davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Portland daily press., 1897-11-09

The Mystery of Choice. By Robert W,
Chambers, author of The King in yell
low, The Maker of Moons, etc., etc.
Strained, fantastic and forced this text
certainly is. The same characters are
introduced, or rather, CLEAN fltfully along
the sky of the narrative from time to
time, in semi-detached stories, which are
blood curdling in the extreme At least
they would be blood curdling were they
not SO bewilderingly unnatural. Some
talent these tales have: chiefly In the way
of vivid description, which when used
moderately and in relation to Nature her
self and to out of doors simplicity, brings
an excellent result. But for the most
part tbs Imagination run riot. a
The Purple Emperor wins his title from
Lepidoptery.
The Black Priest and varied
hororrs surround its plot. Skulls
that will not remain down hill after be-
ing kicked down, and grinning skeletons
and pools of blood. Some tender poems
If little obscure-preface and close the
book, which is certainly not one to be
sought by the ordinary reader. The ex-
traordinary reader will perchanoe ferret
out merit, for The Mystery of Choice
must needs have brains back of it to ex-
plain its very eccentricity. New York:
D. Appleton & Company; Portland
Loring, Short g. HARMONY
The Portland daily press., 1897-11-09

FIT orOtItsy Coal tar
preparations
Asphalt Floors, also salvam.
lied IrOn and Copper Cutters
and COrnices, Tin ana Trnn
Roofing. IRON Siding for Fire
Proof Buildings. Corrugated
conductors, Smoke Pipes for
steam heaters and Stationary
Boilers.
The Portland daily press., 1897-11-09
ROOFING!
HOLLIVAN & PARKER.
Asphalt, Composition and
Gravel Roofers.

Agents for Warren's Anchor Brand. Natural
Asphalt Rooilng, endorsed by leading archi-
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
An Object Lesson.

The energetic manner in which the
German government recently eXacted
smart money and apology from the
Haitian government for injustice put
by the letter upon a German citizen
has not received altogether unanimous
commendation in the United States, for
the reason that the Haitian govern
ment, pleading its comparative weak
ness and perverting the facts, created
through it's diplomatic representative
at Washington and by other means a
considerable amount of false sympathy
in this country. The American public
was the more ready to espouse the
Haitian side Of the controversy in view
of the fact that the arrogance of the
German emperor has made him more
or less unpopular in the United States.
At the same time there are many
Americans who think that an injec-
tion of some Of the German elixir Of
life into our own slow-going diplo-
macy would not make it less respected,
and thereby hangs a tale.
According to official records in the
state department, called into public re-
membrance by the Washington Post,
early in April, 1889, one Bernard Camp
bell, an American citizen, accepted a
position as an engineer on a merchant
steamer going to the West Indies
What followed is thus told in the lam
guage of Secretary Gresham: ION ar
riving at Cape Haitien on the 18th of
which he and others upon similar con-
tracts had sailed from New York, was
boarded by officers of the Haitian navy
Admiral Cooper and Captain Comp
ton-who informed Campbell that he
was expected to serve on a Haitian
man-of-war lying near by. This he
positively refused to do. He was there
upon informed by those officers that he
| had been engaged for that purpose:
that he would not be allowed to remain
| or return on the Clyde; that he was
| in their power and that if he refused
to obey their orders it meant death to
him. He, however. still refused to
enter the service of the Haitian navy.
| On the 18th of April-the day follow
ing his arrival at Cape Haitien-he
| succeeded in securing passage on a
| small boat for Monte Christi, but while
he was walking about the wharf wait
| ing for the boat to leave he was as
saulted by Haitian soldiers, beaten,
and thrown into the sea, With great
difficulty and after much suffering he
| managed TO get back to New York,
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
Good News from Cuba.

The news from Cuba these days is an
effective answer to the autonomy bluff.
General Garcia in the eastern PROV
inces has for several days been making
mnce-meat of Spanish sway, and now
comes word, officially certified to by
Blanco, of the capture by the insur-
gents of the important seaport town
of Caimanera, together with 100000 in
money and d valuable lot of supplies.
The Earrison,after surrenderng joined
the rebel ranks.
Again, the reported resumption of
the grinding of sugar cane, which Cap
tain General Elanco claims as a victory
for his policy Of cancellation and re-
construction, is interpreted very differ
emily by Americans in Cuba. Writes
Charles NJ. Pepper To the Washingt IN
Star: The crop is about equal to ttat
of last year, or a trihe more than one
fifth of what It was in 1895. The
chances are that the cane will be
ground and th2 sugar placed on the
market, yet this will not be because of
any protection ;ho military authori-
tics are able to give. It will be be-
cause the New York parties who are TO
handle the product have arranged to
ray the tax the insurgant government
has levied. Their representative who
has been in CIba has succeeded in his
negotiations, and the word has been
Siven to proceed with the grinding. For
every bag of sugar that IS warphoused
so cents will De paid, ~ nearly one
sixth of a cent per pound. The agree
ment is ironClad and cannot be cvadad
because the insurgents count the boys
in the warehouses. The financial le-
sources of the revolution will be ma
terially strengthened through this
source of income"
Having shown their ability to cap
ture seaports from the land side, the
Insurgents need only naval Co-upera,
tnn TO effect the entire expulsion Of
Spain from the island. The reason why
the Cuban iunta in this country wants
the Mckinley administration to recog-
nize Cuban belliGerency IS because it
would give the Cuban patriots the
right to equip torpedo boats and other
warships in American ports, for action
against Spain on the high seas. At
present Spain has this privilege while
the Cubans have it not Their de-
mand for equal recognition may not
he needed by the present administra-
tion, but should they win their inde-
pendcnce anyhow as now seems more
probable than at any previous time
since the present insurrection hogan,
the government of the United States
would be in Door attitude To ap-
proach the republican government
of cuba with ovsrrures looking to
commercial reciprocity, so necessary
to American commerce in time OF
peace.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
Premier SdgaSta
Crows Too Soon
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.

From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
1P HERE is no effort on the part of
III the Spanish government to con-
III Ccal the elatiOn felt over that
III portion of President McKinley's
message referring to Cuba. 1t is
more favorable than members of the
cabinet had dared to expect, prob
ably because they are secretly of
the same mind as eX-Minister Tay-
lor about the promised reforms. Tie
Spanish press, however, resents the tier.
alton of the right of the United States
10 intervene, under any circumstances,
unmindful of the fact that the govern
ment at Washington has failed to act
even when the provocatlon was extreme.
Premier SaEasta more leniently aSCribes
the reference to interference as trick
to satisfy certain political sentiments in
the United States There was a time
when such a construction of a presi-
dents message would have created con-
siderable popular Indignation, but the
WfOle course of two administrations to-
ward the struggling Cuban patriots has
been such that the people have no in
dignatiOn left to waste upon so mild an
affront 1t is readily inferred that
Sagasta understands the tricks of the
political trade quite well enough to be
a good judge; that in fact his own proc
lamations and promises are to be con-
strued from the same point of view-in-
sincere, but with an ulterior purpose.
o
The prediction that the mssage will
have a disastrous effect upon the in
surgents, however, need not be credited
too readily. The presidents attitude is
no more encouraging than that of his
predecessor in office, but ii Is not prob
able that the soldiers of the lnsurrec-
tion, who roted the official Indifference
of the U".t'd States to the most in
human c" "os of the Weyler regime,
had en n any strong hopes of in
terfererT" 18th the comparatively hui
name effOr,s of Banco. 1t is manifest
ly certain that at least one of the great
est leaders of the revolution is not vast
ing any of his time or attention upon
political movements. either in the United
States or Spain. That one is CalIXtO
Garcia who is fully occupied in win
ming independence with cannon, rifle and
machete and the news from Santiago
gives evidence he is succeeding.
o
1t is more than probable that the new
promises of reform and autonomy We're
never intended for any other purpose
than to induce the United States to
| adopt the policy Of non-interfcrcnce, with
which the Sagasta government is so well
pleased. But If the pretense is sustained
| for any length of time it will necessar-
! lily benefit Cuba. If resort is had to the
old methods there will yet be time, be-
fore the adjournment of congress for
] the United States to modify its policy.
| Meantime the president did the only
thing he consistently could, in asking
| a fair trial of the new Spanish policy,
| after neglecting to take vigorous meas
ures against the Internal Weyler rule.
| The Cuban war is not over and Sagasta
| may yet learn that the reservation he
| ~ n
new significance; if not directly with
| the executive, then through the sense
| OF congress and the weight Of popular
| opinion.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
The New Depn rtment Store.

The formal opening last evening OF
Jonas Longs Sons new department
store contributes to the mercantile re-
sources of Scranton fln institution com
mensurate i'm magnitude with the
Citv's population and position as the
trading metropolis of Northeastern
PENNSYLVANIA. The store in itself is in
Keeping with the COmmunity's progress,
representing under one roof nearly
every branch of mercantile industry
and eXemplifying the most modern
utilization of forces and Conveniences.
There are larger establishments in
larger cities, but the most cursory in
srection sutfiCes to show that there is
nowhere one which exhibits a more
intelligent adaptation of means to
ends. As something which was in
evitnble in the evolution of the city's
trade, this store must command for its
management high sense of popular
appreciation and felicitation upon its
liberal proportions and superb appoint
ments.
There will naturally be at the begin
ming some diversity of opinion as to the
effects of this new element of competi-
tion upon the established mercantile
enterprises of Scranton; but inasmuCh
as this competition is now assured
speculation is necessarily Intellectual
1t has been the experience of other
communities that the coming of the
department store, while it has led to
som" rCadjustments in the prevalent
methods Of trade, has ACTED ultimately
as a stimulus to business i'm general,
ard has been i'm many respects a gain
not only to the purchasing public but
also to compc ting interests. Especial
ly has this been true in the shortening
of credits and in the opportunity which
it affords to all lines of trade to put in
operation the principle Of cash pay
mcnts. In this respect Scranton busi-
ness men have much to gain. The
cash system is mutually fair and mu-
tually advantageous. To the purchas-
er it gives a wider option of selection
and to the dealer a more rapid turning
over Of capital Thus smaller mar
gins come to mean larger aggregates
of profit.
The dominant lesson of this large
venture, however is that Scranton is
fulfilling its destiny and realizing its
expectations as u city of broad and
substantial growth. Standards Of
equipment for successful competition
are enlargng; the pace is quickening,
and in such a challenge victory, to be
won, will need more than ever to be
deserved.
- And now it is Wilkes Barre that is
worrying over that government armor-
plate factory site. 1t can compose its
feelings. There will be no govern
ment armOr- plata factory
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
REPUBLICAN DIVISIONS.
From the Washington Star.

rom lnt w dSnllGlO Ton oldT.
On the record made at this session OF
congress the Republican party must ap-
peal to the country i'm next years cam
paigns. If that record is good the party
may hope for Endorsement at the polls: il
not, II may expect to be defeated. What
Is the present promise? The Republican
party in congress is at present divided
on every important proposition upon
which action is expected by the country.
No recommendation by the president is
unanimously indorsed, Does this argue
a do-nOthinG session or only such results
as carry with them the scars of bitter
factional fighting? Does any Republican
leader think that his party can carry lhe
next house on any such record as that?
1t Is early yet, The session has but
Just begun, But fractional lighting Is
something that may not with safety BY
any party be permitted to 30 very far.
And just now Republican divisions are
not confined to congress. In a number
of states the situation growing out of fac
tiOn contests H. a very serious one.
threatening permanent injury to the par
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

the pledge cards of the society to alb
stain from the use Of wild birds for
ornamentation in millinery, etc. In
addition much literature has been dis
tributed helpful to the society's pur-
pose The society has contributed
something to bettering legislation In
protection of game and has been po-
tent in shaping public opinion to re-
frain from the wanton killing OF our
feathered songsters, but as it charges
no membership fee and is in all re-
spects a voluntary movement, its di-
rectors appeal to friends Of the move
ment for financial help. Subscriptions
should be sent to William L. Bailey
treasurer 423 Chestnut street Phila-
delphia. We have no doubt that this
worthy appeal will elicit a generous
response.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
TWELVE PAGES.
SCRANTON. DECEMBER II, 1897.

Judge Pennypacker, of the Philadel-
phia common pleas bench, has declined
to issue a charter to a Christian Sci
ence church in that city, on the ground
that to do so would violate the law re-
quiring that church charter shall
not also legalize the business of prac.
ticing the healing art for pay. We
warrant that the judges ears are
tingling these days
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
SHOULD BE THE FIRST.
n the Chicago Tincs-Hcrald.

From the Chicago Times-EIerald.
Old soldiers should be among the first
to see the necessity of preventing m
abuse of the generous sentiment that
made and has protected the pension sys
tenn.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

ty. There is plenty of work, indeed for
the peaccm1ker and the Republicans
would do well to call him in at once. A
do-nothing session OF congress, and de-
morallzed Republican organizations In
important states, will inevitably lead to
defeat next year.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

"Rich," exclaimed ono cmancipatcd wo-
man to another; why, she's the queen of
the stock exchange"
She's very lavish, I'm told, in her lis
play"
"She can afford it. She's so rich that
she uses hundrcd-dolar bills for curl pa
pers s"-WaShington Star.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

a. =. 4::
\ child born on this day will notice
that the Scranton BARRIERS are pleasant
lot of fellows. They can discuss the de-
tails of the Van Horn murder most en-
Enthusiastically when shaving nervous
customer.
With only six members it is intimatcd
that the pull on the school board wire :
will be three and a half times harder
thar at present.
While wheat is bcamine al 100
Where is silver and Billy Bryan?
And now Il bakery trust! This indeed
takes the biscuit.
Ajacchus' Advice.
Do not try to howl Yourself into prom.
inence. The dear public may resolve to
Rowl you out.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
That BlcYcle Pace.

\ certain element in the population,
which feels itself commissioned to save
society from evil whether society eNin-
ccs any disposition to be saved or not,
is reported to be greatly exercised over
the fact that in New York city a public
exhibition is in progress having as its
principal feature the spectacle of
number of wearied athletes engaged i'm
a six-days' bicycle race, at the con-
clusion of which 1t is probable that
some of the contestants Will become
either permanently disabled or perma-
nently insane. There is a cry there
fore, for the forcible Intervention of
the police, hut it is cry in which we
do not feel called upon to join.
These Wheelmcn are engaged in
what to most men seems ridiculous
competition. the prize of which would
apparently poorly repay the winner for
the energy and anxiety expended in
it's pursuit They are "isk.ng on one
race their physical well-beinS, at least
tor considerable period after its con-
clusion, and perhaps permanently. But
they are not doirg anything in 81 irit
different from the deed of the candi-
date for office, who stakes his all on
one campaign; tho gold seeker, who
starts for the Klondk2 10 get rich or
starva: the professional man, who
wins success by desperate effort at the
cost Of ruined health, or the business
man who stratus with all his might
to get ahead of his competitor and per-
chance at the end has to show for his
struggle only dyspepsia, insomnia and
a past.
In othcr words, there is not a Vigcr-
Gus and Virile American in the land
who is in any position to throw stones
at the New York bicvclc race. The
outcry against it is not without ele-
ments of reason and justice, but new
ertheleSS if we We're to eliminate from
our national life the competitive spirit
of which that race is d symbol we
should soon lose those characteristics
which have distinguished this nation
from other nations and made our ciVili-
zation in the judgment of most men
the best withnl that there is on the
globe. These ere days when Greamers
and demdgoguos love to denouncc the
principle of competition. and profess
to want to establish instead Of it the
| enervating thing called cooperation,
or socialism We question whether if
they could once see their idea fully
eXemplified in every day life they
would ever again open their lips on the
subject. But at any event, until hu-
man nature is very radically recon-
structed and natural law suborlnated
to the ideals of the social reformers, we
shall have siX-day bicycle races, prize
fights, foot ball battles and all the
OtEer playful or serious manifestations
that come from the inevitable orera-
tion If the law of the survival of the
! tittCst.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

Secretary Cages currency plan Is
not received with hilarious enthusiasm
i'm any quarter, but nevertheless it Is
causing a large amount of study and
reflection, and that is probably what
the secretary has most earnestly in
-,
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

though his health has been permanent
ly impaired by his injuries His state
ments are corroborated by several affl-
davits and deposltions accompanying
his memorial"
"Campbell's claim" adds the Wash
ington Post, was presented to the Hal
tian government by Secretary Gres-
hams direction, and that was the last
Of it. The Haitian authorities never
even took the trouble to acknowledge
its receipt"
If Germany erred on the side of pre-
cipitancy 1t would appear from these
facts,-which, we are glad to note, have
been made the subject of inquiry by
the senate-that the United states
erred infinitely more glaringly on the
side of negligence and Indifference. 1t
is wholly safe to affirm that after the
Lueders incident, with its immediate
and impressive object lesson teaching
Haitians the futillty of monkeying
with the Germanic bu2z-saw, a Ger
man citizen will he safe on Haitian soil
for all time hereafter. on the con-
trary, it can readily he conjectured
that the course of our state depart
ment. if it has been accurately re-
ported, would make not for the safety
but for the harm of American citizens
resident or visiting in Haiti.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

We infer from the tone of Secretary
Longs remarks concerning the civil
service that congress is not indssolu-
bly, welded to the Mugwump idol, and
that the "reformers," notwithstanding
their brave talk, are beginning to fear
a divorce
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

The Pennsylvania Audubon society
was organized in October 1896 for the
purposesof furtherins the protection of
our Wild birds, Its report for the first
year of its existence shows that it has
enrolled 2,2OO members. who have signed
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

While it is true that Japan makes Il
wry face over our annexation project and
has her lobbyists here to defeat the
treaty. it Is also true that the japanese
government will have no cause for COM
plant if we do annex. She is working
the bluff a little, because if we are fool
ish enough to close our doors to the
newcomer Japan will be glad to take her
in, if she can do so without row with
the United States. Annexation once
achieved, japan will he as calm as a
May morning. No other power has even
the semblance of an objection to our ac-
QUESTION of the islands Hawaii, there
fore, brings us no risks. If war comes
to us it will come through other sources,
and in that event Hawaii would be a
good thing to have. Extensively, it Is
worth at least two or three battle ships.
Defensively, it is no more liable to at
tack and capture than any other Amer
lean mort,
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

Span's first flush of pleasure over the
presidents message appears, after a
more careful perusal of it's remarks
touching intervention, to be giving way
to a fit of incpient jim jams. These
pesky Spaniards are most villainously
hard to please.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

against annexation would he more
convincing if it could he shown that
one in hundred knew at the time
what he was signing.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

Again there is talk of a new steel
rail pool If one could be formed that
would be fair to all concerned and that
would also be lasting it would unques-
tionably be a public benefit But if
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11

Mr. BryCc's most attractive argument,
in the broad sense, is that the United
States is nation of peace, and that it
needs neither outpoSts nor "a great navy.
If We mind our own business he thinks
there is little danger of our having use
for war ships. If this is true, as every
one hopes it is the question then is
simply whether or not acquisition of
Hawaii will increase the hazards of our
foreign relations. If it will not, and we
are to have no wars, why is Honolulu
any more subject to attack than San
Francisco or Portland or New York or
Boston? AS a part of the territory of
the United States it will enjoy that per-
pctual peace which ii is the destiny of
this country to secure for its people.
No one has as yet been able to point out
how Hawaiian annexation is likely 10
involve us in trouble with another ma
tion. If we do not annex it we may
have trouble, but with the flag floating
at Honolulu the same peace and sccur-
ity will reign there that prevail in Bos-
ton and San Francisco.