davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1893-08-12

been amongst the tidewaiters OF the
cnstoms OF that port, and they have
made some preliminary reports to the
treasury department that have incul-
pated officials In very high places as
well as very low. These include the
Illicit landing of excluded Mongolians
In great numbers on false certificates
furnished the contrabands by their Chi
nose receivers in collusion, it is believed, !,
with some Of the high officials. This
part OF the investigation will afford
great deal OF sensational matter when i
is made public.
Costly French and English goods,
which under the Mckinley bill ought to
pay very high rate OF duty, are smug-
Rled through in great quantities in
trunks presumed to contain the un
dutiable apparel of passengers. Hero
collusion with the examiners and in
spectors comes in, and the revenues are
defrauded and honest importers placed
at disadvantage. Precious stones and
jewelry, and all that class of importa-
tions. escape duty with the aid of dis
honest revenue officisls. Indeed the
New York custom house is considered
the center OF more corruption than ex-
lists in all the other custom houses in
the United States put together.
The herald., 1893-08-12
ANOTHER pzLUGR OF GOLD.

When California and Australia were
at the same time inundRting the world
with gold, the value OF silver went up 30
far that the commercial nations were
seriously thinking OF lowering the ratio
of the yellow metal, and many believed
that gold would soon become commo'
dity, whilst silver would become the sole
standard OF values. Nor is one aston
ished that such was the case when one
recalls the enormous volume OF gold
thoee two marvellous countries we're
pouring into the treasures OF the world.
At that time Mexican minted dollars
commanded premium of from IL to 10
per cent, with an upward tendency.
1t was not till the wonderful Comstock
was discovered, and the wide eeries OF
silver mines in Eastern Nevada, Idaho,
Utah and Montana began to pour the
white metal into the lap OF commerce
that any cheek was given to the upward
tendency. These new discoveries, from
1860 to 1870 added go much silver to the
worlds stock as to again about estab'
lish tho. equilibrium between the two
metals. Then came Colorado, Arizona
and New Mexico into prominence as sill
yer producers, and the Gold-bugs had
chance to turn the tables on silver,
although the great increase OF the white
! metal used in the arts held the worlds
stock of silver and gold at very nearly an
equality.
If We are to believe the astounding re-
ports Of gold discoveries in South Africa
the world is to soon see another change
which may place silver again in the
ascendant. A correspondent OF the
Mining World, writing from Kimberley
states that in the Randi lately there hal
been discovery OF the Main Reef series
OF deposits at depth OF from $500 u
1000 feet away from the outcrop, which II
simply marvellous. He says:
This event clearly points to a poten
tiality OF ofgrsatness for the Randi unpar
alleied in the history of the world. 1t i
net only that on basis of 10 dwts. ther'
are probably Ell, 1887 800 ($l05, 1887 500
worth of gold on this property, but O.
we have 40 miles OF it we NAV figure l
, it out something like this. The cubica
. contents will come out at $4,000, 90
cubic meters and the weight at 458, 600,
600 tons. The stuff shows in man
places visible gold, and several assay
have run as high aH 10 ounces. Ha
the width OF the reef will give thre
ounces, so that one may safely say on
ounce will go over the plates. On tn
basis we shall get 6 ,603. 900, 900 sterlin
! ($s, Ole, 900 ,000). 70 realize what tn
. means automatically is impossible. bt
to know that it would require l400 truci
, OF 8 carrying capacity OF 10 ton, an
) that the string OF them would exteu
: five miles, may help tne conception"
(. Now if this report Of the wonderi
The herald., 1893-08-12
IN A BAD FIX.

The Union Pacific Railway company
is in a position that may result very
disaetrously to that corporation ana
compel the government to take hold OF
the road to save itself from the loss OF
all the vaet millions it loaned that COM
pany in the guarantee OF bonds. Should
the government be compelled 10 save
itself by foreclosing it will find the road
in very bad condition financially, and
perhaps may find that any attempt TO
extricate it from the difficulties reck-
less management has brought upon it
would necessitate the very questionable
experiment. of sending good money after
bad.
There il to be special session OF the
directors held tomorrow In Boston.
This meeting has been called to con-
slider the gravity OF tho situation In
which the road finds itself. BY the
enormous extension OF its trackagt
through vast regions of sterile and un'
peopled country it has 60 crippled iti
resources that it finds itself in times o
panic and scarcity Of money in posi-
ton which is calculated to make its di
rectory feel desperate. Comptrolle
Mink has drawn this dismal picture 0
the present aspect Of the affairs OF thu
great corporation:
The enormous trackage OF the Uniol
Pacific west of North Platte gives iittl'
hope of yielding satisfactory returns 10
80, and possibly for 120 Gays. The wea
The herald., 1893-08-12
THE MEETING OF CONGRESS-.

There was very full attendance at
the opening of the special called session
OF congress Monday, and both houses
organized without any friction or delay.
The message Of the president, which
everybody is anxious to read, was not
transmitted. although, it is said, it was
on its way to the senate when that body
adjourned. 1t will be delivered to both
houses today.
What is known of the contents OF the
message ia to the effect that it recon-
mends the unconditional repeal of the
Sherman act, whilst recognizing silver
as one of the money metals which must
be maintained. But the president
points out that, owing to the present
at6tude of the European countries, the
proper ratio between gold and silver
cannot be maintained by this country
alone. and therefore he does not favor
the coinage of silver, except for subsid-
iary purposes. He thinks that in this
way Europe can be coerced into an in
ternational agreement more favorable
tbhaet tbhaaPestdjore s.- Il it.S %saEai Eaibp ta csRtsS nta
isfactorily chow that such would be the
case, and perhaps when we have the
full text of the message before iils the
easons he has for this beliefl widAa be
more satisfactorily set forth. yiillslA s
Mr.. Cochran, of New York, VIII take
the leadership Of the anti-ailver men.
and Mr.. Bland that of the white metal
advocates. He has q programme out
ined which virtually starts out with
the unconditional repeal Of the Sherman
law. He will represent Mr.. Clevsland's
views in the house. He is an able man
and an orator OF great forcs and power /;
but his triumphs have been principally
achieved at the bar, and he may not be
40 successful as his friends anticipate as
a party leader in the national legisla-
ture. Mr.. Bland is an experienced and
skillful debater ard tactician, and will
Bring to his leadership of the silver men
complete familiarity with the rules ol
the house and the resources OF parlla'
mentary tactics.
The composition OF both houses if
greatly mixed on the silver question. Ii
will be impossible to preserve party
lines on that issue, as both the grea'
organizations are split in regard to it.
The question will rather resolve itsel
into territorial lines OF demarcatior
than political, although it will be fount
that there is a greater preponderance Q
free coinage men among the Democrati
than the Republican members.
Of one thing we may rest ashured AM
that is that the main issues will D
thoroughly, elabora:ely and exhaust
lively debated before they will be sub
mitted to vote.
The herald., 1893-08-12

ONE of the curious surprises in the de-
velopments of crookedness connected
with the management of the San Fran
cisco Pacific bank is the discovery
among it's assets of two notes-one for
$132, 900 and the other for 500, ,000-sign-
cd by Professor @. +. Holder, the editor
of the California Illustrated Magazine.
The editor was backed in his publishing
enterprise by the young McDonalds
who have been running the Pacific
bank, and they got him to sign these
notes az mere matter of form, no con-
sideration passing to him whatever in
the transaction. Mr.. Holder was grate-
full to the McDonal6s for the aid they
had afforded him in the magazine, and
when they assured him that the notes
were merely to represent on the books
real estate which they would nominally
transfer to him, and which the bank
under it's charter, could not hold, he in
nocently signed them. OF course there
was never any transfer or delivery OF
the property to him, and he was as
much astonished as his friends were
when he found his notes were among
the assets of the bank. The two young
McDonalds are evidently slick pair.
The herald., 1893-08-12

FRANCE has raised the blockade oi
Siam, her demands having all been sat
isied by the Siamese king. Although
Great Britain, as usual, tried big bluff
game with the French, and threatened
to pay no attention to the blockade,
France proceeded right along to carry
out her programme of coercion, paying
no attention whatever to the threats oi
John Bull. It will be remembered that
q few days ago Emperor William in
burst OF plain speech, said that the navy
of Great Britain would prove soap
bubble if brought into active conflict
with that of first-clsss power. Perhaps
the English admiralty is of the same
he1iaf
The herald., 1893-08-12

As WAS to be expected, Mr.. Cleveland's IS
message suits the English press to I.
The London papers bestow unlimited
praise upon it, and revel in
superlatives about the soundness OF
its arguments and the clearness OF
it's presentations. The message GER
taiEsy deserves praise. 1t is re-
markably well-written state paper. and
places the views of the gold mon more
perspicuously before the public than
they have ever been before presented.
We have but one fault to find with this
admirable summing up the case against
silver: it purports to cure deep-seated
disease by prescribing merely for the
eradication of one Of its exterior symp-
toms. The medicine may produce a
temporary reaction, but the root of the
evil will remain untouched.
The herald., 1893-08-12
OPIUM AND CHINESE SMUGGLING.

The smuggling Of opium into the
United States has reached point at
which the question very seriously arises
whether it would not be we'll to take OIL
the very heavy duty which makes this
kind of crime 40 tempting and 80 dill
cult OF repression. The fact appears to
be that tho revenue service on this
coast seems to be 30 saturated with cor
ruption that little or no respect ID palc
to the customs laws. Nearly every YES
sel that arrives from China has smug-
pled opium slowed away in her. Tne
petty officers and hands on board nearly
all earn more from tho opium they
smuggle than their legitimate wages.
Once in a while the revenue officers
make q seizure. But for one tael OF the
drug that is seized dozens are success
fully smuggled through. The profit is
90 gret that the rule OF addition,
division and silence" is in many cases
successfully carried out with the customs
officials.
Just now the great mess OF smuggled
opium gets into the country through
British Columbia. The Chinese steam
ers bring it there in immense quantities,
and it ia landed at points along Puget
sound by regular feet of small craft
engaged in the smuggling trade. There
must be immense profit in this nefariout
business. The opium traffic is supple
mented with the importation OF contra
band Chinese, who are landed wherever
there ia the least chance Of discovery
At the rate Of $50 per head for any cooli'
successfully landed, and So or "a a pount
for all the opium that runs the gauzl
gauntlet OF the revenue service. we ma
imagine how great the temptation 10 t.
take risks. But. If all the scandaloui
stories that are now being brought ou
about the corruption of the revenu
officials OF Por tland and the Sound, ar
only partly true, the risk run in smuQ
Cling Chinese and opium into the coun
try is not alarmingly great Either tn
revenue service ought to be strictly en-
forced or the duty on opium ought to D
go reduced ths. there would be no prof
in smuggling it. The way to enforc
the revenue laws is to secure homes
officials These can be had. There
no lack OF honest men who would .
| glad to enter the customs service and q
, their full duty.
The custom house OF New York n
become a nest OF corruption SINCE II
! Mckinley tariff has made it such an Q
iect to evade the payment OF dutie
l Special government detectives na
The herald., 1893-08-12
NO MORE COLOSSAL FAIRS.

The Chicago Herald says that it is
admitted by the management of the
exposition that all it's sagacitv will be
required to bring ont an even balance
sheet when the accounts OF the fair are
closed. If this is the aspect OF the
financial condition of tho great exhibit
tion at the close of the first half of its
existence what will be the actual state
of resultant facts when the final &C.
county are made up? 1t is the last half
of the fair year that will try the manage
ment to it's utmost. 1t has had the
benfit OF normal times throughout the
country up to very recently, and the
receipts have undoubtedly been much
larger during the opening months than
they will be henceforth. The country
has been struck with financial cyclone,
and everybody is scrimping and curtail-
ing expenses so as to be enabled to
weather the storm. 1t goes without
saying that people who are struggling
to keep above water during these try Ing
times will feel com pelled to forego the
luxury of indulging in an expensive TRIP
to Chicago.
We know that one-half, perhaps two
thirds, OF the people in this state wht
contemplated the trip will decline t.
make it under the circumstances
With many it is not case OF unwilling
ness to witness the great marvels OF thu
white city, but an absolute inability tt
do so for financial reasons. AS the sam
conditions will confront the speopl
The herald., 1893-08-12

THERE are $22, 900 of county money in
the City bank, or at least there WAS be-
fore it's failure. The bondsmen OF the
treasurer, composing some OF our prin-
cipal bankers, went before the super
visors yesterday to get that body to sus-
pend action against them for the county
money until they could secure them
selves from the bondsmen of the deputy
treasurer, who was an employee OF the
bank, and who are responsible for the
safety of the county moneys. The
county treasurer's bondsmen are willing
to pay over the money deposited in the
City bank, and will give the county any
guarantee the supervisors may require
that it will be paid, only they do moi
want to do 30 until they have secured
themselves from the deputy's bonds
men, as if they should pay the money
over before they are thus secured the
deputy's bondsmen could legally set W
the fact that there was no money dut
the county. The county will be safe il
Sny event.
The herald., 1893-08-12
OFF TO THE LIBRARIES.

Los Angeles Advantages Will BE Fonno
Everywhere.
The HERALD has begun its work ot lad.
dressing the illustrated Columbian edi
tion to the various public libraries and
reading rooms OF the United States and
Canada. The clerical force OF the office
has been taxed to its utmost and II %.h
F,seh"hi- sHIA fully three weeks hsfofs'
come forward sSnsSia. snSia .saks si...r ssa. 1t
will be considered favor il addressed
can be left OF Young Mems Christian as
ISOLATION and other reading rooms at the
Office, In this manner the work can be
very much facilitated, as it is the desire
OF the publishers to see that there Will
be not single library or reading room
but where their handsome publication
will be filed.
The herald., 1893-08-12

THE attitude of Senator Vance, as tel
egraphed day or two ago, is most ad-
mirable from every point of view. As
q partizan and as an honest man, his
position is impregnable. ''If they"
(the utterances of the party at Chicago,)
ARE sincere" says he, then l am try.
ing to stand on the platform. 1t pledges
the party to the use OF both gold and
silver without discrimination. II we
cease to coin one, and refuse to tender
1t in payment even OF the obligations
which by contract are payable thereon
We do discriminate against that metal. l.n
That is indeed sound doctrine, which
any man of any party can heartily es
pouse. And there is world OF practi.
cal wisdom in what he says about chang.
ing existing currency laws, and i,
should be carefully needed by every
friend OF silver in congress in the crisis
now impending: 1.-The men of common
''sense. who are loyal to the purposes
"they profess, will not surrender the ad.
"vantages Of their position. The Law
"now in existence can be kept there b,
"the non-concurrence OF either the
"house or senate, or by the president il
sits repeal; whereas, the Sherman lau
'once repealed, the measures which ara
"to take its place would have to be
''psssed by affirmative legislation, re-
''quiring the concurrence OF all three
branches of the law-making depart
"ment, and no sensible man acquainted d
with the situation, will believe that
"these measures could be passed urdty
"such circumstances" s
The herald., 1893-08-12
rHs PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The anxiously awaited message Of the
president was transmitted to both
houses Of congress Tuesday. No one
10 surprised that Mr.. Cleveland has re-
peatsd in his message, but in more direct
and argumentative terms than in his
previous utterances, his firm conviction
that the financial troubles of the coun-
try are due to the Sherman purchasing
act, and that the immediate and uncon-
ditional repeal Of that act will at once
restors confidence and bring the busi-
ness Of the country back to its normal
healthy condition.
Whilst Mr.. Cleveland makes out as
strong q case for unconditional repeal as
it is possible to make, the friends of
bi-metallism will regre. that he offers or
suggests no proposition by which the
American principle OF recognizing both
metals may be sustained in practice.
He declares unequivocally that the
United States cannot singls-hsnded re-
store the metals to q parity of value in
the markets of the world. Perhaps that
is true; but We can single-hsnded in.
crease the volume of circulation in the
country by utilizing our silver product
as coin, or a. the basis of the much
needed augmentation, of our circulation.
There 10 such . thing as accomplishing
the defeat of an object by unfriendly
action as we'll as by direct opposition;
and We must say that the administra-
tion has done more harm to the princi-
pie Of bi.metallism by it's unfriendliness
than it possibly could have accom-
plished by direct hostility.
We do not believe with Mr.. Cleveland
that the Sherman act has brought about
all the ills under which we now suffer.
Gold has gone from us in great qusnti-
ties in the past year by the natural law
Of exchanges. The balance OF trade, in
spite OF all the gauzy claims OF the Nc
Kinleyites, has been against Us, and that
balance we have had to pay. To sscribe
it all to the purchase of silver under the
Sherman law is clearly error OF the most
glaring kind. The purchase OF A.
100000 ounces of silver every month
could not so disturb the busi-
ness of this great country as
to bring on a universal panic. The
panic has been coming on ever since
congress adopted = tariff policy that
lamely aimed at the isolation Of the
United States from, fair commercial in
tercourse with the family Of nations, and
legislated go as to build up great monop.
olies in this country by virtually passing
over to them the sovereign power Of
taxation.
II the present congress will repeal the
Sherman act, at the same time making
affair cemnromisa in tha interAat Of all
give US free raw materials and prevent
the existence OF monopolies' that are
crushing the producer and consumer,
this country will flourish again .as she
has ever fourished under sensible laws.
Notwithstanding the etrong 'ples Mr..
Cleveland makes in his message Tor the
unconditional repeal Of the Sherman
act, we very much doubt whether the
present congress is in mood to do 30
unless the repeal carries with 1t some
measure that will favor silver.
The herald., 1893-08-12

deposits Of the yellow metal is only
partially true. here 10 . discovery that
will soon more than Offset any probable
excess OF silver that can bs reached In
the worlds stock. and We may again
hear of . movement to demonetize
gold and establish silver - the sole
money standard Of value. The unex-
plored portions Of Africa may yet deluge
the world with gold in such quantities
as to completely turn the tables upon
the present estimate Of values OF the
two metale
The herald., 1893-08-12

earth, before the blasts Of the financial
panic. The fact is that Los Angeles
has so many, so varied and such rich re-
sources that her powers Of recuperatIon
even from serious disaster are 80 great
that nothing imaginable can set hsr
back for any length Of time. There
never was year in the history of our
section when better or greater volume
of crops rewarded the husbandmen.
Nor was there ever . time when the
outlook for expansion Of our commerce
and our industries was brighter than it
is now.
The herald., 1893-08-12

everywhere, We may look for . falling of
In the receipts that will prove unspsak-
ably distressing TO the managers OF the
fair. The Herald says that "the ex-
position, viewed in strictly commercial
sense, is an acknowledged failure in the
middle Of its term." What, then, will
1t be at the close? We fear the balance
Of its cash account will then be alarm
ingly on the wrong side of the ledger.
With such a result what will be the
effect? The first logical fruit OF fail
ure like this will be to discourage such
colossal international expeditions % the
people OF Chicago have given to the
world. Indeed, it has been the rule,
ever since the Crystal Palace interns-
tional exhibition near London in 1862,
that these experiments have failed to
return face value for the capital ad-
vanced. They have been great teachers
OF art. promoters Of science, incentives
to invention, augmenters of the sum OF
human knowledge in the progress OF all
the elements relating to an improving
material civilization; but they have not
paid their projectors in commercial
sense. The last great Paris exposition
came the nearest to doing this. But
the government, with ali its resources
OF men and money, was behind it,.
We may hereafter look fer attractive
fairs, but they will be on a minimizsd
scale. In fact the outcome at Chicago
may result in giving international ex-
positions new departure. They will
probably be specialized. Advances along
specific paths will be periodically COM
pared, but never again will an exhibi-
tion progressing beyond the Columbian,
as it has proceeded beyond all its pre-
decessors in general aspects, be seen.
There will be hereafter international
expositions of fine arts, OF industrial
arts, Of mechanic arts, of differentiated
subjects, like electricity, navigation, ag-
riculture. We are seeing the closing
chapter OF general international exposi-
tions, and who will deny that those of
the future will be more effective as edu-
cational schools for the people, than
such colossal expositions as the Colum.
bian fair.
The herald., 1893-08-12

The Democratic silver men in con-
gress have agreed in caucus upon pro-
gramme which they believe they can
carry, and which will be very advanta.
geous to the white metal. They will
consent to the repeal of the Sherman
act and to abandon free coinage, on con-
dition that measure be passed increas-
ing the ratio between silver and gold 30
90 to bring the two metals on parity.
The ratio is left to future action; but il
certainly does not mean that it will be
increased 30 as to equalize the value O
the metals as at present differentiated
That would be folly. They will doubt
less determine upon some ratio that
will approximate the probable difference
that will exist when the white meta
has had the benefit of favorable legisla'
ton. That would probably be 20 to l.