davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1890-05-13
Wasted SymDathics.

Certain philosophers of late have been
lamentlng what they describe as the de-
cline of agriculture in New England; and
they seem to agree that the cause of the
supposed evil Is our system Of protection
But now Prof. WILLIAM II. BREWER Of the
Sheffield Scientific School Mt New Haven has
taken the pains to inquire what the facts
are as TO farming in New England, and ho
finds that the gloomy philosophers are
troubling themselves over a state Of things
which does not exist. 1t is true the farmers
are not satisfied, but in that respect they
are like all farmers, as Prof. BREWER thus
relates in the NclC EnGlaRder:
1.-THE cattle growers OF the Plains the growers of
Kansas, and tho wheat growers 1r Dskota are com,
plainlng loudly as the New England farmers 1t is
worse in old England than in New England Germany
Is -roaning under IT, and France is DemoanIng it, 1t Is
sending Thousands of TeNants from sunny Italy to
hoping escape the pressure that nus fallen
them there"
We are told that the trouble here is the
protective tariff, but in England free trade
is thought by many to be at the bottom of
the evil. Fears and prospects Of war and
changes of government are supposed to
depress the agriculture of Continental
Europe But Prof BREWER finds "thr real
causes to lie chiefly in the changed relations
between city and country, and in the laws
which undcrlic agricultural production.
Despite all this he presents evidence TO
show that as n whole, the actual agricul-
tural production of New England is not de-
creasing. In the total value OF the produc-
tions there has probably been an increase in
all the States, ard in some it can he shown
from indisputable statistics. There has been
decline in Massachusetts so far rs mutton,
wool. beef, and cheese are concerned; but
hay has more than doubled, eggs have In
creased G2-!old, and mix frow about Sal5Oao
to about $lo, ,j0OOOo This makes up fprmuch
loss in other products. Tho decline in
grain raising, too, has been much less
than is supposed by tho pessmist philos-
ophers The production was 8, 1885, $40 bushels
in Massachusetts in 1885. as against SS7249O
The sun., 1890-05-13
THE CIVIL SERVICE Law A FRAUD As
ADiIINISTERkD.
The Opinion of Former Comm,ssroner.


From Pr,vrfe Letter.
Chairman Lehlbach has sent me the official
report of tho Congressional Committee OF Investga
ton have read 1t and 1t be said of 1t that 1t
speaks an infinite deal OF nothing"
one good man, wise and just would have made n
committee lie would have taken testimony for use
not have permitted investigation TO degenerate into
q mere gabDling school,
Three Commissioners and one Chief Examiner were
permitted to talk till, like the Yankee beer
they ran emntins"
Tho great work Of reform by a Commission goes on
in violation OF tho only principle and spirit of law
competitive examinations and Congress ask TO in.
crease salaries and for money to show how great
Afraud competitive examinations have become when
exceptions comp supplementary and special
examinations in all their forms and for all purposes Is
the liked policy OF the Commission, bW not " ne ld
There honesty in the Civ Service law until every
examination ia made absolutely competitive and no
o'ico except Presidential nominees to tho Senate be
hed except under and through such examination.
TO do otherwise is concession that tho Civil Service
law honestly Administered. has failed to meet the re-
quiremens OF the Government business, Instead Of
investigating one mans wronRlong, investigate the
Commission in n lis business work. That the work
of Congress- which 1t is not doing Until Congress shall
mako tho law what 1t pretends to be-R merit system
and merit to he determined by competitive exanina
tiOn only-t IL u fraud. YOUR friend.
A. T.. EDGKRTOs
The sun., 1890-05-13

A Captain Of police in this city has got
into difficulty with the manager of a theatre
In Harlem. who charges the officer with
having maliciously and unnecessarily
caused his arrest because n performance
was going on at his playhouse after the
license had expired. The manager attrib-
utes the harsh conduct OF the police Captain
to the dissatisfaction Of the officer with
some seats which had been offered to him
for particular play some time previous to
the arrest.
We have no wish to prejudice the case OF
this Captain before the Police Commission
ers, and, indeed. we do not know enough OF
the facts to form any opinion as to the mer-
its OF the controversy between him and the
theatre manager. We assume that the issue
between them will be fairly determined by
the Police Commissioners. But the mere
suggestion that the officer may have been
influenced by dlspleasure at the location Of
free seats which were offered to him in the
theatre is enough, we think, TO show the i'm
propriety of allowing policemen to accept
such favOrs.
The acceptance by the police Of gifts Of
any kind from persons or corporations liable
10 DC ulltCGcu ny LiciI official uCCS SIlOuIu De
strictly prohibited, and tho prohibition
should be vigorously enforced. There is no
moro reason why policemen should have
free seats in theatres than free drinks in bar
rooms or free meals at hotels. Gift-taking
of any kind on the part Of the police is con-
ducive to favoritism and oppression, and the
practice, so far MS it exists, should be sternly
and Immediately suppressed.
The sun., 1890-05-13

in ls45, and s,2oSo5s in 1865. In Connecticut
1t was s,s7249O bushels in 1s45, 9,2os,O5s In
1865, and 8, ,49951 In 1880. The census statis-
tics of 1880 show, too, that these New Eng
land States produced more In value per man
employed, greater average production per
acre OF improved land, and employed more
capital per man than tho Western States"
New England meanwhile has gained in
wealth enormously since 1S45, and the people
are setting themselves to the work which Is
most profitable and agreeable to them,
whether it be farming, manufacturing, or
trading Instead OF decline. there Is ad-
vance all along the line.
The sun., 1890-05-13

Last January the Hon. WILLIAM c. OATES
OF the Third Alabama district was thrown from
n car OF the Metropolitan Hallway Company OF
Washington, and so injured as to be unable to
deliver an exhaustive speech which he had
prepared upon the new rules of the House.
Col OATES told the railway people that he
wouldn't have missed the chance to discharge
that speech for $1,000. The company induced
him to compromise for $780, without dis
paraRinR the abilities OF Col OATES, We Will
say frankly that we wouldn't give $3.50 for a
speech on the new rules. At the present time,
mt least such speeches would be dear at
seventy-tlve cents great gross of course
by the time the fall campaign begins, quota
tions may be higher
But suppose that some member OF Congress-
should bo hurt in horse car and 30 prevented
from spouting upon the tariff. Could he re-
cover2 Would not the courts hold that tho ac-
cident was n visitation Of Providence, and that
his only remedy lay in collecting from his fell
low members an assessment proportionate to
their share OF the relief which the loss OF that
tariff speech Ind given them1
The sun., 1890-05-13
lnposture.

Mr.. MASON Of Illinois has introduced into
the House resolution authorizing the Com
mittee on Labor to sit during the recess for
| the purpose Of Investigating the eight-hour
movement.
The ostensible purpose is to secure facts
that will enable Congress to proceed
to frame an eight-hour law. The real pur
pose is to pull wool over the eyes OF the
workingmen. Anybody who remembers the
wearisome, cranky, and useless investiga-
ton conducted by Mr.. BLAIR and his Com
mittee on Education and Labor seven years
ago can judge what Is likely to
be the benefit OF such an inquiry as
Mr.. MASON proposes. The collection and
printing OF mass Of undigested and con-
fused testimony, given mainly by cranks,
by men anxious for notoriety, by volunteers
who don't know anything in particular
about the subject of inquiry, would be the
result. Probably no other committee could
hope to equal the achievements of Mr..
BLAIR's committee, but something in the
same line would be sure to come. No mat
ter how narrow the scope of such an inquiry,
it is sure to be widcned, and oil sorts of ir-
relevant testimony will be introduced.
AS far as the progress Of the eight-hour
movement is concerned it cannot bo helped
or hindcred by the report of Congress
committee. The American Federation Of
Labor has won the first engagement in the
struggle for an eight-hour day. The several
trades must follow the example of tho car
pentcrs and joiners, and the success OF each
trade will depend upon the demand for the
kind of labor in that trade 1t will not be
advanced by Congress, and new national
eight-hour law would not apply to wOrkmcn
enough to make any difference whatever in
the general labor market.
The tendency OF Congress to make expen-
sive and unnecessary Inquiries, not for the
purpose OF getting n sound basis for ma
ttona Legislation, but to produce favorable
impression on certain voters, is bad
The sun., 1890-05-13
a Census OF Authorizations.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN SW: May aSk
for the publicity of your pages to ai mo in procuring
cooperation n sci~ntiGc investigation for which am
responsible ! refer 20 til" t'p'"S ~ Nn'u'irdtons.
which was begun several years ago 10y the society for
Psychcal Research" and Of which the International
Congress of Experimental Psychology at Paris. last
summer. assumed the future responsibility, naming
committee in each country to carry on tho work.
Tie object Of the inquiry is twofold First get a
mas Of RbOWt haIlucinatiuus which may
a basis for scientific sUiy OF these PHENOMENA aud.
Re onI, TO ascertain aImVNima'cy tile IJ0Dorfi,H or
j,..oas who haze had such experiences rntn tho av-
erage frequency "i ha .cnaupnS IN the community 10
known can neNer be decided whether the called
',yrrdt, Al" Lamentations Visions or other warn.
ings Of TIC aelJh, sc Of people nj d,staHcel which
are frc uruy reported are accidental condolences
sonnet in- more
some .u.uor more persons in England. France and
the United H!acs have areHy ret ned answers TO the
question which heads tho sheets aud which
follows.
"Hiuc ypu crsr oI,n comI.ry aDIks, ma rivtd I'M
pTsSyH LfHg tg h'J byd hCihg 6clrg 0r in
ANNA rhirc, or n hslrDy r.t' whrch impression,
Jar rs gou c.ud Mse0,rr nrs nat d" 10 any rreIHGl
phgsirI' c1rss''
Tue Congress nopes slnatatsuc,t meeting IN EngAnd
In l-'. as many 40 JLAn answer, may have been col.
lectei ItSonvi0us that lur tie purely statistical in
quiry Hc dHgu"y "AS' IS as ,nIpriHGt rs he dnTUer
"IS.."
have been appointed to suporntend the Census In
America and most earnestly Dcspoak tic cooperation
any among your renders who may 10 actively inter
ested IN the subject II is clear that very mauy yolun
teer cAuvassers Will he needed success Each
census uank contains instructions 10 Tho collector aud
places for twenty i've names. and special blanks for
the 90 Yes cI-cs ar" rlrnGIrd In aIditon | shall he
most HAPPY to suppy these Ans tn any who VIII
be good enough TO make Application Tor them to
NypTs truly, .rro."..my WILLIAM J,vEs
Harvard iDl'rr7y, CaHOril,e, Mass
The sun., 1890-05-13
LETTERS znAT MERIT READING.
Suggestions by George Ticknor Curtis 40
to the Treatment of CrimInnIs.

!
To THE EDITOR OF TIE SuN-,Sir: have
read. with very great interest, the speech Of my
namesake. Cen Curtis on tho abolition OF cap
ital punishment. When quite young man 1
was for two or throc years II member Of the Leg
slaturo OF Massachusetts. Ultra conservative In
mC ST OF my opinions was then opposed to the
abolition Of capital punishment in cases OF
murder. l have considerably modified my
opinions on the sub oct
1t has become quito apparent that the death
penalty docs hot operate TO prevent deliberate
murder. Homicide under great provocation, or
pcrrctrated in what tho law dcnominates
" heat Of blood is not likely to DO prevented by
any kird Of punishment. | do not say that
should be in favor of tho abolition OF cnpitnl
punishment in cases OF deliberate murder,
unless the law which changed tho punishment
should at the sanlo time substitute imprson-
mont for lie, and do much more. In cases o,
conviction Of murder In tho first degree and
OF Imprisonment for lile there must hc n cnre-
ful and perhaps expensive system OF religious,
moral, and ntellectual instruction provide Tor
tho convict and there must be proper means
provided for the exercise of tho pardoninR
power in cases where it is fit that it should
lc exercised.
If the c nyct is an illitcrn'e person, the
State should taKo him In hand and prepare
him 10 be n proper subject for the exercise OF
tho pardoninE power; or IL that is never TO le
cXci cis5i in his case, Christian motives should
lead Christian state to help him TO u proper
sonsc OF his crime.
Tho Disgusting snectacle OF Iubic execu-
tions, us now conducted however they may
be regulated. and tho apparent futility OF
all efforts to mako he convict exhibit and feel
arepcntanCe which will probably insure him q
saie passage from the gallows into the
kingdom OF heaven, and bring him in
proper attitude hcforo the throne Of tho Al
mighty arc all Just so much acting as
the feelings OF supcrstitous people demand.
There ought t. he long interval in most
cnscs in which the murderer can be made
into II now being. if society is to do its
duty. 1t will not be enough to substitute im-
prsonment for life in the place of the death
penalty. Tho convict must thereafter be
treated as II ward OF tho STATE, for whose refor-
nation 1t is responsible. Yours respectfully,
MAY II. GEORGE TIuKHoG CuRTIs.
The sun., 1890-05-13

A score of ladies were busy yesterday after
the basement OF lOi East Twentieth street max
ing up flowers into bouquets, which other ladies' carried
to the sick In hospitals aud tenement houses It was
the opening Of the twentieth season Of the New York
Flower Mission. which distributed last season @5uV1
bouquets This said to be more than distributed
by eithO the London tue Liverpool mission during
the same period BESIDES the OwerS they distributed
fruit mik egsr and vegetables Thc llowera tat nrre
made yesteTuay had been sunt IN from IClghbUTny
towns for ny miles around, iMcludng FuslinE HUNT
inRtOn, and Woodsde, L. l., bloomfield the oTaugeI
Madison, and RusriIe ~ J stamford Conn and larry
town ionkrrs scarborough, aud sung sing nne as
or ruaebudB came from Eroton LhnulnX, Two
thousand bouquets were distributed yesterday OF winch
500 went 20 Bellevue Hospital 70 tho ond Of August
of tho mission will meet each Monday ard
Thursday from ~ to O'Clock TO prepare bouquets for
dIstTiDutlOu
The sun., 1890-05-13
A Literary ritialI.

She lovcr an iccD-Do you care for Ibsen at
all?
liz who has mover heard Of him,-Ye-os;
rather think do.
Si" you speak as If you did not especially
admire him.
lie 10 gain time-Oh. really, you know that
Is hardly fair
Sho--At least You will grant that he is orig
ina. A Dolls llOuse," for instance, f. quite
unlike anything else OF the sort
He mot knowing whether lis book picture
or musical composition Original, perhaps,
but pulling his moustachel don't you think
its-er-rather faulty, tOoi
She-Why, no; | thought the plot strong and
interesting.
He relieved at last to have caught onl-Oh
yes, interesting without doubt, but ,loui,y I'm
rather tired, don't you know OF childleu d
slOMos slMen the EAMntLeroY cEA-e.
The sun., 1890-05-13

Just as the commandment Pasture your
cow" appears In the Utica Herald. and Nils the
ears with tho loo Of Whltefoot and Lghtfoot
and Eurotasama, and tickles the nose with the
odor of young grass and envelops Utica with a
sweet pastoral charm. and fills the country
bred urban with homesickness and longing
for cream or milk punch, comes the Rochester
Post Empress and makes the atrocious remark
that there never was but ono handsome
young lady In Utica, and she married out OF it."
We submit that this is no time for Utica to be
rasturing COWS. Let them feed i'll the streets.
while the men OF Utica form an alliance with
Buffalo. and lay Rochester low. A city IN
which. as Mr.. A. WARD mournfuly testified.
JUDAS IsCARIoT couldn't show hisself with
impoonity," will not bear gbes patiently.
The sun., 1890-05-13
Tho Minor and the Cigarette.

Josiah" said Mrs ChuGHatcr TO tho head
OF The iduu = \ bCUeve our Juuuiy is tuTnug over 4
new ea aud n guIuL to D" bulLUT hoy lie AK cd me
little wtic ago II ho cOni take the family Bible w. ~
hIs room Tor an hour or two -
About the same lime boy Of Johnny's size was seen
TO enter cigar store IN tho vicinity open big book
and lay II on tile counter
=, DO you sec thus entry he demanded Addressing
the proprietor In thunder tones " lOu said WASH I
~. Look at this: John. torn May :. 1874 Gimme
i've 6oIes q cigarettes and be quick about IT. blame
The sun., 1890-05-13
Thirteen Hundred New style Polling
Places.

Comptroller Myers sent letter to tho Police
Commissioners yesterday saying that the next eec.
ton u only live months off, arrangements for perfect
ing The new system of voting should be begun at once
lie says that viii require Ireat eHl work to yet
thugs IN readiness tor iha tg"" and INDEPENDENT or
10 cast II n ualiOt according IN law The Fuirs ON
missioners viii have % tearrange tho election districts
in order that not more than so votes will be
each The present number OF election districts IN LOLA
and the order will probably increase the number
about l,aOO Tho Comptroller IL anxious have tho
Syssm arranged 80 that he can estimate what tho cost
will be, and get suffcient appropriation from the
Board Of Estimate and AppoEtlonmOlL
The sun., 1890-05-13

EM1N Pashn says that he has information
in regard to Mr. STANLEY and TIPPoo TTB
which, il published, would create great sem
sation. Well, why doesn't he publish 1t? lie
can put money In his own purse and his pub
lishcr's. Nobody will weep for TIrroo TlD, and
Mr.. STANLEY is entirely able to take care Of
himself. But If EMIN talks so mysteriously
without cleansing his bosom OF the perilous
stuff. the uncharitable will begin to suspect
that he hurt the inside OF his head when he
tumbed of that balcony.
The sun., 1890-05-13

As we pass by, with grief we SEQ the
Indianapolis journal figuring the pronuncia-
ton OF certain honey hearted cordial as
shRr-trayl." But our esteemed contempo-
rary says frankly and boldly that "CHAUcER Is
pronounced "Chaw.seT," not "Shaw SER" We
hope the Society of Western Writer'S will do
clare officially against " "Shaw-ser" And while
tho hiandpoHs Journal is conducting its cru
dite lectures upon orthoepy, why will 1t not
protest against the Wabash Valley pronunca-
tion ~Go-it'O of GOETHEf We are in
formed that refined literary circles In Terre
HHuto say "Go-eth." A few stlcklers for accu-
racy prefer Comfy"
The sun., 1890-05-13

Tho Ways and Means Committee have re-
ceived more than n bushel OF petitions from
members of the Farmers Alliance in favor of
the agricultural warehouse sub-treasury
scheme. "GoD speed the petitionr seems to
DO the present reading of "GoD speed the
plouEh!' Yet one hoe in the hands of a mus
cular farmer will do more for agriculture than
oil the acts OF Congress that can be passed
from now until the week after never.
The sun., 1890-05-13

CARTHAGE, H.. May G. During clear days
ringing Of a ponderous church bell at Golden.
twenty eight miles away. The he'll hangs In
the German Lutheran church tower at Golden,
and II requires two men to ring II
The sun., 1890-05-13

The bill granting Il pension to Mrs. DELLA
T. STEWART PARNELL passed the House on FRI
day, with an amendment which cuts down the
pension from $1,000 year to 5000 Against
this reduction Congressman CUMMISGs made
spirited protest. bringing out very clearly the
fact that the pension is granted not because
Mrs. lAENELL is the mother of tho Irish leader,
but because sho Is the daughter OF one of tho
most heroic. devoted and distinguished sailors
that ever served in the American navy. In
cidentally Mr. CUMMINGS presented what is
very inspiring and interesting chapter Of naval
biography. We reproduce 1t in this paper,
and no American who loves the smell OF salt
mir and the sight Of the streaming rcd white
and blue can read it without q thrill.
The sun., 1890-05-13

Our esteemed contemporary, the 81. Louis
Globe Democrat. tempers high praise with gen.
tie blame IN this compliment 10 the Hon john
SHERMAN;
"IIe great man, but II he less retrGer.
Mt he would be more useful"
In modified form this sentence might be
passed upon the Hon BENJAMIN HARRISON
He is very little man. but If he were less re-
frigerant he would be more useful.
The sun., 1890-05-13
Tho House Of REPRESENTATIVES, bnpan yng

The House of Representatives began yes
terday tho consideration Of the Tariff bill by
paragraphs Various amendments we're oiIer-
cd discussed and voted down. The Iepub.
licaus set up tho 0u-nr Trust bogy and threw
rocks at it, and both Sides fell over each other
in their desire to show their love for the farm
ors Mr.. MILLS was accused of plantation
manners, and there was rather brisk swap
ping of personal and political whacks. all
marked Pickwickiap. Boraclc acid, murlatio
The sun., 1890-05-13
Commerce Whites North and South.

Prom he nj. imOrd DcSpdtch
EnterprisinR factories at the North havo long
been turning battle aGs OF the dead ConfetOacy in
great numbers for use at tho unysiIinE Of tho Leo
statue.
The sun., 1890-05-13

We feel it to be our duty to chcer up tho
Chicago Tribune after the effects Of full
realization of tho SlO.OOO,OOO elephant Chicago
has on it, hands, The dio is cast. Thcre Is
no uso crying over spilled milk even when it's
spilled down the mourner's own throat. The
Fair Is Chicagos. iuconGruous rs such COM
bination may scem, and it. will DO Chicago's
part to turn It over TO the public in due tme
FULLY e1uipped and decorated. with smilo on
the iaco OF the chief eXhihltor.
The sun., 1890-05-13

We take rcvcrently these winged words
from the remarks made at recent banquet
of q West Side literary club OF Chicago by its
President in Offering the toast The World 5
Fair"
with ocean that defy the waves; with loco.
motives that outrun the wind and STORM with the iec-
graph, the companion OF thought that leaves behind
tile swLtwng arrows OF light with the telephone that
echoes the voice an hundred miles away; with the
phonOgraph that treasures up and conserves alike
speech, song, or u sermon-with these forces
troll the earth grows small nations separated by oceans
and continents become near neighbors; cities by tide
water lose the power Of locality, and exposition OF
tho arts and industries Of all the nations Of the earth is
made possble a thousand miles inland"
This is. we think. the first time that the start
ling and fruitful theory that tide-water cities
lose tho powor of locality hns been publicly
proclaimed The reason for this loss of the
power Of locality Is thought to be found in tho
effect OF lunar viridcosiformity upon salt
water that is not too fresh.
The sun., 1890-05-13

New York ought to become the most moral town
the globe -ChicdgO Herald
In proportion to its size New York is the most
moral town on tho globe. We invite tho Kap-
nopoitan philosophers to study humbly and
gratefully tho lofty morals OF the metropolis.
BE good. my child, and let who will be clever
Tighten up your moral tags. brethren in Cook
county. Let your ethical light shine through
tho smoke. Cure yourselves as we'll as hams.
Brace.
The sun., 1890-05-13
THE SUN, TUESDAY, MAY Is, 1890.

acid sulphuric acid, were hurled" but no
great damage was done, and tho House ad-
journed when It had made Itself tired
The sun., 1890-05-13

The man who has secured q lease Of islands
In the Great SAT- Lake aud All appropriation or Ss'uD
90 croEs the bulalo with common cattle only work
IN ihe interest Of the h"ardng house keeper who wshss
u improve upon tho tOuRneHs OF the long horned Meet
cru steer aud thus secure AL iGteHIuGLlO.s SLsAk