Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, October 10, 1903, Page 6

By E. ROSEWATER, EDITOR. SHED RY MORNING. TERMS OF SUBSCRiPTION. fly Beo (without Sunday), One Year.}.00 fly Bee and SBunday, One Year 6.00 Eéunrned Bee, One Year.... 2.00 nday Bee, One Year 20 turday Bee, One Year. ... 180 ‘wentieth Century Farmer, One Year. 1.00 DELIVERED BY CARRIER. {ly Bee (without Sunday), per Gopy.. 2 ily Bee (without SBunday). per week..12c aily Bee (Including Sunday), per week.1ic junday Bee, per copy.. [ ivening Bee (without Evening Bee (including Sunday, week . ’ ket ) Complaints of irregularities in’delivery #hould be addressed to City Circulation De~ partment. OFFICES Omaha—The Bes Bullding. South Omaha—City Hall Building, Twen- ty-fifth and M streets. Councll Bluffs—i0 Pearl Street. Chicago—ieio Unity Bullding, New York—232% Park Row Bullding. ‘Washington—501 Fourteenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communieations relating to news and edi- torial matter should be addressed: Omaha Bee, Editorial Department. REMITTANCES. Remit by draft, express or postal order gayedie to The bee Publishing Company; 3-cent stamps accepted in payment of mall accounts, ‘ersonal checks, except on Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATIO! Btate of Nebraska, Doug'as County, s8.. George B. Tzschiick, secretary of The Bee Publishing’ Company, being duly sworn, #ays that the actual number of full an completo coples of The Daily Morning, Evening and Sunday. mog&rlmm during :.'" month of September, 1903, was as fol- we: 1 28,030 28,910 unday), per week 6o per EEBNERRENRSEE: Total Less unsold and returned coples. Net total sales. Net average sales. i GEORGE B. TZSCHUCK. piubscribed in myapg:lencla jaad sworn fo this 3th e Y D, ioia. M B HUNGATE, (Beal.) Notary Public. — Ak-Sar-Ben IX outshines them all, e — Better than a gold mine—the confetti privilege at Ak-Sar-Ben's street fair. Sem———— Ak-Sar-Ben can console himself that he is not the first monarch to be gold- bricked. F—— Mayor Moores is entitled to a royal commission as the official humorist of Ak-Sar-Ben's realm. Where Judge Vinsonhaler made his mistake was in issuing a challenge for the production of a document that he thought had been lost. em——————— Zav only way to characterize the con- dition of municipal politics in Greater New York in a single phrase is to say that it is “decidedly muddled.” T From the tenacity of the czar in bolding on to Manchuria one might draw the inference that there is no Moving day in the Russian calendar. SEmm——————— The vandal who cut the British flag to ribbons In the Oity Hall park at New York doubtless thought the colors would be more effective in ribbon form. e—— . The woman suffragists have been dis- cussing what they should ask from the next Nebraska legislature. Our advice ‘would be to ask for considerably more than they expect to get. Isn't it a trifle inconsistent for a Ne- . braska World's fair commissioner to be - booming Nebraska's resources at St. Louls and at the same time planting colonies up in Canadian Winnipeg? E——— The orderly character of the street erowds in attendance on the carnival deserves at least passing attention. In no other large city could the people con- ““gregate in such numbers and behave themselves better. : mpe————— Arguments on the Alaskan boundary dispute have been concluded before the - arbitration commission. If it takes as long for the commissioners to ruminate as it did for the counsel to orate, we need be in no hurry to look for the an- nouncement of the decislon. em——————— That the managers of the St. Louis exposition have money to burn is again strikingly illustrated by the announce . ment that 35,000 Dutch tulip bulbs have beon imported from Holland at a cost of $35,000 for the horticultural exhibit on the exposition grounds. At $1 aplece these bulbs are dog cheap. Two hundred years ago, during the historic tulip mania, they would have found a ready market in Holland at from $50 to $500 aplece. The World-Herald 4s very much wrought up over that Vinsonhaler pledge, but not a word about the Vin- sonhaler graft by farming out of trust funds for private galn, or the retention of fees which by law are required to be turned over into the county treasury. This is perfectly natural, however, as the editor of the fusion reform organ has since his birth been atflicted with a eataract that has blinded his eyes to the misdeeds of public treasury embez- zlers and speculators in trust funds. Those Kansas Oity Commercial con vention resolutions demanding con- | gréssional action to prevent the recur- " rence of floods in Kansas and Missourl smack altogether too much of paternal ism and foreshadow another raid on the national treasury through the wide- open channel of the river and harbor bl That impression would seem to be strgngthened by the fact that the chair- ~ man of the senate committee on rivers * and barbors wus an active participant " in the couvention. If the senate way with u cyclone and drouth com- Juittee the convention might also bhave added a resolution in faver of congres- wlonal appropriation for raln waking ‘v;‘: 3 P2 THE BOUNDARY CONTROVERSY. The arguments before the Alaskan Boundary commission having closed, a decision may be expected within a short time, as doubtless the members of the commissfon have already made up their minds in regard to the question in- volved. The discussion was not marked by any specially noteworthy incident, but it was very thorough, the Ameri- can counsel winning great credit for the very able manner in which they presented their case. No prediction re- garding the decision can have any value, but it seems to be the quite gen- eral impression in Canada that it will be adverse to the contention of that country, the bellef being that Lord Al- verstone, chairman of the commission, will support the American position. He has certainly shown a very great infer- est in the arguments of the counsel for the United States, complimenting two of them, but this may have been simply courtesy and without any significance in respect to his opinion of the real merits of the controversy. Referring to the dissatisfaction in Canada with the way things have been going before the Alaska tribunal, the New York Journal of Commerce ex- presses apprehension that in the event of a decision wholly favorable to the Untted States the effect may be to ag- gravate feeling in Canada against this country and thereby make more diffi- cult the attainment of closer trade rela- tions. It says: “Should the Alaska tribunal render a verdict recognized as fair on both sides of the line, the pros- pect not merely of satisfactory reciproc- ity negotiations, but of ratification of a treaty embodying their results, will be much brighter. Should it, on the other hfind, justify present suspicions by re- turning an extreme verdict in favor of the United States, disregarding what fair-minded Canadians consider their Just claims, the breach between our neighbor and ourselves will be widened and the prospects of recfprocity be im- paired.” It Is not complimentary to the Cana- dians to assume that they will resent a decision against them, after having been given the fullest opportunity to present their case to a tribunal the high character and ability of which will not be questioned, but in any event the reciprocity question will not be af- fected. 'That is not at present receiving any serious attention in the Dominion and a leading paper there recently de- clared that there is very little popular sentiment in favor of reciprocity with the United States. There is a strong and undoubtedly growing feeling in Canada favorable to the Chamberlain policy, which has just been publicly ap- proved by ‘a former premier, Sir Charles Tupper, who is perhaps the most influ- ential of the conservative leaders. ‘While such ardent advocates of reci- procity in this country as the Journal of Commerce continue to urge it, the Cana- dians are ignoring the subject and turn- ing their attention to the policy of Mr. Chamberlain, which appeals to the im- perialist sentiment of a very large ma- Jority of them. Whatever, therefore, the decision of the boundary tribunal may be, it will not have the slightest influence upon the question of trade re- lations between Canada and the United States. e—— TH® TREATY WITH CHINA. The signing of a new commercial treaty between this country and China, as to which there has béen no little anxiety for a considerable time, due chiefly to Russian interference, is a matter of considerable interest and im- portance in its bearing upon the future trade relations between the two coun- tries. By the terms of this conven- tion, the final ratification of which may be assumed to be assured, the Uniied States secures some valuable conces- slons, among them the opening of new ports and the right to carry on trade, industries and manufactures in all parts of China. ‘While there may not be immediately shown any very marked results from these concessions, it may confidently be anticipated that at no very remote time American trade will begin to realize a Lmaterial benefit from them. Our gov- ernment has been especlally urgent in asking the opening of two ports in Manchuria and the fact that it has been able to overcome in this matter the ob- Jection of Russia is a victory of a very decisive character. It is perhaps need- less to say that in this our govern- ment has not labored selfishly, but in the interest of all the commercial na- tions. We have obtajned in this no special privilege or opportunity, for in the opening of the new ports every other country will be given an equal chance with ourselves to secure Man- churian trade. In some other respects the treaty of course contalus special concessions to this country, these being of a character, however, which does not in the least discriminate agaipst any other country. The policy of our gov- ernment in the negotiations has been to ask for nothing that was not en- tirely fair and just and in the interest of stronger tles of friendship between the two countries, and its success against somewhat formidable obstacles is highly gratifying. There seems now to be nothing what- soever in the way of the ratification of this treaty. That it will be accepted by the United States senate may be re garded as certain and it appears equally safe to say that it will encounter no opposition elsewhere. The only ob- structive power was Russia and she some time since was made to see the mistake of that position and abandoned it. There is no doubt that the con- vention will be beneficlal to both coun- tries. It will bring about closer re- lations and strengthen the sentiment of friendsbip between OChina and the United States. The Chinese govern- t bas been given in the last few abundant reason for believing this republic 1s sincerely friendly that the United Btales car- THE OMAHA DAILY nestly desires the preservation of the territorial integrity of that great em- pire and may be depended upon to al- ways exert its influence to that end. The treaty just signed will more firmly bind this country to its already declared policy and give China a much stronger claim to American good will and sup- port in any future efforts it may be called npon to make in order to safe- guard Its territorital integrity against foreign schemes of aggrandizement. THE MISSOURI AS A HIGHWAY OF COMMERCE. Among the resolutions adopted by the commercial convention that has just closed an interesting session at Kansas City is the following: Resolved, That the Missouri river is ono of the natural highways of commerce and that the congress of the United States should enact such speclal legislation as it shall deem necessary to protect and pre- werve the channel of said river for the peo- ple as a highway. The declaration that the Misseurl river is a highway of commerce is pre- posterous. The Missouri river extends from Fort Benton, Mont., to St. Louls, a distance of more than 8,000 miles, but it has ceased to be a highway of com- merce ever since the advent of the rail- road. To make it a permanent highway of commerce would involve an expendi- ture of as much or more money than the building of the Isthmian canal and when it is fitted for a highway of com- merce it could only be utilized during the sWmmer months, when there is no grain and very little else to move either up or down the river. The only rational improvement of the Missburi river congress could and should provide for is the protection of the river banks adjacent to the towns and cities that are liable to great dam- age by high water, or may be cut off from the river altogether by change of channel. There is no doubt, however, that a barge line to carry. the products of the Missouri valley to tidewater would be of incalculable advantage to the region traversed by the Missouri river. Such a barge line from the upper Missouri to St. Louis operated all the year around is now practicable by the use of elec- tricity. If congress can be induced to vote $40,000,000 or $350,000,000 for pulling up snags, building ripraps and deepening channels and straightening the Missourl river, it could with an ex- penditure of many millions less con- struct a barge line, modeled after the Eads Ship rallway. With power houses located at proper distances and motors operating a trolley system to move the barges up or down the river to a point where they could be towed all the year round down the Mississippi to New Orleans and back, the cheap transportation _problem “for the great grain-raising region of Missouri, Kan- sas, western Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas would be solved. E— The euggestion that Omaha is very much in need of large warehouse build- ings to accommodate the increasing job- bing trade is taken up in all seriousness by a paper whose editor is noted for building castles in Spain and chicken- coops in Omaha. Practical Dusiness men doubtless realize that the owners of real estate located in the jobbing dis- trict will cheerfully build the ware- houses just as soon as they can see their way clear to secure fair interest on the money invested. For several years past business block rentals in Omaha have not kept pace with the in- creased cost of material and labor and consequently the people who had money for permanent investment were not dis- posed to plant it in buildings whose ren- tal frequently did not exceed the taxes, insurance and cost of ordinary repairs, leaving out of consideration the depre- clation caused by wear and tear. ] One of the popullst organs tries to make out that Judge Barnes enjoys no distinction in having been twice ap- pointed member of the sapreme court commission by unanimous vote of the three supreme judges, Judge Sullivan being one of them. But all of the su- preme court commissioners have not had reappointments when their terms expired. If Judge Barnes were not the right man for the place, it would not have required more than ordinary cour- age for Judge Sullivan to have intér- posed a veto against his retention. But we have Judge Sullivan’s word that his opponent is in every way qualified for performing the judicial functions devolving upon members of the supreme court, so why go behind that? —————— The Standard Oil trust, which dis- tributed nearly $25,000,000 in dividends among its stockholders within the past nine months, has ordained an advance in the price of coal oil, which will squeeze another wmillion or two out of its patrons, and the meat packers' com- bine has ordained a reduction in the price of hogs that will reduce the in- come of American farmers several hun- dred thousand dollars, but anybody who calls public attention to this exhibit of corporate porkishness is sure to be branded as a “knocker.” e Ex-Councilman Hascall read a paper before the National Association of Mu- nicipal Reformers on the vital points in municipal govermment. Mr. Has- call's extensive experience would doubt- less suggest that the most vital point in municipal government is to keep a sharp lookout for court balliffs bearing injunction papers and court orders to restrain the council from doing mali- clous mischief and to keep the council chamber doors closed against taxpayers who insist upon the fair equalization of wunicipal assessments. ss—— It will always remain a mystery why ex-Councllman Hascall should have traveled 2,600 miles, from Omaha to Baltimore and hack, to read a paper on munieipal reform at a cost to the city Ollul\'hhmlj-tu'ol‘luu t v BEE: SATURDAY, had that paper read at the expense of a 2-cent postage stamp. S———— Who Are the Dancerst 8t. Louls Globe-Democrt. Nobody but the millionalre Is taking any interest in the Wall street stock specula- tions. While the rich men are paying the fiddier, the outsiders can patiently enjoy the music. Manitestly a Wrong Im Washington Star. The receiver for the United States Ship- building company charges Charles M. Schwab with having fraudulently unloaded a $10,000,000 plant on the trust for $30,- 000,00, Still there are some persons who imagine that Mr. Schwab has paresis. Effect of Dim New York World. “Prosperity,”” says the bulletin of the State Department of Labor, “is so widely diffused that the servant keeping class Is larger than ever before and has thus created a demand that exceeds the sup- ply.”” It will be comforting to the ladies who get together and groan over thelr “help” to know just what the trouble ls, Relief for the Pinched. Buffalo Express. The United. States Steel corporation of- ters to buy back from its employes at the price they pald for it any stock bought by them under the offer made last winter, provided the stock is held until January, 1%8. The offer probably will allay the unxiety of employes, but the experiment of the corporation in taking its men into part- nership is not likely to find many imitators. Knocking the Consumer, Detroit Free Press. Sixty thousand employes of the anthra- cite coal companies are now working little more than half time, in order to restrict the output and keep up prices. It s esti- mated that by November 1 the normal production will have been restricted 1,200,- 000 tons. The men will lose $1,000,000 in wages and the public will pay top-notch prices for coal. This reminds us that the consumer is still “If Philadelphia Record. As a pendant to the investigation of the postal seandals there has been going on an inquiry by the Department of Justice into alleged official irregularities in the delivery of garden seeds to the Depart- ment of Agriculture.. Some of these “ir- regularities,” to put it mildly, are said to consist in the substitution of cheap and worthless seeds for the more rare and costly varleties. In some Instances the seeds have obstinately refused to germinate under the most careful culture, and in others they have surprised the gardener by yielding plants and flowers quite dif- ferent from those described by the labels. “Where Every Prospect Pleases.” Saturday Evening Post. Again immigration is flooding in upon us from all parts of Europe. From the Arctic circle to the Mediterranean, Europeans of all languages, races and nations are flocking toward America as never before. Why? Because the whole world is full of the nolse of the prosperity of the common man In America—his political and mental prosperity as well as the material prosperity. And every man who tolls in Europe &nd finds the products of his toil swept Intg the coffers of king or noble is dreaming of the land where there is no king and no Moble, where rich and poor toll alike, whera Iabor is not dfsgrace, but the essence a tal qualification of honor. And just "Is our country's glory. e Halt in Wirelens Tele, New York. Tribune. Marconi recefved a wircless message on board Philadelphia from Poldhu, at a dis- tancé of more than 1,500 miles, about twenty months ago, end sugceeded last winter In transmitting several more from Cape Breton to England. So far as the feasibility of transatlantic communication with Hertz waves s concerned, therefore, there can be no question. Between & sclentific posibility and a commerclal propo- sition, however, Marconl seems to have observed several points of difference, and he has devoted six or eight months to studying how best to get rid of them. From the prudent reserve which he is still manitests concerning the tests recently and now in progress, the public cannot yet Jjudge of the value of his latest Improve- ments. phy. EXTINCT AS THE DODO. Another Conventional Fiction Placed on the Shelf. Chicago - Chronicle, One by one the old conventional fictions are being demolished, and among the last to go is that of the rural visitor who al- ‘ways comes to grief when he visits the eity. The woes of this traditional individual have long furnished material for the comic illustrators and the humorous paragraph- ers. His purchases of gold bricks, his in- vestments in gruen goods, his excursions to the lake front or to the tunnels to view disasters in those localities have excited the risibilities of the urban resident for a long time Like the stage Irishman and his colleague the “Dutchman” of the drama, however, it is now quite clear that the “hayseed” of the funny papers is a creature of the imag- ination rather than an actual type. He may have been more or less verdant and unsophisticated once, but he is so no longer. The rural resident of the middle west, at any rate, is at no disadvantage whatever as compared with the dweller in the city. If the “Jay"” of tradition ever had an ex- istence he has vanished from this vicinity. This has been quite evident during the centennial celebration. Many thousands of people from out of town have visited the eity, and it has been no easy matter for Chicagoans to distinguish them from the regular residenta of the city. They dress as well and they conduct themselves as well. They do not stand in the middle of the street gazing up at the high buildings. They do not carry shiny carpet sacks nor do they Interlard their discourse,k with “B'gosh!" and “By hen!" as the coml: papers assert. They are, in short, Intel gent, well-mannered Americans who have nothing to fear by comparison with_their city cousins in the matter of intelligence and who have distinctly the better of it in manners and courtesy. It is possible that in remote and thinly settled districts of the west there may still exist people who justify the concelts of the comie artists, but there are no such people In the territory circumjacent to Chicago. There is no reason why there should be. The rural resident of today has a tele- phone and rural mall delivery; he takes a daily newspaper—perhaps more than one— and half a dozen magazines. He s proba- bly better informed on current topics than is the average city dweller because he has more time to devote to acquiring informa- tion. At any rate he is nobody's fool, and the man who picks him up with such an idea is going to find his mistake very quickly. ' The “easy mark” from the country has gone forever, If, indeed, he existed at all. The confidence man of today seeks his vie- tims not in the rural districts, but among the tenants of sky scrapers who ha a fancy for Consolidated Lake Superior and similar investments. The “Jay,” like the dodo, is extinct. teen mont) OCTOBER 10, 1903. POLITICAL DRIFT, General Bhafter is talked of for mayor of San Francisco. The town ls weary of Bght- weights. y Tammany's candidate for mayor is to make campalgn speeches in four languages and shaks with both hands, David Bennett Hill s shrewd enough to retrain from cutting into the political con- versation in New York City. How happy the indloted postal officials would be if their troubles were subject to review by the Missourl supreme court. With congress soon to meet and a score of state legislatures to follow it seems superfluous to organize a $3,000,000 talking machine trust. “Golden Rule” Jones of Toledo says “ringing up fares in a street car is degrad- ing to the soul.”” Doubtless the mayor flashes a pass to save the conductor's feel- ings. Republican spellbinders need not bother about home made protection statisties next year. Great Britlan's freo trade re- lapse furnishes an abundance of the real thing. Preliminary music of the New York City campaign promise a spirited concert when the musiclans are thoroughly tuned up. It will make the concert of Europe sound like Hiawatha on a barrel organ. Governor Richard Yates of Illinois has formally announced his candidacy for re- election in a speech before the Morgan county republican convention, and the county convention adopted resolutions of indorsemet. The Hon. Isidor Rayner, attorney general of Maryland and of Admiral Schley's coun- sel, has formally declared himself to be a candidate for the democratic nomination for United States senator before the next: state legislature. Optimistic democrats count on Conneati- cut coming back Into the democratic col- umn next yvear. The republicans carried 124 towns and the democrats thirty-seven at the local election last Monday. There {sn't much In these figures to warrant dem- ocratic hopefulness. . There is some foundation for Mayor Har- rison’s assertion that graft prevails in Chi- cago politics, One energetic officeholder charged with the duty of chopping down weeds on the highways in town managed to put in a bill for $31,000 for three months’ work. The uplift of Charley Schwab Is threatened with eclipse. URN OF THE TIDE? Why the Question is Ans- wered in the Negative, Boston Transeript. Discussion of the stock market outiook centers on the prospects of general busi- ness, more particularly on presumable de- mand for staple commodities next year. Conceding that the violence of extreme liquidation has passed, that the penalty for the 1901-1902 saturnalia of promoting, com- bining and exploiting of prosperity has been paid, the position simplifies to this: The decline in stocks in the last thirteen months represents a shrinkage in market or selling value of the public securities of the country so great as to extinguish fully two-thirds if not more of the extreme gain which followed the first election of Presi- dent McKinley. That is, starting from a panic basis back in 1596, it is computed that security values advanced about $4,600,- 000 in the aggregate of their public market or selling value, while the reaction that be- gan in September, 1902, and which has con- tinued to date, means a shrinkage of fully 3,600,000 Of course such an estimate is no better than an approximation, « but anyone who keeps In touch with market movements knows that the decline of the last thir- hs haye been as drastic as were the acdvances of the preceding four years. Now there is general consent that most of the interests in general business have been tided over, that the weak spots have been strengthened and that the market has overdone apprehension much as it overdid booming. Some of the declines In prices of the most solid stocks have been remarkable and interest returns on Investment at current prices compare notably with a year ago. There was much talk then of a 4 per cent basis of return on capital invested in railroad stqcks and it even was predicted that a 3% per cent rate was In prospect. In- stead of a normal and healthful growth in values, Wall street went ahead and sought to realize In a few years—almost a few months—the full measure of improve- ment which should have been spread over a long period. The result is familiar enough. The loans of the banks reached record totals, credit facllities were strained and now we have swung to the other extreme. Speculative energy is well-nigh extinguished and in- vestment confidence has been prostrated Yet conditions, while by no means roseate In every way, present some favorable signs if one can get over the blues sufficlently to view the situation candidly. The decline, the forced liquidation ‘corners’ in grain and cotton, the crop scare, the money pinch are past. We bid fair to have at least good, average crops; the rallroads are maintaining good gains in earnings; there is evidence of returning reason in the set- tlement of labor difficulties and while gen- eral trade next year promises no boom a good volume of business generally seems to be In prospect. * * * We Incline to the view that while no bull market in stocks is likely yet awhile, there is reasonable prospect of gradual increase in value of the shares when Wall street reajusts itself to actual condith of the country. For the stock speculation has been out of joint with the country for a long while now; It ran ahead of prosperity for all of a year and now it has run behind it, apparently, NO GUILTY MAN WILL ESCAPE. Bunch of Postal Grafters Booked for Early Trial. St. Louls Globe-Democrat. The determination of the government to deal out rigid and impartial justice in the postal irregularities is revealed in the ac- tion which has just been taken. Many in- dictments have been handed down by the District of Columbia grand jury, which has just finished its work. The names of the persons to be proceeded against include several whe held important stations in the Postoffice department. They represent both political parties. The most prominent of these are General James N. Tyner, George W. Beavers, August W. Machen, W. Bcott Towers, J. T. Metcalte, Harrison J. Bar- rett, W. D. Doremus end Harry C. Hallen- beck. The names of most of these have been connected with the scandal since the beginning of the investigation. The charges include bribery, collusion in fraudulent “get-rich-quick” concerns and other forms of crookedness. As the investigation by the grand jury has apparently been thorough, a strong case has been obtained against most of the culprits. There is & reason for felicitating the ad- ministration on the work, which it has complished and the time of its completion. President Roosevelt and Postmaster Gen- eral Payne have taken an active part in pushing the investigation, It was the president’s desire that the matter should be got out of the way before congress met in December. In this purpose success has been attained. When congress meets in its regular session two months hence, it Is safe to say that the trials of the indicted persons will have been concluded, and they will have recelved the pun'shment provided for thelr offenses. e Abloiiely Pure THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE OTHER LANDS THAN OURS, The deadlock in Austria-Hungary may, be fruitful in results for the future policy of the dual monarchy, and also in the greater question, rivalry between Teuton and Slav, which is the mainspring in all eastern Eu- ropean politics. Austria was absolutely dominant until 1866 and Sadowa. Then came Hungary's turn, and one of the great- est achievements' of the Emperor ¥Franz Josef was to know how to yield and what to yield to the Magyars. For the last de- cade Hungary has been ever more and more the predominant partner, presenting a solld front to the divided Austrian states. At the present juncture Austria, hard pressed, will bo forced to enlist the support and eympathy of the Czechs and southern Slavs by conslderable concessions, in order to use them as a counterpoise to Hungary, In this way the Czechs are likely to gain privileges they have long been fighting for, | with a more definite recognition of thelr political importance and value, The result will be to place the balance of power in the hands of Bohemla, just as Ireland now holds the balance between the two great English parties. After Bohemia wiil come the turn of the southern Slavs of Croatia, Slavonia, Dalmatia, Carinthia and Carinola, who for a generation have been growing stronger in national feeling and lingulstic unity, Austria will thus become practically a Savonic power, as it is, including Hun- gary, preponderatingly Slavonic already in population. The fitness of Austria to pro- tect and develop the Slavonic populations in Macedonla, as she has already developed the Slavs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, will thereby be cnhanced; o that Hungary, in holding out at the present juncture against the Austrian kaiser, is playing directly into the hands of the Slavs, whom of all people she most cordially dislikes and despises. o France has a new penitentiary at Fresnes, about eight miles from Parls, which is the largest in the world, and has accommoda- tions for 2,000 criminals, The bullding, with the gurdens and wardens' quarters, covers more than half a square mile, is situated in & healthy district, with large windows admitting freely the fresh air and suashine, 1s provided with hot and shower baths, and every one of its spacious 2,00°cells s heated and lighted by electricity. The prisoners' food is abundant, they go to school, are allowed to work at trades, and to purchase any luxury but tobacco with the money thus earned, and everything possible is done to develop thelr better in- stincts. There is in Parls a society for lec- turing In prisons, always ready to send lecturers wherever they may be wanted—a prominent theme with them being the evils of drunkenness. The prisoners are Kept separate, can hold no communication with each other, and cannot recognize cach other when released. In matters connected with the care and discipline of criminals as weil | as others, France gives token of the place which she holds in the world's civilization. The German War office authorities are Just now discussing the ancient problem of the best color for soldiers’ uniforms In actual campalgning. Some interesting notes on the subject are contained in an officlal report from an officer who com- manded German troops in China. He says | that it was often noticed during field exer- cises that the gri winter uniforms of the | erman troops could not be distingulshed | at long distances from the blue clothes of the Chinese, who were always present un‘ spectators. In order to ascertain which color was the least distingulshable from | the surrounding country a column was composed, the first section of which wore gray winter clothes, the second old blue short coats and black cloth trousers, the third khaki, the fourth overcoats and the fifth canvas. The column was placed In close formation behind bushes without follage. At a distance of about 1,40 ¥ the gray and overcoat section apy like uniform .ark spots, while the khaki | and canvas sections were hardly visible. Aiming at the last two was very difficult. On the five sections advancing in skirmish- ing order blue and gray could not be dis- tinguished from one another. At a dis- tance of 500 yards the gray began to look lighter than the dark blue. The gray over- coats made very good marks, the Uklrl:nllh- ers appearing like long, dark stripes. Khaki and canvas both make difficult marks at all distances. without cover on the ground was much easier when they carried all their accouires ments. The knapsacks and especlally the black cooking bot looked like dark spots against the background and presented a very good target, English journals continue to print re- ports of revolutionary mOvements among the Russian peasantry In different pro- vinces of the empire. In the district of Kieft many of the peasants have been in | the habit of seeking employment during the winter In the towns and returning to the country for the summer months. The land-owners have lately been refusing em- ployment to these summer lmmigrands, doing their harvesting work with the help of machinery and of laborers hired by the year. The peasants have been greatly irritated by this departure from old cus- tom, and have not not only sent the land-owners threatening letters, but In many instances have set fire to country houses and farm bulldings. Becret agita- tors have been busy, and in many estates the forests and the live stock have Leen destroyed. As a result the population is without employment. In the province of Saratoff government sples discovered rev- olutionary literature in the possession of certain peasants, and had them arrested | Defendin’ The alming at troops lying | has been started among the peasantry in Tula by means of private conversation and the distribution of revolutionary Mterature, The peasants are receptive and discuss the new doctrines in village and cantonal meet- ings. Revolutionary groups have been formed, and the effect produced by the agi- | tation is such that the peasants of their own initiative aro beginning to form libra- ries of useful literature. A recently formed League of Public School Teachers has ls- sued a proclamation calling upon teachers throughout the empire to take advantage of thelr influential position in country dls- tricts to promote among the peasants a movement for political freedom and social- ism, FLASHES OF FUN, * 'Tain’ no sure sign,” sald Uncle Eben, “dat a man loves his country because he its- mad in a political urgument. He able to do de same thing over a hoss race.”—Washington Star. He—I have saved up enough for us to live at_the rate of $10,0000 a year. She—For how InnL? “Oh, one year."—Brooklyn Life. Mr. Highmore—What's the use of 5!\'!!\[ a garden party so late in the season? The evenings are too cool. Mra, Highmore—That's the reason T am goingito give it. It's the easiest way 1 can pay off my party debts. Three-fourths of the people 1 invite won't come.—Philadel- phia. Press. Patient—Doctor, what makes quinine start one’s head to going round and round? Doctor—Because it comes from Peru, which is one of those countries whers revolution is in the very air.—Baltimore American. Mrs. Chic—=Your aunt Eustacia is about 84, isn’t she? Miss Aplomb—Oh, don't ask mé; auntie is awfully sensitive about her age.—Detroit Free Press. now Tt's funny,” sald the sick man's wife. “but the doctor says he hasn't discovered yet_what's the matter with you.” “Thank heaven!" oxclaimed ' the sick man, “then I'm safe for a while yet."— Philadelphia Pres: “Her/ husband s o thousand; times teo her.'" | ““Pobr thing, she has my sympathy! T have the same sort of husband myself."— Town Toplcs, ~ “One would think,” sald the taxpayer to the city official, ““that a fellow who was as anxious to get into that office as you were would be willing to stay there at least an ! hour a day.” That seemed to be logical, too, but some- | times it doesn't work out that way.—Chi- | cago Post. “I'm the dealer In planos, ma'am,” sald the man at the door. “But I don’t want anything,” replicd the {12y, “I have a plano.” | “Yes'm; the man next door said he hoped H d induce you to se!l it."—Phlladelphia Ledger. { ,“I am sorry ‘to see the lo Influence,’ W ' sald the earnest citizen, of money exerting so much answered Senator Sorghum, “I'm sorry o hear you talk that way. When hear a map grieving about the love of roney I take it as a pretty good sign that he s suffering from unrequited affection.” ~Washington Star. - THE FELLER ON THE FENCE, Roy Farrell Greene in Puck I like & man of courage, an' convictions good an’ strong. * Though his judgment may be hasty a his theoriés be wrong; A man who'll come out boldly an' defend with main an' might g In controversy if he thinks the thing is right. 1 lke t' measures words with one who'll putry, guard, an' thrust, what he thinks fightin' what's unjust He may hold views t' which my mind most stubbornly dissents. But I'm bound t' like him better than the feller “on the fence." is fair, an' The wishy-washy feller who when politics or art Are subjects of discusslon never cares t' take o part; The man who when he's talkin' with his dearest bosom friend Will state not his opinions lest the state- ment may offend Offends me more by silence an' by sitting calm, inert, Than he would by fightin' back a bit, my views t' controvert, ' it doesn’t stand t' reason that a man with common sense Could tect milch admiration for the feller “on the fence." 's a moral coward who the top- t rall will choose h on, wholly speechless, when you charge on him with views, | A long-horned Texas bovine might there drive me 10 & seat-- But 1'll ne'er from controversy with a pal- sted tongue retreat! ¥ , & man of courage, an' conviction good an' Strong, 2 1'd choose, a'though his judgment an' his theories be wron His views be those stubbornly dlssents— I'm bound t' like him better than the feller “on the fence.” &, t' which my mind most “THE NAME 1S EVERYTHING.* Esterb Accept no\substitute. and tried before the civil court on a charge of arson. The peasants were ac- quitted by the court, but were nevertheless detained in prison by order of the admin- istrative authorities. A vigorous agitation Works, Camden, N. 5 36 Juha Strest, K. &