Evening Star Newspaper, December 29, 1894, Page 9

THE EVENING STAR PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, Cor, 11th Street, by The Ev Sta: Pa3 oo Lp Company, Wow York Office, 49 Potter Building, ‘The Evening Star te served to subscribers tn the eity by carriers, on thelr own account, at 10 cents Week, or 44¢. per month. Copies at the counter conte ‘each. iy mail—anywhere in the United tee or Canada—postage prevald- 60 cents per Sat quintuple Sheet Sta: c br oo ice Teall matter) He <a aioe mail .abscriptloas must adva Hee oP attvarcisiag mate itoown ‘ou ‘application, Parta. Ch e Fy ening Slat. mesons A Phils 10 1 PeOPLUc OF 3 WASHINGTON. THE GREATEST EVENT OF 1SQ95 WILL TAKE PLAGE, BEGINNING WEDNESDAY. <r JANUARY 2D. READ MONDAYS STAR, PAGE. 9. ‘FOR 1895. *Phone 1092. le ‘RESOLUTION Let your first tesolution for the coming year be to place your laundry in our hands—we can wash and finish) it better—and with less wear and tear} than any laundry in Washington.. We can deliver it promptly, too. Collars & Cuffs . are our one great specialty—makes no difference how small your bundle is— if it’s only 2collars and a pair of cuffs —send ’em along—they will receive the best attention we can give. ter have our wagons call for your) laundry and deliver it. Drop a postal!: or telephone 1092. ; YALE STEAM LAUNDRY, F. H. Walker & Co., Main Branch, 514 10th St. Plant, 43 G St. N. W. Bet-| THE NATIONAL GUARD An Army Officer Gives His Views of the District Militi lita. THE CO-OPERATION OF CIMIZENS Importance of Drills and the Value of Annua! Encampments. poner THE PAST AND THE FUTURE Now that the new armory for the N tional Guard Is nearly completed, and that, before many days are gone, the greater part of the District soldiery will have its quarters therein, some of the more ac- tive officcrs think it may not be out of place to consider what may be done to still further increase the brigade's etti- ciency. That there is reom for great im- provement, not even the most enthusiastic of these National Guardsmen will deny, nor will they deny that ther are many customs and features’ of the organization as at present constituted which are posi- tive drawbacks to efficiency and military discipline. It is to be noped, say some of the enthusiasts, that the centralization of the greater part of the brigade in the new armory will eliminate forever ‘these un- military practices, with which every mi- litiaman is familiar. The general impres- sion is that it is unfortunate from a mili- tary etandpoint that the whole brigade will not be concentrated under the one roof, but circumstances not publicly parent compel the separation. There Is ‘all contidence in Gen. Ordway, who has placed the District National Guard where it is today in spite of innumerable ditt- cu'ties. A new era, and a bright one, is predicted. An Army Officer's Views. A distinguished officer of the army, re- cently retired, who made his residence in Washington last winter, interested himself to a great -xtent in the District National Guard. Almost every evening one of the armories would be visited by him, and he made a special study of the organization and the various methods adopted to make good soldiers out of men whe for nine- tenths of their time are civilians. A Star reporter was fortunate in meeting the officer the other day when he made a hur- ried trip east from his son's ranch in New Mexico, and succeeded in getting from him a general idea of what he thought of our militia, and what might be done to im- prove its efficiency. “That your National Guard has succeeded so well,” said the general, “and become so proficient in the discharge of the numerous cuties of sol- diers under such adverse circumstances, is subject for congratulation, and 1s un- doubtedly due in great measure to the wonderful executive ability, perseverance and energy of your commanding general, Brig. Gen. Albert Ordway. That such an able man should be so hampered by diff- culties too numerous to mention is to be regretted. In fact, had the guard ceased to exist, I think no one would have been surpriged. There is absolutely no induce- ment Reld out to any one to join, and from the time a man enlists until he 1s dis- charged it is nothing but money out of pocket, on duty or off duty. ‘The commissioned officers must be at the personal expense of buying their uni- forms, and this large outlay very often prevents competent men from accepting commissions. Both officers und men are also required to pay monthly <lues in ad- dition to giving their time and attention to drills and other duties. All this without remuneration, and often at the expense of losing part of their wages or salar: Now, in most of the states the citizen so! diers are paid according to their rank when ordered out on duty, and they do no more than the militia of the District. Why, then, should not the members of your guard, who conscientiously live up to the oath taken by then, be paid when they are ordered out on any duty, more especially when they leave their homes and busi- ness and attend an encampment? It seems to me that Congress ought to appreciate the necessity and Justice of an appropria- tion for this purpose. . Some Useful Criticism. “Then, again, in my visits to four armor- jes and in my conversations with the va- rious officers and men, I find that the,sym- pathies of many of the citizens and mier- chants of the city are not with the guard. I have known of more then one instance where men, ordered to be present at the annual inspection gf their companies, have been told by their employers that if they lett their business and attended the in- spection they could consider themselves discharged. Naturally, the men could not afford to lose their situations, and conse- quently their companies suffered by their absence. It is much to be regretted that any business man in Washington should take such action, and it can only be ac- counted for from the fact that the citizens of this city have fortunately not had oc- casion for the active service of their mili- tia, and have not learned that a time may come when the services of the National Guard may be of inestimable value ‘to them in the saving of both life end property. As to the annual inspection of the guard It seems to me that such an inspection is en- tirely inadequate to give the commanding general any satisfactory idea of the efli- ciency of his command. Stnce the death of my esteemed friend, Gen. Dan Macauley, who was your inspector general, no one has been appointed to fill the vacancy, and it appears to me that now is a good time for an improvement in this department. “I discovered from personal observation and inquiry that many enlisted men and some officers turned out at the last inspec- tion who had during the winter failed to remember that they belonged to the guard ani neglected to attend the regular drills of their companies. “These men, of course, did not know whether they had uniform and equipments or not, end naturally did not know in what kind of condition they were. But, by feeing the janitor, they had their brasses shined, their belts blackened and answered their names at mister. Such men are not a credit to the National Guard. They cannot be depended upon, and are just so much dead wood. The sooner they are dropped from their company rolls the better, for every month they decrease the percentage of the attendance of the company, as shown by the drill and parade report. It is my opizion that a more thorough and satisfac- tory inspection of the guard could he had by the appointment of two assistant inspec- tors general, with, say, the rank of captain, one being assigned to each regiment. It 1d be the duty of such inspectors to t the different armories at any time without giving previous notice, and make monthly reports of the defects, ete. dis- covered. In this way the commanding gen- would at all times have reliable infor- mation regarding the efliciency of his com- mand. Importance of Drills. “Something should be done to secure @ more faithful and regular attendance at drills, A man is not compelled to enlist in your National Guard, but, after having done so voluntarily, it is his duty, under the oath he has taken, to perform the du- ties required of him to the best of his abil- ity. Iam afrald that many men upon en- listing do not realize the sacredness of the oath which they take, and do not fully ap- preciate the responsibilities which they veluntarily assume. The moment a man, by his non-attendance at drills and neglect of duty, shows his disregard of the oath he has taken he should be dishonorably dis- charged. There seems to be a disposition among the officers of the guard to be too lenient, which is a great mistake. “Another point which I have noticed with regret in your Natio Guard is the lack of discipline, and the almost entire absence of that courtesy which is so essential amcng military men. As soon as a guards- man dons his utiform his identity as a civilian should be lost, and he should cease to think of himself except as a soldier. “If he does this he will not forget the respect due his superior officers, and will conduct himself in a model and exemplary manner. A few of your men I ran across one evening last winter seemed to think that the wearing of the uniform entitled them to forget for the time being that they were gentlemen and citizens, and con- ducted themselves in a manner which I think they would not dare to do in civilian dress. Fortunately such behavior is rare, and I trust will not be seen again in W: ington There is also a tendency in your guard to sacrifice military duty to social features) While I do not wish to piace myself on record as advocating the dis- ccrtinuance of all social features I think that they should be at all times subservient to military duties. The National Guard shculd be conducted on purely military principles, and the captain of a company, the major of a battalion or the colonel of a regiment should in every way be the head of the company, battalion or regiment. Praise for the Marksmen, “There chould be no civic crganization in which, perhaps, @ private or non-com- missioned officer !s president, and where, perhaps, the captain has no more voice than any othec member of the company. It is net conducive to discipline, and, if a captain cannot be implicitly trusted to properly conduct the affairs of his com- pany, he has no right to hold the position. The excellent record that the District Na- tional Guard has earned for itself in tar- get practice is commendable, and many officers of the army have expressed their surprise and pleasure that your brigade, so few in numbers, can place a team on the target<#™fze second to none in the country. I regret that, owing to the im- possibility to secure a range on which to practice, your team last summer was not as successful as formerly at Sea Giri, but I am giad to learn that next spring you will have the necessary facilities. The ability to shoot accurateiy should be, after all, the principal aim and object of every soldier. Perfection in executing the man- val of arms and precision in military move- ments are all very well, but if a man is not educated in the proper handling of his piece on the target range and is unable to send his bullets where they will do the most harm to an enemy, his usefulness as @ soldier amounts to nothing. trust by dint of renewed application your team will next year regain its lost laureis. Any company failing to qualify its entire membership as at least first- class shots, unless satisfactory reasons are shown for such failure, should be consid- erec so deficient in discipline as to war- rant its disbandment. Officers —shoutd be proficient in the use of the rifle, and should personally oversee the conduct of the men on the range. No man should be permitted to fire on the range without first being made familiar with the rifle and go- ing through a careful course of instruc- tion in aiming and pointing in the rifle gallery. It seems to me if company offl- REAL ESTATE GOSSIP The Opportunities Which the Market Affords for Investments. THE CHANGES IN’ PROPERTY VALUES A Promising Outlook for the Spring Building Season. NEW HOTEL ENTERPRISES There was a good deal of interest mani- fested among real estate men in the list published in this column of the offerings of property made for a storage warehouse building site. As an indication of current values the list of the building sites was regarded as of great value. There was also another feature about this schedule of prices which attracted attention, not only of real estate dealers, but of investors generally. It was seen that there Is a good deal of desirable property within the bounds of the city which can be purchased at reasonable figures. It is probable that this showing, which, of course, ts only a partial one of the property available for sale, was a revelation to @ large number of people who have a vague idea that real estate In the city is held at a high figure. While it is not claimed that there has been a@ great depreciation in values, still it is evident that the market rates are much more moderate than is generally supposed. The opportunities which are now afforded for 4hose who have money available for investment are undoubtedly exceptional in character, as will be demon- strated, it is predicted, in the course of the next yeai. ‘The speculative value which enters to a greater or less extent into all city property is mainly to be de- veloped, it is thought, along the line of improvements. It 1s easy enough to figure out the profit in a piece of land which is to be improved by the erection of houses or other. buildings. The cost of the im- provements can readily be determined and the market price of the house when com- pleted can be pretty definitely known, and with this data the pront is merely a matter of addition and subtraction. Perlods of Transition, There is one fact which such a showing of property values imphes, and that ts, while it may be said, speaking generally, that certain sections of the city are favored resi- dence localities, yet there is a demand tor houses in all parts of the city, and a de- mand which insures a steady income from rerted property. The changes in valuation of property in certain sections may be also noted. At one time it appears that proper- ty 1s allowed to run down, and the market value has greatly fallen’ off, then there comes a change, property values are 1 vived and starts again in the up rhis transition period yaries in courge. Ten f time, »ut in sections of the city wo re at all central it is pretty safe to say thdt such a change is simply one of transition instead of being of a permanent chayacter. Phere are sewcral sections in the city where such a change has been going on. Notably the section about the city hall and the section south of Pennsylvania avenue ard west of 7th street. The highest priced property in the city was at one time to be found in both tnese secuons, and while, as compared with the modern standard of property values the pendulum has not swung back to the old position, still values in those sections today are probably high- er than at any other period in their history. An Open Season. The present winter thus far has been what is known in the building profession as an open wiprter. It is possible in such weather to continue out-door work in spite of the fact that the calendar indicates that the time for this class of work has passed. When building operations are active in this city and the weather permits, {t 1s not un- usuul to see buildings being erected during the entire winter. With the possible excep- tion of a few days‘ there ts no reason why outside work should not have gone on dur- ing the present season without interrup- tion. There ts not, however, a great deal of building in progress, but that is not due a3 may be inferred from unfavorable me- teorological conditions, but to the causes which affect the general business world. The indications are that the coming spring will witness a change in this respect and that not only will there a more pronout d revival in the real estate market, but build- cers will only exert themselves and give that support to the inspector general of rifle practice and his essistants as they have a right to do @ most excellent show- ing will be the result. Value of the Annual Camp. “The National Guard of the District is to be congratulated on the fact that Con- gress has appropriated a sufficient sum to allow the brigade to have an encamp- ment next summer. If I remember aright, no such appropriation has been made since 1890, and the guard has suffered in conse- quence. The men look forward to this cuting with great pleasure, and more good, Practical results are obtained from an en- campment of the whole brigade for eight or ten days than can be gained by the year’s work in the drill hall. Individual encampments of companies or battalions are far from satisfactory, and, from my own observations, do more harm than gocd. The men generally look upon such encampments, taken at their own personal expense, as a holiday outing, and do not exert themselves to conform to military discipline. Such was not the case when the brigade went into camp at Fort Wash- ington in 1889 and 1890, when I had the pleasure of being the guest of Gen. Ordway and admired the discipline and excellent work accomplished by this soldierly officer. “Regulations as ta uniform to be worn by tne men and all the details of a mili- tary camp were carried out in a manner which would have done credit to regulars, and the guard returned to the city with a much more thorough knowledge of what was required of it as a military organiza- tion. Iam afraid the same cannot be said of the results gaimed at individual encampments, It was my misfortune to visit Marshall Hall last summer when such & camp was in progress, and the lack of discipline was very apparent, more 80, perhaps, because of: the presence of several companies of regulars. I found on making inquiry that although the com- m: ing officer had been careful in pub- lisn‘ug orders as to diseipline, &c., these orders were not carried out, with the result that the men, especially When off duty, did rot dress or act like soldiers, “Men couid be seen around the grounds. on the wharf and on the steamer, wearing campaign hats and uniform coats, the latter, as a rule, being unbuttoned, while one natty little fellow made himself con- spicuously prominent by wearing a yacht- ing cap, uniform coat, white duck trousers and the cape of an overcoat thrown over his shoulders. To a civilian it may seem ridiculous to mention such trivial matters. but to a military man they at once inti- — lack of discipline and disregard of orders. ae ee What Next. From Life. She—These glasses are not strong enough for me. What comes next to number two? He—Number one. ‘And after that? “After number one, you will need a dog.” ing operations will become more brisk. It ig not anticipated that there is to be any grit boom, but it 1s believed that the current business will be much more ac- tive. New Hotel Enterprises, The hotel facilities of the city are to be increased at the beginning of the year by the opening of a new hotel building at the northeast corner of Pennsylvania avenue and 12th street. There has been a good deal of talk about erecting a large hotel building which would be in point of size and appointments the leading hotel in the city. Several schemes have been started and there is one now under consideration whica the projectors are hopeful of reach- ing a successful maturity. This latter scheme contemplates the erection of a large building in a central locality. The new avenue hotel Is a Washington enter- prise and represents the expenditure of a large sum of money. The building, which was substantially built several years ago, has been thorough- ly overhauled and renovated and has been decorated and fitted up M fine style. It is believed that this building will com- pare favorably with any building of a similar character in the country. It is desixned to meet the wauts of the large and growing class who come to this city each year to spend a few days or weeks, The central location is a valuable con- sideration, and this, in connection with the liberal and progressive spirit mani- fested by the projectors,are features which indicate a promising future. Now that the social season 1s opening and entertainment and social functiops of various kinds are contemplated by the hospitable residents of the city, the fa- cilit of private houses for such af- fairs ‘are perhaps being more closely look- ed into than at any other time. The ar- rangement of a house has much to do with the pleasure of the guests on such occasions, ard any device which separates the Incoming from the outgoing guests and prevents jams at certain points {fs apt to be highly app ted. In most of the private residences which have recently been erected a provision is made when at all possible for two entrances, This is accomplished either by having two dis- tinct approaches to the parlor ficor from the outside or else by utilizing the base- ment and making a special entrance through that part of the house. It is not supposed that an interior arrangement of this character is possible for houses of moderate size, but neither would it be probable that those who occupy houses of this character wculd invite each and all of their five hundred friends to their homes on the same date. Bailding Record. The building inspector's record for the past week ending yesterday shows that six permits were taken out for the erec- tion of new buildings, aggregating in cost $254,4W, This was divided among the sev- eral sections of the city follows: North- West, two permits, $250,100, and county, four permits, $4,400. Some Improvements. Thomas W. Scott will shortly commence the erection of a frame dwelling at Barry Farm. It will be two stories high, 14 by 26 feet, with steep shingle roof. Thomas W. Scott is the builder. * Paul D. Connor obtained a permit from the inspector of buildings yesterday for the erection of a handsome theater at No. 17 Madison place, at a cost of $250,000, It will be four stories high, built of brick and stone, 67.6 by 1454 feet, and heated throughout by steam. A skeleton steel frame will be one of the features of this building. Messrs. Wood & Lovell of Chi- cago are preparing plans for the erection of this theater. 4 William Limrick is building a two-story brick dwelling at 632 F street southwest. It is to be 12 by 56 feet and built of pressed brick by 3. B. Byer, The inspector >f buildings has issued a permit to the Washington Brick and ‘Terra Cotta Company for the erection of a brick burning kiin on Delaware avenue between O and P streets southwest. It will be 55 by 55 feet, and buiit by P. S. Yougren. Robert McDonald 8 planned the erec- tion of a frame dwelling for hiinself on the Piney Branch road. It will be two stories in height, 22 by 74 feet, with pitch shingle roof. C. Giaham & Sons are the archi- tects. Noble Johnscn ts erecting two-story frame dwelling on Douglass avenue, Barry Farm, It is to be 16 by 24 feet, with steep shingle roof. Richard L. Barry is the builder. gs ACROSS THE CONTIN As Described im a Series of Geo- graphic Society Lectures. “From Atlantic to Pacific and Back Again” is the title under which the tional Geographic Society has arranged a most interesting series of six illustrated afternoon lectures, to be held in the large hall of Columbian University two days each week for three weeks during Lent. The idea, it is understood, originated with Mrs. Gardiner Greene Hubbard, who takes great interest in the work of this society, of which Mr. Hubbard is president. Each lecture will really consist of two lectures, each by an expert in the geography, ge- ology and history of the region described, with copious lantern-slide illustrations. The series will thus carry the audience all the way from Washington to San Fran- cisco, by way of Pittsburg, St. Paul, the Yellowstone Park and Portland, returning via Los Angeles, Flagstaff (Arizona), Det ver, St. Louis, Kentucky and the Virgi jas, with excursicns from Flagstaff to the Grand Canon and Mexico. It can easily be imagined what a vivid impression this series of lectures will leave upon the minds of the audience, and how- instructive as well as entertaining it mist prove to be, inasmuch as nowhere but in this city could twelve speakers be found to equal these in familiarity with the re- gions described, and in the reputation they have all made as authorities in their spe- cial lines of work. Nor could an equally good series of views be gathered together, excepting by copying from the same orig: inals, most of which are here in Wash- ington. ‘The series of lectures Is described as fol- lows in the program of the society, issued toda; 1, Washington to Pittsburg, Devid T. Day; coal fields, ofl region, iron mines and furnaces, Appalachian scenery, Pittsburg to St. Paul, G. K. Gilbert; forests and prairies, rock gas region, glacial lakes, terminal moraines, modern cities. 2. St. Paul to Yellowstone Park, Walter H. Weed; northern plains, bad-lands,moun- tain foot. and hot spr » Yellowstone Park t land, Bailey Willis; the northern Ri Snake river desert, Shoshone Falls! and silver mines, Dalles of the Co! Mount Rainier. Portland to Sacramento, J. Willamette valley, Shasta, La: and mines. Willard D. Johnson; Sacramento an a Joaquin valley, Golden Gate, cities of the coast, Tehachapi pass, San Bernardino val- ley. 4. Los Angeles to Flagstaff, J. W. Powell; vineyards and creh the ‘southern sier= ra, Mohave desert, The Needles, San Frane cisco mountains. "Side Trip to the Grand Canon, C. D. Walcott; Kaibab plateau, Colorado Chiquito, Toroweap,Kanab canon, Marble canon, the great canon. 5. Side Trip to Mexicog W. J. McGee; mountains and plaing? d@¥ert life, Indians good and bad, preh peoples, Flag- staff to Rocky’ Moun rank H, Cush- ing; the high plateau: sgn pueblo, Moki Villages, cliff dwellings#gin ancient’ civill- zation, 6. Rocky Mountains é&-the Mississippi, F. H. Newell; the great uivtde, Pike's veak, the silver state, southgrn plains, our great rivers. The Mis: the Potomac, Jed Hotchkiss; bluegrassyregion, Cumber- iand plateau, central Appalachians, coal fields and iron mines of the south, Piedmont plains, —— _—_ REPROVED HIS INTEMPERANCE, A Priest Whose Utternnces’ Have Caused a Sensation in Canada. A sensation has been created in all class- es of society in the Canadian dominion by the utterances of Rev. Father Rossbach, who preached the sermon at the reyuiem service for the repose of the soul of the late Sir John Thompsongmt St. Patrick's Church, Quebec. ;: The service was attend by Protestants and Catholics alike, bufJ’motwithstanding this, Father Rossbach, after referring to the late premier’s conve: p to the Roman Catholic Church, abruptly declared that if Sir John could now sp he would say that the only true religién was found in the boscm of the Holy Mother Church, and that all others were shams and frauds. Among the clergy present with the Arch- bishop of Quebec when this declaration was made was ht Rev. Dr, O'Reilly of New York, who was on one of his periodt- cal visits to Quebec, where he was edu- ed and ordasned, and where he was at- tached fur @ numer of years. This assertion no doubt induced the var- dinal to sclect Dr, O'Reilly to reply to Father Rossbach, which he did in a ser- mon at Silbury Church. After referring to the remarks of Father Rossbach, he said: “What a pity that a few days ago, in dear old St. Patrick's Church, a priestly voice, which should have been raised only to ise and bless the departed, should have uttered words of insult to the living, and, instead of thrili- ing hearers and men of different belief than ours with the recital of the states- man’s and great citizen's meritorious deed$ and Christian virtues, we should have all been shocked by an uncalled for, untimely, unauthorized and unjust denunctation of beliefs differing from ours. From this place I mest solemnly declare that the words thus uttcred have not only deeply wounded the Roman Catholic community through- out Canada, but that they are repudiated by all classes of Canadian Koman Catho- lics and by the Roman Catholic clergy ef every degree. Ss Execution of Two Sticks. Two Sticks, the Sioux Indian sentenced for participating in the murder of four cowboys February 2, 1893, was hanged at Deadwood, S. D., yesterday, in the pres- ence of fifty people. The Indian met his fate bravely and death came quickly by the breaking of his neck. The gallows was inclosed with a high board fence, the e1 tire inclosure roofed with canvas. He ts the second Indian executed by judicial au- thority_in the Dakotas, the other beinr Brave Bear, who was hanged at Yankvon, twelve years ago. ees ee The pope has completed the text of his encyclicel in regard to the position of the church in the United States, but is still engaged in revising the manuscript. PRESERVING HISTORY Final Session of the American Association Last Night. Expenditures by the Government for Researches—Valuable Pui Issued ai cations to Be Issued. There were come changes in the program of the American Historical Association last evening, and thé session closed with the first breaks in the arranged list of par pers of the entire session. Prof. E. K. Alden of Packer read his discourse on “Mountains and History.” Prof, A, D. Mcrse of Amherst read his paper on the causes of the party revolt of lw, Prof. J. H. Robinson's paper on “the Tennis Court Vath” was merely presented by title, in the absence of its author. Prof. Morse Stevens of Cornell took the place of J. G@ 4curinot, clerk of the Canadian house of commons, who is detained at home on ac- count of the change in the administration caused by the death of the late premier, Mr, ptevens, who is a graduate of Uxtord, speke of his hope that the breadth thut fa coming into that university will reach this country. The final paper of the evening and of the session was of unusual interest to Washingtonian: it was an answer to u esuon: “What has the United States ment done for history?” by A. How- wk of the National Museum. 8 hot till 1815, said Mr, Clark, thal fovernment and people of the Unt seemed to realize that our country history. Until then we had been ing so fast, so multiplied were the val and economicai problems incident thé amalgamation of the millions of all ndtiqns that had flocked to our shores, that we could hardly stop to think, to ponder, on our history. The year 1876 was a year of history and an historical year. There sprang up then all over the country local historical #o- cleties, and ever since they have contine ued to multiply till now the state and loval organizations engaged in historical work number more than two hundred and fifty, One of the mest important concentra- tions of this general interest in American history was effected in Saratoga ten years ago, when the American Historical Asso- ciaticn was formally instituted. Historical Expenditures. The United States government has spent more than two millions of doliars in the acquisition and publication of records per- taining alone to our country’s history. It has spent many millions more in the erec- tion of historical memori als in preserva- tion of historical events, The United States government is now annually ex- pending more than a quarter of a million dollars directly in behalf of American hit tory. ‘4 No nation ever undertook such & mag- Miticent historical wort as is now ap- proaching completion under charge of most efficient bureaus of the Warand Navy de- partments. What war has ever been oftici ly recorded in such detail and with such al solute accuracy as the late civil war—one hundred and forty volumes of a hundred thousand pages of authentic documents, with half a thousand accurate maps of battlefields and plans, telling the tragic story of the armies, both Union and con- federate, during those historical years; and twenty-five volumes more telling in like manner of the operations of the navies north and south during that war. Colonial History. To record the history of the colonial pe- ricd belongs primarily to the original col- onics and not to the federal government, yet our government has collected a mass of material pertaining to that era, The patriotic Peter Force, a citizen of the Dis- trict of Columbia, brought together 4 store- hovse of authentic information concerning the colonial, the revolutionary and the earlier constitutional periods, and under his direction the government between 1833 and 1855 published nine folio volumes cf “American Archives” gathered by him, and covering the doings of 1774 and 1775. Un- fortunate opposition to his work arose from some unknown source and blocked this magnificent work so well begun. Mr. Force was greatly discouraged at the fatl- ure of the government to continue this valuable scries, and in 1867 he sold to the United States for $100,000 ail his papers and library, forming a collection of 360 folio volumes of manuscripts and 60,000 books and pamphlets relating entirely to American history; and these records are now preserved inthe library of Congress, where also are carefully stored more than 5,000 original manuscripts pertaining to early periods of our history. The question of completing the publication of Force's American Archives, estimated to make thirty printed volumes, is well worth care- ful consideration at an early day, and thus fill up the printed records of those inter- esting years from 1775 to 1789, wheu the series of “State Papers” begins with the First Congress under the Coustitution. Future Work. During the last eighteen months the bue reau of rolls and library of the Depart- ment of State has published “blue books,” consisting of calendars of the 30 volumes of papers of the Continental Congress and of some of the 60) volumes of the manu- scripts ot Washington, Madison and Mon- roe, also a documentary history of the Constitution and the Federal Convention, all of them of great importance as refer- ence books for students of history. To meke known what things are hid is like creating anew. Our nation is great, and its history, cov- ering a century and a score of years, must make many volumes. The deeds of bravery and the military and naval operations of the last great war are now fully recorded, er soon witl be. The official story of the American revolution and of other early Wars must next be given to the people— stories of those struggles that made this nation that the last war preserved. ee nation ever possessed more complete jords of its history than are now pre- rved in the federal and state archives, and the time is drawing near when these ‘records will be in print to be read and studied by our youth and by those of older growth as well, who in reading them will become better qualified to enjoy to its full extent the advantages of this free govern- ment. Though the government has done so much, yet much more remains undone. The otticial papers of Washington, of Jef- ferson, Madison, Monroe, Hamilton, Frank- lin, and of some other eminent Americans whose lives were part of the nation’s his- tory during historical periods, have been secured by the government at great cost, and are carefully guarded from harm, though many of them yet unprinted. Most important manuscripts of other Americans who were a part of our history are scat- tered over Ute country, many of them in private hands—manuscripts that would throw light on interesting political periods now dimly understood. All these should be sought out and permanently preserved against destruction. . Officers Elected. ‘The election of new officers for the com- Ing year resulted as follows: President, Hon. George F. Hoar, Worcester, Mass.; vice presidents, Richard S. Storrs, Brook- lyn, and James 8. Schouler, Boston; secre- tary, Herbert 8. Adams, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; assistant secretary and curetor, A, Howard Clark, curator of the National Museum, Washington; treas- urer, Clarence Winthrop Bowen, New York; additional members of the executive coun- cil, all of the ex-presidents of the associa- tion, and G. Brown Goode, Smithsonian Institution, Washington; J. 'L. M. Curry, George B. Adams of Yale University and Theodore Roosevelt of Washing.on. ‘The next annual meeting will begin December [2 18¥5, and will be held in this city.