(THE HORNING- OREGONIAN, MONDAY, APRIL 14,' 1902.
he rje0xxuton
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FORTLATfB, MONDAY," APRIIi 14
THE DIFFERENCE. '
Every reader of the two opposing po
litical platforms In thlsv state campaign
must have been impreGsed with the
fetriking correspondence existing1 In
many points, such -as flat salaries fbr
State officials, election of Senators by
popular vote, initiative and referendum,
Chinese exclusion, river improvement,
organized labor, land laws, trusts, Fed
eral aid to irrigation, Isthmian canal.
On these and perhaps on other heads
the two parties -make professions that
are substantially identical.
But parties are not to be estimated
by their professions. They are not even
to be judged by the things that come
along from year to year,, but by the
iwhole course and tenor of their history,
purposes and tendencies.
The whole course and tenor of the
iDemocratic party for a generation has
been contrary to the best interests of
the country, and if its proposals had
been followed throughout the past forty
years, the Nation's course would have
been one of humiliation and shame.
Such would be the result of following
its proposals now, as much as at any
time In our history.
The Democrats were wrong about the
great questions that centered about the
conflict Involved In our Civil War. They
.were wrong again on the great ques
tions gathered about the issue of hon
est money against dishonest money.
Today the Civil "War is behind us and
the money question is behind us. The
great questions before us for solution
hre those growing' out of the Spanish
tWar, and again the Democratic party
Is wrong:. It insistently arrays itself
against the patriotic impulse, against
the National .honor and grandeur,
against the extension of the National
sovereignty, against the enhancement
of our political and commercial posi
tion on the Pacific Ocean and its shores.
These large questions must be consid
ered in estimating the claims of the
parties for popular confidence. No con
siderable body of intelligent public opin
ion could be brought to say that the
proposals of the Democratic party are
, nny more deserving of acceptance today
than they have been heretofore.
Oregon will either go Republican in
tlune or it will go Democratic. If it
goes Republican it will declare for ex
pansion, progress and greatness In Na
tional affairs. If it goes Democratic it
Will declare for isolation, littleness and
stagnation.. It will either yield to "the
craven fear of being great" or else re
spond to the virile Impulse of National
assertion and "pride.-
IT'S "UP TO' ALL OF US.
Portland organized itself into a com
mittee of the- whole last November for
the purpose of financing the Lewis and
Clark Centennial, and in two days sub
scriptions were procured to $305,000 of
the stock, which were increased, when
all the returns were In, to nearly 5C40,
t)00. Politics and the activity in busi
ness have to a certain extent temporar
ily obscured the exposition project, as
Is evidenced by the meager addition to
the stock subscriptions as a result of
the recent recanvass. The subscriptions
now stand at a little over $344,000, leav
ing,, in round figures, $156,000 to be
raised to complete the capitalization to
S500.000. It is just as much Portland's
iduty to see that the remaining $156,000
$s put up as it was in the first instance
to make good the original capitalization
of $300,000. That this will be done, and
before long at that, admits of no doubt.
Jhe only thing Is to find a way of doing
It without again calling ourbusiness
men into the field to canvass.
Here a thought suggests itself. The
canvassing committees last Fall met
many a person who said: "I'll give so
much now, but if the fair needs more,
i'il stand a raise." One of these was
a young East Side manufacturer. Re
cent events, he says, convince him that
"it is up to him," and be voluntarily
adds 50 per cent to his subscription.
No doubt men like Mr. Sharkey will
keep promises made by them and take
more stock. But the responsibility
really rests upon many other people.
What about that class of whom Port
land has more than all the other cities
in the Northwest combined, the property-owners
with large incomes, -whose
names Are rarely seen except on the
Tent accounts of their tenants? Have
they no interest la the exposition, no
expectation of benefit from it? Again
we have firms and corporations here.
foreign houses they are sometimes
called, whose home offices are In other
states, or perhaps, other countrlea Many
of them are making money rapidly,
while all are prospering, else they would
not be here. Some of these "foreign"
houses have done all that could be ex
pected of them, but what about the oth
ers? One of these houses, which em
ploys not to exceed a dozen men, as
the principal handling of its product is
done in the East, proposes to give $200,
and this after nearly five months' con
sideration of the matter. A home insti
tution in the eame line of business,
which employs 1C0 men, gave more than
ten times as much. Have these houses
that are lagging behind no permanent
Interest In Portland, or -are they here
just to make what they can out of the
country while the opportunity offers
and then to depart to some other field?
They should plainly understand that
whatever advances the whole commu
nity helps them in exactly the same
measure that it helps" any one else, and
that they will participate in all the
benefits to be derived from the 190p fair.
Portland is committed to a big fair for
1905,and the sooner the $500,000 Is "made
good" the sooner the site will be se
lected and work started. It now de
volves upon some to make good their
promises of an increase. It devolves
upon others who did not give a fair
share last November to do a bit of vol
untary "leveling." It devolves upon
the property-owner with the fat rent
roll to turn the cornucopia upside down
for once. It devolves upon the ' head
men of the EO-called "foreign" houses
in Portland to write their home offices
in Chicago, Omaha, New York and other
places urging liberal subscriptions. And
It devolves upon all of us to get this
subscription business out of the way,
so that some other feature of the fair
may be taken up.
RIGHT DOCK RUT WROXQ DATE:
A body blow at Bryanlsin is that
delivered by the selection for members
of the Democratic Congressional Com
mittee. These are the names:
BEN T. CABLE Illinois
LEWIS NIXON . New Tork
DAVID OVERMEYER Kansas
THOMAS TAGGART Indiana
RICHARD OLNEY Massachusetts
DAN S. LAMONT New York
There is not in all this list a man In
favor of 16 to 1. There Is not a Bryan
man among them, though eomeuof them,
like Taggart, at heart sound-money
men, put up with Bryan for the sake
of party regularity and did not openly
bolt the party, as Lamont and Olney
did. The committee will make no fight
in this campaign for silver or rag
money. If it has to say anything to
anybody on the money question, its
voice will be for accepting the "irrev
ocable events" of 1896 and 1900, for hon
est money, for the gold standard;
against silver, against greenbackism,
against Bryanism. There is no sympa
thy In this campaign committee for
the programme of financial dishonor
which carried the Democratic party to
defeat In 1896, 1S93 and 1900.
In 1880 the Democratic party nomi
nated a gallant Union soldier for Pres
ident, But It was too late. The war
was over. In 1900 it comes down to the
wharf of honest money with bands at
play and colors spread. But it is too
late. The gold-standard ship has sailed.
It Is in port. About 1908 the Democrats
will be for- expansion. TMy will get
down to the dock just In time to see
the gangplank disappear and the stern
line crawl aboard.
GOVERNMENT CROP REPORT.
The Government crop report, issued
last Thursday, did not contain the ex
pected figures on the yield In bushels
of the 1901 wheat crop. "With all of the
facilities for obtaining accurate infor
mation as to shipments and stocks on
hand, the Government seems unable to
give out these figures until they are too
late to be of any service either to the
farmers or to the trade. The percent
age figures, however, were more "bull
ish" than anything that has appeared
from that quarter for a long time, and
their significance was reflected In an
immediate advance of nearly 2 cents per
bushel in the Chicago market.
Dealing as they do with a crop that Is
3Tet to come, these percentage figures
are less subject to criticism, the vul
nerable points. If any, being difficult to
detect. Their value would be greatly
enhanced If they were accompanied by
figures showing the actual out-turn of
wheat last year. We are, told that the
crop condition April 1, 1902, was 78.7
per cent, compared with 91.7 for the
same date in 1901. The Government has
not yet enlightened us as to the results
of a 9L7 per cent condition a year ago,
and as trade statisticians have figured
those results all the way from 623,000,000
to 800,000,000 bushels, according to the
bullish or bearish nature of the com
piler, we are still in the dark as to just
what resulted from a 91.7 per cent con
dition one year ago. If the Government
had supplemented the percentage fig
ures with a statement that 650,000,000
bushels of wheat were produced last
year, it would be an easy matter to fig
ure out what might be expected from a
78.7 per cent condition on the corre
sponding date this year. The season
has now worked around to a point
where the dimensions of the 1901 crop
in Oregon, Washington and Idaho can
be quite accurately gauged, and it
would be Interesting to know whether
or not the Government has again over
estimated the yield, as has been the case
for the past three seasons. The Gov
ernment figures on the yield of these
three states for 1900 were over 6,000,000
bushels greater than the actual out
turn of wheat, and as the crop of 1901
was about 6,000,000 bushels greater
than that of 1900, a corresponding In
crease in the size of the error may be
expected when the final announcement
of the 1901 crop Is made. It is this free-and-easy
manner of juggling with fig
urea without regard to fact that has
caused the Government reports to have
a comparatively inferior standing In the
foreign market to that enjoyed by them
in Chicago, where they are given the
"glad hand" along with the Hessian
fly, the chlnchbug and other similar
factors which serve to infuse "ginger"
into a tame situation.
Corroboration of this lack of Euro
pean confidence in these reports is
shown in the course of the markets for
the past few weeks. A little over sixty
days ago May wheat was selling up to
84 cents in Chicago, and at the same
time Walla Walla cargoes advanced to
29s 6d in Liverpool. Under the influ
ence of very bearish crop reports in
February and March', Chicago ham
mered the market down to 70 cents.
Had the European market accepted
those reports as trustworthy, every
slump in Chicago would have been fol
lowed, by a responsive decline in Eu
rope. Past experience, however, had
made the foreigners wary, and when
Chicago paused last week after a sheer
drop of 13 cents per bushel, the for
eign market was still taking Walla
Walla cargoes at 28 shillings, a drop of
but 4 cents per bushel. Bearish re
ports have thus been very convenient
for Chicago to use in hammering down
values, but their questionable reliabil
ity is shown In the refusal of a country
which is running on short rations to fol
low the declines to any great extent.
The Government crop report would in
crease its sphere of usefulness if It
would deal more in facts and leave less
to the imagination. Errors of from
6,000,000 to 10,000,000 bushels In the size
of the Northwestern wheat crop have
frequently been made by local advertis
ing geniuses who make annual esti
mates without proper facilities for se
curing data, but the "Government should
abandon this careless method of jug
gling witii figures.
A MEMORABLE WAR.
There is unofficial news that the Boer
leaders have accepted the British terms
of peace. This news is likely to be con
firmed, for it is well understood that the
Transvaal has been ready for peace for
some time, and with Its submission the
Orange Free State could not long hold
out. This war, whichbegan October 12,
1899, with the Boer invasion of Natal,
ought to have ended with the procla
mation of the Transvaal as a part of
the British Empire, September 1, 1900.
Since that date the conflict has been
guerrilla warfare, for success in which
the Boers were admirably fitted by their
habits of life, by their knowledge of
the country and by the friendliness of
the Inhabitants. Every Boer Is a sharp
shooter, trained from youth up to shoot
with a rifle at moving objects game
and birds. The average Boer will bring
down ah antelope In full jump at a
distance of 1000 yards, or even more.
It Is not exceptional for even a young
Boer to make from 95 to 98 out of a
possible 100 at 1000 yards. The Boer
ranks Included many lads from 16 to 18
who could perform this feat of marks
manship. The Boers, by their mode of life, were
masters of the art of scouting. They
were masters of the art of building field
trenches which give almost perfect shel
ter from rifle" fire. The Boer displayed
extraordinary mobility in battle or on
the march, because he was encumbered
with nothing more than his gun, his
ammunition belt and hie water-bottle.
The Boer horse carried about 250 pounds
with hla rider and all equipments; the
English cavalry horse carried 450. The
Boers, therefore, by superior mobility
could escape pursuit or execute surprise
attack. The Boer artillery was excel
lent, and was admirably handled. In
range, effectiveness and accuracy of aim
it was greatly superior to the British
during the earlier stages of the war.
To meet this formidable guerrilla war
fare Lord Kitchener was furnished an
army of 200,000 men, but the blockhouse
system and lines of communication ab
sorbed one-half of this force. The rail
way line from Cape Town to Pretoria 13
1040 miles long, from Ladysmlth to Pre
toria is 320 miles, from Port Elizabeth to
the Orange River is 328 miles, from
Komatlpoort to Pretoria 337 miles, and
from De Aar Junction to Mafeklng 269
miles.
The area of Orange Free State is
48,326 square miles a' territory ex
ceeding the area of Ohio, or Pennsyl
vania, or Virginia, or Tennessee, or
Kentucky, or Indiana, or Mississippi,
and nearly equal to that of Louisiana.
The Transvaal has an area of 119,139
square miles an area exceeded only by
Texas. California or Montana, of our
American states. When we remember
that after providing men for his block
houses, his lines of communication and
the necessary garrisons for the towns
and military depots. Lord Kitchener had
not more than 45,000 men for the mobile
columns, whose field of operations Is
nearly as larsre as that covered by the
States of New York, Pennsylvania,
Ohio, the two Virginias, Kentucky, In
diana and all New England, it Is not
remarkable that the Boers were difficult
to run down, or that his troops were not
seldom surprised. This field of opera
tions had been stripped of all local
sources of supply; every Inhabitant was
a spy for the enemy. The States of
Oregon and Washington, filled with a
race of brave. Ignorant marksmen, like
tbj men who ence peopled the mountain
border country of Kentucky, Tennessee,
West Virginia and North Carolina,
could wage quite as baffling a warfare
against an enemy as Dewet and Botha
have against Kitchener.
The remarkable, the memorable thing
about this Boer war Is not, however,
the guerrilla warfare which has charac
terized Its last year, but the fact that
Its first year of conflict was fought
under new conditions of warfare. The
Improved rifles and field artillery and
the universal employment of field en
trenchments operated so entirely to the
advantage of the defensive that they
are sufficient explanation of the repulse
of Mcthuen at Magersfonteln and of
Buller before Ladysmlth. Against the
Boer field entrenchments the British
artillery, the best in Europe, was in
effective at Enslln, "Modder River and
Colenso. At Paardeberg 4000 Boers
were bombarded for ten days by a
hundred field guns, and surrendered
from starvation, for their whole loss
was but 170 killed and wounded, half
of whom fell by Infantry attack before
the bombardment. At Splonkop the
Boer artillery, directed against the Brit
ish, unable to entrench themselves, put
out of action 1300 men; but in the Trans
vaal War the severest artillery fire
never drove the Boers from their en
trenchments, which from the use of
smokeless powder are Invisible to the
enemy. In every instance the frontal
attacks, whether made by Boers or Brit
ish, were repulsed.
The Boer War has convinced Europe
that the frontal attack as a method of
offense is sure to pass out of practical
warfare. The day of cavalry Is over,
and Its place is taken by mounted in
fantry, which was really all the cavalry
that Sheridan, Stuart, Forrest, Wheeler
or Hampton employed In our Civil War.
The long range of modern magazine
rifles and. cannon has created a new
condition of war which is decidedly to
the advantage of the defensive. Mili
tarism has been heavily shaken by the
events of the South African War, for
It has been proved that with Improved
modern rifles and cannon and invisible
field entrenchments through smokeless
powder the frontal attack Is doomed to
repulse, and cavalry in the form that
Europe has hitherto employed it is
become obsolete. France. Russia and
Germany no longer fear successful In
vasion, and because of this there is
likely to be a long peace.
Governor William P. Hunt, Chief Ex
ecutive of Porto Rico, says In effect that
I the "white man's burden," as far as
that Island is concerned, has been shift
ed to the shoulders of the "Yankee
school marm." Upon her, he says, "the
most courageous soldier among all of
Uncle Sam's brave volunteers, rests the
burden of the great task we have under
taken in Porto Rico." Speaking of bis
recent trip through the Island, Governor
Hunt continues:
The one sight, freighted with the great por
tent, which every hamlet and Village and city
presented, was the ranks of school children
lined up In orderly array, neat and tidy in their
personal appearance and under the perfect con
trol of their teachers.
In charge, of every squad of these little black
and brown recruits there was a trim, white
gowned girl, moving about with the confident
air of a General. TVhcn she gavo the command
and her little forces sang "America" so brave
ly, ending with a ringing cheer and a waving
of tho flag. It was a sight that could not fall
to xnovo a person with & grain of patriotism In
his make-up.
This is a deserved tribute to an en
ergetic class of empire-builders, the
members of which are known and hon
ored by their work.
Both houses have now passed the
bill granting Mrs. McKlnley the
usual $5000 per annum allowed to the
widows of Presidents. Congress can do
no less than allow this pension, though
there Is neither necessity nor justice in
the abstract behind it. Mrs. McKinley
is a wealthy woman, a semi-invalid,
who leads both from necessity and In
clination the life of a recluse from so
ciety. To add to her unused abundance
by pension is merely to add to the her
itage of her helrs-at-law, who have not
the slightest claim against the Nation's
bounty. Yet it Is easier to concede a
point of this kind than to contest It. It
would. In fact, be both ungallant and
unpatriotic to contest it, and as the case
Is not one that is likely to bo followed
except In the most limited way by prece
dent, it is a matter of small moment,
relatively speaking. The abuses suf
fered from departure from the original
pension Idea and Intent should be cor
rected, but Mra McKinley's pension Is
not the place to begin.
The cordial tone of the letter written
by President Corbett, of the Lewis and
Clark Centennial, to President Francis,
of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition,
cannot fall to Impress Missouri with
Oregon's friendship for the St. Louis
World's Fair and its offer of assistance
in the matter of a postponement to 1904
if that shall be necessary. Sixty years
ago about all the civilization of any
moment the West possessed was In Mis
souri and Oregon, or on the plains be
tween the two regions. The settler for
Oregon started from Missouri, and when
he got here he looked to Benton and
Linn to fight for him In Congress. Mr.
Corbett does well to recall to Mr. Fran
cis the old ties that bound Oregon to
Missouri. H1b letter will make a warm
spot for Oregon in the hearts of Mis
sourians. and St. Louis will reciprocate
when Portland applies to Congress for
help for its fair.
The War Department's excuse for
withholding Major Gardener's report Is
that the accusations were referred back
to him for specifications and evidence,
and meanwhile also to the accused offi
cers for their version. The reason is
pertinent, and seems almost If not quite
adequate. The department's apparent
frankness, moreover, Is In keeping with
Secretary Root's uniform course in
Philippine affairs. He will not suffer
the good name of the Army to be as
persed without first affording it an op
portunity to defend itself. This atti
tude Is one that puts Geenral Miles
and his Senatorial abettors In an un
pleasant light. It is to be regretted
that the War Department's course in
'the mater of Pacific transports tends so
effectually to prevent that full confi
dence In It that would otherwise prevail.
Judge Boise has a plain, common
sense way of putting things upon occa
sion. Witness his decision that the
amount of compensation allowed re
ceivers of banks in which the savings
or funds of a large number of persons
are involved cannot within tho jurisdic
tion of his court be fixed until all busi
ness connected with the receivership Is
closed up, when they will be reasonably
compensated for their services accord
ing to the showing made, and also be
allowed reasonable amounts for clerk
hire and attorney's fees. A decision ot
this kind as applied to at least one bank
receivership in this city In recent years
would have largely increased the divi
dends of depositors after allowing the
various receivers and attorneys conect
ed therewith all that they earned le
gitimately In conducting its affalra
Thus observes the Seattle Post-Intelll-gencer:
The Commercial Cable Company Is making
the path of the subsidy hunters a rocky one.
Before they can get through Congress a bill
fbr Federal aid, this soulless corporation Is
like to have a cable put down at Its own
expense. Such thlnss are a pain to tho en
lightened legislator, who knows no stimulus
to enterprise like a round cash bonus.
It would doubtless pain the Post-In-telllgencer
a good deal to tell the truth
so frankly about the subsidy-hunters
of the shipping fraternity, the soulless
corporations wnb are building our new
merchant marine at their own expense,
and the enlightened legislator who
knows no stimulus to shipping enter
prise like a round cash bonus.
The St. Louis postponement, which
now esems highly probable, has an im
portant lesson for Portland. There is
no time to lose In getting ready for the
1905 fair here. It would look shabby In
deed if, after remonstrating against the
St. Louis postponement and then ac
quiescing In the expectation of bring
ing the St. Louis exhibits of 1904 here
for 1905, we should have to postpone
our own fair to 1906 and helplessly see
the St. Louis exhibits melt away before
our eyes. Delays are dangerous. The
first thing is. to complete the $500,000.
Then other things can be begun, notably
the choice of site.
Southern members of Congress are re
ported in distress over Chinese exclu
sion. They hate to offend labor, but
they want cheap cotton transportation.
A group of statesmen who can vote
for Bryan though they want the gold
standard, and for scuttle in Asia, our
great cotton market, ought not to be
worried about a little thing like the
Chinese bill.
Belgium is about the only European
power that has long suffered the Igno
miny of newspaper oblivion. The riots
will remedy this equality. The price of
celebrity, which Is high, must be paid.
There is little profit and much loss of
time and good feeling in this prolonged
debate in the Senate over Chinese ex
clusion. The quicker the bill is passed
the better for all concerned.
MILES AND HIS ALLIES.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Democratic members of the Senate
committee on the Philippines are follow
ing the lead of General Miles. They
charge the Secretary of War and Gover
nor Taf t with suppressing or withholding
from the committee a report referred to
by General Miles In his letter of March
24. They intimate that this report Is an
Indictment of the Secretary of War and a
condemnation of tho President's war pol
icy, and has been pigeon-holed in the in
terest of the Administration.
A plain statement of facts will show the
animus af theee charges. In his letter of
February 17, General Miles declared "the
warfare In the Philippines has been con
ducted with marked severity." In hi3 re
ply under date of March 5, Secretary
Root said: "It is not a fact that the
warfare In 'tho Philippines has been con
ducted with marked severity; on the con
trary, the warfare has been conducted
with marked humanity and magnanimity
on the part of the United States Army."
In his supplementary letter of March 24
(written IS days after the President ap
proved the conclusions of the Secretary
of War), General Miles eald:
Referring to that part of my communica
tion which states that tha warfare In the
Philippines had been conducted with marked
severity, and to the remarks of tho honorable
Secretary on that point, it Is proper to say
that I had in mind such Information as Is
conveyed in the letter of Governor William
H. Taft. addressed to the honorable Secre
tary, dated Washington, February 7, 1902, as
well as to other communications which havo
been referred to these headquarters or re
ceived by mo.
This letter, it must be remembered, was
written after the Democrats In Congress,
at tho Instigation ot General Miles, had
Introduced a resolution calling for the cor
respondence between Miles and Root. It
was written, presumably, with purpose
to give the Democratic members ot the
committee the opportunity they were seek
ing to Impeach the War Department.
Senators Culberson, Patterson, and Raw
lins were quick to follow the lead ot Gen
eral Miles and attack Secretary Root. But
they evidently did not read carefully the
Secretaryts plain, blunt answer to the
Lleutenant-Qeneral. . In his letter to the
President, of March 25, Secretary Root
said:
The reference in the memorandum to the
letter of Governor Taft to the Secretary of
War. dated February 7, 1002, is to a letter
transmitting, for the purpose of investigation
by the military authorities, a report by the
civil Governor of th Province of Tayabas,
containing, la general terms and without
specifications or names, serious charges
agalnrt the military administration in that
province and against the conduct of the army
generally In Its relations to the civil govern
ment. Tho Secretary then states that the re
port was sent to General Chaffee under
dato of February 19. with Instructions to
make careful Inquiry as to the truth of
tho statements, and to apply the neces
sary disciplinary and administrative
measures to correct the evils. If such
should be found. There was no avoid
ance of tho issue. There was no attempt
to suppress the facts. The Secretary of
War simply referred the report In tho
ordinary way and Instructed the General
In command to ascertain and report the
facta. After explaining to tho President
that General Chaffee had not had time
to make investigation and report, Secre
tary Root added:
It Is to be regretted that the officer of the
highest rank In the army should assume the
truth of charges reflecting upon the army In
ad van co of the Investigation which has been
ordered, and without giving General Chaffee,
upon -nhose particular command the charges
reflect, an opportunity to be beard. Goernor
Taft's letter shows that the civil Governor
of the Philippines was unwilling to accept
the charges as true without an Investigation.
But this was not alh After referring
to the fact that General Miles memo
randum was not written until after tho
Introduction ot the resolution calling for
the correspondence and papers, the Secre
tary of War added:
The putting into those papers of the specific
reference to the letter transmitting the
charges plainly evinces a design to procure
the publication of the charges, and of the
Lieutenant-General's acceptance thereof as
true in advance of the In estlgatlon of their
truth, and of a report thereon by General
Chaffee.
What Secretary Root said would hap
pen has happened. Senator Culberson and
his associates are demanding tho publi
cation of the charges under investigation.
They accuse the Secretary of War of sup
pressing a report which he stated officially
two weeks ago he had sent to General
Chaffee.
General Miles stands In tho position of
an officer instigating charges against his
own troops, and urging their publication
before investigation, and the Democratic
members of the Philippine committee are
intriguing to get the charges before the
people as soon as possible, because evil
rumor serves their purpose better than
hard facts.
Accidents on Railroads.
New Orleans Times-Democrat.
Statistics show that the danger of being
killed in a railroad accident in the United
States while traveling is five times as
great as In Germany, while the danger of
being crippled or otherwise Injured la 10
times a3 likely. As for the employes, they
rnu 13 times the risk of death or mutila
tion In America as they do on the Conti
nent of Europe. This is not due to the
fact that the latter roads are operated by
the government, whereas in this country
they are operated by quasi-private com
panies, for a comparison with the English
lines shows much the eame condition of
affairs. It is true that in France the
showing is slightly favorable to the pub
He as opposed to the private railroads,
one out of every 12.000.000 passengers be
ing killed on the former and one out ot
every 5,000,000 on the latter, the private
system being more than twice as danger
ous, as far a3 killing passengers Is con
cerned, and more than four times as dan
gerous In the matter of accidents.
Theso matters of ownership, however,
have no connection with the killing and
wounding of passengers and railroad em
ployes. The loss of life in this country Is
the result cf neglect and carlessness in
most cases, of a false economy on tho
part of tho railroads. Congress has so
recognised by passing a law requiring
the railroads to tako greater precautions
for the protection of human life, and to
adopt certain mechanical devices that re
duce the slaughter from coupling and un
coupling cars. The answer of the railroads
to this law and their frequent appeals to
Congress to be relieved from Its obliga
tions for a longer time, for financial rea
sons, Is an explanation of the entire trou
ble. It Js cheaper to opesate the cars at
the expense of human Hfo than to make
Improvements in the cars that will pre
vent accidents or worse than murder.
At the Church Gate.
"Wlllliam Slakepeace Thackeray.
Although 1 enter nol.
Yet round about the spot
Ofttlmes I hover;
And near tho sacred gate.
With longing eyes 1 wait.
Expectant of her.
The Minster hell tolls out
Above the city's rout
And noise and humming;
They've hushed the Minster .bell;
The organ 'gins to swell: "
She's coming! she's coming I
My Lady comes at last.
Timid and stepping fast
And hastening hither.
With modest eyes down-cast;
She comes she's here she's passed.
May heaven go with, her!
Kneel undisturbed, fair Salntt
Pour out your praise or plaint
Meekly and duly I
1 will not enter there
To Bully your pure prayer
With thoughts unruly.
But suffer me to pace
Hound the forbidden place,
Lingering a minute!
Like outcast spirits who -wait
And see throush heaven's gate
Angela within it.
IX THE AMEN CORNERS.
Chicago Tribune.
The graduates of Senator Piatt's "Sun
day school," who gave a banquet In his
honor the other night, include most of the
big politicians who have figured in Now
Tork State and National politics for more
than 20 years. The "amen corners," In
which these "Sunday schcol classes" meet,
are small recesses on either side of the
rotunda, of the Flfth-Avenuo Hotel, In
each of which stand3 a large plush sofa.
It Is on these sofas that the "easy boss"
and bis friends sit to discuss matters of
politics.
Senator Piatt has made his home at the
hotel for more than 20 years. But even
beforo he moved in the hotel, and the
"amen comers" especially, were the rec
ognized headquarters of Republican poli
tics in the Empire State.
Here is a little story which Illustrates
how thoroughly It was recognised that the
"amen corner" was the center of political
Interest. One day many years ago John
P. Smyth, who was the head of the Re
publican machine In the Hudson River
Valley, outside of the metropolis, was
spending a few days at a hotel in Chicago.
When he came In from a cair one after
noon the clerk handed him a telegram. It
was from Senator Gcnkllng, and It read
simply: "Meet me tomorrow evening."
"But," said a Chicago friend, "Ccnkling
does not say where he wants you to meet
him. Perhaps he's coming out here.
"If you were a Republican," answered
Smyth, "you would know that 'Meet me
tomorrow evening means 'Meet me at the
"amen corner" in the Fifth-Avenue Ho
tel.' "
Ever since back In the '60s the hotel has
been recognized as the Republican head
quarters, except during two years, and In
each of those years the campaign was dis
astrously lost by the Republican party.
When Abraham Lincoln went to New
York to make his famous Cooper Union
speech, he stopped at the hotel, and ever
since It has been known as the President's
hotel. Among the Presidents who have
reviewed parades from Its balconies are
Lincoln, Hayes, Arthur and Harrison.
On the plush sofas In the "amen cor
ners" may be found any evening most of
tho prominent Republicans who happen
to be In the city, and when there Is any
thing of a crisis in political matters the
political reporters so straight to the cor
ners in search of the news.
It was on the second floor of the hotel.
Just above the "amen corners," that the
Rev. Dr. Burchard made the celebrated
"Rum, Romanism and Rebellion" speech,
which. It is generally believed, defeated
James G. Blaine. Mr. Blaine and his fam
ily were living at the hotel during the
campaign, and the candidate had been
prevailed upon to meet a delegation of
clergymen who wished to express their
support. Dr. Burchard, the spokesman,
stood on the stairway leading up to the
third etory of the hotel, and delivered his
famous speech. At the foot of the stairs,
within a few feet of the speaker, stood
Arthur P. Gorman, then, as now, a shrewd
and far-seeing politician. He wag on of
the managers of the Cleveland campaign,
and he was evidently watting for the
reverend speaker to make some kind of
"a. break." When "Rum, Romanism and
Rebellion" came out Gorman's eyes
flashed, and he hurried away to the end
of a telegraph wire. The epeech was
delivered on a Saturday, and ttte next
day, Sunday, thousands of pamphlets Get
ting forth Dr. Burchard's affront to the
Catholics were distributed in front of
Catholic churches all over the country-
Durlng the War of the Rebellion the
"amen corners" were frequented by such
statesmen as Lincoln, Seward, Chase,
Stanton, Sumner, Thaddeus Stevens, and
here they sat on the big plush sofas and
discussed the events of the war with the
newspaper men, Just as Piatt and his fol
lowers talk today of political battles to
be fought and won.
On the wall at the side of one of tho
"amen corners" was. In those days, a big
bulletin board. Directly pcrcea the lobby
from it was a telegraph Instrument, and
tho lobby was, during tho exciting days
of tho war, crowded with people eager to
hear the latest news from the front.
On the day of the first battle of Bull
Run General McClelian was a guest of
the hotel, and In his room ho received the
first word of the great disaster which had
come upon the Union forces. Meantimo
the lobby was full of men frenzied with
excitement. About ono of tho "amen cor
ners" were gathered tho rebel sjmpathiz
ers, and about tho other the sturdy pa
triots who still believed that the Union
would win. On both sides men were mak
ing speeches, and a pitched battle between
the opposing forces was narrowly averted.
Up on one of the upper floors of the
hotel Senator Piatt now has, as Conklmg
had before him, a suite of rooms in which
important political conferences are held
and decisions reached which often affect
state and even National Issues. It was up
In the room of the "easy boss" that Sena
tor Piatt arranged with the Republican
leaders of the Legislature for the legis
lation which resulted In the creation of
Greater New York. It is there that the
nomination of practically every Republi
can Governor of New York State has been
agreed upon and arranged for, from Fol
ger to Roosevelt. To theee conferences In
tho upper rooms, of course, none but the
"easy boss" and hia political allies are
admitted, but the newspaper men waiting
below know that Eoon Piatt or some of
his lieutenants will come down to the
"amen corner" and give out all the In
formation they wish to make public.
The old hotel was oVned In 1S59, when
the country round about was mostly un
settled, or at least poorly built up. It
stood on the site of an older roadhouse,
and was patronized chiefly by the owners
of fast trotting horses and men fond of
similar kinds of sport. In 1SGS, just after
the hotel had been leased for a term of 12
years at an annual rental of J2OO.000, a
strange guest created much excitement at
the hotel. Some one recognized him as the
eon of the man who had owned the site
of the hotel In the early 50s. He seemed
to bo laboring under Intense "emotion.
Every few minutes he would put down
his knife and fork, bury his head on his
bands, and bend over on the table, appar
ently shaken by .sobs. Finally one of the
managers of the hotel went Over to him
and asked why he was crying.
"Because," he said, "my father was
foolish enough to sell this land for $1G,000."
Land and building sold In 1S93 for ?4,223,
000. An Escalator for an Elevator.
Chicago Chronicle.
A moving stairway, which is to take the
place of elevators, has been placed in Sie
gel, Cooper & Cd.'s store. This is the first
escalator Installed west of New York City.
The new machines have been working wl.h
success In the East for several months.
The escalator Is an endless chain of
fltepa that runs from one floor diagonally
to the next, like a wide belt. Moving
banisters fellow the steps, and all one has
to do to ascend is to stop aboard, seize
the railing and stand still until the next
floor Is reached. There one must step
off or be pushed off gently by a stationary
cowcatcher.
The escalator In Slegel, Cooper & Co.'a
store has a capacity of 75 009 persons a
day, or greater than the combined capaci
ties of all the elevators in the place. There
is no waiting for the car, for a step, on
which two persons can stand without
crowding appears every second.
If the Innovation proves a success it is
probable that tho other floors will be con
nected in the same way, and the elevators
abandoned. The present machine does not
carry passengers down, but a system for
that purpose may be added.
I Something In This.
San Francisco Bulletin.
Having noted that SO per cent of the
failures in class work were by students
who frequent billiard-rooms, the faculty
of the State Agricultural College of Ore
gon has prohibited students from playing
billiards; but If the faculty expect the
prohibition to diminish the failures there
Is going tV be a disappointment. The
student who does not like to study doesn't
need a billiard tablo to tempt him to idleness,
NOTE AND COMMENT.
Belgium is getting ready to feel all cut
up.
Unfortunately, none of the stump
speakers ever ask leave to print
Thero are other citizens beside thosa
who are running for office.
Any old place they can get a few votes
Is home, sweet home, to the Democrats.
General Miles hasn't been reprimanded
for several days. He must be .on his good
conduct.
Enter the torchlight procession and the
brass band. It will be a strenuous
campaign.
Aguinaldo Is about the only American
General who enjoya the favor of the TVar
Department.
General MacArthur has faced too many
Filipinos on their native "heath to be
afraid of those In Congress.
Minister "Wu has at last been advised
that his mlaslon la not the management of
the Government of the United States.
It Is queer hGW much more righteous
wrath there is in the bosom of the turner
down candidate than In that of any one
else.
Chicago had 17 Incendiary fires In six
hours the other day. No wonder the peo
ple there want to abate the smoke nui
sance. The raln-on-sevcn-Sundays-after-Easter
theory seems to have received a knock
out blow. It rained yesterday, but Easter
It didn't.
A Chicago University professor has been
making an attack on the wedding ring.
The advertising department of the school
is certainly competently handled.
A minstrel sbow takes long chances on
being mistaken for a lecture by Mark
Twain -when It attempts to use Jokes not
to be found in the patent medicine ad
vertisements. "Mr. Brown," said Mrs. Brown, "I
should like very much to see The Tam
ing of the Shrew.' " .
"Do. by all means," replied her husband.
promptly, and Immediately dug down Into
his pocket and produced the price.
The glass hospital for consumptives
which Is to be erected In Philadelphia
will be modeled In Its general plan after
the one In London, which has satisfactor
ily demonstrated the effectiveness of sun
shine In tho treatment of that fell dis
ease. Each patient occupies a small room
of glass. Into which air having an excess
of oxygen is pumped. This gives actual
relief to the sufferer, and rapid Improve
ment Is made by selected eases.
Emll Andres, a retailer of oil, has put
theStandard Oil Company to rout In Jef
fersonvllle, Ind. He used to buy his sup
plies from the Rockefeller concern, but
lately changed to an Independent com
pany In Louisville. Then the Standard
proceeded to ruin him in the usual way
cutting prices, below the profit line but
the citizens stood by him, preferring to
pay the higher figure. He charged 10
cents a gallon, though tho Standard vainly
offered it at half that price.
Tho records of the male students of the
colored high school of Richmond, Va.,
who were graduated in the 10 years,. 1883-BS,
have now been added by the Richmond
Reformer to those of the graduates of the
preceding 10 years. There were 70 men In
the later period, 11 of whom have died.
The others are found to bo in various
respectable occupations', doing creditably
In the world. No criminals or paupers
among the entire lot are reported. In
view of these facts, the Reformer, an or
gan of the colored race, pertinently asks
if "education spoils the negro?"
Smooth Coins Legal Tender.
Philadelphia Press.
A citizen of St. Lauis has recovered
J2000 from a street railway company of
that city because, after tendering a
smooth nickel for hi3 fare, which was re
fused, ho was ejected from the car. Ha
had no other coin about him. and he was
not obliged to tender It if he had. His
smooth 6-cent nickel was a good legal
tender, and the company got off cheaply
by the payment of ?2000 for the mistake
of its agent. Such mistakes are prob
ably Induced by the rule that compels con
ductors to mako their returns in first
class money. If they receive abraded,
smooth or bad coins, they must get rid
of them or stand the loss, as the com
pany demands the best and wllL take none
other. It Is the passenger's privilege to
give them the worst so long as It is legal
tender, and it is dangerous to refuse a
coin merely because it looks as though
It has seen hard service. Coins that have
been plugged or purposely tampered with
are thereby rendered uncurrent. People
must use their eyes, as they accept such
coins at their own risk. But it is tho
policy of the Government to take care of
the coin worn in the service. It accepts
them in business if trolley companies do
not. It ought to redeem them at their
face value as a matter of course, for as
the Government make3 a largo profit on
the Issue of pennies and nickels and sil
ver dimes, quarters and half dollars. It
ought to stand the entire loss by abra
sion. 1
PLEASANTRIES OF PARAGBAPHERS
The world does not amount to much to the
man -whose wife la his wldow.-Boston Tran
script.
A Winner. Gladys I love him for the en
emies he has made. Ethel-How did he make
them? Gladys Cornered the wheat market
successfully. Judge.
How He Worked It. "So you won't take
money for your vote?" "Xo. euh! But ef
jou 13 wise, you'll lose 3ome whar 1 kin And
it easy!" Atlanta Constitution.
A Parthian Shot. He (after a quarrel, bit
terly) I was a fool v. hen I married you.
She ( quietly, about to leave the room) Yes;
but I thought you would improve. Punch.
The Proud Father. "He's a beautiful little
boy." the visitor said. "Tou must be proud
of him." "I am." replied the father. "He
never said a bright thing in his life." Chi
cago Tribune.
Smart Dog. Blszer Slmpklns has a smart
dog. Buzzer What does ho do? Bi2ser He
doesn't do anything that Slmpklns tells him
that's what I mean when I say he's smart.
Ohio State Journal.
An Interrupted Narrative. The Soubrette
I met a man who saw you once In tragedy.
The Comedian What did he say about It?
The Soubmte Oh, I cut him short. I don't
care for hard-luck etori-ss. Puck.
A Match. Mabel Blanche, are you going
to accept Mr. Oldboy? BlancheYes, I think
so. Mabel But he's tliree times as old as
you. Blanche But he does harmonize so
lovely with my antique furniture. Judge.
Nothing to Lose. Mamma Why, Willie,
you'll make yourself elek. Just as sure aa
you eat another piece of that pie you'll be
sick tomorrow. Willie Well, I don't care;
tomorrow ain't no holiday. Philadelphia
Press.
Parson (who has Just arrived for the first
time at his new country living) I say, por
ter, my arrival seems to have caused a great
deal of excitement In the village. Porter
Yes, sir; but it's nowt to when the dancing
bear was hre yesterday. Tit-Bits.
, Enterprise In New York. "Is this an up-to-date
hotel?" ho asked. "Surel" responded
the New York proprietor. "We have a seis
mograph in each room to tell you when the
next earthquake I mean subway disturbance
will take plaoe." Chicago Dolly News.