davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23

AMONG THE HIGHER CONVERSATIONS
of connection with religious journalism
is the privilege of intellectual commun-
ion with rare minds and Of spiritual fell
lowship with kindred souls. Many of
those whom we thus come to know well
and esteem very highly we see only at
long intervals; some never. Yet we feel
near to them. wait for their word with
expectancy, miss their greeting as of the
face of dear familiar friend, and count
them up when we make our concourse
of the elect. So runs our thought as we
read the adieu of DIR. Simeon Gilbert,
for twenty years editor of the Advance.
Simeon has not seen the full salvation
of the Lord; but he has wrought cour-
ageously, manifoldly and in lofty strain
of strength and hope. to bring it in. We
are sincerely sorry that he departs, but
we trust it is in nlerited peace.
Mr.. John Gilmer Speed is clever
writer and critic of versatile powers.
He often turns neat period, as when
he speaks OF the common schools and
the daily newspapers" as having been
powerful factors in the spread of that
half-knowledge which is more Gripping
than entire ignorance" But what does he
mean by imparting such bankrupt Eng
lish as the following? "We merely smile
in derision and wonder why such lot
of people should be inconsiderate enough
as to take part in five-act play" We
would fain charge it to the proof reader;
but the malice prepense in it forbids.
The dictum of Frederic Harrison,
that 1.-The absolute masters OF prose and
verse in equal measure scarcely exceed
Shakespeare and Shelley. Goethe and
Hugo" is what may be called chance
shot. How absolute master of prose
Shakespeare was We have only scant
means of knowing. Shelley might have
been more absolute in both. Goethe
and Hugo measure well up to such a
standard, though Hugo's poetry is sew
eral degrees below his prose. Better ex-
amples of the absolute mastery Of prose
and of verse than any in Mr.. Harrison's
list, are Scott and Milton.
The text of the speech OF Sir VIM.
Vernon Harcourt, on which some per-
sons and papers in the United States
have hung hope for silver, has come to
hand. 1t is polite, amiable, circumlo-
cutory, but sadly lacking in encourage
ment to bimetalism. The present gov.
ernment of Great Britain. like the form
or one, is entirely willing to join in a
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23
1.-THE LEISURE OF GOD"
BY REV. GEORGE S. WEAVER, DID.

"The Leisure of God" is the title
of a rich little book of fifteen chapt-
ers-233 pages, by John Coleman
Adams, DID,, lately published by the
Universalist Publishing House, 30
West Street, Boston, Mass. 1t is
evidently made up of series of SER
mons which deal with many very i'm
portant themes of faith and practice.
1t is difficult to tell whether it is more
doctrinal than practical. For a
small book it is broad study of Gods
purposes and dealings with men. 1t
makes very clear the fact that God
takes time equal to the greatness of
any work he undertakes. He never
hurries. 1t is too rich and general a
study of many important themes to
be fittingly set forth in a brief article.
A few quotations may give better
idea of it.
"Why, then, is it that men call ma
ture, and the course of Providence,
and the unfolding of life, slow and
tedious process? Why do we count
"the days of the Lord a thousand
years." and in the face of this incon-
ceivable speed of the divine messen-
gers, cry, "How long, o Lord, how
long7" That is the common habit
of the unthinking, and l suspect that
even the most reflective of us fall to
cha6ng and rebelling when we mark
the disparity between our prayers for
the worlds salvation and the pros
pect of realizing that event. The
trouble is in the different standards
of the Divine Workman and the hui
man spectators. titles in the vastness
of the divine plan and the littleness
of the human understanding. 1t is
in the infinite proportions of the work
God is doing and the brevity of the
time afforded us SO far for observing
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23
CONTENTS.
CHICAGO, SATURDAY. MAR. as, 1895.
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY WEEKLY.

CHICAGO, SATURDAY, MAR. 23. 1895.
Page One.
Editorial Briefs.
'The Leisure of God"
Literary Vignettes-NO. XVIII.
Is Crime Increasing in America.
Page Two.
Sermon: Content and Discomfort.
Will Scientists Accept the Principle of
Design?
Woman's Universalist Missionary Society.
Book Review.
Page Three.
The Sunday School Lesson.
Notes and News.
Page Four.
MethOdists and Universalism.
Church of the Eternal Hope, N. Y. City.
A Lost Soul.
BY the Wayside.
Personal, etc.
Page Five.
Church News and Correspondence.
Page Six.
The Family Page, Farm. Garden and Dairy.
Page Seven.
Our Boys and Girls.
Page Eight.
News of the Week.
Church Notices and In Memoriam.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23

itentiaries, receive the benefit of it.
1t does not follow, however, from the
increase in the Jail population, that
the people of the United States are
in fact more disorderly than ten years
ago; the difference may be due to a
more determined effort on the part of
the authorities to suppress disorder.
The foregoing statements suffici-
emily illustrate the intricacy of the
problem proposed for solution. It is
here stated in it's broad outlines
only. 1t requires to be pursued into
the States one by one, and examined
in its relations to nativity, color and
race. This, in the space allowed for
newspaper article, is impossible.
Among the States which publish i'm
perfect and rather blind judicial sta
tistics is Pennsylvania. Since 1876,
the Pennsylvania Board of Public
Charities has printed an abstract of
the annual returns made by the pro-
thonotaries or clerks of criminal
courts. One fact returned is the
number of persons charged with
crime" which in 1876 was 2O,O4O: but
in 1890 it was 1866, diminution
of 1884, while the population of the
State had increased during the same
period by 1,250,000 or 100000 In
other words, in 1875 the number of
persons charged with crime, in the
criminal courts of Pennsylvania, was
one in 200; but in 1890 only one in
267. This diminution does not ap-
pear in the prison statistics. The
Board reports the prison population
of the State, September 30, 1875, to
have been 1866: but on the same day
of 1890 it was 5,764, or, if the inmates
of the Reformatory at Huntingdon
are included, it was 6,O96. The
number of inmates of the two State
penitentiaries, at these two dates
respectively, was 1884 and 1,75S-an
increase of 80 per cent; or the in
crease, if Huntingdon is included
with the penitentiaries,as it probably
should be, may be said to have been
66 per cent. The increase in. the
population of the State, during the
same period, was only 81 per cent.
Much more might be said in this
connection, but forbear to tax the
readers patience. Ny aim is accom-
plished if the three following i'm
pressions have been made upon his
memory:
First: There has been no sub
stantial increase of crime during the
ten years from 1880 to 1890.
Second: The prison statistics,
taken by themselves, without critical
comments and explanations, do not
show the true rate of increase or de-
crease of crime. For that, judicial
statistics are required, which the De-
partment of Justice at Washington
might proftably undertake to collect
and publish in an annual report.
THIRD: A rational, intelligent in
terest in the prison question is pos
sible, in which there need not be a
trace of sentiment" in the common
and offensive sense of that much
abused word.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23

The question is often put to me as
statistician, "Is crime increasing in
the United States relatively to the
populations" 1t is not easy to give
an off hand, categorical reply. Some
of the difficulties in the way are
pointed out in the present article,
and the attention of the intelligent
reader who likes to be able to give
reason for his opinions, is directed to
them; but there are others not here
mentioned.
If, as some people seem to think, all
that is essential is to open the twen-
ty-first volume of the Tenth Census
at page 4SO, and quote the figures on
the top line, which show that the ap-
parent ratio of prisoners, to 100000
of the total population in 1850 was
290, but in 1880 it was 1859, the an
swer would be as "easy as lying"
Many sensational statements have
been ignorantly based upon these
figures; and the great American pub
lie has been warned, in falsetto tones
of every conceivable pitch, that "in
30 years crime is shown, by the CEN
sus, to have increased four times as
rapidly as the general population
1t is almost, if not quite hopeless
task, to convince the startled listen
ers to the alarm bell thus rung in the
night, that some statistical infant is
pulling at the rope, and that no at
tention need be paid to the sound.
The methods adopted for the enum-
Grafton of the prison population have
been so improved, that no compari-
son between the earlier and later
figures of the census is possible; the
earlier figures have been demonstrated
to be utterly untrustworthy.
Let us confine our discussion to the
decade from 1880 to 1890, since the
statistical method in the last two
enumerations was identical, and an
argument founded upon them is ad-
missible. During these ten years the
number of prisoners increased more
rapidly than the population. The
number in 1880 was $500; in 1890
it was 82,320. Juvenile delinquents
in reformatories for boys and girls
are not here included.) The increase
in the number of prisoners was at the
ratio of Al per cent, while the rate of
increase of population was only "a
per cent.
These numbers should before pro
ceeding further be reduced to ratios
to one million of the population.
The ratio of prisoners to each million
of the population of the United States
in 1880 was 1859, but in 1890 it was
1916, an increase of 146 per million.
In the census the States and
Territories are grouped under five
general divisions; The North Allan
tic, the South Atlantic, the North
Central, the South Central and the
Western. The ratios for each of these
five divisions, in 1880 and in 1890, are
shown in the following table:
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23
APPOINTMENT.
Missionary Agent of Illinois Conventio

Missionary Agent of Illinois Convention.
Acting under the direction of the Ex-
ecutive Committee the Missionary Com
mittee announce that they have made
arrangements with Rev. L. j. DINsMoRE
of Chicago to represent in the field our
missionary interests in Illinois. We be-
lieve the time is opportune for a for
ward movement and beg that parishes
without pastors. and others desiring
assistance. will communicate with him,
in care Of The UNIvERsALIsT office.
r. A. WHITE,
o. W. Nash, Missionary Com.
A. II. LANG.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23

The increase per million in petty
crime is ten times as great as in seri-
uos crime; and the iails, not the pen
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23
CENT-A-DAY HELPERS.
Acknowledgement.

Pledges on the Cent-a Day plan, duly
signed, were received at the office of the
Financial Secretary during the week
ending March 16, as follows:
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23
OUR CONTRIBUTORS.
EDITORIAL BRIEFS.

BY PRESIDENT /. NJ. ATWOOD, D. D.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23
Our Special COntributOrs-=-IS05.
,RIME INCREASING in AMERICA?
By FREDERICK HOWARD WINES,

Chief Department Criminal Statistics Census
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23

RatiOi to 100000
Geographical ---- Increase
Divisions. 1890 1890
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23

Total. .......... 1908
HENRY w. RUGG. Financial See'y
PROVIDENCE. II. l.. March 16, 1895.
The Washington times., 1895-04-22
AGAINST WATER METERS.

Ths. proposition OF the Commissioners
to compel the use Of water meters viii
meet with universal opposition. To meas
ure public water and dole it out in com
mercial quantities to poor and rich alike
smacks Of Shylockisn. II is as absurd as
to pipe heavcnward and charge for pump
ing air into our business houses and resi-
dences.
Our water rates are already too high.
Within the last two years about 100000
OF SURPLUS water rents have been turned
into the general fund TO be sunk in the Ly-
decker tunnel debt. This amount applied to
supplying free water to the poor would
prove a great benefacton, and way should
have been foand'to use the money in estab-
fishing free fountains.
Summer ard its hot breaths viii soon b.
here. and among the poor there Will be an
increased demand for water. The rich
and weil-te-do can seek relief and comfort
at the summer resorts, but the poor must
swclter. ro.n force of circumstances, il
their homes. For that reason they should
be given free of cost the one element that
becomes both necessity and luxury
during he heated term.
The Times would gladly support any
reasonable HTop1sitiont 10 husband our wate
supply and give greater accommodation Il
small householders. But if any effort il
made to stint the element of cleanliness
and measure it out by short meter TO people
who should be supplied for nothing, Th'
Times and the majority Of citizens vii
strenuously object
The Washington times., 1895-04-22
SYSTEMATIC AID TO THE POOR.

The Commissioners have done wisely in
requesting the central relief committee to
formulate some plan for the permanent
relief of the worthy poor of the District
which may take the place of the sporadic
and temporary efforts heretofore made.
The experience gathered by this COM
mittee viii enable it TO systematic public
charity in the city as it ought to be.
Though the people of the District always
respond literally and as promptly as
might be TO the appeals made to them for
aid to the poor, these solicitations generally
come just the very time when there is an
immediate and urgent necessity for assist
ance In consequence of this relief is some
times dangerously delayed, and in some
cases probably altogether overlooked
There is said 10 be predisposition in
favor of what has become known as the
Detroit plan OF potato farming. Wherever
tried it has yielded gratifying results in
q financial way. It, or something akin to
,lsprobahlyt ythemest tphilanthropicmeth
The Washington times., 1895-04-22
FISH COMMISSION IN BUSINESS.

The complaint made by fishermen that
the Fish Commission is running their call
ing by uuderselling them in the market
demands an immediate change in tie policy
OF that department. Those in charge of
the Government shad-catch DO doubt think
it necessary to economize expenditures by
selling the fish after extracting the roe,
but it is Questionable if such economy is
justified when it destroys profitable in
dustry.
The Government has no right 10 COM
pete with private interests in marketable
products. its several departments are or
ganized for specific scientific purposes
and not 10 engage in industrial and Dercan-
tile pursuits. Its employees are salaried
from the public treasury 10 promote public
affairs, and not to destroy any legitimate
calling and drive its followers TO penury,
and every Government official should be
aware of these facts.
To prevent further injustice the Fish
Commission might arrange TO sell its fish
at stated prices 10 the fishermen instead OF
to the markets. If this can not be done, the
product of the fishermen should at least
not be undersold by the Commission. 1t
would be better 10 throw the fish away
than TO take the bread from the mouths Of
the fishermen. but such an alternative i:
not necessary. Either of the foregoing
propositions would remove the cause OF
complaint.
The Washington times., 1895-04-22
A PAPER EoR THE PEOPLE.

The Times is not over-modest, nor does
it usually shrink from being talked about,
but the many expressions of praise from the
pulpit yesterday for its efforts, although
none the less welcome, are really more
than was deserved. According to we'll
defined plans The Times viii combat
public erils without hope of reward. 1t
is pledged to fight the battles of the peo-
pie and give encouragement TO all efforts
to uplift humanity, and in carrying out
this policy it neither asks nor deserves
praise or commendatiou.
1t is the duty Of every newspaper to be
fearless and plaiB-spoken. The way to
financial prosperity is not always found
by telling the truth, but there are greater
things than money, ard one of them is
deserved reputation for being on the side
of right. With full knowledge of this The
Times was loya! and will continue to wage
unrelenting warfare on all abuses that OPP
press the public, and it only asks in re-
turn the support of all good citizens.
Criticism bas been made because The
Times gives racing news while demanding
the suppression of the outlaw race track.
1t must BE- remembered that newspaper
prints news fit for publication whether
it relates to a murder or church service,
and that racing events are published as
one Of the features of a general news dis
penser. The Times is a newspaper in
every sense OF the term, but it is also a
friend of the people, not a mere machine
for money making, and will SO stand on all
questions of morality and public good.
The Washington times., 1895-04-22
sALvAr1oN Is NEEDED.

Rev. j. j. Muir Inyokes an Ethical Princi-
pie 10 Prove His Assertion.
'Do l Need SaITatioH?" was the subject
of the sermon delivered last night by Rev.
j. j. Muir, of the f Street Baptist Church,
this being the seventh of his course on
Living Topics" His text was taken
from the Acts xyi:30: "Sirs, what shall
do to be saved?"
This said the speaker, was an iu-
Quiry emineDtly fitting him who made it,
a Roman Jaior appalled, by au earthquake
and fearful lest the prisoners in his care
should escape; but is it not equally fit
ting inquiry for the highly respectable
citizen Of the present day?'
The speaker concluded that 1t is; that
this is a vital question for the respectable
citizen as well as the dweler in the
Sums Z" Scratch a Russian and you find
Tartar scratch society, even the
highest, and you flnd under a thin veneer
ing the same weakness outcropplng as IN
the most lowly. There is a link Of COM
mon interest and common falling connect
ing the highest to the lowest.
TT is a principle in ethical philosophy
that there is great discrepancy between
knowledge aud practice or ethical truth.
The ought is larger in the ideal than in the
actual. When one becomes really con-
scious of this, and applies it TO himself,
he then sees the need of salvation.
but this is not enough. There must
be deep soul-thirsting for God. Man
must have the laws OF obedience regnant
i'll his nature He must feel that he is not
fit to stand before the great white throne,
and have that great searching light thrown
upon his soul. Then he will strip him
self of all pretense, aud throw himself
upon the mercy OF God. He must have
| a consciousness OF utter inability to help
| himself to feel the full need of salvation
The Washington times., 1895-04-22
HE THINKS HER INSANE.

SIR. Birnpy's Opinion of Mrs. Darling, Who
Says Her Son Was Poisoned.
All the friends of DR. and Mrs. Spranger,
who have been accused OF causing the death
of young Edward Darling by Mrs. Flora
Adams Darling, his mother, are greatly
iucenSed at the accusations, and condemn
in go measured terms the action of the
woman, who is generally considered to be
insane.
District Attorney Birney, counsel for
Mrs. Sprauger, said Saturday night:
II received Il telegram from Dr. Spranger
yesterday, in which he denounced the
action of Mrs Darling, and advised me to
take such action in the matter that my
Judgment dictated.
Il saw an interview with Mrs. Spranger
had in California, where the young couple
now are on their wedding trip, in which
she states that Mrs. Darling is insane. /
incline very strongly to this opinion my
SELF
.It is my desire TO give all the publicity
to this affair that is possible for more
malicious and altogether baseleSs attack
was never made upon any human being.
| Mrs. Darling has been in the habit Of
annoying not only Mrs. Spranger, but any
! friends who took an interest in her wei
fare.
Il nave fetterS now III .Uy spCssess ioI
/ upon which an action for criminal libel
could be based She accused me OF trying
/ TO separate her son and his wife, and that
was the truth in a measure, as l advised
young Mrs. Darling TO seek divorce from
the man. he was utterly worthless, and
his--dru nken, overbearing, and i'll treat
ment of his charming young wife was more
! than sufficient ground TO warrant sepaTa'
ton
''She had very excellent counsel in the
! person OF Mr.. Connolly, and the elder Mrs
! Darling, also accused him OF desiring the
! divorce that he might marry his client
Mrs Darling withdrew this accusation
saying when she saw Mr.. Connolly that
she did not Know that he was so old.
Every one who knows Mrs. Sprangel
is outraged at this attack She is sweet
lovely woman in every particular. and DR.
-Spranger seems like a frank, manly fellow
who viii make her happy as she deserves tc
| he "
The Washington times., 1895-04-22
A CHANCE For MR. GRESHAM.

The sagacity OF Japan in negotiating the
peace treaty with China is equalled only
10y her Fighting qualities. Knowing the
profitable market China in her reorgaui-
cation viii offer to enterprising manu-
facturers Japan reserves the sole right
TO control tits market by stipulating that
japanese products shall be admitted free
of duty. His master stroke of diplomacy,
which. ii ratified, will bring Japan i'm
Saense riches
No wonder England and Germany are
disturbed and object TO such terms. In
like Russia. who refuses 10 reorganize the
sreaty for territorial reasons, both England
and Germany are manufacturing nation:
and would greatly profit by the trade Of
China, could they compete on equal terms
with Japan This country is also deeply
interested, and although 20 remonstrance
may be made against the treaty. our trade
win China would suffer should Japan's
conditions go into effect.
The old saying "AIl is fair in war"
should not apply in this instance. Japan
is justified in demanding a money in
demnity and territorial occupation to
prevent future war with China, but she
should not be permitted TO make that
country raiding ground for her own mer-
chants prosperity TO the exclusion OF
other nations.
Heretofore Secretary Gresham has been
wonderfully active in interfering viii
affairs OF other nations without hope OF
benefit to the United States 1t might
be wen for him to exercise his faculty
ofinterferencetopr protect American Interests
in China. At least he might lend encour
agement to England, Germany, and Russia
in their efforts to prevent a ratification
of the treaty.
The Washington times., 1895-04-22

Yesterday viii be known as red-letter
day in the calendar of Washington's church
services, and particular attention is called
to the remarks of our ministers on the in
iqaities of Jackson City aud the outlaw
track. The growing sentiment against
these evils is destined to bring good re-
suits, and before many weeks an organ
lied effort Will BE- made to bring to justice
certain Alexa ndria county Officers as
well as the outlaw Iawbreakers.
The Washington times., 1895-04-22
Mckinley Tariff League mectine

Mckinley Tariff League Meeting.
At the regular meeting of tie Mckinley
Tariff League last Friday resolutions were
adopted for the league TO earnestly en-
deavor to help the success OF the Republican
party in the coming campaign and to con-
tinue to form new clubs in the District of
Columbia and the southern States. The
officers elected for the ensuing year Were:
Lewis Willis, president; Yorick W. Smith
and Robert II. Key, vice presidents; James
b. Ellis, secretary; and s. Il. Jones, cor
responding secretary. Seven members have
been added TO the league.
A special committee was appointed to go
to Columbus and wait upon Gov. Mckinley.