The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 29, 1900, Page 4

THE SESSION EXTRAORDINARY. be made ITH the assembly of the Legislatu = to-day Wthe representatives of the Republican party in that body join the issue with the Southern Pacific Railroad upon a question of momentous im- jponance—none other than that of determining call ...JANUARY 29, 1900 JOHN D. SPRECKELS, Proprietor. upon it. A AN Address All Communications to W. S. LEAKE, Manager | yhether the political affairs of California are to be FUBLICATION OFFICE..Market and Third, 8. F. | girected by the will of the people or by the Kentucky Main 186S. | | corporation. g‘"“"‘“‘ St. | ]t is indeed a session extraordinary. It has been | called by the Governor for the purpose of giving the Southern Pacific Railroad another chance to elect to | the United States Senate the man whom the Repub- | licans rejected at the regular session. It has been esti- mated that the session can be conducted at a cost not | exceeding $1500 a day, but it may exceed $2000 a day. Certainly if the railroad managers have their way they | will place upon the payrolls in one position or an- other 2 host of greedy taxeaters, carried to the State capital to shout for the railroad candidate. Even if | the estimate of $1500 a day be not exceeded the cost EDiTORIAL 217 to Delivered by Carriers, 15 Cents Per Week. Single Coples, 5 Cents. 1. In ng Postage: DAILY CALL (including S DAILY CALL (including § DAILY CALL—By Single Month. SUADAY CALL One Year. WEEKLY CALL Ome Yea All postmasters are authorized to receive bscript fample copies will be forwarded when requested 2 VAKLAND OFFICE ment? €. GEO Manager Foreign Advertising. Marguette Build- ing. Chicago. absolutely non-transferable. should provide the co-operation of the Department of - Agriculture with the leaseholder in restoring the natural forage of the range—first, by nnderstocking; second, by reseeding the land with gramma, bunch or buffalo grass and other annuals which once grew It is somewhat painful to refiect that the people of California were diverted from their purpose to help themselves in the matter of storing storm waters to this policy of leasing the grazing lands and devoting the proceeds to such storage, only to find the first at- tempts at legislation apparently in the interest of syn- dicates and speculators, and ignoring entirely the wel- fare of the ranges and the actual stock-owners. possible that the evidences of organization and money | that were apparent in the subtle and sinister influence | that wrenched the ‘water storage convention from its | | purpose originated with the few monopolists who by such a bill as Mondell’s desire to feed fat at the expense of the honest stock-owners and the Govern- Is it ‘Whatever the facts may be, the duty of the Waters | and Forests Society is plain. powerfully promote proper and well-guarded legisla- It should at once and THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 1900. e v [ANOTHER VIEW OF THE STATE N the present agitation and discussion of water front matters the wonder i that so much is said and written by persons who should be better informed. The general charge that the port charges of San Francisco are excessive, and greatly exceed the charges of the great seaports of the world, is simply un- founded and untrue. By reason of the great destructiveness of marine pests, this port has been one of the most expensive to keep in repair of any of the harbors of the world. This is now being overcome | by building recently designed structures | that are comparatively marine-pest proof. | | After the construction of more permanent | structures, expenses for repairs will be | less, tolls may be abolished and port| charges reduced, but in no place in the | United States is there such a thing as a | free port. | For keeping in repair the wharves and | their approaches, there is used, monthly, | between two and three hundred thousand commission, since its organization a few | months ago, notwithstanding constantly | increasing business, have reduced the pay | HARBOR QUESTION the sake of the politiclans. This is one of the finest harbors on the globe and requires the least expenditure on the part of man to make it safe and ample, yet the harbor rates are the highest known among civilized peoples. And why? For the improvement of the harbor, for the uilding of seawalls, for dredging and biast or any other improvement? No. Simply to maintain a horde of idle, use- less parasites. If this were all it would be bad enough, but these men come in an organized body of robbers,” etc. If the reverend gentleman is correctly reported and his religious teachings are as false and senseless as his water front tirade I greatly fear that his pastoral flock is in danger of perdition. And to the gentleman who in the past few months has accepted so many cour- tesies from the Harbor Commission wish to say that he also displayed bad taste when, on the eve of the recent elec- tion, in making a grandstand-gallery play for the suffrages of the people of this city, he indulged in the following: “The only thing of ours which the ¢ 11 | charter does not restore is the harbor, and | feet of lumber. Will some gentleman tell | {3 C U2 0L ISP ¢ that also back | us how this can be had without cost? This | from the State, given at a time when the |15 3 recent invention of a Frenchman ar people had no confidence in the city fo‘u ernment. Let this port be a haven of se- curlls’. not a robbers’ roost.” And’what has occurred to so suddenly reserved solely for nmaval . - eadets, about three hundred in number, are there trained In the midst of the healthlest surroundings and remote from the temptations of towns. The students can roam over the island at will; they can go shooting game In the woods; they ha: their sports and boat salling and their is an absolutely healthy one. The Austrian naval budget for the pres. | ent year amounts to 38,250,000, an increasa of $120,000 over last year. A T00d-ton ar- | mored cruiser will be lald down at an es- timated cost of $2.475,000, and a coast de- fense ship of 5340 tons, and another of the | Budapest type, are contempiated. The | composite cruiser Radetzsky of 3450 tons, | built in 1872, 1s to be stricken from the | list and sold. The best records of battleship construc- tion at the three principal British dock- yards during 1569 were as follows: The Venerable, at Chatham, 10 months; Bulwark at Devenport, 7 months, | the London at Portsmouth, $ mo { days. These periods represent the | val between laying the keel and launching of the respective vessels. The Bulwark | had 5450 tons in her hull when launched A new towing torpedo, called the Leg | is chiefly intended for harbor defense. | 1s made of Delta metal and may be locat- | ed in any spot to any desired depth, and !s r"“ be great if the session be prolonged. _Th“ €08t | yion that will result in a proper leasehold policy that is to be saddled upon the taxpayers of Califciz@ fOF | will at once measure the help to water storage that | no other object th ivin in another _ | per month, $10,560 per annum, r obj an that of giving Hefljl may be expected from that source, to the end of se- | D&% NOPP R S BT Tom chance to elect Burns to the Senate to satisfy the de- roll $2600 per month, $31,200 per unum.i remove that admitted lack of confidence? | operated from shore by means of an end- have Increased the rents of ferry slips 3850 | How long is it since the treasury of this | jess chain which passes around four hori- making a | city was looted under the very eyfihzgtiy'—,! | zontal pulleys firmly attached to the b Ui Tl A R Ts | of the torpedo drum. A series of to NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT: €. €. CARLTON... vees..Herald Square NEW YORK REPRESENTATIVE: LUKENS JR 29 Tribune Bullding forsooth. PERRY roost,” | curing not only the benefit to follow preservation and | mands of Huntington. Truly in politics as in busi- ness the Kentucky corporation is imposing upon California every dollar the traffic will bear. No Republican in the Legislature can be ignorant of the sentiment of his constituents and of the whole State on the issue. It is a sentiment of disgust at the trickery and fraud practiced by the conspirators CHICAGO NEWS STANDS: Sherman lHouse: P. O. News Co.: Great North- ern Hotel; Fremont House; Auditorium Hotel. NEW YORK NEWS STANDS: ‘midori-Astoria Hotel; A. Brentano, 31 Union Square: Murray Hill Hotel. WASHINGTON (D. C.) OFFICE.. Wellington Hotel J. ¥. ENGLISH, Correspondent. gation. & | restoration of the ranges, but a full exploitation of the | policy of defending the revenues of the leases for irri- | A NATIONAL NEED. ROM the convention of the National Board of Trade, in session at Washington, comes one of Commerce as follo SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, June 20, 1593 E, Scott, Secretary Chamber of merce, San Francisco, Cal.—Deat Sir: 2 directed by the Board of State Harbor Cc missioners to say that attention almost entirely to viding additional facilities £ creasing commerce of the port. estigations throughout every continue 3 he water front under their con department 0 i the end that its affairs be thoroughly items, and have adyised the Chamber ot: ber of Com- am O e eport of your | Flor wisdom and purity and pro pec] 3 it a ars that it has given } special committee ppe: e guestion ol pro- e She rapidly in- | in San Quentin_ hardly long enough This commis- Sequests that your committee | not the gentleman a | overlook his own roost and throw stones | at the State administration? And, mlih: | it not be well for him to remember is own glass house before boasting of sup?- se to | make a swoop to gobble the State's prop- | erty, when one of his own roost has ""J; warm his perch? For the gentleman’s instruction and eon- sideration I quote the following from the very able report made by a commission little previous to ' charges are attached to this chain | the tdea tn view that these two lins | traveling mines would control ths e trance to the port. When not in mot! the torpedoes are supposed to bee harmless, for when the strain is removed | from the endless chain the towing lever | folds back automatically against the head | and In so doing moves a safety catch into such a position as to prevent the striker in the point of the torpedo from moving. o SR A g ? T jals i L - affairs be thoroul¥ | appointed by the Legislature of Massa | There are two recommendations for this WBAXCR OFFICES_527 Memtwomery, corner of in arranging their programme and of indignation | the strongess memorials in support of the et | to Cmp N VAT e Wkt ionce | SUHIES o Thove 1 ocks and terminal | ;iv1q of torpedo, namely, its simplicity and opew wegil 9:30 o'clock. 635 McAlliater. open | that such a scheme should be attempted to disgrace | Sant Manne which has yet been submitted to | derived, disbursements, etc., and to the SOV | fo¢ of fhe ground or water of the Bay | smdll cost. Being made of non-corrosive until §:30 o'clock. 615 Lurkin, open until Loy i SR | Congress. The memorial is the more important be- | ™5, ey biing expended for unnecessary and | of San Francisco, or any of the navigable | metal, the entire outfit may be left in the 930 o'clock. 1841 Misst open until 10 | Republicanism and to dishonor California. That unwarranted repairs and improvements? waters of the State, has title cvter ib:;in‘ water reaedy for service at any moment, jven to - | ‘elock. Market, corner Sixteenth, open 2 2 e Al | e L o o ® | sentiment was not lightly formed, nor will it quickly f‘panisan, g'clock. 108 Elevemth, open muill @ ovachy, |Pass. It will hold the Republicans in the Legisla- ture to a strict responsibility and pronounce judg- ment upon them in the elections of the coming fall. When Governor Gage was a candidate for office he deceived the public, which had no means of esti- { The circum- open uniil 9 o'clock. AMUSEMENTS. Orpheum—Vensevile. mating the fulltextent of his duplicity. | stances of the time tended to confirm confidence in [ jhis words. The funding bill has been passed a.nd; fthe long controversy over that subject has been defi- | nitely settled. The railroad managers one and all vowed they had no further political schemes to ad- vance. Gage over and over again asserted, affirmed. declared and swore he had no affiliations with the railroad, would never be in any way a party to rail- road encroachments upon public rights or servile to railroad bosses. On that showing he was elected. perceive him coming forth as “worker” for the rail- road’s disreputable candidate for the Senate; .they see him sneaking secretly into San Francisco and holding conferences with the railroad bosses, Herrin and Wright, for the purpose of arranging with them hich Buras or some one of his stripe is zar— Peacetu! Valley.” s, Zoo and Thester—Vaudeville every afterncon and By Torkish Rug Co.—This ¢ay, at 1l & m and 3 p m, Turl Rugs, et 143 Stockton street. - ——— DECLINE IN WINTER TRADE. AST week attention was called to the irregu- rity in trade as exhibited by the bank clear- It was shown that whereas all prominent a regular weekly gain in 1899, the same no longer exists, and that some of the are now showing a loss. This new emphasized last week, the clearings of the country falling 24.8 per cent behind those for the same week in 1809, while of the eleven principal | cities all exhibited 2 loss except Pittsburg, San Fran- cisco, Cincinnati, Kansas City and New Orleans. The largest five cities fell behind. These figures show 2 decrease in the volume .of business, which is variously explained by commer- cial theorists. The general opinion is that the mild winter in the East has diminished the inquiry for seasonal goods. A few that the accumulation of orders in 1899, running far into 1900, act as a dam 2g: t new business. Perhaps this latter view may be correct, but the former has the most supporters. It is undeniable that the warm weather has greatly | reduced the call for winter necessaries, and dealers all over the country are complaining of large stocks still on hand, with spring not far off. Another effect of the mild winter is shown in the lumber cut, which bids fair to fall short of the average, owing to the lack of snow. The New England cotton mills, too, are com- laining that deficiency in water is keeping back their leliveries. Boots and shoes are in less demand and hides and leather are quoted quieter and weaker in consequence. From these reports it would seem that the mildness of the winter is alone responsible for the Now the people Governments, [ the means by w to be elected to the Senate, and from these facts they learn something of the extent of his dishonesty, both in words and in action. The Republican party has been betrayed by the man whom it elected to the office of Governor and the taxpayers look to the representatives of Repub- o licanism in the Legislature to resent the betrayal. ifl"ps‘ That is the extraordinary issue of this session. That is the one feature of it which holds public attentio By his vote for Senator will every Republican legis- lator be judged and there will be a day of bitter reckoning for those who prove recreant to honor and | merchant marine. ANOTHER LEASE BILL. E have already commented upon the virtues \\/ and infirmities of the Foster bill, to provide for leasing grazing lands west of the ninety- ninth meridian. Its infirmity is the provision for ex- change of lands and lack’of protection for the actual owners of stock against syndicates and speculators in leases. Its virtues are in putting the whole adminis- tration of the law in the hands of the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary. of the Interior, and this administrative part is admirably provided for and well safeguarded. to duty. | | cause it emanates from a body which is not only non- but is representative of the commercial in- | | terests of every section of the Union. No similar | | body of men is better entitled to speak on this sub- | ject, or is more worthy an attentive hearing. The memorial sets forth that in 1826 vessels of th= | United States carried 92 per cent of the nation’s im- ports and exports, while in 1809 they carried but 8 per cent. That the extraordinary decline in the rela- | tive proportions of our foreign shipping is not due to any lack of energy on the part builders or merchants is made evident by the fact that the tonnage of vessels in the coasting trade, in which foreign competition is 722,330 tons in 1826 to' 3,965,313 tons in 1805. evident, therefore, that the failure to maintain our shipping in the foreign trade has been due solely to the lack of an adequate system of protection. After pointing out that the people of the United States are now paying to foreign ship-owners nearly $200,000,000 annually to do our ocean carrying trade, | the memorial goes on to say: in our ocean merchant marine is due to the lower | wages paid abroad and to the subsidies paid by foreign Great Britain alone, Document No. 470, Miscellaneous Series, issued by |7 the British Government, paying last year $3,266,38 in | ‘postal subsidies’ and $233,005 additional to the same steamship lines in ‘naval subventions,” w! | alone the cost of operating an American ship is al- most exactly one and a half times the cost of operat- ing a similar British ship, and the difference in wages gives greatly increased advantages to foreigners every way, including lower cost in the construction of | g | of our ship- increased froma It is forbidden, “The enormous decline according to for wages in By saving to the United States the money paid out for the service of foreign ship-owners many benefits | would be derived in addition to that of upbuilding our | It would afford a means of giving employment to thousands of American workingmen | in shipyards or in the merchant service; train officers, engineers, machinists and seamen for an auxiliary force to the navy in time of need; would stimulate our commerce and provide a better means for the export of the products of our forests, farms, mines and factories, and thus tend to the more profitable employment of men in those industries. For all of these reasons it is certainly desirable that the protective principle should be extended to ship- building as well as to That is the conclusion of the memorialists, and it is to be noted they do not stop with a vague affirmation | | of the subject, but give indorsement expressly to ship- ping bills now before Congress. It can hardly be possible there will be longer delay in dealing with a subject of such pressing importance it would it other American industries. 1s there an unnecessary number of men em ploved? If so, how many, and who are they Are the port charges under the control of ¢ | board excessive? In your investigations this Commission will afford your committee every facility, and will meet and confer with it as often as may be desired. | As the investigation progresses any Sugges- tions and recommendations that may be made for the improvement and betterment of this | service will receive careful consideration. | | _Radical changes haye been recently made. | The Commission stands ready to make such | other changes or reforms as circumstances may | warrant and sound business methods justiy. | Very respectfully, VM. D. ENGLISH, | Secretary Board State Harbor Commissioners. The report of the committee from the Chamber of Commerce (referred to in the above communication), after an examina- tion of water front matters, says: | “That owing to the urgent need of funds, not only to maintain the efficlency | | of the present structures but to provide means to extend the seawall and for buillding new wharves, we do not suggest any reduction in the charges now made | for wharfage and tolls. This committee was comprised mostly of shipowners and seafaring men. The re- | sults of their deliberations should be ac- cepted as sound and conclusivi In a communication ntly recelved by the writer of this article, in reply to the following question, “What is the max- | imum charge on a 2000-ton general mer- chandige ship discharging at the port of New York?' the secretary of the Depart- | ment of Docks and Ferries of the city of New York answers as follows: “In reply to your communication, I beg the maximum charge on a ral merchandise ship dis- he port of New York is $i3 )r every twenty-four hours. The | while loading a similar vessel is at the sa. rate: vessels whether discharging, | loading, lying idle or being repaired, are charged at the same rate. There is no charge made for merchandise passing | over the wharves, either inward or out- | ward; but all merchandise left on the S { whart or pier twenty-four hours after dis- | | Hmr';lng ton.” s subject to a charge of ¢ per or a similar vessel at San 51750 per day while dis- haif of this amount, or 38 75 ing, and one-quarter, | . while iying at the wharf o day, W $4 40 per day In’ addition to the foregoing re ks DB O e & The. falt The costume represented is of be b s & 3 s 10il me @& the fallures seems to be | ! 1 wharves. [No to Eced on grain | correspondent of the New York Sun calls | Siceves are made of stiiched band flour or miilstuffs, our principal articles | fl-'h*rvmr‘x ‘lhn v’ha lfl‘n'};rtm-‘l 'd official re- l;e‘s‘%‘mlthc%gg;'fld:,ehgg(i 1 [sxn . > < ort and e d orable reco 2 - | W o n B e e of’xxjmls, and fr.n;r 1 et et R x across the che The skirt is draped | this port 1 uote from a high authority on | dues and charg on shipping in foreign v 18 follows: | fe days in New York is only equal | | to ten days at San Franci A ship at | | San Franciseo has half the width of the | dock and her entire length, and can and Goes discharge in ten or tweive days as | much cargo as she can in New York in | forty days.” | This i8 conclusive that the port charges | of the port of New York and the port Charges of San Francisco can vary but | little. | As to the port charges in foreign ports, | 1 quote from the most exhaustive and comprehensive report on docks and ter- | minal facilities that has ever been pub- | lished, as follows: “Referring to Liverpool, in addition to per ton on coal to five shillings per ton on various high cost manufactured arti- given, nor can it ever be vidual, corporation or municipality: Concerning the reasons for public ownership: A harbor is essentially public. The right to embark and disembark again to the land should be free, as free as the people whose property it | is, In democratic repubiic like the United States the harbors are held by the State gov- ernment as a sacred public trast, which even the Legislatures have no right permanently to mpair. 1 In Martin vs. Waddell, 16 Pet. Rep., 419, the United States Supreme Court says: “"When the Revolution took place the people of each State became themseives sovereign. and in that character held the absolute right to all their navigable waters and soil_un- der them for their own common use, subject :;lly'w the rights surrendered by the comsti- = This is not a new doctrine, but it is occa- sionally well to restate it, and it is found re- affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States in what is known as the ‘‘Lake Front” case of Chicago, whers, in delivering the opin- fon of the eourt, Mr. Justice Brewer say: ““The position advanced by the railroad com- pany in support of its elaim to the ownership ¢ the submerged lands and the right to the erection of wharves, plers and docks at its pleasure, o): for~ its business, in the har- and an exAmination of the several torpedo charges may be made with very little trouble. wo—vm..-wmo-: ; ADALY HINT FROM PARB. } .—0—0—0—.—&0-0—%."‘, bor of Chicago would place every bar- bor in the country at the mercy of a majority of the Legislature of the State in which the harbor is situated. * ® ® Butthe decistons are numerous which declare that such | property is held by the State, by virtue of its sovereignty, in trust for the public. The own- ership of the navigable waters of the harbor and the lands under them is a subject of public the people of the State. necessarily from the roperty, being heid by the whole pe: urposes in which the whole peovle a ted.” Section 1, article 15, of the State consti- tution reads: “The right of eminent domain is hereby | declared to exist to the State to all front- | ages on the navigable waters of this| tate.” | Section 3 of the same article reads: | 1 tide lands within two miles of any | | | | pu incorporated city or town of this State and fre ng on the waters of any harbor, estuary, bay or inlet, used for the pur- oses of navigation, shall be withheld rom grant or sale to private persons, partnerships or corporations.” An article on the failyre of Munieipal | Control of Public Utilities in the Literary | , says: B e O e e o o o o S o o B o B ok o ot 2 D R R e ot St S S I ot o 4 Qoo s e ersisderes® CLOTH AND VELVET DRESS. his correspondent's let- . Y e CnicAge Bvening Pomt avencs that | the side and has an opening showing ho munieipal control Is a ‘allure. It says: | zontal pleats of velvet. “"“F'né dock department has been in ex- fstence for twenty-eight years. Tt was created by a law which provided that al Qocks, wharves, piers, water fronts an their appurtenances and easements then | gossessed by, the muntcipality of New | ork, or to be hereafter acquired by it, should be under the full control of the | Hotel bldg., early in February. Commissioners, who were to execute only — e —— temporary leases for their use, and to Je- Special information supplied dally to velop, improve and extend the wharfage | pusiness houses and public men by the system for the public benefit. Much was | Press Clipping Bureau (Allen's). 510 Mont- expected from the adoption of this plan. | Eomery sireet. Telephone Main 1042 ® The department was made independent and given the use of the city's credit for | wedding invitations, visiting cards, fine writing papers, tablets and papeteries at California Glace Fruits, e Ib, in fire- 1| etched boxes. Townsend's, W5 Market * —_—————— Townsend's, at 735 Market st. until March 1, will ailso occupy 39 Market st., Pfia‘ce the issuance of bonds under certain gen- eral restrictions. The department has the tonnagé charges on vesseis there are | made its own collections and disburse. | reasonable prices In our stationery depart- dock rates and town dues on goods, the | ments. Its total revenues for the period | ment. Sungorn. Vail & Co., )n.rx.ag enumeration of which _occupies dmi’ | of its existence have amounted to £34,00.- | street. pages, on which rates are levied per pack- | 000, while its expenses have been $37,800.- SN —— age, per hundredweight and per tom, 000, not including the cost of new prop-| The value of imports of potatoes into ranging from three and one-half pence | erty acquired or any allowance for “.>g%w yearly is estimated at about penses saved through the facilities afford- ed by the city In numerous important | The iron trade is less active, as There is another bill, introduced into the House by as this. The prospect is the Nicaragua canal bill will cles, with differential rates on certain | ways. The total loss to the city up to | “Mrs. Winslow’s Socothing Syrup” bulKy goods in transit from forelgn ports, | date on its ownership of the docks has | and those arriving coastwise and after- | peen about $16.000000. In point of fact, | Has been used for fifty years by millions of uncertainty as to the maintenance of the present high | Mr. Mondell of Wyoming, which consists principally | be passed at this session of Congress, and a liberal ’ mothers for their children while Teething with prices te: to check new orders. But even if the | of infirmities. It provides that the Federal Govern- | shipping bill should accompany it, for it will be of | ward exported and a few others. ? N r demand iron and steel should sh: i 3 T b L of ] Gove, | 1 i i S “The foregoing is a sample of the tolls | E’L’ifi’"fl"isrsmfl?"z ‘as. :wwffz‘lkh.'fi"}.-ifldf‘: e Aang: - welfhasrh oo ooy ~ Mo e ooy ™ r steel should show a serious | ment shall abdicate its control of the public domain ‘lmle profit to us to construct the canal and leave to | and charges customarily levied in foreign | ana at ‘{"e Varlous conventions and gath. | the sums, allays pain, cures Wind Colic, regu- falling off, there are old orders enough on the market to keep the works running for six months, s0 no stag- pation in this important industry is feared at the moment. Coal, however, is easier, the warm weather and create therein a State trusteeship for the purpose | of selecting, delimiting and determining the grazing lands and leasing them in tracts not exceeding 3200 acres to any one individual or company. The whole | process is to be in the hands of the States where the land is located. We regret to have to say of Mr. Mondell's bill that it is pernicious in the extrems, and will result in producing exactly what it ostenta- tiously pretends to prevent. Under the pretense of preventing monopoly of these leaseholders, by fixing the maximum at five sections, it contains no prohibi- tion of assignment of the leases. One sees at a glance | the fell purpose of the bill. No grazing business can | be carried on on 3200 acres of land. If the ranges were fresh and unexhausted the average that they would carry is one steer to forty acres, or sixteen cattle to the section, and on the five-section limit of the Mondell bill the number would be eighty cattle! No herdsman would pretend to live on that number | | of cattle, and if the bil| prohibited assignment of the | leases it would effectually destroy the grazing busi- ness. But the purpose of the bill is to lease the lands in these impossible tracts, too small for use, and, by not prohibiting, permit the assignment of these leases, so that a syndicate owning no stock at all, but repre- senting the meat-packers, could take the leases on assignment and crowd the cattle-owners to the wall. The Mondell bill should be killed, and under such circumstances as to deter any one from pre- senting its counterpart. Wyoming has been intriguing for years to get the public domain turned over to the States, and now seeks the nearest possible approach to that policy by | creating 2 State trusteeship in the grazing lands. It is a grievous thing that a policy so necessary | as the preservation of the grazing lands by division into leaseholds should at once invite the grabber and the speculator into the field to control legislation for | their benefit. The beef food supply of this country is at stake as well as an important and increasing part of our export trade. When the ranges are exhausted | of their natural forage the range stock, which is the | great source of supply, will disappear. It is an eco- | nomic and commercial emergency which must be promptly met by Federal legislation that retains Fed- eral control of the whole subject. The lands should South Africa. It wants to know the truth and the ' be accurately examined and leased in varying tracts, whole truth about the situation., Why don’t it swear | according to their varying capacity for carrying stock. the Government and put it on the witness stand? ' The leases should run for ten or twenty years and | know its evi) having lessened the consumption. Certain lines, however, continue active, notably dry goods, which are meeting with a good spring inquiry. Winter clothing is dull, but spring garments are en- joying a brisk trade. Cotton goods are selling well all markets. Thus it will be seen that what- ever decrease in business exists is almost exclusively in winter goods and that there are no signs of any diminution in the spring and summer trade. The feeling in Wall street continues to reflect the varying aspects of the South African war. On the day after the capture of Spion Kop by General War- ren the money markets everywhere were easier, stocks and consols were strong and the Bank of Eng- land promptly reduced its rate of discount from 41-2 to 4 per cent. On the following day depression en. sued upon the news of the British abandonment of the kop, and so it goes, day after day. He who is a good enough guesser to forecast the day’s results on the Tu- gela may turn a fortune in Wall street. It is the wand of Oom Paul that sways the money and stock markets of the world to-day. In last week’s selling of stocks, however, it was the foreigners, not the Americans, who sold. Bonds have met with increased favor dur- ing the past week and the gilt-edged, high-priced issues, yielding low rates, have been neglected for the less reliable but larger interest-paying classes. | Where these are not obtainable the public are taking { dividend-paying stocks. The dividend seems to be the attractive bait just mow, which indicates invest- ment rather than speculative buying by the public. The industrial situation in California has cleared during the past three weeks. A fortnight of dry weather has enabled the farmers to resume opera- tions and much plowing, sowing, planting and prun- ing have been done. With a higher and warmer sun in February and not too much rain the crops will be planted in good shape, with fine prospects for an immense vield. There are no signs now to indicate that 1900 will be Jess prosperous than 1809, which was 4 great year. O in United States? s ——— The London Times is getting tired of the censor in other nations the ships that are to pass through it. As a matter of fact the upbuilding of our merchant marine is now of pressing urgency, and the sentiment of the people is overwhelmingly in its favor. A “DEGRADATION" F all the forms of folly to which the spirit of perversity has prompted erratic men and women in these days, the maddest and the worst is that outlined in a recent report that the | death of a girl in Ohio has been traced to a “Degra- dation Club,” in which a member drawing a certain lot bound herself to leave home and live as degraded a life as she could. That such a thing could happen in any part of the United States is inexplicable to human reason, but the Baltimore American undertakes something in the | way of explanation by saying the incident “shows | that there is undeniably a morbid taint in the up-to- ! date atmosphere which is doing incalculable harm in the perversion of minds, especially young ones. is not altogether impossible that it is due partly, if not wholly, to the present much exploited idea of showing up vice ih all its hideousness on the stage and in literature, in order to increase the charms of virtue by contras. ” That theory is igenious, but it will not satisfy the common sense of men. been the outcome of conditions that prevai. in the crowded cities of Europe it might be attributed to some such cause as that the American suggests, the ef- fect produced upon a degenerate intellect by morbid imaginations. But who can believe there is any de- generation of that kind among the people of the CLUB. It If the Degradation Club had It is not at all likely that either the stage, the yel- low press, the literature of the time, or all of them combined, are responsible for so mad a craze as that. The thing is one of the freaks of vice that appear to result from a-direct inspiration of the devil and neither the world nor the flesh should be accused of complicity in it. It is a case of eccentricity gone stark, staring mad, and it cannot be accounted for any more than the butcheries of “Jack the Ripper.” Russia has protested against the South African 1;reu censorship. She has used it so persistently herself that she is better qualified than others, perhaps, to ports, subject to local varlations fin | amounts. Aside from these at some ports other charges, such as anchorage, ‘fi'h;.‘ house and harbor dues, are levied, of | which appear not only complicated but | burdensome as compared with the few simple charges this side of the Atlantic.” Since the organization of the Board of State Harbor Commissioners there has been expended in seawall construction g,flS.m & The construction of the ferry uilding, over and above the $600,000 in bonds, exceeded $400,000. The modern W in San Francisco is equal to the pest on the Atlantic seaboard. The ferr: building, second to none in the Unit: States &um for the same purpose, not fully appreciated by our own people, is spoi"en of in the most complimentary terms by tourists and travelers. e re- cent notable visiting architects were en- | thustastic in its praise, and of which the World's greatest architect, Mr. Benard, fays: *1 like the ferry ‘building; it is symmetrical and very fine.” This build- ing was constructed over the heads of a mfillon ple per month passing to and fro, not the slightest accident oc- cu nor were the public inconvenienced Py 80 'much as the detention of a ferry boat. On the completion and occupancy of thig magnificent structure, a credit to any State in the Union, not one of the Jeading journals of this great cltx has been gracious enough to say, “Well done.” If gentlemen so profuse in their abuse of the Stata administration would take a walk on the line separating the State's control from that of the city they will find an object lesson that may be to them a revelation. Only a short time since the frarbor Commission had to defend itself against a suit bronght by a man who had fallen into one of the numerous manholes that disgrace the streets of the city bor- dering on _the water front. In the administration of any public trust just criticism_should not be feared but always Invited. In a recent denunclation of water front matters gentleman is reported to have sald: * handle the Btate’s water front in San Francisco we had hayseeds and ticlans.” If tleman I gflm oung friend that wh {nn called to the front their administra- tions of public compare most fa- vorably with that of those gentlemen whose only occupation in life has been the devising of more approved methods for “‘doing’’ the ‘“hayseeds” out of the Toduct of their honorable toll. 1 would ly remind my young friend that u»;déq Hall scandals and Tweed L] seant ¢ 1d tleman th:tm:hc two officers of this mra its secretary and one of its Commissioners, high who were formerly convicted of crimes {n office’ and sentenced to Quentin, were neither of them “hay- seeds.’ - And then comes a cllrynn.ln, with no for the dignity of his ‘ession, e hbo! city a t""“mon?{l who, 1n a nov'ul:. lmpudn;:.bh’l.im‘ul' some of the pitiable jm R 1 yonder Golden Gate but it is taxed for erings of the commercial socletles the view uniformly taken is that the present condition of the departr-ent is the inevit- | the principle of municipal | able result of ol‘ner!‘hlg and control.” ** ‘With this experience in New York be- fore us, do we wish to fall into the same error? Since the appointment and organization of the Harbor Commission of the State of California, with the exception of a few months, the city members have been inm control; there is mo contention, however, that the superior qualifications of the Mavyor would not enable him to make bet- ter appointments than could or would be made by the Governor of the State. Not a pound of produce reaches this city by water, with the exception of grain, but that pays tribute for the maintenaace of wharves and bulkheads. The producers of the State are builders of this eity, and to them is the city large- T¥ indebted for its progress and prosper- ity. Then, pray, why should they not have a voice in the State's affairs, of so much econcern to them? No heed need be taken of ambitious schemers, They are found in all citles. But the honest and sensible men of San Francisco will never insult and outrage the farmers and producers—the brains, brawn and muscle that constitute the safety and bulwark of the State—by say- ing to them. You do not p ssess the cour- age to do battle against he teredo and limnoria that infest the State's harbor: you have not the skill and genius nece ary to fashion wood and stone into the necessary harbor Imgmvem-nn. and you Jack the honesty and Integrity necessary to collect, guard and disburse the reve- nties of the State's harbor, a large propor- tion being by yourselves contributed. PARIS KILBURN, Prestdent Board of State Harbor Comints- oners. San Francisco, Jan. 27, 1900. . NEWS OF FOREIGN NAVIES Italy’s navy expenditures for 1300 have been finally agreed to and foots up to $24,000,000, which 1s an increase of $4,000,000 over the amount in 1897-98. Orders have been issued by the Admir- alty to the Portsmouth dockyard to push the completion of the armored cruiser Drake of 14500 tons. She was lald down April 24, last year, and it is intended to launch the ship in October, this year. The Franklin life buoy, invented by Chief Constructor Hichborn, United States lates the Bowels and s the best remedy for | Diarrhoeas, whether arising from teething or other causes. For sale by druggists in every part of the world. Be sure and ask for Mre ‘Winslow's Soothing Syrup, 25c a bottle. ——————— Personally Conducted Excursions In improved wide-vestibuled Pullman tourist sleeping cars via Santa Fe Route. Experfenced excursion conductors accompany these excur- sions to look after the weifare of passengers. To Chicago and Kansas City every Sunday, ‘Wednesday and Friday. To Boston, Montreal and Toronto every Wednesday., To St. Louis every Sunday. To St. Paul every Sunday and Friday. Ticket office, 625 Market street. —_———————— HOTEL DEL CORONADO—Take advantage of the round-trip tickets. Now oaly 380 by steamehip, including ffteen days’ board at ho- | tel; longer stay, $3 0 per day. Apply at 4 New | Montgomery street, San Francisco. —— e —— The Fastest Train Across the Com- + tinent. The Caltfornta Limited. Sants Fe Route. Connecting tratn leaves § p. m., Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Finest equipped train and best track of any line to the East. Ticket office. 825 Market street. —_——————— It s a curfous fact that & negro has never been known to tame an elephant or any wild animal. ADVERTISEMENTS. LANGUID children are sick children. Their inactivity and sober faces arenot in keeping with robustchildhood. They lack vitality and resistive power, and are very susceptible to colds and contagiousdiscases. navy, is extensively used on board our ships. The Japanese cruisers Chitos and Kasagi, bullt In this country, and the Russlan ships building at Cramps’ have also adopted the contrivance. The Naval Academy of Japan is claimed to be one of the most perfect educational m-ubu.-hmdnu In the world, not except- Scolls Emulsion. brings new life to such chil- dren. It enriches the blood: it restores health and activ- ity ; it gives vigor and vitality College in England. The location is ideal for such an institution, being on the island of Etaiima. in the Inland sea, which is to mind and body. - ' acorf’s SOWRE et N Ve