The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 16, 1902, Page 6

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY APRIL 16, 1902. WEDNESDAY......... APRIL 16, 1902 JOHN D. SPRECKELS, Proprietor. Aééress All Cemmunications to W. 5, LEAKE, Xunager. PUBLICATION OFFICE...)jarket and Third, S. F. 7 to 221 Stevemson St. EDITORIAL ROOMS. TELEPHONE. Ask for THE CALL.*The Operator Will Connect You With tie Department You Wish. Delivered by Carriers, 15 Centsx Per Week. Single Coples, 5§ Cents. Terms by Mail, Including Postage: DAILY CALL (including Sunday), one year. DAILY CALL (including Sunday), 6 months. DAILY CALL (including Sunday), 8 months. DAILY CALL—By Single Month. SUNDAY CALL, One Year.. WEEKLY CALL, One Year. All postmasters are authorized to receive subscriptions. Sample copies will be forwarded when requested. Matl subscribers in of address should be ordering change particular to give both NEW AND OLD ADDRESS in order to insure & prompt and correct compliance with their reques:. PAKLAND OFFICE. .1118 Broadway L €. GEORGE KROGNESS. Marguette Xaniger Foreign Advertising, (Long Distance Telephone “‘Central 2619. T0 SUBSCRIBERS LEAVING TOWN FOR THE SUMMER Csll subscribers contemplating a change of residence during the summer months can have their paper forwarded by mail to their new mddresses by notifying The Call Business Office. This paper will also be on sale at all summer resorts and is represented by a local agent in all towns on the coast. Chicags. AMUSEMENTS. —The Sons of Ham. Fortune Teller.” he Professor's Love Story.” udeville. Grand Opera-house—'‘Fedora.” Fischer's Theater—*Fiddle Dee Dee.” Metropolitan Hall—Piano Recita.. Oakizand Racetrack—Races {o-day. GAGE’'S CAUSTIC VERBIAGE. OVERNOR GAGE'S letter to the Hon. G Alden Anderson declining to attend the convention of the State League of Republi- can Clubs, and taunticg every aspirant for the Gov- ert hip who did attend it, should not have been a surprise to the public. What else could have been expected of his Excellency in the art of casting in- sul i the land? From start to finish his rec- crd on that score has been consistent and unique. In the speech with which he opened his campaign for the Governorship Gage announced to the public hat he intended to make use of “caustic verbiage.” d not live up to the assertion during the after the first speech he became quite mild. o sooner had he obtained office than he bec: quite caustic indeed. Since that time he has never attended any gathering without being caustic to somebody, and it is therefore matural that since he attend the San Jose convention he should send the caustic verbiage by letter. His Excellency’s note shows his method at its best. It was not written without due deliberation could not over its sentiments and careful elaboration of its style. The invitation to which he replied was dated February 6, and the reply was dated April 10. The Governor, it will be seen, had taken more than two months to meditate npon his satire and to fashion to the highest finish the words and phrases by which it was to be expressed. The result is a caustic gem. It should be read carefully, and the relation to one another of the va- rious parts of the paragraph should be keenly noted. It runs thus: “While realizing the importance of the convention, and that its purpose is to promote the best interests of the great Republican party, whose principles we cherish, and believing that the momentous deliberations of the convention should be absolutely exemp: from all personal influence of candidates, and likewise believing that the labors of your commendable assemblage cannot be free from embarrassing influences if aspirants for gubernatorial honors attend the convention (and you are well aware that I desire and expect the people will accord me the proud distinction of a renomination); there- fore, putting aside seli-interest in the premises and looking solely toward the welfare of the Republican party, incident to untrammeled discussion, I deem it my political duty to decline the very great honor and pleasure of accepting your much esteemed invi- tation to be present at the convention.” We trust no one will miss a single excellence of this two months’ study of how to be caustic when trying hard. In the first place due note should be taken of the Governor's assurance of his recogni- tion of the convention as a2 “commendable assembly” engaged in “momentous deliberations,” and the reader should make up his mind before going further whether those phrases were designed for compli- ments or for satire. Next due attention should be given to the remark that the delegates to the com- mendable ‘assembly should be “absolutely exempt from 2ll personal influence of candidates,” and an understanding reached as to the meaning of the phrase and the reason for making it. Finally, the pith, point and pungency of the whole elaborate sentence is reached in the announcement that to re- lieve the commendable assembly of embarrassing in- fiuences afl “aspirants for gubernatorial honors” ought to stay away from the convention. That's caustic. In this letter the Governor may be said to haye capped the climax of his verbiage. What he has done hitherto in the way of slurring his fellow guests at banquets and other gatherings of a genial nature count as nothing to this. Evidently the Governor is better as a writer than as a speaker. His style im- proves after months of revision and correction, If he should take a year to the production of such a note he might write one that would be enough to hurt somebody. There is no reason for any special astonishment that the Governor should have taken so much tron- ble to be caustic at this particular juncture. There are 2 good many aspirants for the Republican nomi- nation for Governor this year, and it was a foregone conclusion that most of them would attend the con- vention. The opportunity to scatter caustic over the whole bunch with one swing was therefore excellent. Gage would not have missed for anything such a chance to insult all lis rivals at one swoop. It was like getting a whole flock of sheep at one raid. He meditated on it for two months and then he did it. caustic THE PHIUIPPINE FUTURE. UR Philippine affairs have reached a stage ot O disclosure of economic facts of great im- portance. The very earnest supporters of our permanent ownership of the islands are performing a very im- portant cuty by disclosing the situation there for the enlightenment of our people, who have heretofore proceeded on assumed facts which do not exist. The Government is considering the purchase of land be- longing to the friars for a sum variously estimated at from seven to seventeen millions, to be appro- priated by Congress. It is proposed that the land so acquired shall be thrown open to free homestead entry. This proposition has stimulated the activity cf agents and promoters in the direction” of colony organization, to transfer Americans of the home- steading class to the occupancy of those lands. It is to be hoped that these plans will be aban- doned. That class of our fellow citizens are of ‘very moderate means. The climate is unfriendly - and their dreams may end in serious disaster, or at the best in serious disappointment. The islands have- a more dense population than any of our States. The church lands which we are to buy and then give away are already occupied by the natives, who have lived on them for generations as the tenants of the church. Not an acre can be occupied by an Ameri- can without eviction of the native ‘tenant and his family. No matter about the strict legal rights of the case, the natives will not be reconciled to evic- tion, and the process will simply deepen in.them the hatred they now feel for us as their master. ' With the climate as their ally, by even such: passive re- sistance as all Orientals practice, they can miake the country intolerable 10’ the strangers who drive them from the soil. 40/, 3 The natives are cxpert mechanics. - They: supply | all the manual trades, and as they work cheaply no room is left there for our handicraftsmen, except to |a limited extent, perhaps; as foremen and superin- | tendents. The decision of the War Department to limit military service there to two years is founded on the experience of Spain, which found that twenty- four months brought her troops up to the climatic deadline and they had to cross it or be rescued and sent home. We take better care of our soldiers and preserve them from the acute diseases to which the climate subjected the Spaniards. But no care can guard against the nerve-slacking effect of the climate. Under it men suffer first lassitude, loss of energy and then collapse. One of the most copious promoters of our Phil- ippine policy is Mr. Frank G. Carpenter, who has supplied the American press with more matter on the subject than any other writer. His last article on that subject fills several columns with a brightly colored picture of the islands, raising anew the glamour of the tropics that has been upon the minds of men whenever they look toward the equator, But he concludes the picture with this: “There is one thing, however, that should be remembered by all who think of going to the Philippines. The country is no place for those who have only brains and muscle to offer. The Filipinos make excellent bookkeepers and clerks, and they will work for half the wages of an American. Ordinary labor is poorly paid, and between the Chinese and Filipinos there are few chances for Americans who work only with their hands. “The same is so with retail merchants. The trade is almost altogether in the hands of Chinese, who | can live more cheaply and sell closer than we can. | There are limited openings for American lawyers, doctors and dentists, and, in fact, for almost any of our professional men who will go to the islands ex- pecting to stay there and grow up with the country. “There is plenty of room for syndicate invest- ments. Corporations and individuals with large cap- ital can easily place money where it will pay a big interest on long-time investments. Young men who have some money and business brains can find plenty of chances to make fortunes, but they must go out and look over the ground for themselves and expect to make the Philippines their home for eight or ten years at least. “Indeed, it seems to me that our new possessions offer a most attractive field for such men. The Philippines are an empire of undeveloped resources, which as soon as matters become quiet will go for- ward on the seven-league boots of modern progress. In the future every island will be spotted with the homes of rich and well-to-do Americans, and I venture that the society there will be equal to that of any part of the United States. The Ameri- can population will be rich, it will have good schools at home and will also educate its children abroad. It will, in short, be somewhat like the best society of the South in the days before the war.” Colonists who go to take homesteads and men whe have only brains and muscle will save them- selves much trouble by clipping Mr. Carpenter’s conclusions and keeping them for future reference. Let it be remembered, too, that the Southern life of luxury before the war can be renewed only by re- newing the conditions which produced it—a depen- dent and servile labor system. THE BRITISH BUDGET. IR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH has made the S plunge. ~After ail the years of free trade he purposes to restore the corn laws. It is true be evades as far as he can the issue which his budget raises by speaking of the duties he proposes to put upon grain as “registration duties” and declar- ing they will not be in any way “protective duties,” but the evasion will avail only with those who wish to be fooled. ¢/The mass of the British people under- stand the situation. That much was shown by the fact that the tax or grain had hardly been an- (nounced in the Commons before extra editions of the papers were on the street and the newsboys were shouting, “Tax on bread.” It was the tax on bread that in the old days led to the iriumph of the Cobdenites and the adoption of free trade. A return to the corn laws therefore would be a complete swing of the pendulum back to its old position. The duties on grain could not long stand alone; for protection must be comprehen- sive in order to be popular, and it is quite- likely, therefore, that Great Britain is at the beginning of a resumption of a thorough protéctive system. The proposed imposition of duties on grain is not unexpected. In fact, long before the war in South Africa there was a growing demand for protection to the ‘British farming industry. The war, with its attendant debt and heavy expenditure, has precipi later even had the empire remained at peace. In fact, of late years the farmer has had more or less sym- p?thy from the manufacturer, for the markets of the . for | kingdom are no’ longer secure for manufactured | esting to know ¥ tated an issue that would havé come sooner or | grown grain. i It is announced that the Liberal leaders in the Commons hailed the announcement of the grain tax with pleasire, because it gives them an issue on which they can unite. Sir Vernon Harcourt was prompt to take it up and he applied it ingeniously by combining it with the war issue. “A tax upon the people’s food,” he said, “will bring home to them the lessons of the war.” He went on to say that the passion for empire involved ruinous expenditures, which would have to be defrayed by the British tax- payer, and declared the bread tax would meet with overwhelming opposition from the! country. Harcourt’s argument is a strong one, but it is .doubtful- whether the bread tax will benefit the Lib- eral party so much as he thinks. The British people, in fact, are by no means so sure of the gospel truth of free trade dogmas as they were a few years ago. They have been having a disastrous’ experience wh)le protected industries like. those' of the United States and Germany have invaded the British = markets. Should the expectaticns of an early peace in the Transvaal be realized and the Conservatives have a chance to go‘to the country on the single issue of protection against free trade, it is by no means cer- tain thatVthey would be defeated even -in. most of the manufacturing districts, while they would be well righ certain of sweeping victdries in the counties. e Worthy efforts are being made by the directors of the South Park settlement to'secure lawyers for the poor who may ncsd them in sécuring’ justice-out of the de'viousfmazexoi our petty courts. This enideavor should recommend itself even if for no other reason than ‘to cripple the sharks who' play in the courts upon the miséry of unfortunates. . e v s s OUR COMING GUESTS. ITH the national gatherings of the Mystic Wshriners and the Knights of Pythias San Francisco is to have this summer one of the liveliest scasons in -her career: Each of the great or- ders has a numerods membership, and ‘each will bring: to the-city many thousands of visitors from all parts of the Union. They will come not only for business, but ior pleasure, and it behooves us to pro- vide them full opportunities for both. The record of national gatherings in the city last year, when taken in connection with the arrange- ments made for similar conventions during the com- ing summer, affords convincing proof that San Fran- cisco has now become recognized as one of the foremost convention cities of the Union. The pres- tige we now enjoy in that respect will increase with the years, for it is indisputable that no other city of any considerable siae is anything like so pleasant for summer gatherings. Visitors who come to us swel- tering from the East find here a climate so cool and so bracing that they return home to “boom” the claims of San Francisco as a convention city against all rivals. Thus each new convention adds to the number of those who. favor holding future conven- tions here, and so as'time passes San Francisco will find in such gatherings an increasing source of busi- ness activity and wealth. The profits accruing to any community which rightly entertains large numbers of visitors are im- mense. There are scme communities that virtually live on visitors alone, nor are they by any means un- enterprising communities, = The .gueat .city of Paris finds ‘it worth while to expend millions of francs every year in beautifying her streets and parks and brightening them at night by innumerable lamps just for the sake of attracting visitors. In fact, the tour- ist trade of our time is enormous, and the richest cities in the world cannot afford to ignore it nor to pass it over without making some attempt to attract it and to retain it. San Francisco has now an opportunity to make lherself attractive to this rich and growing conven- tion and tourist trade. It is worth bidding for as a business proposition even if there were no question of hospitality involved in the matter. Our people should be liberal in providing for the entertainment of the coming guests, and the local representatives of the two orders should have cordial help from the citizens generally in making arrangements for their coming. ¢ This is one of the occasions where money talks best when it talks promptly. The funds needed for the reception of the visitors and for preparing commo- dious quarters for the transaction of their work ought to be subscribed early, so that everything will be in order when the first visitors arrive and a good impression be made upon them. e New York's reform District Attorney, Mr. Jer- ome, who is a member of the noted family of that name, is having some trouble in adjusting his Fifth avenue manners to the needs of his public office. | Among other innovations he requires that callers send in their cards, and some folks don’t understand the custom. The newspapers tell of a woman from the East Side who called to see him the other day and having been asked for her card broke out indig- nantly: “A card? A card? You want a card? I ain’t got no cards. Do you think I'm running a poker game? Nein. I want to see Mr. Jerome about a woman what called me out of my name.” The prospects of an early close of the war in South Africa will probably be pleasing even to the Mis- souri mule, for it is' better to pull a plow at home than to stampede on the veldt; but all the same the mule is losing a good chance to become an interna- tional issue and putting diplomats to the trouble of deciding whether the United States can lawfully furnish him to a country at war with another. Some of the Democratic papers in Pennsylvania are trying to rouse their party by assurances that selves they can elect a Democratic Legislature and assure a Democratic successor to Senalor Penrcse. After that almost any kind of a Democrat may be expected to cherish hope. e e e b It is announced that the Congressional Directory hereafter is to contain not only biographical sketches of Congressmen, but photographs as well, and per- haps hereafter: there will be pictures of their wives and their favorite actresses, and then the work will take rank as a live magazine and fill a long-felt want. Ay It appears that Russia did not ask the assent of the United States nor of any other power to her recent. Manchurian agreement with China, and now the dip- lomatists are trying to tell her very politely that she should rot attend to her own business in that ego- tistical way. ] The Board .oi’Educatio_{x wfins an appropriation what the public needs. if all Democrats stand together and behave them-' It would be inters ! goods of home production any more than for home- C ANNON F AIL TO STAY REBELS IN SOUTH CHINA VICTORIA, B. C., April 15.—A budget of news bearing on the serfous outbreak of rebels in South China was received by the steamer Riojun Maru from Yokohama and China ports. The Japan Times says the disturbance in Kwangsi resembles the Boxer outbreak of two years ago, and the Tokio paper alleges that the trouble is being fomented by the French in order that a pretext may be fodnd for putting in practice the jqint announcement made in the recent treaty of Russfa and France. A dispatch to the Tokio Asali, from Peking, says that the Chinese Govern- ment has beeu asked by the Governor of Kwangsi to relieve him from office, he ac- knowledging that he was responsible for the outbreak of the rebellion. The Canton correspondent of the Osaka Mainch says: There was a sanguinary battle between the rebels and the Government forces un- der General Ma Yuh Kwan on March 18, and although the imperial officer reports that his forces killed about a thousand of the rebels with the:loss of eighty of his own men, the rebels continued to ad- vance. The battle toak place in a valley and the imperial troops surprised the rebels, who advanced right up to the masked batteries of the Government forces, which opened fire upon them at close quarters as they marched in solid formation, carrying their banners, the majority of which bore the words: “Rob the rich—succor the poor.!’ The first discharge of the Government batteries caused a heavy loss of life, but the rebels were not disheartened by their heavy loss, for they charged the batteries and captured and destroyed the field guns of the Government forces. The imperial troops fled, leaving eighty dead after five hours. of hard fighting at close quarters. The rebels have robbed in a wholesale manner along their line of march, despoil- ing the people, rich and poor, of money, | cattle, everything that could be carried away. They have killed a number of wvillagers, slaughtering old and young, and killing the mandarins in the several towns which endeavored to resist them. Another insurrection has broken out at Honan, in the north. The rebels charged and burned the church at Pih-Yang. Fif- teen converts were thrown in the flames and burned to death. Five others were murdered and an Italian priest was hacked to death with knives. Two other | priests escaped. The insurrection in Honan is due to the disaffection arising from the burden of the ‘indemnity in consequence of the late Boxer outbreak. The Governor of the province is stated to be in sympathy with the rebels. Su:gestion to Ship-Owners. | Editor The Call-I note in your issue of yesterday the account of the destruc- tion by fire on April 3, 150 miles west of San Francisco, of the coal-laden British ship Frankistan and the fortunate rescue of her crew by the schooner H. C. Wright. 1 have personal experience of what fire at sea means, for I was a passenger on a ship on fire having 700 pounds of gun- powder aboard. When the fire was dis- covered in time to extinguish the flames by strenuous efforts it was burning fierce- ly within six inches of the wooden cases containing the powder. Sailors who have often faced death calmly and without fear in hurricanes pale and tremble when the cry of fire is heard, and well they may, for they know that in nine cases out of ten they are helpless and doomed. ‘Water poured into the hold of a coal ship on fire, in whatever quantity, seldom has any effect in subduing the flames. Allow. me to make a suggestion in your columns -as follows: Let every. ship, especially coal ships, be compelled to carry a few barrels of pulverized marble (carbonate of lime) and several carboys of sulphuric acid. Let a sultable vessel cr tank (it is very simple and cheaply made) be put in some convenient place in the ship where it can be readily reached. Mix the acid and marble in this vessel and instantly carbon dioxide (carbonic acid gas) will be generated in volume. This gas is very heavy and is discharged into the hold of thé ship and will rapidly subdue the fire, being a destroyer of com- bustion. It seems strange to me that the sug- gestion has mnot occurred to ship-owners and Insurance companies where so much of life and property is at stake. LOUIS BLANDING. Sonora, April 9. —————————— ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. YEARS AGO—Subscriber, City. The 17th of March, 1855, fell on a Saturday. WALKING WITH A LADY-G. E. R, Haywards, Cal. In walking with a lady the gentleman should always walk on the ‘side nearest to the curb. RECORD OF DIVORCE—Subscriber, City. There is a record in the office of the County Clerk, at the City Hall, of all di- vorces granted in this city. NO PREMIUM~—C., Sacramento, Cal. A half-dollar of 1853 with rays around the eagle and arrow heads at the date does not command a premium. CITY CEMETERY—Inquirer, City. There is a record at the health office in the City Hall of all burials in the City Cemetery. A. P. Stanyan was the super- intendent of that cemetery in 1880, PATENT—A Subscriber, City. If you have an invention that is of any valus and you wish to have the same patented the safest thing for you to do is to engage the services of an agent who makes it a business to attend to the securing of patents for clients. LUCUBRATION—Writer, City. Lucu- bration is from the Latin, lucubratio. However loosely this word may be- used’| by modern writers its literal meaning is study at night by artificial light, or a writing or composition prepared at night. ‘What a man writes or thinks in the day- time is not lucubration. NOT TRUE—Enq., Oakland, Cal. It is not true that Booth, the assassin of Lin- coln, Guiteau of Garfield and Czolgosz of McKinley were all of the same religion. So far as investigation shows no murderer of a President of the United States had the least connection with any form of re- ligion or any church at the time of the commission of the crime. ROSES—L., City. If you will step into any first-class seed store you can obtain a catalogue which will give you a great deal of information on the planting, grow- ing and training of roses, or if you will go to the reference room of the Free Library, City Hall, you can obtain books there that will give you in detail how to trail climb- ing roses and how to cut them so as to give the best results. BALLOON GAS—A. B. O, City. The gas used for inflating balloons is either hydrogen gas, which is 14.43 times lighter than air, or ordinary coal gas, which is about three times lighter than air. If a balloon occupy as much space as 1000 pounds of air, but weigh itself, coveris gas and appendages, 600 pounds, it will impelled upward with a force of 400 | pounds. There are numerous ways of preparing hydrogen gas, and the cost de- pends upon the manner of preparing it. —_— Men shaved without soap, 18¢, at Russ House Antiseptic Barber Shop, 217 Montgomery. * CHINA’S CONSUL AT HONOLULU IS IN TROUBLE —————— HONOLULU, April 9.—Secretary Cooper is investigating charges preferred at Washington against Yang Wei Pin, the Chinese Consul here. The charges were | sent forward last February by persons opposed to Yang, and it is stated that Cooper was asked to make an investiga- tion and report at once. One of the principal counts against the Consul has to do with his actions at the time of the organization here of the Bow ‘Wong, or reform society of Chinese. At that time Yang Wei Pin took a_ strong stand for the Empress Dowager and vig- orously fought against the new organiza- tion. He succeeded in preventing the Bow Wongs from getting a charter to in- corporate under the laws of Hawail, rep- resenting to Governor Dole’s Cabinet that the society was revolutionary and prac- ticed highbinder methods. The organiza- tion without a charter, however, under the leadership of Leung Chi-tso, one of the Emperor's former reform advisers, was accomplished and most of the Chi- nese here enrolled. s It is charged against the Consul that he proceeded to send the names of leaders in the society here to the imperial au- thorities in China, singling them out for punishment through their relatives. In at least one case a Honolulu Chinaman’s mother is declared to have been impris- oned and tortured to death on account of this action by the Consul here. Yang is also alleged to have used his position | here to extort money from those of his countrymen here who needed residence certificates and other like documents. The transport Sheridan arrived here this morning from San Francisco with a case of smallpox on board. The case de- veloped when the vessel was two days out from San Francisco. The patient is a recruit, who was removed to the quaran- tine station here. The transport is kept in quarantine in the harbor. An election is in progress here to-day to fill the vacancy in the Legislature caused by the death of Representative A. F. Gilfillan. Up to the hour of the de- parture of the Alameda there was little excitement, though Home Rule and Re- publican workers worked hard, and a small vote was being polled. Bishop Nichols of California, who is here straightening out the affairs of the Anglican church now that it has become an American church, has decided to make St. Clement's Church a separate parish, with the Rev. John Usborrie, who has been rector of Honolulu, though of late years not recognized by Bishop Willis, as rector of St. Clement's. o+ J. G. Pratt, appointed by the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce and the Mer- chants’ Assocjation to represent both -as- sociations in Washington in efforts to se- cure a cable and get Federal assistance in the payment of claims for losses in the Chinatown plague fire, leaves to-day on the Alameda for Washington. L e e e e e Y GOSSIP FROM LONDON WORLD OF LETTERS e Publishers’ reports for the last month turned out rather better than was antici- pated. During the ear:y part of March there was an increased demand, especigl- ly for fiction. That demand was well sus- tained, until now there seems a tendency to slackness, which, however, is consid- ered but temporary. ‘Fhere indeed has been a large amount of fiction issued, with pretty good results on the whole. As many of the books have been written by competent authors, a large percentage have been successful, thus making it rather difficult to particu- larize just at present, but undoubtedly the best selling novel of the month has been ‘‘Scarlet and Hyssop,” by E. F. Ben- son, while among others which have had marked success has been Horrocks Pur- ser’s “The Dark of the Moon.” Two other books which have figured prominently among the sales of the month and created great amusement have been “Clara in Blunderland,” by Caroline Lewis, and “Froissart’s Modern Chronicle.” ‘Works in connection with the drama or on dramatic subjects continue much in evidence. -“Ulysses” maintained its hold on the public. In view of the dramatic representation of “Ben Hur,” several new editions of the novel appeared and were eagerly snapped up. Already since the plece was produced the booksellers are be- ing almost besieged by inquiries for the book, which, now that the success of the drama at Drury Lane is assured, every- body will want to see. It looks as if it would have a greater sale than any other book of the sort has had in this coun- try. s Then “Ellen Terry and Her Sisters,” by T. E. Pemberton, and “Life on the Stage,” by Clara Morris, have had great sales. The recent controversy has resulted in an increased demand for the works of BOTH HUSBAND AND WIFE SEEK TO END LIFE LOS ANGELEQ. April 15.—E. Perci_vnl Baker, who claimed to be a magazine writer, is dead, and his wife, Natalle Ba Eer, is at death’s door as a result of an attempt at double suicide. It is suppesed that the couple took chloroform last night. When discovered this morning Baker was dead and his wife was still aiive, though her recovery is doubtful. Baker won notoriety recently by secur- ing a photograph of the foot of a Chinese woman in Los Angeles, impersonating an officer in order togaccomplish his object. For representing himself as a Govern- ment official he was arrested and prose- cution was begun in the Federal Court. The case is still pending, due to Baker's repeated motions for pastponement be- cause of alleged fliness. No reason for the suicide is known. It is known, however, that Baker was great« Iy worried as to the result of his trial. and it is thought that this may have been one reason for his determination to end his life. Sunday afternoon the pair appeared at the St. Lawrence lodging-house and asked to be shown a room. After lgok- ing at an apartment they expressed themselves satisfied and engaged the quarters. At first they declined to siga the register, but, pressed to do so, fin- ally gave the name of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley. Last evening Baker and his wife were heard to threaten to take their lives. They sent out for prescriptions, or what were thought to be prescriptions at the time. It is now thought that the fatal drugs were obtained at this time. During the night yoomers heard more or less noise in the apartment occupied by the Bakers, but thought nothing of the mat- ter until this morning, when Investiga- tion disclosed the husband dead and the wife apparently dying at his side. Humor of Mark Twain. A friend wrote to Mark Twain asking his opinion on a certain matter, and re- ceived no reply. He waited a few days and wrote again. His second letter was also ignored. Then he sent a third note, inclosing a sheet of paper and 3-cent stamp. By return post he received a postcard, on which was the following: “Paper and stamp received. Please send envelope.” @ iiimieiriieiei b @ Shakespeare and also for books discuss- ing him and his plays. Everybody In -cclety is now laughing over Maxwell's book, “The Countess of Maybury,” and is wondering whether any of the sketches are really taken from life. The book is creating almost as much a sensation as did “The Visits of Eliza- beth.” Maxwell must be a very keen observer of matters 'in the socfal world and in the smart world, too. Another book that is also comsidered a skit upon smart soclety and certain well- known people of the day is by Dr. Frank- fort Meore. and enjoys the strange title of “A Damsel or Two.” Murray gs to make the experiment of issuing al” 6 shillings net two~ works of romance, which are not fietion in the or- dinary sense. That, indeed, is the reason for the de- parture, which may be interesting in view of the circumstance that so many novels are row being published m America at net prices. One of Murray's volumes with which this experiment is to be tr'ed is by Mont- gomery Carmichael, who has written agreeably of Tuscany and the people. It is entitled “The Life of ‘Willlam Walshe, F. S{ A.”" As that imply, the book is @ character” study. § The other volume is Lady Gregory's' “Collection of Traditional Irigh Stories,” translated from the Ceitic, for which W. B. Yeats write an appreciative preface and useful notes. Although next Christmas is still faé away, the firms .which make a specialty of boys’ books are already arranging for them. Thus Messrs. Chambers will publish stories by Geérge Manville Fenn, L. T. Meade and other popular writers. From what one bookseller, who makes a spe- clalty of books for boys, says, the English boy demands vivacity, adventure, - inci- dent, humor and character. Boys like to read of real living boys just like them- selves. The plot of the book is less im~ portant than such a living picture. —_—— Stuffed prunes with apricots. Townsend's.s - sl e e e Cal. glace fruit&0c per Ib.at Townsend's.s ——— Townsend’s California glace fruit, 50¢ a pound, in fire-etched boxes or Jap. bas- kets. A nice present for Eastern friends, €39 Market st., Palace Hotel bullding. * —_——— Special information supplied daily to business houses and public men by t Press Clipping Burean (Allen's). 230’ Con fornia street. Telephone Main 1042, - —_——— Ice otne and Dn:;:g]tf inches. thick will support a man; el een inches this railway train. . Pacific Avenue Lots FOR SALE BY THOMAS MAGEE & SONS, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, ' 5 Montgomery Stree_t. BROADWAY STREET. 30 g Ll bat4 e o AL, - . O R 107:6 $1 53750 8¢ | %2 SOLD. 107:6 %€ SOLD. 137:6 $14,150 (57 — — $14,500 | l | _45:10 | i_ -— $14500 5 LITALS HILSHGM | 45:10 | - PACIFIC 'AVENUE.