Blizzard nt Halifax.
, HALIFAX, N. S.. Dec. 27. Halifax is
In the grip of a blizzard tonight. Re
ports received from points In Nova Scotia
state that the storm is general all along
the coast.
TARIFF AND THE FARMERS
"WEALTH PRODUCERS THE UP
FORTEIRS AND VICTIMS.
Mast Accept "World's Prices for
Their Prodacts and Par Trust's
Prices for "What They Bay.
BOSTON, Dec 26. The American Free
Trade League Issues the following article
by T. W. Davenport, of Sllverton, Or.:
The proposition to form a farmers' trust,
though as chimerical as one to extract
sunbeams from cucumbers, may afford
a text for examining the social and polit
ical environment wherein dwells, moves.
and has his being that Indescribable and
helpless industrial animal called the i
farmer.
I say helpless, because of his many in
effectual attempts to hotter his condition
by methods which are manifestly not
within his reach or control, and because
he steadfastly refuses to employ others
at his 'hand, which would give him an
equal footing with all other classes of his
fellow-citizens.
Observing, several years ago, that Na
tional bankers had been favored by legis
lature enactment with the power to turn
their property Into money, and receive an
St Paul Pioneer Press.
CAPTAIN OF THE TUG ""WONDER IF THOSE FELLOWS THINK I AM GO
ING TO BURST MY BOILER FOR THEM."
income from both, thus doubling their
productive capital, the farmers supplicat
ed the Government for the like privilege
of duplicating the usable capital of their
farms: but they were spurned with many
a jest from the foot of the political
throne. Their proposition was as good in
equity and as safe to the Government as
waa that of the bankers; and, farmers
being 100 times more numerous than the
latter, many people have wondered why
they did not succeed.
But really there should be no wonder
concerning It. Privilege In any country Is I called competitive, but in reality monop
not for the many, but for the few, for the I olistic, which lops off an Injustice and ad-
reason that privilege expanded ceases to
be privilege. A few hundred National
bankers might lend money to the whole
country; but, if the greater part of the
population -were to be supplied with mon- J
ey by the Government, who would borrow
of the bankers?
At bottom there Is no Justification for
the National Bank system. A Govern
ment founded for the declared purpose of
establishing Justice among the citizens
has no right to duplicate the capital of
one citizen and refuse to do likewise for
another. And, really, it is not the func
tion of our Government to expand the
capital of individuals. The idea is Inde
fensible, and hence there was no united
action among the farming population. I
And, even if there had been a unani
mous granger request, presented in-due
form to the United States Congress, the
answer of denial, tor many reasons, would
have been just the same.
And one of the principal reasons why
the farmer cannot be as successful as the
corporations, the manufacturing and com
mercial Interests, in getting partial legis
lation favorable to them, Is because they
declare themselves non-partisan, to be
gin with, and rest their case wholly upon
Its merits, as I'iewed from the standpoint
of the general welfare. If the father inter
ests, or classes, should conduct their busi
ness In like manner, they, too, would fall.
But they do not. Their demands are not
predicated upon ideas of justice and the
general welfare. With them their busi
ness interests control their political ac
tion. They go with the party that does
the most for them, and by their campaign
contributions to a great extent control leg
islation. Such interests are organized and speak,
authoritatively through their governing
heads. They support lobbies, and employ
attorneys to defeat hostile legislation and
secure extraordinary privileges.
Probably no more astounding govern
mental subservience to syndicate control
was ever witnessed In any country than
In the adoption of the Porto RIcan tariff.
Even "plain duty" could not stand against
the greed of the sugar and tobacco mag
nates. In comparison with such concentrated
and unscrupulous powers, how Is it ex
pected that the farmers and the farm la
borers, scattered all over the broad area
of the Republic, without any effective or
ganization, ana split Into several politi
cal factions, antagonistic to their own pro
fessed Interests how can It be expected
that they shall succeed in extorting priv
ileges from a Government already under
control of the privileged classes? Prob
ably a majority of farmers, especially in
the Northern, Eastern and Western
States, believe firmly in the protective
system, which Is the parent and support
of monopolies and their aggregate trusts;
and they do so In spite of the patent fact
that only In this way can the prices of
commodities they buy be unduly raised
against them. On account of the tariff
protected trusts, prices of all the trust
goods have been largely advanced: and
there Is no avoidance except by knock
ing out the trust underpinning, the pro
tective tariff, which the especially victim
ized farmers regard as sacred. Can they
never learn that advance in price of things
they buy Is the same in effect as a de
cree by the trusts that wheat shall be,
say, 25 cents a bushel, oats 15 cents, pota
toes 10 cents, hops 5 cents per pound, and
wool G cents per pound? If the farmers
do not keep accounts, fate keeps a ledger
for them, with debit and credit columns;
and the trusts have charge of the debit
side. He must take what he can get for
his productions in a free-trade , market,
and suffer any trust extortion impqsed
upon him. Need he express any surprise
that at the close of his fiscal year he can
not make ends meet?
AnC as the monopolies become more con
solidated and perfectly organized, the
worst his case becomes.
Soon the problem of trust regulation of
prices will be so completely solved that
any required Income to the exploiters can
be realized, save what would debar a bare
living to the tollers.
What Is the course for them? How are
the to be awakened to a knowledge of
the ways and means of delivery? What
Lincoln will emancipate them? There
are many people who answer, "Social- J
ism." But such a remedy, even if social
ists could agree upon a. programme of
application, amounts to a profound re-,
organization of society something that
has never taken place at a single move,
and probably never will, for that is not
the way reforms come.
Evolution does not proceed in that kangaroo-Jumping
style. Step by step, little
by little. Is the way humanity rises or re
cedes. That is the law of progress. True,
negro slavery was abolished legally by a
decree, but everybody knows it Is not
abolished in fact. Emancipation is slow
ly progressing, that Is all. Socialism may
be the goal to which we tend, but It will
not come all at once. It will come In the
normal way, by fittingly adjusted growth.
Some socialists of eminence believe that
government should become more and more
unjust and corrupt as a preparation or in
ducement for the radical change to social
ism, and at the last election voted to con
tinue the hypocritical semi-barbarism now
dominant in the Nation. Such an idea of
itself is a striking evidence of National
degeneracy. Or is It a fact that the infre
quent commission o'f sin only prepares
men for the practice of virtue, the fre
quent shedding of human blood makes
them sensitive to the sufferings of others,
and the practice of the horrible cruelties
of war makeB them gentle" and humane?
No. This is not the way of the world.
Science does not teach It, experience de
nies it, all history refutes It.
The ameliorations which come In the
social organism are the result of calling
into action those faculties of human love
and brotherhood held in abeyance during
the clamor and barbarism of war. If it
is desired that men should become more
regardful of others' feelings and inter
ests, the appeal Is not made to destruc
tlveness and covetousness, the faculties
dominant In the klll-and-loot game, but
to benevolence, sympathy and conscience.
Progress in genuine civilization Is away
from the militant spirit and all other ex
cessive manifestation of selfishness. If
socialism Is that state of society in which
Justice becomes an established fact, then:
every modlncation of tno present system.
mlts citizens to an equality of Industrial
opportunity, ought to be welcomed by so
cialists as progress toward their Ideal
state. They should have no fears of the
truth of this, and cordially co-operate to
remove acknowledged evils.
It will not do for them to say: "Let us
have socialism at once, or let us have des
potism; we will not travel with our fellow-citizens
progressively away from tho
latter." Such a determination is unrea
sonable, and wholly Inconsistent with that
moderation and fellow-feeling which must
precede the reign of justice.
The rational resource of the farmers,
and, in fact, of all wage-men, does not lie
in an endeavor to secure privileges and
organize trusts for the purpose of raising
prices of agricultural products; for, if
such a result were practicable, the mal
adjustments productive of evil would only
be multiplied, and the struggle for ex
istence become more like that of wild
beasts than of human beings.
There Is an easy and peaceful way out
of the difficulties which beset us, and it
is found by conforming to the Jcffersonian
maxim, "Exact Justice to all, special priv
ileges to none." Let us practice upon that
self-evident proposition by abolishing
privileges in the United States. In the
first place, as an experiment, and for ue
pleasure of seeing how beautifully it
works let us vote only for members of
Congress who will stand firmly for tho
repeal of all tariffs that interfere with
free competition or prevent us from re
ceiving the full benefits of labor-saving
machinery and processes, the fruitage of
progress to which all should have free
access.
And then see how nicely the trusts
indispensable
V, HHf Vq D Sv T H I m H H H LB . v0S& jm ir, -c?
would glide from their ornamental perche3
to become as one of us.
Besides the purpose for which combina
tions and trusts are formed and tariffs
laid, that of raising the price of industrial
products is at variance with the normal
trend of human endeavor. The unfailing
result ol spontaneous co-operation, where
human beings are unrestricted by partial
la-s is to make everything cheap. Ma
chinery is improved, processes simplified,
cooperation of laborers adjusted, approx
imating" more and more to perfection, and
all in accordance with the great funda
mental and irrepealable law of our being,
"that men always seek to gratify their de
sires with the least exertion."
And -what does this mean to the human
family, farmers, mechanics, manufactur
ers, operatives, professional men, wage
men, and all. If it is not that more of
the things that human beings need, tne
necessaries, comforts and luxuries of life,
can be purchased with a day's labor?
Conforming to the normal tendency of
human nature, and clearing away all laws
and regulations that Interfere with it. Is
to raise the wages of all those who are not
drones in the great human hive.
This is the only way to general pros
perity
gets rich and despotic by taxing the poor
dupes who dwell In his stolen dominions.
GUARDING A PRESIDENT.
An Englishman's Singular Experi
ence In the City of Mexico.
Kansas City Star.
"Danger of assassination to never far
from a President of any of the republics
south of us," said Mr. John Walker
Bralthwalte, of London, on the way from
Mexico to his English home, "and they
are guarded much more carefully than
many of ua imagine, for they make no
great display In the matter.
"Thla fact was Impressed on me very
stronirlv bv n. nersnnnl ernerienre In tho
City of Mexico last Spring. I had been '
thrown from a mule and had suffered a (
severe sprain in my right wrist, in con
sequence of which I had It closely ban
daged, and after it was well enough not
to be carried in a sling I went about with
it in the side pocket of my sack coat.
"While walking with my Injured hand
thus supported early one evening I saw
President Diaz, whom I knew quite well,
coming toward me, accompanied by a mem
ber of his official household. They were
walking on the same side of the street as
myself, and some 60 feet behind them and
at the same distance in front walked two
men, who wore no Insignia of authority
and In no way showed that they had any
thing to do with the President and his
companion.
"As the two men In front ncared me
they separated, making room for me to
pass between them, and as I was doing
so the man on the left knocked against
my arm as though by accident, and nat
urally I drew It out and away from dan
ger. He apologized politely in Spanish,
took hold of my hand gently as he did so
and asked if it had been Injured. As I
was accepting his apology and beginning
to tell of my hurt the President came up.
and, greeting me heartily, laughed at the
situation and explained that the two men
were guarding him and had deliberately
made me expose my hand to make sure
that I did not hold In it some weapon
with Intent to Injure him. The President's
guardians are very watchful, and It would
be almost Impossible for an armed man
to get near enough to him to do him In
jur'. t
LIBRARY ILLUMINATION.
An Important Subject Being: Care
fully "Watched.
Museum's Journal.
A deputation of gentlemen Interested In
general museum management visited Lon
don and other English museums recently.
Altnough they appeared to be much Im
pressed with the lighting of the British
Museum and the Museum of Practical
Geology, yet the best system was found
in the Manchester Museum. Here the sys
tem of inverted arc lamps, reflecting light
from the ce-illngs. Is In vogue. This meth
od approaches very near to the proper
natural system of lighting, whereby the
source of light Is not thrust prominently
to the sight of the spectator, while the
action of the light Is everywhere even.
The subject of museum and library i
'S&js'sjsrszj '.:
day (as well as libraries) more places of
reference than amusement and Instruc
tion, though these are useful functions.
A museum as well as a library should be i
upii ui an limes, uay anu nigiu, 10 me
student desiring Information.
Unwise Policy.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
It will not do to Ignore the fact that
if this country Is to conduct a successful
colonial policy It cannot. In legislating on
colonial matters, always act solely for
the benefit of home interests, and never
for the welfare of our subjects.
Cnustic.
Philadelphia Press.
The other way and the way in which we usu wn?" -uevery was captain of one of ' w m or sometnmg u happen to you. Djv
are now traveling Is not the normal way ie West Side police precincts in New j bear that? something will happen to you'
to .prosperity at all. but a by-way leading .ork- I was attached as reporter to a j Everything I've got here,' tapping my
io ine trust castle or utant Despair, wno
Mlnnlck I sent some verses to that him carefully-sketched details of the
magazine, but I don't think the editor swindles of which I had absolute knowl
read them at all. j edge. Then Devery lashed himself Into a
Slnnlck Ah! They were accepted, were ' rage that he Intended to have the effect
tney?
in their making.
HOYAL BAKING POWDER CO., 100
DEVERY WAS GUTWiTTED
A REPORTER'S STORY OF AN IN
TERVIEW WITH THE BIG CHIEF.
About Half the Sire of the raunchy,
Rumble-Voiced, All-Poiverfnl,
Deputy, hut He "Wasn't Afraid.
"I once had a pretty hot experience
with Devery, the paunchy, rumble-voiced,
wealthy and all-powerful Deputy Com
missioner of the Police of New York,"
said one of the Washington correspond
ents for a New York newspaper, as re
ported by the Eveninjr Star. "And from
the pretty close study of the man that I
made at that time I reached the conclu-
slon that if ever a man deserved his life-
long: reputation for being as hard as nails
and as uncompromising: as hammered
dynamite, then that man was this same
Devery.
'The Incident happened about 10 years
yellows, but one of the most conserva-
tlvo sheets on Manhattan Island, and
therefore a paper of vast Influence.
"Tha rryr..-.. .! .!. .1
"The green goods game at that time
was being worked for tens and hundreds
of thousands by a regular organization
of famous green-goods men; and it was
openly hinted by most of the New York
papers that this clique of swindlers had
the protection of the police. The bulk
of the green-goods men made their head
quarters In Devery's precinct. Every
body knew that they were working in
that precinct, and the demand upon Dev
ery to wipe them out was loud. But
Devory strenuously denied that there was
a single green-goods operator In his en-
tire jurisdiction. His denials were so
childish In view of the notorious facts
that they were calculated to make one
laugh in De'erys face when he was
making them; but there never were many
folks who cared particularly to laugh
In Devery's face. He's too huge and
strenuous.
"Finally my city editor took me off
ever' other kind of work and told me to
take the trail of the green-goods folks
in Devery's precinct and show them up
to force Devery to at least acknowledge
that there might be a few of their crook
ed Ilk in his domain. I didn't tackle that
job with any particular relish; but it
was not a case of what I relished, but
of obeying orders; and so I went on a
still hunt for the purveyors of the .sawdust-filled
satchels.
"First, 1 dropped In upon Devery
whom I didn't know very well at that
time and told him that I'd been assigned
in a way to his bailiwick, and that I'd
be greatly obliged to him if he'd hand
over to me a neatly typewritten list of
all the green-goods men In his precinct,
ell, you ought to've seen him. He was
sitting behind his desk when I blandly
sprung that on him, and I thought that
he was going to hop over It and the rail
and bite both of my ears off.
" 'They ain't no such people as them In
this precinct,' he bawled, bringing his
mighty fist down on his blotting pad
with a tremendous, bang. I don't believe
there's any such people anywhere In New
York I never seen one. anyway. You
go ahead an' dig f'r "em If you want to;
but you want to hew purty close t' th'
line or' and he glowered at me as if
he had half a mind to chuck me into a
donjon keep right then on general princi
ples.
"Well, I struck pay dirt, as they say,
from the first day and without much
trouble. I did a Rube stunt and wan
dered Into a plant that had been tipped
off to me as a hanging-out place for a
bunch of the sntchel manipulators, and I
' made elaborate plans to buy 1500 worth
of the phony papers from one of them.
t I thus got the names of four of them, or
their assumed names, and by comparing
these assumed names with the records of
the rogues' gallery In which all of them
had been 'mugged' I traced them out.
"I was plowing around Devery's pre
cinct for over three weeks In this way,
and at the end of that time I had a pret
ty complete list of the green-goods work
ers along with their addresses, and care
fully noted descriptions of .the plants,
their methods and manners together with
the names of at least 15 chaps from vari
ous rural sections who had been 'done by
1 the operators, while I was nosing around
on their trail. I had more narrow
escapes from being pounded to a pulp
i sra-ss. ssrvs "sas:
and. In fact, for several years after that
I kept strictly away from the green
goods men's section of the city and went '
armed when out at work after dark. !
"With all of this data in hand the most '
l convincing array of facts and figures that
I ever dressed up neiore or since i pie- nsh and Dutch colonies of the East. Only
sented myself to Devery again. First, 1 j two Governors of petty Malay states re
passed over to him as he sat writing be- ) Ceive less pay than Governor Taft. and
hind the rail of the station house a two- . the salaries run from S23.O0O fop Honsr
page typewritten list of the green goods
men In Jjls prec!nct.with the alias of eacn.
Devery's face first went red and then It
assumed a purplish, apoplectic hue.
" 'Them people's all business men o
andln' in this precinct,' he shouted at
standin
me. 'G'wan an' prove that they're not on
th' level that's all; prove it.'
"I calmly intimated to him that I had
the proof, and I proceeded to set before
of scaring me out of the Idea of using my
If you wish the lightest, finest,
sweetest, most healthful biscuit, cake
and bread, Roval Bakino- Pnwrier i
WILLIAM ST,, HEW YORK.
laboriously-gleaned material. He jumped
up and frothed at the mouth, and pounded
his desk with both fists and roared at ma
so that he could have been heard a block:
away.
" 'Everything you've got there Is a He!'
he bellowed, coming around to the front
of the rail and towering over me with
clinched paws. 'Just you use a line of It
just you try that on, that's all!'
"Well. I've got more than a little bit of
Irish In my frame myself, and 1 didn't in
tend to permit this large, purplish person
to bawl at and threaten me in that style.
Devery's about a head and a half taller
than I am, and weighs at least twice as
much; but I was willing to take a ham
mering, if that was his Idea, rather than
to permit him to bullyrag and browbeat
mo so insufferably. So and, say, tno
memory of It sort o' makes me feel like
running for It yet I stuck my counte
nance within two inches of his fat. per-
! Tiring face, and said in a hiss that must
nave sounded like the hiss of the villain
In a Bowery melodrama:
' 'You can't bulldoze me. Bill, see? You
can't make It stick. You can't get away
"h lt- You don't draw enough water.
You are not toppy enough". You won't do.
' Don't you make any more cracks like that
ani It's going to be orlnted tomorrow
morning, about two newspaper pages of
. it; and then it's going to be right up to
' rntl in nrr. . .!. . i. ..
--u iu i-cme to tne r.-ont ana pro'.
wnctner you re a crook or whether you
are not a crook, understand?' and I moved
my face to within only one Inch of his.
"Well, while I was getting that off. ana
I was mad all over. Devery looked as ir
upon the point of tearing me limb from
limb. Then he caved. A chagrined grin
crept over his face. He pretended that h.s
was grinning- over the discrepancy in our
respective sizes. But he wasn't. He waa
Just caving, that's all, and I saw it ana
knew it. and for about four minutes more
I said things to Mr. Devery such as I'll
bet a hat nobody ever said to him before
or since. Then I marched perkily out of
the station, and 15 minutes later when I
got to thinking of how. In my excited
wrath, I had braved the most feared
policeman In New York, I took up a jog
trot unconsciously and peered over my
shoulder every 10 steps. My stuff about
the green goods peopje came out the next
morning, and Devory was transferred not
long afterward. And every time I see
Devery in New York now he grins very
knowingly at me as he passes on."
,. ,.
CURlOUS, INTERESTING CANES
A Renin rlrnhlc Collection Made hy
Ur. Watkins, of Montclnir, N. J.
New York Tribune.
Ever since he was a boy Dr. C. G. Wat
kins, of Montclair, N. J. has had a fad
for mnking collections of various articles,
but his particular fancy h;is been for
canes, or warning sticks, and his col-
lection Is believed to be one of the larg
est an most valuable In the world. It
now numbers more than 500 different
kinds, gathered from every part of tho
globe.
The collection, which adorns all part3
of n,s home, contains a cane of Brigham
ioungs, which was given to the physl-
cian by Amelia, the prophet's seventeenth
wife. Another is the last can" rnrrfp.i
by Walt Whitman, gnarled and twisted,
just as it was cut from the tree by tho
port. One walking stick which Dr.
Watkins prixta highly Is a hickory rod
carried many years by Andrew Jackson.
A stick once carried by Henry Irving Is
also in the collection, having been pre
sented to Dr. Watkins by Governor
Adams, of Colorado. General Saxton
was the donor of another stick, which
was cut from a young sapling at Lin
coln's birthplace; also a cane cut out
of a bench in the old Courthouse of Lin
coln. Ill . where Lincoln held his first
court. Another cane Is made from the
ramrod of a. Confederate cannon, which
wns enptureo at Atlanta. Ga., and an
other cut trom the old flagstaff at Fort
Sumter. There are two canes which
Dr. Watkins values highly because they
aro associated with Christopher Colum
bus. One is from the discoverer's birth
place in Genoa; the other was brought
home by the expedition sent out by a
New York newspaper in 1S02 to discover
the spot hcr. Columbus first landed in
the Western hemisphere.
On many o. me canes Dr. Watkins has
carved emblems significant of their ori
gin. On a cane from a famous old mon
astery in Italy Is the head of a Jolly
monk: one from India bears a tiger, on
another from Africa is carved a monkey
anl on one from Bermuda an alligator.
Pay of Colonial Service.
Minneapolis Tribune.
The Insular Bureau of the War De
partment has made a comparison of
' Philippine snlaries with those in the Eng-
Kong up to 5160,000 for Java. Salaries of
; other officials are in the same proportion
Burmah, Ceylon. Hong Kong and Aus
tralian colonies nav hlrrher salaries thnn
we. though most of these are smaller
than the Philippines. In India and tho
Dutch colonies, with their enormous na
tive nonulatlon. the salaries arp much
higher. The truth is that no nation can
get good public servants abroad for tho
price it is accustomed to pay at home.
Of 1000 parts of the moon 570 are visible to
us on the oarth: -124 nnrt"! rurn.-iln hliM.n oK
i solutcly to man's eyos.
There arc imitation baking powders, made
from alum and sold cheap, which it is prudent
to avoid. Alum in food is poisonous.
i ncz o