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Ten little fingers toying with a mine-- Xug! went the powder, and then there were nine. fyxisjf'x I tEN LITTLE FINGERS. GRAND OLD FASHIONED WAY. Get ready, boys, to make a noise On Independence day. For we're about to have it out In grand old fashioned way. CHANGES OF A YEAR. WHAT REPUBLICAN LEGISLA­ TION HAS WROUGHT. Beneficial Effects pf the Dingley Tar­ iff Law-Improvement in Business Produced by thg Measure Continues in Spite of the War. SQm little fingers fixing rockets /Straight-- SUfl a kick backward, and theuH&ere were eight. XSgtit little 'fingers pointing np to^heaven-- XocRBn candle "busted," and were seven. little fingers, punk and powder mix-- EPSsmk was ignited, and tben there were six. Httfe fingers for a "sizzer" strive-- » went off with it, and then there were Ifttte fingers loading for a roar-- a! went the cannon, and then there \ were four. Utwir tittle fingers with a pack made free-^ ®»sh! went a cracker, and then there were ' three. VIirete IfttJe fingers found the fuse burned Woe-- Stombshell too previous, and then there ii ' \ were'two. 9vn» little fingers having lots of fun-- l*Sstoi exploded, and then was ohe. 'One little finger, fooling with a gun-- SMdn't know 'twas loaded, and then there wa» none. WHEN CUBA IS FREE. OpST'T touch it, Tom!" "It wonld make a i thundering report!" "Never mind that-- loading that gun was one of the last things father did before he left home." "I know that," nod­ ded Tom Wilson, look­ ing pretty sober and solemn, "but it would Make a thundering report!" "You 've said that twice." "Aftd I'd love to hear the old musket Smt once!" "Maybe you will." "To-morrow--the Fourth?" "Who knows? Says father, when he rammed the last wad home in the old rev­ olutionary relic, 'We'll fire that off when Caba is free!'" "Shnjf? just as good as that, isn't she?" challenged Tom. "Never you mind--we're going to mind fetter." Bei Wilson's word went, for he was the oldest, and there was no further demur. Besides that, duty engrossed the two the rest of that day. Other fellows had nothing more arduous to do than prepare for "the biggest Fourth aiace the Centennial." The Wilson lads, however, were "help- A FAMILIAR NAME HEADLI THE GLARING ES. Sng mother," and, mere novices at labor, they had not learned the ropes yet. Things had goyte from bad to worse with honest John/Wilson for several years Jtack. v, He had a glorious civil war record be­ hind him--was one of the gallant Cum­ berland's crew, that fated ship that went down in a blaze of patriotic glory that act fire to a nation's hopes and ardor. A long spell of illness had caused his getting behind in his payments on the neat cottage home. "Tell you what, Nance," he had said to Ids wife along in the early days of May, "I've an idea." "Tell it, John," encouraged his wife. "I'm going to see my step-brother, Tracy." "Down East?" "Down East." "Why not write?" "I've done that and it did no good. No, HI risk the powers of persuasion. He has thousands. But for a slip of the pen he would have been compelled to share them with me, and he knows it. I'll try and get him to take np the mortgage here, and tease us along till we can get the boys <»t their feet, earning and helping." . "And if be refuses, John?" suggested In. Wilson anxiously. "Why, then I suppose I'm sort of atratpdted." "All your money gone, and away from home!" ' "Well, maybe work is readier there than Sere. Never fear, Nance, I'll find a place aomewhere." »: Mrs. Wilson gave her husband a quick link. There had come into his eye a certain yet proud, sparkle she used to see, when, fresh from the war, he was wont to Ml how he turned the tide of a naval bat- tie- <»ff the. Carolinas by "pulling the gun airing just at the right minute." • She said nothing, ho%vever. She heard nothing more from him after his depart­ ure antil about the first of June. Then he sent the merest line: V"I am booking for work in New York City." Miu. Wilson was uneasy. Wars and Mruors of wars had set John restless for months before his departure. His last word had been "Cuba." The solicitous wife trembled, prayed, waited. Meantime, like deserving scions of a man with a heart of oak, her two, sons, Ked and Tom, "pitched in." They found thej larder growing slim, and aet at work to repair it. They ran. errands, sold garden truck, peddled papers, and this latter was no mean field, of commercial venture during the prevailing war excitement in the vil- "Better have a quiet Fourth of July hoys." suggested their mother gently, the day before. "All right," nodded thoughtful Ned cheerfully. "With father away, I sup pose it's best." "Yes'm," assented Tom vaguely, "but what a thundering report that old musket wonld make!" Ked attended to the morning papers that arrived from the city,, Tom took in the "extras" that came in fhroiigh the day;. ®he former was eating supper with his mother, tjlie latter absorbed in reflections of the absent, almost the missing one, n o w . • • - . • : T SuddenlsJ*p|pre was a terrific hullaba­ loo, comprWd of shouts, firecrackers, hurrahings; 1 Ned raji to the window.l/ * "For mercy's sakej" he ejaculated. "What, isJft^Ned?^-'rather startled, and tremulously inquired Mrs. Wilson, aris­ ing more slowly. "It's Tom!" "He isn't--hurt, or •' "Acts as if he was crazy!" Tom did. In full view, he was coming down the dusty road. Trooping after him were a dozen or more vociferous youngsters with whom he had ever been a favorite. They were making the-welkin ring, and many a lad was burning his fingers in his ardor to lielp swell the commotion, and was using up the prifced ammunition of the morrow.. X' Tom burst into the room, drenched with perspiration, panting fot'breath, but with eyes aflame with emotion and vitality. "See here!" challenged Ned. "No--look ihb^!"' " ' \ Tom flung his bundle of extras upon the table. His mother nearly fainted. Even a cas^ ual glance showed at the top of the glar7 ing headlines a name faqiiliar. "John Wilson,"--"hero"--"daring deedl" --oh, it was news from the absent one, but was it news of glory, but also of death ? "Father!" she choked. "Is all right!" piped Tom. "Read here, Ned--read here! Father was 'looking for w;ork'--say, mother! he found it!" "Where? Where?" faltered the sus­ pense-rocked wife Ajjd mother. "Battleship--you know what a boss gunner he is! Met the enemy, pulled an­ other 'gun string in another nick of time' and " ^ Coherent consideration of the news the paper gave proved that Tom bad not ex­ aggerated. j * Skill and opportunity had combined to give John Wilson a chance to "knock out" a Spanish Ironclad "at the right minute." He had concededly turned the'tide of favor leading up to the capture of a rich­ ly freighted consort. I " 'Prize money'--why, he can pay off the mortgage!" cried the exuberant Ned. "Promotion--it Will glorify his later days!" murmured Mrs. Wilson thankfully. "Where's the gun?" demanded irrepres­ sible Tom. "Hold on! What gun?" interfered Ned. "Father's old musket." "Why "We're going to celebrate!" "No--he left orders--^'fire it off when Cuba is free!' " . "Free!" fairly yelled the sanguine and excited Tom. "With, such men as him peppering the foe, she's practically free already!" "Well, I suppose " began Ned, in faint demur. Above all other reports that boomed in the morning of July Fourth, 1S98, that tired by proud, patriotic Tom .Wilson seemed to him the loudest ever was. "Wonder if they heard that in Cuba?" he gloated. "They're hearing some other reports from its owner, I reckon," smiled Ned. "Say!" declared the ardent Tom, "didn't it make a thundering report?" At dawn we'll raise our flag ablaze And watoh It proudly fly, Its blue and stars and crimson bars Reflected on the sky. ,r •' < jt * Then while bells clang afid anvils bang And cannon thunders roar We'll give the cheer that slaves may.Juuir Upou the old world's shore. e'll yell and screech and make a speech .About onr glorious nation J And brag that we on land or sea Can wallop all creation. AS AN OBJECT LESi The Real Meaning of the Noise and Fun of the Fourth. • We confess to a large degree of sym pa thy with the irrepressible impulse of the American small boy--to say nothing of boys of larger growth--to fire off Chin ese crackers and other din-producing ex plosives on the Fourth of July. Not that we particularly enjoy the noose. It is not always easy to keep one's temper on even keel through the "long, long weary day," of ceaseless turmoil of patriotic powdeiv burning and the smell of "villainous 'salt­ petre." Yet less and less, as the years go by, are we disposed to object to this outward and visible sign of the inward grace of patriotic ardor. Undirected, it is true, this impulse,to effervescent racket on the part of boys and men, on the one unrestricted day of the year, may mean nothing to them but license to make a noise; but, wisely used, this differentia­ tion of the day may be made the means of inculcating patriotic sentiment in a more impressive way than would Otherwise, perhaps, be possible. The mass of man­ kind still learn great lessons best through the medium of' symbols. In this respect, we have not advanced very far beyond "them of aid time." The heap of stones taken from the bed of Jordan spoke not more truly to the children of Israel of the great things wrought for them there than does "Independence day" to us of our fathers' mighty deeds; and 'so, instead of flouting at the noisy demonstrations of our boys on this day, let us utilize its observance to teach them the real mean­ ing which lies back of their noisy fun, and thus lead their minds up to a broader conception of the truths for which the celebration of the Fourth of July stands. --New York Examiner. Fourth of July Poem. Cause for Republican Gratiilation. One of the first acts of President Mc- Kinley was to call a snecipfl session of Congress to consider the tariff ques­ tion and they are entitled tp more credit than the Republicans for its mainte­ nance, because they are sufficiently pa­ triotic to stand for the right and an­ tagonize their own party when it is wrong. They have greatly honored the State by their unyielding stand for the gold standard. So it is in all the other States, with all theT)emocrats who ad­ here to the honest money principles of Thomas Jefferson. Tariff and Farm Animals* In the course of a thorough examina­ tion which he has been engaged in re­ garding the effects of free trade and protection upon the farm animals in- K Two Kinds of Crackers. It is no great wonder that people, old and young, make mistakes when the same word stands for so many different things. It was the Fourth of July. A littJe miss was told to take her afternoon nap, and then she. should get up and watch the boys put off their firecrackers. Pretty soon a heavy thunder shower came on, and Aunt Mary went up to see if Miss Rachel ^vas frightened. Evi­ dently she was, for she called out at once: "Aunt; Mary, I don't want to hear any more water-crackers."--Babyland. A pistol toy Gave hiuch joy, To small boy- Bang! He'll no more fire-- Went up higher, And the choir-- Sang. --St. Louis Globe-Democrat. After the Crisis. Brown--I'd like to get my little boy'a life insured. Manager--Come around after the Fourth and I'll talk with you about it.-- New.York World. UNCLE SAM'S FOURTH OF JULY INCUBuS. June 30, 1892, exceeded the ^expendi­ tures by $9,014,458. During the four years of Harrison's administration the public debt was reduced $239,07(3,890, and the annual Interest charge decrees ed $11,084,570. The Democrats passed the. Wilson tariff bill, and l'or the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, there was a deficit in the treasury, of $09,803,260. There was a deficit of $42,805,223 in 1895, and of $25,203,245 in 1890. The total deficiency for the three years and eight months ending March 1, 1S97, was $180,001,580. In the meantime the public debt had been increased $202,- ,315,400, and the an'nualinterest charge $11,493,414. • . . This was the condition when'the Re­ publicans came into power. Congress met in extraordinary ^Ssion March 15, 1897, and in accordance with the Presi­ dent's recommendation proceeded to re­ vise the tariff on Republican principles. The result was,,the Dingley tariff law', and the effect soon became noticeable. In the first nine months of the present fiscal year exports increased $9,000,000 over the Corresponding period of the previous year. In the same nine months there was a heavy decrease in manu­ factured imports. The excess of ex­ ports over imports in May was $50,- 9S0,359, and for the eleven months of the fiscal year $571,889,037. Under the Cleveland administration there was a heavy outgo of gold. Under the Mc- Kinley administration the net imports of gold in eleven months are $102,020,- 9S9, the largest in the history of the country. The first nine months of the Dingley law had put the country and the treas­ ury in such condition that w;e were ready for war wrhen it came. Before the declaration of war Congress .put $50,000,000 at the command of the President. A new revenue bill was passed as a war measure, with a clause providing for the issue of $200,000,000 3 per cent, bonds. Offers were received for more than three times the amount. Nothing could better illustrate the feeling of the people in this war than their eagerness to buy the new Govern­ ment bonds. Under ordinary rule war disturbs or paralyzes business)* In our own case the steady improvement in business in­ augurated under the Dingley law has continued in spite of war. No branch of trade has been disturbed, and in many departments of business and industry there is increased activity. In agricul­ ture the outlook is more encouraging than it has been for ten years. We have sent abroad in the last year 10,058,208 bushels of wheat and 204,000,000 bush­ els of corn, the most of it sold at good prices. The wheat crop of the current year promises to be larger by 100,000,- 000 bushels than that of last. With products and manufactures going abroad at good prices, with gold com­ ing in and good crops in prospect, the country is in good condition, thanks to Republican legislation, to carry the war to a speedy and successful conclu­ sion!--Chicago Inter Ocean. probable that few of the farmers of the United States realize the full extent of the loss and. damage suffered by them in conse­ quence of the passage of the Wilson- Gorman free-trade monstrosity in 1894. Whenever the friends of " protection have urged Its importance to the people who raise live stock for the market, and have pointed to the large increase of importations of cattle under the tar­ iff law of 1894,'they have been met by the familiar argument: "Burt we are a nation of cattle exporters and of grow­ ers of food for cattle, and the increased importations only permitted us to util­ ize our corn and export it in the form of beef." How fallacious and incon­ sistent this argument is can be gather­ ed frOm the statistics relating to im­ ports and exports of catle. Under the last three years of the Mc- Kinley law the United States imported 7,058. head of cattle and exported dur­ ing that period 1,040,797 head. Under the last three years of the Wilson Gor­ man law we imported 090,584 head and exported 1,090,373 head. It is seen that during the last three years of the Mc- Ivinley tariff our exports of cattle ex­ ceeded our imports by 1,033,739, while for the corresponding period of the Wil­ son Gorman law the excess of exports over imports was reduced to 399,789 head of cattle. It is not easy to figure out wherein the American farmer was the gainer by this operation in tariff tinkering. It appears, moreover, that, under the operation of the MeKinley law the number of cattle in the United States increased 2,764,520 head, while during the Cleveland administration and un­ der the Wilson Gorman law the .cattle in the United States decreased in num­ ber 6,746,437 head. The relative differ­ ence in the number and value of sheep during the Harrison and Cleveland ad­ ministrations is fully as great as that of cattle. Sheep grmvers remember to their sorrow the awful blight* inflicted upon their industry by the Wilson-Gor­ man tariff plague. Congressman Tongue's conclusions in reference to this interesting investiga­ tion are terse, pointed and convincing. He says: "This 9howrs that the freer importation of cattle under the Wi 1 son bill discoura ged'the production of cat­ tle in the United States and resulted in an immense slaughter of calves. Per­ sonally, I know this to have been true in Oregon. In fact, after the Wilson bill was fully in effect very few calves were raised in Western Oregon. They were slaughtered for veal. There was no demand for them as live stock. Last fall there was demand for every decent yearling to be driven to the ranges In the West." The Pilver Laborer. During the last fewr y&ars a number of well-known men have visited Mex­ ico with a view of ascertaining its con­ ditions and prospects. Most of them ave published their observations, but noue of them has seen more that is in­ structive than President lugalls. of the C., C., C. & St. L. Railroad Company. Mr. Ingalls was in Mexico twenty days, and the results of his observations were given in an address to the St. Louis Commercial Club shortly after his return. Mr. ingalls stated in his address that of the 11,000,000 inhabitants of Mexico at least 3,000,000 are peons, or Indians, who are laborers; they have no ambi­ tion^ to be anything else than servants. Th§ peon can live cheaper," says Mr. ngalls, "than any human being of whom I have ever read." The average rate of wages in Mexico is 37V£ cents a day in silver. In view of this entirely inadequate compensation for labor, equivalent to less than 18 cents in our currency, Mr. Ingalls says: I asked an American there who em­ ploys a large number how the Mexican could live upon this wage. He said it as easy enough, and lie didn't care to work more than two-thirds of the time at that. One cent buys him tortillas, a spe­ cies of bread; 2 cents' worth of beans goes with it, and 2 cents for pulque, and this is a. great dinner for 5, cents; three meals a day would cost 15 cents. He never sleeps in a bed; his-clothing is very simple; he has a blanket that would cost $1 or $2, which he wraps around him, itnjl sleeps wherever night overtakes him. If he has? any money, he does not care to work until it is gone. The fact that 75 per cent, of the peo­ ple earn no^surplus anfd cannot spend any leads Mr. Ingalls to regard the suc­ cess of the factories which are being built in Mexico as a matter of doubt; He asks: "Can a country prosper in manufacturing that has no home mar­ ket?" As a practical man who deals with actualities, Mr. Ingalls does not attempt to find relief for Mexico in "the markets of the world," knowing that the people that has a very limited home market for its products is with out that greater purchaser, and con­ sumer upon whom nations must rely. A Brisht Outlook. It is true that the danger and loss ac­ cruing to the American ship in time of war will be brought home freshly to the minds of all shipping men, but we look for greater security from foreign wars in the future, and it may be boiled, for the sake of. the mercantile marine of this country, that the Ameri­ can navy will be gradually strengthen­ ed so that shipping under the American flag can go on even while war is in progress. Tliere is a chance, too, that international law will some time be alnended so that each belligerent will not consider it his bounden duty to prey on the commerce of the enemy. In any case, either in the way of peace vessels or those of grimmer use, our American shipbuilders should soon be in the midst of a period of healthy bus­ iness activity. The British builders are at present enjoying unexampled pros­ perity, and as our own merchant ships cannot be built abroad and naval ves­ sels will not bo except on extraordinary occasions, the outlook for a general.re­ vival in the industry when the war ends is very bright.--Philadelphia Man­ ufacturers' Record. Orejroti Gold Democrats. "There is union in Oregon ot the gold Republicans and the gold Democrats.' So said an editorial from the Portland Oregonian. That is the way the great gold standard victory was gained, in Oregon, and |hat Is the way the gold standard will be maintained in the world's greatest nation. We are pleas­ ed to see.that the Oregonian did not hesitate to give the gold Democrats credit for .their assistance in the Ore­ gon election, ifor the gold Democrats are nobly entitled to that credit in Ore­ gon and all other States. It would scarcely be poss-ible to .maintain the gold standard withov.: 1:'assistance, Good Tidings from Oregon. The general election recently held in Oregon furnishes the' most recent test by which the strength of Republican­ ism can be estimated, and all follow­ ers of the party of Lincoln, Grant, Gar­ field and,Blaine m';ly well rejoice at the story told in the Oregon returns. The Republican ticket won a most sweep­ ing victory, not only capturing the Gov­ ernorship and both Congressmen, but the State Legislature and about all the minor ^j^'Vin Sight besides. This showing.^is ipore than satisfactory. It demonstrates .anew that the drift in the West is all toward Republicanism, that the number [of free silver devotees is waning fast; and that the principles enunciated in St. Louis in 1896, in ad­ vocacy of the gold standard, the free­ dom of Cuba and the annexation of Hawaii are the principles to which a vast maj-ority of the people give their political allegiance. Unliquidated Foreign Balances. The fact is that the most experienced bankers and the most competent stu­ dents of finance are alike forced to the conclusion. that the unliquidated bal­ ances due to Americans from abroad must be, not only greater than ever be­ fore, but also greater than any official documents have indicated.--Fall River News. " They Never Would Be Missed. If the war should result in sending to oblivion and silence a few thousand pestiferous demagogues whose stock in trade is appeal to" prejudice and at- tetnpt to array the so-called poor against the rich, it would be cheap at any expenditure, of money. (frrrrrr ! ABOUT THE BONDS. Growing Toward the I'opiilist Ideal. The paper money circulating in Ha­ vana is worth only 10 cents on the dol­ lar redeemed in silver,- or less than half as much in gold. When it ge.ts to be absolutely vaiU't'les;< it will reach the 'Populist id^al of a perfect '.currency. tlundreds of volunteers from Camp Al­ ger, where there are about 25,000 soldiers come to Washington every day. Many of them have never seen the capital before and up to this time the saloons and disrep­ utable houses have been reaping a rich harvest from their patronage. The police a have been instructed not to arrest or oth­ erwise interfere with men in uniform, un­ less it is absolutely necessary for their welfare or the protection of others, and notwithstanding this order the station houses are filled with drunken soldiers nearly every night. It has been the rule to send them back to camp a&soon as they $re sober without placing tlieirt names, up­ on the docket of arrests or brinfting^mem before the police court. Exceptions? have been made only in cases of assault and other misdemeanors which could not be overlooked. It has eome to be the prac­ tice also for the provdst marshal of the camp to send an officer and squad of men into the city every morning for the pur­ pose of picking up the boys who have fallen victims to temptations,'or are Other­ wise detained. 1 i .* * * The object of the Secretary of War in ordering that the recruits under the sec­ ond call for troops shall be used in strengthening thp regiments mustered in under the first call, so that each company shall have 100 and each regiment 1,200 men, is not onl'y-'to promote the efficiency of the army, but is a measure of economy wo^h several millions of dollars to the Government. It cuts down the number of regiments and the number of compan­ ies, and consequently the number of offi­ cers, one-third, and as the pay of the offi­ cers of a regiment under the old plan ag­ gregates almost as much as the pay of the men the expense Will be reduced one- third also. « * » * People in Washington who go to ma Ket or shopping these days are pretty Hurt, to receive gold coin as change, and I t J* t , \0 first time we have had that expiorlene^ since greenbacks were adopted by Secre­ tary Chase in 1862. During the hiMt Mix weeks the disbursing officers of the dif­ ferent departments have been puying the salaries of the clerks in the yellow metal, and all drafts and warrants upon the treasury have been paid in mixed money at the proportion of $5 in paper to $15 in coin. The result has been a scarcity of greenbacks and silver certificates and a large amount of gold coin in common cir­ culation. v--^ \ * * * It seems to b> settled that Gen. Miles himself insteadVof Gen. Coppinger will lead the army to Por|o Rico, and it is the President's intention to allow him full sway, in making the preparations for the expedition and selecting the officers and troops that win accompany^, him. Miies lias upset the plans that were made in the War Department while lie was at work at Tampa, and, having done so, will be held. responsible for making and carrying out a new plan of campaign. * * * The superintendent of Washington po­ lice has been instructed to notify all liquor sellers of . the intention strictly to enforce a law which was passed by Congress in 1S61 forbidding the sale of liquor in any form to soldiers in the service of the Unit­ ed States, or to any person wearing the uniform of such a soldier, under the pen­ alty of $20 fine for^uch offense and the forfeiture of both the^municipal and the United States license for the sale of liquor. « - * IS * The boys at Gamp Alger are very eager to get away and are agitated by every rumor that refers to their departure. They are rapidly becoming hardened soldiers and will soon be ready for Serious busi­ ness. The regiments are all short in num­ bers. Recruits are coming in rapidly, sev­ eral hundred every day, but they are most­ ly green men who have never served with the militia and have to be drilled in the simplest rudiments of military duty. • * * It has been decided that there will be no general invasion of Cuba until fall. That has been the President's determination from the beginning. Even before the de­ claration of war he made up his mind that if hostilities should occur he Would not be responsible «for the sacrifice of the lives he knew must be lost from yellow fever and other climatic diseases if an attempt were to be made to invade Cuba during tjie rainy season. * # There is intense indignation both in army and navy circles and in Congress be­ cause of the general understanding that Hobson has been kept in Castle Morro ex­ posed to the fire of our guns. If the usual practices of warfare were followed Hob- son and the Americans would be removed to a place of safety, instead of danger. The putting forward of prisoners as a shield is a relic of barbarism. * * * There is a vacancy in the postoffice at Strode's Mills, Pa., for the first time in fifty-three years. It is caused by the death of Joseph Strode at the age of 84, who was appointed postmaster by Presi-, dent James K. Polk Oct. 21, 1845, and held the office continuously ever since. There" are two older men in the postal service. One of them is in Maine and the other in Maryland. * V * * It will be the middle of July before an attack can be made upon Porto Rico.' The number of troops and the selection of the regiments will be determined later. Gen. Miles thinks he should have not less than 20,000 men, and the regiments which are in the best condition when the expedition is ready to start will be selected. if * * "• it; | By the time Gen. Miles is ready with his Porto Rico expedition Admiral Sampson will be released from his labors at San­ tiago, .and at liberty to accompany the transports and entertain the ^Spaniards at San Juan while the troops are landing at some other convenient point on the island. * * * The psasage by an overwhelming ma­ jority in the House of Representatives of the joint resolution for the annexation of Hawaii to the United States, has caused a revival of interest in the bill to provide for telegraphic communication between San Francisco and Honolulu. • * * Gen. Blanco is considered helpless and harmless, and might as well be in Havana as anywhere. He canuot get out to re- enforce any of the other cities of Cuba,' and as long as he remains behind his for­ tifications the rest of the island is at our mercy. \ 4 * * * The Camara tleet gives no concern. The officers at the Navy Department know its weakness both in the l(ick of fuel and am-, munition, and only wish it would cross the oceau. They would like nothing better than to see such an exhibition of folly on the part of Spain. 1 HE war loan whi,Cli is now being offered ^ill be sold to subscribers at par during the period Of subscrip­ tion, which ends July 14, 1898. The method of subscription has been made as simple as possible. Blaftk forms may be obtained at every money, order postoffice, | **3^, nt most of the banks and express offices, and on these forms is clearly indi­ cated all that it is necessary for the sub­ scriber to fill out. The subscriber may himself mail to the Treasury Department at Washington the blank form tilled out, together with his remittance covering the par value of the amount of bonds lor which he wishes -to subscribe. That re­ mittance may be in whatever form best 'suits the subscriber's convenience--in cur­ rency, bank draft, check, postoffice money order, or express money, order. The day the currency is received, or the day the proceeds are' received from the checks, drafts or money orders, the subscription will be entered and will immediately be­ gin* drawing interest. When the bonds are delivered, a check will accompany each delivery covering the interest at 3 per cent from the day the subscription is entered to the 1st of August, the date of the bonds, and from which date the bonds - will carry their own interest. Following is a part of the circular issued by Secre­ tary Gage explaining the bond issue: T' of the Treasury invites sub­ scriptions from tiie people of the United States for $200,000,000 of the bonds o£ the 3per cent, leap author)/ \by the act of Congress ai>proMHwt^xr": .;>* is98. Sub­ scriptions will be reeei&J "jft ./par for a period of thirty-four days, the subscription being open from this date to a o'clock p. m. v .14t,h d!*y of J"ly. 1898. The bonds will be Issued In both coupon, and registered «>upon bonds in denominations of ?20f $100, $o00 and $1,000, and the registered in denominations of $20, $100, S500r- $1,000, $o,000 and $10,000. They wilt be dated Aug. 1, 1898, and by the is terms will f? .^eemable in coin at the pleasure of the United States after ten yeara from the date OT their issue, and due and paya»Me Aug. lr iyio. The bonds will bear Interest "at Che rate of 2 P®'1' cent- per annum, payable quarterly, the Interest on the coupon bonds will be paid by means of coupons; to be attached from the bonds as the Interest becomes due, and the Interest on the registered bonds- will be paid by checks drawn to the order of the payees and mailed to their addresses. The law authorizing tills issue of bonds provides" that In allotting said bonds the Hovcrnl subscriptions of Individuals shall bo lll'wt accosted, and the subscriptions for tho lowest amounts shall bo first allotted. In Accordance with that provision allot- mont* to all Individual subscribers will be Uttido D#foro any bonds will bo allotted to ofchor than individuals. All Individual sub­ scriptions for J500 or less will bo allotted in ic- us Uhfy aro recolved, and such Biibscrlp- tlouji filU»t bo paid In full at tflio time the- subscription Is made. If th© total sum sub­ scribed for In amounts of $500 or i>ss should oxceed $200,000,000 tilio allotment* will be made according to the priority of Mie re­ ceipt of die subscriptions. Allotments on subscription® for over $500' will not be made until after the subscrip­ tion closes, July 14, and will then be made Inversely according to the size of the sub­ scription, the smallest subscription being first allotted, then the next in size next, and so On, preference being given to Indi­ vidual subscriptions. Persons subscribing for more than $500 must send In cash or certified checks to the amount of 2 per cent, of ttie sum subscribed for, such deposit to constitute a partial payment, and to be for­ feited to the United .States in the event of failure o<n«tihe subscriber's part to make full payment for-his subscription, according to the terms of the circular.. AHvuluvIiLo to subscribers for more than $500 will be made as soon as possible after the subscription closes. Ill order to avoid a too rapid absorption of fund's Into the treasury, with a possible consequent evil effect on industry and com­ merce, any subscriber for more than $500 will be permitted to take his allotment of bonds In Installments of 20 per cent., taking the first Installment within ten days after the-notice of the allotment, and the balance at four equal Intervals of forty days each in four installments each of 20 per cent, of the bonds allotted. Delivery of bonds will be made in installments as payiment for them is received, and payment must in all cases be made in full as the bonds are taken. The 2 per cent, depo-slt will apply on the final Installment. • * • For the mutual convenience of the sub­ scribers and the department a blank form of letter to accompany remittances has been prepared and it may be obtained at the offices of national and State banks generally, at the several subtreasuries of the United States, at any money order postoffice and at any express office. The bonds will be dated Aug. 1, 1898, and they will be delivered to subscribers free of expense for transportation as soon after that date as possible. Tihe bonds will be accom­ panied by a check for the amount of Inter­ est due the subscriber from the date of his payment to Aug. 1, 1898. All remittances and obher communications relative to this loan should be addressed to the Secretary of the Treasury, division of loans and currency, Washington, D. C. All subscriptions must be received at the Treasury Department, Washington, D. C., not. later than 3 o'ulock p. m., Wednesday, July 14, 1898: No subscriptions received af­ ter that date and hour will be considered. L. J. GAG-E, Secretary. Intended to finriii Hay. John Trodd, who shot the German offi­ cial in London, is believed to be insane. Papers found in his possession after his arrost show that he intended to harm Col. John Hay, the United States ambassador, whose residence :*i»"neai* the German em­ bassy. Rain Helps the Wheat. Good rains which have fallen near Mel­ bourne, Australia, have, it is estimated, improved the value of the wheat crop of Victoria by £1,000,000. Notes of Current Events. There has been a sharp advance in the wholesale price of cheap teas, on account of the war tax. Mrs. Gladstone does not realize her hus­ band's death, and continually speaks of him as being in the next room. Lo*d Wolseley, commander-in-chief of the British army, has been offered the governor generalship of Canada. An English traveler reports 1,000,000 acres of marvelously rich unimproved, farm land in the Philippine Islands. A national organization is being formed in China to preserve the empire and to. protect it from European aggression. > Gov. Bradley, of Kentucky, received ia a single day 500 letters from persons who wanted to be generals, colonels, captains or lieutenants in the regiments now being formed. A collision between vessels in Boston harbor came near blockading the only channel open t-o navigation, all others be­ ing closed by submarine mines of the gov-, eminent. At Pattonviile, TMmL^f lL Gilliam was fataliy shot by mlna#* Covington, husband of Gilliam's niece, during a quar­ rel over Covington's alleged mistreatment of his wife. ^ • Searchlights are such good targets for an enemy's guns that the Germans are arranging to throw the light first on a mirror and thence on the enemy, thereby . concealing its real source. Fry W. Giles, a retired banker and mer­ chant, died at Topeka, Kan., at the aga of 79 years. He helped to locate the. town site of Topeka. Queen Victoria has made public her in-, tention to direct the erection of a monu­ ment to the late William E. Gladstone iti Westminster Abbey. Fire in Elyton, Ala., destroyed three handsome residences belonging to Dr. J. H. McCarthy, B. W. Kemp and W. .New* berry. Loss, §20,000. Mrs., Lavina Lee, of East Guthrfk poured gasoline on a smoldering fire and was fatally burned. Her home was de­ stroyed by the flames. .