The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 10, 1895, Page 6

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1895. CHARLES M. SHORTRIDGE, Editor and Proprictor. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: DAILY CALL—46 per sear by mail; by earrler, 16c T week. SUNDAY CALL—$1.30 per year. WEEKLY CALL—$1.50 per year. The Eastern office 0of the SAN FRANCISCO CALL (Daily and Weekly), Pacific States Adver- tising Bureau, Rhbinelander building, Rose and Duane streets, New York. THE SUMMER MONTHS. Are you going to the country on & vacation? If 50, 1t Is 1o trouble for us to forward THE CALL to your address. Do not let it miss you for you will miss it. Orders giver to the carrier, or left at Business Office, 710 Market street, will recelve prompt attention. JUNE 10, 189 Might often makes fight. The home market is always with you. People who take most chances rarely profit by them. The gallows is what some people get by taking life e: Holly Park is ambitious to look like a Christmas tree. People who go to see the water carnival need not drink it in. The public schools are all having a roll of honor for breakfast. The political problems of this year may be the chestnuts of '96. Enterprise this r hasa tendency to take action immediatel Artificial diamonds are promised us in time for the new woman. All big things bave a small beginning, except the vanity of a fool. Now that the holiday season is with us we may say the good times have come. ho run away to sea to he married are high rollers for a time. So far from having any platform lett Democracy has not even a leg to stand on. No man is wise who does not under- stand the importance of rest as well as of v to resolve to patronize Th y home manufactures during the rest of the weel. a good ds The Pacific Mail indulges in top-heavi- ness in other ways than with regard to its shi With the coming of summer Europe re- ceives the usual reports of cholera in Russia. Alameda has decided not to share her bunch of firecrackers with Oakland on the Fourth. The next unpleasant spectacle at Wash- ington will be bust of Olney in the State Departm Stalwart Democrats will sadly note the fact that Harmon was a Greeleyite who slipped his troll The shrewd merchant will see which way the wind is blowing and deal in and adver- tise home-made good There is a growing belief in the East that science can eventunally give New England as good a climate as California. At least give the preference to home manufactured goods of all descriptions when prices and quality are equal. With Carlisle and Olney in the Cabinet Cleveland need have no fear that the inter- ests of the corporations will be neglected. The housewife can help her husband on to prosperity by buying only California- made articles whenever it is possible to do so. If Kentucky Republicans redeem that Bourbon State they will have a good right to ask for the second place on the National ticket. The pretty girls of the State area home product about which the Manufacturers’ and Producers’ A itself. The British have got out of Nicaragua, but there is still a chance in Venezuela to give the Monroe doctrine a practical appli- cation. A bachelor miner in British Columbia had no idea of the joys of matrimony until he was blown up by a keg of powder which took fire under his bed. During this week tell your groceryman to send you only articles made from Cali- forria productions, and note how well your table wili be served. When you buy goods made by your neighbor you lend your money out at a bigger interest than you can obtain at any legitimate pank in the world. King Oscar of Sweden has put up the money needed to make the attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon, and the project is now ready to be floated. The farmers’ encampment in the Santa Cruz Mountains is to open July 29, and will be the founding of one of the greatest educational institutions in the country. The presence of great gold deposits in Alaska should not make us forget that in all probability some of the richest deposits in the world only await discovery in Cali- fornia. The $1,000,000 which the people of River- side are jingling in their pockets as the proceeds of the sale of their orange crop makes music that can be heard across the continent. _— There is a dread suspicion in the East that the making of deep keels for racing yachts has been carried too far in the new “defender,” and that she may prove a failure when she comes to be tested. There are 1,750,000 inhabitants in the State. If each one should resolve to buy and use $10 worth more of California-made articles this year than he did last, $17,- 500,000 would be added to the wealth of the State, in which every citizen would share. Not only the miners of California, but all the people, are outraged by the refusal of the Commissioner of the General Land Office to hear the evidence which the Miners’ Association can produce that 25,000 acres of land to be listed to the Cen- tral Pacific is mineral land, and, therefore, 1s exempt from listing to the railroad, INSPECTION AVOIDED. All the efforts made to induce or compel the Superintendent of Streets to furnish the Mayor daily with a report of street- work in progress, together with the names of the inspectors appointed to supervise the work, having failed, it may be interest- ing to consider the reasons which the Superintendent gives for not desiring to make such reports and for blocking all at- tempts to secure them. Said Superintendent Ashworth to the CarL: “There is no law to compel us to furnish this information, and I will not do it. They have tried every way they know how to force me to give it, and have failed, and now they come and ask for it, and I refuse them. The fact is, the Mayor is taking upon himself work that is no part of his duties.” The “they” to whom Mr. Ashworth re- fersare the Mayor, the chairman of the Street Committee of the Board of Super- visors, the Merchants’ Association and the Civic Federation. These officers and civic associations have been making close in- quiries into the manner in which pavement and sewer improvements were made, and have discovered that a ruinous and dis- graceful condition of affairs has existed. So far as we are informed, they have ex- pressed no suspicion that Mr. Ashworth was in collusion with the contractors or that he was incompetent to perform the duties of his office. The natural inference from their desire to secure Mr. Ashworth’s co-operation in the task of seeing that the work is properly done and that the citizens and City are protected against rascality and robbery, is that as a good citizen and faithful officer he would be assumed to be most willing to accept any aid from intel- ligent and responsible men is his work of protecting the City; that he above all others would be most anxious to see that the inspectors whom he appointed were not serving the contractors instead of the City, and that as a faithful officer he is desirous of making a record of honesty and ability. If the extra work required of him in the making of these reports would be unrea- sonably burdensome and expensive it would be only right for the City to pravide clerical assistance which would relieve him; and if any of those seeking to secure the oversight of the work done by his de- partment have been offensive in their bearing toward him he will have the sym- pathy of many in his resistance. All these obstacles can be removed if they exist, for it has now become the duty of all con- cerned in this movement to make Mr. Ash- worth’s attitude on the score of his sense of duty as plain as possible. But he has placed himself in an unpleasant light by his two declarations that the law does not require him to furnish the information and that it is no part of the Mayor’s duty to supervise his work. Had there not been so many scandals ng out of street work, and had not actual discoveries of ient work been discovered, Mr. Ashworth’s reasons for withholding the information desired might command sympathy for their dignity, even though respect for their wisdom be withheld. Mr. Ashworth does not seem to appre- ciate the earnestness of this spirit of re- form which has taken hold of the people, and by opposing an exercise of it which receives the sympathy of all good citizens he is issuing a challenge that will be ac- cepted with a readiness which will dismay him. His efforts to withhold knowledge of the work which his department isdoing will not prevent a discovery ot it without his consent if werightly judge the earnest- ness and determination of the men whose isinterested efforts for the public good he is trying to balk. And it is not likely un- der these circumstances that if occasion should arise for charity or lenity it will be extended to him with that cheerfulness which he might possibly have expected had he shown himself more in sympathy with the present movement for honest government than with the methods which in the past bave brought disgrace upon the City. AN INVITING OPPORTUNITY. It has not been many years since that peculiar institution, the “promoter,” came into existence as a leading and distinctive factor in the development of industries and resources. The highest type of the pro- moter is he who finds opportunities and induces capitalists to embrace them, and who organizes capitalists into a working company. An inferior, but none the less useful type, is he who secures only one capitalist for an enterprise. The promoter is necessarily an adven- turer, but whether he is a good adven- turer or a bad, makesall the difference with his respectability, for an honest ad- venturer is one of the most benificent of modern institutions. That the tempta- tions to knavery which accompany the pro- fession of promotion are innumerable and urgent, and that some of the smoothest rascals are promoters, are not valid argu- ments against the usefulness and honor- able character of the business. The first of the brilliant promoters to which the enterprise and resources of the United States gave birth were those whom Cali- fornia sent to Europe for capital with which to develop the rich mines of the West. Some of these were rank swindle: acting as agents for equally unconscion- able rascals at this end; but it was largely due to the efforts of honest, intelligent and persistent promoters that European cap- ital found so many profitable avenues of investment in the West, and that the de- velopment of the country was so rapid and wholesome. £ These remarks are preliminary to the suggestion that in view of the vast natural resources in California yet to be devel- oped, there is no more enticing opportun- ity for the exercise of the legitimate promoter’s abilities than that which exists here and now. The ambitious and brainy young man of no means who chafes under the restraints of a clerical position, who has that faith in himself which must be the foundation of all success, and who has a fair education, a shrewd wit and great pluck and energy, can secure higher bene- fits for himself by accepting this oppor- tunity than would be possible in any other honest way. Given the requisite personal qualifica- tions, all that is necessary is for him first to look about and discover an opening for the profitable use of capital, induce those in local command to trust to his energy and earnestness, and then seek capital wherever it exists. There are thousands of enterprises in the interior of California in which San Francisco capitalists conld make profitable investment, and it is the special function of promoters to bring op- portunity and capital into contact. Or, if it should be assumed that the capitalists of San Francisco lack the adventurous spirit that has made Chicago so great, a visit to Chicago might prove profitable; and so the field of operations might pe in- definitely enlarged. It isbest as a rule that the promoter confine himself to one line of operations and thus secure superior expertness, and to have in hand only one scheme of pro- motion at a time. We do not know of any other honest and useful way in which money may be made so largely and so rapidly. The details of the business are infinite in their range, character and adaptation, and they must be determined by the promoter himself. Not only in California are there many able young men who undoubtedly could prosecute such a business with great success, but nowhere else in the United States are there so num- erous and alluring opvportunities for the brilliant promoter of cities of the Chicago type as are to be found in California to-day. A SHAMEFUL RULING. o one has forgotten the deep interest which President Cleveland seemed to take in the contested land case which A.H. Ricketts recently took from California to Washington. The California Miners’ Asso- ciation, after a careful investigation which made it sure of its ground, drew up a pro- test reciting that about 25,000 acres of land demanded by the Central Pacific under the terms of its grant were immediately contiguous to mineral lands which had been mined for precious metals, and bore every evidence of being mineral lands, in spite of the railroad company’s affidavits that they were agricultural lands, and being mineral lands the company had no right to them. Mr. Ricketts received so scant attention from the Commissioner of the General Land Office that he appealed to the President himself. Mr. Cleveland received him cordially, listened with great interest and promised that the matter would receive his personal attention. But now comes a decision from the Commissioner of the General Land Office which sweeps the protest aside and throws this more than probably rich body of mineral land into the lap of the Central Pacific. This decision has been made even by the straining of a technicality in favor of the Central Pacific. Not the slightest desire is shown to investigate the case on its merits. The reasons given for throwing out the protest are audaciously flimsy. They are in effect that the circular of July 9, 1894, laying down the rules for the bringing of certain kinds of contests, did not provide for contests over large numbers of tracts, and that as this contest was brought under those regulations it cannot be considered. Apart from the fact that a reading of the circular does not lead one to conclude that such a contest as this could not be brought under it as well as individual contests over separate tracts, and apart from the fact that the circular contains no prohibition against the bringing of a comprehensive contest, the California Miners’ Association was not given the benefit of any doubt that might exist, nor an opportunity to bring its contest under some other regulations, and the Commissioner exhibited unmis- takable eagerness to avoid a hearing. The showing made by the Miners’ Association had much more weight and was entitled to far more consideration than a contest between two individual claimants of a piece of land. Not only did their pro- test cover a very large body of land, which may represent a value reaching into the millions, but it pointed to a seeming stupendous scheme to defraud. These were the uncommon and weighty elements of the protest. And yet the Commissioner cares nothing at all for them and every- thing for a trivial technicality which he weighs against them. He ignores without a word the grave notice that an over- shadowing wrong is contemplated against the Government by a corporation which long ago abandoned all right to expect that its interests shouid be preferred by the Government above those of the people. The Miners’ Association may now appeal to the Secretary of the Interior. Mean- while we are all wondering what President Cleveland meant by his assurances to Mr. Ricketts that this matter would receive his close personal attention. GROUND AT THE BOTTOM. 1t is narrated in a noted lyric that when Brien O’'Lynn, his wife and his mother were all going over the bridge together, the bridge broke down and they all fell in, whereupon Mr. O'Lynn informed them by way of consolation that they would find ground at the bottom. In the same spirit and with an equal wisdom, Mr. Dana of the Sun is now offering consolation to the Democrats. While they flounder and founder, like McGinty in the sea, Mr. Dana informs them there is ground at the bot- tom. In a recent editorial the Sun, with suf- ficient elaboration to make each point clear and distinet, asserts the Democrats can not truthiully deny, nor successfully evade the charges that the vacillating course of the present Administration has brought us distress at home and humiliation abroad; that by a policy looking toward free trade, it has deranged business and crippled our industries; that with deplor- able incompetency it has failed to raise a revenue enough to run the Government, and has had to borrow in less than two years $162,000,000, mainly to pay ordinary running expenses; that it has sold in se- cret to favored foreign syndicates the bonds of the Government at- prices far be- low their actual value, and finally that with unpatriotic indifference it has suf- fered British troops to land in Nicaragua in disregard of the Monroe doctrine. Having in this vigorous way disclosed the depths of the deep sea into which Democracy has fallen, the Sur goes on to explain where the land is. Democrats in the coming campaign, it frankly says, will have to admit the truth of all these charges, but in response to them can reply that ‘‘the Democracy of Jefferson, Jackson and Tilden is accountable for none of these things; that Democracy has been be- trayed and swindled by its own trustees of power; that, heaven willing, the party will pick up its pieces and piece itself together at the end of the dismal four years, and stand again as the representative of prin- ciples which are immortal, with a political courage which is invincible.” Without disputing the very doubtful assertion that Democracy has principles that are immortal, it will be seen that the ground Mr. Dana offers his party is very deep down under the sea of bygone things. Jefferson, Jackson and Tilden are dead. Their Democracy is not a living issue, and he who would find standing room with them must get off the earth. Itisthe Democracy of Cleveland that concerns the country, and if that bridge breaks down the party will surely drown, even though there be ground at the bottom, as says Dana O'Lynn. FROM LAKE TO SEA. From the tenor of the press in the cities along the great lakes, it is probable that a strong effort will be made at the coming session of Congress to commit the Govern- ment to the project of making a waterway accessible to deep-sea ships from the At- lantic Ocean to the head of Lake Superior. The traffic on the lakes is sufficient to jus- tify the expense, and as a large proportion of the population of the United States is interested in_ it, the enterprise will not lack either for argument or for popular support when it 1s brought up for discus- sion as a matter of practical politics. There are but two objections to the pro- ject. The first is that the cost of such a waterway will be not less than $65,000,000, The second is that the shipping will all have to pass down the St. Lawrence River through Canadian territory and therefore | would be subject to the interference of that power. To meet the objection of the great cost it has been suggested that the United States and Canada should combine to do the work, dividing the expense in propor- tion to their respective interests, and to meet the second it has been proposed that the entire lake and river system from Lake Superior to the sea should be taken out of the hands of both Governments and put under the control of a permanent joint commission similar to that which admin- isters the navigation of the Danube. The discussion of an international ques- tion of such importance as this will be sure to revive interest in the idea of Canadian annexation. Tt would suit us much better to annex Canada than to put our interest in the great lakes into the hands of an international commission. This fact may delay action on the proposed project for a long time, but there can hardly be a doubt that it will be eventually undertzken. The Canadians have done a great work in im- proving the waterway on their side. They have expended $50,000,000 in canals and river improvements, while the United States has expended but $8,000,000, and there is very justly a demand in the eight States bordering on the lakes for our Gov- ernment to do more in providing a means for the cheaper transportation of the prod- ucts of the rich regions around them. PERSONAL. LDl'. E. 8. 0’Brien of Merced is a guest at the dck. H. J. Laughlin, a merchant of Santa Ana,isat the Grand. B. Isaacs, a merchant of Ione, is staying at the Graund. Dr. T. T. Koenig of Coulterville is & guest at the Baldwin. L.T. Hatfield, an attorney of Sacramento, is & guest at the Lick. R. H. Brown, a prominent capitalist of Pes- cadero, is at the Lick. R. M. Shackleford, a capitalistof Paso Robles, is a guest at the Occidental. Dr. W. D. Rodgers of Watsonville, registered yesterday at the Occidental. R. Gracey, a banker and real estate dealer of Merced, is a guest at the Lick. Ex-JudgeJ. M. Walling, a prominent attor- ney of Nevada City, is at the Russ. James T. Murphy, a well-known capitalist of San Jose, is stopping at the Baldwin. Allen Towle, a leading capitalist of Towles, Placer County, is staying at the Lick. P. A. Buell, a well-known capitalist of Stock- ton, registered yesterday at the Grand. Senator Thomas Flint Jr. of San Juan was one of yesterday’s arrivals at the Grand. General T. W. Sheehan of the Sacramento Record-Union, is at the Occidental Hotel. Frank G. Ostrander, District Attorney of Mer- ced, was one of yesterday’s arrivals at the Lick. Raleigh Barca, a prominent attorney and politician of Vacaville, was one of yesterday’s arrivals at the Lick. H. V. Reardan, District Attorney of Butte County, came down from Oroville yesterday and registered at the Lick. Jacob H. Gallinger, United States Senator from New Hampshire, has bean visiting in- teresting places in California during the past three weeks. He left San Francisco yesterday for a trip to Alaska. Justice Stephen J. Field of the Supreme Court of the United States, Mrs. Field, Mrs. J. Condit- Smith, Miss Condit-Smith and Miss Mary O, Condit-Smith arrived from Washington yester- day and registered at the Pala SUPPCSED TO BE HUMOROUS. Miss Cross—What would you do 1f you were in my shoes? Miss Sharpe—Tnrn my toes out—Yonkers Statesman. Johnny—Papa, what do people mean when they talk about your constituents? Mr. Jenkins, M. C.—A constituent, Johnny, isaman who expects you to gt him & job,— Puck. Hotel Clerk—Show Mr. Hicarde to the blue room. g Mr. Hicarde—Hold on there! A white room is high enough for me. Things haven’t been coming my way for three days already.—In- dianapolis Journal. Dinwiddle—I hear that Van Braam was over- come by the heat yesterday. Hiland—It might be called that. He asked Shingess if it was hot enough for him and Shin- gess knocked him down.—Detroit Tribune. “That is certainly the mildest looking devil I ever saw,” he averred, as they sat watching the “Black Crook” performance. *‘Perhaps,” she ventured, “he is only & clga- rette fiend.”—Indianapolis Journal. Ledy in Central Park, to baby in carriage— Why, you pretty little thing! Nurse, proudly—Yes, it's a good thing. Policeman, approaching—Well, push it along, then. You're blocking the sidewalk.—New York Herald. “Have you ever noticed what a distingnished air Professor Baretoni has?” asked the soulful girl. “Lhave noticed an air of garlic, if thatis what you mean,” said the sharp-nosed girl, and the soulful girl looked disgusted.—Indian- apolis Journal. “It was this way; he came up tomeand £hook his fist under my nose and said I had to fight.” “And you did?” “Of course I didn’t. Do you suppose there is & man on earth who could get me to do any- thing by saying I had to doit? Any man who expects me to fight has to say ‘please.’”— Washington Star. —_— PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT. The King of Abyssinia is & postage-stamp col- lector. According to gossip of soclety the Duchess of Marlborough has settled £6000 a year on her husband. Lady Wilde is said to be dying of a broken heart, and her friends in London predict she will never see her son again. Pri}lce Edward of York has made his first public appearance in London. He ‘was driven through §t. James Park in an open carriage, propped up by his two nurses, and h ashe went by, e The rumor has been and Duchess of York ! Adelina Patti at Cr; mer, and it is stat, already being made revived that the Duke 111 be the guests of Mme. aig-y-Nos early this sum- ed that preparations are for the royal visit. The Parisians are so vastly pleased with Pa: Dubois’ equestrian statue oy(l?lonu olWArc zh‘a‘: they have started to take up a subscription With Which to purchase the artist 8 memorial 8s a testimonial of their admiration. Great regret is felt in Rome at the death of a German, Baron Huffner, who has done more for the city in recent years than almost any native. He was formerly Prussian Consul in Paris, and a grand seigneur in the true sense of the words. He presented the square in Piazze Calroli to the city and gave much of his wealth to beautify Rome. Among the Boston clubs that have added ladies’ cafes ana dining-rooms to their build- ings are the Puritan, Somerset, Algonquin, University and Exchange. Everything con- nlder.ed. these are the most prominent of the Hub's clubs, and the innovation of extending such courtesies to the ladies illustrates in as striking & manner asanything else the progress of the new woman, e S, £ ] SPRING cleaning, when the nerves and body have been strengthened by Hood’s Sarsaparilla, will sud- denly losoits terrors. Merit wins, and it has placed Hood's Sarsaparilla on top as blood purifier. o e Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup’” THas been used over fifty years by millions of moth- ers for their children while Teething with perfect success. It soothes the child, sotteus the gums, al- 1ays Pain, cures Wind Colic, regulates the Bowels and is the best remedy for Diarrhceas, whether arising from teething or other causes. For sale by Druggists in every partof the world. Be sure and ask for Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup. 25c a bottle, AROUND THE CORRIDORS. “‘Speaking of repartee,” said Garret Mc- Enerney to some friends in the Occidental Hotel yesterday, “there were two great masters of it produced by England. One was Samuel Foote, styled the ‘English Aristophanes,’ and the other was Theodore Hook, also a subject of Great Britain. Foote was probably the most sarcastic of the two. “On one occasion while listening to a bad rendition of an old song he asked the singer why he. insisted on singing such music. ‘Because it always hsunts me,’ answered the fellow. ““Iam not surprised at that; you are always murdering it,’ replied Foote. “Some young men were annoying him one day with an inferior brand of jokes to which he turned a deafear. ‘Why, Foote,’ said one, ‘you are flat to-day and don’t seem to relish & good joke! ‘You have not tried me yet, said the wit. ‘“He was never without an answer, end his NEY REVIEWS THE ENGLISH HUMORISTS. [Sketchea from life for the “Call” by Nankivell.] GARRET M'EN. ready tongue made him a necessity at social functions. While at a gathering one evening a prig said to him, ‘Mr. Foote, what would you give to be as young as 1’ Without turning his head Foote answered, ‘I would be content to be as foolish.” People used to demand an exhibition of his cleverness. A lady once asked him to make & pun using as his subject the King. He told her that the King was no subject, and she relapsed into silence. He also told an opera-singer who rehearsed for him that she could make her next appearance vhen the public had forgotten her first. Foote himself seldom smiled athis own jokes, but laughed uproeriously at those of others. This s a good quality to possess. “Hook was born a few years after Foote’s death, and has been one of the few men able to fill his place in the particular vein of humor in which they both excelled. A party of laborers were sinking a well one day when Hook happened to pass and inquired what they were about. ‘Boring for water, was the reply. ‘Water is always a bore,’ said Hook. He ‘was once asked to write something about the death of the King and Queen of the Sandwich Islands. His production read as follows: ‘Waiter, two sandwiches,” cried Death, And their wild Majesties resigned their breath. “His short verse was #lways pointed and gen- erelly impromvotu. Of Lord Brougham he wrote: Brougham on his tombstone would have writ: “Here lies the enemy of Pitt. And half the line at least applies, For every one admits ‘he lies.’ “Aman named Hatchet invited him to dinner one dey and prefaced his invitation with the statement that he would not, perhaps, be able to set up such a sumptuous meal as Torm Moore had offered Hook the day before, to which Hook replied that he expected nothing from & Hatchet butachop. He was walking witha friend in the days when Warren’s blacking was advertised all over the fences. In one place the announcement merely ran, ‘Try War- ren’s B—.' T see,’ said Hook, ‘the rest is lacking.”” Those who had listened to Mr. McEnerney re- count these bits of wit were convulsed with laughter, and during the lull which followed everybody was reminded of something good. Mentioning the habit some peaple have of noting eventsand incidents of every day life in a regularly kept pocket journal, Joseph D. Redding spoke of a recent visit to Lebanon, in Southwestern Missouri, and of a professional interview he there had with a courtly old resi- dent. “I wanted to know,” said Mr. Redding, “‘about something that occurred in 1867, being sure that Mr. Smith, I will call him, could give me the information if his memory was clear. One of the first questions I asked, after I was welcomed to his old-fashioned hospitable home, was: ‘Where were you February 10, 18677 ‘Where was I February 10, 18672 he repeated, and then, going to another apartment, brought forth an old pocket memorandum marked 1867, and after studying it closely for awhile, replied: ‘February 10, 1867. Paid 60 cents for breakfast at Jersey City.’ That old gentle- man,” continued Mr. Redding, “has noted down from day to day everything that has happened in his life.” It is strange,” said R. M. Delmas, a listener to Mr. Redding’s narrative, “that many promi- nent men of the old school kept such a record of events. You will find Thomas Jefferson did, and continued the habit after he was chosen President. He records in his diary: ‘Peas, first of the season, in the Washington market to-day.” Just imagine the President of the United States solemnly noting down the first appearance of garden truck in market!” Adjutant-General Barrett has one important duty to perforjn, and no matter how fairly and conscientiously he may perform it he will get a “roast” from some companies of the National Guard. General Barrett came down from Sacramento yesterday, and was busy all day in efforts to get the United States ship Olympia away from Mare Island in time to allow the Naval Reserve to visit Santa Cruz before the carnival closes. Concerning annual muster and encampments he said: ‘I shall attend all the encampments, and as far as possible study the worth of each company. The law authag- izes only sixty infantry companies, and, as sixty-eight now exist, eight must be mustered out. I shall visit the camps of the Second Infantry at Vallejo, the Fifth Infantry at Peta- Juma and the Second Artillery at Uklah.” ‘When asked if there had been any thought of mustering out one entire regiment to bring the number of companies down to the limit he said the subject in that form had not been dis- cussed. When the order comes for eight com- panies to be mustered out the adjutant-general will hear eight prolonged roars, and he will not mistake the noise for the applause of his fellow-citizens. In acagein frontof a house on Post street, near Grant avenue, there is a parrot thatisa wonderful talker, and not only a wonderful talker but a close observer. He chooses his phrases and repeats them whenever he feels in the humor. One of his selections is the “good- by at the door’ between two women, and he seems not to have allowed a word of the usual form of bidding good-by: to have escaped him, for when he talks he delivers himself as fol- lows: “Good-by.” “Well, good-by.” «Call again.” “No; you call first.” “Good-by.” “Good-by.” “Don’t forget; good-by.” *Let me see—never mind; good-by.” “Be sure and call again; good-by.” And the wise bird winks his 1 other eye aud adds, “Good-by.” | IMPERSONATING THE GREAT. A man who goes about the world represent- ing different characters is apt to meet with odd experiences. For instance, one evening, in Rome, & gentleman came behind the scenes of the theatre where I was performing and threw his arms round my neck, exclaiming: “Ah! caro amico, you have shown me my beloved father once again.” I could not understand his meaning tiil Ilearned that he was Gari- baldi—the son of the famous patriot. I had an odd experience with Bismarck, once, in Berlin. The Chancellor sent for me to give a performance in his house, the small audience consisting chiefly of members of his family. A number of impersonations were pre- sented, and then Bismarck asked suddenly: “Do you ever represent me?” As soon as I had recovered from the surprise of the question I answered: “Yes, Prince, and you have always been the greatest of my suc- cesses.”” The Iron Chancellor laughed and said: “If you have the famous three hairs in your Bismarck wig, I can readily understand that they bring you good luck.” The comic papers in Germany have for years abounded with allusions to the three solitary hairs on Bismarck’s crown, which are supposed to stand up straight when he is enraged. But Bis- marck did not ask me to show him how he | looked. On some occasions, however, I have been | commanded to give impersonations in the presence of the people themsely In the spring of '90 I was performing at the Eden in Milan. Count Bellinzaghi, the Sindaco, what you in America call a Mayor, was immensely popular with the townspeople and every even- ing when I came on the stage they cried out for “I1 Sindaco.” The King, Umberto, heard of this and one evening he came with the Sindaco and a party of courtiers and occupied & box near the stage. I was ordered to open the evening’s entertainment and the Duke of ‘Visconti came behind the scenes to raquest me not to forget to impersonate tne Sindaco. It seems the jovial King had brought the Mayor there asa joke and they afterward toid me when the Mayor was being impersonated the King turned to the Mayor and said, laughing, “Look, Count, for now you see yourself as others see you.” There was another occasion when I was or- dered to give an impersonation that has not left such a cheerful impression on my mem- ory. Every onemust have heard of the late General Gourko, the terrible autocrat of the Russian army, who if he had had his way abroad as much as in Russia, would certainly have exterminated everything German, About eleven years ago I was performing in Odessa, where the general has a palace, but though I am German I never expected to attract the attention of so powerful a personage. One evening, however, I received a myste- rious message, which said, “Study General Gourko.” In Russia it is better not to inquire too closely into matters that one does not un- derstand, so, though I could not imagine any reason for the suggestion, I used the hour that lay on my hands before going to the theater in studying an impersonation of the autocratic Russian general, whom Ihad seen once &s he Ppassed on the street in his carriage. Just as the performance at the theater was about to begin that evening a body of gen- darmes marched behind the scenes wiwh & ukase for the immediate arrest of myself and the twelve men in the orchestra, by order of General Gourko. Without any explanation we were led through the streets to the general’s palace, which we entered, and, after a little de- lay, were taken into a handsome apartment, where Gourko was seated. “They tell me that you impersonate cele- brated men—impersonate me,” thundered the general, in a tone of military command. Now the gendarmes had seized what acces- sories I use and they were at once brought for- ward and arranged. Giving & last look at Gourko I turned fo the mirror to impersonate him. Itwas an anxious moment, I assure you, for if the general should take exception to the caricature he had unlimited power to show his resentment by imprisonment or the lash—not to speak of Siberia. However, I steadied my nerves, and, making up the impersonation, turned to Gourko with & copy of his own face and overbearing manner. What seemed to me a long time—but was probably a second or two—passed, and then the general broke into a roar of laughter. while I turned away quickly and the ordeal was over. It seems he was im- mensely amused to see the copy of himself and at once ordered more impersonations. The LUDWIG AMANN. musieians played for him and altogether we spent quite a jovial evening With the terrible general, but, though I have since performed for the Czar, that impersonation by military command was the most trying piece of work I ever undertook. LUDWIG AMANN. IMBECILES AMONG PLANTS. Varieties That Never Seem to Reach a Mature Growth Every one understands what is meant by the imbecile, when speaking of human beings. The mental development of the child is checked, and even when sucha child reaches the age of manhood, it is still but a child in its feelings and wants; but it is not alone among luwman beings that the_characteristics of imbecility are found. In almost all trees, the character- istics of the foliage or the habits are very different during the first few months of ex- istence than they are in after life. There is a matured characteristic as well as an infantile one. The tulip tree, for instance, has its first set of leaves entire, without any appearance of the lobe or the truncate termination which it umes in old age; but sometimes these juvenile characteris- tics will be maintained through life—and then we have what is known as the Lirio- dendron integrifolia—that is to say, the entire-leaved tulip tree. This is more particularly marked among evergrecns. During the first year of the arbor-vitae, pinus, cupressus, retinospora and similar plants, the leaves are heath- like—that is, extending from the stem quite separate and distinet; but occasionally there are individuals carrying these char- acteristics through life; and many of the so-called Japanese species are merely vege- table imbeciles. Tt is not uncommon for acute observers to find branches assume their adult form in many individuals in this imbecile class. Just as in the case of human beings, there are occasionally in- stances where Imbeciles assume matured characteristics. ‘This is alzo true of the animal world. A friend of the writer hasan aquarium in OWES HALF A MILLION. De~ The Sum of Municipal ficiences for Ten Years. THE LIMIT NOW REACHED: Views of John A. Russell, Clerk of the Board of Super- visors. A change in the management of the municipal affairs of San Francisco is in- evitable. The limit of carrying forward indebtedness from one year to another has been reached. The expedient has been resorted to from year to year since 1886, until the accumulated sum of debt now amounts to $500,000. John A. Russell, clerk of the Board ‘of Supervisors, when asked yesterday at his home in Alameda if there was not money to- the credit of various funds that would not be called for before the end of the pres= ent fiscal year, and which could now b& used to supply the Almshn_nse,l-!re De- partment and other institutions with proe visions and material necessary for thei support, replied: “Any statement that th City is able to pay for these supplies fro the revenue of this fiseal year is absur There is no money now in the treasury and there will be none to speak of frob the revenue of this year. There may & in the apportionment money to the credi of certain funds, but the money is o paper. The fact should not be overlooked that the amount actually collected fallg $80,000 short of the estimates made wher the Supervisors provided for raising tks ney.” X u-‘?'\ as the Almshouse provided foramong her institutions?” S °l“Yes,” replied Mr. Russell, “an estimate was made of the probable cost of conducte ing that institution, but the expenseg have been greater than the board expectedy Besides the Supervisors cannot regulate the expenses of the Almshouse as tha salaries are fixed by the Board of Health, And other demands arise which the Supe visors cannot_check.” i “Can the City manage to get along until the revenue of the next fiscal year is avail- able by pledging the faith of the municis ality 2 ¥ L “Not that way. Asthe law is construed a pledge of the City’s faith will not avai} anything. The merchants may consent tg lend supplies to the Fire Department and, other institutions with the understanding that the loan will be paid next fiscal year.’ “What should be done to prevent a ree currence of this state of affairs?” “It has always been my opinion,” said Mr. Russell, “that the meaning of the conb stitution relating to the discretionary powep of the Board of Supervisors has not beer construed properly. To my mind the duty of providing funds for these institutions i3 not discretionary. Itis a duty which thg constitution enjoins when it provides for municipal government. When a Supers visor neglects it he violates his oath of office. It is not in his discretion to deters mine whether he will create a liability in excess of the revenue. The Suprema Court has decided with reference to salaries that a salary is fixed by law and the board has no discretion in the matter of provid- ing for its payment. It must be paid it there be any money in the municipal treasury. The same rules should apply to payment for support of public institutions, ““The Supervisors should simply say in effect: ‘We have no discretion in the prem- ises. The constitution and the laws which we are sworn to obey require county and municipal governments to be mainta These 1nstitutions are created by la They constitute part of the government, We are bound by oath to maintain them, Fuel for the Fire Department must be pro~ vided. Payment for fuel is as necessary to the support of the government as the pay- ment of a salary.”” Mr. Russell reviewed at some length the history of municipal debt and remarked that the present indebtedness was the ace cumulation of ten annual deficiencies, First there was a deficiency of $65,000. The board that was called upon to meet it dee cided to save money here and there tq liquidate it, and did make promises for its payment. That same year, hows ever, the election expenses exceeded the 'amount raised for that purposa by fully §160,000. Other unexpected de- mands to the amount of $50,000 mora came in, so here was 0, the old deficiency of $63 has been going on hat way from, year to year. The Supervisors provide sa much for the County Clerk, Tax Collector, Assessor and Election Commissioners, and the law provides that certain things musg be done, and the courts direct that the money for doing these things must be paid if there is any money in the treasury. I}wq years ago the deficiency was $350,000. To iridge over the difficuity the June salarie. of the last fiscal year were paid from th; July funds of this fiscal year. “The last Legislature,” continued Mr, Raussell, “imposed additional obligationg on San Francisco. Laws were passed which will increase municipal expenses $400,000 during the next two years.” — Bacox Printing Company, 508 Clay street. * ———— CrEAM mixed candies, 25¢ 1b, Townsend's.* - Gro. W. MONTEITH, law offices, Crocker bldg.® D PALACE sea baths, 715 Filbert street, now open for summer swimming season. - —————— WE guarantee our ports and sherries to by pure. Mohns & Kaltenbach, 29 Market street. 1t is said that a house well built of firs Which radpoles as well other aquatic crea- tures are raised. As every one who is ac- quinted with the commonest events in nat- ural history is aware, the tadpole during its first season thz)ws off its tail, pushes its legs and becomés a frog. In the case of the friend referred to, he has a tadpole which thrust out its legs and then ceased to develo further. After three years it is stilla tadpole with its two frog legs, re- gamms its tail, and in all other respects it is a tadpole with the tadpole characteristic intact. Tt may be termed a froggy imbe- cile.—Meehan’s Monthly tor June. ——— ®The first attempt in this country to t re= g;cgntul_:& Iflmmguage to a system was class brick will outlast one constructed o THE OWL DRUG CO., 1125 MARKET STREET. (UT-RATE DRUGGISTS ! THE DAY WE CELEBRATE | TO-DAY (HONDAY), JUNE 10th, THE OWL'S a0 Birthday Anniversary! ON THAT DAY (10 ln&l 12 A, BETWEEN....{ 7 ::d g EVERY LADY PURCHASER WILE RECEIVE FREE ONE CAKE OF MADAME CHURCHILL’S /8 lAntiseptic Skin and Toilet Soap,