8
THE MOBNING- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1904.
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PORTLAND, THURSDAY, XEBRUARY 25.
THE FATE OF SPIES.
The execution of three Japanese staff
officers who, -while in disguise, attempt
ed to destroy an Important railway
bridge within the Russian lines, Is an
Incident to be expected In all wars.
There are always spies on both sides,
but they are not always detected. When
they" are discovered they obtain a short
shrift and an Ignominious death. In
our Revolutionary War the brilliant
and amiable young Englishman, Major
Andre, was executed as a spy and Na-
than Hale, a graduate of Yale College,
was hanged as a spy by the British
General Ho'we on Long Island. Rev.
Dr. Edward E. Hale, the venerable
chaplain of the United States Senate, Is
proud today to trace his ancestry back
to the American spy, Nathan Hale, and
the British government erected a monu
ment to the memory of Major Andre in
Westminster Abbey and conferred a
pension upon his mother. His sisters
made excellent marriages, and his igno
minious death by the hangman did not
injure his memory as that of a hero in
the estimation of his countrymen.
Doubtless the fate of these Japanese
officers executed as spies by the Rus
sians will be deplored and their memory
publicly honored by the Japanese gov
eminent as conspicuously as Great Brit
ain has cherished that of Major-Andre
and America that of Nathan Hale.
During our Civil War the spy service
of the Confederates was excellent, while
that of the Union cause was execrable
during the first two years of the wa;
General McCIellan's chief of scouts, Al
len, was so incompetent that McClellan
always overestimated the numbers of
the enemy in hJs front. In March. 1S62,
McClellan estimated the enemy In his
front at 115,000 men, when Johnston's
strength was but 40,000. On the Penin
sula McClellan estimated Lee's army
at 200.000 when it did not exceed 85,000
against McCIellan's fighting strength of
95,000. McClellan continued to overes
timate Lee's strength so grossly that
with 87,000 men at Antletam he thought
he was facing at least equal numbers
when in point of fact Lee's army was
about 40,000 to 45,000 strong. McCIel
lan's spies, or "scouts," were worthless,
and those of Burnslde were not much
better, for General Burnside at Freder
icksburg estimated the Confederate
forces at from 100,000 to 200,000 men
when in fact Lee's army did not exceed
75,000. Even at Harrison's Landing, on
the occasion of the President's visit. In
July, 1SG2, McClellan believed that the
Army of the Potomac was confronted
by 200,000 men. This means that its
"secret service" was then worthless.
The "secret service" of the German
army was so efficient that it was able
to report to Moltke three weeks after
the declaration of war that the largest
force the French could assemble on the
Rhenish frontier would not exceed 250,
000 men, and on this estimate, which
proved correct, Moltke based bis trl
umphant campaign. In the Gettysburg
campaign the "secret service" of the
Union Army had become so efficient
that General Meade was enabled in a
couple of hours to find out exactly what
proportion of Lee's army had been en
gaged on the 1st and 2d of July and on
the strength of this knowledge he de
elded to give battle the next day. There
were sacrifices on both sides during the
war on the part of spies that were pa
thetic. While General Rosecrans was
In command of the Army of the Cum
berland in the Winter of 1SC2-63, two
Confederate officers in the disguise of
Union uniforms were arrested, searched,
discovered to be spies with full notes
of the Federal lines, numbers and ln
trenchments concealed in their clothing.
They were tried, found guilty, and by
order of General Rosecrans hanged. One
of them, whose name was Williams, had
been an officer in the old regular Army
and had been, for a time at least, at
West Point. His companion was a Con
federate officer of excellent family.
They died, as Andre and Hale died.
with the courage and composure that
befits a gentleman.
A party of Union soldiers in disguise
undertook to penetrate the Confederate
lines in Georgia and destroy an im
portant railway bridge. They were
detected, captured and most of them
suffered the fate of the Japanese bridge
destroyers that the Russians have Just
executed. In the Fall of 1863 Samuel
Davis, a Confederate spy only 18 years
of age. was arrested near Pulaski.
Tenn. Upon his person were found
complete plans of the camps, fortiflca
tlons, etc, of the Union forces, then
under command of General G. M.
Dodge. On trial the fact was disclosed
that the sketches of the camps had been
furnished him by some one Inside the
lines, and the boy was told that If he
would give the name of the person who
had supplied him with the sketches and
information concerning the Union
camps he would be given bis liberty
and a safe conduct to the outposts of
Braggs army. The bo refused even at
the foot of the gallows; his sense of
honor was so keen that he surrendered
his life rather than betray his confed
erate in the Union camp.
General Sheridan ascribed his success
in the Shenandoah Valley to the excel
lence of his "secret service." His
"scouts" were natives of that portion
of "Virginia. They knew the whole
country thoroughly; every wood road
and bridle path. He paid them $100 a
month In gold, and they reported to him
personally. The result was that Sherl-
dan was better Informed as to the num
bers and position of hi3 enemy than
ever had been McClellan. Burnside or
Hooker. The service of a spy or
"scout" is perilous, but If it is accepted
for honor's sake its sacrifice is as much
entitled to respect as if the martyr had
fallen leading a charge, for it stands
for the acceptance of an Ignominious
death for the cause. If "spy" service is
undertaken merely for wages, it is
nevertheless a service of extreme hardi
hood, which none but a bold, daring
man can accept and execute.
RUSSIA'S PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.
Indications crop out that the an
nouncement of a Russian retreat to
Harbin may have been somewhat pre
mature. That Is to say, the purpose of
Alexieff to make that military and
commercial center his base of opera
tions is probably true, but It Is doubtful
If the withdrawal of Russian troops
thither is contemplated without some
further show of resistance In the neigh
borhood of the Yalu. The execution of
spies at the Manchurian railway's Junc
tion with the Sungarl discovers Rus
sian administration there and we have
positive and apparently official infor
mation from Tokio that so far no evi
dence exists of Russian crossings to the
south of the Yalu.
It seems fair to conclude that Russia
contemplates with equanimity, a retire
ment to her second line of defense at,
say, Mukden, or even to her third line
of defense at Harbin, with the resultant
Improvement In her own communica
tions and embarrassment to those of
Japan, but that she will postpone the
step until some more formidable show
of strength is offered by Japan than Is
yet developed. The difficulties In the
way of landing troops In Corea from
the sea are well set out In a valuable
review of the situation in the current
Harper's Weekly by a man who has
been on the ground and had access to
the Russian plans. He says that the
shallow waters of the Corean coast at
this time of year are frozen to some
distance from the land, and that obsta
cles to landing, always tremendous, be
come, in the Winter time, almost nuga
tory. This writer In Harper's Weekly un
dertakes to tell us of his oVn knowledge
that the plans for this war were per
fected by Russia as early as three
years ago; and that Russia Is keenly
alive to the strain she can put upon
Japan by compelling her to travel Into
Manchuria away from her base. The
attractiveness of this view has already
been set out in these columns; yet lfls
extremely doubtful whether Russia will
abandon her Southern Manchurian po
sitions unless satisfied she Is confront
ed by superior force- The abandonment
of the Llao Tung Peninsula would not
settle Its control to any extent; but It
would arouse a din of Japanese rejoic
ing which even Russia, we should say,
would hesitate to undergo as the prion
of an advantageous strategical move
ment We should hear a great deal
about a moral triumph. Doubtless one
effect of it would be to stimulate the
uneasiness with which France and Ger
many are already regarding the Japan
ese activity.
AMERICAN TONNAGE INSUFFICIENT.
The United States Government yes
terday chartered a British steamship to
carry a cargo of forage and lumber
from Portland to Manila. The freight
goes to Ur destination under an alien
flag, for . the simple reason that no
American vessels were available at the
same rate at which the British steamer
was willing to handle it. This is an il
lustration of the embargo that would
be placed on the export trade of the
United States with her new possessions
in case the Frye bill, extending the
coastwise navigation laws' to the Phil
ippines, becomes a law.
Under the stress of the development
that is now in progress the Philippines
will soon afford a market for large
quantities of products of which the
United States has no exclusive monop
oly. The sellers of other countries, be
ing free to charter vessels irrespective
of the flag they sail under, can secure
lower freight rates and thus restrict
American business with one of our own
possessions, the only relief being in a
tariff on such goods as other countries
are prepared to offer in competition
with our own, which, of course, would
be a tax on the Philippine consumer to
help the American shipowner.
As the Injustice of the proposed ex
tension of the coastwise laws becomes
more apparent, there Is lessening hope
for the Frye bill, or, if it should pass.
Its fangs may be drawn by some valua
ble amendments that have been pro
posed. One of these amendments. In
troduced for the purpose of staving off
the commercial disaster which would
eiwue If the bill became a law as it now
stands, changes the date upon which
the restriction of the coasting trade
law Is to go Into effect from July 1, 1S04,
to July 1, -1909. It Is believed that
within the next five years the wisdom
of removing all hampering trade or
transportation restrictions from our
new possessions will become so appar
ent that the matter of attempting to
grant a monopoly to a few millionaire
shipowners will be abandoned.
Another serious complication will be
avoided, or at least postponed for five
years, if this amendment, which was
proposed by Senator Carmack, of Ten
nessee, Is adopted. This complication
is the one that impends as a result of
the rights which Spain will exercise in
this trade. As has previously been
stated, the Frye bill declares that
Spain's rights under the treaty ratified
April 11. 1S99, will not be Impaired or
affected by this act Article 4 of that
treaty says: "The United States will,
for ten years from the date of the ex
change of ratifications of this treaty,
admit Spanish ships and merchandise
to the ports of the Philippine Islands on
the same terms as ships and merchan
dise of the United States." Under this
provision Spanish ships could not be ex
cluded from the trade, and accordingly
the American ships would be forced to
meet a competition from aviation that
is willing to embark under its flag any
old ship, no matter where she was" built
or under what flag.
While this method of procedure would
be of material aid In increasing the sup
ply of tonnage. It would be extending
to . Spain favors which should not be
withheld from other nations that are
ready and wiHIng to engage In the car
rying trade to and from the islands.
Every tub should stand on Its own bot
tom, and every ship should float on Its
merits, and without special assistance
from the government. If the compara
tively Insignificant proportion of our
population that is engage 3 in the ship
owning business cannot carry on that
business without taxing the much
larger proportion of the people who are
not shipowners, they would do well to
abandon the attempt to secure, either
by direct subsidy or restrictive legisla
tion, contributions from those who are
not shipowners.
A 3CENACE TO BRITAIN.
On this pago are reproduced some
suggestive extracts from serious British
publications which have sense enough
to see the effect likely to be produced
on the Continent by the proclivity in
London and other British centers
toward making a hoodlum holiday out
of every Japanese victors. The Idea
that Germany could be depended upon
to Join Great Britain in any moral or
material support of the Japanese cause
has lost what plausibility it once pos
sessed, and the British public is in a
fair way to be reminded by Its most
responsible opinion that every Indica-
Tion of British pleasure or profit
through Japanese ascendency can only
be expected to stiffen the desire on the
Continent to hold Japan in check.
The significance of this British cau
tion lies In the recognized fact that a
concert of the powers will .preside over
the settlement o the war. If Japan
wins, we shall see England asking for
the largest possible recognition of her
self and Japan, and the other powers
standing for fresh concessions in Man
churia and Mongolia. If Russia wins,
we shall see her tarms to the loser sup
ported by the Continental powers, and
resisted by Great Britain alone on be
half of Japan. In either case there Is
an uncomfortable revival of English
isolation in Europe which goes far to
Justify the reluctance felt by official
Britain months ago to give Japan the
assurances of aid she desired.
It is not an extreme statement of the
case to say that the more aid Britain
gives to Japan the more aid the Conti
nental powers will give Russia Now,
the precipitation of the acute friction
with Russia is a state of things not at
all to the British mind. Still less so Is
a favorable attitude of Germany,
France and the rest toward Russian de
sires on the Black Sea, toward the Per
sian -Gulf, and in China. It has lately
been the fond and sagacious dream of
British diplomacy to detach France and
Germany from any solid understanding
or common basis of action with Russia.
Some apparent progress was reported
along these lines; but there Is no guar
antee of its permanence. Human na
ture Is much the same everywhere; and
the sympathy of the Continent, once
cultivated for the poor, weak island
power In the paws of the all-powerful
bear may easily veer around to the de
fense of Russia, hprs du combat from
the encounter with awakening and ad
vancing Asia.
JAPAN'S NATAL ADVANTAGE.
The naval situation of Russia at pres
ent is very embarrassing to that power.
If she were involved in a war with any
great European power she has a naval
squadron bottled up In the Caspian Sea
and another practically bottled up in the
Black Sea. She has a squadron in the
Baltic, which In Winter has no great
Ice-free port, and on the Pacific Coast
her fleet Is stationed at Port Arthur and
Vladivostok. On the other hand, Japan
Is within fifteen hours' steam of the
Corean ports of Fusan and Mas&mpho.
The strait separating Japan from Corea
is 200 miles broad, while Russia's
nearest base at Port Arthur is 900 miles
away on one hand and Vladivostok Is
120 miles away on the other. At Yoko
suka Japan has an arsenal, slip and
drydock, at Kure an arsenal, slip, dry
dock, armor-plate works; at Sasebo an
arsenal; at Maitsura a new dockyard;
m magasaiu inree aocKS, ana at raKe
shiki a coaling station and naval base.
Russia has no adequate dockyard and
repair shops at Port Arthur, but at
Vladivostok. 1200 miles away, she has
constructea a large drydock and a
floating dock, but Vladivostok Is too far
removed from the range of probable
utility.
This is the naval situation today, and
it is not easy to see how it can be
changed unless Russia, wrests the su
premacy of the sea from Japan. Japan
is not likely to be overcome at sea by
Russia without strong naval reinforce
ment of her Pacific squadron from Eu
rope, and of this reinforcement there is
no present prospect. In that event.
could Russia by main strength expel
the Japanese from Corea and Man
churia by Invasion , and occupation of
Corea? This would depend entirely
upon how well the Japanese can fight.
how straight they can shoot, how skill
fully they can Intrench a strong posl
tion, and how absolutely Intact they
can keep their line of water communl
cation with Japan. Suppose there were
250,000 troops of the quality of the
American regulars who stormed the
outworks- of Santiago; suppose there
were 256,000- Boers of the quality that
repulsed the British at Magersfontein,
an army of 506,000 Russians could not
drive them out of Corea so long as thelr-
sea line of communication and supply
with Japan remained unbroken.
Nobody knows whether the Japanese
soldier is as intelligent In the field and
as good a marksman as the veteran
American regular or the Boer; but if
he is he will not be dislodged from
Corea without a very stubborn contest.
Does anybody believe that If the Boers
could have changed situations with the
British they could have been conquered;
that Is, suppose the Boers had had be
hind them an endless chain of supplies,
Impregnable because unreachable, they
could not have been conquered. Sup
pose the Boers could have reached
Great Britain's endless chain of sup.
piles by sea communication with Eng
land, broken it and kept it broken; in
that event So'uth Africa could hardly
have been conquered.
If Japan's soldiers, have skill, courage
and superior marksmanship and she
does not lose control of the sea, she will
make a stubborn stand in Corea. But
for the engineering gesius of Todleben,
Skobeloff could never have beaten the
Turks at Plevna. If the Japanese can
fight well, shoot well and know how to
fortify, they may hold Corea as long as
they can hold the sea.
Telegraphic advices from" New York
report the abandonment of the Pacific
trade by the Red Star steamers, which
were brought to this Coast at the time
of the Klondike excitement. It is stated
that they will now be returned to New
York and the Pacific Coast manager
has already been recalled from this
field. The vessels of this company are
old-style craft, built at a tune when the
cost of construction was much greater
than now, and they are also much more
expensive vessels to operate than are
the modern-built craft. For a brief
period they made money In the Alaska
trade, and afterward mulcted the Gov
ernment In the transport trade, but
since both of these rich fields have been
worked out, except on a strictly busi
ness basis, the vessels have had but lit
tle business of value. These ancient
craft have frequently been mentioned
as eligible for the Philippine trade in
case all but American vessels are ex
cluded from that field. The fact that
they were unsuccessful competitors
with, other vessels In the Pacific trade
is one of the strongest arguments
against their being forced on the ship
pers who trade with the Islands and
who would find their trade restricted if
they were obliged to pay tribute to the
owners of vessels of an out-of-date
type, simply because the vessels sailed
under the American flag.
Spelling formed the subject of a re
cent editorial In the Brooklyn Eagle,
and the subject Is one that cries as
loudly In Oregon as In New York. Of
course, slips in spelling do not count for
much; most persons are guilty of them.
But It is different when a writer, in an
earnest plea for better education for the
children, speaks throughout his com
munication of "thler" rights and of the
judgment of "thler piers." When an
other estimable citizen begins every
third or fourth word with a capital let
ter, and by way of punctuation throws
in one dash, and nothing else, to a page,
to say nothing of five or six "and
'Welches' " In one burst, why then, the
cry of the Eagle for better spelling and
so forth falls upon more attentive ears.
A man may be worthy and spell
"sphinx" with a "y" or "gnat" with a
"k" in place of the "g," but surely he
was not grounded In the elements of
English when "govenor" Is the best he
can do with "governor," and "diploma"
becomes under his pen "deploma." And
these are not the strugglings of unedu
cated men after the light, but the ver
sions of men that are deemed, no doubt
rightly, excellent products of our pub
lic schools.
The Canadian government will turn
a deaf ear to all appeals of the lumber
men for- a protective tariff against
American lumber. The reasons given
are that the large numbers of new set
tlers who are going Into the provinces
should be permitted to secure their lum
ber at the lowest possible cost, and
that it would be a case of Increased
profit of a few at the expense of the
many If the tariff were levied. This pa
ternal policy of the Canadian govern
ment, especially when it extends to
clothing, machinery, etc.. may account
in a measure for the large exodus of
American farmers to Canada within the
past few years. The lands on this side
of the line are as productive and in
many localities are fully as cheap, and
yet but few Canadians are coming over
to our protected country to engage in
farming, while, on the other hand,
Americans are going over to Canada in
such numbers as to cause some uneasi
ness among the railroads traversing
that portion of the West and North
west which Is still sadly In need of
development.
The trouble caused postofflce depart
ments by sheer carelessness on - the
part of the public Is strikingly shown
In the last report of the British Postmaster-General.
No less thnn 2,500,000
letters remained undelivered In one year
in consequence of incorrect or insuffi
cient addresses. Nor is this astonishing
carelessness confined to unimportant
letters, for In th4-ame year undeliv-
erable registered litters and others con
tained the great total of $3,665,310 In
bank notes, checks, postal orders and
stamps. Letters mailed with no ad
dresses at all numbered 367,579, and
these contained ?S1,905. Owing to the
use of flimsy envelopes, the amount of
$5920 in coin and $120,000 in postal or
ders, checks and so forth were found
loose In the malls, together with 93,232
small articles. And yet the ordinary
Englishman complains more about the
delay and Inefficiency of the postofflce
than about anything else.
Japan has for several years controlled
the camphor market. The camphor of
commerce comes principally from For.
mosa, and the camphor trade was one
of the perquisites of Japan's victory
over China. A marked advance In the
price of this commodity has already
taken place as the result of the present
war. At the close of last year it was
quoted at 5 cents a pound in bull.
Now It is selling at 77 cents in limited
quantities to preferred customers,
China will feel this advance much more
than other nations, since camphor is
one of Its staples in therapeutics, while
people who are less dependent upon or
wedded to old remedies can easily find
a substitute for it.
The value of water powers in Oregon
Is not appreciated and probably will not
be for many years to come. In scores
of streams In the Willamette Valley
there are excellent sites for water pow
ers, but they are not held at a very
high value. One town after another is
dispensing with steam as a power for
generating electricity and water -is used
Instead. As this state develops and
manufacturing increases, the right to
use water for power will be as highly
prized as the' right to use It for irri
gation in an arid region. Then men
will wonder why they did not see the
opportunity to acquire a water power
when no one considered it of value.
The New . York Times, which is en
thusiastically and consistently pro
Japanese, hoots at the idea of a union
of Japan and China because the Japs
are military and the Chinese are essen
tially traders. This is a curious perver
sion of the "yellow peril" propaganda,
under which the peaceful Chinese are
to be effectually organized by the1 more
military minds of Japan. By the same
reasoning England can do nothing In
India or Egypt or Germany In Syria.
Conquering and organizing peoples do
not need to be of the same mold with
their subordinate allies.
The freshmen of Princeton, under
their franchise fof self-government,
lately expelled from college several of
their class who had bought and used
stolen examination "papers. Such of
fenders are not entitled to leniency.
As said by the New York Independent,
"The lesson of honor is as well worth
teaching as anything that will be
learned from Tacitus or Fresenlus."
VIEWS 'OF MR. HANXA.
His Forceful Personality.
Baltimore News.
Whether or not Mr. Hanna, in the past
few months, cherished the ambition of he
coming the candidate of his party for the
Presidency even his closest friends seem
unable to determine. Possibly - he was
himself undecided as to the attitude he
should assume. In any event, it became
evident some time ago that there was no
chance of such an aspiration being ful
filled. In the impulse to magnify a man's
greatness at -the moment of death many
newspapers of this morning have spoken
of Mr. .Hanna as though he had measured
up to the full stature of a statesman. This
Is not the case: and, however superior he
rose in many ways to the original popular
conception of him, and however strongly
his forceful personality has Impressed It
self upon the leading figures of his party.
It still remained true that the center of
his strength lay where it was In the be
ginningin his connection with great
moneyed Interests.
His Masterful Buoyancy.
Kansas City Times.
Even Americans of conscience and abso
lute rectitude found themselves unable
to resist the power of such masterful
buoyancy and effective energy as Mr.
Hanna possessed. Personal contact with
him banished enmity and made converts
of his censors. He had the power of com
manding attachment, which all persons
possess who bring things to pass, in a
way that shows consummate tact and
rare ability. The sorrow and the general
regret which have been created by the
death of Marcus A. Hanna are significant
testimonials to his personal popularity.
for there will be many persons to mourn
sincerely at his grave who did not ap
prove of his mestt.ods. It is no reflection
on the memory of Mr. Hanna. but rather
a distinct tribute to his attractive Indi
viduality, to say that ho washable to do.
without popular censure, things which
a different sort of a man would not have
been permitted to do without strenuous
protest.
No Hypocrite About Him.
Boston Transcript.
As a political leader. Senator Hanna had
very plainly expressed limitations. These
were the defects of his qualities. Master
ful, his determination to succeed rose with
opposition. It was nourished on obstacles,
and he did not always see that there are
obstacles that are themselves conditions.
He was lacking In the Imaginative faculty
that renders Its possessor sensitive to the
appearance and extent of moral currents
In the political atmosphere. As a political
leader, this was a serious misfortune to
him, as we saw instanced in his fierce par
tisanship for Rathbone. To be sure. Sen
ator Hanna prided himself on never "go
ing back" on a friend, an amiable qual
ity in an Individual, but a weakness in
a leader when it is strong enough to in
duce him to support a man with Rath
bone's record simply because of ancient
kindness m the days before that record
was made. Senator Hanna's views with
regard to patronage were those of most
public men nearing 70 years, whose char
acters were formed In the days when $ho
merit system was not, but he was no
hypocrite. If ho Inoisted on having his
share of patronase; if he bargained with
administrations about offices In secret, he
did not address civil service reform rallies
In public: nor denounce spollsism In maga
zine articles. .,
Magnetic In Friendship.
Providence Journal.
Mr. Hanna was an astute politician,
who rose to National prominence by se
curing the nomination and election of
William McKlnley as President. He was
in no sense a statesman. He left no Im
press upon National affairs and was a
far greater personage in the public prints
and in the talk of politicians than in the
circles in which legislation Is shaped and
perfected. Friends he had lp plenty, and
he exerted a strong magnetism over many
men. Ho stood not for any great principle,-
but for the success of his party and
his friend, virtually offering to niter prin
ciples to suit the fickle popular taste.
Shrewdness was his strong card, and he
always depended upon It, being ever
ready to compromise In conventions or in
elections for the advancement of the part7
of which he was indubitably a devoted
admirer and a courageous leader. In his
manipulation of delegates and in his choice
of political associates and office-holders
Mr. Hanna displayed low taste. His loy
alty to the discredited Rathbone and his
toleration of tho odious Heath come
promptly to mind. His means to an end
were not always to his credit. That Mr.
Hanna was untiringly faithful to . his
friends Is beyond peradventure. It Is al
ways pleasant to hed the motto, "De
mortuls nil nisi bonum," but to accept Mr.
Hanna's career as praiseworthy is o take
a discouraglngly narrow view of the op
portunities for genuine public service in
American politics.
All Promises Were Kept.
New York Evening Post.
He was, in this, but the child of his
epoch. That was the reason of his suc
cess. He best embodied the tendency of the
years In which he was militant. It was In
Senator Hanna that grosser and more re
pulsive policies of his own party beheld
themselves as In a mirror. What was
everywhere latent, he caught up and
flashed forth. The apologies of others be
came his defiances; what they deprecated,
even while profiting by, he gloried In. Ho
set about the first election of President
McKlnley In the spirit and with many of
the devices of a financier planning a vast
combination. In fact, there was an almost
ludicrous resemblance between his cam
paign for the nomination of Mr. McKlnley
and a skillful reorganization of a bank
rupt railway. Mr. Hanna took up a Con
gressman whose private fortunes were
shattered and whose political prestige
was broken. That looked like most un
promising material out of which to create
a Governor and later a President. But
Mr. Hanna saw the financial possibilities
of the situation. A political reaction was
upon the country. After years ofdepres
sion a promise that the people were to be
fed and filled and warmed was sure to
be fetching. Mr. Hanna openly dangled
that bribe In the Nation's face. He set in
motion, certainly In 1S95, probably as early
as 1KW, an elaborate and heavily endowed
organization to bring Mr. McKlnley to the
front. Just who furnished the funds and
In what sums will not be known till Mr.
Hanna's private records leap to light. If
they ever do; but it was common gossip
in advance that such and such men were
to have this office and the other for sub
scriptions received. It is to be said
Mr. McKlnley that he honored every obli
gation of that sort. Financial good faith
was kept. So was political. No one of Mr.
Hanna's "original McKlnley men" were
unrewarded, let clergymen and college
professors protest against them as scan
dalous ill-livers if they choose. The whole
ante-convention campaign was tinged
with the merchandising spirit, and after
ward every note was met as it fell due.
Little Men as Soldiers.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
It Is announced that the United States
Recruiting Station here will continue to
accept young men 5 feet 4 Inches high
as recruits and will not for the present
require them to touch the mark at 5 feet
7. It is pleasant to know that three
inches makes not the slightest difference
In a man's ability to discharge a Krag
Jorgensen; and from time immemorial
hasn't it been maintained that a littlo
man is more pugnacious than a big one?
Little men are more high-tempered; they
will fight quicker and longer.
It Is easy to comprehend why they do
it. It is because they won't be "put
on." They fear that you labor under
the impression that because they are
small they arc not as likely to maintain
their rights with the same firmness - as
a bulkier man; and they mean to unde
ceive you
BRITISH TIEWS OF THE WAR.
Chicago Evening Post.
The Impression produced ' by the regu
lar dispatches from London, in which, for
obvious reasons, only daily papers are
quoted, Is that "all England" is Intensely
pro-Japanese and anti-Russian In the pres
ent crisis In the Far East From the Brit
ish point of view, it Is represented, Rus
sia is the "unscrupulous and wanton ag
gressor, and Japan the innocent victim
and unselfish exponent of International
morality. " As a matter of fact, the sober
and responsible organs of British opinion
have no sympathy or patience with such
puerile notions. A few quotations will
moke this perfectly clear.
No one will accuse the Saturday Re
view, tho stanch Tory organ, of special
attachment to Russia. Referring to the
attempt of certain papers to paint Rus
sia black as the "villain of the piece,"
while picturing Japan as compound of
martyr and hero, this review says:
It implies colossal conceit on our part, and
a disposition by no means to be admired, that
we can.be proud of our own ultimate -victories
over the Boers, and yet attack Russia as a
bully because circumstances lead her into in
evitable conflict with a smaller power. Eng
land has never acted on the maxim that small
nations have the right not to be hit. A charge
may plausibly be made that we have acted
quite contrarlly; our legitimate answer Is that
the fato has brought about the collision and
the weaker must go down. It would seem
sensible and self-respecting to apply some of
our excuses for ourselves to the position of
Russia, which Is In many respects similar to
her own;
The leading weekly organ of the Lib
eral party, the Speaker, has been denounc
ing the reckless jingo campaign against
Russia. It said recently:
It Is natural there should be a good deal of
sympathy with Japan, for Russia has estab
lished herself In Manchuria by unscrupulous
methods, and Japan- Is understood to be on the
defensive. Japan, on the other hand, has am
bitions In Corea. and seems as little Inclined
as Russia to respect the rights of feelings of
that unconsidered population. Some Tory pa
pers argue as If Japan should not be content
with keeping Russia out of Corea, and urge
her to contest Russia's position in Manchuria.
This seems to us most mistaken advice. A
Russian port In the Southern part of Corea
may be a matter of life and death to Japan,
and we can quite understand the Japanese re
garding It In that light. But Japan has no In
terests or treaty claims In Manchuria which
she does not share with other powers, and If
they have refused to fight for them. It is In
conceivably mean to urge Japan to fight for
them. The late of Manchuria was settled long
ago.
That serious, dignified and excellent re
view, the Pilot, cannot understand why
tho conflict In the Far East, forced by
Japan's aggressive course, has afforded
so much pleasure to many Englishmen.
While expressing approval of the more
reasonable wishes attributed to Tokio, the
Pilot says:
"Whatever their merits, the Japanese have
not been so long In the European system as to
be quite acceptable to the Continental nations.
They have done nothing of late to weaken the
Impression that their political ambiUon la anti
European that they propose to supplant the
authority of Europe in Eastern Asia by their
own; and if the Pekln correspondent is right
In saying that Japan haa declared her resolve
to reject the mediation of a third power, that
Impression will revive. The assumption must
be, in that case, that no European power has
any business to Interfere: which the Con
tinental nations ore not at all likely to con
cede. Much more likely Is the return of a
feeling which rose to a great height during
the Russo-Japanese quarrel of IS9S. that an
awakened East under Japanese tuition and fa
vored with the friendship of the Anglo-Saxon
races, demanded the attention of a united Eu
rope. The Spectator, the Unionist organ, that
is generally so judicious and judicial, de
clares that Russia could not be expected
to surrender Corea at the demand of any
power, and least of all under threats from
Japan. It has hod absolutely no sym
pathy with the shallow talk regarding
Japan's moral superiority and alleged
services to the open door and civilization.
Russia In Prophecy.
New York Evening Post.
A remarkable Instance of political
prophecy is reported by Dr. E. J. Dillon
in-the Contemporary Review. A Russian
named Levltoff published recently at
Port Arthur a pamphlet urging that the
Russians do everything possible to gain
time, and that they withdraw the fleet as
an encumbrance, and depend upon their
numerical superiority on land. With great
clearness he pointed out the perils of
meeting Japan on the sea. "The Yellow
Bosphorus" (The Straits of Corea) "Is a
trap Into which the Japanese at England's
Instigation, arc trying to entice us. So.
long as we steer clear of a sea fight," he
continues, "the command of the sea and
the Anglo-Japanese alliance "are not
worth a sucked egg.' If we resolve to keep
out of an engagement on the water, and It
we are further prepared to do without
our fleet, not only by refusing to increase
It. but by getting rid of it wholly and
without reserve, then the Japanese doc
trine, Asia for Asiatics, becomes mean
ingless, and we have a free field on which
to continue our work of culture In that
part of the globe." It Is needless to say
that this prediction has received striking
confirmation In the past few days. It has
been shown that the Russian fleet is
merely a source of weakness, and It prob
ably would have been better strategy to
lay the ships up and mount their guns in
the shore batteries, or, better yet, to send
the fleet back to European waters. The
Russian discomfiture is a striking demon
stration of the sheer relativity of sea
power. Germany, for example, might do
better to study recent events in the Far
East than to trust unreservedly In Cap
tain Mahan's teaching. Certainly Levlt
off -was right when he maintained that a
second track on the trans-Siberian road
would be more valuable now than all the
ships that Russia has built or hopes to
build.
China's Boasted Neutrality.
Harper's Weekly.
If permitted China will observe a strict
neutrality, and the powera have already
taken steps to see that she is not forcibly
drawn into the struggle. They will Insist
that military operations be confined to
the territory north of the Great Wall.
which terminates at Shan Hal Kwan. Ja
pan has already given her assent to this
dellmlnatlon In fact, Japan brought the
subject forward. I have seen many com
ments on the probability of China assist
ing Japan by threatening the Russian line
of communication from the West.
This Is sheer nonsense to any one familiar
with the present military situation of
China. She could not present a force
that would not be easily routed by
single Russian division. Any threatening
move on China's part would give Russia
a legitimate excuse to seize Pekln, an
opportunity of which she would only too
gladly avail herself. Any Interference by
China would result to Russia's advantage.
not Japan's. A feeble voice, that of the
Emperor, has been heard at Seoul, an
nouncing that Corea will observe a strict
neutrality. This would be comical If It were
not pathetic. If China and Corea could
maintain a strict neutrality there would
be no war, for there would be no place
to fight If the contending armies were
debarred from neutral territory.
Sir Henry Irving on Skates.
New York Herald.
Attired in a funny little peaked cap of
gaudy pattern, a -tight-fitting reefer and
dork, small clothes, Sir Henry Irving
was the observed of all observers of the
skaters on Trout Lake, Seneca Park, after
the matinee presentation of "The Mer
chant of Venice" at Rochester. He was
a great success on the Ice.
The tragedian led his company on the
frozen lake, cut pigeon wings and figure
eights like a schoolboy, while the others
floundered and felL He was graceful,
sure, and helpful to the ladles of the
party. Aiterward he was the soul of a
story-telling luncheon party la the rustic
refectory of the park-
NOTE AND COMMENT, "
The Courageous Frlnter..
The Novikral continues to appear oc
casionally at Port Arthur, but only ono
compositor remains In town. Cable Dis
patch.
Strong men tremble, weak despair;
Terror stalks In every street;
Shot are shrieking through the air; '
Mines to splinters blow the fleet.
A bursting shell.
The soldier's knell.
Bloody snow his winding sheet.
Grave and grim the Russian host.
Ready for their Car to die
Soldiers may not leave their post.
But the scared civilians fly:
"Ltfe'a too dear
To lose It here.
Let us go," the cravens cry.
"Hostile ships are In the port.
Foreign armies at the gate;
WhalNo us Is Russia's fort -Fly
befdro It grows too late."
Cannon boom.
Their note of doom.
Belching messengers of Fate. j
Blanched Is every face but one, -
Just one hero holds his place;
Sanger he disdains to ehun,
Gallant printer at his case;
Debonalr. '
"Working there.
Honor to the Russian race.- -
Type beneath his fingers flash
"Words of Joy for loyal cars:
Heeds not he the battlo's crash, -At
the hall of shrapnel sneers;
Live or die, ' " '
He scorns to fly,
Bravest printer of the years.
Great tho copy he must set.
Story thrills him to the quick .
How the hostile host was met.
Met and crushod by Colonel Klck-emakarasch-
opofToptsch-
popoftvltvhachvltschoftsklTltschky.
The best monument to De Lesseps will
be the canal.
Sophia Gab ha3 died In Chicago, aged
129. She wasn't a "life-long citizen" of
the place. '
In North Yakima a boy of 17 has mar
ried a schoolgirl of 15. This seems to be
carrying coeducation to extremes.
Was Ben Jonson afraid of "elimina
tion?" If not, why should he say,
'idrink to me only with thine -eyes?"
Snow, and a world of white.
And air that Is cruel keen
Chinook, and a breath of delight.
And a world that Is gay and green.
Senator Tillman says a farmer works
with his hands and an agriculturist with
his mouth. What' an agriculturist was
lost In the Senator
Stock In the Baker City Hold-up As
sociation is eagerly sought, according to
the Herald. A few shares would have
been a paying Investment, for dividends
have been large. In this connection the
Herald is Justly proud of the success of
a little ruse It worked, at the suggestion
of the police. In the box-car type It uses
with such effect, the Herald declared
that the authorities were satisfied that
the "lone highwayman" had left town.
The result of this announcement was
another daring robbery, which clearly
shows that the Herald Is read and that
Its scheme was successful beyond all ex
pectations. It is probable that a bar will be estab
lished in the Martha Washington, a New
York hotel excluslvey for women. Hith
erto, it appears, the fair creatures that
dwell in the Martha Washington have
had to smuggle In any liquor stronger
than tea. The fllterary ladies" of the
place recently gave a reception, and one
or its features, It not its principal iea
ture, was a bowl of punch. Punch is a
name that is sometimes applied to mix
tures that neither cheer nor Inebriate,
but tho mixture made- by the literary
ladles cheered them and their guests to
a point at which they became hlloijous,
not to say uproarious. Possibly with the
remembrance of this cheerful occasion the
ladles, literary and otherwise, are anxi
ous to have a bar whence cheer mlfht bo
dispensed without any necessity for the
bother ot an attendant reception.
The pastor of a church in Naugatuclc,
Conn., recently Inserted half-page adver
tisements of the Sunday services In the
local papers. His church was packed to
the doors, and as most of tho people had
brought along the newspapers as pro
grammes the rustling that ensued when
a hymn was announced was as loud as
waves on the beach. The success of the
method having been demonstrated, some
thing must be done to hold the crowds.
Why not enliven the services by the use
of costume? How much greater Is tho
effect of a recitation or a reading when
the speaker appears in character. Then
let this progressive pastor fit up a dressing-room
in his church, and when ha
reads a lesson from Jeremiah, say, let
him appear in the garb of that prophet,
or In as close a copy of it as the Con
necticut climate and modern customs
will: permit. The same system adopted
by the choir would greatly Increase the
effect of hymns. "Onward, Christian
Soldiers" would be an inspiriting proces
sional If sung by boys in rough riders'
uniforms. If women were admitted to the
choir as would, of course, be the case In
so progressive a church "Angels Ever
Bright and Fair," sung by a lot of girls
with tinsel wings would produce a long
ing for heaven that could not fall to
benefit the lives of the young men.
WEX. J.
OUT OF THE GINGER JAR.
An Author "I understand he was an author
even before graduation from college." "Yes,
Indeed. Why, be was the author of a new
college yelL" Chicago Post.
Clerk Now this, madam. Is the most popular
book of the day; everybody Is reading it, Mrs.
Nuritch I don't want nothin' that everybody
reads. Show me somethln' more exclusive
Philadelphia Press. I
Her Tardiness "Why was Mrs. "Wlgga so
late In attending the meeUng of the Society
of "Universal Peace?" Ida She had a spat
with her husband because he refused'to mind
the baby. Chicago News.
"Who was that young man hugging you
last night?" asked the girl In the new fall
hat. "Oh, he Is a book agent," responded
her chum. "Looked to me more like a
press agent." Chicago News.
Minna I suppose you have seen Katie's en
gagement ring? It doesn't look to me like a
real diamond. Florence Then it would be the
appropriate thing. I don't believe her en
gagement Is a real one. Boston Transcript.
Judge What happened after the prisoner gave
you the first blow? Plaintiff Why. then ha
gave me a third one. Tour Honor. Judge You
mean a second one. PlalnUff No, I don't. I
binded him the second one. Chicago News.
Arrah, Pat! Have you seen Mike lately?"
"YIs, begorra, I did. I was going along the
street ylsterday, and I thought I saw him on
the other side, and he thought he saw me
but, bedad, when we got near to each other It
was nayther of us." Country Gentleman.
"I," remarked tho young politician, proudly,
"have had 30 babies named after me. It
will be a long Ume before my name Is forgot
ten." "It will be a longer time before mine
Is," retorted the second politician. "I have had
a.' brand of cigars named after me and I
smoked one. It will be fully a hundred years
before they are smoked up if I am any judge
of tobacco J" Cincinnati Times-Star.