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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 1904)
,Sk THE OltEGON DAILY JOUBNAL, rOBTLAND. MONDAY EVENING. FEBRUARY- 22. 1904. 0 The Consular Service and Cocoa V : Raising in Ecuador ' (By Fredwle J. Hisktn, Special Correspondent of The Journal.) - i Guayaquil, Ecuador, Jan. . It would seem that Guayaquil . deserves,' to ,ba rilrknamed "the ever port.! 6n ac count of the ravages of this disease the United States government, has had -three different consular-: representatives here Inside of 12 months. Nast died of fever, ' Sawter gave up the place on account. Of being afraid of it and now Dietrich, a Missouri editor, is holding down the job. Along with his consular duties,'' he- is posting himself on the science of escaping f eyer, or of getting oft easy if ha iias it. - , v, Sawter'a Quick ltreat. : The natives' thought it was a good joke when Sawter backed out, but there are other people who thlnlc it -was the smartest thing he ever did In his life. Guayaquil is not jnvlting at its best, and Sawter struck it at a particularly bad time. It was not long after the last big tire, and on peculiarity o these conflagrations is ; that an epidemic of rever always follows them, jsvery week for months there had been from 40 to 9U deaths In the town. That fast was not comforting to say the least Jones, the vice-consul,' arranged the re ception for. the new consul. He greeted him warmly and took him at once to his quarters-Jhs place ' where -t Nast ., had died. The deceased consul's empty ham mock ' was swinging across the room, his coat hung upon the wall, and his slippers were in the corner. Sawter knew when he started that, figuratively speaking, he was to take a dead man's boots, but ail this grew some detail was too much for him. it is not to be wondered at that a shiver ran up his 'spine. Jones, the vice consul, draws the regular consular salary" when there Is no one In office, and, with an eye to business, he saw that Sawter. was- weakening, and began to talk gloomily. The new incumbent was soon .inquiring about a return ticket to New York. He held down the Job just 'one-half day. A Guayaquil -poet lias written some verses telling how cute Jones was in scaring fBftwter out. The latter may console-hlmself with the thought that it is always best to make a good, retreat, rather than a bad stand. ' " Unci Sam's Consuls. . tn connection with this incident--it will be timely to say that the average American consul does not have an. easy or desirable Job. The service has had a peculiar history. - In the time ot Jeffer son It was practically an honorary work. Well-to-do landholders, or law yers of promise, went abroad in ' the tervice merely to acquire the experience and the travel, practically paying their way out of their own pockets. The business' was hoi looked upon as a 'ca reer. In those days American commer cial Interests were not important enough to warrant a trained consular corps, and the whole effort of our government was expended In organizing a diplomatic service. Our diplomats have always Klven a good account of themselves. When the' tlmo came for organizing a consular service, it was created out of nothing. Men were sent to places on the theory that some one should be sta tioned there, but with no thought- to the qualifications of the incumbents. It was all a matter of' political patronage. Prior to' 189B no examination was neces sary at all. fr-rr -j"?' ' As a-revtlt' of thls-ctfeleBsntBS,. the fitness ;of the men in our service, when compared to those of other nations, suffers by comparison. A young man in ttw.A European, consular service first serves as office clerk, then vice-consul, and finally consul. Before he comes to the helm, he MU have served on sev eral stations, and know several lan guages, and. will be familiar with all shipping .laws and the books of the consulate. , . Our representatives ' are given 30 days' instruction In the state department at - Washington, and dis patched to their posts without ever having looked Inside of the books they are to handle. They have simply to get along by main strength a hd awkward ness, ; ' .. : Coatrarjrto Union mole. Some of our representatives are queer cases, to say the least. In one place in the West Indies,. which I, visited oh a former trip, our consul is a colored preacher,., who Is doing missionary work in addition to his government duty. : On certain evenings of each week he holds forth in the role of apostle. It the labor union flndsvlhis out, there will doubtless be " trouble, .necause it is a violation of its rules for a man to work on two Jobs at once. The residents of the black -republics and dependencies In variably resent our sending a colored man as consul. They claim that our government is not controlled by negroes and should not be represented by a man of color. The consular servlca has great need of reform. No transportation expenses are furnished our representatives either to or from their posts, or for. the neces sary trips they .must make over their territory. One instance la on record where a consul with a large family was six months in paying the steamship companies, thus putting - themselves under obligations to the owners of the ships they are , sent out to watch. -A consul ha manytrying experiences. It art American dies anywhere In his ter ritory, leaving property, even if it is r,o more than a book and a 10-cent piece, he must become the. . curator of the estate. He -must make many journeys to get drunken, disorderly American subjects out of Jail. On these trips, mind you, the, consul must pay his own expenses, and is ,ften roundly cussed by"- his loyal constituents for being a little late. Reform BUI Should Vast. The consular service is really a branch of our government located in a foreign land, and the whole system should be such as wllj. reflect , credl upon -our great -nation. - Our forelg i commercial interests have become so important that men trained In the werk of looking "after them should be on duty everywhere. During the last few years a remarkable change has been going on for the better. Many capable, earnest men have been put in the field, and all the old ones were not lncompe-. tent by any means, far from it. Our system of consular reports is already very creditable. The Lodge bill, now pending before congress, provides for almost all desirable points of reform necessary to put our service 'in the first rank. It is approved by the president, and many prominent members in both branchev congress, as well as all Americans who travel abroad, or- have interests there:' The', most- enthusiastic supporters , of the measure are the con sular representaUtcs themselves, be-, cause they are ambitious for the -standing and effectiveness of their organiza tion. It is - to be hoped that this bill will eventually become a law. The Some of Cocoa, " Ecuador J is - a great -ocoa producing country, and Guayaquil is the center of the : industry. In the business district all tajk canters upon the important stapleof -commerce. - The buyers stand around in groups, whittling the beans with pocket knives, and chewing them as many children : eat ...Candy. Every one seems to . be an authority on the subject. .' It '1s said that even the dogs and cats. in. the-offices become ac quainted .with the . various grades and corrj to sleep" 'upon " a sack of cheap quality. This may be crediting the animals with powers of distinction be yond their ' intelligence, but the people of Ouayaqull know cocoa, as well at those of Washington and Oregon know lumber, or those of Pennsylvania under stand coaL Ecuador ; produces 27 per cent ol the world's supply of cocoa. The season for shipping the main crop extends from , February to June, And during this time, steamers leaving the port will carry from 10,000 to 15,000 bags, a single cargo often being worth as much as $300,000. The sale of a sea son's crop will . frequently amount to 5,000,00 or 16,000,000. Cocoa thrives upon hot, moist soil, which is frequently inundated, and for this reason the moat desirable planta tion are located along the banks of the -streams, or In low districts back of themrTha-xenter of the Industry in- Ecuador ' is long the Guayas river, extending for 160 miles inland . from Guayaquil, and as far as 20 miles back from the streams. The crop is trans ported to : the river on ; mules, and floated down to Guayaquil in boats. The cocoa beans are the product of trees about SO feet high. They grow in pods about the size of a oocoanut, there being about 10 beans as large as a filbert nut In each pod. Each tree only yields one pound of merchantable cocoa in a sea son, and it does not begin to bear until it is six years of age. But once it be gins to bear it never wears out. At 20 years of age it yields a better quality of fruit than, at first, and there Kre trees on plantations . here which have been yielding for 100 years. The trees require .very , little care, the only at tention needed being to . remove the weeds and undergrowth from .around them. The laborers .-Who work on the plan tations are-paid 40 cents a day, and they board themselves. Ecuador, has eight millionaires, and It is a significant fact that all of -. them are owners of cocoa -plantations, and that . they art natives of th ' country As yet the foreigner .has- nott.been able to outdo them in the business. Serpents and aoorplons. The crop of snakes never falls short in Ecuador. The talk about them Is almost as disturbing to the traveler's peace of mind as the yellow fever stories. The resident likes to tell yarns in the presence of the new ar rival. Just to see the "tenderfoot" wince. Aside from the yarns, the unvarnished truth is enough to make the wayfarer uneasy. Not long ago a woman who was a guest at the best hotel in Guaya quil, was dozing in her hammock, when she. was horrified to feel something crawling beneath her clothes. She screamed and sprang to her feet, but not In time to save herself. It was a little house serpent, and as soon as she moved it burled its fangs iri the flesh of her thigh. Her leg soon became terribly swollen, and although her life was raved, she had a very narrow escape from death. 1 These little house serpents are very numerous in some parts of South America. In many of the coast towns, A HUSTLING AGENT OF THE JOURNAL '.To be a member of The Journal Juve nile family one has-to show exceptional merit. Several boys have won, the ""is. ward of honor" In the cause of The Journal. Hugh Klrkpatriclc of Lebanon and Dean Goodman of Independence, now of Pendleton, were the .first to demon strate their ability In handling The Jour nal and they are still doing exceptional work in their respective fields for this paper. Now comes Guy H. Johnson with a record of which any boy cbuld be proud. Master Johnson,- aged - 1TV years-, se cured the agency for The Journal at Mill City and started "rustling" Jan uary 4. Mill City has a population of 300 enterprising and intelligent people and young Johnson has a carrier list of 45 Journals- at this time and has sent In a number of mall subscriptions. He Is making money for himself as well as for The Journal, and other boys in other places would do as well if they would undertake the work with the same en thusiasm and Intelligence. The Journal wishes an agent in every small .town, now without an agent, and solicit ap plications from active boys. Master Guy Johnson writes a bright and busi nesslike letter, as follows: Mill-City, Ors-Pebr-IT T the Edi tor of The Journal As per your request, I enclose my photograph. My age is 12 years. I have lived in Mill City eight years. , ' Mill City has a population of about 300 Inhabitants. One , of your agents requested me to take the agency of The Oregon Daily Journal.- J sold my first 10 copies on the 11th fmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm : ti: v ; V WHIPPING POST AND ITS VICTIMS BSLAWA&B UWI HATS TXX. XT- rsov or xxDDtsro tkx stats or CSSTAXir CLASSES OT OBJMHTAIiS SOTSraS AT TKB rZUOXSBS AITS at the places or tobtotu:. Six Free Trips GUT HV JOHNSON, day of January last, and within four weeks I was selling 41 copies a .day. I go to school and I work noons and evenings selling The Journal. The peo ple realise that If they do not get The journal they miss the latest news. "GUT H. JOHNSON. where there are adobe houses, they breed lit the dirt roofs, and are liable to be dropping into the rooms below at any time. A missionary told me that frequently he bad killed as many as six or eight on his premises in a week's time. The little reptiles like the heat, and the flat roofs, where the sun beats hard, is a favorite place for them. - When, they ar . disturbed and happen to fajl into the rooms below, they make for the warmest place they can find, and this is why they get into beds, or shoes, or clothing. In the barren districts, the snakes are dull colored, like the surroundings, but In tho forest regions they are as brilliantly colored as the vegetation around them. Tltecoral snake is one of the smallest- members of the snake family. It seldom grows to be larger or thicker than a lead pencil. In addition to being small, it also has the distinction of being one of the most gorgeously colored snakes In existence, and one of the most deadly. A victim rarely recovers ' from its bite. It has eye lashes like a person. It makes the tourist shudder, in addition to all the above, to be told that one of its favor ite retreats is between the covering of beds. However, this species Is not nearly so common as the-dull-colored serpent that Uvea in the earth of the adobe houses, and this is fortunate because the latter is not so poisonous. Scorpions are another source of dan ger. They frequent the houses, and their bite Is likely to be fatal. One must be constantly on the lookout for these obnoxious prowlers. A Good Snake Story. One of the best snake stories in cir culation is that told by. A, L. M. Gott schalk, the well-known American consul. He found It difficult te keep a monkey on the premises because of the depreda tions of the boa-constrictors. The big reptiles have a falling for monkeys, and these agile little pets must keep a coh stant lookout for them. If Jocko drops into a doze he is likely to "wake up dead." as the saying goes. On the occasion with which the story deals, a monkey's life was saved by the picture of the American eagle. The con sulate sign all over the world la a fine reproduction of the king of-Jbirdsin full color; and-with outspread wings. A new sign had Just been received and was sitting on a chair Inside the room. A big boa-constrictor chased the house monkey across the yard and through the open window. Jocko was making a good race, but a losing one. He was in the corner, quaking with fear, and very near to death's door, wtren'hts pursuer confronted the picture of the eagle, in its menacing attitude. A snake fears eagles more than It craves monkeys, and that particular reptile turned tall and went out of the window as quickly as if the devil was after it That monkey was a smart monkey, and now whenever it wants to .take a nap, It goes to roost over the picture of the agle. a. mew TBOHT. sTtrowbrldg Faint and Oil Company Xas a Mnr riate Glass rront The Strowbrldge Paint and Oil Com pany, east side, 128 Grand avenue, has remodeled the front of their store. putting in a glass plate front, giving them two elegant show windows to die play goods in. The change adds greatly to the store, and the firm is Justly proud of the arrangement. The new wall paper for 1904 is coming daily and every hew style and .design to be found this year is to be- seen at Strowbrldge Paint and Oil company. Preferred Stock Canned Goods. Allen Lewis' Best Brand. (Juurml Special Service.) Wilmington, Del.. Feb. 22. A sam ple of Delaware Justice was meted out Saturday morning when Warden A. B. Meservo applied the lash to the bare" hacks of a number of prisoners at the New Castle county workhouse at Green bank. nPar this city. The men took their punishment well but owing to the cold weather cringed as the lashes rell. (Jreat red and blue welts made their appi-arnnre upon euch stroke of the cat o' nine tails. One of the culprits was Walter Brown. colored, who held up Samuel Congo, also colored, last August and robbed him of a sum of money. Brown and Purnell Handy, another thug, together robbed a Chinaman of $400. and while Handy has a year to spend in the workhouse Brown Is to be Warden Meserve'S guest three years. On Saturday last Brown received 20 lashes and spent a half hour in pillory m part payment of one of his" crimes. Curious crowds always witness these quarterly whippings which are held in the jail yard and thrown open to the. public. Conspicuous among, the vis itors are actors from visiting theatrical troupes. The crowds and prisoners shiyer together though the latter wear only a blanket about their shoulders while awaiting their turn at the post. Previous to the whipping several men stood in 'pillory for an hour each, but owing to the Intense cold blankets were thrown over their shoulders. As the thermometer registered 10 de grees . below sero last Saturday pillory punishment were executed In the engine room of the workhouse. The warden thought the weather too severe to expose his patients. . Many Are stoical, Prisoners who are compelled by Dela ware laws to undergo this form of pun lshment often surprise the audience by their coolness and apparent lack of suf faring. Negroes take the lash much easier than their white fellow unfortu nates, many times bidding the warden "Hurry up." "You're slow," "How many more?' and "Come on with the rest of 'em" are not uncommon remarks. White men who suffer the caress of the cat o' nine talis in most cases cringe, dance around. groan and often yell for mercy. Pillory punishment always takes place before the whippings, and it is while undergo ing this cramping process prisoners jest with friends who are present. Tobacco seems to be the pUloryUes greatest comforter, as each prisoner al ways takes a huge chew before putting his hands and head in the stocks. At several sessions of the legislature efforts Jiave ' been made to abolish the whipping post, but the sentiment was in its favor. This form of Delaware justice practically frees the state of bank robbers. The whip Is still used for burglary, petty larceny and wife beating, ' Notice to Customers. The 8cotch Plaid Tailors. No. 144 Sixth street, who are retiring from business, are giving notice to their cus tomers to call for their goods before TO THE World's Fair OPEN TO THE JOURNAL BOYS AND J.' GIRLS UNDER 20 YEARS OF AGE The Journal will send three boys and three - girls, furnishing transportation, including Pullman accommodations, and expenses for a 14-days' trip to the ' world's fair at St. Louis, on the follow ing conditions: rtrst Condition. " " ? The boy and girl In Portland seeur- ing the greatest number of cash sub- . scrlpflons to The Journal, each 10 cents of subscription counting a point in thetr favor,' will be entitled to the' first two of the free trips. Second Condition. The boy and girl In any part of Ore- gun, outside of Portland, securing the greatest number of cash subscriptions to The . Journal, each 10 cents of sub scription counting a point in their favor. will be entitled to the next two of the free trips, ', Third Condition. The boy and girl in any part of the northwest or the Paclfio coast, outside of Oregon, securing the greatest num ber of cash subscriptions to The Jour-' nal, each 10 cents of subscription count ing a point In their, favor, will be en titled to the last two of the free trips. roorta Condition. j u sii inus mtyrn ana gins partici pating in the contest, and not success ful In securing' one of the free trips to the St. Louis world's fair, 10 per cent of the remittances of each con testant for subscriptions 'to The Jour nal win dc returned in me respective contestant, as a reward for his or her efforts in The Journal's behalf. Those wishing to share in the benefits of the offer must send in their names and addresses, or call at the office of The Journal, for such advertising mat ter aa may be issued. Subscriptions to the. Dally, Weekly or Semi-Weekly Journal will be. accepted and credited under this offer. This contest will close at 8 o'clock p. m., on Tuesday, May 31. 1904, and the names of the successful contestants will be announced in The Journal aa soon as the vote is canvassed, enabling the successful boys and girls to receive the benefits hereunder between Juns S and the close of the world's fair. Enter tba Contest at Onea ths Time Is Limited, and Oppor t unity Knocks at Your Door. You May Win. 17 U..MMA1 PORTLAND ine aium uai okecon. Wednesday. On that day a big sale of uncalled for overcoats, suits and pants begins. Portlanders are about to en-' Joy an offering seldom made in clothing circles. Every one knows the stock of the Scotch Plaid Tailors is hard to beat, and a sale of their goods means buyers are to secure good goods at small prices. DOL 1UAR AND ENSE Your hard earned dollars will do more at this store than at most others. One dollar a week, some-. times not that much, only is required to keep up your payments on a great many articles in this store. And your common sense will tell you that it is the easiest and most satisfactory way in which to make your home comfortable or to "dress respectable. . We. claim, and with' right, that our terms are the easiest and our prices the most moderate, and that our credit accommodation absolutely cost nothing extra, a statement which a comparison of prices will easily prove to be true. SPRING GOODS ARE NOW READY IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, COME AND LOOK k- - te?e .... la - I f it -- -1,, jsiSI 4 1 Ranges and Stoves Of. ttiy most satisfactory giving kind are shown hy us, andtJVbry Range that we sell is guaranteed to be perfect in every respect. We claim for our Range, that it is the best baker orvthe market and that it is a perfect cook. Price Without Reservoir $35 $1.00 AfWEEK DON'T FORGET ! That we oarry the largest and best selected stock of room sis Bugs in the oity and are in a position to fill all orders on ' these goods promptly. ' IRON BEDS As large a ring of popular priced beds as we ars showing now has never been on display before in this 'city. There' is not a color or a style that is not represented. The most beautiful designs are her. And the prices ar right, too. Iron, Beds likt illustration, mad very substantial with full angle-irons, either in whit or in colors, brass knobs, $4.00 TERN OUTFITTING CO. 390 WASHINGTON STREET THE STORE WHERE YOUR CREDIT' IS GOOD BUFFETS AND SIDEBOARDS W received vral nw styles of buffet last week and ar now showing a nic lin of ths goods. Beautifully finished in workmanship, mad of selected quartered oak and hand-polished. Filled with fin French plat beveled mirrors. On drawer lined for silverware. Priced so rea sonable a to bring thm within the reach of all popl. Buffets $27.50 up. Sideboard $15 up. ROCKERS Medium priced Rockers ar a specialty with us. A class f goods that w know will giv satisfac tion in vry respect. Th on w illustrat is mad from selected oak tock, I firmly braced and th vital part ar put together with screw. It ha shaped seat and Is hand polished. . t.thar wood or rubber seat, golden oak or mahogany finish. As long as they last, 54.C3, SOc a v.ecK.