Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-08-01
WASHINGTON LETTER
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS

MusTApHA BEy's WIVES Mrs. VIM
Mckinley or Mrs. VIM. Jenning.
Bryan, whichever of these two ladies'
may be in the White House next year,
will be confronted by problem wor.
thy of any society leader in Canton,
O., and calculated to put to the test
the standards Of social adroitness i'm
pcrative in the tirst circles OF Lincoln,
Neb. Upon the presidents wife will
devolve the privilege OF receiving Mus
tapha Bey, the new Turkish minister.
aud also his large and varied assert.
ment-of wives Mustapha Bey is Turk
of the old school. His harem is the
best stocked, after the sultan's, in all
Turkey. The prophet has shown him
marriage is a good thing and not to be
overdone, and he has emulated the
prophet There is keen speculation
among the capitals fashionable people
about the ministers wives. Will they be
presentable or will he keep them
locked up? How many will he bring?
How many has he got? 1t is known
that he has great variety Of types.
There are beautiful Georgian girls
from Tifis, who are tall and blonde;
there are dark-eyed Armenians; clean
limbed Arab beauties, lovely Greek
girls, few Persians (these are likely
to grow very fat Mt an early age,)
Egyptian slave girls, maidens from
Crete and some far-brought importa-
tions from Morocco aud, finally, a
quota OF Turkish ladies of noble
family who brought him rich dowries
in return for his name, protection and
love. People are hoping Mustapha
Boy will not bring all these ladies over
with him, and it is not likely that he
will.
FURTHER STEP TAKEN-A further
step was taken by Great Britain and
the United States several days ago in
the matter of consideration OF the
British claims against this country for
seizures in previous years in Boring
sea. The treaty providing for the APP
pointment of a joint commission of
two to adjust these claims
provides, in addition to one
representative on the part of
each government, for third commits
sioner in the event that the two orig
inal commissioners fail to agree. The
British government has selected
George E. King, one Of the justices of
the supreme court of Canada, while
the United States commissioner is
Judge William l.. Putnam Of the first
United States judicial circuit. The
commissioners will meet at Victoria,
B. G., but probably not until next
autumn.
NEGRO CoNvENTIoN-The first an
nual convention of the National FEEDER.
alton of Afro American women was
held in this city few days ago. Mrs.
Rosetta Sprague, daughter of the late
Fred Douglass, made the address OF
Welcome. The committee of crelGn-
tials showed,that sixty-seven clubs had
membership in the federation, and
they were represented by tifty-four
delegates. The largest delegations
were from Boston, New York and At
lana. Reports from clubs were read
by Mrs. b. X. Bruce. The officers of
the conventio were: President, Mrs.
Booker T. Washington, Tuskogee,
ALA. y; vice-presidents, Mrs. Mary
Dickerson, Newport, R. L.; Mrs.
Helen Crumm, Charleston. s. G. /;
Mrs. Ella L. Mabammet, Oma-
ha, Neb. !; Mrs. Mabel Garner, New
York; recording secretary, Miss L. q.
Garter, New Bedford, Mass. !; corre-
spending secretary, Mrs. U. A. Rid
ley, Brookline, Mass. /; treasurer, Mrs.
Libbie G. Anthony, Jefferson City,
NO., chairman of executive commit
tee, Mrs. Victoria Matthews, New
York.
GOVERNMENT By INJUNcTIoN-A go
ber-minded citizen is tempted to in.
dulge in smile at the expense of the
clause in the democratic platform de-
nouncing government by injunc-
tion," and, by implication, making
the charge of tyranny against the SUI
preme court and the district courts Of
the federal system. Not that there is
no question about the justice and wis.,
dom of the Debs decision. That may
have been right, but there is ground
for doubt, and the subject is perfect
ly proper one for discussion in con-
vention or elsewhere. Nevertheless, the
Congress of the United States has a
remedy in its hands for any wrong
that was done. and the excite
ment of the populist-democrats is ut
terly needless. 1t seems to me that
there is misconception in the public
mind on this matter that should be
rectified. The constitution of the
United States provides for a supreme
court, but does not provide for spe-
cifc number of justices. That matter
is left to Congress alone with full
power MS to the organization OF infe-
rior courts of the federal system.
THOUGHT MAcHINE-The present
age, from scientific standpoint at
least, is certainly one of tremendous
transition. The apparently impossi-
BILE is quickly materialized and the
wildly extravagant growing daily com.
monplace. II this scientific progress
has had any one definite direction it
has been in the line of proving that
phenomena entirely beyond the recog.
milton of the five animal senses
are as those which easily full
within the field of these senses.
What is now in its climacteric sounds
the death knell Of the so.called spirit
Jul forces, and cuts into the very vitals
of metaphysics. 1t does so by demon
strating how much wider and more
comprehe nsive is the range of pure
physics than was dreamt of in our
forefathers' philosophy. As long ago
as 1893. Mr.. Edwin j. Houston. the