Evening Star Newspaper, December 3, 1895, Page 12

12 ———— THE EVENING STAR, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1895—SIXTEEN PAGES. “ef which was, fortunately, not at the time generally understood by our people. Though the contract mentioned stayed for a time the tide of gold withdrawal, its good results could not be permanent. Re- gent withdrawals have reduced the reserve from $107,571,230 on the 8th day of July, 1895, to $79,333,966. How long it will remain Jarge enough to sender its increase unnec- essary is only matter of conjecture, thongh quite large withdrawals for shipment in tie immediate future are predicted In well-4 informed quarters. Abcut $16,000,000 has been withdrawn during the month of No- vember. The foregoing statement of events and conditiops develops the fact that after in- creasing our interest-bearing bonded in- debtedness mcre than $162,100,0U0 to save our gcld reserve we are nearly where we started, having now i ch rezerve $7¥,- 333,966, as against 35, in February, 184, when the first bonds were issued. Though the amount of geld drawn from the Treasury appears to be very large, as gathered from the facts and figures herein presented, it actual'y was much Ifrger, considerable sums having been acqaired by the Treasury within the several periods stated without the issue of bonds. On the 28th of January, 1695, it was reported by the Secretary of the Treasury that more than $172,000,000 of gold had been drawn for hoarding or shipment during ine year preceding. He now reports that from January 1, 879, to July 14, 1890, a period of more than eleven years, only a little over $28,000,000 was withdrawn, and that between July 14, 1500, the date of the pas- sage of the law for an increased purchase of silver, and the Ist day of [ecember, 1885, or within less than five and a half years, there was withdrawn nearly $3° 00,000, making a total of more than $403,- oy,ou0 drawn from the. Treasury in goid sihce January 1, 1579, the date fixed in 1875 for the retirement ef the United States notes. Nearly $327,000,000 of the gold this with- drawn has been paid out on these United States notes; and yet every one of the $34¢,- 000,000 is still uncancelled and ready io do service In future gold depletions. More than $76,0u0,000 in gold has, since their creation in 1800, been paid ont from the Treasury upon the notes given on the purchase of silver by the Government; and yet the whole, amounting to $155,000,000, except a little more’ than $16,000,0¢v, which have been retired by exchanges for silver at the request of the holders, remains out- standing and prepared to join their older and more experienced allies In future raids upon the Treasury's gold reserve. In other words, the Government has puid in gold more than nine-tenths of its United States notes and still owes them all It has paid in gold about one-half of its notes given for silver purchases without ex- tinguishing by such payment one doilar of these notes. f When added to all this we are reminded that to carry on this astounding financial scheme the Government has incurred a bended Indebtedness of $95,500,000 in estab- lishing a gold reserve, and of $162,315,400 in efforts to maintain it; that the annual in- terest charge on such bonded indebtedness is more than $11,000,000; that a continuance in our present course may result tn further bond issues, and that we have suffered or are threatened with all this for the sake of supplying gold for foreign shipment or fa- cilitating its hoarding at home, a situation is exhibited which certainly ought to ar- rest attention and provoke immediate legis- lative rellet. The Retirement of the Greenbacks. I am convinced the only thorough and practicable remedy for our troubles is found in the retirement and cancellation of our United States notes, commonly called greenbacks. and the outstanding Treasury notes issued by the Government in payment of silver purchases under the act of 180. I believe this could be quite readily ac- complished by the exchange of these notes for United States bonds of small as well as large denominations, bearing a low rate of interest They should be long-term bonds, . thus increasing their desirability as in- vestments, and because their payment could be well postponed to a period far removed from present financial burdens and per- plexities, when with increased prosperity and resources they would be more easily met. 5 To further insure the cancellation of these notes and also provide a way by which gold may be added to our currency in leu of them, a feature in the plan should be an authority given to the Secretary of the Tressury-to dispose of the bunds abroad for gold if necessary to complete the con- templated redemption and cancellation, per- mitting him to use the proceeds of such bonds to take up and cancel any of the notes that may be in the Treasury or that tay be received by the Government on any account. The increase of our bonded debt involved in this plan would be amply compensated by renewed activity and enterprise in all business circles, the restored confidence at home, the reinstated faith in our monetary Strength abroad, and the stimulation of every interest and industry that weuld fol- low the cancellation of the gold-demand obligations now afflicting us. In any event the bonds proposed would stand for the ex- tinsuishment of a troublesome indebted- ress, while in the path we now follow there lurks the menace of unending bonds, with our indebtedness still undischarged and ag- gravated in every feature. The obligations mecessary to fund this indebtedness would not equal in amount those from which w have been relieved since 1884 by anticipa- tion and payment, beyond the requirements of the sinking fund, out of our surplus revenues. The currency withdrawn by the retire- ment of the United States notes and Treas- ury notes, amounting to probably less than $486,000,000, might be supplied by such gold as would be used on their retirement or by an increas? in the circulation of our na- tional banks. Though the aggregate capi- tal of those now in existence amounts to More than $664,000,000, their outstanding circulation based on bond security amounts to cnly about $10,000,000. They are author- ized to issue nctes amounting to ninety per cent of the bonds deposited to secure their circulation, but in no event beyond the amount of their capital stock, and they are obliged to pay one per cent tax on the cir- culation they tssue. National Bank Circulation. I think they should be allowed to issue circulation equal to the par value of the bonds they deposit tg secure it, and that the tax on their circulation should be re- duced to one-fourth of one per cent, which Wceuld undoubtedly meet all the expense the Government incurs on their account. In addition th.y should be allowed to substi- tute or deposit in lieu of the bonds now re- quired as security for their circulation those which would be issued for the pur- pose of retiring the United States notes and Treasury notes. The banks already existing, if they de- sired to avail themselves of the provisions of law thus modified, could issue circula- tion in addition to that already outstand- irg, amounting to $78,000,000, which would nearly or quite cqual the currency proposed to be cincelled. At any rate, I should con- fidently expect to see the existing national banks or others to be organized avail them- selves of the proposed encouragements to issue circulation, and promptly fill any vacuum and supply every currency need. It has always seemed to me that the pro- visions of law regarding the capital of na- tional banks which operate as a limitation to their location fail to make proper com- pensation for the suppression of State banks, which came near to the people in all sections of the country and readily fur- rished them with banking accommodations and facilities. Any inconvenience or em- berrassment arising from these restrictions on the location of national banks might well be remedied by better adapting the present system to the creation of banks in smaller communities or by permitting banks of large capital to establish brapches in such localities as would serve the peo- ple—so regulated and restrained as to se- cure their safe and conservative control and management. But there might not be the necessity for stch an addition to the currency by new issues of bank circulation as at first glance is indicated. If we should be relieved from maintaining a gold reserve under condi- tions that constitute it the barometer of our solvency, and if our Treasury should no longer be the foolish purveyor of gold for rations abroad or for speculation and hoarding by our citizens at home, I should expect to see gold resume its natural and rormal functions in the business affairs of the country and cease to be an object at- tracting the timid watch of our people and exciting their sensitive imaginations. I do not overlook the fact that the can- cellation of the Treasury notes issued un- der the silver-purchasing act of 1890 would leave the Treasury in the actual ownership of sufficient silver, including seigniorage, to coin nearly $178,000,000 in standard dol- lars. It is worthy of consideration whether this might not, from time to time, be con- verted into dollars or fractional coin and slowly put into circulation, as in the judg- ment of the Secretary of the Treasury the necessities of the country should require. Whatever is attempted should be entered uren fully appreciating the fact that by careless, easy descent we have reached a dangerous depth, and that our ascent will not be accomplished without laborious toil and struggle. We shall be wise if we reai- ize that. we are financially ill and that our restoration to health may ‘require heroic treatment and unpleasant remedies. In the present stage of our dilficulty it is not easy to understand how the amount of our reventte receipts directly affects it. The important question is not the quantity of money received in revenue payments, but the kind of money we maintain and our ability to continue in sound financial con- dition. We are considering the Govern- ment’s holdings of gold as related to the soundness of our money and as affecting our national credit and monetary strength. If our goid reserve had never been im- paired; if no bonds had ever been issued to replenish it; if there had been no fear and timidity concerning our ability to continue gold payments; if any part of our revenues were now paid in gold, and if we could louk to our gold receipts as a means of maintain- ing a safe reserve, the amount of our reve- nues would be an influential factor in the problem. But unfortunately all the circum- stances that might lend weight to this con- sideration are entirely lacking. In our present predicament no gold is re- ceived by the Government in payment of revenue charges, nor would there be if the Tevenues were increased. The receipts of the Treasury, when not in silver certifi- cates, consist of United States notes and Treasury notes issued for silver purchases. These forms of money are only useful to the Government in paying its current or- dinary expenses, and its quantity in Gov- ernmeni possession does not in tne least contribute toward giving us that kind of safe finarcial standing or condition which is built on gold alone. If it is said that these notes if held by the Government can be used to obtain gold for our reserve, the answer is casy. The peo- ple draw gold from the Treasury on de- mand upon United States notes and Treas- ury notes, but the proposition that the Treasury can on demand iraw gold from the people upon them would be regarded in these days with wonder and amusement. And even if this could be done, there is nothing to prevent those thus patting with their gold from regaining it the next day or the next hour by the presentation of the notes they received in exchange for it. The Secretary of the Treasury might use such notes taken from a surplus revenue to buy gold in the market. Of course he could not do this without paying a premium. Pri- vate holders of gold, unlike the Govern- ment, having no parity to maintain, would not be restrained from making the best bargain possible when they furnished gold to the Treasury; but the moment the Secre- tary of the Treasury bought gold on any terms above par he would establish a gen- eral and universal premium upon it, thus breaking down the parity between gold and silver which the Government is pledged to maintain, and opening the way to new and serious complications. In the meantime the premium would not remain stationary, and the absurd spectacle might he presented of a dealer selling gold to the Government, and with United States notes or Treasury notes in his hand immediately ciamoring for its return and a resale at a higher premium. It may be claimed that a large revenue and redundant receipts might favorably affect the situation under discussion by affording an opportunity of retaining these noces In the Treasury when received, and thus preventing their presentation for gold. Such retention to be useful ought to be at least measurably permanent; and this is precisely what {sg prohibited, so far as United States notes are concerned, by the law of 1878 forbidding their further retire- ment. That statute in so many words pro- vides that these notes when received into the Treasury and belonging to the United States shall be “paid out again and kept in circulation.” It will, moreover, be readily seen that the Government could not refuse to pay out United States notes and Treasury notes In current transactions when de- manded and Insist on paying out silver alone and still maintain the parity between that metal and the currency representing gold. Besides, the accumulation in the Treasury of currency of any kind exacted from the people through taxation is justly regarded as an evil, and it can not proceed far without vigorous protest against an unjustifiable retention of money from the business of the country and a denuncia- tion of a scheme, of taxation which proves itself to be unjust when it takes from the earnings and income of the citizen money so‘much tn excess of the needs of Govern- ment support that large sums can be gath- ered and kept in the Treasury. Such a con- dition has heretofore in times of surplus revenue led the Government to restore cur- rency to the people by the purchase of its unmatured bonds at a large premium and by a large increase of its deposits in na- uonal banks, and we easily remember that the abuse of Treasury accumulation has furnished a most persuasive argument in favor of legislation radically reducing our tariff taxation. Perhaps it is supposed that sufficient rev- enue receipts would in a sentimental way improve the situation, by inspiring confi- dence in our solvency and allaying the fear of pecuniary exhaustion. And yet through all our struggles to maintain our gold re- serve there never has been any appre- hension as to our ready ability to pay our way with such money as we had; and the question whether or not our current re- ceipts met our current expenses has not entered into the estimate of our solvency. Of course the general state of our funds, exclusive of gold, was entirely immaterial to the foreign creditor and investor. His debt could only be paid in gold, and his only concern was our ability to keep on hand that kind of money. On July 1, 1892, more than a year and a half before the first bonds were issued to replenish the gold reserve, there was a net balance in the Treasury, exclusive of such reserve, of less than $13,000,000; but the gold reserve amounted to more than $114,000,000, which was the quieting feature of the situatién. It was when the stock of gold began rapidly to fall that fright supervened and our securities held a! oad were returned for sale and debts owed abroad were pressed for payment. In the meantime extensive shipments of gold and other unfavorable Indications caused rest lessness and fright among our people at home. Thereupon the general state of our funds, exclusive of gold, became also im- material to them, and they, too, drew gold from the Treasury for hoarding against all contingencies. This is plainly shown by the large increase in the proportion of gold withdrawn which was retained by our own people as time and threatening inci- dents progressed. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, nearly $85,000,000 in gold was withdrawn from the Treasury and about $77,000,000 was sent abroad, while during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895, over $117,000,000 was drawn out, of which only about $66,000,000 was shipped, leaving the large balance of such withdrawals to be accounted for by domestic hoarding. Inasmuch as the withdrawal of our gold has resulted largely from fright, there is nothing apparent that will prevent its con- tinuance or recurrence, with its natural consequences, except such a change in our financial methods as will reassure the frightened and make the desire for gold less intense. It is not clear how an in- crease in revenue, unless it be in gold, can satisfy those whose only anxiety is to gain gold from the Government's store. 1t can not therefore be safe to rely upon increased revenues as a cure for our pres- ent troubles. Not a Question of Revenue. It is possible that the suggestion of in- creased revenue as a remedy for the diffi- culties we are considering may have origi- nated in an intimation or distinct allega- tion that the bonds which have been issued ostensibly to replenish our gold reserve were really issued to supply insufficient revenue. Nothing can be further from the truth. Bonds were issued to obtain gold for the maintenance of our national credit. As has been shown, the gold thus obtained has been drawn again from the Treasury upon United States notes and Treasury notes. ‘This operation would have been promptly prevented if possible; but these notes having thus been passed to the Treasury, they became the money of the Government, like any other ordinary Gov- ernment funds, and there was nothing to do but to use them in paying Government expenses when needed. . At no time when bonds have been issued has there been any consideration of the question of paying the expenses of Gov- ernment with their praceeds. There was mo necessity to consider that question. At the time of each bond issue we had a safe surplus in the Treasury for ordinary operations, exclusive of the gold in our reserve. In February, 18%, when the first issue of bonds was made, such surplus amounted to over $18,000,000; in November, when the second issue was made, it amounted to more than $42,000,000, and in February, 1895, when bonds for the third time were issued, such surplus amounted to more ‘than $100,000,000. It now amounts to $08,072,420.30. Besides all this, the Secretary of the Treas- ury had no authority whatever to issue bonds to increase the ordinary revenues or pay current expenses. I can not but think there has been some confusion of ideas regarding the effects of the issue of bonds and the results of the withdrawal of gold. It was the latter pro- cess and not the former that by substituting in the Treasury United States notes and Treasury notes for gold increased by their amount the money vhich was ir: the first instance subject to ordinary Government expenditure. Although the law compelling an increased purchase of silver by the Government was passed on the 14th day of July, 1890, with- drawals of golé from the Treasury upon the notes given in payment on such purchases did not begin until October, 1891. Imme- diately following that date the withdrawals upon both these notes and United States notes increased very largely, and have con- tinued to such an extent that since the pas- Sage of that law there has been more than thirteen times as much gold taken out of the Treasury upon United States notes and Treasury notes issued for silver purchases as was thus withdrawn during the eleven and a half years immediately prior thereto and after the Ist day of January, 1879, when specie payments were resumed. It is neither unfair nor unjust to charge a large share of our present financial perplexi- ties and dangers to the operation of the laws of 1878 and 1890 compelling the purchase of silver by the Government, which not only furnished a new Treasury obligation upon which its géld could be withdrawn, but so in- creased the fear of an overwhelming flood of silver and a forced descent to silver pay- ments that even the repeal of these laws did not entirely cure the evils of their existence. Free Silver. While I have endeavored to make a plain statement of the disordered condition of our currency and the present dangers menacing our prosperity, and to suggest a way which leads to a safer financial system, I have con- stantly had in mind the fact that many of my countrymen, whose sincerity I do not doubt, insist that the cure for the ills now threatening us may be found in the single and simple remedy of the free coinage of silver. They contend that our mints shall be at once thrown open to the free, unlimited and independent coinage of both gold and silver dollars of full legal-tender quality, regardless of the action of any other gov- ernment and in full view of the fact that the ratio between the metals which they sug- gest calls for one hundred cents’ worth of gold in the gold dollar at the present stand- ard, and only fifty cents in intrinsic worth of silver in the silver dollar. Were there infinitely stronger reasons than can be adduced for hoping that such action woull secure for us a bimetallic currency moving on lines of parity, an experiment so novel and hazardous as that proposed might well stagger those who believe that sta- bility is an imperative condition of sound money. No government, no human contrivance or act of legislation, has ever been able to hold the two metals together in free coinage at a ratio appreciably different from that which is established in the markets of the world. Those who believe that our independent free coinage of silver at an artificial ratio with gold of 16 to 1 would restore the parity between the metals, and consequentiy be- tween the coins, oppose an unsupported and improbable theory to the general belief and practice of other nations, and to the teaching of the wisest statesmen and economists of the world, both in the past and present, and, what is far more conclusive, they run counter to our own actual experiences. Twice in our earlier history our lawmak- ers in attempting to establish a bimetallic currency undertook free coinage upon a ratio which accidently variei from the actual relative values of the two metals not more than three per cent. In both cases, notwith- standing greater difficulties and cost of transportation than now exist, the coins whose intrinsic worth was undervalued in the ratio, gradually and surely disappeared from our circulation and went to other coun- tries where their real value was better recognized. Acts of Congress were impotent to create equality where natural causes decreed even a slight inequality. Twice in our recent history we have sig- nally failed to raise by legislation the value of silver. Under an act of Congress passed in 1878 the Government was required for more than twelve years to expend annually at least $24,000,000 in the purchase of silver bullion for coinage. The act of July 14, 1890, in a still bolder effort increased the amount of silver the Government was compelied to purchase, and forced it to become the buyer annually of 51,000,000 ounces, or practically the entire product of our mines. Under both laws silver rapidly and steadily declined in value. The prophecy and the expressed hope and expectation of those in the Congress who led in the passage of the last-mentioned act, that it would re-establish and maintain cae tei i ihe -&£ Wash Tul (G=0-S-S-le=)p. ° ‘ Just a little gossip over the wash tub with you, neighbor! Do you know that the lack of system in these responsible wagons is ble for slow deliv one-horse laundries is responsible for so many of your clothes being lost—that lack of new machinery is for tearing them—that lack of conscience is responsible for doing them up so badly —and lack of ry? And do you know that there is a lack of none of these requisites in the “YALE.” scheme of doing business? y work—just drop | a postal and ‘our wagon will call for your bundle. Haven't space to tell you about our immense laundry and new machinery—but if you want some crack-up *Phone ‘1092. TE YALE F. H. Walker & Co., 514 10th Street and 1104 14th Street. Plant, 43 G st. Steam Laundry, ee Si Soeur i ae the former parity between the two metals, are still fresh in our memory. In the light of these experiences, which accord with the experiences of other nations, there is certainly no secure ground for the belief that an act of Congress could now bridge an inequality of fifty per cent be- tween gold and silver at our present ratio, nor is there the least possibility that our country, which has less than one-seventh of the silver money in the world, could by its action alone raise not only our own but ail silver to its lost ratio with gold. Our at- tempt to accomplish this by the free coin- age of silver at a ratio differing widely from actual relative values yrould be the signal for the complete departure of gold from our cir- culation, the immediate and large conirac- tion of our circulating medium, and a shrink- age in the real vaiue and monetary efficiency of al! other forms of currency as they set- tled to the level of silver monometallism. Everyone who recelyes a fixed salary and every worker for wages would find the dollar in his hand ruthlessly scaled down to the point of bitter disappointment if not to pinching privation. A change in our standard to silver mono- metallism would also bring on a collapse of the entire system of credit which, when based on a standard which is recognized and adopted by the world of business, is many times more potent and useful than the entire volume of currency und is safely capable of almost indefinite expansion to meet the growth of trade and enterpris In a self-invited struggle through darkness and uncertainty our humiliation would be increased by the consciousness that we had parted company with all the enlightened and progressive nations of the world, and were desperately and hopelessly striving to meet the stress of modern commerce and ccmpetition with a debased and unsuitable currency and in association with the few weak and laggard nations which have sil- ver alone as their standard of value. All history warns us against rash experi- ments which threaten violent changes in our monetary standard and the degradation of cur currency. The past is full of Icssons teaching not only the economic dangers, but the national immorality that follows m the tarin of such experiments. I will not believe that the American people can be persuaded after sober deliberation to jeop- ardize their nation’s prestige and proud standing by encouraging financial nostrums, nor that they will yield to the false all ments of cheap money, when they realize that it must result in the weakening of that finarcial integrity and rectitude which thus far in our history has been so devotedly cherished as one of the traits of true Amer- icanism. . Our country’s indebtedness, whether ewing by the Government or existing be- tween individuals, has been contracted with reference to our present standard. To de- cree by act of Congress ‘hat these debts shall be payable in less valuable dollars than those within the contemplation and intention of the parties when contracted, would operate to transfer, by the fiat of law and without compensation, an amount of property anc a volume of rights and in- terests almost incalculable. ‘These wlo advocate a blind and headlong plunge to free coinage in the name of bi- metallism and professing the belief, con- trary to all experience, that we could thus establish a double standard and a concur- rent circulation of both metals in our coin- age, are certainly reckoning from a cloudy standpoint. Our present standard of value is the standard of the civilized world and permits the only bimetallism now possibie, or at least that is within the independent reach of any single nation, however pow- erful that nation may %e. While the value of gold as a standard ig steadied by almost universal commercial and business use, it dces not despise silver nor seek its banish- ment. Wherever this standard is main- tained there is at {ts side in free and un- questioned circulation a volume of sllv currency sometimes equaling and some- times even exceeding it in amount, beth maintained at a parity notwithstanding a depreciation or fluctuation in the intrinsic value of silver. A Fixed Standard. There is a vast difference between a standard of value and 4 currency for mone- tary use. The standard must necessarily be fixed and certain. The currency be in divers forms and of various kinds. No silver-standard country has a gold currency in circulation; but an enlightened and wise system of finance secures the benefits of both gold and silver as currency and cir- culating medium by Keeping the standard stable and other currency at par with it. Such a system and such a standard give free scope for the use and expan: of safe and conservative credit, so indis- pensable to broad and growing commercial transactions and so well substituted for the actual use of money. If a fixed and stable standard is maintained such as the magni- tude and. safety of our commercial trans- actions and business require, the use of money itself ts conveniently minimized. Every doliar of fixed and stable value has through the agency of confident credit an astonishing capacity of multiplying itwelf in financial work. Every unstable and fluctuating dollar fails as a basis of credit, and in its use begets gambling spec- ulation and undermines the foundations of honest enterprise. I have ventured to express myself on this subject with earnestness and plainness of speech because I canot rid myself of the belief that there lurks in the proposition for the free coinage of silver, so strongly approved and so enthusiastically advozated by a multitude of my countrymen, a serious menace to our prosperity and an insidious temptation of our people to wander from the allegiance they owe to public and pri- vate integrity. It is because I do not dis- trust the good faith and sincerity of those who press this scheme that I have imper- upon this momentous subject. I cannot re- frain from beggi:g them to re-examine their views and beliefs in the light of pa- triotic reason and familiar experience, and to weigh again and again the consequences of such legislation as their efforts have in- vited. Even the continued agitation of the subject adds greatly to the difficulties of a dangerous financial situation already torced upon us. In conclusion I especially entreat the peo- ple’s representatives in the Congress, who are cherged with the responsibility of In- augurating masures for the safety and prosperity of our common country, to promptly and effectively consider the {'ls of our critical financial plight. I have sug- gested a remedy which my judgment ap- proves. I desire, however, to assure the Congress that I am prepared to co-operate with them in perfecting any other measure promising thorough and practical relief, and that I will gladly labor with them in every patriotic endeavor to further the in- terests and guard the welfare of our coun- trymen whom in our respective places of duty we have undertaken to serve. GROVER CLEVELAND. Executive Mansion, December 2, 1895. —— IN A SLEEPING CAR. The Deplorable Result of a Change of. Berths Made Late at Might. From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. y friend and I had secured two lower berths opposite each other. He was not a smoker, so he concluded to tumble in, while I went forward to the smoking compartment for a cigar before I followed his example. Possibly I found the game of cards which was in progress between two commercial travelers interesting, or else the cigar was more soothiug than usual; but however it was, I remained longer than I had intended. “In the meantime we had made a stop and taken on a couple of passengers—an aged couple of dignified and aristocratic appear- ance. Every lower berth was taken and over half of the uppers, so the worthy pair were not jubilant over the prospect of climb- ing into an upper berth, and their objections were plainly audible to others than the porter. At last that sable gallant, driven to his wits’ end, came in to where I sat placidly smoking, apparently unconscious of what had been going on in the car. With a depre- cating air, he approached and asked me if I would exchange my lower berth for an up- per in favor of the old people. I readily as- sented, and the couple, grateful and con- tented, immediately took possession, and judging from the duo of discordant vocal sounds which soon emanated from “lower 10,’ they had fallen into peaceful slumber. “In the meantime my friend, being a heavy sleeper, was quite unconscious of the change that had been made in the arrangements. So, early in the morning he crawled out and pro- ceeded to get his shoes from under the berth, sitting upon the edge of the bed while he leisurely drew on one shoe. Then he began to think I had enjoyed myself undisturbed quite long enough, and commenced to shake the curtains and call me to get up. Meeting with no response, he concluded to make it more effectual, so he calmly drew aside the curtains, noticing nothing unusual in the dim light, and gave several resounding slaps with the remaining shoe upon the most ob- vious portion of the anatomy. At the same time he called out, ‘Come, aren't you ever going to get up?’ “For answer several feminine shrieks rent the air, while two wrathful faces rose up and confronted my friend, who shrank back aghast. Every head popped out between the curtains, my own included, but quickly grasping the situation, I sank back con- yulsed. In the meantime the porter had ap- peared, and in due course of time and with many explanations succeeded in pacifying the aged couple.” ns ORGANIZATION FAVORED. NEW District Al bly 49 Belleves K. of L. Socialists Should Keep Together. The meeting of District, Assembly 49 of the Knights of Labor of New York, which lasted from 8 o'clock Sunday evening until 2 o'clock yesterday morning, resulted in the passage of resolutions advocating the formation of a new international organiza- \tion, to be composed of the socialistic ele- ment of the Knights of Labor throughout the country. fectly but with zeal submitted my thoughts | } WHAT WILL CHICAGO GIVE? Canvassing Business Men to See if They Want the Republican Conven- tion, Chicago will try to settle the question of the national republican convention within the next three days. J. C. Irving, presi- dent of the committee having the matter in charge, has sent out notices to the mem- bers of the working body te canvass among business men at once, and to have a final report ready for the meeting at the Union League Club tomorrow. ational Committeeman Campbell leaves for Wash- ington tomorrow evenirg, and he wants to have some decisive offer from Chicago. —————-eee. WHAT TO CALL THE BABY. Difficulties of Parents in Selecting Names of Their Offspring. From the New York World. The names Molly and Polly, Annie and Nan, Maggie and Peggie, Nancy and Nan, are just as much in vogue today as in the olden time, and in all probability will con- tinue to Le given as Christian names to baby girls for all time. We do not find French women taking their ancestors to task for bestowing up- on them ungainly names, for the taste of the French in names is proverbial. There is uo Peggie in the French tongue. When they ured of Mary they changed it to the sweet name Marie. Ann became Annette, sprightly and bright. Some parents refused to give first names to their children, preferring that the chil- dren themselves should choose their own names. It is often a positive handicap to a man of parts to have an ineuphonious name. In many cases ignorant parents Tave gone wrong in their selection of nemes for their offspring, and more than onte a girl baby has been called Jezebel and a boy baby Ananias. The Rev. James B. Walely, 2& Methodist minister, who preached many years in New York, told, with great enjoyment, of a lisping mother who took her baby to the font in the church to be - baptized and christened. When the divine took it in his arms, pre- paratory to christening it, he asked the lisping mother what he should name it. The parent replied, “Luci’thir.” Indignant- ly the minister remarked: “Lucifer! Lucifer! Never will I name a child that.” Then he continued, as he sprinkled thé water upon the brow of the girl baby, “George Washington, I baptize thee,” &c., and the girl was thereafter so called. It is a fact that fashion in names changes in cycles of less than a century. At pres- ent there seems to be a tendency toward odd names. Sume of the popular ones are Dorothy, Rhoda, Edna and Angeline. Ada is quite common, and Almira comes down, it would appea-, from the country towns to adorn city beauties. Agatha, Viola, Maude, Jessie, Olga, Odette, Olive, Inez, Isabel, Hortense, Rosalind, Beatrice, Naomi, Mig- non, Mildred, Lillian, Leonora, Kathleen, ida, Estelle, Gertrude, Gladys, Grace, Gene- vieve, Gabriella, Henrietta, Edith, Felice, Fedora, Frederica, Eunice, Florence, Eloisa, Emmeline, Cora, Cynthia, Cloe, Cordelia, Beulah, Bertha, Blanche, Ruth, Veronica are among the hundreds of uncommonly odd names, chosen not only for their odd- ness, but for their euphoniousness as well, while their meaning adds interest to them and makes the burden of their weight an easy load to carey. A mother sometimes delights in perpetu- ating th2 name of her grandmother, who bore the name of her great-grandmother, and thus these very old names descend by the choice of the parent. Ann nowadays sounds harsh, and Betsy seems common. Betsy corses to be Bessie and Ann Annie, and 9 instance is known of Mindwell hav- ing fne audacity to call herself Minnie. Jerusha has printed on her visiting cards Jennie and Mehitable loves to hear herself styled Hitty. oo THOSE HATS AGAIN. An Episode at the New York Academy of Music. Last week two gentlemen occupied seats in the orchestra of the theater, says Ladies’ Every Satur¢ Finding their view of the stage totally eclipsed by the headgear of two ladies directly in front of them, they polite- ly requested the ladies to remove their hats. They refused. Then the gentlemen put on their hats—tall silk ones—and the ushers were down on them in a minute. “We have as much right to wear our hats,’ they said, ‘as those ladies have to wear theirs. If they will take off their hats we shall take off ours. Not otherwise.” ‘The audience laughed and the ladies blush- ed, but they vouldn’t remove their hats, so Maneger Mann sent word to the gentlemen that they could take seats in a box. This they did, and as they took their places they were heartily applauded by the audience. It was all too much for the ladies, though, and they left the house. Maybe they will leave their big hats at home when they go to the theater next time. ——___-+e<- —__ Choked by a Chicken-Hone. A special dispatch to The Evening Star from Richmond, Va., Gated yesterday, says: Cornelics Lipscomb of Washington, father of John R. Lipscomb, chief clerk at Ford's Hotel in that city, came down from Washington Saturday to spend Sunday with his son at Ohl Church, in Hanover county. Yesterday, while at the dinner ta- ble, Mr. Lipscomb got choked by a chicken bone, and died before assistance could be of any avail. THE HQJEL SIZER. So Called Because He Sizes Up the Stranger as to What He Will Pay. From the Philatelphia Times. A new face was noticed the other night be- hind the desk of a very swell hotel. Several of a group made inquiring comment upon the presence of the stranger. An old hotel tan stood by. Said he: “Why, that is, next to the proprietor, the most valuable man about this establish- ment. He is a ‘sizer,’ the cleyerest in the businers.” There was naturally a query in chorus as what was meant by a “sizer,” and the hotel man explained that he was a trusted and confidential hotel employe who “sized up” what each patron of the establishment is willing to pay for the service accorded him. This is an inrer mystery of the hotel bus- iness that has never publicly been revealed. Humanity is read most easily in a public hostelry. There every kind of human being is seen on full parade with all the foibies of mankind expcsed to the public gaze. It isa great object lesson; an exhibition of the Weaknesses and the vanities of ourselves and cur fellows. The hotel man who under- stands this, gauges it, and feels its pulse, is a sure winner. Hence, every hote) in the prominent cities of this country, especially in New York, which is managed upon the European plaa employs a “sizer,” who is paid a large sal- ary. He must be a keen judge of human nature. When a statesman of high renown registers his name upon the hotel book this functionary fondles him with attention: sees that he gets the best apartment in thi house, and when he leaves arranges that his bill shall be small. Big statesmen are advertisements to a public house. Fellow statesmen flock around them and buy wine. Newspapers interview them, and puvlish the name of the hotel where they are staying. Little tadpoles in the political pond carry their gripsacks to where the big bullfrogs are croaking. The “sizer” insures such com- fort to the great man that he returns to the * hotel again and again until it finally becomes knoWn as his headquarters. But some one must pay for what the great statesman does not. This is generally the newly rich fellow. The “sizer” demon- strates his ability by the estimate he places upon people of this class. There is prob- ably a popular impression to the effect that in all the swell hotels in the large cities there 1s a regular price fixed for the occu- pancy of each room, depending upon its size, the ficor it is on, and whether it has parlor and bath room connections. There was rever a more mistaken idea. The “sizer” determines what you shall pay. His eyes fathom not only your pocket book, but your disposition. Many men, especially the new- ly rich, although they may not know how to live at home, like a princely-estimate placed upon their tastes and habits when they are traveling. To such as these the “sizer” says: “My dear sir, I am so glad that we have the bridal chamber vacant. I know nothing less would satisfy you. It has just been vacated by Mr. Astorbilt, and I am delighted that I am enabled to accommodate you with that suite of apartments.” ~~ 200 TRAINING LOCOMOTIVES. They Need to Be Handled With the Same Care as Race Horses. From the Philadelphia Record. It may not be generally known that lo- comotives intended for express trains re- quire as much training, in their way, for fast running cs to do race horses, The Pennsylvania Railroad Company bulids its own engines, und those built for express trains are known as class P. They are very Sarg>, and built, with slight variations, after the pattern of the big English en- gine imported into this country several years ago, and which at that time was a curiosity in its way. When one of these big engites was taken cut of the shops to be placed on the road, instead of put- ting it to the work it is intended for at once, it is run for two or three weeks on some one of the local branches, in order to train it, so to speak, for faster running. By this means all the bearings and jour- nals connected with the running gear be- come settled to their work; for, should any- thing about the new mackine not work har- moniously, there is ample time to adjust the defect. Usually the new engine proves troublesome on account of its pro- pensity to make fast time, and at almost every station the train is found to be a little ahead of schedule time, and must wait for from ten seconds to a minute. No. 180, of class P, will be running one day on an accommodation train, but will soon be flying over the road as an express at the rate, in many places, of a mile a minute. Seyret § How He Escaped. From the Chicago Record. “Say, Jimmie, ‘d yer ma lick yer?’ “Naw, you bet she didn’t.” Devon wot che was *frala 1’ holler 80 loud I'd wake the baby. —_—_22—_—_ After the Raffle. From Life. Uncle ’Rastus—“I done won dat turkey at de raffle tonight.” Aunt Dinah—“Yo’ was lucky, eh?” “Yas, I was po’ful lucky. While de res’ was shakin’ dice I ‘scused myse’f.””