The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 23, 1896, Page 6

THE SA FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1896 b . DECEMBER 23, 1896 CHARLES M. SHORTRIDGE, Editor and Proprictor. SUBSCRIPTION RATES—Postage Free: Dally and Sunday CALL, one week, by carrier..$0.18 Daily and Sunday CALL, one year, by mall.... 6.00 Dally snd Sunday CALL, six months, by mall.. 3.00 Dally and Bunday CALL, three months by mail 1.50 Dally and Sundsy CALL, one month, by mail. .65 Bunday CALL, one year, by mail.. 1.50 ‘WXEXLY CaLL, One year, by mall. 150 BUSINESS OFFICE: 0 Market Street, ncisco, California, Main—1868 San Jelephone.... EDITORIAL ROOM: 517 Clay Sireet. Telephone. ..Main—1874 BRANCH OFFICES: £97 MontgOmELY Sifeet, COrner Clay: open unntll £:50 o'clock. 559 Heyes street; open until 9:30 o'clock. 713 Larkin street; open until 9:30 o'clock. £W _corner Sixteenth and Mission streeis; open Ex1i1§ o'clock. 4518 Mission street: open until 9 0'clock. 167 Snl street; open until 9 0'clock. + MaIket sireet, open ull 9 0'clock. OAKLAND OFFICE $08 Broadway. EASTERN OFFICE: Rooms §1 and 32, 34 Park Row, New York Clty- DAVID M. FOLTZ, Eastern Manager. THE CALI, SPEAKS FOR ALL. B oo s it & b e TR Everything is a bargain. Don't fail to help cheer the friendless. Do your trading prompily and make way for others. They were holidays once, but they are bargain days now. Cuba must wait until the Senators finish their holiday frolics. The novelties and dainties of California are worth asking for. Despite the invention of novelties the old toys hold their own. Congress talks of foreign affairs, but the President has the say so. All the world is rushed at present, but playtime will be with us on Friday. We call them holidays as our fathers did, but we work right along as our fathers didr’t. We can zafely say every evening that our avenues of trade never looked brighter than now. Leave orders for the Christmas CaArL. They will go off like hot cakes when the day comes. Geary street has joined tue general im- provement and the town will soon be able to celebrate all over. Use the goods that are manufactured at home and we will soon be manufacturing nearly all that we us This kind of weather will make Santa Claus feel like stopping in California and staying until after New Year. ‘What we need in our street sweeping is a new broom which will be strong enough to sweep the cobblestunes off. The Monroe doctrine was of slow growth | for a long time, but it is expanding now like a pumpkin-vine in California. A few more days of weather like this and we will begin to boast of California as the land of the Christmas climate. The statement of Secretary Herbert that the Texas is no worse than our other battle-ships doesn’t redeem the Texas, but it is rough on the rest. The rural industries of the country will be carefully looked after in the next tariff bill. We shall have no more experiments with free trade in raw material. It will be impossible for Congress to force the hand of Cleveland on the Cuban question. He can filibuster to the end of his term without straining himself. Rockefeller had better be careful of the combination he is making with Carnegie. The Pittsburg man is likely to leave a good many blowholes iu his side of it. Notice has been given that a resolution declaring sympathy with the Cubans will be intreduced in the [talian Chamber of Deputies. Spain is getting it from all sides, From the confuse¢ arguments made by the advocates of Santa Monica before the Government commission it would seem the port is too much at sea ever to be re. claimed. Senator Hill is in favor of according to the Cubans belligerent rights but not of recognizing their independence. The Senator, it will be observed, is still strad- dling fences, If Congress could be made to accept a little common - sense for a Christmas vresent it would drop the funding bill and teke up the Nicaragua canal bill imme- diately after the holidays. The country will be well satisfied with the recognition of Cuban independence. Those Senators who wish a war with Spain had better retire from the Senate and organize filibustering expeditions. The Cleveland administration seems willing to leave the settlement of every public problem to McKinley except the funding of the Pacific roads debts, That isthe only issue oa which it has urged haste. Nothing more clearly shows how com- pletely Carlisle is out of sympathy with the country than his reportto Congress on Monday urging the retirement of green- backs at the very season when the people wish more of them. There is no telling how much foreign sugar is used in our Christmas confections, but with a little judicious protection from Congress it will be only a few years when we will produce all we need, and then our Christmas candies will be home sweets in every sense of the word. The most important thing for Cleveland and Olney to do before New Years is to make sure of the protection of American citizens and their property in the S8panish parts of Cuba, There is liable to be an outbreak against Americans over there and we should be on our guard. Carlisle says if the revenues of the Gov- ernment are to be mainly derived from taxes on imported goods the protective theory must be abandoned; but Carlisle is mistaken. The next Congress will show him how to raise a revenue and protect American industry at the same time, CARLISLE'S REPORT. The annual report of Secretary Carlisle submitted to Congress on Monday was de- voted to a consideration of the monetary and revenue problems of the country. For the first of these the Secretary had no solution to offer except his former one recommending the early retirement of greenbacks. Concerning the second he re- peats the well-worn argument of the free- traders, and asserts that our tariff duties must be levied solely for purgoses of reve- nue if we are to receive from them a suffi- cient income to meet the expenditures of the Government. Incidentally he makes an appeal for economy. These three things constitute almost the whole of his elaborate report. The statistics given by the Becretary show very clearly the need of legislation directed to an increase of the National revenue. The deficit for the fiscal year which ended last June amounted to $25,- 203,245, A still greater deificit is expected for the present year. The estimates of the Secretary, based on the existing laws and conditions of trade, are that the total revenue for the year will be $407,793,120. The expenditures for the same period are estimated at $472,293,120, leaving a defi- ciency for the year of §64,500,000. The Secretary says a careful considera- tion of the situation and 2 conservative reliance upon improved business condi- tions justify the conclusion that the actual deficiency for the current year and the year following will be less than the esti- mates given. Itisin this connection he urges Congress to restrict the expendi- tures of the Government in order that they may be brought within tke limit of the revenues. “In my opinion,” he says, “we have reached a situation which not only forbids the favorable consideration of measures calculated to augment our annual outlay, but whick demands thor- ough revision of our vermanent appro- priation laws and the enforcement of strict economy in future annual legisla- tion on this subject.” It is not likely these recommendations will find much favor among the people, even though they come in the attractive form of a plea for economy. The highest economy in the United States at this time calls for a liberal expenditure of public money in the promotion of great works of utility to industry and commerce. There ig need for the irrigation of arid lands, the promotion of our merchant marine, the extension of coast defenses, the upbuild- ing of the navy, the improvement of rivers and harbors, and last, but by no means least, the construction of the Nicaragua canal. All these works will re- quire the expenditure of large sums of money, but nevertheless if carried out under right direction will well deserve the name of economy. As Speaker Reed once said, “This isa billion-dollar country.” We cannot afford to restrict its energies and limit its ex- pansion in order to satisty the small ideas of the free-traders. The United States must go forward. She has too much at stake in the npear iuture to afford to stop now in her onward career. The deficiz in the treasury is no menace to the National welfare. Itis nothing more than the ac- cident of bungling legislation enacted by a blundering Congress, Republican states- men will soon remedy that evil, and our revenues will once more be equal to ali our needs. This is what the people voted for at the last election. It is what they expect and what they wili receive from the next Congress. Mr. Carlisle’s report, therefore, will serve noother purpose than that of putting one more evidence on record of the futility of the Cleveland administration, THE BACON RESOLUTION. One of the results likely to be attained by the present controversy in Congress over the recognition of Cuba will be a settlement ‘of the question as to whether the President or Congress is the para- mount power in dealing with foreign affairs. If Secretary Oln-y rightly repre- sented Mr. Cleveland in his recent state- ments, the President will not recognize Cuban independence, even if the joint resolution now before the Senate should be passed by both houses. Such an action on his part would bring the question un- der consideration to a well-defined issue, and in one way or another it would have to be settled. In order to bring the issue to a test, Sen- ator Bacon of Georgia introduced into the Senate on Monday a resolution declaring: That the question of the recognition by this Government of any people as u free and inde- pendent nation is oue exclusively for the determination of Congress in lis capacity as the law-making power; that this prerogative of sovereign power does not appertain to the executive department of the Government ex- cept in so far as the President is under the constitution (by the exercise of the veto power) made a part of the law-making power of the Government. As the law stands at this time the President has virtually absolute control of our foreign affairs. 1t is true the con- stitution requires him to act with the Senate, but he can very easily so conduct our diplomacy as to force the Senators to support him in a war if he saw fit to make one. This was shown in the case of the Venezuelan boundary, where Cleveland’s summary note to the British Government came upon Congress and the country like a clap of thunder from a clear sky. Itis shown again in this instance, where what is likely to be a resolution adopted by both nouses of Congress recognizing the inde- pendence of Cuba may be rendered worth- less by the action of the President in de- liberately ignoring it. If both houses of Congress should pass a resolution declaring American recognition of Cuban independence over the veto of tbe President, and Mr. Cleveland should persist in ignoring it, the unly possible resort of Congress would be thatof im- peachment. Such an action in the pres- ent instance would be ludicrous. Cleve- land’s term of office will expire before Congress could get through talking about impeachment, much less formally insti- tuting that proceeding before the Senate. In the past no harm has ever come to the country from the large power pos- sessed by the President over foreign affairs, but nevertheless such power has in it possibilities of danger. It will be well therefore if aue consideration is given to the Bacon resolution. Thiscountry should have something more than a one-man power to deal with all the complexities of her relations with other countries and governments, A SECRETARY OF MINES. The movement to bring about the crea- tion of a Department of Mines and Mining with an official head of Cabinet rank, which was begun by the California Miners’ Association at its recent conven. tion in this City, is finding cordial sup- port in nearly all parts of the country. The West, as & matter of course, is taking the lead in the agitation, and all the States in this section are virtually united in working for the cause. The Denver Times recently publishea a series of interviews with a number of leading mining men of that city on the subject and gained from them many im- ment of the proposed secretary. One of the best of these is found in the statement of H. A. Mclntyre, vice-president ot the Mining Exchange of Denver, who, among other things, said: Ifsuch a Cabinet position were crested we would have full reports upon the subject of mining, similar to those thatare now being got up by the Government upon otfier in- dustries. In my experience I have found that the people across the water pay double the at- tention to an official report than to anything else, and this one advantage alone would bave a great deal to do with turning the attention of the public more generally to the subject of mining. There can be no question of the sound- ness of this statement. Official reports on the conditions of our mines and mining industry would have great weight with capitalists in all parts of the world, and would do much to attract to this country the wealth which Europe now has to spare for mining enterprise. In a com- paratively short time the proceeds from mianes developed by the incoming capital would more than repay the Government all the cost of the establishment of such a department on a scale commensurate with the needs of the ecountry, and it would, therefore, be an economy for the Govern- ment as well as for the miners. The arguments in favor of the move- ment are so well undersiood in the West that they bardly need repetition here. The one advantage of returning to the subject again and again is that of keeping it fresh in the minds of the people, so that public opinion may ‘be always prepared and ready to suppori any action which may be taken in Congress to enact the legislation necessary to create the depart- ment. It is for that reason the inter- views published in the Times are most opportune. It is certain we will never obtain this desired official unless we make an active campaizn of education on tha subject and keep it prominently in the minds of Congressmen. The chances «f success if the movement is kept going are good and the benefits to be attained by success are certainly snfficient to make it worth while for us to direct a large por- tion of our energies toward its accomplish- ment. A MAGNIFIOENT PAPER. The work of getting out the superb Christmas edition of THE CALL is progress- ing favorably, and as it proceeds it be- comes more and more apparent that it will eclipse all previous efforts in the way of holiday newspapers. Among the stories sure to interest all old-timers in particular and everybody in general will be a narra- tive from the pen of John Bonner en- titled “Christmas in Sutter’s Fortin 1847.” | The story is of historical as well as literary val ue, as it is an account of one of the most unique Christmas celebrations ever held. Every paragraph is full of interest. There will be a whole page of sea stories by S. W. Booth that surpass anything in that line ever produced by California writers. These stories are illustrated by W. A. Coulter, the well-known marine artist, in his matchless style. The artisis of THE CArL will contribute a page of Christmas caricatures, all of them bright and pointed; but they must be seen to be aporeciated. John E. Richards bas written a Christ- mas poem entitled “The Story of the Pine.” Ii is replete with fine thought and lofty ideas. There will be a multitude of other in- teresting and appropriate features, too numerous to mention at the present time. Remember that your Eastern friends will be delighted to get a copy of.this superb paper, just as delizhted as you wi!l be, and do not forget to order extra copies in good time, so as to be sure of getting them. SELLING MORE—BUYING LESS. Philadelphia Press. November continues and surpasses the rec- cord of October in exports and imports of mer- chandise. The excess of exports ($57,802,225) has not been matched in years, not since the boom vears sixteen years ago. This excess is twice the excess of expor:s in November, 1895, which was $23,961.764, and it is over $10,- 000,000 larger than any November in years pust. This heavv excoss is due to exports, which are $20,528,296 more than November last year, and imporis which are $17,603,835 less than in that month. The country is sell- ing more. over s quarter of its exports being manuisctures, and it is buying less. The re- suit is that no gold is going abroad, as was confidentiy predicted in Eng.and not long ago it would after the election. + HAD NO ELtCTION. The Boston Herald has discovered a town 1n Vermout where no election was held in No- vember. Itisthe town of Baltimore, Windsor County, eleven miles northwest of Windsor. 1: was set off from the adjoining town of Cavendish in 1793 and was organized in 1794, when it had about 275 inhabitants. The num- ber has steadily dwindled ever since. It hed 64 by the census of 1890, and now has 58; but, as oue inhabitant will come back from the Solaiers’ Home in Brattleboro in the Sgrlnx if he lives, the actual population should Le re- corded as 59. It has no church, store or post- office, but it has a schooluouse, which is at- tended by filteen pupils. SR PARAGRAPHS ABOU: PEOPLE. In one of Boston's b there is & sign wnich reads: dealers in ywood and coal.” t thoroughfares “Cole & Wood, President Kruger has the same number of grandchildren 'as Queen Victoria, but they are not sprinkled over the thrones of Europe. Queen Victoria is said to have been greatly pleased with a present of fruit, thirty boxes in all, sent her from Canads. Itcomprised apples, pears, grapes and quinces. Sir Tatton Sykes caused to be printed in Eng- [lish papers advertisements which notify all ‘whom it may concern thas he will pay no more debts contracted by his wife. Sir Tatton 1s 70 years old and wealthy, while Lady Sykes is about 40. One of the deer licenses issued in Kalkaska County, Mich., this year was taken out by a woman, Mrs. George Helsel. Although well algng in yearsshe camps out every fall with her husband during the deer-hunting season, enais as handy with the gun, as well as the fishrod, as most men are. At the New York sub-treasury, where the numerous war pensioners of the Siate cash their pension checks, they have quite a col- lection of queer names. The place of honor is heid by John the Baptist Theophilus Ploof. There are on the list Abel Cain, Christian Canary, Brazil Pepper, Amelia A. Turnip, Adam Apple, August Blizzard, Birdsong Crow, Love Liar and Temperance Rumy. A copy of the Deutsche Gedenkblaetter, 1870-71, printed by the royal secret court printing-press and presented by the late Empress Augusta to Queen Victoria, is offered for sale by a Frankfort-on-the-Maiu second- hand bookseller. The book has in it the auto- graph dedication: *“To my dear Victoria, from ber faithful sister, cousin and friend, Au- gusta.”? # John W. Maynara of Ann Arbor, Mich., and his wife celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of their wedding a few days ago. They have lived in the same house for fifty-two years. Mr. Maynara gave a good part of the land for the site of the University of Michigan; and, in fact, it was his gift that decided the commis- sioners to blish the university in Ann Arbor. Frederick A. Maynard, the present Attorney-General of Michigan, is his son. Lawyer (after hearing her story)—From what you say, madam, your husband jaust bea brute! Fair Applicant (bridling)—You need gono further with the case, sir! I will consuit an- other lawyer. I came here to get adivorce, portant arguments in favor of the appoint- 1 slt—not 10 hesr my husband sbused!—Puck, FERSONAL. ' H. R. Raynes of Yreka is in town. J. M. Mannon of Ukiah s at the Lick. F. H.Lentzinger of Fortuna is at the Russ. F. H. Bldke of Sandow, B, C., is at the Grand. J. D. Bradley of Merced arrived here yester- day. Jobn J. White of Fresno is a late arrival here. £ Tamagawa of Japan is among the arrivals here. Ex-Senator G. G. Goucher of Fresno is 1n the City. Senator Engepe Aram of Woodland is at the Grand. E. A. Roberts of Sacramento arrived here yesterday. 3 L. J. Maddox of Modesfo is spendinga few days here. Ex-Judge J. W. Davis of Tulare County is on a visit here. The Bev. W. E. Smith of Menio Park is visit- ing the City. H. K. Lewis, a business man of Portland, Or., is in the City. C. B. Burkhan, a general-store owner of Bo- die, is at the Russ. Charles Monroe, & business man of Los An- geles, 1s in the City. Lieutenant C. H. Jaeger of the German army is at the California. N. B. Mansfield, a mining man of Tuolumne County, has arrived here. E. Bossman, a miniog and business man of Denver, is on a visit here. C. K. Chapin, a business man of Portlana, Or., is at the Cosmopolitan. E. F. Best of Washington, D. C., is at the Pal- ace, sccompanied by his wife. L. F. Moulton, the extensive Colusa County wheat-grower, is at the Grand. S. H. Yonge, s business man of Council Bluffs, Iowa, arrived here yesterday. J. G. Scott, manager of the Lick Paper-mills, is at the Occidental, accompanied by Mrs. Scott and their son. John Finnell, the great land-owner of Te- hama County, isamong the arrivals here. He isat the Palace. George and Robert Rohnothwaite, mine- owners of Anaconds, Mont., are sopping at the Cosmopolitan, F. M. Graham, whose home isin San Jose and who has impartant mining interests in Kern County, is in town. Congressman Marion de Vries of Stockton arrived here last night, accompanied by Mrs. de Vries, and isat the Grand. Brad Barnar, a mining engineer of London, who has been examining propertieson the mother lode for several years pust,is at the Grand. Dr. M. Brown of Detroit, & missionary who has been several years in the Orient, arrived here yesterday on the Belgic and is at the Cal- ifornia. 3 Miss Evelyn E.Smith of 8t. Catherine, Can- ads, and Miss E. Helen Benjamin of New York arrived on the Belgic yesterday and are at the Occidental. J. M. Engle, owner of a large lumber camp and mill at a new point in Plumas County, where he is laying out & town, is at the Russ. He has lately, he says, made contracts for sev- eral million feet of lumber. H, V. Sutherland, editor of the News-Latter, lelt last night for Los Angeles fora week’s stay with his brother there. Mr.Sutherland has been working very hard, and this is the firss vacation he has had for a long time. Chester Holcombe of Washington, D. C., who has been filling a position under the Gov- ernment in the Orient, is here on a’ vacation and is on his way East, He will return in the spring and become manager of a trading com- pany. J. W. Hartzell, the projector and builder of the pioneer electric railroad of San Francisco, which extends from the junction of Market and Steuart streets (o the cemeteries, is in the City. He took seven cars and 500 people over the hills from the ferries to the cemeieries on the opening day of the road. G.J. Stearns of Oakland, Or., arrived here with two carloads of fowls, consisting mainly of turkeys, and all reared at Oakland, which is one of the greatest places for fowls in the country. There were 5000 turkeys, 1000 ducks and 1000 cbickeus. They were ail brought down for the Christmas trade. Mr. Stearns is a brother of Superior Judge Stearns of Portland. He is at the Lick. CALIFORNIANS IN NEW YORK NEW YORK, N. Y., Dec. 22.—At the Man- battan, T. H. Page; Albert, J. L. Moreland; Stuart, D. Wand; Hoffman, H. Alexander; Holland, T. L. Cunningham, H.F., H. H. and W. P. Scott; Albert, M. J. Piarring; Everett, Mrs. E. Price; Imperial, G. M. Stulp and wife; Miss Kennedy; Astor, H. Krebs Jr.; Albemarle, J. G. Pallard. THE CLOLK iiCKS ON. The song that we're singing bears with it a moral i 0 be taken to heart b the yoang and the o.d; While t:me, envious fel ow, so quietly steaiing, Shall whisper—go print i in letters of gold— “The clock ticks on!” The maiden ho trifles with honest affect! Who thiuks youth eteraal, an, let her be 8be’li find out 100 lute, with'a bliter reflection, Thiv Time is telentiess—she’s no longer fair. “Ihe clock ticks on!” There's the note that you gave—such an easy transaction: Three mouths to elapse era the payment s due, How hard to cobsider that Time's staling on you, And the day of protesting you'll bitterly rue, “The clock ticks 01" Your friends are departing—how sadly youmiss them— But you count not the hours so mournfully told; And saal. oblivious to time that s passing, lel dream nota moment (hat you're yrowing ola. ! “The clock ticks on!” — Harper's Weekly, Letters From the People. WHY NATIONAL BANKS? Do Our People Prefer Dependence to Independence? To the Editor of the San Francisco Call—SIR: How many of your readers, who are cer- tainly intelligent people as a rule, could sit Qdown and write out a fair account of the Bank of Venice? How many can tell the exact dif- terence between a greenback and a Govern- ment bond ? How many know the difference inlaw and in fact between a National bank note and a greenback? What is suspension of epecie payment? Has it eyer occurred in Eng- land? If'so, when and with what result? Did it cause depression in_business? How was it in this country from 1861 to 18797 Cen a man claim o be inteiligenton the money question, cin he really understand the discussivn of the question as it is now before the country in the President's message and the publications which uphold him, if he knows nothing about the Bank of Venice, or the difference between a greenback and & Gov- ernigent bond, or.a National bank note and & greefiback, or the result of the suspension of specie payments? I think he cannot, and he is dangerously ignorant of vital matters now belore the country demanding the most seri- ous consideration, He wiil pay a heavy pen- alty, too, for his ignorance if he consents to re- main lfinonm much longer. This is written to put him on his guard and induce him to make inquiry to insure his own protection in time to be of some use to him. To this end 1t is worth while to devote & few minutes 10 the history of the most re- markable financial institution in tne world, tha Bank of Venice, which flourished with amazing influence, far greater than that of the Bank of Eugland, for more than 600 years, and was finally desiroyed by the great Na- poleon in 1797, almost 100 years ago. Mean- while we should remembér that our own country is but about 200 years old, and that our financlal system is but thirty-three years old. 1 assume that most peopie of ordinary lnum:‘on« know that Venice was the com- mercial mistress of the world for a long period of time, during which great wars, including the crusades, end the overihrow of kingdoms darken the pages of history. But what made the little republic of Verice so powerful in ch an era? It was mainly her monetary system under the name of the Bank of Venice. And Iask the uninformed, and therefore_the skeptical, reader to turn to the New York Bankers' Magazine for October, 1878, or 10 tne Boston Arena for April, 1894, and he will learn something which may sstonish him about the Bank of Venice. The Bankers’ Magazine contains t! apter on this bank from Stephen Colwell's “Ways and Means of Payment,” a book on finance not quot d by gold-standard advocates in our time, and the editor thus refers 1o this coapter: “Among the most interesting chapters of this book is that giving the history of the Bank of Venice, an account which is consid- ered the best in the English language of that institution,” and the reader will please note the fact that this Bankers’ Magazine does not hesitate to say that this“account is considered the best in the Bn’mh language.” I can make only a few brief quotations from it. “In the year 1171 a Venetian fleet of 100 galieys was sent to avenge an outrage perpe- trated by the Grecian Emperor, Manuel, upon Venetian merchants doing business in his em- pire.”. “The contest is memorable for having given origin to the Bank of Venice.” So great an underteking required a large sum of gold and silver to carry on the war in & foreign country, and in-order to raise it 1mmediately “'the Great Council,” or Congréss of the Vene- tian Republic, “established the Chamber of Loans,” a sort of national treasury, and forced the wealthy merchants, the ncbles snd cepl- talists to make a loan of their gold, silVer, plate and ornements for which they were to be paid 4 per cent annual interest. On this foundation arose the Bank of Ven- ice, which became, as Colwell says, *‘for many ages the adminisiration of Europe and the cheap facility of a commerce not surpassed by any other nation.”” Purchases were made by Venetian merchants in all partsoi the world, and settlements were made by a transfer of creditsin the bank. Indeed, bank creditsin time practically became the only means of paying debts, and they were accordingly in unjversal demand. Hence these bank credits 500D went to 8 premium of 20 per centover gold coin and interest ceased on deposits, which leads Mr. Colwell to remark thet “if the same mode of ad justing debis were resorted to now the result would be that inconvertible bank credits would irequently go to & high premium over gold and silyer.” Oune other guotation must be made in ex- planation of this system of finance, p. 639, Arena: -“To comprehend this extraordinary fact of a credit on the books of a bankWithno money in its vaults and not bound io make that ereait good in later times even by the paymentof the interest, or to redeem it in any way, having for hundreds of years been at a high premium over gold and silver, we need only remember that these credits were the funds in which debts were chiefly paid.”” 1 wish affrightened ignorance, which takes alarm at the bare suggestion of incon troverti- ble Governmentmoney, would read and duly ponder the following words of tne historian: “If credits had to be convertible at will into the precious metals the premium could never have arisen, much less attained so high a point.” And (page 640): **Venice was for cen- luries the greai enirepot of commerce in Europe, if not in the world,” payments being lignidated by bank credits, “‘and for more than 400 years precious metais were ata discount as eomgued with these bank credits.” But I must close without attempting to elucidate the system of the Bank of Veniceand contrast it with our own so-called “National” banking scheme, based on Government “bonds,” our Govarnment ecredits, which are uted to rob the Nation and despoil the people. | 1 must also defer answers to my questions as to | the difference between bonds and greenbacks. ete. 1 will rdd that if President Cleveland had recommended to Cougress and the people a full investigation of the system of the Bank of Venice as a means of escape from the “Na- tional” banks he would have earned the grat- itude of his country. JOSEPH ASBURY JOHNSON. 11 Essex street, Dec. 11, 1896. « A DRESS WITH GUIMPES FOR LITTLE G!RLS Dresses to be worn with guimpes are pre- ferred by many to those which are entirely of the one fabric, as the white guimpes look daintily childlike. The one shown re has a quaint little waist, to which the skirtis gathered. Cashmeresare liked for these little gowns and may be had in many pretty shades. Albatross is & soft, delicate and yet service- able fabric in young children’s gowns. The mixed wool goods of lignter weight are used, with trimmipgs of band lace on the waist and esqulums. Cotton cneviots make serviceable dresses and launder beautifully. Some of the new cotton crepons are shown in very delicale colorings, which nevertheless wash well. NEWSPAPER PLEASANTRY ““How is it that you are always in debt? You should be ashamed of yourself.” “Come, now; don’t be too hard on a fellow. You wonld perhaps be in debt, too, if you were in my place.” “What place?” *‘Able to get credit.”—0dds and Ends. “Say!" called out the indignant citizen, “you stop that.” “Who are you?” demanded the teamster. “Doesn’t make any difference who I am, You quit pounding those animals.” “You ain’t no officer. Where's yer star?”’ “I may not be an officer, but I can find one. Iam not going to stand by and see & human brute abuse any of the Lord’s creatures,” “These ain’t the Lord’s creatures, -blame you,” roared the teamster. “These is mules.” Whack! Whaek! Whack! Chicago Tri- bune. P She—I thought you said you were going to stop swearing. g He—So I am, as soon as I get this umbrella down.—Truth, “So Boston rejected Macmonnies’ chante’?” *‘Yes; they were annoyed because she car- ried a bunch of grapes instead of s pot of baked beans.”+Chicago Record. Editor—I suppose you think your poems will fill a long-felt want ? Poet—No. IfIdid I would eat them.—Town Topics. “I may not be very wealthy, but I can afford my own carriage and pair,” said the fond father as he wheeled his twins along the side- walk.—Yale Record. “Well, Tommie, I suppose you are the smartest boy in your class?”’ *‘Yes, sir,” said Tommie, “Teacher says I'm too smarv.”"—Harper’s Round Table, Jones—Heaven bless him! He showed con- fidence in me when the clouds were dark and threatening. Robinson—In what way? ZJones—He loaned me an umbrella.—Puck. Professor (lecturing)—Oxygen, gentlemen, 1s essential to all animal existence; there conld be no life without it. Strange to say, it was not discovered until & century ago, when— Student—What did they do before it was dis- covered, professor 7—Household Words. “Tommy,” said the teacher, ‘‘what is meant by nutritious food 7"’ “Something to eat that ain’t got no taste to it,” replied Tommy.—Household Words. “Who’s making all that racket out there? I want some chance to read and think.” “IVs me as is singin',” snapped the autocrat *Bac- - of the kitchen; “and what of it?” ““Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought it was my wife.”—Detroit Free Press. Snifflefeg—I have had my genealogy traced by an expert, Mr. Groper, and he assures me that my ancesiry runs back directly to the Mayflower. » Gobilworth—If you had gone to Tacton you could have had your ancestry traced back to William the ‘Congueror at the very least, and he’d have done'it for half the money.—Boston Transcript. < « Bobbles—I hear you are in business for your- self now. y Wiggins—I thought so too, but from the little I getout of it itappears that I am in | foot abov business for other peopic.—Boston Transcript | tance of | of lumber. GLAD TIDINGS FOR THE WORTHY POOR Salvationists Preparing for Their Christmas Dinner. Large Donations of Food, Cash and Lumber Pouring In Fast. A List of Articles to B: S nt Those Too Iil to B: Present Christ- mas Day. Clang! How the bammers descended upon the redwood and pine timbers at the corner of Howard and New Montgomery streets yesterday. And how those same bammers wielded by sturdy-armed work- men will keep up a resounding noise all of to-day and perhaps until late to- morrow. The Salvation Army is in Christmas action. And all that clanging means sim- ply that active preparations are being made for a great Christmas dinner for the worthy poor. Down a: the corner of Howard and New Montgomery streets, where the rattlety- bang is loudest, there is where the Christ- mas feast is going to be held. The build- ing is the one formerly occupied by the old Fremont Athletic Club, and sinc: that time by various other organizations. both athletic and political. It was kindly offered for the occasion by the owners. Eleven hundred feet of Iumber, the gift of the Pac.fic Fine Lumber Company, was received yesterday, and this furnished material to go ahead with. Later on E. K. Wood of the Oregon Lumber Com- pany sent in something like 500 or 600 eet This, perheps, is all that will be required, If it is not, Captain McFee says there are pumerous vthers ready and willing to donate more. Much of the work was complefed yes- terday. Several tables were placed in position, which means that the boards were nailed togetner so as to form im- provised tables running all the way across the room. When everything is complete the lady members of the army will de- scend upon the place, armed with brooms and dusters, and make that great, dingy room look clean and inviting enough fora prince. The dinner will last from woon till 3 P. M. That is, Captain McFee's wife so as- serts. She is doubtful of her assertion, however, as she explains naively that per- haps not every deseiving person may be fed by then, and it- would be a shame to turn anybody away =o long as provisions hold our. They ought to hold out for much longer than that three hours unless the outside towns send in a strong repre- sentation, judging from the amount of stock now on hand at the storerooms, 862 Folsom street. All the turkeys and cranberries required are now bought and ready to be sacrificed on the altar of an empty stomach. Great fat fellows they are, too, about 100 of them. Now is their day to shine, but ail the light they will give after Christmas wiil be hidden. Evidence of it will no doubt manifest itself as a reflection in the cheertul and happy faces that will leave the Salvation Army’s board. Captain McFee and his wife are kept very busy, because they have notonly to take charge of the preparations being made for the Christmas feast, but are also busily engaged in getting everythin, s ok Bust Thoyliavasbaarsoation upon to take charge of the social work there, and will leave early in January. The cranberries have also been bought. In addition Dodge, Sweeney & Co. sent in a large barreiful of them yesterday. The Press Association made a gift of a large quantity of butter. Dennett’s restaurant was in the swim with a dozen magnificent cakes. At the Relief Bureau, 862 Folsom street, twenty packages of clothing were received during yesterday and the day before. Much money has also been received. In this line the two soldiers who stood at the doors of the Emporiunr to receive Christ- ma_i offerings have done exceptionally weil. The w{)rk of the Army will not cease with giving a dinner. They realize that many are sick and cannot be present, but they do not intend for the more unfor- tunate class of unfortunates to ba left out of the happy affair by any means. 8o they have prepared a list of articles to be sent thoss who cannot come. That list was prepared by no man’s hand, as a lance at it will show. Here is the con- ensed joy that those who are ill will re- ceive: Pound of tea, pound of coffee, five pounds ‘Sugar, ten pouncds beans, five pounds rice, two packages mush, can tomatoes, can fruit, sack salt, 1wo burs soap, packet cornstarch, three pounds apvles, two pounds dried fruit, sack coal, sack four, sack potatoes. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. THE PICTURE ON THE FLOOR—F. D., City. “‘The Picture on the Barroom Floor" is by H Antoine D’Arcy and is to be found in No. 33 of {The One Hundred Choice Selections' series, 80 & triend of this department writes. KIGHT AND WRONG—M. 8., City. It was An- drew Jackson who said “Ask nothing but what is right, submit to nothing wrong.” That was his conception of what our foreign policy should be, as embodied in instructions to our Ministers abroad. To THE FARALLONES—Enquirer, Point Reyes, Marin County, Cal. The distance from the center of a line drawn across the Golden Gate 10 the North Farallone Island is 2834 miles, to the Middle Farallone is 253 mules and 1o the South Farallone 243; miles. TipEs—L., Haywards, Cal. The high tide above the plane of reference is 5 6-10 feet at San Francisco; at New York, 5 2-10 feet. At rleans the tides donot perceptibly affect ?haewweter.fmm, but the highest water observed above the plane of re.erence was fifteen feet. DESERT LAND—L., Haywards, Cal. The pro- visions of the desert land act would occupy too much space to explain; too much for this department to devote to it. You ecan obtain all information in regard to it by calling at the United States Land Office in San Francisco. McKINLEY'S PLURALITY —J. F., City. The complete official returns of California are not 1n yet, but as there are only two or three very small precinets to hear from, the result wil not be materially affected. The results as far as counted show & piurality of 1822 for Me- Kinley. OsSAWATTOMIE BROWN—M. 8., City. “Ossa- wattomie” was a name that John Brown of Harpers Ferry fame acquired while in Kansas- He located at Ossawattomie, in that State, and the name was used us & T“"’ distinguish him from another John Brown who lived in the vicinity. THE PENSION OFFICE—A., Santa Rosa, Cal. The force of the United States Pension Office 8t San Francicco is made up of s Pension Agent, salary $4000; one chief clerk, $1800; one clerk, $1200; oneé clerk, £800; two clerks, $720 each, and seven clerks, $600 each. The eierks are now under the civil service rules. Lmvrr oF VistoN—Enquirer, Point Reyes, Marin County, Cal, The question, “At what distance can one discern am object om a vast stretch of water with the naked eye?” cannot be answered specifically, The limits of vision vary with the individual, th ditions of the atmosphere, in ination and other lnam‘yfns e ferent cases, On a clear day an object one avel plane may be seen at a dis- W81 miles; an object 10 feet high, g.&,s ?e‘:l:'x'a’ign. 131 miles; oo 8 il high (as the top of a mountain, Y5.23 miles. This al- lows 6.99 inches for the curvalure of ihe earth, and assumes that thesige and ilumina tion of the object are sufficient to produce an image. Five miles may be tn};en 88 the ex- treme limit at which & man is visible on a flat plain to an observer on the same level. £ BrANCH MINT—L. W., Eden Vale, Santa Cl"n’fm County, Cal. The office oi‘SuperinLend- ent of the Branch Mint at San Francisco does not come under the provisions o_f the civil service rules. In the Mint there is a captain watch who is paid’ $5 perdiem, four Eteida watehmon Who Teceive each 83 per diem and thirteen other watehmen who are paid $2 50 each per diem. The salary of the superiutendent of the mint is $4500 per year. GRANGERS—M. 8., City. A secret society known as the Patrons of Husbandry was organized in the city of Washington in 1867, and the subordinate bodies established in a number of States were called “;ungen.";n'd s name arose the name “granger” to gg:t::ria of the organization. From thefur- ther fact that the purpose of the organization was to aid farmers to enable them to co-oper- ete and purchase their supplies at first hand, the term “granger” hag since been applied to all farmers. Gt SECOND PAPERs—Constant Reader, City. If vou obtained your first papers in the city of Chicago tbere is no reason why you sho_uld re- turn to that civy to be admitted a citizen of the United States. You can present your papers to the Superior or United States courts in this City and obtain your final papers if you have two witnesses to prove lh-!gou have resided continuously in the United States for five years preceding the application you shall make. As you areasea captain thetime you are away from land does not count against you, providing that in the five yearsyou al- ways claimed the United States as your place of residence and never took up a residence in a foreign land. = OLD GLORY—Several Subscribers. A iriend of this department has kindly furnished the following concerning the origin of “Old Glory” as applied to the American flag: The following appears in the children’s depart- ment of the American Monthly Magazine in reply to the question, “Wny was the Uniced States flag calier OIA Giory?” The question was answered by Margaret Mulford Lathrop, secretary vt O.d Nor:b Bridge Chapter, Socletv of the Children of the American Revolutlon, of €oncord, Mass. answer was taken from Coffin's “Drumbeat of the Natior’’: Stephen Driver had been a sea captain. bejore the Civil War, and salled from Salem, Mass., to foreigu poris’ Unce. when in a foreign port, for some important service rendered the people, he received from them a beauiiful Ameri- can flaz. A priest blessed it as it rose to tne mast- head of the ship and Caprain Driver prom sod (o defend it with his Iite if need be. Giving up the sea, he settied In Nashville, Tenn., and when the war began. to secrete the flag, he scwed 1t in & quilt and slept uuder if ¢very uight. He named it y.”” ‘When the roops under Buell en- tered Nashville February, 1862, be to.d the story of Old Glory, brought it out, weut wi:h them (o the roof of the State House and flung it to the breeze, the men in blue swincing their caps and shouting their hurrahs. < e 4 1bs. ifamous broken candr, handsome bkts., 50c. Townsend’s, Paiace building. 4 T S L T £PECTIAL information deily 10 mannfacturasy, business bouses and pablic men by the Prasy Ciipping Burenu (Allen’s). 510 Montgomery. © st i s, Fogy—Tell me now, if you can, do they learn anything at college besides sports and yells? Fudge—Oh, they learn a lot of things bee sides. Fogy—For instance? Fudge—Oh, well, you can’t expect & fellow to tell offhand.—Boston Transcript. Phillips’ Kock isiand Exoursions Leave San Franeisco every Wednesday, via Ris Grande and Rock Island Rallways. Through tourlst sleeping-cars to Chicago and Boston. Mane ager and poriers accompany thess excursions ta Boscon. For tickets, sleeping-car accommodationy and furtber information, address Clinton Jones, General Agent Itock Island Rallway, 30 Mont gomery street. ~an Franciseo. ———————— «“Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup* Has been used over fity years by millions ot mothers for their children whiie Teething with pare fect success. Jt soothesthe child, softens he gums, allays Pain, cures Wind Colic, resuiates :he Bowely and is the best remedy for DIarrhcess, whether aris ing irom tee:hing or other causes. ¥or sale by drag- gists in every part of the world. Be sure and asg for Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup, 25¢ & botule, —————————— CoRONADO.—Atmosphere is perfactly dry, sofs and mild, being entirely free from the mists com- mon further north. Round-trip tickets, by steams ship, inciuding fifteen days’ board at the Hotel dal Coronado, $65; longer stay $2 50 per day. Apply 4 New Mon‘gomery st, San Francisco, — —e————— AYER's Cherry Pectoral, it used according to direc:lons, is a speedy cure for colds. Ask your druggist for Ayer's Almanac. e .———— James Payn, according to “Great Thoughts,’y still remains an inveterate whist player, though he says he can no longer deal the card; himself. His old club friends visit him regu. larly twice a week at Maida Vale and enjoy & rubber or two with him. Mr. Payn now dice tates all his literary and journalistic work to an amanuensis . RovaL is the only baking powder made on scientific principles. Trained ‘chemists in every department. All ingredients must test to standard strength and abso- lute purnity. If you care for your health, or if you study plain, sim- ple, every-day economyj, it 1s im- perative that you see to it that no baking pawder but the ROYA\LH. enters your kitchen. The low-grade, cheap powders contain alum and lime and ‘injuriously affect the stomach and kidneys. BOYAL BAKING POWDER CO., NEWMYORRe