The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 16, 1896, Page 26

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26 - THE SAN FRANCISCO. CALL, SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 1896. HONOR IN ATHLETIC SPORTS Baird’s Yaluable Suggestions to Amateurs. Eastern Glub Methods found that he was not five seconds ahead, instead of making a claim and a disturb- ance he quietly asked if his was second place, and on being so informed went off to the dressing-room and refused to be in- dignant. The paper in question mar- veled at‘‘'so much frankness, which,” it stated, ‘‘is refreshing in this era of chican- ery.” There is a point on which I find partic- ular fault with the clubs and colleges on this coast. There seems to be an idea pre- vailing that a man to be your competitor must necessarily be your enemy. Insome sections of the country a club would ap- plaud a fine performance achieved by a member of anotherclubalmost as vigorous- ly as if the successful man was their own clubmate. That is generous, and I like to see it. This favoritism I do not like. I like to see an admirable performance applauded by everybody, regardless of who he isor | where he is from, provided he is a worthy man and fulfiils the rules. At a set of games held recently on this coast it was depressing to see the assembled mem- work in order to earn an honest living; | bers of a certain institution yell them- some teach in gymnasiums, some asswim- | selves into convulsions if a comrade won ming teachers: others engage in athletic {a race, no matter how insignificant the competitions, such as running or rowing, | performance may have been otherwise. for what they can honestly make out | On the contrary, if a member of annther of their speed or skill. Still others be- | club or college should perform in an ex- come pugilists and seldom have any re- | ceptional manner he was received in chill- gard for athletic ethics, although there |ing silence by the members of said are exceptions. But there is another class | institution. This shows a narrow who engage in the work for what they can | spirit. A man does not have one make at it regardless of whom they can |atom less of esprit-de-corps by show- bleed. ing a broad and generous spirit toward Now, if a man engages in competition, | others. It is this good feeling that bene- fits ath[etics in general and thereby the clubs in particular. What 1 like to see is fora beaten man to goto his more suc- cessful rival after the race and congratu- late him. It costs nothing, makes your competitor feel kindly toward you, and lifts you up and sets you apart from the common herd of mankind. Suppose now a member of your club gets beaten by the member of another. Stop and think what the effect on the other fellow and the other club would be if you and your clubmates were to go to him before he had left the grounds, con- gratulate him and say something compli- mentary about his performance. Do you not think that he would tell his friends that you were all good fellows? Some years ago I read a story which impressed me deeply. Ata set of games held by a high school in England on the occasion of what we call a commence- ment, two boys were pitted against each other in a hurdle race. The significance of the result is best understood when it is explained that the winners of the re- spective events would dine with the faculty at the annual banquet. One of the boys was an aristocrat and | the other a plebeian. The former entered the race with a full intention of winnine, but when half way through and he passed the grand stand leader by a few yards he heard a pathetic cry and caught sight of two white and anxious faces in the front row, which he instantly recognized as the mother and sister of his rival. Then it flashed across him how much more it meant for the other boy to win than himself—the dinner, the association with the professors, the prominence for one of humble station (something we lit- tle understand in this Republic). There were two more flights to be taken, one was cleared in magnificent style, and then the friends of the leader wondered why his foot caught the last hardle. They are probably wondering yet, but he knows the reason. Can you guessit? At any rate it is not difficult to determine the moral character of one who would make such a sacrifice. Upon this subject I have had very little to say heretofore, but have decided to dwell for awhile, in the hopes of correct- ing, or at least assisting to correct, some of the evils that eat like a canker-worm into the very heart of homest sport and manly exercise. Without athletic honor there is little true pleasure or progress, in either com- petition or exercise, We lay a great deal | of stress on the distinction between an amateur and a professional; theoretically the difference is that a professional sub- ordinates pleasure to gain—an amateur subordinates gain to pleasure. Now if an amateur hunts greedily for medals, jew- elry and silverware, or regards such | plunder as the object of his efforts, he is | no better than a professional. Worse still, if he thirsts for glory regardless of the prizes, but resorts to unfair or un- worthy means to achieve his end, heisno | better than the lowest tricksters. Let me make myself understood in re- gard to the term ‘‘Professionals.” There are two kinds. One kind engage in the Athletic honor would be ina very bad way on the Pacific Coast were it not for the sturdy efforts of John Elliot. Foryears he has stood as a bulwark against those in the Pacific Ath- letie Association and in the Olympic Club who have sought to chalk over the line of demarca- tion between the professional and the ama- teur. He has been first and foremost in de- claring to both classes by word and by pen, “Thus far shalt thou go and no farther.” His recent determined stand was actuated by a sincere desire to preserve the integrity of the laws of athletics. calling himself an amateur yet resorting to mean devices to gain possession of the | coveted prize (I say coveted), he is on a level with ‘“‘crooked” pedestrians, who travel around among country faire in some countries and localities with the sole purpose of “working” the green but conceited countrymen who think they can run. Among the vractices that I have known so-called amateurs to be guilty of are pocketing, jostling and crossing. Pocket- ing is for one man to take the curb with | another behind him, who 1s the victim. On theright of the latter is another man, an accomplice of the first. After awhile the pace gets too hot for the leader and his partner, and then the trick is played. Number two cannot forge ahead for he will step on the heels of the leader, neither can he swing out, for the man on hisright prevents him. He must take his choice of either stay- ing where he is or dropping behind and losing about five yards, which would be fatal. Jostling is simply to elbow another, and I have known cases where men have had to drop out of a race in consequence. Crossing is to deliberately pass across a man’s path and take the curb. The man crossed must necessarily slow up, which in a short distance run virtually throws bim out of the race. Now it seems incredible to honest people that young men who consider themselves amateurs, and particularly gentiemen, could be guilty of such practices, but sometimes they are. It is to be stated that such instances are rare, but I have known such things to occur. I have known in- stances where men have been disqualified for crossing another’s path. True, it was unintentional; but, instead of the man in question accepting the punishment in good grace, promising himself not to do such a thing again, not only he but his companions take it as a personal insult, and say all manner of hard things about the referee. . I distinctly remember a case of this kind occuring in the championship games of this coast in 1891. In one of the short | distance runs there were two rivals strain- ing every nerve to lgad. It happened that I stood at the railing on the last curve, and the inspector and I occupied a better position than any one else to see what followed. As they came to the curve one man forged a little ahead of the other—only about a yard—and = then deliberately crossed in front of the other and took the curve. This movement compelled the one who was fouled to slow up, and he came n second best at the finish. When the referee heard the claim that was lodged on the spot, and the testimony of the in- spector on the curve, he promptly dis- qualitied the offender. The result was that the one disqualified and his friends were bitter and prejudiced against the referee and the man who made the claim though the latter was fouled to an extent that shocked me. They certainly did not display the spirit either of ama- teurs or gentlemen of honor. Many years ago I had my attention called to a newspaper paragraph which illustrates my point. A race was started on a certain occasion, but by some bungle of the official in charge a certain man was sent off his mark five seconds earlier than he should have been. He was notified by the starter that he must beat the next man five seconds in order to win. When the race was over and he e e e Among the contributors to the columns of Harper’s Weekly is a young writer by The recognized leader of amateur athietics in America is unquestionably the subject of our sketch, William B. Curtis, Until last year he had heid the most responsible positions in the Amateur Athletic Union, holding the office of president as a finishing touch to his career. His experience in athletic exercises over since the close of the war, including sprint running, weight-lifting and throwing and rowing, in of which he was foremost in his day, his posi- tion a8 managing editor ol the Spirit oi the Times of New York, and above all, his uncom- promising attitude on records and the defini- tion of an amateur have given him his enyi- able position as the father of athletics. the name of Caspar Whitney. This young man has attracted considerable attention by reason of his remarks concerning peo- ple and things, and among others the Pa- cific Coast anda the athletes of the Far West. ‘Whether his allegations are correct or otherwise I witl not at present discuss; unfortunately there are many things con- nected with our amateur athletic affairs that need a severe overhauling, but I am firmly convinced that the officers of the Pacific Atbletic Association are conscien- tiously trying to do theirduty. Consider- ing the odds under which they labor I think they have succeeded remarkably well, for the clubs, and pariicuiarly the athletes, have a wholesome respect for the central organization, which is saying a great deal. Very few people know what an orthodox amateur is; and when that is the case it is not to be wondered at that so many violations of the rule oceur. About a month ago T received a letter from an athletic friend in New York, in which said friend cast some severe reflec- tions upon the association and athletics in general on this coast. I have not showed the letter to any one, consequently I am not betraying any confidence. I have laid it aside carefully, intending to answer it in print when opportunity oc- curred. We read that when we try to pick a mote or speck out of our neighbor’s eye it is wise first to cast the beam or log out of our own eye, in order that we may see clearly. Ifan atom of dust haslodged in your eye certainly you would not call upon one who has a cinder in his own to help you. Eastern athletics are corrupt and honey- combed to an extent that we know little of out here. The New York Athletic Club, for instance, has its grounds on Travers Is and, a beautiful spot on Long Island Sound, near the metropolis. During the season it is the policy of the club to “keep” a team of athletes in constant training. There is a trainer in attendance, with as- sistants if necessary, a training-table, lodgings, and I am even informed that clothing 1s furnished. To put it in another way, these athletes have ne visible means of support outside of the club; and they are provided with all the necessaries-of life on consideration of their representing the club in such races as the management may direct. .If any one on the team while in trmq- ing desires leave of absence it is necessary to cut any quantity of red- tape in order to get away. For as much as three months at a time these men, un- der the guise of being amateurs, are har- bored by an organization, the oldest in the East, which should be the citadel and high tower of pure amateurism, but which is really professional at heart. The true amateur athlete is the one who earns his daily bread and indulges in exer- cise and racing because he enjoys it, and because it makes him strong. But how can such a one hope to compete with those who devote the same time and attention that the professional gives to it? A man leaning over a desk, writ- ing for dear life, scarcely moving all day, in an office that has little sun in it; or one laboring over some trade like upholster- ing for nine hours a day—how can such men hold their own against those who live at the track and spend most of their time on it? I call to mind the name of H. H. Baxter, who won the championship of America at pole vaulting from 1883 to 1886, and for many years held the bestion record. Mr, Baxter was an heir to a considerable for- tune and had all the leisure he desired to humor his inclinations. But such in- stances are rare; fortunately for bona- fide amatenrs the wealthy young men of our country find hard training too much like work; I say “fortunately,” asI be- lieve it is impossible to legislate or provide against it. But in the instances where young men with no visible means of sup- port are taken up by some wealthy elub, fed and housed for months at a time, with dark rumors floating around about cloth- ing and spending-money provided—I say it is not healthy for true amateur athlet- ies, nor is it good for the morals or the future of the young men in question. ‘There is an opportunity for Mr, Whitney to show his zeal for immaculate athletics by letting the under dog alone for a while, and hitting the big fellow for a change, for he needs it. Gro. D. Barrp. GREAT MENTAL GALGULATORS llliterate Boys Who Astonished the World With Their Mathe- metical Feats With but a few exceptions the great mental calculators known to fame have been of humble origin and uneducated and have not distinguished themseives in any other sphere of activity. Thomas Fuller, “‘the Virginian calculator,” was a slave who could neither read nor write and he died as ignorant as ever at the age of 80. Jedediah Buxton,who was examined by the Royal Society of London toward the middle of last century, could find mentally in five hours the exact number of cubic eighths of an inch in a body measuring 23,145,789 yards by 5,642,732 yards by 64,965 yards, but could not write his own name. When taken to see Gar- rick in “Richard I[II” at Drury Lane his sole criticism was to the effect that the to- tal number of words uttered was 12,445, the number in Garrick’s part being regis- tered separately. Like Pascal, Ampere and Gauss, the celebrated mathematicians, showed precocity as children with regard to figures, but their subsequen: devotion to mathematics served to overshadow their capabilities as calculators. Zerah Colburn, born at Vermont in 1804, does not appear to have had any particular education. His autobiographical account of his performances is exceedingly bom- pastic and probably untrustworthy. He seems, moreover, to have lost his powers at the comparatively early age of 20. Mangiamele, a Sicillan herdboy, who, at the 2ge of 10, was presented by Arago to the Academy of Sciences' in Paris, and who, among other feats, extracted the cube root of 3,796, 416 (— 156) in thirty seconds, was totally illiterate. Dase, born in 1824, was a. noted calculator, but de- voted his faculty to the composition of tables of logarithms. He 1s said to have multiplied together mentally two num- bers of 100 figures each in eight and three- quarter hours. The problem no doubt could be done more rapidly by a good cal- culator in the ordinary way, but the effort of memory demanded by its mental solu- tion is sumply stupendous. It is noted that Dase possessed a remarkable rapidity of perception and visual memory with re- gard to objects seen, as, for example, in recognizing the number of volumes in a library. Henri Mondeux, who was also the subject of examination by the Aca- demy of Sciences, was born in 1826, and wae the son of a poor wood-cutter of Tours. In addition to feats of the usual kind he was capable of solving questions of an indeterminate nature. -Thus, when asked to find two numbers of which the squares differ by 133, he gave immediately 66 and 67. A simpler solution being re- quested he then gave, after a moment's re- flection, 6and 13. Mondeux, like other great calculators, had a very bad memory for other things, such as the names of places and persons. He died in obscurity in 1862. George Bidder, the English ‘‘Calculating Boy” and civil ergineer, must be distinguished as almost the only great mental calculator who, while retain- ing his abilities as such, attained an emi- nent position in another walk of life. The practice a of the harp has almost died out in Wales. g TRIFLES LIGHT AS AIR Yet These Little Things May Make or Mar Health and Beauty Portia and I were playing battledore in the long hall. This is an old-fashioned zmusement, by the way—long since for- gotten in our eagerness to fence and box, to ride a wheel or swing the clubs. Nevertheless, 1 question whther any of these muscle - devel- oping accomplishments are of more real value than the graceful old game. Those stately ladies and slender maidens who still live upon great canvases; who are associated in our minds with ancestral halls and courtly charms; who knew how to descend a stair or cross a floor with a firm, light grace and a dignity to which even our athletic girl nowadays seldiom attains—those ladies and maidens used to play ‘“battledore” and ‘‘graces’” in the great halls and on the terraces, and the diversion must have been a great help in developmg the poise and balance and graceful dignity, the fame of which still lives. Our young ladies’ seminaries that set girls to climbing ladaers and liting weights to the time of the gymnasium piano would do well to revive these old games. They are capital for developing the chest, for training the eye, for strengthening and suppling and round- ing the wrist and arm, and for giving con- trol over those unruly members of grow- ing girlbood, the elbows. They are full of demand, not so much upon strength as upon agility and dexterity. Quick turns, light springs, swift littie runs, deft man- ipulations and delightfu! fun make them the most spontaneous of exercises. The athletic girl is apt to regard them not a much stronger back than has her daughter, who leans, or even lounges, in a iadylike way, and, when she dares, crosses her knees. Few men or women to-day sit truly and properly in the position nature | designed that they should. We lean back and bring our shoulders forward, contract- ing chest and lungs. We slide forward until we rest upon the broad, flat bone near the end of the spine, with the coceyx, the series of small terminal bones, bent forward and under until it assumes per- manent deformity, productive of constia- tion with all its attendant ills. Or we *‘sit upon our stomachs,” our lin.p backs per- mitting the body to double forward until most of its weight rests upon that organ. Our modern chairs are responsible for modern shoricomings in this regard. Cushioned seats with springsdo not afford the even, firm support that the body needs. They give way unevenly, throw- ing undue weight and strain upon one side or the other. A cushion in a chair should never be a part of its upholstery. It'should be soft, adjustable and yielding, a thing to be tucked about where support is needed, rather than a fixture. Our cheirs are, moreaver, too high for women's use, possibly for §he reason that they are made by men, and in accordance with masculine ideds of comfort as to height and incltnation. Clothes-press hooks are usually too high, for this same reason. A chair in which the body really rests should be low enough so that when the feet are resting comfortably on the floof the knees are bent at an angle that gives a gentle SHUTTLECOCK AND BATTLEDORE. with fine scorn as ultra-feminine back numbers, Perhaps, however, this is not the only mistake that the athletic girl is making to-day. But this is by way of digression. Battledore-and-shuttlecock was not to have been my theme this day. Portiaand I were playing battledore-and-shuttlecock in the long hall when the sound of the front-door bell brought our game to a close. Portia hastily gathered up the battle- dbres and the feathered corks and thrust them into a drawer of a high oak stand. In closing the drawer, which she did as ninety-nine women out of a hundred would have done, by pressing her knee against it, it stuck, and required a little tug and pull, then another shove with the knee, when it went back with a rush. “Ouch!” exclaimed Portia, and rubbed her knee. The next day it was black and blue and quite sore. Portia had forgotten the epi- sode of the drawer and wasata loss to know why her knee should be lame. She mentioned it to her friend the doctor, who, upon being assured that there had been nd possible chance of its receiving an injury, talked learnedily of disturbed ecir- culation caused by nervous conditions attendant upon life in this high-pressure age, recommended exercise and gave her some little pilis in a bottle. Afterward I reminded Portia of the drawer and she laughed over her own stupidity. Probably two-thirds of the cases of ‘‘white swelliag” that come into our hos- pitals are traceable to this trick, so preva- ! lent among us of using the knee as a sort of third hand in shutting drawers, moving articles of furniture and pushing things. The knee 18 a rather wonderful joint, and, probably the most delicate in the body. “A weak knee” is a commou thing among men and women, but particularly among women who are constantly busy about the honre, and who as constantly find it con- venient to set things to rights about the room by a thrust of the knee. A taulty habit of walking, high heels and tight garters, whether above or below the knee, are all productive of much mischief at this point. Those fond mothers who follow tiie inane fashion of putting young chil- dren into socks, that leave the cunnng little knees bare, are laying a sure founda- tion for early development of rheumatism n these joints. A child’s knees and an- kles, particularly in this ciimate, should always be well protected, yet bare, blue, chilled knees on prettily dressed boys and girls of four or five years are a irequent and painful spectacle on our streetcars and ferry-boats, A good deal of the spinal and lung trou- ble of to-day—and somehow, despite the ‘‘enormous strides science has made'’ in this age, these troubles seem almost as COmmOoL as ever —is due to the way we sit. To the ‘‘railroad spine,” the ‘“bicycle spine.” the “‘writer’s spine’” and all the rest of them might, in justice, be added the high-chair spine. Our grandmothers sat primly and prop- erly upon high-bucked chairs, with their feet upon the floor and their spines erect. Our young people are often charged to do this, and grandma is frequently held up before the lounging girl as an example to be imitated. In point of fact, though, grandma, while she sits up straighter, has backward slope to the lap. Sitting thus the body inclines slightly forward in the position that takes the most pressure ofi the spine, and the big pelvic bones, so ad- mirably adapted for that purpose, sustain the weight. The seat should be of suffi- cient depth to support the body with no strain upon any set of muscles. It isnot | natural to sit upright, after the manner practiced by our grandmothers. The strain upon the abdominal muscles in a chair of ordinary height is too great when the spine 1s erect, and the average woman almost nnconsciously crosses her knees in order to relieve it. Another ‘“trifle light as an” that yet produces harmiul results is the almost universal feminine trick of cutting thread with the teeth. Generally speaking, all women sew, and perhaps one in a thou- sand in threading herneedle cutsor breaks her thread with some other instrument than her teeth. Because of its keen edge the “eye’ tooth is used for this purpose, for which reason it is almost invariably the first to require the dentist’s services when the teeth begin to need attention. Not even the wooden toothpick or the more primitive and umversal pin does more mischief to teeth than does this apparently innocent practice. Most women have a dread of growing old, and the first wrinkle is generally rec- ognized with a pang. It usually comes at the angle of the neck and jawbone, but is generally followed, very quickly, by a series of little fine lines between the e_yen. If no other warning is given the first ap- pearance of these little lines will be taken by the wise woman as a signal to use eye- glasses in reading. When this is done promptly the incipient wrinkles will prob- ably disappear. So very trifling do these little matters seem as to be almost un- worthy of consideration, yet so far-reach- ing are even small effects that it might nllmmt be said there are no such things as trifles. PENELOPE PowELsow. ONGE HE HAD MONEY TO BURN Now Gaptain dJames Gollins Asks for a Free License to Run a Fruitstand A few days ago an aged man of stalwart form appeared before the License Commit- teeof the Bourd of Supervisors and re- quested the favor of a free license. He was well known to every member of the committee and they were stricken with surprise at the unusual appeal. The applicant was Captan James W. Collins, a pioneer and resident of this State since 1855, during which time many fortunes have slipped through his hands. He raised a family, all of whor have grown to mature years and are scattere | abroad. The loss of his wife has left him solitary and alone in his old age. Though crippled from accidents in early life, the form of the captain is as straight as that of the proverbial Indian, and the dark tinge of his complexion is not unlike th: of the noble redman. ‘‘Gentlemen,” he said to the committee, “I never thought of being compelied to ask such a favor from my friends as Tnow propose to do. I have fought the fight as bravely as I could, but time has proven the winner, and now I am alone and with- out money in my declining years. My wants are simple. I must make a living, bui I have not the money with which to purchase a license to begin business. I want a license to conduct a little fruit-| YE ORATORS! Gampaign Jexts Here Ready for Use stand at the southwest corner of Mission | From Holy Writ a Flood of Light and Sixth streets.”” That was all. The request of the cap- tain was readily granted, and the stand was opened on the outer edge of the side- walk at the corner mentioned several days ago. There he holds levees daily with his numerous friends, who walk blocks out of their way to purchase a nickel’s worth of peaches, pears or apples from the old.mng. Captain Collins was a stage-driver in his time, and yesterdav, in a remims_cont mood, he recalled some interesting inci- dents of his staging days. “I guess I've been hung up as often as any stage-driver that ever pulled the strings over six animals,” he remarked. Encouraged by his small audience the captain continued: “Yes, that's a fact, but the fellows that stood me up were generally high-toned boys—not the lone-highwayman class— because it took more than one to stand me up in those days, and I had no shotgun messenger, either.” > “Who was the most distinguished gentleman of the road who ever ordered you to throw out the box?"” was asked of the captain. “Well, as I said, there were many of them, but I presume that Vasquez really took the cake. It happened in Pacheco Pass, on the Visalia route. It was shortly after the noon hour, and I bad a fresh team. Not that the team being fresh cut any figure in the matter whatever, but it happened just after the regular change of the horses. “When I swung into the road around the bend on the up grade I saw three mounted and two unmounted men lined up alongside the thoroughfare, and I knew just what it was. I was personally acquainted with Vasquez, and I knew it was he and his gang. There were two lady passengers, a small boy and an old gentleman in the coach, but there was not a dollar in Adams’ express box. That was before Wells-Fargo’s uime. The men were all masked by bandana handker- chiefs, and Vanquez, the leader, held up his pistol and ordered me to stop, when I got opposite. Youcan gamble that I took no chances with that outfit, seeing the load I had and no money to lose, so I hove down the brake and set my team almost on their haunches with a jerk. ‘*‘Good afternoon, Mr. Vasquez,’ says I. ‘How’s business in your line?’ * *‘D——dull, Jeem,’ he says, taking off his mask. ‘I will try to do a little busi- ness with you, though. Throw out the pox. **‘There ain’t a nickel in it, Mr. Vas- quez,” says I, handing the box to him, which he shook for a rattle. When he found that there was nothing in it he let out a string of Spanish oaths, tossed it back, commanded me to drive ahead and | upon pain of death not to report him until I got to the end of my journey. This command I obeyed strictly. No | damage was done further than the faint- | ing of one of the women. “I got into trouble in the later sixties with Mason and Henry, the two noted highwaymen, and through the innocence of Attorney Brooks of Visalia got sus- vended. These men were being closely pursued by officers and really had no chance to get food for themselves. I took them things to eat in order to keep them from robbing the stage. Mr. Brooks saw me pass out provisions to the men be- tween Firebaughs Ferry and Elknorn, and reported the matter, which led to my suspension. The men were soon after- ward caught m the Sugar Loaf. Fifteen times aside from this I have been hung up on the road. In fact my horses got so used to it that they would stop on seeing a man beside the road with a pistol or shotgun.” p From stage-driving the captain went to | mining, where he piled up a fortane of | Is Tumned on the Political Fog of the Year There is an anecdote told of Abrahem Lincoln to the effect that he was once ap- proached by.a member of his Cabinet with a request that he should furnish a text to be inscribed upon greenbacks. The sturay politician thought a moment and sug. gested, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee.”” Now there is something plrtin_:nlany solid and satisfying in a pat gcrlpturnx quotation or simile. An American aud‘x- ence is easily affected by one. That this is s0 is evidenced by the cross of gold and crown of thorns figure of speech intro- duced with telling effect at the Chl(‘mgn convention by Mr. William Jennings Bryan. Asa matter of fact this was not, strictly speaking, a quotation {rom the Testament, but it sounded biblical, and there are those who go so far as to assert that it was these few words that se- cured the Presidential nomination for the speaker. The every-day reader of newspapers W_ho takes an interest in political and financial matters, by following the injunction of John to *‘search the Scriptures,” may find much in their pages that is appropriate to present-day conditions. The zood Repub- lican may here find text and verse which, in his opinion, justify his convictions, The Democrat, too, may light upon a trite observation which will afford him con- firmation of his ideas. But it is the man on the fence—the person without settled convictions one way or another—who really enjoys the view. Each of the others may make a point of studiously ignoring “the other fellow,” but he sees both sides. Taking a retrospective glance at recent events, we can imagine David Bennett Hill, for instance, citing Scripture to con- found his opponents in the Democratic camp. We can hear him calling to his followers, “Receive my instruction, and not silver’” (Proverbs viii:10), or urging, «“Merchandise of wisdom is better than of silver’’ (Proverbs iii:14). And when the plaudits of the assembled populace sound- ed in his ears, announcing the Nebraska orator’s election, we can hear his mut- tered words of explanation, that it all happened *‘because they sold therighteous for silver” (Amos ii:6). And there is the Democratic nominee himself. Had he searched tbe Scriptures in the hour of his triumph he might well have ejaculated with Jeremiah, “How is the gold become dim!” or with Isaiah (xiv:4), “How hath the exactress of gold ceased!” Or he might, in referring to the yellow metal element, complain with the prophet, *“They lavish gold . . . and weigh silver” (Isaiah xlvi:6). And now come the people of the United States and complaining against the de- fendants, the present administration, they say with Nehemiah, “We have bor- rowed money’” (Nebhemiah v:4). They affirm with the apostle, “The people cast money into the treasury” (Mark xii:41), and, with words significant to Mr. Car lisle, “Remember my bonds” (Colossians iv:18. Step up, Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. Intro- duce yourself and give us your opinion en the last issue by Grover Cleveland. Says the representative of Lombard street, *I am an empassador in bonds” (Ephesians vi:20). “And regarding the last issue of bonds?” we ask. ‘‘More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold,” promptly quotes Morgan from Psalm xix. “Money answers all things,’ says the Preacher (Ecclesiastes x:19). United States bonds are money, ergo, United $500,000. Later he became a dairyman, | States bonds have the power of speech. being the owner of the well-known Bel- mont dairy, which supplied the city insti- tutions with milk for many years. His fortune gradually waned, until now the gallant old man is driven tn selling fruits, with a free license, on a street cor- ner, as stated above. Yet he is happy in telling about driving | the first stage to Gilroy Hot Springs and of making $100,000 in an hour once. Still One Use Yor Gobble Stones Just below the eastside crossing of the intersection of Montgomery and Commer- cial streets there is a cobbled area of street- paving which has passed throug.h succes- sive gradations of deterioration until finally it has reached the sia-e of ruin. Drays have pounded away at the cobbles until some have split and others have be- come loosened from their setting in sand, which may have been at that place soon after the tide had ceased fo run up to Montgomery street, and possibly about the period when that stout vessel, the famous Niantic, sank at the present corner of Clay and Sansome streets. But even a ruined pavement has its uses for the in- genious small boys of San Francisco. So it happened yesterday morning that the basaltic baubles, which were, erstwhile, thunder-provoking pavements, were in process of collection by three very small children of the streets, whoshouted *“'Rah, 'rah, 'rah!” and the rest of the University of California yell, #hich had been picked up by the precocious youngsters on the outskirts of a surreptitiously enjoyed foot- ball game. “’Rah, 'rab, 'rah,”” they sang and gath- ered up great cobbles into 1heir cloth caps, one big stone for each small boy. “Here, what are you up to?”’ demanded a passer. . No answer. “T’ll give you s nickel if you will tell me what you are going to do with those cobbles.” “Gimme the nickel first.” The coin of the realm was produced and when grimy fingers had clutched it the leader of the lads said with a sudden and strange shyness and diffidence: “We are going to play house with them.” That is the way children along the country lanes of New England “make houses” under the shady trees; “houses,” the memories of the lost associations of which cause wealthy occapants of man- sions to drop furtive tears as the familiar scenes of childhood are revisited in later years, and other children are found to be building other houses on the old spot. — e e S The largest oak tree now standing in Great Britain is that known as the *‘cow- Like Balaam’s ass, their periods of elo- quence are few and far between. To the British banker they lift up their voice. “We were not redeemed with silver and gold,” say they, and with the prophec urge: “‘Take the spoil of silver and the spoil of gold.” (Nahuwm ii:9.) But England will bave none of the twin-metal scheme of payment. “I have made gola my hope,” insists the creditor, sternly and successfully. The Calhifornia delegates to the Popu- list convention went to St. Louis in cars absolutely Spartan-like in their sim- plicity. No Pullman coaches were there to accommodate the representatives of the People’s party. In fact, “They took no money in their purse” (Luke ix:3.) ‘We can imagine the contempt felt by these sturdy middle-of-the-roaders toward their luxury-loving fellows. With Isaiah we can hear them exclaim, *Wherefore spend ye money?” By way of suggestion to stump speakers during the coming campaign, we append a few mottoes from the Scriptures which may be useful to round out political ad- dresses. The reader, be he Republican, Democrat or Populist, can take his choice of them. Who can say but that they may be efficacious in securing fat Government positions for those using them? This one thing is certain, that they are more authentic than the platitudes which are reported to have made a Presidential nom- inee: “Lay up gold as/Suitable by way of a recom- dust”— Job| mendation to the United xxii:24. States Government tor its financial policy. “Wisdom cannot|Useful for those who hold be gotten for| thatthe tanff 1s the para- old nor silver.”| mount issue. ob xxiii:10. “Which shall not regard silyer or| gold."—Isaiah Another nicely turned end- ing for a tariff speech. xiii:17. 1 *I gathered me!cun be used to describe the also silver and| condition of the Demo- gold.” lesi-| cratic party anterior to astes i1:8. the Chicago convention, “And take double|{A supposed scriptural au. money in your| thority for the double hana.”’—Genesis| standard. Bimetallists iii:12. will please note. “fe hath taken a/Descriptive of a portion of Mr. Cleveland’s luggage of money| with him’—| Proverbs vii:20 when he leaves the White House. Senator Tillman will doubtless express his thanks for this littie cam- paign pointer. “There was much A campaign truism, show- money in the ing the condition of the echest.” — II| United States treasury Kings x:8. the conclusion of Benja- min Harrison’s term of service. “He shall sit as a|To be used as a campaign refiner and puri-| promise by the adherents fier silver.”| of Mr. Bryan. Mal. jii:3. I E. E1zas. At various times during the existence thorpe.” It is seventy-eight feet in cir-| of the Roman empire loyal subjects wore cumference at the feet high. ground and about 146 | in their rings portraits of the reigning Em- y peror.

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