davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
DODGING THE ISSUE.

in his letter, which appears in an
other column, Mr.. Warner shows u
marvellous capacity for either miscon.
ceiving or evading the point at issue in
the contention about assessments. The
CRITIC maintains that a system of as
sessment which results in so many and
such palpable inequalities as those
which it ascertained and published in
detail is an unjust system and should
be abolished. That is the sole con
tention.
Mr.. Warner endeavors to cloud
the issue by reference to irrelevant
matters, such as the competency of the
Commissioners, which has not been i'm
pugned, the progress and growing at
tractiveness of the city, which no one
denies, and the non.intention of wrong
on the part of the individual assessors,
against whom nothing has been alleged.
These things are outside Of the matter
and are not in this discussion at ALL
Mr.. Warner says "there has not BEEN
and there cannot be. any discrimina-
ton in the rating between rich aud
poor" OF course, not in the rating for
taxation, but this, too, is irrelevant, for
the question is about assessment.
Again, he says there is no apparent
necessity for additional burdens. THE
CRITIC has not advocated increased
burdens. The amount of taxation will
be the same whether the general assess
ment is fair or unfair, the difference
being that if the rich are assessed at a
low rate and the pool at high rate the
burden of taxation will be uniustly
distributed.
But Mr.. Warner avows himself the
advocate of low assessments for the
rich who build handsome residences
and improve the city. He gives, ap-
p0rently, unconscious testimony in favor
of TIE CRITICS contention when he
says that large number of property
holders Of moderate means with whom
he has had business connection, have
frequently complained TO him tina.
their assessments were too high.
Finally Mr. Warner avows his oppo.
sition to change of system and to a
permanent Board of Assessors. What
has been characterized in successive
reports of District Assessors and Com
missioners as an unjust system appears
TO him altogether lovely, and the re.
form which has been repeatedly recon.
mended by District officials is to him
wholly undesirable We fear Mr..
Warner SIS joined to his idols" but at
all events he has abandoned the expedi-
pncy nlpa
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
INGERSoLLs BPIGRAMS.

oh, what an orator is lovel What honeyed
words run over the rose of his lps
Epithets are so cheap that you can make
money on lies at so cents q hundred.
People who are fond of music are some
times dangerous.
think any woman in the world is repaid
for an ordinary breach of promise by being
taken to hear Wasner's music.
I'll 20 as far as anyone to whip naked
through the world the man who deceives
good, pure aud coniiding woman.
Every heart is like a theatre in one re-
spect; there are certain effects produced,
but you don't want every one to see all the
ropes and pulleys.
The woman who marries q man because
he is rich, or for title, or for office, place
or power, is not a virtuous woman, and the
man who marries q woman for any such
reason is not a virtuous man, but con-
temptible wretch.
When another commits q fault it Is "A
great dead tree half decayed, bare and
hideous: but when when we do it ourselves,
oh, my God think of the reason climb ~
around it. like thousand eli Iging vines,
covering with soft loveliness every braash
and twig, turning it into beautiful object.
marriage without love is immoral.
through. don't care if all the churchc in
the world, united beneath the dome o
Heaven, filling all the air with iusense, pro
nounce them welded, If that sweet perfume
called love does not arise there is no na
tinpa
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
IN FEATHERBD CIRCLES.

a farmer of Upshur County, W. Va, who
owns a number of guinea hens, found a nest
where they had been laying containing 3S7
eggs.
On the West Spanish peak, Colorado, r.
!. Smith trapped handsome golden eagle
that measured seven feet four inches fr Jm
tip to tip.
A Cadillac, Mich, man owned hen
which got the grip few days ago, sneezed
violently for several hours and at last be-
came insane, after which it died.
The tailor bird makes its nest of long
leaves. which it sews together with the fibre
of plant, first piercing the hole in them
with its beak. The bottom of the nest has a
heavy layer of cotton.
There is lesson in perseverance to be
learned from a woodpecker that makes an
annual visit to certain steeple In North
st. Joseph, Mo-, every spring. Although
this church steeple is completely covered
with tin, he puts IN his appearance in the
early morning and pecks and pecks through
out the entire day. Last year was his
third season, and up to that time he had not
succeeded in making dent in the tin; how
ever, he was good-natured as ever, and
seemed well pleased with the results. The
people of that vicinity expect his advent
soon again. and when he comes IL is certain
that his maneuvers will be watched with
m ore interest than ever before.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24

amended 10 such an extent as TO compel
reconstruction from the keel up, the
merit principle will prevail only the
more, and the restoration Of the patron
age system will he the more impossible.
The amended law will provide for al.
mission to the purely ministerial, as
distinguished from the administrative,
offices Of the Government on account
of merit, and for pemancncc in the
same, likewise through merit. The
tenure Of Office will be assured when
dismissals can only be made for a re-
corded cause.
The real controversy in which the
people are interested is that between the
merit and the patronage principles. As
THE CRITTC has heretofore shown, 1t IS
controversy in which Washington Is
greatly interested, for the permanence
in Office of large and important class
of citizens means prosperity to the city.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
MRS. LANGTRY'S APPEARANCEs

In his last packet of sharps and flats
sent from London by Mr.. Eugene Field to
the Chicago Daily NeWs he gives the fol-
lowing bits of information:
Lily Langtry was to have favored the
metropolis with her production of Gas
You Like 1t" last Tuesday night, but she
was conveniently i'll and therefore could
not appear. Thereby hangs tale.
The fair creature expected to give her
production under the auspices of the Prince
of Wales; that would have insured the
success of her London season. 1t is under
stood, however, that the Princess of Wales
intimated that she preferred not to have
her royal husband figure as the patron of
the ex-beauty, whereupon the Prince sent
his regrets to Mrs. Langtry. In order,
therefore, to get around the modification
of having it said that her old patron had
deserted her the polite lady falls i'll, and
the result is an indefinite postponement of
the production. Now, of course, when the
production is given Mrs. Langtry can say
that the Prince tcoo0d have attended had he
known positively the date when the pro-
duction was to take place. A mighty
shrewd woman is the Jersey Lily!
Perhaps you recollect that some years
ago it was reported in the American papers
that Mrs. Langtry during her Amerlc an
tour received occasionally hampers of game
from the Prince. This news was artfully
given to the press by Mrs. Langtry herself.
But the very cstimable gentleman who was
her butler at that very time now declares
that Mrs. Langtry received no hamper of
game nor anything else from the Prince
while she was in America.
A friend said to me about year ago:
"Ihe Americans have not yet acquired the
art of exhibiting an attractive shop-wn-
dow" In Europe 1t is different; it is all
shop-window, and nothing else. A shop,
dark, badly ventilated, and hardly big
enough for a man to turn around in, will
have front window so prctentous that YOU
think it must be the proem of q storehouse
| of glittering chattels. In very many in
stances the stock is all in the window. Upon
the shelves within are portentous boxes, but
they are empty. The clark Cfor there are
| to buy from the window; there is no variety
| from which TO select; the entire stock is
made Of single samples.
All, WELL what is to be expected In n
country where a chemist (druggist) is a
chymist, where cider is cyder, where pigs
| feet are trotters, where yeast is balm, where
crackers are biscuits, where shoes are boots,
where to be sick is to be iii (home-ill, heart,
ill?), where wheat is sorn, where candy is
lolly, and where humanity grovals and
wallOws in abiect and piteous humiliation
for palry tu'penceY
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
NEEDS or 0rR .sCHOOLs

On recent occasion superintendent
Powell publicly stated fact in regard
to the school system of this city which
is of grave significance. He said that
out Of a school population of $1,000
there were $4,000 pupils in the schools,
to accommodate whom all available
school-room was severely overtaxed
and injuriously overcrowded. The
meaning of this statement is that, in
the District of Columbia, there are 49,
600 children for whom no public
schooling is provided, and that for
many thousands of those who have
been admitted to the schools the pro
vision is altogether inadequate.
Our neighbor and esteemed contem-
porary, the Sunddg Gazette, yesterday
published number of interesting inter
views with members of the Board of
Trustees in regard to this matter. They
all complain of lack of school accom-
modations. This lack was so pressing
last year that $14,S32 was paid for
twenty-four rented buildings and thirty
eight rooms necessarily ill.ftted for
school work. Notwithstanding the ad-
ditional room thus secured, over 300
could be accommodated for only half
day tuition.
The High School is so overcrowled
that there, too, half day tuition has to
be adopted to considerable extent. To
relieve the pressure on this institution
II is proposed to erect two additional
High Schools-one in West an the
other in East Washington. This relief,
however, cannot Immediately be effected
for lack of funds.
In addition many of the older school
houses and all the rented buildings are
ill-ventilated, defective in plumbing
and sewerage and detrimental to health.
Yet, in full view of all these facts,
tho District Appropriation bill as passed
by the House allows for new sites and
schoolhouses $4,000 less than last
year, the trouble being that as the need
increases the appropriation diminishes.
Why Congress should deal in this
niggardly fashion with the schools of
the District passes comprehension.
Economy is commendable, and it is the
duty of Congressman to scrutinize
closely every scheme that threatens to
deplete the Treasury. But schools are
not questionable schemes. The schools
Of the District largely depend for their
efficiency on the liberality of Congress,
and they are at least entitled to a just
support.
The only resource left to remedy the
evil state of things referred to and to
increase the appropriation is an appeal
to the Senate for an amendment of the
bill. This appeal is to be made, and it
is to be hoped that it will prove sue
cessful. The Senate does not need TO
be told that money spent on schools is
money well expended. Education is
not only necessity Of our time, but
against the evils that loom up threaten
ingly over the horizon of modern civil
ization the free scope of a wider and
more general education is the only de-
| fense in sight.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
MR.. WARMERS FALLACIES.

E4itor critic: There is one statement in
Mr. b. II. Warmers letter, published in The
CRITIC Of the 2lst, which should not go
unchallcnged. He says: Thousands of
good citizens live in Washington without
paying a dollar in the way Of taxation"
Now this popular fallacy has 50 often been
exploded that it is surprising that man so
intelligent as Mr.. Warner should have again
advanced it. AS one of the "good citizens"
of the class he refers to, desire on their
behalf to resent the unfair charge that we
enjoy the benefits provided by local taxa
tlon without contributing our full share of
such taxation.
BY way of illustration, we would ask
Mr.. Warner whether he does not try to
show an investor to whom he wishes to sell
house and lot in his capacity as real
estate agent or owner, how much interest
or rich profit will remain to the investor
after taxes, insurance, repairs and commits
sions have been paid for? The investor
will ask: "But where is the money to come
from for all this?" Mr.. Warner will say:
"Why, from the rent, of course" But the
teDant-the "good citizen" pays the rent,
therefore the "good citizen" not only pays
the entire repairs, insurance, commission
and taxes on the house he does not own, but,
over and above all these, a greater or less
profit or interest to the owner. If, as THE
CRITIC states, the smaller pieces OF prop
erty are more heavily taxed, in proportion,
than the larger, then these thousands OF
good citizens" without real property, who,
as rule, occupy these small houses as
tenants, do bear taxation, and more than
their Just share.
In the same way we pay our share of the
local taxes which are levied on the grocer,
the market man, the dry goods man, and
every other dealer, not excluding our ever
dear gas company, none of whom ever for
gets to include the taxes they pay in the
price they charge us for the article fur.
nished. A "GoOD C1TIZEN.n
February %, 1890.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
' AGES OF SOME RULERS.

OHIO, King of Bavaria, Az years old.
Queen Victoria, 10l years old, with fifty
two years of reign.
Leo NIL, who is 79i years old, has
reigned nearly twelve years,
Louis, Grand Duke of Russia, SO years
old, with twelve years of reign.
Karl |. of Wurtemberg, 6Ga years old,
with twenty five years of reign.
Albert, King of SaXony, q! years old,
with sixteen years of reign.
Abdul Hamid, the Sultan, AZ years old,
with thirteen years of reign.
Oscar H., King of Sweden, G02 years old,
with seventeen years of reign.
Francis Joseph of Austria, 80 years old,
having rei9ned forty-one years
Humbert l., Kline Ita,y, 1oa years old,
with a reign Of neaI ~ 'welye years.
Frederick, Grand Dun, OF "aden, G3 years
old, with thirty eight years Ct reign.
Leopold H., King of the Bei.ia2s. 5i4
years old, having reigned twentyfour
years.
Nicholas, Prince Of Montenegro, IS years
old, with "A reign of twenty-nne years.
George, King of Greece, A years old,
with a reign of twenty-six and one-half
years.
Christian IX., King of Denmark, is ~
years old, with twenty-siX years Of reign.
William H., German Emperor, nearly 81
years old, with year and a-half of reigu.
William Ill, King of the Netherlands
is 724 years old, having reigned forty years
Alexander Ill, Of Russia Is Az years
old, with reign of eight and three-qulrter
years.
Charles, King of Roumania, 50l years
old, with a reign of twenty-five and two
third years since the beginning of his gov
ernment.
Carlo !. of Portugal, 2G years old, two
months of reign; Alexander J. Of Seryia,
13A years Old, nine mouths Of reign, aud
Alfonso XIII. of Spain, "a years old, with
three and a-half years of reign.--1iaaadch
de GOthq.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
POLICE AND LOTTERIES.

The attention which The CRITIC
has aroused in regard to the nefarious
lottery business done in the District has
encouraged the police authorities to re
new their efforts for its suppression.
The difficulty heretofore has been
that when an agent of any of the lot
teries has been arrested the Police
Court was held to have jurisdiction.
On demand for a jury trial, which
that court is not empowered TO grant.
the case Was sent TO the grand jury and
remained buried there.
Now it is thought that under section
GG3 of the Revised Statutes any Judge
of the Supreme Court may exercise
original jurisdiction and hold lottery
agent to trial,
An arrest is to be made which will be
regarded as test case. If it is success
full the gratitude of this community
will be due 10 the police for their intel
ligence and zeal in the matter.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24

crown to be necessities 20 you. But Dolo'
rs must have her hou-oous and flowers
and little charity coins also. As | said
before. Eo5 jNtj'd."
"With all my heart, uncle said Paul,
laughing.
And ~ little Dolores won her cause after
all. She came 10 her uncle the nest day.
"Oh, uncle r' She said. II am SO sorry
told YOU that about Paul.
"Why, my deai?' asked the Major.
"Becaiise we have talked the matter all
over" said Dolores, "aud he Is SO good.
am to have regular allowance, all OF mY
own. Isn't he spleudid And wouldn't
have him think complained Of him tor all
the worldn'
Don't be afraid, my dear" slid the
Major. at shall be a state secret between
us two forever and day. Aud you are
sure you're quite happy nowY
"Ob, yes, 1uite,n declared Dolores, with
emphasis.
but she did not know that Uncle Gerald
was the magician who had wrought this
wonderful change.-NeU York Ledger.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
4NOrHER ELSH SrORl.

Nearly year ago fisherman w. Il. Van
Dyke, while pursuing his occupation of
shore, invitingly threw out a ilshing-line
with two well-baited hooks. Presently there
was jerk-the bait had "took." Van
Dyke was hauling in hand over hand, when
suddenly the tension ceased aud the liuc
was gracefully and adroitly whisked into
the boat minus both hooks. Last fall Mr..
Van Dyke, in emptying one Of his pounds
of its overnight catch, discovered among
his captiyes "plg' fish and a sea bass
united by bit Of llshing-cord, which he
readily identified as his own.
A hook had penetrated the jaw of each
fish, and, becoming imDedded there, the
flesh had grown around their barbs aud
thus securely fastened them in position.
Thus held together for nearly a twelve
month they had coursed the briny in double
team, held by single twine, till death cut
their thread of life in twain. The skele-
tons of this curious pair of accidental
siamese twins, together with the hooks and
line which constituted their sole domestic
tie, now adOrn the walls of the fish house of
Mr. Van Dyke, on Ocean avenue, opposite
North Bath avenue. -Loag Branch NeQs.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24

'rg'on Co matters IN which they have a
common interest and how can this
agreement of opinion be given united
adequate and effective expression?
The success which has attended many
OF the efforts Of the Committee of 100
and It's nine subcommittee in the sew
eral districts Of the city, shows what
may be done by voluntary associations
of citizens Through their activity and
zeal the schools were saved from mis-.
management and the present admirable
system established. In various ways
their influence has been felt In prOCur-
ing municipal reforms, and The ready
access which their delegated represen-
tatiyes have had to the Congressional
District Committees presents an un-
official method by which expression
may be given to the wishes or griev-
ances of the people.
The main grievance Of the city at
the present time is the unjust system of
assessment in vogue. 1t is unfair TO all
classes, and should give place to an
adequate and impartial plan. This is
a matter which the Committee Of
1O0' and the several District associa.
tions should take up at once and push
vigorously to speedy conclusion. If
they do not the people will have to as
semble and organize and send their
representatives to Congress in their own
way, for nothing is more certain than
that the fraud by which the rich are
benefited at the expense of the poor
must cease.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
MR. FOULKE NOT 4 EACrOR.

A newspaper writer In a sketch of Mr..
William Dudley Foulke of Richmond, Ind,
says that she was more than once posi-
BILE Gubernatorial factor, and the Burnt
district often discussed him as an availa-
Bile man to fill General Tom Brownies seat
in Congress"
An old lndianian, who read these tw }
statements, said:
"That's all nonsense. There never has
been time when Mr.. Foulke could by
any chance have become Gubernatorial
factor There never has been time since,
1850 when the Burnt district discussed
anybody in place of General Tom Browne,
and then that man was not Mr.. Foulkei
He has never been discussed in that ca
pacity at ALL The truth is that Mr. Foulke
is man of only moderate abilities. He is
looked upon in Indiana as a crank whose
only title to consideration has been his
wealth, He never had any influence or
standing outside his own county. 1t is
cruelty to animals to besmear him with
such fulsome eulogy. IL can only serve
to render him ridiculous. Certainly this IL
another case where one may well pray to
be saved from ones fool friends"
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
LITERARY NOTES.

Gertrude Franklin Atherton, for whom
the Frank f. Love Company has just pub
lished novel called "Los Cerritos,n is said
to be grandniece of Benjamin Franklin.
Prof. Frederick l.. Ritter Of Vassar has
revised and enlarged his popular history of
"Music in America" and the new edition
viii be brought out soon by the Scrbners.
The Shah of Persia's impressions of his
recent tour through Europe may make
their first appearance In the Paris Figure.
lie is reported to be engaged now I'm their
preparation.
The late General Gordon's Chinese jour
nails have been edited by one of his several
biographers-E Egmont Lakeland will be
published soon in London in two volumes.
A portrait, etched from Val Prnsep's
painting, which shows Gordon in a yellow
Chinese jacket, will make the frontispiece,
Some letters to be given are new.
Truth, of London, says that If Wilkie
Collins had lived and retained his health
through another summer and fall he
would have carried out his long meditated
intention of enriching nearly every page of
his three-yolume edition of Forster's Life
of Dickens" with annOtations. lie made
4 beginning on the work several years ago.
Some Of the articles which the forthcom-
ing volume OF Chambers Encyclopedia will
contain are these: One by Il. u. Blackmore
on "Gardenng,n one by William Morris on
"Glass Staining one by Prof, Geikle on
'GeOlOgy,n one by Gladstone on "HOmer,' "
one by Pasteur on "Ilydrophobia,n one by
Prof Huxley on himself. There will be
memoirs of Orlando Gibbons and Handel
by Sir George Glove, Of Goldsmith and Gay
by Austin Dobson, of the four Georges by
Frazer Rae, of Greene and Haywood by A,
II. Bullen, of Hood by Canon Anger aud
Of Victor Hugo by W, II. Henley. The
Duke of Argyll writes on THE Highlands
and Austin Dobson on "llogarth."