The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 10, 1896, Page 22

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, MAY 10, 1896. CHARLES M. SHORTRIDGE, Editor and Proprietor. SUBSCRIPTION RATES—Postage Free: Dally and Sunday CALL, One week, by carrier..$0.15 Daily and Sunday CALL, 0One year, by mail.... 6.00 Daily and Sunday CALL, six months, by mail.. 3.00 Dally and SBunday CALz, three months by mall 1.50 Daily and Sundsy CALL, one month, by mail.. .65 Bunday CaLL, one year, by mail, 1.50 WEBKLY CALL, one year; by m . 150 ‘THE SUMMER MONTHS. Are you going to the country on & vacation * I? 10,1t is no trouble for us to forward THE CALL to your address. Do not let it miss you for you will miss ft. Orders given to the carrier or left at Business Office will receive prompt attention KO EXTRA CHARGE. BUSINESS OFFICE: 710 Market Street, San Francisco, California. Celephone. --....Main~1868 EDITORIAL ROOMS: 517 Clay Street. Celepbone........... Main—1874 BRANCH OFFICES: 630 Montgomery street, corner Clay; open until 9:30 o'clock. 889 Hayes street; open until 8:30 o'clock. 713 Larkin street; open until 9:30 o'clock. £W . corner Sixteenth and Mission streets; open antil 9 o'clock. 2518 Mission street; open until 9 o'clock. 116 Minik street; open until § 0'clock. OAKLAND OFFICE : $08 Broadway. EASTERN OFFICE: Rooms 81 and 32, 84 Park Row, New York City. DAVID M. FOLTZ, Special Agent- THE CALL SPEAKS FOR ALL. [ Cleveland is evidently trying to work the civil service like a bunko game. Patriotism, protection and prosperity 15 the battle-cry that rallies the people this vear. The trouble with the outing season up to date is that the weather hasn’t given it an inning. The weather we complain of would strike the Eastern people as a breath from heaven. e The San Joseanh may talk through his hat this morning, but he cannot get his head in it. 1f Weyler is as wise as Kruger he will let the captured filibusters go and be glad of the chance. From a Republican standpoint the cam- paign will be simply a continuation of the festival season. Sooner or later Sau Francisco will have to adopt the festival fashion or be counted out of the State. Before Congress finishes with the appro- priations it shoula provide a gas-.eater annex to the weather bureau. Auburn, Healdsburg and San Jose have had their dances, but more festivals are to come—the season is young yet. A correspondent writes that this year in California *‘G. O. P.” stands for gallant old party—it embraces the ladies. It remains to be seen whether the silence of Grover Cleveland is a mystery story or just a plain case of a dumb waiter. It is an assured thing that the fruits of politics this year will be the most whole- some crop we have had in a long time. There must have been something of a fin-de-siecle movement on the expedition up the Nile, for it is out of sight already. Failing to annex the Transvaal by the arms of Jameson, England still has hopes of taking it in by the diplomacy of Cham- berlain. 1f Chicago doesn’t wish to be ashamed of holding the Democratic Convention sne had better make arrangements at once to keep it quiet. By his civil-service order Cleveland has done all be can to keep his pets in office in spite of what he knows the people will do in November. If the Democratic factions at Chicago succeed in binding themselves together it wiil be with barbed wire and the squirm- ing will be great. As San Jose had to put her festival pa- vilion outside her corporate limits, it is evident she is not big enouga to hold her- self when she basa spread on. It is now reported that the damage to the fruit crop is not so great as was feared at first. This is one of the years when the latest outlook is always the best. SRR If the refunding scheme can be headed off at this session of Congress it will be virtually defeated, for the next one will be too short to get a long jub through. The woman's congress has adjourned, but its influence will be kept vital by THE Carn until the campaign is over and the great battle for equal suffrage has been won. Republican clubs in California should be organized in time to display themselves in good shape and strong force at the ratifi- cation meetings that will follow the Na- tional Convention. Providence will not temper the wind to the shoru lamb of the.Democratic flock this year. There will be nothing but cold days for them until they are put on the roast in November. The oniy Democrat who has found any favor as a Presidential candidate outside of his own State is Russell of Massachu- setts, and he has not found it any further off than Rhode Island. The well-ordered condition of the Re- publican party when compared with the confusion in tbe Democra camp shows the value to an organization of having a leader who knows how to lead. The aspiration for a greater California should be kept in mind throughout the campaign, and every voter”Enould work for the party whose measures and men will best assure the prosperity necessary o attain it. From the eagerness of Hill to fight all the battles of the Democratic administra- tion i would seem he is going to ask the ieadership on the Presidential ticket not because he is the most fit but because he has fit the most. S The Ezaminer thinks the Republican candidate for the Presidency wili have to be a centipede to stand on all the planks that have been prepared for him, but it overlooks the fact that the Democratic candidate will have to be a grub worm to get into the hole that has been prepared for him. COALIFORNIA'S PROSPERITY. ‘Whatever the importance to California of the many things that are desired at the bands of the Nation and however desira- ble it iy that the patriotic people of the State work with all diligence for National appreciation there are greats domestic problems for our own people to solve un- aided. The vast resources of the State still await development and the extent of our achievements in that direction will measure the consideration which we may expect from the whole country. It will not even be sufficient if we induce non- residents of means, energy and ability to come and-add their efforts to ours, though there should be no relaxing of endeavorin that direction. Apart from all these duties is the one resting upon us to do all that we can in developing the wealth lying under our hands and awaiting our enterprise. That is the first necessity in securing the prosperity of California. There are some among us who appre- ciate that fact. The greatest single enter- prise now under the direction of Califor- nians is the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad. It represents an investment of about $6,000,000, but that is the least of the considerations which it involves. It is distinctly unique in con- ception. ‘While started as a legitimate business enterprise, it deliberately established the volicy of abandoning any conceivable op- portunity to make enormous profits at the expense of the people, and bound itself to & reasonable income on the investment. That was a fadical departure from the es- tablished poiicy of those transportation cowpanies which have grown enormously rich by charging all that the traflic could bear, without any reference to the amount of the investment. s Another unique feature of the enter- prise is the relief which it will afford to shippers, who for so many years have borne excessive burdens. That will mean for producers and merchants between San Francisco and Bakerstield a charge on their wares that will enable them to pros- per. These charges, instead of being based, as in the past, on the shipper's margin of profit, will be regulated solely by the desire of the company to secure .a return of 6 per cent on its investment. That is something startingly new in Cali- fornia. Taking into account the fact that under fair conditions the rewards of in- dustry should be generous in this State, it is evident that the policy of the Valley road will leave a margin of profit to ship- pers that they have never been permitted to retain in the past. These matters are clearly understood by the intelligent peo- ple of the San Joaquin Valley. The rapid development which that fertile section will experience under the new conditions will act directly upon the welfare of San Francisco, and will simplify California’s task in demanding a wise National recog- nition of its needs. ETHICS AND ECONOMICS. A form of government like the United States, in which the sovereign or supreme power is Jodged in the people collectively, is deeply conce ned in the ethical as well as in the economic well-being of every cit- izen. It was because these two factors in the work of expanding the nation’s mate- rial interests became antagonistic, one to- ward the other, and thus obstructed the country’s onward march, that necessity gave birth to the Republican party. Hence it is that every consistent Republican is not only interested in the accumulation of wealth by the people as a whole, but he is intrusted with its distribution. He could not with satisfaction witness trade expan- sion and industrial growth unless all the peonle were participating somewhat, at least, in ratio to the worth of each indi- vidual efiort in the operation. His Repub- lican doctrine teaches him that although it is the people’s duty collectively to pro- mote the Nation’s welfare, the ultimate purpose of all effort should be individual prosperity and happiness. The building up or tolerating of a social status or property boldings with a plu- tocracy at the top and a proletariat at the bottom would be in direct antagonism to the principles of the Republican party. | This is absolutely true, because the cen- tral principle of Republicanism, around which all others cluster, is that any in- crease in the general wealth of the country that goes by arbitrary economic forces into the handsof a few is doing great harm and injustice to the many, besides weak- ening the ethical and political strength of the Nation as a whole. The only true system of wealth growth, says Republi- canism, is that which broadens and ele- vates the manhood of ail concerned. The spirit of the principles of the Re- publican party teaches that business effects reach their highest and stroneest unfold- ment when they are produced by ethical causes; hence, the business enterprise whose operatives participate in the distri- bution in the way of wages to the full mesasure of their worth 1s an ideal business enterprise, and it is these conditions of existence that the Republican party is working to establish through the operation of laws that shall encourage such condi- tions and protect them as well. The Re- publican party denies with vehemence the theory of government and economic prop- osition that there is permanency of social or National life where one class of the people is permitted to accumulate wealth while another class sink in want and misery. A CLIMATIC ANOMALY. It is hoped that the Weather Bureau will pay diligent attention to the record of “sensible temperatures,”” and that the newspapers of California wiil lena every encouragement to the work. Theclimates of this State, like every other condition with which we have to deal, are as novel and perplexing as they are various. The publication of a bald record of thermo- metrical readings is misleading and made- quate. A citizen of New York, who sees men and horses there succumbing to sun- stroke when the thermometer begins to approach 100 degrees, can hardly be ex- pected to find a strong invitation in a sim- ilar reading for a thermometer in the s perfect unity of sentiment which pre- interior valleys of California, and when he is told that'notwithstanding this fact sun- | lating and obstinate, incompetent and strokes and the terrible diseases peculiar | dogmatic. to Eastern summers are unknown here it | ness has been added the bungling of the is natural for him to doubt the truth of | Government, and new irritations and in- the assertion. On the other hand, when the New Yorker | three years been vexing every industry, arrives at 8an Francisco in the middle of. checking every trade and harassing every summer, and discovers the thermometer | interest. registering 80 degrees, he will likely com- it the serious blunder of assuming that | are necessary. There must be a restora- the day is warm, and, acting on that con- | tion of protection, of reciprocity, of bi- clusion, may wear light clothing, and with- metallism, af a mercantile marine and a out an overcoat take a trip on an open car | more extensive undertaking of internal to the beach. If he escapes a severe cold | improvements and coast and naval de- he is fortunate. The established residents | fenses. With so many messures to engage of the City bave learned from experience | public attention and each of such import- that the readings of the thermometer are | auce, it is a remarkable proof of the politi- not a trustworthy guide for dress. Hence, | cal capacity of the conservative element while the readings in the interior of the | of the American people that they can give State indicate a temperature which in the | to each its rightful valve and avoid exalt- Eastern States would prohibit *hard labor | ing any one at tie cost of others. Despite and induce sunstrokes and diseases fatal | all the zeal of doctrinaires deelaring this to children, the readings on the coast are thing or that thing to be the supreme is- equally misleading in the opposite direc- | sue, despitethe clamor of radical or erratic tion by showing a temperature much | citizens shouting in response tothe zealots, 2y hizher than can be taken into account in precautions against cold. That is to say, both of these opposing conditions are in turn opposed to the Bastern experience. That presents a very complex situation, but its elements are re- ducible to simple formulas. The records of the Weather Bureau, unfortunately for California, are based on Eastern prece- dents and experience, and these operate diametrically against the conditions pre- valent here. It is largely a question of humidity and winds. On a hot sum- mer day in the interior of California we generally find both extreme atmospheric dryness and a considerable breeze. One of these conditions—particularly that of dryness—is constant, for the reason that there are no rains. As a result the moisture which the bodies of all ani- mals, including men, is constantly giv- ing out through the skin is instantly evaporated, and evaporation produtes a lowering of temperature. In the Eastern States an excess of aumospheric humidity and an absence of winds prohibit, sepa- rately or together, this evaporation, and in consequence the bodily temperature, in- stead of being cooled by evaporstion, is forced up to blood heat plus the excess of atmospheric heat above that point. That means danger. Likewise the constant strong winds that blow from the ocean upon the coast greatly lower the temperature of the body, while not similarly affecting the ther- mometer. That is because the dry-bulb thermometer,which isthe standard of East- ern thermal measurements, is insensible to the action of winds. A wet-bulb ther- mometer shows a very different and lower reading, and that is the temperature we feel. It is incumbent on the Weather Bureau officers and the press of California to give us a class of readings suited to our pecuhiar conditions. This is. callea the “sensible temperature.”’ THE FUNOTION OF CREDIT. The time was when the dealer and trader in merchandis: would go with the ship or caravan or wagon train and personally su- perintend the disposition of his commodi- ties on the cash down system. There was no commercial credit in those days except between neighbors, but that was before the invention of the telegraph and the railway. Faithin tie business integrity of fellow-merchants is now comned into | token money, so to speak, and public car- riers assume the responsibility of trans- porting articles of merchandise from initial to distinctive points, and instead of the owner or his messenger going with the shipment to coilect pay the shipper at- taches his bill of lading to a draft upon the consignee and his banker cashes it. Only a few years ago the draft became the mer- chant’s messenger, but so great has the credit system grown that its dimensions | are beyond the power of any one to com- pute, and its ramitications are earthwide. It is said that our bank clearing-house system furnishes the equivalent of more tuan twice the per capita mouey of the | country, and yet only the larger trade cen- | ters maintain such institutions, and their | clearings represent not more. than 50 per | cent of all the business transacted by the | people. Moreover, an examination of | clearing-house reports will show that only | about 10 or 15 per cent of*“the total clear- | ings are settled with cash, and that very | often a creditor bank will reclear its cer- | tificates, thus still further reducing the amount of actual money employed. | Our commercial exchanges add a still | greater volume of substitutes for money. A | country buyer of produce can conduct his | business with bills of lading attached to | drafts, so that the actual cap:tal which he | employs may not be more that 5 or 10 per ‘ centof the value of his shipments. The | time note becomes token money the moment it is offered for sale or discount. There is no way of knowing how many thousand million dollars, as represented by credit drafts attached to shipping bills, | are moving to and from the business cen- ters every day, but it is estimated that fully three billion dollars’ worth of mer- chandise are afloat in the ships of the world every hour, and which is moving on the faith of individual credit. There is another kind of credit which the United States enjoys more than any other nation. This Government has out- standing a large number of bonds, green- backs and national bank and treasury notes, but the holders of these several promises to pay have no security whatever except the willingness and the ability of the people to redeem their pledges in metallic money. Our national bank notes are secured by Government bonds, but there is nothing behind the bonds except the moral sense of the people. This is the highest credit, for it is based wholly upon the integrity of the people who authorized the bonds, bank notes and Government paper money to be issued. Bnt the credit of this Government, unlimited as it now is, could be impaired by continuing a policy that caused expenditure for main- tenance to run in excess of income and provided for deficits by borrowing money. The Government, like the individual, for- feits its credit when it lives beyond its means, AMERICAN CONSERVATISM, Among the thousand phases which the complex condition of our politics discloses at this time there is none more notable in itself or more gratifying to patriots than the calm steadiness with which the con- servative element of the people face the problems before them, and the almost vails among them as to the best means of overcoming the difficulties that stand in the way of a return to National prosperity. The conditions are such as would fill gnlmost any other people on the globe with impatience and excitement and divide them into the impotence of a thousand discordant factions. We have seen the in- dustries of the country in the full career of an abounding prosperity checked so sud- denly as to throw everything into confu- sion and produce an immense disaster. We have seen banks suspended, factories closed, trade paralyzed, farms made un- protitable and workingmen forced into idleness. Presiding over this ruin we have seen an administration at once vacil- Thus to the disasters of busi- juries coming month after month have for To remedy all these evils many measures the great mass of the people remains calm, studying the whole field with serenity and resolved to deal with each measure on its merits and carry them all forward in one grand comprehensive policy for the wel- fare of the country. In addition to the confusing effect of so many great issues before the peopie at one time, there is the further complexity that the dominant party has no less than four men with about equal claims upon it con- tending for the leadership. In this rivalry, however generous it may be between the great leaders themselves, there is a natural tendency toward mutual antagonism among their more excitable partisans. Each group demands that its own particular favorite shall be honored and will listen to no argument from others or for others. Here again, however, the conservative element shows its calm strength and political wisdom. It is as steadfast amid the cries of personal parti- sans as amid those of the zealots of par- ticular measures. It will deal with leaders as with doctrines, and, choosing the best, will harmonize all. There is no other people on earth that could face this complexity of issues and rivalry of chieftains with anything like the political sugacity the American people are now displaying. Among any other peo- ple there would be a party for every great measure and a faction for every great leader, but there would be no strong, domi- nant conservative majority establishing harmony in the midst of dissensions and making it possible for statesmanship to survive political emergencies. This char- acteristic of our people is the salvation of the Republic. It assures not only perma- nence to our institutions, but steadiness to our policies, and maxes clear the way for prosperity under circumstances where peo- ple less politically wise would rushintoex- tremes and make confusion worse con- founded. The celebration at Monterey of the fif- tieth anniversary of the raising of the American flag over California ought to be made one of the greatest festivals of the season. It appeals ‘to every loyal senti- ment from State pride to National patriot- ism and will inspire the patriotic witha true enthusiasm. Among all the undertakings of the State there is none that more truly marks the general progress toward prosperity than the Valley road whose continuous advanc- ment means the overthrow of the monop- oly and the promotion of the welfare of all industries within reach of its extend- ing influence. IN LESS SERIOUS MOOD. BY CHaRLES D. SoUTH. : Sycamore Springs, in San Luis Obispo county, # decude ago, was known as the “0il Wells,” The existence of mountains of bituminous rock in the vicinity and the fact that near-by streams gave slight surface indications of oil inclined many to the belief that a niver of oil was flow- ing directly underneath. To tapit might mean the realization of millions. An expert from Pennsylvania pronounced the character of the soil there quite similar to thatof the oil re- gions of the Keystone State. At San Luis Obispo & compauy of capitalists was formed to push forward the ol project and in & short time a well had been sunk and pumping had begun. The work at the oil wells was in eharge of an engineer by the name of Spaulding. He had been digging and pumping away vigorously for some time, apparently in- spired by an abiding confidence in the certainty of success, as well as a money cousideration, when one evening he sent up & shout of joy aud dispatched a mes- senger into the city with the glad tidings that he had “struck oil.” Tne capitalists and some friends drove out on the following morning to make an inspection.. Spaulding gave them a jubilant greeting and stralgntway led them to the well. Taking up a handful of freshly thrown-up sand at the mouth of the well he held it within an inch of the nose of the fore- most of the par “*Smell of that!” cried Spaulding. “0il, sure as you breathe,” exclaimed the verson addressed. In another moment every- body on the ground was excitedly repeating the same thing: “Oill no doubt about itl The news spread rapidly and everybody in the “oil belt” began to dig. The company bought up as many as possible of these otherwise prospective opponents in the oil industry, and the members of the combine were naturally proud of their long heads and of their shrewd, farsighted steps toward the consummation of & monopoly. Big plans were under consideration. Several moneyed men from abroad desired to secure shares In the enterprise. Another excursion was organized and arrived unexpectedly at the oil wells. Itcameat a most inopportune time, so far as the engineer was concerned, for Spaulding was lying in bed with an attack of rheumatism. “What?” he yelled in an almost affrighted way when an assistant rushed up with the in- formation that a crowd was at the wells. ireat Casar! Tell 'em the sand at the well isn’t fresh. Oil's evaporated. I'll be down soon and work the pump.” Meantime the visitors had surrounded the well and were nosing and sniffing around in the futile endeavor to discover traces of oil in the sand. Disappointment shone on a1l faces. “‘What's the matter with your oil indica- tions?” queried somebody as Spaulding limped up to the well. “You see,” replied Spaulding, readily, “there was a sort of cave-in yesterday and the sand you've been trying’s from near the sur- face. I've ordered a sandwich lunch for the crowd down at the boarding-house, and while you folks are there I'll just set this pump to working again.” Returning from lunch the party found that fresh sand had been thrown up, and that this sand was strongly impregnated with oil. Those who looked straight into Spaulding’s eyes found nim looking straight back with all the candor of innocence. There was no enthusiasm among the excur- sionists on the home journey, and Spaulding threw up his job that very night. “That’s the meanest thing I ever did,” hede- olared. *After I'd started the joke with a can of kerosene 0il I didn’t know when to let up!” But Spaulding had struck a flow of white sulphur water, and some of the goid that was sunk with the object of bringing up oil from the rich dream-river below was lured back again by the “White Sulphur Baths” which were built on the site of.the well that showed indications of “refinea oil.” “There's any quantity of oil in San Luis Obispo County,” said one of the pioneers of that region to me; “but the work of that wag of an engineer, Spaulding, has scared every- body out of the notion of boring for it."” What & world of deceit this is! And how often may we not be unjust to the suffering poor by confounding the prayer of need with the well-rehcarsed imitation of that appeal by the professional faker. 1 was turning from the street nto the stairway of & business house when & cripple, ragged and leaning on crutches, accosted me. Halting for a moment under the lamp at the entrance Ilooked him over. It was rather late in the evening and rather cold as well. In appearance the fellow was quite an object of pity and these were tears in his voice as he nervously, rapidly un- reeled his tale. “A strenger—without friends—I am nearly frozen, and I hate to beg, but a ‘11 do almost anything when he’s shivering and half starved. I want to sleep to-night and Ive got but 15 cents. Give me a dime for God’s sake and then I'm told I can get half- decent treatment for to-night. Show me any job I can do for you and I’ll thank you. No, I don’t know the taste of liquor. I've passed through hard times. Imagine yourself all alone and crippled like me, kicked and cuffed about and out in the night imploring charity. Isuppose it'll all have to wind up in the bay. I'd be better dead anyhow.” The cripple wiped a tear from his cheek with a dirty sleeve. I dropped him a dime, and as I pursued my way upstairs I half re- gretted that I hadn’t given a quarter. “Well,” thought I, ““if the man is reslly in need it was ell he asked for; and if he was de- Ceiving me I have lost very little.” From the top of the stairway I looked down, and to my surprise the eripple was standing at the doorway still. A second victim yielded him a quarter; a third put a dime in his hand with an expression of pity. A fourth—a fifth contributed his mite; and still the cripple kept repeating to each newcomer his well-worn story. Icould delay no longer and I ceased my study. That cripple gathered in & dollar or more in the brief time that I watched him {from the head of the stairs. I am inclined to think that his receipts for a whole evening ‘would foot up close to five dollars. Atalater date, while I walked with a friend along a crowded street, that same ‘“cripple” stepped in front of us. There was no mistak- ing the voice and face, although the beggar’'s crutches had disappeared and he wore one arm in & sling. The fact was that he had grown tired of limping around on one foot, and the “burned-arm” idea served as a relfef. My friend spoke in heavy tones: “Burned arm now, eh? If you bother me I'll hand you over to the police. You're worse than a pick- pocket. Get outl” The words were harsh, of course, and many good people glared at my friend, commenting silently, it would seem, on his apparent dis- play of utter heartlessness. But those good people heard not the plea of the professional faker as he slid aside: “Say, now, I ain’t goin’ to bother you. Leta geeser make his dough, can’t you? Don’t queer me with the whole mob! See? And the fortune-hunter was seeking new prospects. Yet, as was inferred above, the needy poor— starving, perhaps, and forced in sheer despera- tion to ask for alms—are often denounced as shams and frauds and turned away with 1ooks that sting like blows. From roof, door, window burst the flames; ‘The house became a furnace dire; The firemen fled from the battle dread *Gainst the flashing spears of the conquering fire. ‘Then & mother’s cry the great throng thrills— My child! My child!” was ali she said. The people they heard, but no one stirred, For surely the child in the flames was dead. But see! The farnace has swallowed a form— Cremation alive is a terrible thing— There’s gtiliness of death, as, with bated breath, The crowd tells seconds full slow of wing. See! Staggering from the oven of flame, ‘The hero a precious burden bears. *“"Tis & tramp!” aloud cries a man in the crowd, “Who has saved the dsughter of Banker Shares.” 0, many a summer has bloomed since then; That cbild is & maiden fair to behold. No villagequeen is so loved, I ween, And none with richer dower of gold. And who, pray tell, is the new cashier In the splendid seventeen-story bank? *Tis the tramp whose deed proved & glorious lead, And brought liim fortune and name and rank. The banker's daughter to-day he weds— The brave and the fair shall be one to-day! ‘What & lesson this tale to the tramp in jail! (You see these things on the stage In the play.) A beautiful gir], it appears, has been hypno- tized and led to the marriage altar under the spell. She loves not the man she married and fain would be divorced. Should there be no hypnotic intervention with reference to a legal severance of the tie that oinds that couple, then the hushand should be exiled immedi- ately after the decree is pronounced. Other- wise that poor girl will be doomed to live in terror of meeting that ex-husband (without the restraining influence of a court) and of being yanked right back to a marrying parson in the same old confessedly effective way. Can it be that the late Victor Emmanuel, King of Italy, was in reality the father of the long-toed shoe? It is related that it was his custom to allow the nail on the great toe of either foot to grow curing the whole year, cutting off the appendix, which might be an inch long, on the first of every Jannary. Then the court jeweler polished these toenails till they assumed the brilliancy of cat’s-eyes, and set them in gold mountings surrounded by diamonds. Superstition regarded these be- dismonded toenails as “talismans.” This is possibly a clew to the origin of the shoe with the extraordinarily long toe. Tne late king didn’t go barefooted, and he certainly didn’t roll up his toenails. A delegate to the Women’s Convention de- clared that “savage women had more freedom than the modern wife.” 1t may be added, in like way, that savage man had more freedom than the modern husband; wherefore, we should rejoice that we are civilized. Rev. M. G. Hart of Melbourne, Australia, has taken the bicyele as a topic for his pulpit, and is putting the modern invention to & fresh and glorious use. Ile has presched a sermon from the text (Ezekiel, 10:xiif): *“As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hear- ing, ‘O wheel!’” The clergyman is positive that if the prophet Ezekiel lived to-day bLe would ride a bicycle. ‘The bike the modern preacher took His sermon’s text to be: “For roadway well-defined they look Who on their wheels we see; And s0 the highway of the King The Christian aye shonld keep; The slider-back doth perils oring; No faith should fall asleep. Ol your machine, good work to do, The Christian, we can prove, God's ol of grace must trickle through To keep him on the move. Good company assures a man ocratic struggle for existence. Let me simply indicate it. And here I desire to let the New York Tribune of the same date of the World, April 29, have a chance to be heard: ‘‘In the death grapple of hostile Democratic factions the Eastern Democrat knows that he has nota chance in any Eastern State unless he can have an ungualified declaration for the main- tenance of the gold standard with a candidate to mateh. “But the Western or Southern Democrat has to face an overpowering demand for free silver coinage, and he knows that with a gold plat- form a great part of the Democratic voters will go over to the Populists, leaving the Demcec- racy not merely beaten, but permanently erip- pled by the lossof the machinery by which elections are carries *The Southern Demo- crat knows right well that he will be buried out of sight if the people get a chance to vote and have their votes counted.” ‘‘He cares not & rap whether Democracy gains in New York or not.” *Federal offices in the South are of no yalue compered with State and local offices nd the control of the party machinery.” The ms considerations govern in New York. The ribune sums up tne situation in these words: “Tnus it is seen that the rupture in the Democratic party goes far deeper than any difference of belief among leaders and work- ers. Itison both sides a fight for life—at the South because free silver and soit-money here- sies have for thirty years been taught with so ‘much success that Domocratic voters are fran- ticover them,and at the North because the influence of commercial and banking classes has made it impossible to create such a per- nicious public sentiment.” > It may be remarked in passing that the Tribune states with refreshing candor \vh{ it is that the free coinage of silver has so iew friends in_the northeastern section of our country. It isinfthe nature of a confession. Make note of it: “The influence of com- mercial and banking classes made it impossi- ble to create such a pernicious public senti- ment.” I think the readers of THE CALL will agree with me that the Democratic nnf is in sore straits. The all-absorbing Populists in the South seem about to leave only the gol(’i' con- tingent in the long-time “‘Solid South,” and the Republicans in the North will gather in all but the unconditional free-silver elements. That portion will naturally ally itself with the new silver party which 1s to join forces with the Populisis in the support of joint c&n‘di- dates to be nominated at St. Louis July 22. The woes of Democracy are manifest. JOSEPH ASBURY JOHNSON. 11 Essex street, San Francisco. PERSONAL. Dr. T. M. Young of Seattle is in town. W. H. Hatton, the attorney of Modesto, is at the Lick. Eugene France of Aberdcen, Wash., has ar- rived here. W. F. George, an attorney of Sacramento, is in the City. D. V. Napier of London was among yester- day’s arrivals. John F. Scully has returned here, after two years in the East. William G. Irwin of Honolulu arrived here on the Monowai yesterday. W. Waterhouse, the wealthy planter, of Honolulu, is on & visit here. J. B. Curtin, Districy Attorneyof Tuolumne, is a guest at the Cosmopolitan. Dr. J. E. Stubbs of Reno, president of the Nevada State University, is here. A.L. Baird of Sydney and M. G. C. Dodwell of New Zealand are at the Cosmopolitan. Among the arrivals here yesterday was R. Valentine Webster, a tea planter of Ceylon. J. L. Gillis of Sacramento, assistant superin- tendent of the Southern Pacific, is at the Grand. Colonel John H. Soper of the Hawaiian army was among the arrivals by the Monowai yester- day. Heis at the Occidental. N. A. Baldwin of New Haven, who is inter- ested in the great Baldwin locomotive works, is the City, accompanied by his wife. R. P. Keating of Virginia City, superintend- ent of the Consolidated Virginia and other mines on the Comstock, is at the Palace. The Rev. J. A. Keating, & minister of the English Episcopal Church, Queenstown, and the Rev. Thomas Kehoe of New Zealand, are in the City. Dr. James Kingsbury, a leading physician of Sydney, Australia, ariived here yesterday, ac- companied by his daughter. He is en route to Los Angeles to settle. J. H. Glide, the extensive business man of Sacramento, who is engaged in general mer- chandizing, dealing in wool and other enter- prises, is at the Grand. John Mill, a weaithy stockholder in the Union Steamship Company, New Zealand, is here on the way to New York and around the world. His family is with him. H. G. Trowbridge, who has been boring wells tor oil and water in Japan and India, who ar- rived here about a week ago, yesterday re- ceived a cablegram from an English syndicate asking him to go to Peruand take charge of some oil lands there. His contract is for two years. He will leave overland to-day for Peru, and will spend a brief time in New York in visiting his family, whom he has not seen for two years. CALIFORNIANS IN NEW YORK. NEW YORK, N. Y., May 9.—At the Marl borough, A. C. Bolderan; Holland, K. Maddo Savoy, J. Levy; Metropole, D. E. Newell; Broadway Centrel, C.Shaw; Astor House, B. I. Thomas. Sailed per steamship Lucania for Liverpool, Mrs. Abram Breece, Miss Mary A. Bowen, Mr. Schallenberger, I. W. Taber. THE CONVENTION. More pleasures on the wheel; Good company's & thing which can Augment a Christian's weal. “The little sins that men commit Are punctures in the tire: 1t sinners do not mend & bit, ‘They’Il never pass the wire. The wire it is the Christian gate To Eden, if you like. The lesson heed ere all too late— The lesson of the bike!" LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE. WOES OF DEMOCRACY. FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES IMPERIL ITs EX- ISTENCE. Editor The Call—Sir: Even superficial ob- servers begin to realize that the great National party which produced a Jefferson, a Jackson, a Calhoun, a Benton and a score of other states- men of almost equal distinction, has reached o critical period in its history. 1f the differ- ences which now beset the party are indeed ir- reconcilable the last chapter of its history will close with the campaign of 1896. It is worth while to take a candid glance at its present confusion and distraction. To avoid even the suspicion of bias and unfairness let us go to unimpeachable Democratic sources for a state- ment of the situation which conironts Demo- cracy. Lyin{ before me as I writeisa eosy of the New York Worla. It is dated Wednesday, April 29, 1896. On e 6, second column, the leading editorial article is headed, “What Will They Gain?” The ning sentence states that “The free-silver Democrats of the ‘West and South hope to have a majority in the Chicago convention.” Then follows these uestions: ‘“What can they hope to gain by t? In what way will it’ advantage them either as Democrats or free-silver men?” In answering “these questions the World ints out the fact that “the sixteen Southern tates solid have but 159 electoral votes, which is sixty-five short of & majority.” But “there are fifty-nine votes in the South almost cer- tainly lost_and forty-four imperiled.” - ing to the North the World declares that “the Democrats could not hope to carry one of the old Northern States on the free-silver issue.” Looking westward the World asks: “Would the new minin%fllmu and Sagebrush States offer any hope? But they have only thirty electoral voles—six less than New York alone. And they are nearly all Republican.” t§Let us hear the World's conclusion: “Is ft worth whil ither as Democrats or iree-silver men, thus t crifice Democratic power and prestige in a fantastical frenzy for one single and hopeless idea ?” “1f the {ree-silver Demo- crats get control of the National Convention they might as well vote at once to make'Me- Kinley's election unanimous.” This is certainly a bad outlook for Democ- racy, for free-silver Democrats are not going to vote for a gold-standerd man in 1896 on a plat- form demanding the gold standard. But the real situation, the underlying and ineradica- b e ditficulty, cannot be full: losed by even 50 plain a statement as the World has given us. 0] mocracy suffers from peculiar local dif- ferences. No one of clear vision and good in- telligence in the Democraiic party has any expectation or hope of gaining & National victory this vear. What follows? A supreme strndxgle in Democratic States to continue to hold the offices and patron: of these States, and for this purpose they will freely sacrifice National issues in this campaign. Consider what this means. It would require a column of THE CALL fora full exposition of this local aspect of the Dem- All Right. Hanford Sentinel. ‘The convention did it right, all right. Reason for Pride. Woodland Mail. John D. Spreckels certainly has reason to Prince Louis Napoleon of the Russian army to the rank of General. Princess Henriette’s (of Belgium) wedding presents and clothing, sent after her from Brussels to Neuilly, where her husband, the Duc de Vendome, has his vills, filled 170 boxes and weighed eleven tons. Miss Edie Ramage, who was married in Lon. don. recently to Senor Franeisco de Paul Os. soris of Manila, was the originalof the cele. brated picture called “Cherry Ripe,” which had a great vogue both in England and in the United States. LADY'S SHIRT WAIST POINTED YOKE The shirt waist shown here is one of the newest models. The yoke is cut with two points, both back and iront. The lower part of the waist, both back and front, is seamless, tne fullness gathered at the waist. Shirting in Persian coloring is oneof the novelties. Cotton cheviots in mixtures are also wel] WITH liked, while the light colored chambrays are as_‘populnr as ever. ‘0 make a shirt waist more servicesbie, make the collar separate, simply binding the neck. White collars may then be worn too, and the wearer will have thus another novei 1y of the season, viz.: colored waists with white collars. HUMOR OF THE HOUR. “My dear, if you knew how shocking some of youradvanced ideas are to other people I don’t believe you would offer them quite so freely.” ‘“Oh, John; are they, really ? That’s the first word of honest encouragement I've had.”—De. troit News. Passenger—Say, captain, how far are we still from land ? Captain—About two nautical miles. Passenger—But we cannot see land any- where. In what direction does it lie? Captain—Straight below us.—Das Wippchen. Visiting Acquaintance—Don’t you find it a great deal cheaper to live out here in the coua- try than it was in the city ? Mr. Subbubs—M—no, it's about the same, My wife brought her chafing dish along witn her.—Milwaukee Journal. Ethel—If you stand on a chair and I sit on the piano perhaps the mouse cannot reach us. Edith—Oh, it can ! You forget that this is leap year.—Detroit Free Press. E. H. BLACK, painter, 120 Eddy street. = —_——————— SPECIAL information daily to manufacturers, business houses and public men by the Press Clipping Bureau (Allen’s), 510 Montgomery. * ——————— ALL classes and conditions of society will be gratified to learn that Putzman & Schurman have the exclusive coastagency of the famous “Golden Gate” brand of Kentucky whisky. Their Prussian Stomach Bitters cure all stom. ach and nervous troubies. 341 Pine, corner Montgomery, telephone, red, 891. . —————— HegeiPliere’s one thing about me; Ialways know enough to take a hint. She—Why, don’t you ever call on the same girl twice 7—Life. Take the Northern Pacific to All Points East. If you are going East call at 638 Market street, San Francisco, and get our figures. Finest service in the Northwest. Ail trains vestibuled and equipped with dining-cars. upholstered tourist cars and elegant Pullman sleepers. Through sleepers once a week. T. K. Stateler, agent. —_———— LADIES are greatly benefited by the useof Dr. Siegert's Angostura Bitters, the renowned South American tonic. ——————— Ir afflicted with sore eyes use Dr. Isaac Thomp- son’s Eye Water. Druggists sell it at 25 cents. ———— Generous Employer (to office-boy)—I shall give you a sausage for lunch every day, and if you do your work well, at the beginning of next month I shall add some mustard.—Flie- gende Blaetter. NEW TO-DAY. Is your body feel proud of the honors conferred on him. He well deserves the treatment he received. His was the Jargest vote. = Very Satisfactory. Los Angeles Times. The results of the convention are, on the whole, very satisfactory. All factions could not be g{wpmned nor satisfied. In uniting upon McKinley the Republicans of California have done & wise, sensible and meritorious work. An Able Champion. Madera Tribune. The San Francisco CALL has declared in favor of the woman suffrage movement. In the Sun- day issue it devotes a page to the cause, in which reference is made to the success attained in other States where women have been en- franchised. The movement has secured an able champion in THE CALL. Acquitted Ytself Well. Visalia Delta. The California Republican State Convention has acqnitted itselfi well. A platform with such planks as protection, free and unlimited ~fire-proof ? Speaking of infectious diseases, Dr. E. Brown says: “We ought to learn to keep our bodies invulnerable to conta- gion as a fire-proof buiiding is impervi- ous to fire; that is, we should be able to tesist such moderate coinage of silver at 16 t0 1, woman’s suffrage, good roads, public mone: for non- sectarian free ~ schools only, Tegulat- ing foreign immigration and natura- alization, opposition to the funding bill, and strong indorsement of William McKinley for President, will stand any strain that can be ‘brought against it. Not Wholly Conaistent. Alameda Arzus. The Republican platform is a fairly good enunciation of principlesof the membersof the party in California. The woman suffrage plank is perfunctory, as are the gay bouquets thrown to the farmer and the miner: but as to the protection to American industries; as to sil- ver; as to immigration and good roads, the nail is hit fairly on the head. Itshould be remembered, however, that the free-silver plank and the double-riveted indorsement of McKinley are not wholly and entirely con- sistent. "However, as the National Convention ?‘ml!nesl '.h: arty pollc;ithe State Conven- on’s plank is presumably to be con: only in the light of a suggestion. ensidingd The South Is Pleased. San Diego Union. The Republican party of California will cor- dially approve the workof the convention at Sacramento. The four gentlemen who have been chosen delegates-at-large to St. Lonis are admirably aualified to represent this State in the National Convention, and it may be said that of all the aspirants for this great honor none could have been chosen who would be more satisfactory to the entire party thanare John D. Spreckels, Georze Knight, U. 8. Grant Jr and Lionel A. Sheldon. In instructing these delegates to lanflrt Me- Kinlev so long as he has a reasonable chance of obtaining the Presidential nomination the convention has unquestionably voiced the wishes of an overwhelming majority of the Republicans of the State. PARAGRAPHS ABOUT PEOPLE. It seems to be generally believed in Russia that at his coronation ihe Czar will raise quantities of disease germs as we necessar- ily encounter through life.” Each man and woman and child should fortify their own body by healthy living, that the soil for the growth of germs be not available. Scott’s Emulsion of Cod-liver Oil strengthens the barriers that Nature raises against all in- truders by giving the system the resistive force needed to throw |off di