bet powerful journals of eat powers not only con- president's policy, . but it is a subject of derision. Italy is tt us. No voice is heard any- ere in Europe fér us, or if there be dices they are those of individuals, 'not of nations. Public opinion is the most potent of allforces. If weplunge into-'s war in defiance of it- we are- not fighting England only ; we are contend- ing against all the European powers. Are we strong enough for that? We have to think of the honor and reputa- "tion of our beloved country, and to re- member that the verdict of history is foreshadowed in the ceusure of Christ- endom." ; GRAVITY OF THE CRISIS, The Evening Post says: 'What constitutes the gravity of the present crisis is not that we are issying a com- mission of inquiry concerning matters of deep interest to us, but that we are issuing it as a hostile proceeding, with a threat of war behind it. What we are going to investigate therefore is not whether there is wrong on the British side, but what is the extent of the wrong. We are asking, too, a first- class power to acknowledge our right to trace her frontier in defiance of her own claims, and in territory which does not belong to us. Is there any way. -out of this but war ? "In our belief, therefore, it is the duty of all patriotic men, and especially -of business men, the work of congratu- lating the president on his stupendons folly being over, to come down dias ness and see what is the prospect which they have to face in the probable event of war with Great Britain. Most of those who are 'hollering' to-day prob- ably fancy that we should all, barring the fighting men, find ourselves com- fortable in such a war as in the one with the south--that is, with an active business, plenty of money, open ports, * full theaters, and exciting 'extras. There could not be a greater mistake. We are only just recovering from a severe panic, anf our currency is still trembling on the edge of a chasm. The mere existence of a minatory com- mission during the next six months of a 'presidential year' will retard, if not wholly stop, the process of recupera- tion, if it does not land us on a silver basis, and will cause hehvy withdrawals of foreign capital from our securities. We know very well that there are jingoes so afflicted by Providence that the more you tell them of the losses 'that war would occasion, the more + -------eager they are for hostilities to begin, their notion being that when you go to war it is base and mean to count the \cost. They think, like Louis XIV., or Napoleon, that there is nothing like fighting for 'honor,' and revel.in the thought of the misery in which they will plunge other people. But we do not believe the mass of American busi- ness men have been converted all of a sudden into crack-brained Parisians. Who, in listening to the jingo yells these fine mornings, can avoid hearing through the mist of years those other jingo yells which started the Parisian crowd onthe road 'to Berlin,' or ask- what war for respect and honor' has ever been begun, continued, or ended without making its ing them selves 'self- originators and promoters objects of execration to all subsequent genera- tions ?"" THE REAL FEELING. The Sun in an editorial says: "A British-born clergy dd ing an association of natives of Great Britain ata Fifth avenue hotel on Thursday evening, said that a America and England would be pecu- liarly horrible, because it would be 'a fratricida] conflict.' The twocountries, he declared, are bound together by war between 'the ties of race and interest' -as 'the children of a common mother.' " Com- menting on this the Sun says: "The talk about fraternal love and of affec- posal tion for a common mother deceives no- 4 body here, and vrobably few there. There is no such love. rather of hatred." COMPARISON OF STRENGTH. The Herald to-day prints a long comparison of the relative naval and military resources of Great Britain and the United States, and says editorially : "Now that attention has been general- bd ly called to the condition of our navy : and its needs, there are many people who are disposed to console themselves for our lack of s sufficient number of battleships by asserting that our com- merce destroyers, in case of war, would be able to sweep the enemy's commerce from the seas. The Herald, in con- trasting the navy of the United States with that of Great Britain, points out in another column of to-day's issue the fallacy of this argument, so far as a great naval power is concerned. In- asmuch as commerce-destroy need large quantities of coal, and as the United States cruisers would be unable The feeling is to get coal anywhere except in our own harbors, many ' prominent students of the problems of naval warfare assert their belief that within sixty days after the beginning of war between the United States and Great Britain the former would not have a single vessel afloat outside of our own ports." GEN LAURIE INTERVIEWEDr Gen. Laurie, formerly a member of the Canadian house of commons, who arrived in London during the early part of the week, said, during the course of an interview upon the sensational reports in circulation, that while the firmly believed that President Oleve- land's message to congress on the Venezuelan question was only an "elec- tioneering kite," it must be recognized thal there isavery large amount of 'inflammable material in the United States, to which President Cleveland has applied a match, and which, at any moment, may get beyon his control." Continuing, Gen. Laurie remarked ; "There is therefore a very serious risk of certain hotheads onthe frontier at- tacking what they cordially hate, the British flag. So far as Canada is con- cerned, the chief danger lies in a small party of these jingoes crossing the frontier in a moment of excitement and insulting the flag in a way to at once call for reprisals. 'There is avery strong national feel- ing among the Dominion militia, which is composed of young men who in case of emergency would instantly place their services at the disposal of the government. This readiness to defend the government was evidenced during the times of the Fenian raid and dnur- ing the Northwest rebellion. There is no question that the Canadians are a unit in their determination to defend their country and remajn part of the British empire. Canada is stronger to- day than she was in 1812, and yet at the end of that war Canada was in pos- session of Michigan, and but for the unwise action of the home government would still possess it. The feeling in Canada is perfectly friendly to the United States, pro- vided she minds her own business ; but once she attempts to interfere in Cana- dian affairs there is nota man in the Dominion but will cry, "Hands off." The French Canadians are equally op- posed to the idea of being absorbed by the United States." SHOUTING AND GONG-BEATING SHOULD / CEASE, Buffalo, Dec. 21.--The Commercial (Rep.) says this evening: It might haye been for the interests and the good repute of the United States had the senate postponed action on the president's message and recommenda- tions until the country has recovered its breath, had time to look into the grounds for the war mania into which it has been suddenly plunged, and mus- tered courage to speakfits honest mind There unmistakable rising of a tide of public abont it. are signs of the opimnon--the opinion of thinking men and of the great commercial bodies-- with which the government of this country is bound to reckon. It is well that the shouting and gong-beating should cease for a time, and that tke voice of reason and conscience should be heard. MEN AND WOMEN. Do you wantto get a nice fat quarter of beef. If you do buy from a practical man. I by all my beef alive and slaughter it myself. You can rely on getting _ first-class healthy meat trom me. Spec- ialrates on large pieces or uarters. Sausage or Head- cheese a specialty. PORTER The Meat Man, Main St. West. Know What You Chew apn is free from the injurious coloring. The more you use of it the better. you Uke It. THE GEO, E. TUCKETT & SON CO., trp ILTON, ONT. HURRY UP! M. WILDFANG | is clearing out his stock of Clothing and Gents' Furnishing Goods AT PRICES Which Will Astonish the "Town, He has decided to re-model the premises he nowoccupjes for a Large and Extensive Stock of Clothing. He must in otder to make room clear out the stock of Ready-Made Clothing. OVERCOATS., WORSTEDS,- SERGES, FURS AND FURNISHINGS. They All [ust Go at any price. The room is worth more to him than the "DOLLAR SAVING BARGAINS RUB THE DUST OFF. YOUR EYES HURRY UP ! FALL IN LINE and don't stop until you come to WILDGANG'S and _ get some of the following bargains. Look at These Prices ORDERED CLOTHING. No matter how low the price, we see to it that only garments of good quality go out over our counters, if we say asuit is *'All Wool" it is all wool whether the price is $10 or $20 the same guarantee goes with each. An illustration of values. All-Wool Tweed Suits to order for $10 the $13 kind All-Wool Tweed Suits to order for $12 the $15 kind Others at $13, $14, $15 and up to $20 that tip the scales as temptingly. ° Ordered OQvercoa's, Underclothing. Rugular $15 ones for..........., $12 Cash | Regular $1.40 Shirts and Drawers for $1.15 WB aeeeee eee 13 Cah | "1.25 " " 90c " 18 " sea veoee oe 1Cugh . 1.00 . " "75 ee pase wens 16 Cash 85 ss bi We have just received and al stock another #12 Dogzen Shirts and Dreweee. One line all-wool ribbed 40c or 75c a Suit 2s You'll very likely doubt your eyes and go to $28 or ao Silk lined, we make them. Ready-mude Ulsters for Men & Boys | Regular $14 Ulsters for.......... $11 Cash | Another line (Len) 4 | goods 60c or $1.00 * 2 48 crn wcdnniae 9 Cash | a Suit. * 9 -- seweey aia 7 25 Cash | See our S8 special for $5 it's a corker. Tor SHIRTS. READY- . ular 25c kind for ................. 10c Childrea's from $1.36 up to........ $3.75 | " 8Ne FS Se ES Scere SSR 59c Regular prices were $2.25 upto...... 4.50 | " $1.10 OF ok wai 6 ReaRERMTRREee 85c Men" UO up Wo........ 00 | "125 MT TT eT Cree 958 Regular prices were 85.0) up to. » $12.00) " Ls Te ea eevee enemies $1.10 CHRISTMAS GOODS. We have on hand a large and extensive stock of Fus Caps, Ties, Collars, Cuffs, Silk . Linen, and Cotton Hand- kerchiefs &c. Remember every articlein the store has been re-marked with blue pencil, at which prices the goods will be sold for cash only. Buy while the boom lasts. : M. Wildiang, SIGN OF THE. ELEPHANT, ~ *WALLACE STREET. I am clearing out my large and entire stock of Watches, Clocks, Jewelery, Silverware, Fancy Chinaware, Cut Glass- ware, Vases, Leathef Purses with Silver Mountings, Gold Headed Canes, Diamond and Engagement Rings, Everything Must be Sold at 25 PER CENT DISCOUNT. Positively twenty five per cent. djscount.--Remember I doa _. STRICTLY GASH BUSINESS -- and cannot give any credit at these 'prices. It will pay you to borrow the money and pay cash. The time is here when all must be sold, ; . . Farewell to the old year and old way of doing business. But new ways hnd means are adopted in this store fn order to BIBLES AND HYMN BOOKS are the best value ever brought to Listowel, in style they are away down ahead of anything ever seen. Fine Note Paper a specialty. Beer THET 5 (sera s MY REPAIRING department is complete in every detail and nothing but first class work is done here, any work, that~is done here not satis- factory will be done free of charge, Beseser EYES TESTED FREE OF CHARGE . Thanking my many friends for their patronage of the past who have helped to make this store the best, and my aim will be to build up the largest business of the kind in Western Oniario Wishing each and everyone the Compliments of the season. I am yours fora Happy New Year. J. H. Gunther, JEWELER, OPTICIAN AND EN= GRAVER. Goldsmith's Hall, Opposite the Arlington Hotel. Listowel. Ont '