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|[Vgpi52!s/> London Telefr«mg. Thirty years ago about 10,000 tele­ graphic messages were sent from Los- don daily. To-day the number of daU$ dispatches is 140,000. ABOUND A BIG STATE BRIEF COMPILATION Of* NOIS NEWS, ILL!- Kills His Wife and Blows His Own Brains Out -- Preparations for the State Fair--Merry Huns Chicajro-- Mail Pouch Stolen. Murder and Suicide. One of the worst tragedies ever record­ ed in Jasper County occurred near Hunt City. Jack Davis, a farmer, crazed by jealousy, killed his wife and then ended his own life. The couple had not lived amicably together for several years, al­ though they had recently patched up a truce. Both arose early, Mrs. Davis in- ' tending to go"a way "for the day. Da via called the oldest of their children, a lad of 10, to care for the baby-and almost im­ mediately after the boy got into their presence commenced to shoot, firing five times at Mrs. Davis, two jails entering her forehead, one going through her face and two into her body. She begged him to let her die as peacefully and as easily as possible, as she could only live a few moments at most and desired to kiss the children good-by. After the fifth shot he turned "the smoking revolver toward himself and put two balls into the back of his head, falling forward unconscious and dying in ten or fifteen minutes. Plana for the State Fair. ;",v The State Board of Agriculture met at the Sherman House in Chicago to dis­ cuss matters relative to the Stat? fair next fall and to elect two new members. The resignation of Lern Small of Kanka­ kee was accepted and James A. Cunning­ ham of Hoopeston was elected to fill his place. The vacancy occasioned by the death of Irus Coy, formerly attorney for the Union Stock Yards Company, was filled by James H. Ashby, superintendent of the Union Stock Yards. Preliminary arrangements were made for the issuance of premium lists for the State fair, to be held the last week of September at Springfield. The prize list this year will aggregate $45,000. . Merry Dies on the Gallows. Chris Merry, one of the most brutal murderers in the history of Cook County, was strangled to death iu'the corridor of the old county jail in Chicago. The young man weakened at last and asked that the cap be put on his face before the noose was fastened around his neck. In spite of his plea, which was made in order that he might hide his emotions from those who witnessed the execution, the usual form was adhered to and the noose was put in place first. Then the drop fell, but it was too short to break the neck and the wife-killer choked to death. Traveling Men Meet. About 100 members of the Travelers' Protective Association of Illinois met in Decatur. The treasurer's report showed $15,000 received during the year. It was reported that efforts to get a 2-cent a mile rate on railroads httd failed. Officers were elected as follows: President, War­ ren Sutlltfe, Peoria; first vice-president, J. L. Ide, Bloomington; second vice-presi­ dent, L. C. Barlow. Canton: third vice- president, Joseph H. Bixby, Decatur; sec­ retary and treasurer, Prank H. Putnam, Peoria. Danville was selected as the meeting place for 1899. Sons of Atrroiv. veterans have organize® a company of volunteers for the wair -with Spain. Congressman J. V. Graff declines to make another campaign for his congres­ sional seat. Mrs. R. Van Wyck of New York died suddenly of acute pneumonia a]t the Palmer House in Chicago. War, resulting in additional tariffs and increased freight rates, will cause gro­ cery prices to rise, according to Chicago grocery importers. Gov. Tanner has appointed Alonzo S. Wrilderman of Belleville a member of the board of managers for the State reforma­ tory, vice Charles E. Felton, resigned. John Wenzin, a photographer, 65 years old, committed suicide in his place of bus­ iness in Chicago by shooting himself in the head. He had been ill six months. Citizens' tickets were recently elected End of Kaskaskia's History. The removal of the postolDce from the town of Kaskaskia marks the final pass­ ing of the first settlement in the State of Illinois. For many years the town of Kaskasl#a has been growing less, and the water from the Kaskaskia river has made deep inroads into the site of the historic town. The citizens one by one have mov­ ed away, and the removal of the postoffice closes the last chapter in the history of the first settlement of white people in what is now known as the great middle west. Pouch and Contents Gone. A mail bag consigned to J. M. Hainmil, attorney for the Louisville and Nashville road at Belleville, was stolen from an ex­ press wagon in Belleville. The bag is said to have contained letters, official doc­ uments, and a registered letter in which were several drafts for almost $30,000. These drafts were for the purpose of pay­ ing the taxes of the Louisville and Nash­ ville Railroad in St. Clair, Washington, Saline and White counties. Prize Drill at Knox College. The prize drill for the Mills medal by Knox College cadets took place at Gales- burg, the participants being James A. Mars, Galesburg; Harry Morse, Chand- lerville; Harry Holmes, North Henderson; Henry Lamp, Onialia; J. H. Bacon, Prov­ idence, and George Lowenberg, Spring Valley. The medal was awarded Mr. Mars, and second prize to Mr. Lamp. Brief State Happenings. Dr. S. M. Anderson, who died at Kan­ kakee, was buried at Mattoon. He was a few years ago a well-known physician. Gov. Tanner has appointed W. W. Me- loan county judge of McDonough County to fill the vacancy caused by the resigna­ tion of Judge Crosby Wheat. Fourth-class postmasters have been ap­ pointed in Illinois as follows: Mrs. E. P. Sheffield, Grand Detour; Andrew Baker, Pilot; Alex. Abernethy, Poutoosuc. The congressional committee of the elev­ enth Illinois district has issued a call for a convention Aug. 30 at Streator. Con­ gressman Reeves declines to run again. The Populists of the Eighteenth con­ gressional district in convention at Litch­ field, named Ferdinand Morse of Green­ ville as their candidate for Congress. Strong resolutions against fusion were passed. Citizens of Lamoile have signed an agreement to protect the homes and fami­ lies of all members of Company K, Sixth Infantry, I. N. G., who shall go to war, and to keep open positions for all men who may be working on a salary. Homer B. Galpin has been appointed re­ ceiver for the firm of C. H. Knights & Co., wholesale jewelers of Chicago^ The assets are placed at $100,000, with liabili­ ties slightly less. John W. Peebles, a former staff officer of th,e- Ninth Regiment, I. N. G., has or­ ganized a company at Marion, which he has been assured by Gov. Tanner will be accepted for service. John Smith, a 15-year-old school boy of Maywood, while playing with some companions on a flying switch, was struck by a Chicago and Northwestern freight train and instantly killed. The Macon County Board of Supervis­ ors has ordered the purchase of a Cuban flag and ordered the janitor of the court house to run it up over the building nnder the United States flag. "Keep the flags boating until the last murdering Spaniard is dead or driven,from our shores," was his order. The employes of the Peoria, Decatur and Eransville Railway have raised $125 flor the benefit of Cuban sufferers. Should it, however, he found inexpedient to dis­ patch the money to Cuba at this time, arising from any reasonable doubt that it oould be used there to good advantage, the fund !s likely to be given to the suf­ ferers from the flood at Shawnee town. and Warren. In Kankakee four Repub­ lican and four Democratic aldermen were elected. In the United States Supreme Court at Washington an opinipn was delivered by Justice Harlan in the cases involving the constitutionality of the civil sesvice law of the State of Illinois. The law was held to be constitutional. W. W. Casto, who makes the crop re­ port to the agricultural bureau for sev­ eral counties in southeastern Illinois, says the wheat is damaged 40 per cent. The oats acreage is larger than ever before. The chances for small fruit are good. Twenty 50 -caliber rifles and 1;000 rounds of ammunition, were sent to Rose- brough, to be used in preserving order among the miners. A riot occurred there. Gov. Tanner was visited by Sheriff E. H. McFarland, who asked for the guns and cartridges. His request was immediately granted. The drivers o and trappers at the Citi­ zens' shaft at Lincoln went on a strike because the company issued an order de­ manding that they furnish their own oil and cotton. The operators claim that they have acted upon a new rule which went into effect in the district April 1. A general miners' strike may follow. After Jaeon Theurer of Newark, O., enlisted in the army his wife and baby daughter mysteriously disappeared. In 1SG8 Theurer secured a divorce and mar­ ried Josephine Eshelman, who committed suicide soon after TL'eurer's death in 1895. No heirs to Theurer's $7,000 estate could be located until now, Mrs. William Hen- thorne, daughter of the first Mrs. Theu­ rer, has been accidentally found near Busey. She gets the estate. G. F. Meyer and his wife were awak­ ened in their apartments in the Meyer block, Desplaines, just in time to save themselves and their two children from suffocation in a fire which destroyed the postoffice and general store of E. J. Mey­ er, causing a damage of $15,000. The fire started in the basement of the two- story brick building and burned for an hour before the smoke penetrated to the second floor and almost stifled the occu­ pants. At Hillsboro, a jury in the Circuit Court awarded Miss Clara B. Hamilton a ver­ dict for $5,000 damages in her suit against Henry Heston Thacker for breach of promise of marriage. Both par- tit?5 ar^ SCiiOOl ttruuiiC*r». luV iuiUOuB liau been issued for the wedding last Septem­ ber, but a few days before the appointed day Mr.-Thacker was found in his broth­ er's yard apparently unconscious. He was ill about two weeks and on recovery denied all recollection of his engagement with Miss Hamilton. The Weir Plow Company of Monmouth, formerly one of the largest manufactur­ ing plants of its kind in Illinois, assigned for the benefit of its creditors to L. S. Kingman, who has been managing the concern for some time. In"1895 fire al­ most totally destroyed the factory. Since then the company has been in a cramped Condition, and at no time able to meet its obligations. An effort will be«made to fill outstanding orders, and it is thought the indebtedness will be paid in full and an effort made to dispose of the plant and rebuild the shops. In the smaller towns the question of saloon license was paramount at the re­ cent election, and in some places was vig­ orously fought. License won in Kin- niundy, Anna, Fairbury, C-arrolton, Har­ vard, Maroa, Lena, Maquon, Wataga, Marengo, Salem, Assumption, Virginia, Cuba. Astoria, Princeton, Virden, Girard, Lostant, Monmouth and Casey. License was also an issue at Mount Carniel and won. Anti-license was victorious in Dwight, Ramsey, Toledo, Moweaqua, Winchester, Altoona, Chrisman, Farring- ton, Greenville, Cornell. Benton and Eu­ reka. This question was also defeated at Lewiston and Mount Vernon. Rockford's City Council stands solidly in favor of license. Dr. George H. Rice of Sandoval has been held to the grand jury by the coro­ ner's jury on a charge of having by im­ properly administered cocaine and mor­ phine poisoned his wife, who died last year. The doctor gave a light bond and is now at liberty. In August last Mrs. Rice d^d under peculiar circumstances. Her life was insured favor of the hus­ band in thrqjf! companies. The insurance companies refused to pay on the ground that death was not from natural causes. In December, at the request of the hus­ band, the coroner examined the body for chemical analysis. Different organs were delivered to two chemists, one in behalf of the insurance companies and the other in behalf of Mr. Rice, yhe coroner's jury was reconvened to hear the reports of the chemists. The expert for the insurance companies reported that he had found traces of cocaine, sufficient to cause death if it had been administered not to exceed twenty-four hours prior to death. The expert for Dr. Rice reported that he found no traces of cocaine or other poisons, oth­ er than that found in the embalming fluid used by tho undertaker. The evi­ dence from local witnesses developed the fact that Dr. Rice had administered a solution of cocaine and morphine the day prior to Mrs. Rice's death, and on this showing the doctor was held. Republican victories at the late election are reported from Jacksonville, Canton, Bloomington, Decatur, Pontine, Havana, Naperville, Cerro Gordo, Kewanee, Tus­ cola, Lewistown, Lincoln, Mattoon and Hillsboro. John Marr, a retired business man and father-in-law of William H. Cook of the Chicago banking firm of John J. P. Odell & Co., stepped in front of a Chicago and Northwestern train near Des Plaines and was killed. Suicide is suspected, because, since the death of his wife six months ago Mr. Marr had been suffering from melan­ cholia. The New Y'ork Dry Goods Store at Cairo made a voluntary assignment for the benefit of creditors, naming John C. Crowley as assignee. The liabilities amount to $35,000 and the assets are somewhat larger than this. Gov. Tanner has granted full pardon to Ephralm Faunce, who was convicted of the murder of Matt McKinley at Deca­ tur In September, »SS9. In his letter par­ doning Faunce, Gov. Tanner reviews the case and states that the new evidence in­ troduced before the board of pardons es­ tablishes more than a reasonable doubt in his mind of the guilt of Faunce and that, therefore, he agrees with the finding of the Dardon board. OUR FOREIGN TRADE. GAIN IN EXPORTS UNDE* UN- FAVORABLE CONDITIONS. Large Increase Shown in Food Stuff's and in Many Articles of Domestic Manufacture, Together with Heavy Decreases in Imports. Uxports of American Manufactures. The classified returns of the foreign trade movement for . February present some very interesting facts. There seems to be a disposition among those who are continually searching for something upon which to base an unfa­ vorable criticism of the operations of in Paxton7~OIhton, illiop0"iis,"¥itts®5ld tbe protecttre-tarlff; io xvmm'eatHipoa earnings of each man for the year were $663.05. ; The trade organizations, from the re­ ports of which these statistics are compiled, are composed of more or less skilled workmen, as Is evident from the fact that the wages averaged $12.75 per week. In 1892 the average annual Income was $466.18, making a weekly average of $8.96. This shows even more prosperous conditions of skilled labor than existed in 1892, the year of general prosperity. Moreover, the increase each quarter iu the num­ ber of men employed last year indi­ cates decidedly improving conditions as the- year wore on, a' result which would very liaturally follow the im­ provement in industrial enterprises due to the liberation of a protective tariff.--Exchange. THE SPANISH CORTES. the fact that exports of American man ufactures show only a small percent­ age of gain when compared with the largely Increased percentage of agri­ cultural exports. It is claimed that this result is due to the levying of duties upon free raw materials and thereby increasing domestic prices. The protective tariff had nothing whatever to do with the comparatively small gain in exports of American man­ ufactures during February. The food requirements of Europe have been enormous since the harvest returns demonstrated the fact that Europe's food supplies would have to be largely obtained from the United States until this season's crops became available. These food requirements have taxed the purchasing power of foreign coun­ tries to the utmost, high prices of food products have been maintained, and, therefore, severe economy has had to be exercised by the people. Very naturally, under these condi­ tions, articles that could be were dis­ pensed with, and quite naturally pref­ erence was largely given to goods of home production and manufacture. This of itself will, to a great extent, ac­ count for the lessened inquiry for goods of American make. The political tension in Europe, caused by the far eastern situation, since the beginning of the year, and the reflection abroad of the tension in this coumtry caused by the disaster to the Maine, were doubtless important fac­ tors contributing to influence the Euro­ pean demand for American manufac­ tures. And presumedly the unsettled condition of affairs in China and Japan resulted in a diminution of American trade with those countries. Not only were these political factors directly potent, but they must have had an in­ direct depressing influence upon busi­ ness in Europe, thus lessening the home demand for all goods, whether of domestic or American manufacture. Under these circumstances it may be regarded as surprising that there was any gain whatever in exports of Ameri­ can goods during February, and Ave may not unreasonably look for a loss for March, for then all the factors to which we have referred were intensely operative. . It will bo interesting to note the most important features of the classified re­ turns of foreign trade in American man­ ufactures for eight months of the cur­ rent fiscal year ending with February. Agricultural implements show gains in mowers, reapers and cultivators; wheat Hour exports increased nearly $5,500,000, railway ears, $450,000, bicy­ cles $280,000, pig iron $1,000,000, steel rails $540,000, iron and steel plates $83.- 000, locomotive engines $300,000. print­ ing presses $200,000, typewriting ma­ chines $200,000. all manufactu iron and steel $7,100,000, cotton seed oil $1,200,000, linseed oil $400,000, printing paper $1,800,000, writing paper, $52,000, hog products $9,000,000, cheese $500,- 000, all provisions $16,000,000, manu­ factures of silk. $17,000, confectionery $93,000, carpets $25,000. all manufac­ tures of wool $97,000. The imports of manufactured goods show decreases in art works of $1,500,- 000, books, etc., $100,000, manufactures of brass $73,000, opium $1,000,000, watches $170,000, cotton cloth $113,000, cotton clothing $870,000, knit goods $700,000, all manufactures of cotton $1,- 200.000, decorated china $1,200,000, bur­ laps $1,100,000, manufactures of flax $2,000,000, tiu plate $900,000, manufac­ tures of silk $2,700,000, cane sugar $6,- 000,000, toys $500,000. clothing wool $3,- 000,000, combing wool $800,000, ready made clothing $100,000, dress goods $3,- 900,000, cloths $4,500,000, rags, oils and wastes $1,200,000. The returns showing imports of tex­ tiles for February compared with the same month last year are likewise of interest as illustrating the effects of the Dingley tariff upon raw material and fabrics protected thereby. The value of imported cotton cloth fell off $10,000,. while that of prints increased $J30,000, cotton clothing decreased $85,000, knit goods $34,000. laces increased $113,000, and yarns $22,000; flax fibers (free) (jliow a decrease of $297,000, while the dutiable increased $105,000; raw silk increased $1,035,000, and silk goods $180,000; raw wool decreased $2,338,- 000 and wool manufactures decreased $1,398,000. Critics of the protective tariff should be generous enough to give the existing enactment a fair trial. They should re­ member that, through the pernicious Wilson free trade tariff, every possible obstacle was thrown in the way of the Dingley tariff at the outset. The new law had scarcely begun to demonstrate its efficiency as a revenue producer and as a promoter of American manufac­ tures when the political tension had a deterrent influence uppu all enterprises. Under normal conditions, which must ere long be resumed, the protective tar­ iff will prove to be one of the mojt beneficial revenue laws ever enacted. Give It a fair trial.--American Econ­ omist. Tariff and Labor. The statistics compiled by the New York Commissioner of Labor afford unmistakable proof of prosperity among worklngmen in this State, and presumedly prosperous conditions like­ wise prevail among the laboring class­ es in other States In the Union, with perhaps a few exceptions In the Eastern States. The statistics refer to the year 1897. In the first quarter there were 98.925 men at work, earning an aver­ age of $155.06 each person for the three months. In the next quarter 124,- 5)02 were employed, earplug $159.12; in the third quarter the number was 145,- 626, and the average earnings Were $174.40. In the last quarter the num­ ber Increased to 153,896, and the earn­ ings averaged $174.47. The average Bank Clearings Indicating Prosperity It Is a noteworthy fact that notwith­ standing the severe tension whicli pre­ vailed during March In consequence of Spanish complications, there was a gain of 34 per cent, in bank clearings for the entire country compared with a year ago, when the Wilson free trade tariff was in operation. There was a gain of 1.6 per cent, over February, and the total clearings for March were only 6 per cent, less tlian In January, the largest ever reported. The most decided gains were 41.2 per cent, in the far Western group of States- For the first quarter of the current year the clearings of the banks In the Whole country were 38.9 per cent, greater than for the corresponding period last year. The heaviest gains were 47.8 per cent, in the Middle States and 35 per cent, in the Northwestern and far Western group of States. Such evidence of prosperous condi­ tions of the country, as is shown by these statements, compiled by ' the highest authority, must be accepted as conclusive even by free-traders, who are among the loudest calamity howlers whenever a protective tariff is in operation. Every Reason to Be Proud. The effect of the Dingley law upon manufacturing may be Inferred In part from the great activity in most lines which has been observed during the last few months. A proof of Its bear­ ing upon industry is found In the fact that importations of manufactured ar tides during the first half year of Its existence fell off more than 20 per cent, from the importations of the cor­ responding months under the Wilson law. As to the benefits of the protec­ tive character of the act, however, there never has been any question in the minds of the mass of voters. Thus far the Republican party has every reason to be proud of the legislation which it enacted with such expedition. --Buffalo Express. Will Congress Cut the Cake? Every Requirement. It is demonstrated that the present tariff is more than sufficient to meet the ordinary expenditures of the Gov­ ernment, without taking the emergen­ cies of war into account. But a peace tariff is not intended to provide for the special outlay made necessary by war. The latter must be met by bond Issues or temporary taxes of such form and amount as may be deemed suitable to the occasion. The Dingley law is am­ ply meeting every requirement for which it was intended, and its framers and friends have reason to be gratified with Its operations.--Rochester Demo­ crat-Chronicle. A Spl««did Tribute. The fact that we are gaining a strong position in the world's markets with the products of our factories is a splen­ did tribute to protection and equally a condemnation of free trade.--Wash­ ington Post. Iron Working in Central Africa. The working of iron is certainly the most advanced art in this region of Africa. The ore is mined, smelted and fashioned by the natives with great skill. Outside many of the villages stands the village smithy, merely a roof of shade boughs and grass supported by stakes. Here congregate the vil­ lage gossips, who justify their presence by an occasional turn at the bellows. The tools are primitive, a rock for an anvil, a weighty stone for the sledge and pieces of iron bound to wooden handles for the finer shaping and or­ namental work. The bellows consist of two goatskins, each furnished with an open mouth like a purse, and con­ nected up by a piece of bamboo pipe to a narrow clay union nozzle about nine inches long. . The blower sits on the ground, seizes the mouth of each skin in either hand, and raises and lowers them alternately, first with the mou»h open and with a quick, upward stroke to take In the air, then with the mouth closed and a tremendous downward pressure to force the blast. By this rude process a hot charcoal fire is maintained, and the work turned out is excellent for the primitive implements used--knives of great utility, and which take a good rough cutting edge; arrowheads and spears, many of them curiously barb­ ed and twisted, and some showing a knowledge of the value of the "blood groove;" axes for battle and for gen­ eral purposes, ornamented with linear patterns and beaded edges, and with the blades set at an acute angle to the shaft so that every ounce of power Is transmitted in the direction of the blow. Siberia's Gold. All efforts to obtain anything like correct information regarding the out­ put of gold in Siberia have so far proved unavailing. No one outside of a few Russian officials is permitted to know. PROFITS AT MONTE CARLO, Constitution and Chararleristics of of This Parliamentry Body. The Cortes are not, as generally sup­ posed, merely the lower house of Spain's parliament, but comprise both chambers, the literal translation of the word "Cortes" meaning "the courts." They may be said to owe their origin to King Joseph Bonaparte, who, in 1812, first provided the Iberian penin­ sula with a constitution, modeled on that of Imperial France. Repealed on the Bourbon restoration, then revived again, suspended once more, and then recalled into vigor, it received its pres-. ent form in 1S76, on the restoration to the throne of the late King Alfonso. The lower house is elected by what is practically universal suffrage, and, In the proportion of one deputy to every 50,000 male Inhabitants, the qualifica­ tion as a voter being held by every male Spaniard who is 25 years of age, who is in the enjoyment of his civil rights, and who has been a citizen of a municipality or rural community for two years. The lower house is composed of about 450 deputies, who, unlike their fellow- legislators in every other eountky of Europe, save England, receive h<£ sal­ ary, and are debarred by the terms of the constitution from holding govern­ ment office or drawing pensions, the only exception being made that in the case of the members of the cabinet. It need, not, from this, be Imagined that the members of the lower house are prompted by purely patriotic motives to concede their time and their energy to the service of the nation. - There are many pickings and prerogatives; be­ sides which, legislative influence is quite as profitable an article of barter and sale in Spain as in other more en­ lightened countries. Indeed, the vast majority of the members of the lower house are men who have gone'into poll- tics solely with the object of spoils in view. The upper chamber, or Senate, is in­ finitely more representative of the na­ tion than the lower house, although it can scarcely be described as owing its origin to the suffrages of the people. It is composed of three classes--namely, the Senators by their own right, that is to say, "Senadores de Dereclio Pro- prio," who must not exceed eighty in number; secondly, 100 life Senators, nominated by the crown, and, thirdly, 180 Senators elected by the so-called corporations of state, that Is to say, by tho communal and provincial assem­ blies, by the church, the universities, the academies, etc. The elected Sena­ tors, therefore, equal in number the life Senators nominated by the crown and the Senators by their own right put together. The "Senadores de Dere- cho Proprio" are composed of the heir- apparent to the throne, if he happens to be a man, the sons of the sovereign and members of the grandezza, titled and untitled; who con prove that they possess an annual income derived from land of at least $15,000. This practically restricts the Sena­ tors in their own right to members of the reigning family and to the great landowners of the old aristocracy, that is to say, to people who may be regard­ ed as having big material interests at 6take, and who are in no sense of the word carpet-bag politicians, as are most of the members of the lower house. The second class of Senators who owe their appointment to the Crown are tho captains general of the army, the admirals of the navy, the cardinals and archbishops, the presi­ dents of the council of state, of the su­ preme tribunal, of the tribunal of Cuen- tas del Reino, pf the supreme councils of war and of marine, and of such oth­ er dignataries of the kingdom as the sovereign may appoint with the con­ sent of the cabinet of the day. The other half of the Senate, that is to say, those who owe their seats in the upper chamber to election, must be renewed by one-half every five years, and by totality every time that the monarch dissolves that particular part of the Cortes. Let me state in conclusion that the Cortes are, in one sense of the word, the most characteristic of all Spanish institutions. The oratory is superb. In­ deed, it may be doubted whether there is any people in the world that is pos­ sessed of such magnificent and soul- stirring eloquence as that of Spain. But it is not practical. To parody the old French saying, "It is magnificent, but it Is not business." Words take the place of deeds. Tournaments of speech cause the people to lose sight of the practical objects at stake and to such extent are the debates in both cham­ bers of the Cortes academical and re­ garded in the light of a dramatic per­ formance rather than actual business that those who listen to the speakers, no matter whether from the seats of the members or from the galleries, act- ually lose sight of the real issues which are being discussed. Moreover, the ef­ fects of these streaks of eloquence, of these flights of oratory, are merely of a transient nature.--St. Louis Globe- Democrat. When the Lights Glow. "Our business is always good on a foggy day," said the manager of a London eating house. "All manner of persons flock .in then whom we never see at any other time. How do I ac­ count for it? Well, I can hardly say. It might be tliat-ihe general miserable- ness of the city forces people to uncon­ sciously seek comfort in a harmless little bout of extravagance, or that the fog drives customers In here In the hope that they might run across friends who would have otherwise been en­ countered outside. But the most feasi­ ble explanation seems to be the gas and electric lights. There are thousands of poor as well as rich people who do not dine until after the lights are lit. Then, too, electric light is such a vast im­ provement on gas that nearly all night workmen who work by electricity en­ joy proverbially good appetites. All of which, you will notice,> work around to the same conclusion--that. a London fog makes people hungry because of the extra lights." Man Can Outrun Animals. For a short distance a lion or a tiger can outrun a man and can equal the speed of a fast horse, but the animals lose their wind at the end of about half a mile. They .have little endurance and are remarkably weak in lung power. Enormons Income Indicated by the Price of the Franchise. One can form some Idea of the enor­ mous profits made by the gambling hell at Monte Carlo by studying, thq terms on which the Prince of Monaco has granted a prolongation of the conces­ sion under which this infamous estab­ lishment exists. The present conces­ sion expires iu 1913. but the sharehold­ ers think it wise to insure a further- concession before that date. The terms, which were presented and ratified the other day, are as follows: The £50,000 for the concession, plus £20,000 allowed for the expense of the government of the principality, are to be continued, together with the allow­ ances for public works, lighting,-bi&4k-~ tenance of the institutions,. etc., amounting in all to another £50,000 or £60,000 per annum. In addition, the Casino Company undertakes to pay over immediately to the Prince in hard cash the sum of £400,000, and further to spend £200,000 upon public-works in the shape of opening up new ave­ nues and streets In parts of the princi­ pality, Indicated by the Frince; to spend £80,000 In the construction of a new theater and opera house, this to be completed in time for the exhibition of 1900: to hand over to the manager Of the. theater of Monte Carlo £1,000 for each performance, this sum to be spent exclusively in the payment of special artists, the company to further bear all the cost of the chorus, orchestra and scenery. Finally, the company under­ takes to pay over to the Prince in cash £600,000 in the year 1913, which was the date of the expiration of the old contract granted by the late Prince Charles II. The Casino Company is therefore called upon to find an additional suvi of £1,280,000 (without counting the grant to the manager of the theater) as the price of the new concession. The Prince also insists upon having in fu­ ture a direct voice in the management of the concern. He Is to be consulted in the appointment of both the man­ ager and directors oi the Casino Com­ pany; he is to have the right to nom­ inate the manager of the theater; to be consulted in the engagement of the ar­ tists and the chef d'orchestre; and. most Important of all, he is to have control of the "publicity" department! The company spends about £25,000 in "squaring" the continental press and purchasing its benevolent neutrality in the matter of gambling. The Prince in­ sists upon his right to issue to these journals which are in the pay of the concern such notes and paragraphs as he may think proper.--London Mall. Chaos--A pile of place to put it. nothiug with no We know what you will see with ev­ ery circus next summer: a flock of reifc- deer. The Lady and tho Tortoise. Fearful and wonderful has been the decorative wear of woman everywhere through the ages. She has worn skew­ ers in the nose of her, rings on the toes of her. She has tied a snake around her neck and tangled fireflies ip her hair. But she has never, so far as our record goes, served her lovely self up to us en tortue till now. But now, it seems, tortoise is going to be--in a sense --her only wear. Of course, the tortoise she wears Is the live variety--the dead. In this case also, would soon cease to interest her. The live tortoise conicS to her from the Landes. It first passes through the hands of her jeweler--the unadorned tortoise is not beautiful. The jeweler fits the tortoise with a filigree coat of mail studded with precious stones. The animal is then secured by a fine gold chain. The wearer attaches the chain to an ornamental hook in her dress, first taking a turn with it round her own neck. The resplendent tor­ toise then fulfills its mission by exhibit­ ing itself upon the wearer's shoulders to the extent of its tether; and thus enables lovely woman to exhibit her­ self at what, we should hope, will be the extent of hers. It has struck the French Society for the Protection of Animals that to have Its shell set thickly with precious stones, and to be fastened by a gold chain to the corsage of the wearer, must be distasteful, if not positively painful, to the tortoise. Legal steps have therefore been taken to put a stop to the practice; but the jewelers and their fair clients will not yield without a fight. They assert that so far from being inconvenienced by car­ rying a few diamonds and rubies on its carapace, the tortoise enjoys the distinction, and not being given to over­ much locomotion the chain has no ter­ rors for it, while any little discomfort it suffers is more than counterbalanced by dainty fare and good treatment.-- London Pall Mall Gazette. Cheap Lodging Houses. What the ultimate effect of establish­ ing cheap houses for men in large cities will be is a matter for serious thought. Tho certainty of cheap and comfort­ able living will stimulate the already strong tendency of village and agricul­ tural populations toward the cities, and what does this mean but more and more accessions to the already over­ crowded ranks of workers, with the in­ evitable consequence of a lowering of Wages? asks Vogue. New York has al­ ready seen this condition brought about by the chief Bowery lodging houses; the drift cityward of all classes of workers is now so swift that the laborers in the vineyard are too numer­ ous, and the workers are in conse­ quence at the mercy of capital. The problem to be debated is whether the community and the nation are to be benfited by this putting a premium on life"in the city. Many intelligent work­ ers along sociological and industrial lines condemn the cheap home for men on two grounds: That it lowers wages, and that it encourages celibacy. From which it will be seen that in these days of complex social conditions philan­ thropy needs to be tempered by an in­ telligent appreciation of the social re­ quirements not only of the time but of classeB as well. Police as Sharlc Catchers. Among the multifarious duties which demand the attention of the Calcutta police the capture of sharks in the Hooglily finds a place. During the past twenty years rewards have been paid for the destruction of those marine man-eaters, and recently the Bengal government laid down a scale for these payments. An Atchison man believes that if he should go to war, and be shot in the back, he would receive a back pension. The soda fountain will soon be fizzl- ble. The Value of Good Roada. These is all over the country a deep* and growing interest in the subject of good roads. The people generally have learned that good roads pay and that bad roads are terribly expensive. : There is not a State in the Union which has not done more good road! work in the past five years than it evet did--before in an equal period of time J Some of them have done ten times as much. • ' Professor Latta, of the Purdue Uni­ versity, Lafayette, Ind., estimates that the annual loss from bad roads In Jef­ ferson County. Kentucky, in which Louisville is situated, is fully $1 an acre. This means an annual loss of $250,000. The loss for one year'due to bad roads would pike every mile of road in the county. In attempting to convince the farm­ ers who are-opposed to large expendi­ tures for roads, President Latta gives the following as some of the good ef­ fects of good roads: y ; ' \ "{ ; 1. Economize time and force in trans­ portation between farm and market. 2. Enable the farmer to take advan­ tage of market fluctuations in buying and selling. • . - 3. Permit transportation of farm products and purchased commodities during times of comparative leisure. 4. Reduce the wear and tear on horses, harness and vehicles. 5. Enhance the market value of real estate. " t President Latta says of the Increased value of land from road Improvements: "As already stated, this increase is estimated by the farmers consulted at $9 per acre. This would enhance the value of each section of land $5,760, which is more than double the estimat­ ed cost $2,292) of the two miles of Im­ proved highway, which constitute the quota for the section. Just here the objection may be raised that the Im­ proved roads would not Increase the productive capacity of the land, while the enhanced commercial value would increase the taxes. Let us, for the sake; of argument, grant this plausible but fallacious objection, and then find what it amounts to. Let us suppose the increase in appraisement for taxation, to be $4 per acre and the tax rate 11-4 per cent. This Would mean an 'annual increase in taxes of five cents per acre, or $5 per hundred acres. Would not our objector, after enjoying the benefits of good roads, be very willing to give there­ for the extra $5, if necessary? Would he keep the money and go back to the thraldom of mud roads? If so, he has f Of.lli --~ 1.1- vance, according to the average esti­ mates of his brother farmers, that will more than doubly reimburse him for his expenditure on highway improve­ ment; and he can then remove to some native wild whose quiet waters have not been 'troubled' by the spirit of progress." The gospel of good roads is being preached by newspapers in every State and In almost every county. Let the good work go on.--Atlanta (Ga.) Jour­ nal. CHARLES A. DANA AS AN EDITOR, He Was Very Punctilious as to Typoi graphical Details. In all matters of detail, in literary manner, in the use of words. In gram* mar, punctuation and typographical method he was the most careful and exacting of editors. One time an edito­ rial contained two lines of poetry in type of the same size as that of the text, and, as I was the author of it, the familiar signature: "Reason, Revela­ tion, Science, Philosophy and Esthetics all require that these lines should have been put in small type." Upon another occasion, when he thought a verb had been improperly used in a manuscript, he wrote an admonitory sentence: "To say 'there are' in this passage would be unpoetic, and consequently disgusc- ing." He took, the blame whenever an error escaped his eye. "I take shame to my­ self," he wrote one time when the au­ thor of an editorial had confounded Boston brown bread with Graham bread, "for having printed this thing without scrutinizing it. The Sun is Ig­ norant and wrong." One day a man in California had sent an inquiry to the editor of the Sun, "Will you please tell me how to become a Christian?" and as I often dealt with religious questions at the time this ap-. peal was received, Mr. Dana blue-pen­ ciled the back of the man's note with these words: "Why not give him a ripping answer? Give him the socialist side of Christianity." When the writer of a book review had italicized eight or ten of his woros, Mr. Dana commented thus: "This re­ view is the best in the whole lot, and is very good; but why in the world an ex­ perienced writer like wants to pep- I>er his manuscript with nasty little italics, I can't Imagine." When the writer of an editorial paraT graph in the Sun wrote of "Govs. Cam* erou and Crittenden," the ever watch­ ful critic in the sanctum got after him in a note left for me: 'The term 'Govs.', 'Gens.', 'Capts.', etc., is disgust, ing. The titles have no plural as at­ tached to any Individual name; they should be repeated, or a circumlocu­ tion should be used." . -v.. In an editorial article printed in bre­ vier type there had appeared an ex­ tract in agate type; the grammatical subject of a sentence was in brevier, while the verb for It Was in the subse­ quent agate line. Mr. Dana wrote for my benefit: "This passage from big type to little is contrary to all sound principles of typographical elegance. Greeley used to make the passage, and country newspapers sitill make it; but it is wicked." When a writer for the Sun once de­ scribed a man as. "too condemn smart,'* the phrase was highly offens­ ive to Mr. Dana, who wrote a caustic comment upon it in three words, which need not be here printed.--John Swin- ton In the Chautauquan.