davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
BUSINESS OR oTHERwIsEl

Senators Morrill, and Gibson had debate
yesterday over the utility of special COM
mittee to make trip to Mexico and Central
America to examine into our trade relations
with those countries. The point was made
BY Mr.. Morrill, that such committees are
usually junketing affairs, undertaken with
an eye TO the pleasures of travel rather than
with keen interest in their professed OBJ
jects Yet, it is not to be doubted, there is
wide and earnest public thought, at the
present time, of the extension of our trade
President Harrison voiced it in his inaug-
ural; the Minnesota Legislature uttered a
national sentiment in its resolutions on the
subject few days ago; even the furry with
Germany about Samoa brought out the feel
ing strongly. 1t is not improbable that a
new impetus will be given this inquiry by
complications likely to arise out of the de-
velopment of the Mexican gold mines near
San Diego.
Serious people will not think well of mere
junketing committees; but if committee be
sent out to absorb facts and figures and
timely information for Congress and the
people, its reports cannot fail to be heard
with great interest. If the view is merely
to absorb champagne, smoke fine cigars and
revel in the attractions of tropical scenery,
that is, of course, quite another matter.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
WHICH SHALL WE BELIEVER

The public is now on the ragged edge of
doubt as to whether its faith must be de-
stroyed in the Great American Humorist or
the Great American Poet. As these two
national characters have been united in
lecturing combination that has administered
its concoction of humor and pathos to audi
ences from the frozen North to the sunny
South, irrespective of race, color or previous
condition of servitude, the necessity Of con-
cluding that one of them has not that strict
regard for the truth that should inspire both
the humorist and the poet in their unpro-
fessional moments, is all the more harrow
ing.
Some months ago Mr.. E. W. Nye, better
known to the patient public as Bill Nye,
gave the weight of his. private and sacred
word that Colonel Elijah Halford, who now
holds the keys Of admission to the Presi-
dent, is an inveterate whistler. The Pri-
vate Secretary was represented as mascu-
line Mrs. Shaw. born to blush unheard
as a whistler until his intimate relations
to the fountain of patronage made him
famous This representation has spread
and formed the food of trusting paragraph
ers from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.
But now comes Mr. James Whitcomb Riley,
the poetic partner of Mr.. Nye, and with an
intimation that be will not be the partner of
Mr.. Nye in iniquity, deposes and says that
Colonel Halford never did whistle and
never would whistle, unless under the in
fuence of the puckering persimmon, which,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
PROMINENT PEOPLE PARAGRAPHED.

SENATOR EDNUNDs, being troubled with q
cold on his lungs, became somewhat alarmed
and has gone to Georgia, hoping that warmer
climate will relieve him of his trouble.
Mr.. HENRY IRyIEG's son, Henry, is not
going to look to the stage for a career, notwith-
standing his success at Oxford. His ambition
would lead him to the feet of Thespis but his
father has marked out the bar for him. His
brother, Lawrence, fine young fellow, with a
distinct gift for languages, is in Russia, study
ing for the diplomatic service.
SAM JONES, the reviyalist has been attract
ing large audiences in San Francisco since Sun
day. The other night in his address he said;
Look here! When was boy, little feller,
used to play town ball. But never got so
low down as to play baseball. Why, if 1 had a
yeller dorg that went over and saw one of your
Sunday baseball games I'd kill it just as soon
as it got back"
The Empress Frederick was it is said, much
impressed with the political situation in Eng.
land. Not only this, but she communicated
her impressions to the Queen, and told Her
Majesty, it is said, in pretty plain terms, that
Balfourism was not the sort of thing which
British sentiment would stand. The Queen is
said to have taken the Empress criticisms in
fairly good part
SIR GEORGE TREvELYAN said a neat thing
at dinner party given in London the other
night. Mr.. Parnen was under discussion and
somebody was remarking on the extraordinary
interest he took in mechanical affairs and es-
pecially on his interest in any new machinery.
'Im told" said one of Sir Georges guests,
''that he takes in all the papers on mechanics.
For instance, he reads paper called Iuven-
tions every week" 81 should have thought we
all read that paper every day." replied Sir
George. Aren't we all subscribers to the
Tfmes?"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
THE DIsDAINED EXPERIMENT

Though both the Prohibitionists and the
liquor dealers were opposed to the high
license law one year ago, there would be
none of either party so bold now as to deny
that the measure has, where wisely and
firmly administered, made visible and
pronounced improvement on the old order
of things. The great number of ill-ad-
ministered saloons of a low grade which
went by the board last summer were neither
a public convenience nor necessity. They
were more nearly public nuisance Though
the owners felt disappointment and in some
cases possibly, also, financial loss in the
refusal of license, it is not to be questioned
that in a majority of cases they were distinct
gamers by changing to other forms of in
dustry. That drunkenness and disorder on
the streets have diminished is likewise ap-
parent Those men who are in the business,
and who have to face the Court again this
week with an account of their stewardship,
know that they must act as special police
men in their own establishments, for the
prevention of abuses of the traffic, or else
take strong chances of getting no renewal.
They are thus made parties to the mainten-
ance of good order upon and around their
premises.
In the heat of the prohibition canvass,
the Importance of the hearings now going
on at the Court House will not be over
looked. The manufacturers and wholesale
dealers and the heavier retailers of liquors
can now see that if the high license law had
been in existence years before it did come
into being, the demand for prohibition
would now scarcely be so urgent. So, too
the supporters of prohibition will be com.
PEELED, in common with all good citizens
to look to this high license act for strict
regulation, if total prevention be refused al
the polls. Thus the experiment, which bott
extremes rejected with disdain only veal
ago, is of great practical Importance from
whichever side the question is looked at now
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
CAUSE, NOT EFFECT.

The production and circulation of what
is generally termed 'erotic literature"
forms the subject of somewhat alarmist ar
ticle in the Atlanta Constitution. The
trashy character of such books is correctly
set forth by our cotemporary and the fear is
expressed that "the reading of erotic liter
ature for perhaps ten years or so-if these
novels continue popular SO long-cannot
fail to lower the moral tone of society"
When this conclusion is insisted upon as
a point of social importance. it is necessary
to state another one in connection with the
same subject. That is that the produc-
ton of literature of that sort indicates that
the moral tone of society has already been
lowered. The standard of morality in liter
ature has been raised and lowered at vari-
ous times in the history of the world, From
the days of Massinger, Montaigne and Ra-
belais down to those of Alexandra Dumas,
and Eugene Sue, literature has hadits lapses
which were greater in degree if not so great
in volume, as the present; and it is worth
while to remember that when the tone Of
literature has been high and pure it has been
because the standard of public taste con-
demned and ostracised those who sought
literary fame by the cheap expedients of
sensuousness.
Literary morality is a good deal like COM
mercial morality in its genesis and safe
guards. There are always plenty to adopt
the cheapest way to get fame or money, by
appealing to the lowest side of human ma
ture in one department, or in the other by
the cheats which appeal to mems cupidity.
But in both fields of ambition, if public
opinion sets down success attained by such
false means as dishonorable, the surest check
is placed upon them No better proof of
this is needed than in the remarkable free
dom of English literature from such vices
in the middle of this century. The English
writer who would try to make a hit by
adopting the methods of Edgar Saltus would
have been ostracised; while in France he
was lionized. The result is that England
had the literary standards of Macaulay,
Scott, Thackeray, Dickens and Wilkie
Collins, while Frances standard of purity
was represented by the worksof Balzac, Sue
and the elder and younger Dumas.
We believe the world is steadily getting
better The worst lapses of our literature
to-day, are nothing to those of some of the
earlier writers. But it is healthy to recog-
nize the fact that when the tone of our lit
erature becomes less pure, it must be because
temporarily lowered tone of public moral
ity permits it.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
RAILROADS MUST OBEY THE LAW,
Which They Admit Has Been Evaded for
Months Past.

WASHINGTON, March 16-The Interstate
Commerce Commission to-day resumed its
hearing in the matter Of export rates and the
methods adopted by the trunk lines in comput-
ing them. o. Gl Murray, Traffic Manager of
the Chesapeake and Ohio; W. P. Walker, Jr.,
of the Kanawha Dispatch Fast Freight Line;
John Porteous, General Manager of the Ma
tional DISPATCH Line; J.. F. Childs, General
Manager of the New York, Ontario and
Western; Mr.. Harriott, of the Baltimore and
Ohio; Mr.. FELTON,, of the Erie; Mr.. Speies, Of
the Lehigh Valley: Mr.. Haas, Of the Richmond
and DanYille, and Mr.. Hayes; of the Wabash
Western, were examined.
The gist of the evidence was that, with few
exceptions, the inland published rates had not
for some months been maintained. Some of
the roads had made an effort to maintain them,
and in consequence had practically lost their
export business. 1t seemed to be the universal
opinion of the freight managers present that
uniform through export tariff could not be
maintained, as in that case the railroads would
be at the mercy Of the steamship companies.
But the opinion was as general that full
plated by the law.
Chairman Cooley announced that he was not
ready to render formal opinion, but stated
that no excuse would be accepted as satisfac-
tory for the evasion or violation of the law.
Tuesday, April 2, was fixed upon as the day
when the southern carriers will be heard in the
matter of export rates and the method of COM
putting them. The Commission will give a
hearing to passenger associations regarding
the issuance and printing of tariffs Thursday,
March q, 1889.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
DYING AS HARD AS THEY CAN,

Mr. Froude's declaration that the ex-
posure of the Pigott forgeries makes Home
Rule an immediate certainty is all the more
impressive from the fact that Mr.. Froude
continues to be rabid and unreconciled op-
ponent of Home Rule. He has taken pains
to declare that he considers the grant of
local self-goyernment to Ireland disaster;
but with the exposure of the forgeries and
chicanery that have been made the basis of
the attack on the Home Rulers, he does not
think the Tory party can retain its suprem-
acy Nevertheless it is plain that the
Tory leaders will try to hang on. So long
as they can retain their majority they will
stomach the fact of forgery and lying to
carry their measures, as best they can,
and hope for some new development to pro-
long their power. While there is life in
Balfour's scheme for keeping down the op-
position by imprisoning the Irish members,
there is hope for the Tory party.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19

as Indianians, both Messrs. Riley and Hal
ford must have frequently tested.
This leaves the public in doubt and does
not put Colonel Halford himself in an un-
disputed position. If the humorous Bill is
q wicked maligner of private secretaries it
remains to be observed that the poetic james
Whitcomb permitted his wicked partner
yarn to travel uncontradicted until the COM
bination got back to Washington, where the
object of the SANDER is parsonage to be con-
ciliated. So thst we are still left to wonder
whether Nye is to stand convicted of SIAN
der. or Riley of time-serving, to the extent
ofgiving Colonel Halford a coat Of white
wash on the whistling charge.
And, above all, the vital question re-
mains unsettled: Does Colonel Halford
whistle or does he not whistle? We hope it
may not be necessary for the Senate to 60
into executive session to decide this point.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
CAUGHT ON THE GRIP LINE,
ADVICE TO THE GIRLS.

ADVICE TO THE GIRLS.
A man may dress in a shabby way
But do not Judge him by his looks,
For don't you know we often find
The best of reading In the worst dressed books?
But should he be a dudelet gay,
Again don't Judge him by bis looks,
For don't you know we often find
The worst of reading in the best dressed booksg
IIGE-General the people are onto the fact
that j. e. b. is running this administration.
President HI know 1t, Lige, and we must d o
something to throw them off.
Lige-WelI, how would it do to dismiss Haw-
kins, the coachman?
President H.-Never, Lige; for as sure as we did
he would appoint JIG. B., DR., to fill the vacancy,
and that would go hard on my new team.
Mr.. CRANKY-Mrs. Toughsteak. think at
the end Of this week will have to quit boarding
with you.
Mrs. Toughsteak-Why, Mr.. Cranky, ever since
your last complaint have tried unusually hard to
please you and can't see what grounds you have
for complaining now.
MIR. Cranky-Madam, look in this cup OF So
called coffee and you will see have sufficient
grounds for complaining.
VANDY-It's a wonder to me that there are
not more manicures in Pittsburg.
candy Why SO?
yandy-Because they manufacture so many
nails here.
THE baseball season will soon be at hand,
And the umpire shakes with fear;
But soon he can quiet his rattllnR nerves
BY drinking that soothing book beer.
g. s. q.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19

friends Of the ex-President called upon him
the other day to gossip about personal mat
ters Suddenly, in the midst of the CONVEX
sation, Mr.. Cleveland swung around in his
chair and, with his expansive face full on
his little audience, asked: "What kind of
a man is this Colonel Shepard we hear SO
much of fnowadays?" OF course Mr.. Cleve-
lands friends could not tell him what no.
body but Colonel Shepard himself knows.
And if Mr.. Cleveland were a man who de-
lighted to ask questions without caring
whether or no he obtained answers. there
might be little significance in his seeking
for a definition of the prize religious editor
of the age.
Unless we are mistaken entirely in Mr..
Cleveland, he will not be satisfied to remain
in ignorance, but will push his inquiry into
this subject with energy and untiring pa
tience to the end. Perhaps he will begin
by a close scrutiny of the pages of the
Mail and Express since Colonel Shepard
took charge of the sheet. Naturally COM
parison of the biblical texts with the war
like editorials will seem profitable to Mr..
Cleveland. The singular analogy between
the sporting columns and'the sermon de-
partment, the correspondence from pill
grims in Palestine and the jokes Of the
period, may catch Mr.. Cleveland's eye.
Then a survey of cotemporaneous and
other views of Colonel Shepard will be in
order, and the investigation will be con-
fronted with endless variations of the
Vanderbilt dictum as to the abundance and
variety of Colonel Shepard's foolishness.
The outlook for Mr.. Cleveland's health
and happiness if he persists in this inquiry
is so dismal that we trust his friends will
labor with him to drop it.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
MIR. CLEVELAND, BEWARE!

Nobody was surprised when Mr.. Grover
Cleveland stepped quietly down from the
White House to lawyers Office in New
York City, without staying moment for
refreshments between the acts, as it were.
Mr.. Cleveland undoubtedly likes work and
dislikes idleness. 1t has been an useful
and admirable characteristic of his. But
we hardly supposed that Mr.. Cleveland
would find time to grapple with questions
of immense moment and meatiness outside
his professional duties before his Office chair
had become warm. Nevertheless Mr..
Cleveland already has found time to take
upons of the most important conundrums
Of the day.
1t seems that couple of old political
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
HnrriE, Theater.

Fun, merriment, pretty girls sweet singing
and graceful dancing are all to be found in
Hoey's Keep 1t Dark" This comedy is not
new to Pittsburg theater goers, having been
seen here several times before, but it is well
worth seeing again. The music is new and well
sung, and the fun is of that clean kind that
doesn't tire one. OF course W. T. Bryant is
comical as ever, and Miss Lizzie Richmond acts
as well as sings in a charming manner Little
Julia Wilson, Denman Thompson's first Tot,
is a small bundle of yiyacity end good looks.
and has a very sweet voice. The warbling of j.
here for a long while. Miss blanche Boyer is
as light as q fairy in her character dances. and
Miss Alice Greene is, as the bills say, Sweet
cast are well fitted to the roles they assume
The audiences at both performances yesterday
were very large.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
TERMS OF THE DISPATCH.
PlTTsBURG, TUESDAY, MAR. 1s. 1889.
THE COPPER TRUSTS CRASH.

The final smash of the copper combination
came Yesterday. The Soclete des Metaux,
tip organization of the syndicates, stopped
payments, the Compton d'Escompte, the
bank whose funds were used to sustain the
combination, has been placed in the hands
of receiver; and the other banks of Paris
are suffering a run which threatens their
solvency. This is a just result of the
attempt to strangle the legitimate action Of
competition.
The great copper deal, which thus ends in
disaster, partook rather more strongly of the
character of corner than of that OF mon
opoly. 1t sought rather to buy up all of
the staple which it chose to engross, as it
was produced, than to control the sources of
supply and force high prices by creating
artificial scarcity. II its managers had been
satisfied with the profits which they could
have reaped when they first gained. control
of the market, they might perhaps have got
of safely with their plunder. But as they
sought to make the excessive profits and
high prices permanent, they hastened their
final disaster.
Of course such a crash involves great
many innocent persons; but still it is salts
factory to find hatresult punlshing world
wide conspiracy to levy high prices on the
public and increase the cost of life. 1t is
only in such penalties that the protection OF
commerce against reckless corners and un-
checked greed is to be found. And if the
financial institutions of any country lend
themselves to such enterprises of dishonesty
the loss and ruin that is inflicted in this case
is q saIutarv and essential result.
1t is only to be wished that wreck like
that which took place in Paris might over
take all the organized efforts to establish
monopolies and engrOss staples that vex
and burden the consumers of this and other
countries.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
FUNNY MEMS FANCIEs.

A former Terre Haute shoemaker is run,
ming mining camp saloon out in Arizona. He
used to sell boots and shoes, now he sells booze
and shoots. Terre HaHte Express.
Funny Barber-I hope this razor is all
right MIR. Figgle. You see, shaved dead man
with 1t this morning. FigRle (placidly)--Did IL
wake him?--Terre HGute Erprsss.
A man could form more accurate idea as
to when he reached middle age IL furnished with
the date of his demise. A woman never gets there
anyway, she needs no table Of necrology.->
Boston Commonwealth.
Employer-You say that your habits are
all correct? Applicant-Yes, SIR Employer (afteP
q moments pause)-Do you drink? Applicant
(absent minded)-Thanks. Don't care if do.-
Burlington Free Press.
Wibble-What brings you down town 50
early this morning. wabbleg wabhIe-I'm look.
ing for cook. The last one was color blind and
we had to discharge her. Wibble--what in the
world has color-blindness to do with cooking2
Wabble--A heap. She broughta q raw lobster to
the table.--Tsrre HaWte EEpress.
Tastes Differ.-Mrs. de Throp-I don't
think. Mr.. de Throp, that your sarcasm leveled at
our decollete ball dress is called for. Your own
brother, the Captain, takes much more liberal
view Of society matters.
Mr., de Throp-Undoubted1y. Captain Bob has
Just returned from Samoa. a.--The Epoch.
Sizing Up the House.-"Have you
dumb waiter in the house?'' asked the guest,
merely by way of making talk while he waited for
his change ''We ''replied the clerk, abstractedly
putting the Aver In his vest pocket and taking
the change from the drawer, 'they haint any OF
'em got much sense, but when 1t comes TO that
reckon the landlord IL the man you want; he
knows less than all the rest Of the help put to-
gether. ''-BrOokLyn Ba9te
Safe as Bank.-Lamb, Of Terre Haute
Slick the broker, is going into big land DEAL
and saws he can let me in on the ground floor.
want to make some money, II was sure I'D be
on the safe side Wolf, who is feeling friendly
and knows Sliek-The safe side, my boy, is al
ways the outside. You are always LETT when you
are taken in. See?
Lamb saw and stayed out, whereby Wolf was
able to shear him close to the bones himself at his
leisure.-Brooktya Eagle.
Right Man for the Place.-The new re-
porter, calm, truthful-looking man OF respecta-
BILE middle age, brought in his account Of the IN
auguration. He estimated the throng around the
Capitol at about Ia co., 900; said there were I5o
COO 600 men in the procession, which was @s 900
miles long, and was witnessed by countless
throng Of 7s5, COO 900 Of people. s'For mercy's
sake, - gssped the night editor, s'what did you
used to do before you came on the paper!''
..iived In the observatory At Sirius University
replied the new man. sT'm an astronomer"
They took him on the stan and put him on the
circulation department right aEay.-R. =. BErs
dstts,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19
Were Not super.titiou..

Such might be the day Of a man who held the
majority of superstitions current at the pres
ent time. ofcourse, on special occasions, such
as Fridays, weddings, christenings, birthdays
and so on, he would consider number of cir
cumstances to which noallusion has been'made
above. And, though probably no one man OF
woman in this year of grace, 1889. believes all
the silly things we have enumerated, yet i. is
worth noting that these beliefs have not been
ralSed out of brands Popular Antiquities"
Homes Everyday Book, or old fortune-telers
but are matters on which many ordinary, fairly
educated men and women at the present mo-
ment hold opinions strangely inconsistent with
the boasted practical character of the age
Such people will often laugh at their
own ''fancies," as they call them but in their
secret hearts they think there is something in
them"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-19

WHEN we read in the religious Mail and
Express of New York that "a good way to
treat the Societe des Metaux is to copper its
play" we are struck dumb with grief and
horror. Not only is it stunning to find that
religious cotemporary saying anything
against trust conspiracy-although it can
be explained in this case by the fact that the
trust is tottering to ruin-but when we find
that truly pious sheet expressing itself In
the language of the faro-table, the fouuda-
tions of our faith are shaken. Did any
body on the Mail and Express ever copper
anything?