The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 4, 1897, Page 24

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, APRIL 4, 189 _— . CHARLES M. SHORTRIDUL, Editor and Proprietor. CRIPTION RATES—Postage Free cck, by carrier. .§0.15 ar, by mail. Y and Sunday CaLy, six months, by mall CAL, thrée months by ma Cavr, one month, by mail e year, by mail.. Z year, by mail... W ALKLY CALL © BUSIN OFFICE: 1 Street. san Francisco, Californta. Telephone ..... ... Maln—1868 | EDITORIAL ROOMS: 517 Clay bireec Telephone .. ..Main—1874 BRANCH OFFICES: tontgomery s.reet, coraer Clay; open until | lock. s street; open until §:30 o'clock. n street, open until 9:30 o'clock. Sixtcentn and Mission streets, open . open uotil § o'clock. 167 Ninth street, open until 9 o'clock. 1505 Polk street: open until 9:30 o'clock. NW. cormer Tweuty-second and Kentucky treets; open tiil § o’cloc Mission OAKLAND OFFICE 908 Brosdwey. EASTERN OFFICE: Rooms 31 and 34 Park Row. New York Clty. DAVID M. FOLTZ, Fastern Manager. THE CALL SPEAKS FOR ALL. Balboa roa od name and it goes. It is called Christian Europe, but all the same ii is doing Moslem work. with & triv to nd see how tnegood work Recreate vo the boulevara goes on. speak the voice of Eng- unately Sal 'y controls Gladstone ma; Jand, but unf her arms. Weyler will go slow about shooting Rivera. The Spanish Government has ordered to take a second thought. The ta at Los Angeles is expected to break the record, but that to be held in this City will make a new one and make 1t glorious. The Sultan has himself at last grown weary of the slow diplomacy of the powers and wishes to meet King George half way, with a preference for having the meeting on the war path. The prompt action of the Spanish Gov- ernment in preventing the summary ex- ecution of Rivera is a clear evidence that it has studied American politics to some advantage and knows what the change of edministration means. The Dingl have effect i and Germany iff has already begun to Europe, and both France ate considering how they can make the best arrangements for trade with us. Reciprocity treaties will soon e in order and good order at that. he 'meda Encin gravely remarks that Tae Carl's prowling aiter the new postoflice leads throngh “valley of dry bones,” but does not rattle them a bit. The circumstance that it has rattled inal hasevidently been overlooked. has gained some successes nes, but has met with noth- ing but disaster in Cuba, it would e wise on her part to draw out of the Cuban | game snd devote Ler money to one in which she has a chance to win some- thing. the Ei The poets of England who are imitating Byron by writing odes in favor of Greece, but wno neglect to follow his example in fighting for her, would do well to recall Byron’s question: *Of two such lessons why forget the nobler and the manlier one?” Alarmed by the signs of the times all sround San Rafael purposes to pre- clude the evils of bad municipal govern- ment by .organizing a good government club before the bad government has ar- rived. There is much virtuein “astitch in time.” The bombardment of the Greek camp by the blockading fleet off the coast of Crete without any declaration of war seems to imply that diplomacy has dis- covered & way by which itcan put anend to all wars in Europe without in any way interfering with fighting. Bailey of Texas, the new Democratic leader, has been forced to decline an invi- tation to dinner at the White House be- cause he ddes not possess a dress coat, and yet it would seem hé might have bor- rowed one from Jerry Simpson in ex- change for a pair of socks. The clause which declares the tariff bill shall go into effect from April 1 may be invalid, but all the same it will make the importers hesitate about bring- ing foreizn gooas into the country, and the hesitation is all that is needed. Any- thing which checks the imports now will eid.therevenues later on and benefit home industry. Southern California hss begun making srrangements for an exhibit. at the Omaha exposition, and the example is worth imitation in other parts of the Brate. The exjosition will be one of the most important ever held in the Union and it 1s none too early to prepare for it in order that our display may be worthy of California and better than that of any other State. The retirement of the Liberal Ministry in Anstria may mean a new crisis, or only a new complication of an oid one, but in any case It augurs ill for the peace of Europe and the, continuance of existing conditions. The Austriau empire is too loosely held together to withstand much of an internal storm, and if the new Min- istry should prove to be reactionary a storm would be sure to come. Some enterprising car-builders in the Fast propose to unite their energies to construct for the use of the President the finest car ever seen on the globe, and it is to be hoped they will carry out the plan. The President of the United State ought to spend a gocd deal of his time traveling, and for that reason snould havea state car which will make it comfortable for him when he does'it. An Antioch paper quotes from the Lin- coln News-Messenger the fact that the pot- tery at Lincoln is shipping ware at the rate of two carloads per day, and supple- ments the quotation with the gloomy re- flection thatin Antioch it is a “shame that things are as they ure at our pottery.’” From which the reasonable inference is that Antioch would be cheered by an evi- dence of more pottery and less pottering &t its clay-molding establishment. | mization. THE FATE Until the fate of Rivera is settied, Amer high degree of intensity. Public sentiment OF RIVERA. ican interest in Cuban affairs will be at a in this country bas long demanded that the Cuban patriots should be treated as prisoners of war, and now that the life of a distinguished leader is at stake to rive a personal phase to the abstract question that sentiment will rapidly increase in foreéand fervor. It veems clear that in this instance the American Government has a good occasion and a just cause for intervening and de manding of the Spanish Government the recognition of the Cubans as soldiers entitled to belligerent rights. It is certain that if Rivera is executed, the Cubans will b e moved to retaliation upon all Spanish prisoners who may fall into their hands, and the war will become a struggle for exter- and humanity to be perpetrated in an isia The United Siates cannot consent to such an outrage against civilization nd so near its borders, and it becomes a duty, therefore, that we should exercise all necessary power to prevent it. 1t is not too much to say that if Rivera i be the shot which establisbes the independe; y have lea action. cause, but for spoken in captivil The people of this coun s executed the shot which kills him will nce of the Cuban Republic. It will be the | final cruelty on the part of Spain necessary to rouse American indignation to swift rned to respect Rivera, not merely for nis personal courage, patriotism and generalship. His noble words y excite both sympathy and admiration, His aisregara for his per- sonal welfare, taken in connection with his earnest loyalty to Ouba, show him to be the stoff out of which can be made a martyr as weil asa hero. He is willing to go to the scaffold as well as to the battle-field, if bis country. by so doing he can advance the cause of Such a man cannot be executed ss & criminal with impunity. 1t will be well for Spain if she gives heed to the sentiments of tlie American peo- ple and the representations of the American ve treated as a prisoner of war. Woe be ishes with death this valiant leader of a nubl Government on this'issue. . Rivera must to Spain if she defies civilization and pun- le people strugeling for independenc BALBOA ROAD. i The suggestion of Mayor Phelan that the new pboulevard snall be called Balboa road isa most felicitous one. The name is in every sense appropriate. It is short, beautiful and historic. Itcan be readily | spoken und will serve as a well-merited monument to one of the most gifted, ga lant and famous of that band of adven- turers who discovered and explored Amer- ica in the days of the Spanish conquest. Vasco Nunez de Balboa was a remark- | able man in meny ways. None of the; Spanish adventurers of his time were equal to him in breadth of intellect or nobility of character. While to most of them America was simply a land of gold and romantic adven- ture, it was to him a veritable new world, out of which great things were to be made for humanity. Where others ‘were cruel to the uatives, he was just, gen- | erous and' magnanimous. Where others | sought merely for wealth and power, he sought to widen the bounds of knowledge | concerning the new continent and to lay | broad and deep the foundations of new em- pires. It was given to him to be the first Eu- | ropean to see the Pacific Ocean, and he was also the first to embark upon ivand | begin the exploration of its waters, Itis altogether right and proper, therefore, that in a city which is destined to be the great metropolis of the Pacitic Ocean trade there should be some monument to commemorate the fame of his discovery | and o honor to his illustrious name. It | is most fitting, moreover, that the monu- ment should take the form of a grand | avenue leading 10 the ocean which he was | first to discover. The name, therefore, is thoroughly appropriate in every way and will be cordially adopted by the people. Now that the avenue has been well started and wel: named it zemains to see that the work of constructing it is carried forward with sufficient vigor 1o bring about its completion without delay. Sub- scriptions in the past have been liberal, | | but they bave not been suflicient for the | work. More money is needed. This | showd be donated during the coming | week. Let us see to it that our Balboa | road is carried forward with an energy worthy of the people whose City it is to adorn and of the great man whose nawe | it bears. | FOREIGN TRADE METHODS., ! In the United States consular reports for | March there are articles of more than or- | dinary interest to our merchants and pro- ducers concerning the proper method to build up a foreign trade, and contrasting | the defects of American efforts in that | direction with the weli-nigh world-wide success of the Germans. These men are not merely theorizing about what we | shonld do, they pointout facts well known to them as object lessons for our study. The trouble is that American methods of home trading are not applied to the en- | terprise of foreign extension. Big com- mercial houses here buila up and ms: tain a large trade by arranging for direct contact with their customers through | their representatives who travel with sam- | ples. This method is far more necessary | in foreign trade relations than in domestic, | but according to our Consauls it ia neglected | and futile attempts are continually made | to accomplizh rich results by cheap plans | of circular distribution—the said circulars | in many cases not even being written in | the language of the people to whom they | are sent. The Germans, on the other hand, send out agents all over the face of the plobe— into South Africa, among the Balkan | States, into China and Japan, with Chi- nese agents educated in commerce and in | European languages, and are outdoing us even as close home as Central America, where they adapt themseives 10 the pack- mule trade of the almost inaccessible iar | interior. The business of the agents is to stuay the trade needs of the different people and learn to supply them. The results of their enterprise are umple to demonstrate the practical wisdom of their | way of doing business. | The Consuls’ reports show there is an abundant desire to enlarge American trade with forelgn countries, but the means em. | ployed are in most cases absurdly inade- | auate. Itisquite a frequent occurrence for the Consuls to receive requests to act as agents for the would-be exporters, who | thereby show a strange ignorance of offi- cial duties. Another error pointed out is that of trying to establish an export trade through the medium of commission- houses in the large seaport towns. The effect of this is to greatly increase the price to consumers, and to give to the | goods the evil reputation of often being stale, dry, etc. The main impediment in the way of adopting the direct-contact-with-custom- ers method is the immense cost of travel and the risk of experimenting in new fields. But this can be overcome by the forming of export-associations. Thus the expense can be so divided as to make the cost to each member but a trifie in pro- portion to the possible profits of opening up new business. A few of these associa- tions have been formed in the East and are doing good work, It is not a question of trying a new experiment, but of extend- ing a system found successful. Several of these export associations might be formed in California to the great advantage of the members and to the general prosperity of the Btate. It is announced that there will be a congress of Greek women held at Athens daring this month to consider reforms in education and dress, and itis believed a strong effort will be made to revive the classic Greek costume in preference to that of Paris. If the movement succeeds Athens will swing her ancient style again and lead the world in besuty and grace. A SPLENDID INSTITUTION. The last bill which Governor Budd signed among the lot which he received from the recent session of the Legislature was one for the appropriation of $56,000 for improvements at the Preston Reform School in Amador County. This is oneof the worthiest objects of legislative aid that came up for attention. As bat little seems to be known about the school, which is a remarkably extensive and pre- tentious institution, some general 1n- formation conceraing its situation, pur- poses and development may prove inter- esting. The most striking feature is ths odd circumstance of finding so imposing an edifice in that part of the country, for it is not in any town, butstands right in the thick of a wide growth of chaparral and manzanita on a hillside as rugged and wild as the Sierra foothills can afford any- where. Driving from the pretty little city of Tone, which is the only railroad town in the county, the visitor comes upon the large, modern-built, red-brick structure as | Aladdin might have come upon the magi- cal castle after rubbing his lamp. The | contrast between the school and its sur- roundings is so vivid as to linger with the visitor long after he has turned his back upon it. The Preston School is a State institn- tion, built by tegislative enactment ana provision. It is run on lines somewhat similar to those on which the Whittier Reform School is run. Anti-parent boys from all parts of the State are sent there, and so efficient is the teaching that the wildest of them speedily become willing and even enthusiastic members of the flock. A cadet system is established wherein are enrolled those who are mili- tarily disposed (and wuat boy is not?), all gayly bedecked in the pomp and glory of real uriforms. Frequeatly a batialion of them are trusted to go to lone and back, and rarely indeed does one of them exhibitanv desire to runaway. The schoo! | true out of | is making good men and scores of boys who otherwise would in ail vprobability have gone wrong to the end of their days. Such ivstitutions should be provided with every possible convenience. Noth- ing should be spared that might serve as | the means of saving a single boy. The Preston School is a lasting credit to Cali- furma and Tue Caun hopes that it will always be financially encouraged to pur- sue its splendid work. COLONEL VASSOS. With every new report from Europe it becomes more evident that King George of Greece chose well when he sent Colonel Vassos to take commaud of the Greek army of occupation m Crets. Tried and tested by a thousand difficulties, Vassos has shown himself superior to all of them. He has maintained bis position and not only avoided giving any reasonable ex- { tice of Mecicine and'Clinfeal Medicine in the cuse to the powers for interfering, but bas | actually managed to put them in the | wrong and to achieve diplomatic victories even more important thac his military succes<es over the Turkish garrisons. In a statement recently made to a corre- spondent of the London Teleqraph Colonel Vassos was able to point out that hie has quieted the entire Christian population in the interior of the island, while the ad mirals of the powers have not succeeded in keeping the peace in the ports they | have biockaded. Greek army has repressed every form of crime, made Itfe and property as secure as it 1s in France or Eneland, has estab- lished hospitals for the sick and wounded | not only among the Greeks but among the Moslems, and has won the sympathy, confidence and support of all classes of people. Not the siightest outbreak bas occurred in the island to give the powers occasion for landing troops. effect established Greek rule over the country, and there is no sign of war any- where except around those ports where the allied fleets are stationed. As a further evidence of his fitness for the position Colonel Vassos has returned to the Turks certain officers of their army whom he had captured. By doing this he | rids himself of the trouble of keeping | prisoners and aiso sets an example of liberality and generosity which cannot fail to win him the favor of the world. In fact every step that he has taken has served to strengthen his hold upon public opinion, aud he enjoys at this time the contidence not only of his own Govern- ment and of the Cretan peovle, but of the inteliigence of Europe. He manages 1o take every step in his difficuit course in such a way as to gonvince the world that he is right and that his opponents are wrong. He is eminently the right man for the place, and if Greece succeeds in winning her fight and annexing Crete to her dominions King George can hardly do better than to recognize and repay the services of Vassos by making him Gov- ernor of the island. TALES FROM TEXAS. Texas being the biggest State in the Union it 1s natural to expect big things from that empire of the Lone Star, and we have some recent items of news from there of a bigness which would be surprising if they came from any othier source. Some of these stories vouched for in such a sober way that we must not doubt their truth, but others are so provocative of skepticism that we will have to demand affidavits as to the facts before we can place our faith in them. Among the stories within the bounds of reason and deserving our sober congratu- tion is thi A planter of the Caney country states that he gathered four bales of cotton, averaging 520 pounds, from one and a guarter acres of land, and this was not under the most favorable circum- Throughout Crate the | He has in | { | | | | i | | | port on June stances, for he lost one-fifth of the cropon account of rainy weather. This isequal to four bales of the good sverage size of 416 pounds from a single #cre, and at a fair price would return over a hundred dollars. It would be almost superfluous to wish for a gold mine if one had a plantation like that. 3 Another big story comes from Willis to the effect that 600 acres planted in Cuban tobacco last year produced an avetage of 700 pounds. The price was 20 cents a pound and the tillage cost $50 a acre, which left a net result of $160 an acre for the producer. From this it is evident that it Spain and the Cuban patriots between them utter.y destroy the Queen of the An- tilles in their wrangling for her posses- sion, the United Btates can look hopeful'y to Texas for a continuation of the luxury of Cuban cigars. Yet another tale in proper proportion to the size of the Lone Star State is nbout a plantation called Sugar.and. It is said to be the largest in the United States and covers 1200 acres. Its yearly yield i about 6,000,000 pounds of sugar. itison the Brazos. Other big plantations there. make a joint production of 12,000,000 pounds, Even Texas might have been content ‘with sending out three such stories in one month, but she proceeds to strain our credulity with a fourth, which fairly stag- gers us wita the contemplation of the prosperity it makes possible if true, or with the audacity of it if it is purely a fake. ‘The announcement is that fine fruit can be produced by grafting peaches, pears, plums, apricots, etc., etc., upon the mes- quite busb. Now i fine fruit can be | zathered from that tough little tree that grows wild and widespread over all the almost boundless acres of Western Texas, and is drouth resisting, prairie fire defv- ing proof against teuring winds and the hurtle of hail bigas hen eggs, then the fortune cf Texas is made. —_— PcR:ONAL Dan McKiver of Australia is at the Russ. Thomas Marshail of Point Reyes is in town. J. W. Beonett of Marshfield, Or., is in town. Joseph Bell of Eureka is at the Grand Hotel. A. E. Clarkson of Louisville, Ky., is in the city. W. H. Raymond of Stockton is at the Com- mercial. Charles M. Ward of Grub Gulch arrived here yesterday. P. Oullahan of Dublin, Ireland, arrived here yesterday. Adjutant-General A. W. Barrett is atthe California. W. H. Ford, a business man of Niles, isat the Grand. D. W. Johnston of Ben Lomond is a late ar- rival here. C.D. Swan and wife of Montpelier are at the Cosmopolitan. F. S. Bailler of Baker City, Or., is registered at the Palace. Arve Yessaka of the Dumbarton Oyster Reds 18 in the City. A. L. Brown of Tucson, Ariz., 1s here accom- panied by Mrs. Brown. Professor M. Leon Driver of San Jose and Mrs. Driver are in the City. C. W. Clough and family of Chico are down and staying at the Cosmopolitan. James Drummond, a merchant of Leadville, Colo., is staying at the Cosmopolitan. Willlam Strain of Crescent City is a late ar- | rivel here. He is at the Commereial. E. D. Goodrich of New York, the dealer in | California fruit, is quartered at the Lick. | P. P. Baker, a general sto-e owner and miner of Cedar, Ariz., arrived here yesterday. J. W. Loweil, a business man residing for some years at Healdsburg, is in the City. Edward McGettigan of Vallejo, the well- known Government contractor, is registered at the Russ. John L. Egbert, a wealthy resident of Spring- field, Mass., is at the Oceldental accompanied by several friends. R. H. Graham, a railroad man and coal mine superintendent of Marshfield, Or., is among the arrivals at the Paiace. A. C. Neeley of the publishing house of F. | Tennyson Neeley of Chicago arrived here a day or two ago on & short visit. Judge E. A, Belcher of Department7 of the Superior Court has been very busy during the past two weeks. In addition to attending to the litigation in his own court he has heard the probate and insolvency matters in De- partment 10 of the court, Judge Slack being temporarily absent from the bench for the purpose of preparing for the Craven-Fair liti- gation that is s00n to engage his attention. Dr. Samuel 0. L. Potter, professor of Prac- College of Physicians and Surgeons, sailed vesterday on the sieamer Mariposa for Aus- iralie. Dr. Potter accompanies Joseph R. Walker, Esq., of Salt Lake City, with whose family be bas long been connected profession- ally and socially. The party includes Mr. and Mrs. Walker, also their sons Charies and Bert, and may be expected back on the return trip of the Mariposs, which is,due again at this CALIFORNIANS IN NEW YORK. NEW YORK, April 3.—At the Plaza, J. R. Rowen; Manbattan, J. Curtis; Bartholdi, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Merritt; Amsterdaw, C. B, Zarbriski; Holiand, Miss =cott: Netherland, S, Beel. THE SOUND OF LITTLE FEBT. Ilistened in the morning For the sound of the little feet That patter'd along in the sanshine Over the gulet streot; For the tones of the sweet voice singing Some quaint lov’d stain of old, As I saw the wee hands full of flowers And the sunny head crowned with gold. 1 watch'd when the noon was over, And the clock in the tow'r struck four, As the children came siow] - homewacd, The hours of school-time o'er: And T heard ‘mid the rinple of volces, The one (hat my heart fov'd best, And Isaw a -mile like a sunbeam Stray’d out of the golden west. And now, in the hush of gloaming, 1 watch and I list sgain: Bu: the little feet come no longer, No more do T hear that st.al For the flow'rs and the tir'd Iittle child-heart Are hush’d into slnver sweet, Though 1 know thiat in ceaven the angels Hear the sound of the Little feet. —AUGUSTA HANCOCK in‘the Lady. A PRED.CTIUN MmADE IN 18g5- The following item clipped from . an English exchange was published in TuE | Cavt of January 17, 1895 A pemphlet has just been publisied at Ber- lin %: & theolog: M. Baxter—which was writien with considerable erudition, aud is be- iug widely read. The author predicts that the end of thé world will occur on April 23, 1908. “From now on until then,” he e watl g0 through another fearful and rly_con- tesied war, in 1897, which all the great Euro- pean nations will ‘participate in. In 1899 & uew Napoleon will make his rise as the Kingof the Greek Siates and Syrin.” In 1904 a terri- ble earthquake will shake the verv founda- tions of our planet. On March 12, 1608, on & Thursday, at 3 o'clock P, M. (Jerusalem tme), and at 1° hour 33 minutes P. M. (Berlin time) will take place the ‘ascension 1o n of the 1:4.000 elected, blessed ones, who ‘shall not ates These prophecies, says Le Figaro, have called forth considerable emotion “‘over the Rhine.” WITH YOUR COPFEE Sister—Why don’t you marry her ? Brother—I'd like to, but unfortunately she has an impediment in ber speech. Sister—What is it ? Brother—She can’t say “Yes.”—Tit Bits. When we are children we brag about our parents: when we get to be young men and young women we brag about ourselves; when ‘we become older we brag about our children. —Exchange. Clara—Isn’t your love for him very sudden? Maude—Well, his wealthy sunt died very suddenly.—Spare Moments. ALLIANCES THAT HAVE FAILED. In view of the discussion which is in Drogress concerning the merits of the pro- jected treaty between the United States and Great Britawn, it may be of interest to cast a passing glance at the role which intornationa! agreements of this character have played in the past. Without in any way wishing to depreciate the motives that have prompted negotiations of the convention now before the United States Senate, it may be pointed out that past experience shows that treaties are only | made to be broken, and that inasmuch as the rupture frequently is accepted as a casus belli, they may be considered on the whole as conducive rather to war than to peace. True there are some of the smaller nations of Europe, such as for instance Switzerland and Belgium, as well as Luxemburg, which are said to owe their existence and their safety from invasion to the inter- national treaties guarsnteeing their neu- trality. Butit may be questioned whether this respect of the latter is due so much to the treaties as it is-to the assurance enter- tained by the great powers that if any one of their number attempts to infringe that neutrality it will have to defend by force of arms any advantage that it may have secured thereby, certain of not being per- mitted to remain in undisputed possession thereof. Treaties are only adbered to as lone as it is to the interest of the nations Who are parties to the agreement to do so, and the only exception to the rule is that of Italy, which has involved itselt in economic ruin for the sake of living up to the terms and stipulations of its alliance with Germany. Thus the so-called lax Treaty of Paris which marked the close of the Crimean war, and which was imposed upon Russia by the victors, was only observed as long as it suited the convenience of the Musco- vite Government, and was denounced by the Czar’s Chancellor, Prince Gortcha- koff, in 1871, as soon as ever the defeat of France by Germany had deprived the former power of the possibility of resent- ing the breaking of the agreement. Scarcely one of the stipulations of the in- ternational treaty which called into ex- istence the Congo Free States has been ob- served by its sovereign, King Leopold of Belgium, while the celebrated treaty at Berlin of 1878 is in every sense of the word a dead letter, hardly any of the signatory powers having adhered to the solemn vromises and undertakings to which they subscribed. Last year Bismarck showed us how little reliance could be placed upon the much-vaunted | Triple Alliance, since Germany at the very time when it was bound by the most sa- cred ties to a defensive and offensive union with Austria and Italy against Russia and France had actually made a secret agreement with the Czar behind the back of her allies, whils the recent difficulties in connection with Crete are serving to call the attention of the world to the fallacy of placing any dependence upon the continuance of the treaty of alli- ance between Russia and France. In 1878 England made a treaty with Turke; by which in retarn for the ces- sion of the islana of Cyprus she guaranteed the integrity of the Ottoman | em re, an undertaking which itisneither | politic or possible for her to futfill. Russia pound herself by treaty in the mo:t eol- emn manner not to restore the fortifica- tions of the Black Sea port of Batoum, or to convert it into a naval strongheld, in spite of which its defenses to-day rival those of Portsmouth. France engaged herself not to take possession of Tunis, which in spite thereof has become one of her colonial dependencies, while accord- ing to recent official reports published in London, there is no doubt that Germany has violated all the promises which she made by treaty not to seil either spirits or arms to the nativesof Alrica, especially those engaged in slave-trading pursu ts. Icould go on thus indefinitely. There isnot a single nation that has not to its credit a large number of treaties which it has failed to observe and of broken | promises, while if Italy, as above mentioned, has achieved for herself a reputation for rare honesty in having obscrved her obligations in connection with the Triple Alliance at the ex- | pense of her political and economie welfere, itis ot from ai solely because ng Humbert and his family areso alarmed by the rapid growth of repub- | licanism fn_his dominions that he looks more to foreign alliauces for the maintenance of his tottering throne than to the loyalty of bis subjects. Save for this, the Triple Alliance is, in the estimation of foreign statesmen, not worth tne paper on which itis written. Austria is well known to have been seeking, both at St. Petersburg, at Bucharest and at Belgrade, allinuces in which Germany has no part, while the feeling between Austria and Ttaly is so bitter that it is ridicuious to im- sgine for one insiant that the one would ever | come to the rescue of the other, treaty or~no Indeed, the dream of every patriotic Italian is to wrest from Austria those of her provinces that are populated by Italian-speak- ing races, end which are known throughout Humbert'’s kingdom by the name of “Italia Irredenta.” while in the same way Austrians sre equally bent on recovering the city of Venice, which they ook upon as one of the lost and vet brightest jewels of their Em- peror's crown. Infact, the two nations have not one interest in common, political, histor- ical or economical. On the contrary, in each of these particulare they are diametrically op- posed to one another. Soitis idle to beheve for one moment that they can ever be relied upon to live up to the terms of the alliauce by which they are tupposed to be bound to one enother. But the most striking illustration of the worthlessness of alliunces, s far as the per- manent binding together of nations is con- cerned, is afforded by the case oi France and Russia. Seldom has a great nation gone to such Iengths or paid so heavily to secure an alliance with a foreign power as has France in the case of Russia. With the memories of the extravagant enthusiasm of the weicome ac- corded to the Czar and Czarina on the oces | ston of their siay on the banks of the Seine last autumn {resh in our minds, and our ears stll ringing with the echoes of the vrofes- sions of brothernood in peace and in war that were uttered both by President Carnot and Emperor Nicholas, it certainly seems start- ling 1o find French statesmen and politicians, as well as the Parisian press, roundly cou- demning the subserviency of the French Gov- ernment to St Petersburg as sltogether un. worthy of the dignity of a nation wnich to- day ranks as one of the great powers and that was at one time acknowledged 10 be the great- estofall. Russia's foreign policy during the past twelve months has undergone several chauges altogether inexplicabie to Western Europe, but which would certainly never have been ordered unless destined toserve Muscovite aims. Oneach occasion Russia has exacted that France should follow blindiy in her wake without knowing the why or the wherefore, until at length politicians and statesmen of the eminence of M. de Lanessan and the Count de Chaudery and others ofequal weight and prestige have been led to enter in the press over their signatures the following pro- test: “‘Russian policy then is on the eve of an- other ch: Are we to follow again? Is our policy to be tossed about at wili, to suit the interests of Russia? Surely that is a course scarcely worthy of & nation of France's rank."” N These utterances were taken up by the St. Pe- tersburg newspapers which denounced the Parisian newspapers that had published them as “Judeophile,” and reminded the French people ina very pswonizing manner thatit the indiscretion of Prince | question of principle, but | France from the obscurity into which she hatl sunk in 1870 to the rank of a firsi-class power. Moreover, one of tne leading officials of the imperial treasury at St. Petersburg undertook over his signature to demonstrate to the world by means of a widelv circulated newspaper article that Russia had conferred & very great favor amd benefit upon Flance by borrowing money from her. It isa pity that it is impossible to reproduce the article in question here, since its logic and the in- geniousness Of is arguments are character- istically Muscovite and Oriental—that is to say, plausible in the exireme. But the real truth of the matter is that while a few of the leading financiers in France may have made money by floating the loans which Russia has |'contracted at Paris, nearly the whole of the enormous debt of the Muscovite empire is held by Gallic investors, who have been prompted by patriotic fervor rather than by sound, sober judgment, to_confide to Russia the savings that hed remained to them after the payment of the terrible war indemnity to Germany. It is probable that the war indem- nity will in the end prove to have been the better investment of the two. For the milliards o! francs, of which it consisted, have long since returned, in one way and another, from Germany to France, with heavy interest, whereas if the French continue to show thom- selves restive to dictation from St. Petersburg there is mothing to prevent the Muscovite treasury from efther arbitrarily reducing the interest of its foreign debt, or else of following the example of other Oriente! covernments in repudiating it altogether. It may be pointed out that the present alliance between France and Russin is the fourth that has been contracted within the last 100 years, and that each of the three previous alliances has resulted not in peace between the two contracting parties, but in war. The first of these alilances bears the date of 1797 and the signature of Czar Paul. It was a treaty of saliance offensive and defensive, yet the following year found the French Marshal Massena inflicting & crushing defeat at Zurich on & Russian army commanded by Prince Souvarow. In 1807 & fresh treaty of alliance was signed at Tilsitt, and subsequently ratified at Erfurth by the Emperors Napoleon and Alexander. Yet in 1812, that is to say five vears later, Napolcon invaded Russia at the head of the so-called Graud Army, a campaign which culmineted in the disastrous retreat from Moscow. Then | came the Franco-Russian alliance of 1852, wkich was followed two years later by a French invasion of the Crimea. According to the most authoritative state- | ments the present treaty of alliance be- | tween France and Russia, so long iu process of negotiation, was finally signed and sealed during the visit of Emperor Nicholas to Paris last autumn. How long will it be before, in accordance with past precedent, France and Russia are once more arrayed not side by side as iriends, but face to face es foes, the animosity of the French being intensified a | nundred fold by the memory of the sacrifices of money and dignity that they have made 1o | secure a friendship that is at the best Oriental, | and therefore perfidious and unreliable. Ithas been stated above that the Franco- Russian alltance was only completely and defi- Ditely signed and sealed Jast autumn. But 1i had been under way, 50 to spesk, and in pro- cess of negotiation ever since 1887. For, con- {trary to geperal belief, there was no understanding of France with Russia prior | that date, the French statesmen of the first fi teen years of the tnird republic fighting dis- tinctly shy of any union with Russia. Indeed, in the many conversations which I had about the matter in 1879, 1880 and 1881 with Gambetta, he invatiably professed himself as most strongly opposed thereto on ihe ground that it was both illogical and impo- litic —1llogical because there could be no community of interest or ideas between the mst enlightened liberalism of the Occident; impolitic because no Oriental could ever be | depended upon to subordinate his interests to | those of his European iriends, and that an ak | liance therefors between Russiz and France | must fuevitably result in advantage to the former and in detriment to the latter. The menner in which the understanding be- tween Fronce and Russia was first brought about in 1887 is sufficiently curious and ux known to be worthy of being placed on record. King Leopold of Belgium has an illegitimate | son who is well known in Brussels, Baden, Spa, Paris and at Monte Carlo &s & great gambler. One day he turned upat Paris and | called upon a gentleman of the neme of M. | Foucauit de Mondion, who had, while acting s tutor of the late Prince de Chimay, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, rendered such impor- tant services to the French Foreign Office in | the way of keeving the latter posted that after leaving Brussels he was attached to thede- pariment on the Quai d’Orsay in a species of undefined capacity. The Baron fuformed M. de Mondion that he required at once a sum of $50,000 to pay what he described as a “dabt | of honor,” failing which he. would be obliged 10 blow out his braius. Moxdion of course de- clared that he was unable to lend him sny such sum, whereupon the Baron replied: I know trat, but you can procure it for me.” “How “Well, I have here in my possession docu- ments of the highest importance, authentic proof \bat Priuce Bismarck is playing a dou- | ble game with Russie, and is fooling the Czar all along the line, above all in the Bulgarian | question. The Czar believes that Bismarck is | ncting frankly aud loyally. Here is evidence | to the contrary. If France can show these proofs of Bismarck's duplicity to Emperor Alexander it means that Russia abandons her allience with Germany and Austria and will probably contract a new union with France.” Thereupon the Baron showed him the docu- ments which he had surreptiticusly obtsined irom the desk of his father, King Leopold. They comprised letters from Frincess Clem- entine (mother of Prince Ferdinandof Bul- garia) and likewise letters from King Charles of Roumania to his sister, the Countess of Flanders, which she had handed to the King: also letters from Prince Bismarck to King Charles and to Princa Clementine, which they had forwarded to King Leopold. ‘Mondion took the papers and showed them to M. Lockroy, who wes at that time a member of the Goblet Cabinet. At his request and at that of his coileague, Minister of War Gen- eral Boulanger, the well-known Paris banker, Hentsch, advanced the $50.000 demanded, which was handed to the Baron. Six months later these papers werc sent by ex-Embassador-General Apperl, & warm and intimate friend of the Czar, to the latter at Copenhagen. The general showed them to the Emperor, who for the first time became aware of the duplicity of Prince Bismarck. That was the beginning of the alifance between | France and Russis, which the Crotan crisis Dhas now brought near to the bresking point, | since Russian sympathy 18 with the Turkish erescent, and Freach sympathy wiia the Greek cross. EX-ATTACHE. THE ITALIAN IDEA. HOW THE EDITOR OF A ROMAN PAPER DESCRIBED THE INAUGURATION OF MCKINLEY. La Capitali, Rome, Ttaly. Some days ago the United States was in feast; it was the dawn of a new President. Mr. Cleveland left the White House to cede it to Mr. McKinley, who inherited at the same time all his prerogatives—prerogatives very much envied in that country. It is at Wash- ington where this transmission of power takes place, and there is nothing more interesting than this ceremony, which charscterizes the temperament of Americans. For eight days the preparations were going on with feverish activity; the trains were un- londing miilions of passengers, coming from the utriost points of this teouniry. Asto the hero ot the day, Mr. McKinley, ha was for one week residing with his famtiy in o small villa, away from the tumultuous crowd. He profited by his last hours as a plain citizen by meditaling on_the immense respousibi ity which he Was about to assume. At all events hewished to pass tranquilly the night of the 3d of Marcn. Surrounded by his family, he remained until 12 o'clock in hisstudio. Thurs- day, at the stroke of 12, ihe President-elect, without _uniform, without pomp, blainly dressed in black, wish silk hat, walked 0 the inaugural place to take the oath of office. Nothing was so grand as the parade which characterized the demoeracy of America. After the inaugural address the Presideat, having reviewed the troops, went on foot io the White House, always followed by the crowd, which was singing “Yankee Doodle” absolutism and tyrenny of the Orient and the | «The Star Spangled Banner.” The Presi 5::5, Elvlug gm‘:: through such & hllguxngt dey. has yet to assist at a public Dlnqlle!g 10,000 covers. The ball, which marked the close of this joyous day, wasone of unheard magnificence. It certainly was otlgm-llto sle‘e 100,000 persons dancing in & tent in the pubiic gardens. sopiael SR D ANSWERS TO ORRESPONDENTS, +DoN'T EuE, CHARLIE'—E. A. O. hcnlyi. ,The _recited piece, **Don’t She, Cherlie,”” by .fi\‘:\kfsn“\'hi.cl)‘:nb Riley, is to be found in Werner's Magazine. 1894, Tuearrr HATS—X. City. During the year 1896 the States of Louisiana and Ohio passed laws intended to prevent women {rom wearing Lats in theaters. Ohio exempis opera bonnets. 1 AN OLD BIBLE 1f you havea Fow- ler Bible; p) he first iliustrated Bible printed in_the United States,” #ud wish to dispose of i1, you might do so by offering it t0 some of the City DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS—G. W. Ci, Beckwith, Plumas ‘Counts, Cal. Write to the Experi- mental station, Department of Ariculture, University of Calitornis, Berkeley, for in formaiipn about the distribution of seeds in shis State. Tie Furure—California street, City. If you wish to manipulate the cards in order “‘to as- certain the future of & person’ you can pur- chase books of instructions on that subj Any book-dealer will securs you such. An: one will ao. Tug Parks—F. R. E., City. The police will not disturb those who sit ia the public parks of this City if they siton_tne benches at night up to & reasonable hour, but after such hours the officers are instructel to remove all per- sous irom seats. 1f allowed to remain there after late hours the sitters will in all liketi hood fall ssleep, and there is & law sgainst persons sieeping on benches in the parks. LobEs 1N PLACERS—F. B., Nolton, Siskiyou County, Cal. It has been held that lodes dis- covered within the limits of & piacer claim atter application for patent for the placer cinim was filed are no Dar to the issuance of patent as applied for. The right of an indi- vidual 10 ciaim a lode discovered upon a placer ciaim after it has been patented is a matter that would have to be determined upon judicial inquiry. TEN LARGEST CITIES—. City. According to the census of 1890 the ten largest cluies 1a the United States ranked as follows: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, S Louis, Boston, Baltimore, San’ Francisco, Ci cinnati and Cleveland. According to the esti- mates of Mayors the cities and populations (estimated) ranked ss follows: New York, 1,957,284 Chicago, 1,750.000; Phiisdelphia, 10,000; Brooklyn, 1.140,000; Sr. Loui 650,000; Baltimore, 600,000; Boston, 520 000; C.eveland. 370,000; Cincinnati, 365,000; San Francisco, 335,000. Frnst INsURANCE PoLicy—U. S. D., City. The first insurance policy of which there is any record is one that was issued to one Giovan- nini Ballesta, at Florence, Italy, on the life of Sir Brother Ferdinand for the sum of 3000 scudi, the term extending from the August festival of Piazenza of that year to the feast of Epipheny, in 1611, the premium being 33 per cent of the amount named in the policy. The document was written in the medieval Latin. It provided thatshouid Ferdinsnd die within the dstes named the assurers would make fuil payment, should the death be natural or acci- dental. By the terms of the policy it was payable three days after notice of death, E. H. BLACK, painier, 120 Eddy strees —— ToURIsTS—California glace fruit, 50¢1b., in el- egant fire-eiched bxs. Justwhat you want for Eastern friends. Townsend's, Palace Hotel B'd* ————-—— EPECIAL information daily to manufacturers, business nouses and public men by the Press | Clipping Bureau (Allen’s), 510 Montgomery. * ————— Two next-decor neighbors quarreled. and one of them exclaimed, excitedly: *“Call yourseif & man of sense!l Why. you're next door to an idiot!""—Boston Journal, Santa Fe Limiled From San Francisco | Three and » Half Days to Chicago Vi *auta Fe Route. To accommodate our Northern Callfornia pa- trons, on Mondays end Thursdays the firs:- class Pullman siecping-car leaving San Fran. cisco ut 5 2 1 conuect sz Barstow with the Santa Fe vesttbule (rain, carrying dinfng-car. bufter, smoking-car =nd Puilman pal- ace drawing-room slceplug-cara for boh St. Loais and Chicago via Keusas City. This shortens the runniog time twelve hours. Send for lteratarn Cescriptive of our route. San Franclsco tickeu office, 644 Market street, Chronicie buliding; tele- phone main 1581, Oskland, 1118 Broadway. 5 ———— Railroad Tickets to the East via Rio Grande Western nnd Denver and Grande Railways, At lowest possible rates, with through Pullman buffetand tourist sleeping car service every day. Personally conducted excursions leaving Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Only line permitting stop-over ai Salt Lake City on ail classes of tickets Detailed information and tickets furnished av 14 Montgomery street, or 314 California street. - Change of Time. Taking effect March 28,the Northern Pacific overiand train will leave Portiand at 11 A . in- siead of 1 . i, thus making connection at Spo- kane for all poiuts in the new Kootenal mining ustrict. Tickets at lowest rates to Rossian, orthport and Trail K. general 38 Market street Conps, caused by the sudden changes of temper- ature at this season of the year, make Ayer's Cherry Pectoral indispensable. ————— Ir afflicted with sore eyes use Dr. Isaac Thomp- sow’s Eye Water. Druggists sell it at 25 conts. —_—————— She—Our minister does not jump at conclu- stons. He—I shauld say not. Inever knew him to reach a conclusion in less than an hour.— Brookiyn Life. NEW TO-DAY. New Way To Save Money BU Crockery and Chinaware AT MONEY SAVING STORES: 140 Sixth st. 965 Market st. 146 Ninth st. 617 Kearny st. 1419 Polk st. 1344 Market st. 3285 Mission st. OAKLAND. 1053 Washington st. 1510 Seventh st. 917 Broadway E. OAKLAND. 131 San Pablo ave, ~ 616 E, Twelth st. ALAMEDA—1355 Park st. Headquarters, 52 Market St., S, F, OPERATING 100 STORES-— That’s why we sell so cheap. GOOD REASON. 325 Hayes st. 218 Third st. 2008 Fillmore st. ~_ 3005 Sixteenth st. 2510 Mission st. 521 Montgomery ave. A The most certain and sate Patn Remedy. Instantly relieves and soon cures all Colds, Hoarseness, Sory ‘Throat, B onchitis, Congestions and Inflammu, tlons. 50c per bottie. £old by druzgista.