Evening Star Newspaper, January 27, 1896, Page 1

‘ THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY EXcEPT SUNDAY, AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, aes ae et i tar " SH KAUFPMANN, Pres.» New York Office, 49 Potter Buildi ‘The Evening Star is served to subscribers in the city by carriers, on their own account, at 10 cents per week, or 44 cents per mouth. ecenter 2 cents each. By mail—enywhe: United States or Canada—postage prepaid—0 cents Quinteple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with _ . year, o pstage a 00. “(Entered at the Post Office at Washington, D. C., - a second-class mail matter.) 7 All mail subscriptions must be paid In advance. Rates of advertising made known on application. DECLARED INVALID|THE SILVER CONERIER CE Judge Cox Says the Highway Act is Unconstitutional. ASSESSING CONJECTURAL BENEFIIS No Provision for Compensation for Land Taken. NEED OF REVISION ‘The street extension act of March 2, 1893, Was this morning declared unconstitutional by Judge Cox, as intimated several days, ago in The Star would be the cas3, and the court dismissed all the proceedings hereto- fore had in the case. ‘The decision was rendered in case 410, Denison and Leightor’s subdivision of Mt. Pleasant, the first of the street extension cases heard. In the second case heard, 458, Ingles‘de subdivision, the same ruling of the court was made spplicable, and that, tco, was dismissed. The announcement in The Star that the decision would be ren- dered this moraing served to crowd the court room with counsel and land owners. Many of those present, however, were neither counsel nor owners, but -were citi- zens who ure ceeply interested in the mat- ter. The court’s opinion was a long cne, the judge occupymg more than thirty min- utes in reading it. Among, the counsel for the land owners present were Messrs. Na- thanis! Wilson Chapin Brown, W. L. Cole, Wm. G. Johnsen, Arthur O'Connor, Donald McPherson, A. A. Lipscomb, C. H. Armes and Wm. F. Mattingly. ‘The District was represented by Mr. S. T. Thomes, A. B. Duvall, A. S. Worthington and Samuel Maddox. The District has the right to carry the case on appeal to the Court of Appeals, and while Mr. Worthing- ton, of special counsel for the District, did not so state in court, he stated to Mr. Nathaniel Wilson that such a step would be taken. The Opinion. Judge Cox, in his opinion, said: “At the commencement of these proceed- ings a motion was made on behalf of the owners of some of the ground sought to be condemned that the jury be discharged and the proceedings dismissed. “It was understood then that the motion should be overruled pro forma, in order that the question made should be carried up by sppeal, and the court was not requested to consider them or pronounce any formal opinion. “But since the case was submitted to the jury and a finding has been made by them, the questions involved in that motion have again been brought forward, and the court is moved to reconsider them and decide them upon their merits, and to give the same re- lief that was then applied for. I have felt bound -to entertain this motipn, especially as it has ceemed to me that we can better appreciate the merits or defects of the law vnder which we are acting now that we have seen something of its practical opera- tion than we could beforehand. “Without examining in detail the motion which was filed at the beginning of thie pro- * ceeding, which was quite voluminous, ft ts sufficient to say that the substance of the grounds set forth in it is that the act of Congress under which this condemnation fs made is unconstitutional, because it pro- vides for taking private property for public use without providing for just compensa- tion to the owners, as the Constitution re- quires.” After summarizing the provisions of the law, he continued: “In the absence of any more specific constitutional restriction than the general prohibition against taking property without dus process of law, the legisiature of the state, having the power to. fix the sum necessary to be levied for the expense of a public improvement, and to order ft to be as: , either like other taxes upon prop- * , erty generally or only upon the lands bene- fited by the improvement, is authorized to determine both the amount of the whole tax and the class of lands which will receive the benefit, and should, therefore, bear the burden, although it may, if it sees fit, commit the ascertainment of either or beth of these facts to the judgment uf com- missioners. * * * The Deduction of Renefits. “But when we approach the subject of the deduction of benefits we encounter tie most vexed question in this branch of conatitutional law. We are not to expect much light upon it from the decisions of the federal courts, because the government of the United States hi had Uittle occa- sion to condemn pro; ‘y_ for public use outside of the District of Columbia, and I am not aware that in the rare instances * that have occurred this question has ever arisen. “But in the state courts the decisions are irnumerable and {rreconcilable. In some the subject is regulated by constitutional or statutory enactment in different ways; im others {t fs determined differently by the courts upon general principles. “In some states special benefits are al- lowed to be deducted, not from the ascer- tained value of the land taken, but only from the incidental damages allowed, in addition to that. In others—but this Js gen- erally, perhaps, statutory—there can be no deduction for benefits at all. In others, again, both special benefits and the general benefits shared in common with the neigh- borhood or locality can be deducted. In others, again, the special benefits can be - deducted from both the ascertained value of the land taken and the incidental dam- age occasioned by the taking. It wouid be utterly useless to attempt a review of the authorities, and I do not see how I can do better than acquiesce in the conclusion of those eminent commentators, Judge Cooley and Judge Dillon, that the weight of au- thority in the state courts favors the last- mentioned view, viz: that the special ben- efits to an individual lot of which a part is condemned can properly be set off against, or deducted from, the amount found due as the value of the land appropriated and as special damage to the remainder of the tract or parcel. “But this does not relieve us of the diffi- culty. The question stili remains, What kind of benefit may thus be set off and de- ducted, and how Is it to be ascertained? » “It ts agreed on all hands that the land taken is to be paid for at its present value, not eccording to the value determined ‘n the future by the contemplated improve- ment (Mills on Eminent Domain, Sec.- 174: Lewis on Eminent Domain, Sec. 480); and ecmmon justice requires that any deduction from this for supposed benefits should be for benefits which, if not immediately real- ized, should be at least so far present as to be certain and presently ascertainable. A Municipality, for example, directs a street to be condemned, opened, paved and grad- ed, and that the benefits to the remaining property shall be deducted from the dam- ages allowed to the owners for the land teken. Here the benefit ts certain and easily estimated, and there may be no hard- ship in paying for the land partly or wholly in these benefits. In the examination of a great many cases’ I have found none in which this charge of benefits is sanctioned, except where the improvement has been peremptorily directed by law to be. made; &@ street or county road has been directed to be laid out, swampy ground has been directed to be ined and reclaimed, or a bridge to be butit or an existing street widened. The owner of land to be affected by the proposed improvement has all the certainty of benefit which legislative ordi- nance can give him. The jurors who are to estimate the damages know when the work is to be done and what will be its cost, and n easily estimate the benefit to result m it. There ig nothing jectural, {I- sive or problematical about it. And this (Continued on Eleventh Page.) a ar. No. 13,385. WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1896-TWELVE PAGES. TWO CENTS. If you want today’s news tcday you can find it only in The Star. Some Men Unknown at Large, but Strong in Their Respectiva States, Gossip as to Presidential PossPbilities —Some Hope Yet for the Democrats. While there is a tendency among some of the newspapers to belittle the recent silver corference, it is a noticeable fact that the democratic and republican poli- ticians are not making much sport of it. The resolutions adopted by the republican silver Senators are so much in accord with the platferm of “the new party without @ rame” @s to create comment. Heretofore many of the silver conferences have been composed of men in whom the people of the country had no confidence, and often whose political records had been such as™to rightfully entitle them to the name of cranks. While there may have been some of the same persuasion in the conference this week, the average delegate stood higher in the estimation of the peo- ple. The rank of the men there is what is causing the politicians uneasiness. They do not know exactly how to look upon the new movement or what to think of it. They are waiting to see how it will take with the country before they express opinions, and to see whether it is going to be formid- able enough to need serious opposition. Some Strong Men. There were some strong men in the free silver conference. The large majority of them are unknown to the country at large, but in their respective states are men of the highest and strongest political influ- ence. For instance, one of the members of the new party executive committee is I. N. Stevens of Colorado. He has bean the republican boss of his state for years, and Is credited with having sent Wolcott to the Senate. He is a leader in three or four cf Colorado's sister states, or, at least, Lis influence goes a long way in their elections when he chooses to take a hand. He was the prosecutor of the celebrated poisouer, Dr. Graves, and is a lawyer of splendid attainments. Another man from the same state whe took a prominent stand in the convention was T. M. Patter- son, editor of the Rocky Mountain News. Dr. J. J. Mott, the chairman of the new national committee, is a man who stands high in his own state, North Carolina. As stated in The Star, he was voted for for the United States Senate at the time Sen- ator Pritchard was elected. Then there was Editor Holden of the Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer. He participated in the work of the conference, and there was no differ- ence in his views and those of the other leaders, except that he intends to stay in the democratic party until he is absolutely certain there is no chance in that organiza- tion for silver. Presidential Possibilities. There was aot a great deal of talk among the conference leaders about presidential candidates, but the consensus of opinion seemed to favor an entirely new man, or rather some good man not now prominent in the financial fights. Judge Miller of Chi- cago has been talked of some. Hardin of Kentucky will have many friends among southern free silver men; one Georgia paper has been suggesting his name for some time. The populist party is not regarded as hav- ing a man in its ranks now who can fill the Lill. Weaver has not weight enough to command the vote of the consolidated silver forces. What is wanted is a man who woéuld be voted for by silver men throughout the country. Sibley has lost his grip as a prob- ability. Neither Stewart nor Jones is looked upon as available timber. The talk of Cam- €ron and Teller for first and second place might materialize should Cameron remain a true and tried friend of silver. Inasmuch, however, as the present movement is looked upon as a combination of the south, west and northwest against the balance of the country, the national ticket is more likely to be made up of men from these sections. There is some significance in the fact that the editor of the Bimetallist, published in Indiana, took part in the conference. The significance is in the fact that he is a dem- ocrat and is booming Voorhees for Presi- dent. What if Voorhees should not find the action of the national democratic convention to suit his ideas? Is there a possibility that he weuld be in for a new party and for a presidential race? It is not known how close the editor of the paper is to Voorhees or what his attendance at the conference meant. At any rate, he stated to the con- ference that he would remain a democrat until the Chicago convention meets. The Populist Brethren. There are strong tles of friendship between the new party people and the populists, but everything possible was done to keep the impression from going abroad that there was any co-operation between the two or- ganizations in the present movement, or that they were one and the same. There was objection to putting any populists on the executive committee on the ground that it would identify the movement with the pop- ulist party. ter developments will show how far the populists are interested in the new party. Hope for the Democrats. It is said that one result of the conference has been to infuse new life and spirit in the castdown silver leaders of the democratic party. They are going to have a meeting soon te begin a fight for the control of the natioral convention. Should they succeed in doing this, they claim that they will swallow the new movement, es well as the populist party, and that the democratic banner will fly victorious in November. In the confer- ence Wednesday, when a speaker suggested that the democratic party might yet turn up for silver, there was a shout of approval, and pledges that the ticket would be sup- ported. The democratic silver leaders know that the coming struggle is a life and death one between them and the single standard faction, and they are already equipping themselves for the fight. ——-2—_____ AMBASSADOR RUNYON’S DEATH. He Had Had Two Previous Atincks of Heart Disease. BERLIN, January 27.—Further details concerning the death of the United States ambassador to Germany, Mr. Theodore Runyon, who expired at 1 o'clock this morning, most unexpectedly, although he had been in ill health for some time past, show that he awoke at midnight and com- plained of suffering from a pain in his heart. Dr. Brunar was hastily summoned, and when he reached the ambassador’s residence he found Mr. Runyon uncon- scious, dying shortly afterward. His death was painless, and resulted from heart fail- ure. Only the family of the ambassador was present at his bedside when he passed tee Runyon had two previous attacks of heart failure, but they were not considered dangerous. ‘The remains of the United States ambas- sador will be accorded a state funeral at the American church here on Wednesday. will be emi The body and will be taken to his home at Newark, N. J. Official notice of the death of Ambassa- ee eee event were ry; after tion with the sent a message of condolence to the charge, ex- STILL IN THE MUDj*°OKINe No Change in the Position of the St. Paul, VAIN EFFORTS 0 FLOAT THE VESSEL Work of Lightening the Ship Goes On Steadily. PRES. GRISCOM CONFIDENT LONG BRANCH, January 27.—There is absolutely no change in the condition of the big ocean steamship St. Paul, which ran aground off here early Saturday morning. The American liner is lying exactly in the same position as yesterday, fast imbedded in the sandy beach opposite the Grand View Hotel. Early this morning, at high tide, the wrecking tugs I. J. Merritt, W. E. Chap- man, North American and Hustler made a long and arduous effort to pull the steamer out of the Jersey sand. The kedge anchors were aiso used, but all to no purpose. The wind was from the west this morning, and was, therefore, unfavorable for a successful effort. There was not enough water for the big ship to churn in, as the off-shore breeze had the effect of keeping it away. There will probably be very little headway made by the wreckers until the wind changes. Captains Wardelt and Mulligan of the Monmouth Beach and Takanassee Lake life Saving stations both agree in saying that it will require the aid of an easterly or south- easterly breeze of some twenty knots ve- Iccity, together with a strong sea, combined with the efforts of the tugs and the help of the kedge anchors, to get the steamer off. The wind is stronger than it was yesterday, but the water is almost as smooth, and no ditticulty is experienced by the boatmen in launching their surf boats and getting out to the ship. The work of lightening the ship has beea going steadily on since yesterday morn- ing. The lighters were busy at the steam- er’s starboard side all through the night, transferring the boxes and bales of goods from ihe steamer’s hold to tugs, which were in waiting to tring the cargo to New York. President Griscom’s Confidence. President C. A. Griscom of the Interna- tional Navigation Company and his son re- mained aboard the steamer St. Paul all night. They came ashore today accompa- nied by Port Capt. Shackford and General Freight Agent Bittel. President Griscom said that he had made careful inquiries regarding the accident and reiterated the statement he made yester- day, as to his confiderce in Capt. Jamison. “Capt. Jamison,” said he, “has made a statsment, which I am not at liberty to make public, but it satisfies me that he is not to be blamed. His defense may be made public in a few days, but at present, I do not care to say any more about it. I am perfectly satisfied that the ship will be brought off all right, as I have the utmost confidence in the ability of the wrecking companies.” Rumors are rife among the beach comb- ers that the ship is lying among snbmerged rocks. When Mr. Griscom was asked about this he replied: “Well, I have always found that some people know more than othe As far as I know, there are no rocks there and as I have already said, I have no fears for the safety of the vessel.” Mr. Griscom went to New York in his pri- vate car. The lighters are busily at work taking off the cargo, and about 100 longshoremen who were sent down from New York ure busy as beavers lightening the steamer. A tug was moored at the port-side of the St. Paul, and unstripped all the port davits. The lifeboats on the starboard side were lowered this morning and towed over to one of the tugs, where they were stowed away. During the forenoon the westerly wind in- creased to an eighteen-mile breeze, and the sea became a trifle heavier. The breakers, however, did not interfere with the boat- men, and the passengers did not suffer any urusual inconvenience on their trips of in- spection. The Captain Reticent. A representative of the Associatzd Press called up Capt. Jamison on the ’phons this forning. In reply to a number of ques- tions, Capt. Jamison said that the work of discharging the cargo would be completed by tonight or early tomorrow. “How about the gold you have on board, captain? Has it been taken off?’ “It has no replied the captain, and then he added: “I wish it was in New York, as it has caused me more trouble and un- easiness than anything else." “It is said that you have made a state- ment as to how the tnishap occurred. To whom do you attach the blame?’ “I cannot answer that question,” were the words which came across the telephone, “nor can I tell you when I will file my offi- cial repoft. Everything 1s going on nicely on board. Good bye.” At noon the wind was blowing about twenty-five knots and it had the effect of increasing the steamer’s list to port, not- withstanding the fact that a good deal of the cargo had been taken off. It tran- spired about noon that several members of the St. Paul’s crew had heen relieved from duty today. Departure of the St. Louis. The American line steamship St. Louis left Cramp’s shipyard, Philadelphia, at 5 o’clock this morning for New York, to take up the schedule of her disabled sister ship, the St. Paul. She will arrive in New York at 10 o'clock tonight. Since arriving at the ship yard the St. Louis had been dismantled to some extent, and it was necessary for a large force of men to work until nearly mid- night last night to get her ready to sail today. It is proposed when the St. Louis again goes to Cramp’s to make improve- ents in the smokestacks and steam pipes and to alter the damper-shutters in the. room. A Saiflor’s Blunder. Captain Jamison of the St. Paul says that the blame for the disaster les upop the sailor who was casting the lead, and who reported seventeen fathoms of water when there was only seven fathoms showing on the sounding line. No excuse is given for the mistake. The man, it is asserted, had been calling off good depths for some time, and his cail of seventeen fathoms was about the depth expected by Captain Jamison at the time. —_>__—. PRAISE FOR JAPAN. e Consul Alexander Catesby Jones Pic- tures Her Wonderful Progress. A strong picture of the new Japan, as the country emerged from the war with China, is presented in a report to the State Depart- ment by United States Consul Jones at Chinkiang. He shows how the country has progressed in naval ard military methods, hew vast industries have sprung into being in the two months, and above all, how widespread are the means of ular edu- eatin and betel Linnorst is the eaery, 8) amon, ie sc] childrei who are all instructed in tactics and ari He the best or- in the world today, and what- in store for Japan, one thing splnit will always bold thet heads high of the earth. Democrats Anticipating the Passage of the Bond Bill and Amendments. Mr. Gorman’s Proposition, Which Sur- prisen Some of His Associates and is Not Indorsed by Them. In view of the prospect that the House bond bill, amended into a free coinage bill, will get into a conference of the two houses,.| the democrats of the Senate are endeavor- ing to agree upon some sort of a proposition asa conference compromise. The two Utah Senators were sworn in and took their seats tcday, and there is nothing now to interfere with a vote on the Senate measure, except a few unfinished speeches. It is probable that a vote will be had by Friday, when the free coinage proposition will pass the Senate by a small majority. The bill, once pagsed by the Senate, will undoubtedly be non-concurred in by the House and sent to cenference. A conference report is not sub- ject to amendment, so that if the confer- ence should be able to agree upon a com- Fromise, the two houses would have to vote either for or against it as reported. There is very little prospect that the eonference committee will be able to agree upon ary- thing. The Senate will be represented by silver men, and the House by men of the opposite faith, and neither will be in a posi- tion to. yleld anything of consequence. Democrats Want a Comprom The democrats, however, want to agree upon something in the way of a compro- mise which will serve them as a party platform in anticipation of their nattonal convention. It is agreed by the represen- tatives of both factions of that party that if something is not done to bring them to- gether before the meeting of the national convention there will be a split of the party over the national platform and the presi- dential nomination. The leaders in Con- gress, therefore, want to anticipate the convention by agree‘ng upon some proposi- tion at this time. There hus already been something published about the proposition of which Mr. Faulkner of West Virginia is understood to be the prime mover. This is to issue bonds for gold sufficient to retire the greenbacks and to open the mints to the coinage of silver until the coinage has reached an amount equal to. the amount of greenbacks thus retired. This proposition is not satisfactory to the stiver men. It 1s understood that Mr. Gorman, who is known as an antl-silver man, advises the adoption of a measure of compromise which the Silver men would all agree to. It is that gold enough for the retirement of the greenbacks be secured by the sale of bonds and that the free coinage of silver then be restored. He would, it is said, provide in a compromise measure for the bonds, the retirement of the greenbacks and the free coinage of silver. fr Surprised at Germa Proposition. All this talked of compromise is in antici- pation of a condition which has not yet de- veloped, and is tentative, Therefore the propositions are made privately only. This position attributed to Mr. Gorman causes considerable surprise, Lecause of his well- known anti-silver sentiments. Ht ts gratify- ing to the silver men, but'no one knows just what to make of ‘t, unless he Is seek- ing to restore his influence with the silver element of his party, which is the domi- nating element, with the view of possible candidacy before thé national convention, Senators Gray, Lindsay and Vilas do not approve of the proposition. o RATS AND MICE. From a Genuine Russia § Suffered Plague 6f Rodents. Russia has suffered from a genuine plague of rats and mice, and the story is attractively told by Untted States Corsul Heenan at Odessa, in a report to the State Department. The vermin first appeared in southern Russia in the autumn of 1893, and they increased in number with marvelous rapidity, owing to heavy grairi harvests leaving much unthrashed grain, and to the mild weather. In addition te the common house and field mouse, another and new variety appeared, having .a’ long, sharp nose. These mice overrah every place, and they moved in vast numbers like armies, and in instances did not hesitate to attack men and animals. While’ the rats were not so numerous as the mice, they were more destructive, eating everything, gnawing away the woodwork, and eyen ruining en- tire buildings. After exhausting all other means, the plague was finally terminated in 1€94 by resort to bacteriology, when the vermin were destroyed by ithe Inoculation of a few rodents with contagious disease germs. i + _____ GERMANY DEMANDS PAYMENT. Venezuela Had Guaranteed a: come to the Railway Builders. BERLIN, January 27.—It is semi-officlally announced today that the German minister at Caracas has presented a note to the Venezuelan government demanding psy- ment of the guarantee fund due to German subjects as a result of the building of the great Venezuelan rail: On the other hand, it.is semi-officially de- nied that two German warships are shortly to proceed to Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, in order to enforce the payment of the guar- antee fund, and it Is also semi-officially de- nied that the German marines will even- tually be landed at Puerto Cabello. The claims arose in connecuion with the construction by German capitalists of gp railway line from Caracas to Valencia, at a stipulated price. The government of Ven- ezuela was to guarantee the capitalists an income 6f 7 per cent om the investment. If the earnings failed to reach that amount the government was to maite up the bal- ance, i Owing to the rough’ ceuntry through which the lines passed the railroad cost several times what the projectors estimated it would, and therefore compiderably more than the amount on which the Veneuelan government agreed to guarantee a fixed in- come. The projectors demanded’ the 7 per-cent on th2 amount actually expended, but the government insisted that it should pay the interest. only on the amount frst agrecd cn. Finally the Venezuelan government submitted the question. to a number of well-known native lawyers, who decided against the government; amd as a conse- quence en agreement was entered into on the 3d of July last by whieh the govern- ment agreed to pay the ameunt demanded, viz., 5,400,000 bolivars, ‘or something over a million dollars. A copy of the Official Gazette received in this city contained notice.of the agree- Ment and of the payment of the amount agreed on by the government. —>——_ ead: REVOLT IN VENEZUELA. It is Promptly Suppressed by Govern- ment Troops. NEW YORK, January 27.-The Red D steamer Caracas arrived thig morning from Venezuelan ports. At the ime of leaving La Guayara, ® more psi and settled | feeling prevailed. con; the boundary’ question. An outbreak hadi been reported at Core, but it was suppressed by ov mee it a To Reinstate Paymaster Stevenson. ‘The bill to reinstate Paymaster John Stevenson, who was retired on heif pay, will be fay e ees Antercourse with the outside world. The Condition of Things on the Island of Caba. GOMEZS HEALTH 18 NOT IMPAIRED Much is Expected of the New Captain General. SPAIN MAY ULTIMATELY WIN The gentleman who in November gave The Star so-accurate an account of the Cuban situation at that time has just passed through Washington on another trip direct from Havana. He left the island the mid- dle of last week, Speaking of the situation there now to a representative of The Star, this gentleman said: “Business on the {sland is completely par- alyzed. The towns are idle, the country precincts harried by marching men. At po time, probably, during the ten years’ war, between 1868 and 1878, was Cuba in so dis- tressing a plight as she is today.” Much Expected of the New General. “Is much expected of the new captain general?” “Yes; but he comes to assume duties hedged about by a thousand difficulties. His course cannot be predicted, except that the talk of an inauguration of a barbarous warfare by him may be put down as non- sense. Even if he were disposed to such Procedure, he would not dare enter upon it in the face of well understood public sentiment in this country. That alone would restrain him. He is said to be an abie man, part soldier, part politician, like other Spaniards of his class. He knows something about Cuba, from service there in the past, and that ought to help him.” “What is the grade of the Spanish troops the island “It is good. The men, as a rule, are young, vigorous, brave enough. They are well disciplined. I don’t know any soldiers who in like circumstances would willingly stand more hardships than they are. stand- ing. They are well officered, and are on the go continuaHy. But they are afoot, while the other fellows are mounted; ani not only mounted, but constantly maneuvering to avoid a general engagement. That ex- plains much of the apparent helplessness of the Spaniards.” “Why are not the Spaniards mounted?” ‘Horseflesh is scarce in Cuba, and poor. The Cuban pony is an inferior beast. He can’t carry much more than his rider. Gomez and Maceo get the best out uf him, but this is because their men are so scan- tily equipped. Load men down with am- munition and grub, and Cuban ponies wouldn’t carry them very far. There has been some talk of importing horses, and it may come to that. But, as a matter of fact, real cavalry warfare is impossible in Cuba. There are no roads, properiy so called, and a campaign depending for suc- cess largely on cavalry or artillery would certainly fail.” Not Aiming et Havana. “Have Gomez and Maceo strengthened themselves much of late?” “It js hard to say. Their tactics are Mable to be misunderstood at a distance. Gomez has been reported as aiming at Havana. That is a mistake. He couldn't take Havana with his present force, and couldn't hold it with three times his pres- ent force. If the Spaniards could entice him inte Havana, and gét. him between their fire in the harbor and their fire from the land force they could at once concen- trate around the town, they would be able to bag him. He's too smart for that.” “But wouldn’t his friends in town rise up and help him?” “Both Gomez and Maceo have the vro- foundest contempt for the so-called friends of Cuba whe live in the towns. They de- scribe them as cowards who sit in cafes sipping sweetened water and talking patriotism in whispers. They can't under- stand why these men, if they care any- thing for the cause, don’t take the field at once; don’t come to them, instead of wait- ing for the insurgents in arms to take the towns.” As to Gomez’s Health. “It is reported here that Gen. Gomez is in very poor health." “I don’t believe the report. He is in- dulging in some very hard cimpaigning, but my information in Havana was that he was sleeping in the open air in a ham- mock, and was one of the first in the sad- cle in the merning. It may be true as re- ported that he has received a ball in his leg. He is one of the bravest of men and never shirks dangers.” “Well, how much longer is the struggle likely to continue?” “I wish I could answer that question. But I cannot. Nor do I think anybody else can. Both sides have their dander up. The Cubans are well led. Gomez and Maceo are capital fighters in their line. They know ‘heir people and every foot of the island. The Spaniards, as I have al- ready said, are well equipp ‘The Spanish gcvernment seems determined. Expenses are heavy, but sufficient money seems to be in sight. Spain's borrowing power is as yet unimpaired. Active operations, Low- ever, are likely to be suspendel in about two months, when the rainy season be- gins, and continue suspended until fall, when it ends. This season this year, too, is likely to be unhealthy, and the Spanish troops will accordingly have to be well on for to prevent decimation by yellow fever.”” “What is the present feeling on the island about the attitude of this government?” Spain May Win in the End. “The subject is but little discussed now. ‘The Spaniards do not seem to fear the ac- cording of belligerent-rights to the Cubans, and the Cubans have lost the sanguine char- acter of their expectations. The sympathy felt in this country for the Cuban cause is generally understood, but if this does not take the form of action it will continue to cut but little figure in the fight. I somehow feel that, if there is no outside interference, Spain“in the end will win. It may take a long time, and many men and much treas- ure, but the advantages, if she sticks to her knitting, are with her. She has 100,000 regu- Jar troops on the island, and uninterrupted The Cubans, on the other hand, are shut up, with only inferior arms and without a single ship. The question is, however, whether there will be anything left on the island worth having if the present warfare continues much longer. The towns without the support of the sugar fields would be nothing, and the sugar fields are being rapidly destroyed. Spain's richest possession may become a melancholy waste, requiring years for restoration to conditions of crop yielding ‘and prosperity.” —__e+—____. Caledonia Wants California Wheat. Urpted States Commercial Agent Mescam at Moumea, Caledonia, has transmitted to the State Department a proposition from the milling corporation there which has a ten-year contract to supply the colonial government with flour to take the Califor- nia, wheat of good grade in lots of 700 tons and upward, if reasonable rates can be ar- ranged. The commercial agent points cut Soe cee ae eae ene, SP shia trade, and shows how might easily turn cargoes to San Francisco. Spee Delegations That Appeared Befcre the House Subcommittee on Appropriations. Water and Sewer Facilities Advocat- ea by Physicians—Other Measures That Ought to Become Laws. Dr. Burey, Dr. Johnston and Dr. Magruder of the Medical Society of the District ap- peared before the subcommittee of the House appropriations committee today to urge the necessity of additional water and sewer facilities for the city. The doctors laid before the committee the reports upon the health of the city, prepared by the Medical Society, and heretofore published in The Star. Arguments were presented showing the presence of typhoid fever in the District to be due to the faulty sewer and water system. The North Capitol and Eckington Citi- zers’ Association also appeared before the committee to ask appropriations for lights and street improvements. Mrs. Archibald Hopkins asked an appro- priation of $3,000 for the Home for Incur- ables. Mr.*Whelpley of the board of public school trustees appeared before the committee to give general information upon the public school estimates. Tomorrow at 10 o'clock the subcommittee will take up the question of lighting the at, It is expected at this rate to have the bill ready to report to the full committee by the e nd of this week. The Naifonal University. Mr. Richardson has introduced in the House a bill to incorporate the National University. It 1s identical with the bill for the same purpose introduced in the Senate last week. Mr. Coffin of Maryland has introduced a Lill in the House to enforce judgments of the court of claims in the case of the fol- lowing citizens of Washington: S. M. Gol- den, $540; J. C. Brooks, $591; R. S. Perkins, $1,000; C. E. F. Rosenthal, $300. Flags on School Houses. That every public school building of the District of Columbia may have an Ameri- can flag floating over it the Woman's Relief Corps of the Department of the Potomac has sent a petition to Congress, stating patriotic reasons why the stars and stripes should be given prominence. Mrs. Mary C. A. Kibley, Mary M. North and Eliza G. Naylor represent the Woman's Relief Corps, as a committee, to request Congress to appropriate $1,000 per annum to purchase Mags and staffs for the one hundred school buildings of the District. For this purpose Mr. McMillan introduced a bill in the Senate today, with the above provisions. A Wall Around the Ja‘ Mr. McMillan also introduced a bill in the Senate today providing for the erection of a wall around the District jail. It is the same measure lately introduced in the House by Mr. Curtis. Trustees of the Industrial School. A bill, providing for the appointment of trustees by the Commissioners of the Dis- trict of Columbia of the Industrial Home School, was today introduced in the Senate by Mr. McMillan. It provides that the board of managers of the Industrial Home School, on or before June 30, 1896, shall transfer said school to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, and said Commissioners shall thereupon appoint a board of trustees of sald school consisting of nine members, said board of trustees to manage the school, all their appointments to be subject to the ap- proval of the Commissioners, -——$_____ A HIGH-CASTE BRAHMIN. Mr. Banerji Presented to President Cleveland by Dr. Gallaudet. President Cleveland received a call Sat- urday of more than usual interest. It was not from a foreign representative, which is a common event; but from a representa- tive foreigner. Dr. Gallaudet, president of the College for Deaf Mutes, introduced one of his normal students, Mr. Jamini Nath Banerji, a high-caste Brahmin, from Calcutta, India. Mr. Banerji is the head master of a school for deaf mutes lately organized in Calcutta, and is spending a number of months here for the purpose of perfecting himself in the methods of teaching the deaf made use of in this country. He expects to return to India next sum- mer and devote his life to tne cause of educating the deaf in that country, their number being upwards of two hundred thousand, with no public provision what- ever for their instruction. President Cleveland received Mr. Banerji with great cordiality and showed a most friendly and intelligent interest in the im- portant work he is fitting himself to under- take. Prof. B. L. Wiggins of the University of the South, Tennessee, who Is the guest of Governor Shepherd on a visit to Washing- ton, says it is worth a trip all the way from Tennessee to enjoy a Gridiron dinner. Medical Director J. L. Walton of the Na- val Academy is in the city on leave. The leave of absence of Maj. James H. Gageby, twelfth infantry, has been ex- tended one month. Mrs. Wm. Mahone and her daughter, Mrs. McGill, are at the Arlington. R. H. Kerens, the Missouri politician, is at the Normandie. Richard Croker is visiting Senator Mur- phy. No political significance is attached to his presence here, although the com- plexion of the New York delegation to the ext democratic national convention may have been casually considered between courses. James 8. McKean, the well-known Pitts- burg newspaper man, is at Chamberlin’s. Col. and Mrs. F. L. Hitchcock of Scranton, Pa., are at the Shoreham. John C. Judge, the young Minneapolis lawyer of rising fame, is in Washington on legal business. He is at the Riggs House. Senator Arthur Brown of Utah, with his wife and son, arrived at the Ebbitt yester- day. Prof. M. A. Scovell of Lexington is at the Ebbitt. A. McKinley of New York, a brother of Ohio’s governor, is at the Ebbitt. Robert O. M. Douglas, a son of Stephen A. Douglas, and who was a secretary of Gen. Grant during his presidential terms, is at the Ebbitt, from Greensboro’, N. C. He is accompanied by James E. Boyd, who is said to have a mortgage on the next republican gubernatorial nomination in the old north state, Mrs. John Vance Cheney of Chicago and Ellen A. Richardson of Boston, two weill- known literary women, are at the Raleigh. ————_-o+__. ANOTHER FRUITLESS BALLOT. Dr. Hunter Fails to Secure a Majority at Frankfort. LOUISVILLE, Ky., January 27.—A special to the Post from Frankfort says: Al- though no one expected that a Senator would be elected today the lobbies and gal- lerles of the house were again crowded at noon, when the fifth ballot of the joint as- sembly was taken. The roll call showed 128 members present and voting. The ballot resulted as follow: Blackburn, 55; ees 8; Hazelrigg, to- powers TO A COMPROMIS BUSINESS PARALYZED|®!'StRICT IN CONGRESS TWO MORE SENATORS The New Representatives From Utah Sworn In Today. MR. CANNON GETS THE LONG TERM The Armenian Resolutions Discussed in the House. OTHER MATTERS TOUCHED ON The two Senators from the new state of Utah, Frenk J. Cannon and Arthur Brown, were on the floor of the Senate today for the first time. They were the center of an animated group in the rear of the cham- ber,-where Senators gathered to extend to them a warm welcome. There was added interest in their arrival owing to the votes on the silver bond bill in which they are expected to participate Mr. Cannon will augment the ranks of the young men of the Senate. He is short in stature and of athletic build. His col- league, Mr. Brown, is beyond middle age, with smooth-shaven face and compact, wiry frame. Rev. Dr. Milburn, the blind chaplain, prayed eloquently for bleeding Armenia. “Hear the cry of our agony,” he prayed, “in beM@alf of the people of Armenia, de- spoiled, tortured, their homes in ashes, their men and womer and children slain at the edge of the sword; their women dishonored. Arouse and unite the powers of Christendom, the queen, the czar, the kaiser, kings and princes, their ministers and people, that the sultan shall be forced to sheathe his bloody swerd and stay the frenzied rage of his fanatical sgldiery and subjects.” at Se ors Sworn In. The induction of the Utah Senators oc- curred immediately after the chaplain'’s invocation, Mr. Dubois (Idaho) presenting the credentials of Mr. Cannon and Mr. Burrows (Mich.) those of Mr. Brown. The credentials were read and being in due form the two new Senators proceeded to the desk of the Vice President, where, with uplifted hand, the oath of office was taken. Mr. Brown was assigned a desk in the rear and extreme left of the cham- ord and Mr. Cannon immediately before im. Mes. Waller's Petition. Mr. Baker (Kan.) presented a petition from Mrs. Waller, wife of the ex-United States consul in Madaguscar, reciting the circumstance of the arrest of her husband by the French military authorities, his trial by a drum-head court and his trans- pertation in chains to a French prison. Mrs. Waller's petition recites: “By these acts France has held my husband, an American citizen, as an imprisoned felon for the past ten months, and I believe and am sure that had my husband been a sub- ject of Great Britain he would have long since been released.” As an American Woman, Mrs. Waller asks the American Congress to take suitable action. Mr. Peffer (Kan.) offered a resolution calling on the interstate commerce com- mission for information as to discrimina- tion on passenger and freight rates to and from Missouri river points. The resolution went over. The Utah Senators then draw lots for the length of their respective terms. On motion of Mr. Mitchell two slips of paper were placed in @ ballot box—one rumbered 1 and the other 3. The Senator drawing number 1 was to have the term expiring March 3, 1899, while the one draw- ing_number 3 was to serve until March 3, 18v7. Messrs. Cannon and Brown proceed- €d to the clerk's desk, where the ballot box containing the slips was held out to them. Mr. Cannon drew first and won the long term, Mr. Brown securing the short term. At 1 o'clock Mr. Hansbrough (N dressed the Senate on the re: ution in- structing the Secretary of Agriculture to execute the law concerning the distribu- tion of seeds, etc. Mr. Allen (Neb.) spoke of the high per- scral qualiues of the Secretary of Agri- culture, but, said Mr. Allen, the Secretary did not always confine himself to his prop- er sphere. He was apt to discuss finance, usurping to some exient the functions of the Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. George (Miss.) said the Senate could rot act as 4 court, and issue its mandamus to the Secretary of Agriculture. Mr. Hans- brough, he said, was acting as a prosecut- ing attorney, and was arraigning the Secre- tary of Agriculture as though impeachment proceedings were contemplated. Mr. Against Free Coin: At 2 o'clock the Hansbrough resolution went over until tomorrow, and the silver bond bill was taken up. Mr. Nelson (Minn.) addressed the Senate for the first time since he entered the Sen- ate. He read from manuscript, and spoke in a clear, strong voice. Mr. Nelson said the free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, by the United States alone, at this time, and urder existing conditions, will destroy the last vestige and last hope of genuine bi- metallism, and will reduce us to a pure state of silver monometalism, with Mexico, China and Japan as our chief metallic money associates. - A metal may be freely coined and yet be powerless to maintain itself in circulation. THE HOUSE. Nelson In the House today a bill was passed on motion of Mr. Towne Minn.) to amend the act of 1889 for the relief and civilization of the Chippewas, so as to permit the Secretary of the Interior, in his discretion, to sell the pine lands in their reservations in blocks of 100,000 acres or less. Some 4,000,000 acres are to be sold under an act of 1889. The Armenian Resolution. When the passage of the Senate Armenian resolution was announced, Mr. Quigg (N.Y.), a member of the foreign affairs committes, who had charge of a somewhat similar res- olution, prepared by that committee, moved that the Senate resolution be substituted for that of the House. He explained that the difference between the resclutions was so slight that it was not advisable, In view of the passage of the Senate resolution, to pass the one prepared by the House committee. In support of the resolution he made a brief statement of the facts, which called upon Congress to express its indignation at the situation in Asia Minor. Our interest was purely humane. Although the newspaper accounts occasionally reported atrocities on American citizens, there were assurances from the State Department that no Ameri- can citizens had suffered in their persons. A Duty of Humanity. Our duty wi therefore, one of human- ity, and it was a matter of profound grief, said he, that the American people were now forced to protest to those who had given bonds for the good behavior of the Turk. It was not necessary for us, he said, to inquire into the motives which actuated an European er which de- cried the outrages In Turkey with one hand and upheld the sultan with the other. With the jealousies and political machina- tions of Europe we were not interested. But since European powers, in the name of government and humanity, had pledged the sultan and he had acknowledged the pledge, that liberty of conscience and freedom of worship should exist in every before the high court of good faith