The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 7, 1898, Page 4

4 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1898. . GROSVENOR EXCORIATES CARL SCHURZ Redhot Criticism of a Civil Service Reformer. | Declared a Politiecal Leper | and a Traitor to All | Parties. | Assaults on the Present Lawi Are Continued in the | House. JOHNSON TO THE DEFENSE The Indiana Statesman Protests | Against the Policy of Bursuing the Spoils System. Epectal Dispatch to The Call. | WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.—The friends &nd enemies of the Civil Service law exchanged broadsides in the House to-day. The heaviest guns on each side were brought into action. Grosve- nor of Ohlo and Johnson of Indiana | each made exhaustive speeches and kept their respective sides in a con- | stant furor. The interest in the de- bate was much more lively than yes- terday. The crowded galleries, which were plainly in sympathy with the op- position to the law, became so very noisy in their demonstrations of ap- proval at one juncture that the Chair | was compelled to call them to order. Johnson was warmly sustained by the friends of the law on the floor, but he got very little applause from the gal- | lerfes. Lloyd of Missourl was the only | other speaker. He favored the repeal of the law. Grosvenor of Ohio took the floor with an elaborate speech in opposition to the law. Grosvenor disclaimed any leadership of the anti-civil service re- form forces and any purpose to speak for any officer of the Government, ex- ecutive, legislative or judicial. “All efforts to entangle me in a col- lision with the President,” said he, “are as so much powder wasted. If I believed that my relations to the Exec- utive would be changed or modified be- | cause I differ from him in any repara- tive capacity, I would despise him as he would despise me if I faltered in my convictions.” Grosvenor said he had watched with admiration the President’s public ca- reer, and one of his most prominent characteristics had always been that he not only did not demand subserv- fency, but despised a man who sought favors by sycepancy. Grosvenor then proceeded to pay his respects to the National Civil Service Reform League and to Carl Schurg, its president. » His excoriation of the lat- ter was the most scathing that has been heard on the floor of the House in months. He denouncegd unsparingly those who sought to réad out of the Republican party those who believed in the civil service law. He sketched the political life of Mr. Schurz, which he characterized as “the checkered, spotted, leprous career of one who be- | trayed every party and every duty to | which he was bound, and whose be- | trayal should be his only stock in trade | in the arena of politics.” | He traced Mr. Schurz’ political his- | tory, and defied any one to name a point in the trail which was not tainted | with political corruption. Yet, he said, | this was the man who, with other | “political demagogues” at Cincinnati, | under the name of the “National Civil Service League,” had denounced him and those who thought with him on this question. He read the resolutions adopted at the Cincinnati meeting, | branding them as infamous beyond de- scription. Grosvenor’s description of the habits | of the “cuckoo” teemed with wit and kept the House in a roar. Grosvenor, in replying to the charge made against himself and his colleagues that they ‘were betraying the Republican party, adverted to what he called the list of | traitors among the high priests of civil service reform, at the head of which | he placed George William Curtis, who abandoned the Republican party in 1884. He reviewed the platform declar- ations of the Republican party to show that the present position occupled by | the majority of the House was not in- consistent with these declarations. “For 1 give the members of the civil service committee notice,” said he, | “that we have a majority on this floor, | and you cannot strangle a majority in | the American Congress.” (Applause.) | He argued that when the St. Louis | platform was adopted the extensions | contained in the Cleveland order of May, 1896, had not been understood. It was not until November, 1896, that the enormous scope of that order covering | 46,000 officials, was publicly declared. The Republicans coming into power on a platform adopted by these vast ex- tensions were not in honor bound to agree to them and it was proper that | the President should announce in lLis | message to Congress that there were portions of these orders which never ought to have been made. Grosvenor discussed the practical ef- fect of the law and the examinations of the committee, giving many illus- trations of applicants who, thro.uxa years of service, had proved their abil- ity, but who failed to answer questions asked. One of Grosvenor’s statements which | evoked an enthusiastic outburst from the galleries was in the nature of a warnipg that if members refused to listen to the voice of the people in hostility to this law they would not be members of the Fifty-sixth House of Representatives. He argued that the people were overwhelmingly op- posed to the law and sald that hun- dreds of thousands of Republicans felt a secret sympathy with Mayor Van Wyck of New York, who announced that none but Democrats would be ap- pointed to office under the new city government. Governor Black said a few days ago, when “the late lament- ed” Republican government came into power, there were 15,000 Tammany men in office. and when it expired there were still 15,000 Tammany ,men on the pay roll. The Republicans, Grosvenor said, had been justly punished for keeping these enemies in their camps. | publican measure. | Senator and all except seven Republi- | made Iineligibie Grosvenor professed his adherence to the people of the merit system and theory of examinations for office with- in certain limitations. “But,” he exclaimed in conclusion, addressing the defenders of the law, "1 want to serve notice on you that unless ycu join us in the correction of the abuses and the reformation of the law, we will join any portion of the community—legislative, execu- tive or judicial—and destroy the law, root and branch.” (Uproarious ap- plause in the galleries.) Johnson (R.) of Indiana, one of the ardent defenders of the law, followed Grosvenor with an extended argument in support of the merit system. He took occasion to review the history of the civil service, pointing cut that pre- | vious to the time of Jackson the spoils system did not exist. Men were ap- | pointed to office for fitness, yet never was party feeling stronger than then. In England, where the merit system prevailed, party spirit was most vig- orous. It was absurd, he contended, to say that party spirit must be fed upcn the bribe of office. He repudiated the statements of the adversaries of the law that Lincoln and Grant be- lieved in the spoils system. In his review of the records of emi- nent men on this subject, Johnson be- came involved in a controversy with his colleague, Landis (R.) of Indiana, and during the cross-firing the galler- fes became so cbstreperous in their ap- | proval of the position of the latter that the chair was obliged to suspend the debate and admonish the spectators that such demonstrations must cease. In enumerating the evils of the spoils system, Johnson said it made cowards of legislators, stormed the White House, interfered with the depart- ments, stretched into the Capitol and shaped legislation; it exalted the of- fice broker and attacked, villified and calumniated the conscientious man. Words, he declared, could not do jus- tice to the infamy of this prolific evil, which had debauched the civil service. It seemed Incredible to him that men could dare advocate a return of this saturnalia. The talk of a civil pension, he said, was a bugaboo designed to | frighten the defenders of the merit sys- tem. A proposition for a civil pension could not command half a dozen votes in either hcuse or secure the executive approval. Speaking to the Republican side of | the House, he told his colleagues that the merit system was a Republican child. While George H. Pendleton was its author in inception, it was a Re- Every Republican can members of the House voted for it. It has been indorsed by State and na- tional conventions. Citfes and States were adopting it. The American peo- ple were behind it. Johnson attributed the present “dis- cordant and disgraceful scene” now be- ng enacted in Ohio, with its ‘“visions of senatorships going gllmmering,” to the scramble for spoils, State and na- tional, and said that the surest way to put Bryan and his black banner in the White House in 1900 would be for the Republican party to be recreant to its trust and slap in the face those who believed in honestly conducted service. Without desiring in any way to re- | flect upon the present occupant of the White House, Johnson said he was con- vinced that there could be no genuine civil service reform until by constitu- tional amendment the President was for re-election. long as he was eligible for re-election he must necessarily be more or less under the domination of machine poli- tics. After expressing his confldence in President McKinley Johnson con- | cluded with an eloquent appeal to him to stand by the principle upon the per- petuity of which the permanence of our institutions depended. 4 Johnson was given an enthusiastic demonstration of approval when he concluded. Lloyd (D.) of Missour! followed In opposition to the law, which, he ar- gued, was an attempt to establish an aristocratic Government by establish- ing an office holding class. At 4:50 p. m. the House adjourned. —_— LANDS IN YOSEMITE PARK. Bills Relating to the Acquirement by the Government of Private Claims. WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.—Representa- tive de Vries to-day Introduced bills in the House affecting the question of acquiring title by the Government to private land claims within the boun- darfes of the Yosemite National Park. The first provides that upon the owner granting this property to the Govern- ment the Secretary of the Interior shall issue therefore “lieu scrip certificates,” which will entitle the holder to locate a similar number of acres in any other part of the unsettled public domain. This is similar to the provision already made In the case of forest reserves, and was drawn by De Vries (as were other bills) after consuitation with the Commissfoner of the General Land | Office. The second bill provides that upon the owner granting his property to the Government he shall receive therefor the moneys paid the general Govern- ment in acquiring ‘title to the prop- erty, the taxes already pald and the reasonable value of his improvements. The enforcement of these bills is to be effected through rules and reguilatfons to be prescribed by the Interior De- partment. Their provisions are op- tional with the owner, but he must avail himself of the provisions within a given time. BITTENGER BLACKBALLED BY A SWELL SOC/AL cLuB. Residents of Montreal Take Exception to the Consul-General's Utterances About Plots of French Canadians. MONTREAL, Jan. 6.—United States Consul-General Bittenger was black- balled to-night by the St. James Club, a leading social organization of the city, which has among its members tha present and past governors-general of Canada and other prominent Canadi- ans. It is said that fifty blackballs were cast agaigst Mr. Bittenger. Colonel Knapp of New York and W. A. Anderson of Wisconsin, former Consuls-General, were esteemed mem- bers of the club. Mr. Bittenger's de- feat was undoubtedly brought about by an article published in Chicago = week ago last Sunday and republished by local newspapers. In it Mr. Bitien- ger was quoted as saying the French- Canadian citizens of Quebec were forming secret societies and arranging for an outbreak, looking to the inde- pendence of Canada. When Mr. Bit- tenger was first mentioned for consul- general his political opponents in Mis- souri flooded the newspapers here with articles derogatory to hi ter. —— ST. HELENA POISONING CASE. ST. HELENA, Jan. 6.—This commun- ity is in a high state of excitement over an alleged poisoning case. On several occasions during the past two weeks ‘W. A. Clark, a section laborer, has no- ticed a bitter taste in the cold coffee which he drinks at lunch. He finally had some of it analyzed and discovered that it contained five grains of strych- nine—enough to wipe out the entire section: force. The alleged attempted poisoning has occurred so often that the authorities have been notified and it is said that a clue is being followed. As | MEASURES PASSED IN THE SENATE Bills of Importance Disposed of in Short Order. One Provides for a Con- gress of the Five Civi- lized Tribes. Steps Also Taken to Protect the Insignia of the Red Cross Society. NOMINATIONS HELD UP. Certain Indian Agency Appointments Not Satisfactory Because of “Home Rule” Reasons. Special Dispatch to The Call. Call Office, Riggs House, ‘Washington, Jan. 6. ‘While the Senate was In session two hours to-day, practically no business was transacted beyond the passage of a few bills. Among the measures which received favorable consideration were the biils providing for a congress of the representatives of the Indian tribes of the United States, to be held at Omaha during the progress of the In- ternational Exposition this year; bills | providing for the erection of public | buildings at Fergus Falls, Minn., and | Newport News, Va., and a measure to protect the name and Insignia of the Red Cross Society. Allen of Nebraska called up and the Senate passed the bill providing for the holding of a congress of the rep- resentatives of different Indian tribes were adopted. A bill appropriating $175,000 for a | public building at Fergus Falls, Minn., was passed. ‘The bill to protect the name and in- signia of the Red Cross was passed, Mr. Gray of Delaware explaining that Miss Clara Barton several years ago asked that the insignia of the Red | Cross Society be protected from those who would use it for commercial or perhaps fraudulent purposes. Under treaty entered into by a majority of the civilized nations of the world, the sign of the Red Cross is known as an insignia of hospital corps or charitable organizations. Other nations had pro- tected the insignia of the society, and the United States ought also to pro- tect it. After some routine business, the Sen- ate, on motion of Mr. Gray, went into executive session. After a brief éxecutive session, dur- ing which some consuls were confirm- ed, the Senate adjourned. In the executive session Senator Pet- tigrew, chairman of the committee on Indian affairs, made an adverse re- port for “home rule’” reasons, upon the nominations of the following named personsg to be Indian agents: Charles McNichols, at Colorado river agency, Cal.; Edward Elberg, at Quapaw, 1.T.; Charles G. Keyse, at Fort Apache, Ariz., and Fred B. Spriggs, at Nevada agency, Nev. SENT WOMEN AND TREASURE FROM OMDURAM, Preliminary Steps Taken by the Khalifa Before Beginning Hostilities Against the British. LONDON, Jan. 7.—The Marseilles correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says: “I learn that a week ago the Khalifa sent his women and treasure | from Omduram (on the Nile, opposite | Khartoum) to the south, and that he then proceeded twenty miles north- | ward to Kerreri, where the Dervish force is assembled. | As he possessed no safe means of | advancing against Berber, the ex- | treme point of the British advance, jt | is believed he intends to operateagainst | our lines from the west bank of the | Nile.” —_—-—— Convicted of Murder in the Second Degree. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 6.—The jury in the case of Patrick Savage, on trial for the killing of Willlam Roche at San Pedro on October 6, 1897, this evening | returned a verdict of murder in the| second degree. Savage will be sen- | tenced Monday morning. NEW OFFI_CERS AT THE HELM. Associated Improvement Clubs to | Continue Their Mission. The regular monthly meeting of the | Assoclated Improvement Clubs was | held Wednesday night, and the newly elected officers were installed. They are: President, John H. Grady; first vice-president, Willlam Metzner; sec- ond vice-president, D. J. O'Leary; re- cording secretary, Leon Samuels; cor- responding secretary, J. G. Malone; treasurer, Edwin L. Head, and P. H. Cahlill, sergeant-at-arms. By an unani- mous vote of the association George R. Fletcher, the retiring president, was made a life member of the assoclation with a vote of thanks thrown in for the interest he had taken in the formation of the assoclation and through his un- tiring exertions made It a decided suc- cess. A committee was appointed to revise the constitution, changing that portion which. makes the payment of dues chargeable to the subordinate clubs to the members direct at the rate of 2§ cents per month. & The proposed amendments will be :lmb.: upon at the next meeting of the u Carpenters’ District Council. The old Carpenters’ District Council . Wi , treasurer; er. Oni?rhlwo of the oll,fl delegates were returned. of the United States at Omaha in 1898, | Staniciaus . and appropriating $45,000 therefor. Tehama Some minor amendments to the bill TALK 1N THE HOUSE-—BILLS IN THE SENATE, SCHOOL FINDS APPORTIONED Amount Allowed to the Various Counties in the State. Just $8.97 the Sum Set Aside for Each Census Child. Figures Upon Which the Superin- tendent of Public Instruction Has Acted. Special Dispatch to The Call. SACRAMENTO, Jan. 6.—Superin- tendent of Public Instruction 8. T. | Black has made an apportionment of State school moneys to the several counties. The total number of census children is 340,952, and the amount ap- portioned is $2,035,483 44, equal to $5 97 for each child eligible to attend the public schools. The county apportion- ment is as follows: Census Amount Countles— Children. Apportioned. Alameda 29,710 $ 177,368 70 | Alpine 531 33 | Amador™" 17.432 40 Butte ..., . 25,569 51 Calaveras 16,805 55 Colusa 12,966 84 Contra Cos 22,763 61 Del_Norte 3,331 26 El Dorado 131325 04 Fresno 45,586 92 7,969 95 | 39,407 97 | 5,544 63 | 18,447 30 | 13,169 82 | 10,286 81 Lassen 6,495 36 Los Anj 240,316 33 | Madera 8,775 90 | Marin . 16,710 03 Mariposa 6,650 43 Mendocino. 29,921°64 Merced 122022 8,250 54 2,232 73 31,53 50 | N 21,730 80 Riverside | Sacrament San Benlito San Bernarc San Diego n Francisco n Joaquin San Luls Oblspo. San Mateo .. . §anlfl Barbara Santa Clara | Santa Cruz Shasta . | s | Totals ...c.ccrueee.. 30,982 $2,035,453 44 | The apportionment is based on the following report from State Controller Colgan: The money in the State treasury be- longing to the State School fund, subject portionment, is $2,036,919 23, as fol- July 5, 1897, Tty tax, $1.617, tax, $227,670 74, Amount unapportioned, §846 96; recelved from proj 799 04; received from pol 1 from Interest on bonds, $64318 68; received from interest on lands, $24,010 48; received from tax on railroads, $30,141; re- ceived from tax on collateral 'inheri- tances, $52,998 15; recelved from sales geo- graphical survey reports, $14. Total, $2,- 037,799 Less amount paid on restitution of interest on lands sold not the property of the State, $575 02; less amount paid on annulment certificates of purchase, §304 813870 83; net amount subject to ap- portionment, $2,036,919 23. DEFENDS TRUTHS ~OFTHEBIBLE 4 !Grand Master Mason of New | | York Dissolves the Peru Lodge. An Edict Removing Bibles from Ma- I sonic Altars Overruled by | the Chief. | | Spectal Disgatch to The Call. | ROCHESTER, N. Y., Jan. 8.—Right ‘Worshipful Willlam A. Sutherland, grand master Mason of New York State, issued a general edict to-day, directed to the masters of all the Ma- sonic lodges in the State. He dis- solves all relation with the Grand Lodge of Peru on the ground that the latter body has, to use the word of the official document, “committed Masonic suicide and vanished from existence.” He says: “I am this day furnished with a printed copy of an edict issued by Christian ~ Dam, grand secretary, wherein the sald Christian Dam, as grand master of Masons in Peru, re- cites to those under his jurisdiction that according to Catholicism the Bf- ble is a sacred book in which the re-- vealed word is deposited, and as such cannot be freely examined and criti- cised; that the Bible cannot be con- sidered as a foundation of scientific knowledge or history nor as a basis of morality, and he does ‘decree that on | all Masonic altars the Bible shall be removed and replaced by the constitu- tion of the order of Free Masonry, and that in all our rituals the word ‘Bible’ shall be stricken out and the words ‘the constitution of the Grand Lodge of Peru’ be put in its place. “The body, which was the Grand Lodge of Peru, has attempted to ac- complish that which it is not within the power of any man or body of men to do. In laying violent and profane hands upon a great light in Masonry, it has attempted to change the plan and very groundwork of the institu- tion. That the Bible is a book contain- ing sacred truth is one of the funda- mental truths of Free Masonry. How- soever men differ in creed or theology, all good men are agreed that within the covers of the Bible are found those principles of morality which are the foundation upon which to build a right- eous life.” S PENSIONERS WHO GET OVER FORTY-FIVE DOLLARS A HONTH. NEW YORK, Jan. 6.—The Sun makes public this morning the names, rates of pension and addresses of all pensioners in receipt of more than $46 per month from the treasury. The names of the pensioners occupy nearly fifteen col- sdy, about one-forty- tal annual expenditure. LIFE TERM FOR ~ SPAIN IS WEARY BURGLAR ROUP Pleads Guilty in Napa’s Court and Begs for ¥ Mercy. Tells of His Antecedents and How He Became a Criminal. Judge Ham Unmoved by Promises to Reform—The Sentence Staggers the Prisoner. Bpecial Dispatch to The Call. NAPA, Jan. 6.—In the Superior Court this morning at 10 o’clock James Roup, the burglar, was sentenced to life im- prisonment in the San Quentin peni- tentlary. Roup, accompanied by his attorney, John T. York, appeared in court at the appointed hour. Being called upon to enter his plea, the pris- oner pleaded guilty and made the fol- lowing statement: “I was born in Philadelphia in 1850. I am not a criminal at heart. I didn’t come here for the purpose of burglary. I was broke and tried to secure work. Failing to find any, I made up my mind to commit a burglary and with the money secured from the sale of the stolen goods get out of the State. Ever since my discharge from prison I have been hounded and treated like a dog. “I readily admit that I am gullty of this burglary, also that I served two previous sentences—once from Santa Clara County, for burglary in the first degree, January 23, 1886, and from Sa- linas, March 24, 1890, for grand larceny. The names I gave respectively at these times were Charles Parker and Fred- erick Hamilton. My true name I de- clare to be James Roup. I was arrest- ed both at San Jose and Oakland for burglary, but in each case was inno- | cent and acquitted. I spent on these two cases just $105. I am not a bad man, and humbly I ask for leniency from the court.” . John T. York, attorney for the ac- cused, then arose, and after a review of the case asked the mercy of the court. Judge Ham was sllent for a moment and then he commanded the prisoner to stand up. He administered a short but severe rebuke and ordered the de- fendant confined in the prison at San lQuemh-n for the term of his natural ife. The sentence was surprising to the defendant, who had stated that he would become a better man after serv- | ing a few years in prison. Three or four years was all tha§ he had looked for, but previous convictions enabled | the Judge to impose the sentence that he did. Sheriff McKenzie started with Roup for San Quentin this afternoon. At the depot in Napa a representative of | The Call questicned Roup, who ap- peared quite angry. “I will say that it is my purpose to behave well in prison,” said Roup. “But what difference does it make whether I do or not. I am in for lfe, ain’t I? Your infernal paper caused the life imprisonment I now get. That picture you published settled my hash. I feel no kindliness for The Call. me alone, please; I am done for.” The San Joaquin authorities are no doubt contented with the punishment given Roup in this county. He could not have been given more had he been taken to Stockton. FARMERS' HEARTS | ARE MADE GLAD Never Was Rain More Welcome in All Portions of the State. Old-Timers Were Predicting Another Drought, but Now They Feel More Hopeful. Special Dispatch to The Call. FRESNO, Jan. 6.—At last the much- looked-for rain has come. It began this evening at 6 o'clock and up to 11 o'clock there was a steady downpour, which promises to continue during the night. Never was rain welcomed more by the Fresno county farmers. The season so far has been an unusually dry one, and the farmers were begin- ning to feel very much discouraged. They had planned to sow large acre- ages, much more than in former years, because of the high prices prevailing. Old-timers were predicting a dry year, such as was experienced in the early seventies. They say that the weather up to the first of the year has been identical with that of those” seasons of the drought. The present rain Is making the farmers feel jubllant, and while it is late it still gives a good prospect for next summer's harvest. SAN JOSE, Jan. 6.—The long-con- tinued cold, dry weather has given place to a warmer temperature and this forenoon rain began to fall and continues. All appearances indicate a continuance. SANTA CRUZ, Jan. 6.—Rain has been falling all day in light showers, which will prove beneficial. - SANTA ROSA, Jan. 6.—The farmers of Sonoma County are feeling good to- day as a result of the fine rain that came last night. Rain set in about 10 o'clock and continued until near day light. The rainfall for the storm is a quarter of an inch and for the season seven and a half inches. The rainfall up to the same time last year was thirteen and a half inches. WOODLAND, Jan. 6.—Light showers fell to-day, but the wind is not favor- able now and a good rain i$ not ex- pected at present. HOLLISTER, Jan. 6.—A rainstorm started this evening in good earnest, and there is every indication that it will continue all night. MILTON,. Jan. 6.—Rain has been falling steadily for several hours, with indications favorable for its continu- ance during the night. The visitation is. most timely and of great value to try. adjourned sine die Wednesdey night. The | umns. Yet they number only 3668 in “‘fifi"r}'{:’-o';{n Jan. 6—Rain com- new delegates took hold of the ropes and | all. They constitute but little over one- | menced here at 5 o'clock this elected officers for the year. The | third of one per cent of the gigantic | afternoon and as the sky is black with 05“5:“1!“‘93: were: -70"’09 B. s | total of 976,014. The annual expendi- | clouds a shower is anticipated. E‘W. mom Y, :;?"‘"“&':1 ture represented by this t of | This is a blessing to the farmers here- secretary; Theo F. o thelhtulu-mum.m.guthb about, as 80 far this winter very little Ansonia, wa: seventh fallen and a dry year was Let{ } | | | | OF THE FIGHT Willing Now to Consent to American Medi- ation. ‘Will Treat for the Independence of Cuba on Monetary Grounds. It Is Said Secret Negotiations Have Already Been Begun This End. to Spectal Dispatch to The Call. CHICAGO, Jan. 6.—A special to the Tribune from Washington says: Spain is considering a formal request to the | United States to use its good offices to | stop the fighting in Cuba. | Intimations have been received at the | State Department that the Sagasta | Government has become convinced that the only way to save Cuba is to ac- cept the often proffered good offices of the United States. Canovas repeatedly | replied to President Cleveland declining | these good offices, and Sagasta did the same last November. Now the Prime | Minister has become completely dis heartened over the evident failure of autonomy. All the efforts of Spain to bribe the subordinates of Gomez to sur- render on the basis of home rule have proven futile. Blanco has completely failed in his efforts to open up commu- nication with the insurgents, and Pan- do has likewise been defeated in the field. The Spanieh Minister now feels that the only thing left is to accept the | good offices of Uncle Sam in spite of the humiliation involved. They hesitate only because they feel that a public announcement of this fact would result in a ‘revolution in Spain. Secret negotiations with the State Department are now actually in | progress. The Spanish Government | has lost the confidence of the loyalists | in Cuba, and it recognizes the fact that | the island itself is lost entirely unless | the country will at this late day nego- tiate with the insurgents for some basis of peace. The Spanish propose that the United States should offer | to the insurgents an actual armistice pending negotiations for peace on the basis of American guarantees of the integrity of home rule, or even of in- dependence on a monetary considera- tion. While no such formal proposition has | been made by Minister De Lome, the | State Department has been given to | understand that only the fear of revo- | lution in Spain stands in the way now | of accepting the friendly offices of the United States which have been rejected s0_often. It has been intimated that if this| country sees fit on its own motion to | open up communication with the in-| surgents Spain will not throw any ob- | jections in the way. Any such move would be a practical recognition of the insurgents as belligerents, but things have reached such a crisis in Cuba that | even this contingency must be faced. It is understood that the Cuban re- public will insist on formal recognition before undertaking any negotiations | with the United States, claiming that | it cannot treat with a power which re- | gards it only as an organized conspir- acy of riot and piracy. The situation | is critical in Cuba, and the frequent | visits of the Spanish Minister to the | State Department are sufficient indi- | cation that the Spanish empire in Cuba is almost at an end. Officials here are inclined to the be- lief that the public announcement of | the acceptance of this country as a mediator will result in instant revolu- tion in Spain, but they admit it is the last hope, and is being seriously con- sidered. St NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR FRESNO. Handsome Property Bought by Sisters of the Holy Cross. FRESNO, Jan. 6.—The Sisters of the | Holy Cross who conduct the St. Augus- tine Academy in this city have pur- chased the handsome residence prop- erty of William M. Willlams at the | corner of R and Mariposa streets for the purpose of establishing the Catholic | { school there. The deal was consum- mated to-day. The area of the ground is 150 by 150 feet. The thirteen-room residence will be used as the dormitory and a commo- dious school building will be erected adjoining. The academy is at present occupying a two-story frame structure next to the Catholic church, but the school has grown so that the present quarters are much too small. Last summer the Catholics purchased prop- erty on N street, and just after the buildings had been erected they were destroyed by fire. —_———e GRIFFITH IS FOUND GUILTY. SANTA ROSA, Jan. 6.—Shortly be- fore midnight to-night the jury in the case of The People vs. W. G. Griffith, who has been tried for the last two weeks upon a Grand Jury indictment for obtaining, under false $400 promissory note from C. of Healdsburg, found Griffith gullty ag charged. Griffith is a well-known land-owner, having large interests at Fresno and San Jose. It was charged that he had represented himself as th. owner of a farm near Healdsburg, that he had rented the property to Petray taking in payment for the rent Pet. ray’'s promissory note for $400. Petray alleged that Griffith was not the owner of the property and that the note been fraudulently obtained. B. Petray ————— WHEN OTHERS FAIL CONSULT DOCTOR SWEANY. If you are suffering from the results of Indiscretions of youth, or from excesses of any kind in maturer years; or if you have Shrunken Organs, Lame Back, Va- ricocele, Rupture, exhaustive drains, ete., you should waste no time, but con- sult this Great Specialist; he speedily and permanently cures all diseases of Menand Women. Call on or write him to- day. He can cure you. Valuable Book sent Free. Address F. L. SWEANY, M.D., 737 Market St., San Francisco, Cal. pretenses, a | had | REGARDED AS (ONLY A MYTH That Greater Republia Scheme Is Not Very Popular. Merely an Alliance ‘-of Three Presidents to Keep Them- selves in Power. However, Great Enmity Is Said to Exist Between the Central American Nations. Copyright, 1898, by James Gordon Bennett. PANAMA, Jan. 6—I have Inter- | viewed a prominent Central-American statesman, who recently arrived here from Salvador, as to the situation In that republic, and asked for his opin- ion as to the recent dispatch from ‘Washington to the effect that the fall of the Greater Republic of Central America would not be unwelcome to McKinley’s administration. He told me that a positive statement from Wash- ington that the Greater Republic is distasteful to the United States would have the effect of weakening the unio” Central Americans, he said, are now convinced that he republic is nothing less than a myth; that it is merely an alliance of President Zelaya, Bonilla and Guiterrez of Nicaragua, Honduras and Salvador, respectively, to keep themselves in power. This alllance, he further stated, was made despite the fact that the three Presidents are at swords’ points and that the greatest enmity exists between the three re- publics. My informant stated further that it is a matter of surprise that a revolution has not broken out in Sal- vador. It is no secret that for six or seven months the opposition to Guiter- rez has been actively at work prepar- ing plans tc overthrow the President, owing to his maladministration. LIEUTENANT LEFEVRE'S SENTENCE APPROVED. But the Navy Department Thinks the Punish- ment Is Not Adequate for the Offense. * WASHINGTON, Jan. 6. — Acting Secretary Roosevelt has acted upon the proceedings of the court-martial which at Mare Island found Lieuten- ant Frederick F. Lefevre, executive of- ficer of the Wheeling, guilty of drunk- enness on duty, but acquitted him of the charge of scandalous conduct. The sentence of the court was that he lose four numbers on the list of lieutnants. This was approved by the department, with the comment that the sentence appeared to be inadequate for the of- fense. -— Consular Appointments Confirmed. WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.—The Senate to-day confirmed the following nomi- nations: To be United States con- suls: Edward D. Winslow of Illinois, at Stockholm, Sweden; Michael J. Burke of Illinois, at Port Stanley, and St. Thomas, Canada; Louis H. Ayme of 1llinois, at Guadaloupe, West Indies; . McGunn of Wisconsin, at Dum- ferline, Scotland; George H. Moulton of Colorado, at Demarara, British Guiana; C. W. Merriman of Wisconsin, at Brockville, Ont.; Daniel E. McGin- ley of Wisconsin, at Athens, Greece. NEW TO-DAY. DUN; Let WHISKY get the BEST of you. GET the BEST of WHISKY, which is the Genuine Distillery Bottling of OLDPEPPER WHISKY, Bottled and Distilled only by JAS. E. PEPPER & G0, Lexington, Ky., Under the same FOR- MULA for more than 100 YEARS ; Is guaran- teed ABSOLUTELY the PUREST and BEST in the world. Sample Case $15. Sent on trial, which, if not satisfactory, can be returned and money will be refunded. CARROLL & CARROLL, 306 MARKET ST, SOLE AGENTS FOR THE PACIFIC COAST, Will Cash Pepper Coupons. (Goke! Coke! Coke! P.A. McDONALD 813 FOLSOM STREET, Wholesale dealer and shipper of the best brands of FOUNDRY AND FURNACE COKE. I have on hand a large quantity of San Francisco Coke, = superior to anthracite for furnace or cannel for grate use. This coke ig made from the best Wallsend coal, and can recommend it to consumers as an Al article. Will Deliver Any Amount From & Sack to a Shipload. CARLOAD ORDERS SOLICITED. visic DR, JORDA'S Groat Museum of Anatomy 1051 MARRET £T. bot. 622 & 7th, 6. 7. Cal, The Largestof its kindin the World. DR. JORDAN—Private Diseases. Cousultasion free. Write for Pook Philosophy of Marriage. MAILED FREE. mucous mem- eEvaxs Ceuiow o, branes. oo or sent tn pl R Ny Circuiar ssat on req: -