Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-13

ToLsToI is said to have brain trouble
Another "Kreutzer Sonata may be ex
pected
IT is reported that the first work in the
line of providing for coass defenses will be
to spend 81 ,000,0 600 in rendering Boston
narOor impregnable. Torpedoes, rihed
cannon, and coast guard of Massachusetts
old maids will strike terror to the heart of
the invader.
DURING the last week eleven thousand
Jews have arrived in Brennan on their
way from Russia to Brazil. And yet the
apologists for the car would have US be-
lieve that the Jews are subjected to no PER
secution in Russia. Such an exodus Of
people from their homes is not likely to
occur under humane governmental condl-
tions. Facts like these offset a CARLOAD
of arguments.
THE petitions in behalf of the murderer
Birchall have been presented to Sir John
Thompson, the Canadian minister of
justice. They bear 5000 signatures, the
petition including barristers, clergymen,
bankers and other influential persons.
Mrs. Birchall was kindly received by the
minister, who promised to carefully COLI
slider the appeal for clemency. McMur-
ply, Birchall's lawyer, in arguing for his
client, claimed that he had been con-
demned in advance of his trial; that his
guilt had not been conclusively proven.
It is the universal opinion of Ottawa
nat the law will be allowed to take its
curse.
GENERAL BOoTH plan for lettering the
condition of poverty striker classes of
England may be visionary and imprac-
ticable, but there is no denying that the
Salvation Army leader is receiving en-
couragemert from high quarters just the
same. 1t is only few days since Arch
deacon Farrar sent the general a check
for $3.50 and an expression of regret that
the idea had not,originated with the church
of England, and now he has received a
letter from the Empress Fredericka, of Ger
nanv, thanking him for his book I'm
Darkest England" and expressing APP
provaI of his ideas. 1t is also said tina
Emperor William, the czar and several
English bishops, have all expressed ap-
probation of General Booths sheme, and
promised it their support.
AN official report of the Dutch govern
ment announces a partial failure of the
Java coffee crop. The total yield of the
government plantation this year is put
down at SO, 450 pienls, whereas the aver
age annual yield is not much less than
million. Though Java extends through
distance of more than six hundred miles
and its area approXlmates that OF Eng
land, the best grounds for coffee cultlva-
ton are only those of the plateau region
between two thousand and four thousand
feet above the sea. And yet, Though re-
1uiring high. we'll watered mountain
slopes for its successful cultivation, the
coffee plant will not thrive if the temrerat-
ure sinks below So degrees Fahrenhen. 1t
would be interesting to learn whether the
meteorological conditions which were so
unfavorable to the West Indisn sugar
planters this year extended to Java. But
the present crop failure there is probably
due principally to the ravages of the coffee
leaf disease known as hemileia vastatriz,
which in late years has been so destructive
of the coffee plant in Ceylon and South
India.
CuHDRNE,S STORIES.