davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1883-07-28

Hos.sttsF's StoI11Ch Iitters meets th- re
clirsmest- Of the Tatipns! medical th..'~'
,,tv vh'ct a. .,-ese-t prevails. l. j. q Per
t.cfrv rrTe y.ystable remedy. eE.b-a in, ne
rbrsa irrortar. properties 4 pre-. 1'ige,
q tanic and aa attentive. l. iaE-.@es .hs
to4y s-aiu-t ,iissasa iasi-riatas and re
,italizss the torpid s;saaeh and liver. ant
fleets sanitary ehsns= il. tie entire sys-
ten
For sale BY all Druggists aud Dealers
,,arsil,-
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13

hat Sthe Spanish soldiers are unequalled in a.
taoking, but cannot be restrained in reserve pcsL
tions" If this is so the Spanish soldiers have i'm.
proved very much of late, for when last they ala
any serious fighting, which was in the Peninsular
War, they certainly did not win much renown for
their enthusiasm in anything but retreat. At that
time 1t was difficult to persuade them to face ths
French, and though 1t is true that they were badly
Offcered, their want of subordnati0n and disci.
pline appears to have been by no means temporary
or passing defect Since then there has been plenty
of civil war in Spain, but the Spanish soldiers
though frequently displaying gallantry, and some
times ferocty have not, so far as the rest Of
the world knows, achieved anything which can
justify the statement that they are unequaled in
attack" No doubt however King Alfonso is in
bound to give his troops the best character
at his disposal
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
CHINESE TRUTHFULNESS.

The Herald, speaking of recent Chinese ru-
mors observes that "Onc of the national char
acterisics of that people is want of capacity to
distinguish between truth and falsehood." The
same kind of statement has been often made
before, but it is not true. There is no nation
upon earth of which such a statement could be
truthfully made. The very same accusation
has been brought against the people of India,
and Professor Max Miller has refuted it and
exposed its injustice in the most conclusive
manner. In the first place, no Western nation
has ever obtained such knowledge of tho
Chinese character as would Justify the sweep
ing generalization referred to. In the second
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
SHIPPING Law REFOPM.

Several bills have been introduced at Wash
ington for reform of the shipping laws, but
none of them appears to contain any provisions
for the better protection of the merchant sea
man from brutality or for the improvement of
the calbrc Of merchant captains and mates.
Changes are suggested in some of these bills
which seem calculated to facilitate the dis
charge of scamen in foreign ports and strip
from them the protection afforded by their
claim to three months wages. But though the
savagery and cruelty with which too many
American vessels are run has become a national
rcprOach, we look in vain for any legislation
aiming at the extirpatiOn of this crying abuse
1t is plain that one cause of the brutality on
board so many American ships is the bad char
actcr of the men who are appointed officers.
And there can be no doubt that one explanation
of this is the ease with which such positions
can be assumed in this country. If every mcr
chant master and mate were compelled to pass
Government examinations and hold Govern
ment certificates, rs in England, better class
of men would soon go into these cmplOyments.
There would then, moreover be n means both
of supervision and punishment which would
tend to check the disposition toward cruelty
now so freely indulged
The Government that is TO say Congress, has
long neglected the interests of the merchant
seaman. No class of men in the country are so
delenceless, or are habitually more preyed
upon. Exposed at sea to the brutality of every
petty tyrant who happens to hold the position
of master or mate, aud as a rule always re-
garded as prima fdcie in the wrong when they
complain to a consul in a foreign port, they are
delivered over, the moment they set foot on
shore, to the most rapacious and constituencies
set of harpies that ever lived by rapine. The
boarding house keeper, the slop-clOthing seller,
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13

It is difficult to understand exactly what are
the intentions of the French Cabinet on the
Tonquin question. Weeks ago it gave out that
orders had been issued to attack Bac-Ninh ana
Sontay. The attack was not made, however.
Then it was said that the order had been gwen
to seize those two places on December D. But
that date passed without any military move.
ment Now the Cabinet has received vote Oh
confidence in the Chambers, and 1t Is said 10
have proposed renewal of negotiations WIN
the Chinese officials Apparently the Govern
ment hesitates to take step beyond Whieh
peace may be impossible. But it is diihcult 10
see how a war is to be avoided without one side
or the other receding from the position 1t has
taken. 1t will be strange if the Mandarlns
who were ready to fight with Russia over the
province of Sli, back down before less dan
gerOus foe.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
GENERAL NOTES.

Mr.. Whiteley, of London, the universal
purveyOr, who will furnish customer with anything un
der heaven that he DESIRE has recently added tho
publishing trade TO bis innumerabe departments aud
will presently offer TO the world new book on which
Colonel Burnaby is now hard at work.
The State Librarian of Virginia, Colonel
sherwin McRae, after studying for decade the coao
OF the Old Dominion has produced new device
which will be recommended for official adoption. Tho
design represents yrtus standing with foot the
dead body Of tyrant with the chains Of subjectiOn
broken The sword Is sheathed and the figure is clothed
IN the gsrb Of Roman citizen instead OF in armor
The Ncw-York State Fish Commission is now
ready receive applications from residents Of this stats
who desire to stock public waters with salmon trout,
trout California trout black bass oswego bass
rock bass, yellow perch bullheads. Applicants ara
requested TO designate and describe the water which hey
wish to stock. All applications must be made betose
March l, 1884, and should be addressed 10 MI SEN
Green Rochester.
Russian papers are discussing with much con-
the rapid destruction OF the forests. The beauh
oak forests becoming eXnct only the borders OF tho
celebrated chestnut woods OF Yassgourk which date
from the time of Peter the Great exist the forests
which reached from the banks Of the Voa aud tho
Doa far the seppes toward the Ural Mountains have
been destroyed and IN many central ro'l WOOD "
become expensive that large consumers ARE cChd'I
ing the importation OF coal or the use OF petroleum
The march of improvement has seldom en-
counterod greater obstacle than Aunt Mary Jane Oh
Philadelphia This aged uegress is rot obstinate bus
unwiedy. Day and night for years she had sat at tno
window of decayng house on the east SIDE u
Seventh St, eating sleeping and sewing carpet rags -
inclination prompted But at last the owner OF the Gus
decided to convert IL into store, and Aunt MARY
had TO co. She too large to be carried through tu
door of her and so she was transferred 10 ,
ture van through the window at which she had 50 v5
sat helpless. regiment OF stalwart neishOorS saty
accomplished the aruOus task while an army OF slVN
tors applauded It's progress and completion. -
The plans for the palace which Mr. Floods
ahout to erect on Mob Hill San Francisco 50 TAX
perfected that OF the contracts have been given %
The material throughout is to be brown stone quarr
and dressed in Connecticut The front Of the dWehs
says The Chronicle, is to be but two stories IN ns
the lower DOric and the upper Ionic, both modines
Roman suggestions OF ornamentaton. The pui'uIs
will form paraelogram 1o7x127 feet in Size tne U4
break in the lines OF the four walls being
and square central tower containing the yn.o a
its at the front and similar porco EXTENDED ~ % will
porte cochere the The front and rear imus
DO alike Both will be supported by fourteen Gortinl
purely Doric, carved out OF single stones ana 6ea
o balcony OF corresponding design, faced Win aases
balustrede the piers Of which will be capped VIII
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
LIGHT ON A )MMISSIoNERS METHODS

LIGHT ON 4 | JMMISSIONER'S METHODS.
In any investigation which may be made into
contract frauds in the Public Works Depart
ment, the peculiar circumstances related in to-
days TRIBUNE should have full weight. If a
contractor cannot afford to do piece of work
at a lower price than his bid, how can he afford
to become surety on the contract of the man
who underbids him And if there is no con-
tractors ring, how are the close pecuniaTy rela-
tiOns existing between competing contractors to
be explained And how is it that a man who
does not bid at all is at the same time surety on
large number of different contracts These
are serious questions, the answers to which
should be carefully sought by a competent legal
tribunal.
There should also be searching investigation
to ascertain whether or not the city is paying
for supplies and work not furnished. 1t has re-
Gently been shown before the Assessment Com
mission that on some contracts made before Mr.
Thompson became Commissioner of Public
Works large sums were paid for work never
done. What guarantee is there that the same
state of affairs does not 0xst nOw2 2 Certainly
there is nothing in the character of the polite
ians employed by Mr.. Thompson as inspectors
to secure the city against frauds of that kind
AS shown to-day, one of the inspectors was en-
ployed in another city while drawing per diem
pay in New York. There are other and worse
instances of this kind that can be given.
How enormous are the losses to the city
through the worse than reckless administration
of Mr.. Thompson will only be known after
thorough legal investigation. What Controller
Green officially said of the Public Works De-
partment in 1876 is particularly applicable now :
"Sinecurists and placemcn have swclled the
"pay-rOlls; inspectors of public improvements,
"totally unqualified for their duties, have been
"employed. Not to waste words, the result has
"been enormous cost of work to be assessed
"upOn property fraudulent contracts
&" and mass of corrupt jobs. Three fourths of
" the litigation Of the city has grown out of the
irregular transactions of this department. 1t
twas organized under the charter of 1870 to
give to its then head pTcpOndeTance of the
"political power of the city, and it has never
"yet been freed from the influences that grew
cup under his management"
1t was not long after that was written when
Mr. Thompson became the political power in
the Public Works Department; and what his
influence has led to we have already shown.
The expenditures of the department are much
larger now than in 1876, and the loss is CORE
spondingly greater.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
ELcKLNG C-lNNnN

Referring to Apostle Cannon, of Utah Terri
tory. The vigorous language employed by
President Arthur in his late message in refer
cncc to the MormonS has hurt his feelings.
And the consequence is that he lifts up his
voice in passionate protest We rejoice that it
is so. We are glad to see him taken that way.
For this is Il style of Cannon whose discharge
is harmless but whose rccoil is bad-for the
man that fires ii oft.
"Our enemies exclaimed the Apostle. in his
discourse of last Sunday. hope to divide us
"and thus overcome us. They have by their
claws deprived the leaders of this people of
" those rights that belong 10 lis as much as TO
"thcm. They have sought to humble the elite
"of this people" This is what is iamiliarly
known IA the martyr racket. And we must
admit that seldom has it been so imprcsSivcly
played. The greater includes the less, so that
if the elite " of the polyg amists are to be
humblcd, of course your ordinary, everyday
polygamst stands no chance mt all. "Thc
elite" is lovely term in any circumstances,
but as here used it is irresistible. 1t gives one
new idea of the juicy resources of the French
language besides furnishing a fresh synonym
for leading rcprobatcs The gentry to whom
cannon refers N!lcll Hf Ni'hN' vi 'll' dl' INV
Mormon "apOstlcs" and cOgnatc chiefs of what
ever name who uphold the pcstfcrous institu-
ton known as the Mormon Church. They are
the elite in the sense that Pccksniff or Dick
Turpin was.
Further on in his discourse Cannon complains
that the men that have laborcd for years in
building up this Territory have been dcpOscd."
The reference here is chiefly to Cannon. He
has long been n foremost Mormon leader. In
deed, ever since the death of that quintcsscnce
of the elite Brigham Young, he has been
known as the brains of the Mormon Church"
Sent to Congress as delegate from Utah in
1873, he remained there as such until last year
when he was deposcd from office. He made a
vigorous fight for his seat, in the course of
which he defended himself and his fellow
poygamsts as being on " the plane of Abraham
and the patriarchs.n There Is ground for sus-
pcctng that his temper has not improved since
his involuntary retirement. That hc and his
fellOw-lc leaders have done much To promote
"thc building up of the Territory" so far as its
material prosperity is concerned, may be ad-
mittcd But their chief work has been the
building up, in defiance of law and dcccncy, Of
the Mormon Church.
Cannon would better not fire himself of
again Nothing he can say can make the case
of the MormOns look better. That hc can make
it look worse Is quite possible
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13

bases upon It grossly unbalanced bid, and the
city invariably loses by the operation. Inc
result is never the other way. This, as Sam
Weller said of the up, citing of coach load OF
voters. is @hextra- ordinary and wonderful
coincidence"
2. That public officer, sworn to protect the
interests of the city, is bound, by law or by any
other obligation, to consent to the swlndling OF
the city, we fatty deny. 1t is apparent from
Mr.. Thompson's language that he knew what
these unbalanced bids meant; he must have
known if he was not a fool; and the PROPOSE
ton that the head of a department is required
by law to carry out an obvious scheme to de-
fraud is one which we shall not accept without
very precise and eminent legal authority. But
is there a man of common sense who believes
that the Commissioner of Public Works could
NOT have broken up these systematic rascalltles
at any moment if he had wished tof
What could he do7 In the first place if the
law did not authorize him to reject dishonest
bids. il was only necessary for him to expose
tbe wrong and ask for better law. That is
what n faithful officer would have done at
once and there is not the least doubt that pup
licity would have put n stop to the whole THEY
iSh system. Mr.. thompson, ho"cNcl, "'''p''"
tbe situation with such cheerfulncss that when
change in the law did give him authority to
reject unbalanced bids he made no Use of it ;
he saws that he did not know of the change un-
iii the Corporation Counsel called his attention
to it nearly five months later and even then he
went on accepting unbalanced bids just the
same, and the fraud is going on prospcrously
at this moment
In the next place it must be observed that
the frauds are not committed by the contract
ors alone, but they begin in the Department OF
Public Works. The basis of a fraudulent bid
is always a fraudulent estimate of quantities.
Michael Finn would not have bid the prepos-
terous prices of 80 cents cubic yard for ex-
cavating rock and 81 90 cubic yard for dig
ging dirt if an official of the department had not
previously made false estimate, which FINN
knew TO be false Collision in such
cases is difficult to prove but where there is
regular correspondence between enormous
mscaculations by the department engineers
and enormous profits by the contractors, the in
fcrences are irresistible. 1t does not appear,
however, that Mr.. Thompson ever called hissub-
ordinatcs TO account, or felt the least concern
at their unftncss for their places. 1t was plain
that they were either incompetent or dishonest.
What did the Commissioner ever do about 1t
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, THURSDAY, DECEMBER Is, 1889

the rumseller, and 1t is to be feared even some
times the shipping agent who carries the COM
mission Of the United States, are his enemies,
and in their differing ways fleece and victimize
him. His advance notes are almost always ap-
prOpriated by some of the gang of thieves who
surround him, and who make the most trans
parent pretence of giving him consideration.
In short Poor Jack is treated worse than any
dog both aflOat and ashore and because he Is
simple and for the most part ignorant, and be-
cause he does not know or care anything about
politics, he finds nobody to take up his cause
and demand justice and fair play for him.
1t is time this was rcmeded We shall never
regain our lost position on the ocean until we
have officers and crews as well as ships. AT
present, if we could instantly put a thousand
merchant ships ahoat, we should have to go
abroad to man them. Outrage and neglect have
driven our few remaining sailOrmen away from
the flag they love, and have fastened upon that
flag an evil reputation among all sea-gOing
people. All this, however, can be changed, and
it is in the power of Congress to change it. Pro-
tect the sailor at sea- Give him manly and
mcrciful officers. Guard him from the para
sites that feed upon him in every port. Do not
leave him without help abroad. Do not let
owners or captains impose upon him. DO away
with the advance enOte system. Establish
Government examinations for masters and
mates. And while the general interests of the
shipowners will be materially advanced, the
character of the merchant service will be raised,
and the American seaman will again be what
he was formcry,-the pride of his country.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13

One of the important questions to come before
the Legislature at its next session will be that
of protecting from destruction the Adirondack
forests. The committee of the Chamber OF
Commerce, which is circulating memorial on
this subject for presentation to the Legislature
ought to receive the aid of every citizen. 1t is
to be hoped that the committee of the State
Senate which investigated the subject last
summer will present practicable measure for
adoption by the Legislature. The question Is
not one of easy solution. A great deal OF the
forest land is now owned by private persons,
and that will have to be acquired in some way
for the State in order to save the forests from
destruction.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
EXCUSES THAT DO NOT EXCUSE.

Commissioner Thompson puts forth two ex-
cuses {: l. That the engineers of the depart
ment have no means of estimating the quanti-
ties of rock and earth in proposed excava-
ton, their so-called estimates being nothing
more than guesses. 2. That the department
has had until lately no authority to reject un-
balanced bids, but has been obliged by law to
ratify and execute obviously dishonest con-
tracts.
1. To the first plea it is sufficient answer
that favored contractors seem to have no diff
Guilty In doing what Mr. Thompson says can
not be done. Whenever the. Department of
Public Works puts forth grossly erroneous
guess, it happens that some one contractor
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13

place, the common notions of the Chinese char-
acter are derived from contact with the Chinese
who have come to this countryj and nineteen
twentieths of them are of the lowest social and
intellectual grade, come from one town and
province, and are in no true sense representa-
tive. In the third place, all who have had deal
ings with educated Chinese, and especially with
the mercantile class, know that they are re-
markably upright and truthful. In San Fran
cisco, where there are many wealthy Chinese
merchants, the credit of no class stands higher.
Bankers solicit their custom because they are
so scrupulously honorable, and their word is In
nine cases out of ten, better worth having than
that of the majority of white traders. AGAIN
the literature of China, which is extensive,
though only q very small portion of it has been
explored hitherto, abOunds in inculcations OF
reverence for the truth. From COnfuclus on
ward all the philosophers and teachers or the
Middle Kingdom have exhibited the strongest
regard for truth and the strongest hatred for
falsehOOd. Columns could be filled with CHI
nese apothegms, proverbs and ddactic sentences
breathing the lOftiest sentiments in this connec-
ton.
AS to Chinese diplomacy, it is like all diplo-
macy, SAVE llluJ IL lS lIOIc Cilflh "A
the West. But if, which is not the case, it were
far more insincere and full of duplicity than
that of other powers, it might be answered to
this charge that weakness has always been COM
PEELED to defend itself by cunning. When the
lions skin is too short that of the fox must exc it
out That is not only time -honOred diplomatic
doctrine but human nature. All subjugated
people have recourse to deceit 1t is too often
their sole protection. The Chinese in America
have been dcfenceless strangers in hostile
country, and there need be no wonder, there
fore, if they have tried to protect themselves
sometimes by "ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain" But the habit of branding a
nation of four hundred millions with "incapacity
to distinguish between truth and falschood" is
certainly not warranted by the facts and it is a
loose and reckless way of talking which ought
to be abandoned.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13

The National Committee of the Union League
has undertaken very difficult task. 1t seeks
to find some way to overcome Bourbonism In
the South That is problem which has long
occupied the attention of the country, and
which is no nearer solution now than il was ten
years ago. There is one way to check the evil,
and that is to elect Republicans in the North.
1t is no doubt true, as Representative llouk
said in the meeting of the Committee yesterday,
that there will not be another fair election
"until the North cOnvinces the BOurbons that
they cannot rule the Government" But
recent occurrences in Virginia and Washington
show that they are yet far from being CON
WINGED that they cannot rule the nation.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13

The plan for the conduct of the Republican
primaries. aud for the control of the District
and County Committees, as adopted last night
by the Committee of Eighteen, is another wise
step in the direction of rcorganzing the party
in this city. The Committee decided not to fix
the date of the primaries until all the chal-
lenges resulting from the recent enrolment
are disposed Of That will give opportunity for
a thorough sitting of the charges made against
any enrolled voter, and will secure fair prim-
aries. That is the one great advantage in the
new plan.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
amussmenls 60 Might.

.c,nyxy OF DRsIGN-Art Loan Exhibition.
AwrRICAN ART GALLERIEs-ExhOluon,, ,a,oo +,
xs,,oM OPERA HoUsE-8-"Orpheusa and Eurydlce'
C..MoDs-" Cv The Beggar Student"
"a, 10 Tur -S:15-" Seven-T Twenty Eight
0RLsp OPERA HOUsE-8-"Ihe Two Orphans.
2sXspIy,s SAN FRANCISCO ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ,
~ anisos SQUARE THEATRE-S:30-"Delme Daughters
NV y PanK THEATRE-S-"T The Princess Chuck
MAJ o,s GARDRN-S-" Excelsior"
rDs0tRD THEATRE-S-" Estrella."
ar IN RTggATRE-S-"KingL Lear"
,ruiIII THYATRE-S-"L Leichte Cavallerie'
TaT.TRE ECOMIoUE-S-" COrdela's Aspiration s.
UNION SQUARE THEATRE@s-nstorm1 N B',an Beate% y
WAL LCK's sTHEATRR-S-" The Road 10 KUN;
an AyFSuH THEATRE-S- Richard Mansfield.
STH AVENUE THEATRES" Monte Crlsto'
14TH STREET THEATRE-S-" Fedora"
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13

The Republican Senators ought to make no
mistake to-day in agreeing upon candidate
for Secretary of the Senate. No person should
be chosen who is not in full sympathy with Civil
Service Reform and the other principles of the
party. 1t is difficult to understand under such
circumstances, how Mr. George c. Gorham can
hone for success.
New-York tribune., 1883-12-13
WHAT MR.. OLNEY MAY FEAR.
From ns Commercial Adverttser

Mr.. Peter b. Olney, the new District Az as'Tps ps
ney says regarding the recent disclosures IN source
partment OF Public Works, From wnatever ever sSsI b
shown" That's all right He saysi Neither VIZ iasnsei
be any persecution" There's not the sop
with prosecuting Mr.. Hubert o. Thompson whst yJu
tons with Mr. Thompson have been such that ~ fay
need most fear Is that the public VIII saspees ss'N
ortng him.