davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

lack Of sense, or something Of that sort to at
tempt the latest imposition that is being tried in
three or four Of the departments. For many
years tbs force of employees has
fuctuated in the departments by reason Of
the appropriations that Congress has made to
pay them. Large reductions have been made
at various times, before and after the civl-serv-
ice law was enacted. When there is no pro.
vision made to pay men they must be discharged,
and to get back required reappointment be-
fore the civil-service law was passed, and now
the examination must be passed again
There is one thing that will cause
the dismissal of any of us-a lack of funds
to pay US. Well, sir, the men that have been
dismissed for this reason during the past ten or
fifteen years are applying for 'reappointment'
They call it reinstatement sometimes"
"Will they succeedr asked
''Poo-pooh!" replied the official. 'sThey stand
no better show of getting back than if they had
never been here before. But they show their
nerve gall in representing in their application
papers that they were removed because they
were Democrats! Its amazing The records
have been looked up before the applications were
forwarded to the Civil-service Commissioners,
and not one was removed for any cause that
could bear in the slightest upon politics. Nearly
all were discharged because there was no appro-
priation to pay them. Others were found dis
honest, or figured in scandals, or were in some
way found wholly unfit to hold their positions.
That class receive such an Endorsement before
reference to the Civil-service Commissioners.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
GERMAN IMPORT DUTIES.
Measures that Will Have a Serious Effect on
American Enterprises.

Measures that Will Have a Serious Effect on
American Enterprises.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April 8.-Information has been
received at the Department of State from Con-
sui Schoenle, the United States representative at
Bremen, Germany, to the effect that the Ger
man government is taking direct steps toward
increasing the import duties to an extent
that will bar out American goods practically,
and very materially affect the interests Of our
farmers.
1t seems that the farmers and laborers of Ger
many have for number of years been suffering
from heavy business depression, the same as
England, France and other European countries.
Prices of products and labor are very low, and
with heavy tolls the people are crying out for
lief The United States has been pouring her
cereals into Germany in immense quantities,
keeping the prices down to almost a level with
this country. In Germany the farms are small,
and the producers, not raising wheat, barley. etc.,
in such great quantities as those Of the United
States, are driven to demand protection.
All parts of Germany demand an increase of
duty on grain and -four. 1t is said that at the
present session of the Reichstag the duty will be
increased from three to five times above the
present tax. which is but one mark per 100 kilo-
grammes. The officers of Germany are also split
ting hairs to make Americans pay higher duty
on petroleum shipped to that country They are
stretching the construction of the present laws
so as to classify the barrels in which we ex-
port petroleum as ''coopers' wares" and mako
them dutiable at high figures The United
CIo+a 1Ic <o har -
petroleum annually.
Germany has her scalping-knife drawn for
American enterprise The consul states that
'ssuch state of affairs naturally precludes the
idea that the prohibition of the importation of
American hog products in Germany has any
prospect whatever of being revoked.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
THE MINISTER TO SPAIN.

Hon. John w. Fosters Programme, Plans
and General Mission.
Washington Special.
Hon. John w. Foster, minister to Spain, who
had intended making q visit to his old homo in
Indiana prior to his return to his post of duty,
now finds it impossible to carry out that inten-
ton. He will have long interview with the
Secretary of State, in few days, relative to the
foreign policy of the new administration, and
will sail from New York for his post on the 22d
of April.
The selection of Colonel Foster, who is a
stanch Republican in politics, to return to
Spain in the interests of this government, by
Democratic President, is a compliment of un-
usual consequence single in the history of the
government, but is well bestowed He goes
upon a special mssion-that Of negotiating
new treaty with Spain-and he will bring to the
discharge of the duty diplomatic talents of
high order and large experience. His acquaint-
ance with Spanish statesmen and with Spanish
affairs is intimate and just now is recognized as
invaluable.
Colonel Foster will return here in the fall
with draft of the new treaty, ready TO be
presented to the Senate next winter for action.
and will probably then retire from Office.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

THE Journal published an editorial some
time since on the subject of cancerous dis
eases, in which certain facts were given taken
from the report of the registrar-general of
England, for 1882. There has now been pub
lished, in phamphlet, the address of DR.. Walter
Whitehead before the Manchester Medical So
ciety, in which the same statistics are used.
Abiding to the alarming increase of cancer,
DIR. Whitehead says: eff this is to continue
at che same rate cancer will constitute. in a
very few years, the only disease the profession
will have to contend with"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
A Small Contingent Of the Legislature Visits
the National Capital and Opens NegO-
tiationS for MOrrison's Withdrawal
Tariff Measures that Will Tend to Bar
American Goods Out of Germany.
Instances Of Unexampled Gall on the Part of
Office Observation-Disclosures Black
and the Case of Miss Sweet
THE ILLINOIS sENATORsHIP.
Progress of the Scheme for Substituting Black
for Morrison.

Progress of the Scheme for Substituting Black
for Morrison.
Special to the indianapolis Jourial.
WASHINGTON, April 8.-Intense interest is
felt here in the senatorial struggle in Illinois.
Not many Illinois men are at the national cap
tai now, but all elements are represented, and
there is feeling that the result may, to great
extent. be fought out in the private parlors of
Washington hotels and the elegant apartments
of General Blacks clearinghouse. small
contingent of the Illinois Legislature is here
now, accompanied by an intimate friend of Gen
eral Black, and they spend great deal of time
together. Two or three of the Illinois congress
men linger in the field Land Commissioner
Sparks is an interested on-looker, Mr..
tions in progress and number of other
Illinoisans are taking hand. Some strong
~ favor and others equally strongly oppose the
retirement of Colonel Morrison from the fight
All apparently look upon General Black as a
most promising compromise candidate in this
event The legislators have become convinced
that General Black would poll the full Demo
cratic vote. Their efforts are now being directed
to securing Colonel Morrison's cordial indorse-
ment and co operation in effort to elect Black
if his own chances diminish. 1t is believed that
progress is being made in this direction. The
factions differ widely to the propriety of sub
stituting another name for that Of Morrison,
and representatives of opposing views are watch
ing each other closely.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
A BAD BEGINNING.

The Cabinet had scarcely been settled in
their places when the appointment of Gen.
John G. Black as Commissioner of Pensions
was made with great flourish of trumpets.
Secretary Lamar telegraphed that the Generals
acceptance of the Office would give great
weight to the administration, and the General
replied that if ne could aid President Cleve-
land by accepting the office his services were
at command. The appointment was very gen
orally commended, and the new Commissioner
ent cred upon his duties under most favorable
auspices. But behold! he who went up like
a rocket has already come down like stick.
Thus far Commissioner Blacks administration
of the duties of the bureau has been sue
cession of blunders, the last one, and the
worst of all, being the demand for
the resignation of Miss Sweet, the Chicago
agent. For this act General Black has been
numerically and unanimously scored by the
press of the country, while Secretary Lamar
made haste to say that he knew nothing what
over VI luo SOuliulSSlOHefS dCClOn. TrODdUly,
if President Cleveland and Mr.. Lamar were
asked about the matter now, they would not
think General Black had added SO much
strength" to the administration as they hoped
he would when he was so ostentatiouslv
appointed to appease the righteous wrath
Of ex-Union soldiers over the naming
of an ex-confederate and eulogist of Jefferson
Davis to the head of the department charged
with the duty of supervising the government
provisions for their welfare. General Black
was good soldier, and he is man Of fair av-
erage ability; but he has what is known as the
gift of CAB, and has reputation as an fora
tor" No one so constituted as to acquire that
notorioty amounts to anything in the quiet,
earnest practical work of an administrative
Office. AS rule, the already exaggerated
size of their heads enlarges and they prove
fiat failures. 1t seems that Mr.. Villas and
Commissioner Black will BE- the two conspicu-
aus examples of an almost memorable law in
the early days of this administration.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
lesson written at such great cost, then is
sacrifice in vain and patriotism will-o' the
wisp not worth seeking
A CHURCH DISgRACED,

1t is perhaps part of ministerial duty to
pluck the notes from the eyes of sinners, but
it is well occasionally for pulpit incumbents
to attend to the beams in their own eyes also
The good men might for instance, spare a
little of the time which they are now devot-
ing to denunciations of skating Kinks to a
consideration of the propriety of turning a
church into circus. The rector of the
Church of the Holy Trinity, in New York,
kindly loaned himself and his church to the
midget wedding party as advertising acces-
series, and the result proved the business
shrewdness of Mrs. Thumb and her new hus-
band in asking the favor. An immense throng,
which required over fifty policemen to keep
in restraint, filled the street before
the church Inside were three thousand
invited guests" among whom were Astors,
Vanderbilts, Belmonts, and other distinguished
people, but who, nevertheless, required forty
policemen to keep them in order. When the
lilliputian party entered the church the assem-
bly, stood up in the pews, and whispered and
stared just as it would do at any other show.
The clergyman performed the marriage cere-
mony with great impressiveness, and to com
plete the spectacle, and to leave nothing un-
done promised on the bills" bent down and
kissed the bride, amid the cheers and laughter
of the throng. The midgets had not passed
out of the church before raid upon the chan
eel began, each guest being prompted by a
desire to secure a flower Or other memento Of
the wedding. Had the performance been
under a circus tent, or within the walls
of dime museum, it would have
been unobjectionable, but in church sacred
to the worship of God it was disgraceful
dissertation. Marriage of itself is probably as
honorable between dwarfs or giants as be-
tween commonplace, mediumsized men and
women; but when "show people" marry, their
weddings if public, are intended simply as
advertisements of themselves and their calling,
and are so understood. If the rector of Holy
Trinity did not so understand the matter he
was ninny; if he did comprehend the situa-
ton, and willingly made the sanctuary a
dime museum adjunct for the sake of little
personal notoriety, he deserves nothing but
contempt from all except the midgets them
selves. The Count" and Countess Thumb,
or whatever their names may be, can do moth
ing less than to send the obliging rector free
ticket to all their shows.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

THE congressional committee appointed to
investigate the scientific bureaus of the gov
eminent, with view to reform, has con-
cluded its labors. Although no formal report
has been made, it is given out that these de
partments are found to have been conducted
with efficiency and economy, and that no ma
terial changes will be recommended. This
sort of report must be very discouraging to
the average Democratic mind-and the Demo
cratic mind may be said to be always in all
but exceptional cases, of an average quality
If no corruption and no rascals are found, how
are the reforms to be instituted which are
to turn the Republicans out and themselves
into Officer the hungry brethren are already
beginning to ask. Reports of the sort above
mentioned are not what they were led by
leaders of the Hendricks type to expect
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
DEPRESSED oFFICE-sEEKERs

Amazed at Finding Their Applications Re-
ferred to the Civil-Service Commissioners.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April 8-An office seeker who
has been here looking after an appointment ever
since Inauguration day grew impatient this
morning and called at the White House.
''Your application papers were promptly re-
ferred to the Civil-service Commissioners / see
by the books" replied the President; land pre-
sumo blank application papers for examination
have long since been forwarded to you at your
home"
The ofice-seeker was amazed.
''Why I thought I'd get an appointment
through you," said he, ''and was Endorsed by
my delegation in Congress for that purpose"
ooh! there are thousand applications for
every place filled here" said the President, "and
the only way can do. not to show partiality, is
to refer all these matters cannot attend to at
once, to the Civil -service Commissioners"
''Have you so referred many applicationsln
Eat least ninety-fve out of every hundred "
replied the President, 'and those that have
been sent to the departments have Jared worse,
for scarcely dozen have not been sent to the
Commissioners"
The cffce-seeker was paralyzed, almost He
returned to his hotel, and informed other men
who have been waiting for their places. They
were nearly crushed. During the day more
than twenty applicants who have been hanging
around here have been told at the White House
that their papers were before the Civil-service
Commission, and that they must get places
through that body. The effect has been awfully
depressing, and nothing has caused so much
cursing. There is good deal of agitation over
the matter now.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
The Case of w. A. Gresham.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April Sin the Criminal
Court to-day, William A. Gresham, formerly
of Delphi, Ind, clerk in the War Depart
ment was arraigned for trial for cowhiding
Albert D. Gihon, on March 2. last, particulars
of which were printed in the Journal on the
following day. In the Police Court Gresham
was sentenced to sixty days in jail and his two
co-defendents fined 800 each, from which an
appeal to the Criminal Court was taken.
Gresham changed his plea today from one of
mot guilty" to guilty and put himself
upon the mercy of the court as to suspendiny his
sentence until he should have time to make an
p,ication for clemency to the executive.
Gresham having entered plea of s'guilty.n
Judge Macarthur said that sentence
should be suspended for a sufficient
length of time to allow him to make application
to the executive. Smith and Puff, who were
with Gresham at the time of the assault. are
standing trial, however, and testimony in the
case is being heard.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
MINOR MENTION.

An Effort to Abolish the Useless and Ex-
pensive Botanical Garden.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April 8.-An effort will be made,
it is said, during the next year to abolish the Boz
tanical Garden. This is a branch Of alleged en-
terprise that has no place and no mission, and is
a source of many thousands of dollars expense
every year It is not an ornament because it is
not beautiful, and advances no interest 1t has
been kept in existence simply by the shrewdness
of the manager of it. He is careful to send fow-
ers to congressman and senators and their la
dies. and to see that baskets of choice cuttings
ornament the desks Of the statesmen occasion
ally. So far no one has shown the courage to
retrench in this direction; but the time seems to
have como.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
AppOlnattOx.

To peace-white ashes sunk wars lurid fame,
The drums had ceased to growl. and died away
The bark of guns, where fronting armies lay,
And for the day the dogs of war were tame
And resting on the field of blood-bought fame
For conquered peace DER horrid war held sway
On her won field, score of years to-day,
Where to her champion forth white flag came
O. Nations chief Thine eyes have seen again
A winter flag come forth to summon thee
Than that pale scarf which cleaned above stain
To parley DER the end of its red reign
The truce of God that sets from battle free
Thy dsuntless soul, and thy worn life from pain.
Ben ID. House.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
COMMISSIONERS BLACK.
A Ruling Which Is Severely Criticised-The
Case of Miss Sweet.

A Ruling Which Is Severely Criticised-The
Case of Miss Sweet.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 8.-Commissioner of PEN
sions Black has brought heaps of maledictions
upon his head for the ridiculous ruling he made
few days ago regarding the expense accounts
of special agents of the bureau. He ruled that
the men in the field should not be allowed sub
sistence on Sunday. Such construction upon
right and good judgment was never heard of in
any branch of the government service. The
men are usually sent out upon trips for indefinite
periods varying from two weeks to year. the
average being probably four or Eve months. By
this rule, their expenses are paid only six days
in the week
tits the most ridiculous ruling ever heard
Of" said the head of another bureau this after
noon. ''If man is entitled to subsistence on
working days, he is on Sundays because he
must live on Sundays as we'll as ON
other days, and it was never contemplated
by either common sense or common law that
man travelling around working for the govern
ment whether on per diem or annual pay,
should stand his own bills. Oh! it's very ride
ulous, and the position is so pntenable that he
must retreat from it at once. But he assumed
about as ridiculous position, however when he
demanded the resignation of Miss Sweet, PEN
sion agent at Chicago"
"Had he no authority for that9'
mo, not of his own Office. He cannot ask for
a resignation from any one except by direction,
and if he was directed to ask for Miss Sweets
resignation he should have said So ard stated
by whose direction. Some men get very brash,
though in first assuming control of an Office"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

UNLESS there can be large infusion of
good sense and decency into the matter, the
sooner the ''oratorical contests are done away
with the better for all concerned. The young
gentlemen of the several colleges and uni
versities have been most kindly treated by
the press and the public; and we can readily
see how these annual bouts, conducted
in a fair and gentlemanly way, would be
not only pleasant episodes in college life, but
would be greatly profitable in the develop
ment of the art of graceful and forceful pub
lie speech. But no one can have failed to OBJ
serve that for the last two or three years the
rivalry between the colleges has ceased to
be generous and manly. It has descended
to level beneath the dignity of
educational institutions, and the tendency, un-
less severely and peremptorily checked, must
work great damage to the colleges and to the
student alike. Pending the last two or three
contests the most serious charges were made,
but nothing equal to the bitterness now dis
played has ever been known. Committees and
delegations from one or more universities
have visited the newspaper offices for the pur-
pose, on the one hand, of having published
charges that would blast the reputation of a
contestant and put stigma upon the college
Of which he was the representative, and, on
The other, to secure the publication of defenses
against slanderous imputations openly and in
dustriously circulated in the hope of
prejudicing or forestalling the judgment Of
the judges upon the merit of a given perform
knce. The extent to which this bitterness
and envy has developed is alarming to the sim
ieEe friends Of the institutions involved, and
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

into the press BY appearing on the stage bare
footed. The account says she soon after put on
shoes and stockings, but not until she had gone
behind the scenes. The reporter thought the
exhibition thrilling" If this is the beginning
of costumes decollete at both ends, civilization
will take to the woods every time fancy dress
occasion is announced
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
He Should Not Succeed.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April Sit is stated, on what
seems to be good authority that Judge Crowell,
late auditor OF the treasury for the Postofice
Department Sixth Auditory is making an effort
to have John Slemon, chief of the pay divis-
ion of the auditors Office. reduced in grade.
and himself made Slemon's successor 1t Is
hoped here that the effort may not succeed, for
there is no better officer under the government
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

TIE result of the election in Chicago is the
defeat of the Republican ticket by small
Inaiorities, Carter Harrison pulling through by
the skin of his teeth, although the Repub-
licans do not concede it. The most brazen
frauds were undoubtedly committed, and
there is talk of a contest
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

GENERAL GRANT passed a comfortable day
yesterday and up to the last report last night,
received at midnight. He is steadily growing
weaker, however, and should he be thrown
into another spasm of coughing, and further
hemorrhage result, it is scarcely possible he
could survive. His death may be expected
any holIr
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

HERE is a Boston definition of a new and
much used word. but of hitherto uncertain
significance. Slugger Sullivan having referred
to some one as chump was asked the meaning
of the expression. "a chump repeated the
fighter who never fights, why chumps a
chump. O'Brien's chump." People who do not
like the common word can now with this high
authority, feel at liberty to use the synonym
"O'Brien"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
UNExAMPLED NERVE.

The Ground ON Which Some Dismissed EN-
plOyes Seek Reinstatement.
Special to the indianapolis journal.
WASHINGTON, April 8-"Some of these Office
seekers have immense nerve, observed an officer
Of high rank at the Postoface Department to-day.
'Yes they have immense nerve" he repeated
for it takes nerve, or gall, or hardihood. or q
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09

THE correspondence between General Grant
and General Lee, which resulted in the sur
render at Appomattox, will be re-read with
interest by thousands, and be read for the
first time by other thousands
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-09
APPoMATTox day!

The Boston Herald says Postmaster Pear
son is not a mugwump. He must be "what-
is-it" then. Neither Republicans nor Demo
Gratis are willing to own him.