davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20


In. commenting recently on a suggestion
by Superintendent Geeting in regard to the
consolidation of district schools the Journal
stated that it had been tried in at least
one township in Wayne county with salts
factory results. The Richmond ITEM. after
conference with the county superir tendent,
says:
The township to which Superintendent
Geeting referred is Webster, just north of
Wayne township. There were formerly three
school buildings in this township. At this
time there is but one and it is answer
ing every purpose of the three and 1t has
been iully demonstrated that much better
work is being done at less expense. The
school is located in the village of Webster,
which IS about in the center of the town
ship. Children who live considerable dis
lance away are carried to and fro in hacks
which are maintained by the trustees SUI
perintendent Wineberg says that the new
system is working admirably and that it
is being gradually adopted in several other
townships. A number of schools have been
abolished in Perry, Dalton and Jefferson
townships, and it will not be long until there
is but one in each. 1t was at first thought
that the new scheme would be productive
of no good and would only result in great
inconvenience to children and greater eX-
pense to the townships. The experiment
was made and it has proved success
place all over the State within few years
at the furthest.
The matter is already beginning to attract
attention in other parts of the State The
Wabash Plain Dealer says that the superin-
tendent in that county has been investigat-
ing the subject, and found to his surprise
that some of the district schools had not
more than ten pupils enrolled. AS the
teacher for these ten pupils receives $35 or
$40 a month, it makes tuition come high.
This superintendent thinks that many of
the districts could be consolidated and grad
ed schools be built up without discommod-
ing pupils, and resulting in better schools
at less cost. 1t is possible that in some
localities or under some conditions the con-
solidation plan would not work well, but
it is believed that in most localities it could
be applied advantageousy. Certainly one
centrally located, well-conducted graded
school in a township is better than several
feeble and sparsey attended ones. Incl
dentally the consolidation plan might help
along the good-roads movement by furnish
ing a new incentive for good roads in every
township to facilitate travel to and from
the school. From an educational point of
view the subject deserves careful consid-
GRAFTON by school authorities throughout
the State
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
STRONG LEGISLATION.

It seems that the bill relative to pelagic
sealing, which has passed both branches
of Congress. and is now before the Presi-
dent, contains a novel and important pro-
vision. The main object of the bill is to
protect the seal herds against the rapid
destruction incident to pelagic or open sea
sealing. TO this end it prohibits American
citizens from carrying on that kind of seal
ing, but as the British would not agree to
stop it on their part the work of destruc-
ton would still go OH. So it is proposed to
reach the British in another way. The
seal skins taken by British or Canadian
vessels are shipped to London to be cured,
dressed and manufactured, and are then
ready for the markets, of which the United
States is one of the best The curing of
seal skins is an important industry in Lon
don, and large quantities of them are dis
posed of in the United States. Their ex-
clusion will not merely cripple, but destroy
a valuable branch of British trade. The
prohibitory section is strongly drawn. 1t
reads as follows:
That the importation into the United
States by any person whatsoever of fur
seal skins taken in the waters mentioned
in this act, whether raw, dressed, dyed or
manufactured, is hereby prohibited, and all
such articles imported after this act shall
take effect shall not be permitted to be ex
ported, but shall be seized and destroyed
by the proper omcers of the UnlLed Safes
This will hit John Bull in tender spot.
Thus far he has been able to find reasons
enough why British sealing vessels should
not obey American laws and why the Brit
ish government should not make any treaty
for the joint protection of the seals, but
what will he say to this? He cannot for
moment question the right and power of the
United States to prohibit the Importation
of seal skins in any form whatever, and the
prohibition will hit him hard in the region
of the pocket nerve. incidentally 1t may
cause boom in the price of seal skins in
the United States, and make seal skin
cloaks more expensive luxury than ever,
but we can afford that for the satisfaction
of watching the effect of the laT on Mr..
Bull. It is a drastic measure. but fully
justified by the circumstances.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
MISREPRESENTATION OF THE MONROE
DOCTRINE.

The recent action of Germany in compell-
ing Haiti to pay indemnity for an injustice
to an alleged German subject has led many
to assume that the United States govern
ment does not stand by the Monroe doctrine.
This is because they misapprehend the
meaning and purpose of it. The
very general impression that the Mon
roe doctrine makes the United States
responsible for the conduct of all the small
governments in this hemisphere is err
roneous. That doctrine, happily, does not
commit this government to anything of the
kind. If it did, we should have many trou-
oes on our hands, since every time a Eu-
ropean government had cause for grievance
against one of the small governments like
Haiti or Nicaragua, we would be in duty
bound to defend the latter. 1t would be
much better for these small governments
if such were the case, it would prevent
them from being bulied, as was the case
with Haiti by Germany and with Nicara-
qua few years ago by Great Britain, for
the reason that. if these European powers
had to deal with the United States their
claims could not be collected by war ship.
The Monroe doctrine applies only to the
territory of government on this hemi-
sphere. If Germany ha6 undertaken to
seize Haiti and to establish German
rule on the island, the United States
would have objected, as we did in the affair
of Venezuela, A few years ago, when the
British government had trouble with Mic
aragua because that government expelled
the British consul. our State Department
inquired of the British authorities their pur-
pose in their hostile array. To this inquiry
the British government replied that it had
no designs upon the soil of Nicaragua, not
even so far as the once disputed Mosquito
territory was involved. Having obtained
this assurance, our government made no
protest when Great Britain took possession
of the custom house at the principal port
of Nicaragua and prepared to collect the
amount clainesd as indemnity for losses sus-
tanned by British subjects at the hands of
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
A Queen of Hearts.

The author of "A Queen of Hearts has
a Iopted the somewhat worn machinery of
an Unexpectedly discovered manuscript as a
vehicle for the story, but that does not de-
tract from its merit. 1t purpOrts to be the
story of a woman's life told by herself, a
sort of confession 1t begins on the day
of her daughters marriage, on the mothers
thirty-seventh birthday. The mother is an
actress-beautiful, rich and admired-a
strange compound of good and bad quali-
ties. Her mother in turn was good wOm-
an, but the father was bad. She says: II
would have nodded myself after my moth
ers image; nature fashioned me more large
ly after that of my father. By tempera-
ment / am so akin to him that, even while
L pity and deprecate my mothers wrong
and anguish, l can in measure sympathize
with and understand the motives that di-
rected the dastardly conduct which occa-
stoned it, The story of the mothers life
is told by herself in a confessional way, and
the shadow which it comes near casting
over that of her daughter is skillfully
brought out The ending is at once tragic
and happy. The story is written by Eliza
beth Phipps Train, author of "A Social
Highwayman,' etc. and published by the
j. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia,
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
METHOD IN MADNESS.


The person who is attracting the most at
tention in Europe to-day is the Emperor
of Germany. Indeed. it is not far from the
truth to say that he is the only person who
attracts attention He is not only attract
ing attention, but he is causing the rulers
Of other nations a great deal of anxiety.
Many think he is crazy, but this opinion
is based upon his words rather than his
acts. He may be reckless but it is becoming
evident that he has designs. These designs
are causing anxiety. He has already raised
Turkey to prominence; in fact, made it a
power in Europe and an ally of a ruler
and people who were regarded of little
count a year ago, but who have since been
able to show 100000 fighting men. His lat
est design is upon China If reports can
be believed his brother has gone thither to
attempt to do with China what Great Brit
ain has done in India. He seems not to be
so staring mad that he does not realize
the fact that Germany in Europe has at
tanned it's growth and will be eclipsed by
Russia and Great Britain, or even by
France with their extensive unoccupied ter
III OIliSI qucI tSlS VI Tic WOIlu. IllS
determination to seize as much of China
as he can is entirely rational. The tradi-
tional John Bull may laugh. but the longer
he laughs the more hysteria there will be in
it. William cannot set UP as powerful a
naval establishment as can England, but
he has not so exposed territory to guard.
Foreign trade is the reliance Of England,
and foreign territory and colonies are es-
sential. Germany has come to this same
conclusion, consequently Whatever territory
Germany seizes in the Orient is so much
market lost to the Englishman. During the
past twenty years Germany has become
leading manufacturer. With it's cheaper
labor and subsidized ships Germany is be-
coming a successful rival in all open mar
kets, even in England.
Intelligent people generally smile at or rid
icule Williams reiteration of his being King
by divine right and the consequent assump-
ton that the King can do no wrong, and
that what the King DEGREES must stand, but
the airing of this seventeenth century nom
sense is doubtless part of the Emperor's
methods to carry out his plans. He is in
earnest for the acquisition of territory and
people who shall furnish Germany markets
and revenues, and, when Germany is con-
WINGED that his purpose is feasible its man
ufacturers, merchants and ship owners will
shout "Hochi"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
BOOKS OF THE TIME.
The Beth Book, Madame Sarah Grand's
LATEST Work of Fiction


Among the multitude of those who write
some whose minds are unwholesome and
whose literary productions must be of the
same character. Madame Sarah Grand
seems unfortunately, to be one of these. Her
Heavenly Twins indicated her tendency
to look upon the world in general and the
male sex in particular as given over to de-
pravity, but in that book was also a note
that suggested better possibilities for flu
ture work. 1t was false promise. The
Beth Book" contains all of the faults of
the first tale to an exaggerated degree, and
none of its merits. 1t is the story of a wom-
ans life, beginning with the prenatal period
and ending with her triumphant appearance
on the public platform as a lecturer on So
twenty-one, ard just after her separation,
or. rather, emancipation" rom her hus-
band. 1t is a thoroughly vulgar book and
racks the only saving grace that Vulgarity
can have, that of wit, being deadly dull.
Beth is represented by the author as a
genius, but throughout her childhood no one
suspects her of possessing more than ordi-
nary gifts, and $50 out of the 575 pages of
the book are devoted to an account of the
way her nature was thWarted by the stupid
others with whom she was aSsociat ted. AT
sixteen she was forced into marriage with a
cad-with one exception, indeed all the men
in the book are cads-and her sutferinSS
she finally saw light and escaped into
higher atmosphere. 1t is dreary, unpleaS-
ant tale, and is likely to have little influence
In promoting the reforms it advocates, or
to read it to the end. d. Appleton q Co.,
New York publishers.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20

1.-The Charm, and Other Drawing-room
Plays" issued by the Frederick A. Stokes
Company, of New York. is a collection by
Sir Waiter Besant and Walter H. Pollock,
evidently a collaboration in which the dis
tinguished novelist furnishes the dialogue
and Mr.. Pollock assists in the dramatic sit
uations. The characteristic atmosphere that
so often prevails in the works of this En-
glish writer. .noticeably in his IAN in a
Garden Fair, is to be found in the play
from which this new book gets it's title
The easy conversational flow, the delight
fully reminiscent mood with which Besant
is prone to invest his characters. where age
offers the shadow of an excuse, and the
chaste, elegant language he attributes to
them, all appear again in this play. The
Voice of Love" THE Spy" THE Confess
sions of a Wife" and Peer and Heress'
among some of the other plays in the
vo ume. Most of them have appeared in
print heretofore. Even in a colloquial dress
they are attractive to the reader, to whom
their light character is not rendered intol-
cradle by such literary gowning as is so
often the case with little plays designed to
illustrate an idea or a point The book
is in holiday binding and artistically
printed. q
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20

The announcement in the Sunday Journal
that the strike Of the window-glass workers
has heep finally adjusted means much to In
diana The strike has been peculiar one,
and the terms of settlement are another
evidence that the country is entering on
an era of better times. The strike began
with demand on the part of the workmen
for a return to the wage scale of 1892.
When the Wilson tariff bill was passed,
making a material reduction in the tariff
On glass. the wOrkmen and manufacturers
agreed to a reduction of 22Ia per cent i'm
wages, based on the blowers scale. This
was heavy cut, but the manufacturers
said 1t was necessary If the works were
70 be kept open, and. by asserting to it,
the workmen showed that they also recog-
nized 1t as necessary. A year or so later
business having improved somewhat, the
manufacturers gave the workmen an in
crease Of 7is per cent, still leaving them Is
per cent. below the scale of 1892. Soon after
the passage of the Dingley law the work.
men. foreseeing that II meant better times
and prices. struck for raise TO the old
scale Of 1852. The manufacturers have been
ready for some time past 10 grant the
Increase, but there was trouble among the
worimen, the blowers. gatherers. fiatteners
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20

New York Evening Sun.

new 1OTk EfClliiib ONiA
Talk about your bicycle face. It's nothing
to your rainy-day face especially when 1t
is knitting it's brows over the momentous
question Of what to wear There is nothing
novel about the question. one Flora Nc
F'limsey discussed 1t years before the Rainy
full whether Miss McFllmsey herself, how
ever was ever in such desperate straits over
IL as were the Rainy DaySieS at their meet
ing held the other day. The trouble was
this: When the Rainy Day Club was organ
lied there was a delusion in the minds OF
many that ii intended to devise and make
pOplilar q Falny-day costume. And so the
club has devised a cOstume-SeVeral cos
tunes, in fact, as no two members nave ever
been known to appear in like rigs. The
is what the club has failed to do. and from
present indications ii has no intention OF
doing So A sweet unreasonableness per-
Vades its every act with regard TO the mat
when they feel like 1t and not when they
don't the weather having nothing to do
with IL at all. Their meetings mostly
taken UP with discussing what others are
who have seen fit to criticise the clubs il
logical attitude toward q rainy-day rig.
Stlll the club has it's uses. Though not so
wide as a church door nor deep as a
grave, II serves as one OF the most mirth-
provoking, side-splitting of woman's organ
liza ions. and that is saying a great deal
The ''what-shall-we- wear problem received
especial attention at the clubs last meeting
in the course OF discussion concerning a
reception to which the men friends of the
club should be invited. Various nonrainy-
day toilets were suggested, when suddenly
a still, small voice asked, What shall we
do If IL rainS?" 1t was wonder that the
owner Of he voice didn't shrlvei right up
"Do?" cried one indignant Daysie. why,
We'll come in cabs. OF course"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
ChaInnette.

That time-honored literary device. the dis
covery OF an old manuscript. serves to in
troduce a story entitled "Chalmette," by
Clinton Ross. 1t is further designated as
THE history of the adventures and love
affairs of Captain Robe before and during
the battle of New Orleans" A PREDATORY
note, by Cornelia Robe Fenwold, tells how
her grandfather, Christopher Robe, looked
when she met him after his return from
Europe, in 1857. He had heard Washing
toms farewell address, bore an active part
in the making of history during the early
years of the century, participated in the
battle of New Orleans and served as a gem
eral in the Mexican war. The story that
follows this predatory note is related by the
grandfather himself. the manuscript having
been found lin the old house by the Poto-
mac" 1t is story of romance and adven-
ture, in which General Jackson. the pirate
Latitte and other noted personages figure.
1t is well told, and has an air of realism
that lends interest to the story Philadel-
phia: j. 3. Lippincott Company.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20

The fifth printing of DR.. Mitchelrs novel.
issued by the Century Company, Hugh
wayne, is now under way. bringing the
book up to the thirtieth thousand.
Cairo of To-day" by E. A Reynolds
Ball, B. A. F. r. G.. s., will shortly be
published by the Macmillan Company. Mr.
Ball is the author CT Med terranean w inter-
Resorts and the City Of the Caliphs.' The
needs of the health-seeker and the whims Of
the traveller as well as, his intelligence,
have been borne in mind by the author.
Letters to an Unknown" by Prosper
Merimee, ali entirely new translation of
Prosper Merimee's Letters to an Tn
known has been prepared by Henri Pene
Du Bots, and for the first time they are put
into English in any way approximating COM
pleteness. The translation is spirited, fresh
and natural. and done with hearty app
probation of their meaning that carries the
reader along with as great an interest as
if read in the original French The book will
be issued by the Brentanos, New York.
Meredith Nicholson says of Mr.. Hector
Fuller's book, Roach & Co.. Pirates:" "He
has impaired toPhis work the air of veracity
that is inseparable from good fiction.
Any one of his stories may be a transcript
of life as he has seen it. Roach & Co.
is the best pirate story that has ever APP
peared since Treasure Island Moreover,
1t is down to date, for Roachs prey is not
the old-fashioned sailing vessels laden with
atlantic liner bearing American gold. The
pirate himself Is not incumbered with blum
derbuss or cutlass, but he manipulates MI
trOglycerine with reckless ease.
The American Academy of Political and
Social Science Philadelphia) has just is
sued new editions of ''The Economic Func-
ton of Woman" by DR.. Edward T. Devine.
secretary of the New York Charity Organ
ization Society, and of "Patten's Theory
of Dynamic Economics" by Prof. John b.
Clark, of Columbia University Dynamic
political economy is the latest development
of that science. Prof Clark takes Prof. S. M.
Patterns recent book as basis for his es-
say, and in explaining and criteising DR..
Patterns theories, he brings out most clear
ly what dynamic political economy is. The
essay by DIR. Devine treats in fresh man
ner, and from a new point of view, one or
the most important aspects of the many
sided woman question in modern society.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20

to 1t an illustration BETTING so great an
elegiac poem. DR.. Van Dyke who writes
the preface, was an acquaintance of Tenny-
son, and being a clergyman of many at
tainments, the doctor is peculiarly qualified
to furnish an illuminative Introduction 10
this poetical. contemplative study of love
and immortality. The origin, progress ana
meaning of the poem are detailed at some
length and interestingly. while the relations
that existed between Tennyson and his dead
friend, Arthur Hallam are tenderly de-
scribed, and incidents that give the student
a clearer light related. The mechanical
features of book making are happily dis
played in this volume. The ivory surface
of the paper is a delight TO the eye. The
strong feature of the edition is the illus
trations by Mr. Fem. The poet makes fire.
quent illusions throughout the poem TO ma
ture. and Mr. Fem has sympathetically
represented the scenes and the flowers of
which the poet delighted TO speak
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20

Charles Scribner's Sons have issued a
volume of the late Eugene Fields poems,
many of tho Sc in the collection being
familiar ones that have appeared In other
volumes. The selection Of the verses was
made by Kenneth Grahame. author of that
delightful volume of children's stories THE
Golden Age and the illustrations are by
Charles Robinson. ''Wynken. Blynken and
Ned" Little Boy Blue and a number of
other favorites of the favorite poet of child
hood are to be found in the book Mr.. Ora
hame. in his introduction. pays this tribute
TO Field: IAN American of Americans.
much of his verse devoted to the cele-
bration of what we may call the minor joys
which go 10 make social happiness in the
life be lived with so frank and rounded
completiona celebration which appealed to
his countrymen no less keenly, that the
joys We're of a sort which, perhaps from
some false sense of what makes fitness in
subject; had hitherto lacked their potion
that side at least. And though | spoke just
now of minor joys there are really no such
things as minor joys-or minor thrushes and
Dlackbir0S'
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20

Representative Gaines, of Tennessee, has
made a speech in which he tries to make
it appear that the South pays much more
than its share of the federal taxes and re-
oeives less than a fair share of the money
appropriated He complains that armor
plate and war material are made altogether
in the East North. and none in the
South. He unfairly quotes pension expendi-
lures and internal revenue receipts to prove
his assertions. He seems to forget that the
internal tax on tobacco, whisky and
beer is paid by the consumer, and not
by the producer, which knocks all the force
out of his argument. Just well could
New York claim that it paid two-thirds
of the customs duties because two-thirds of
the duties are collected at that port, as for
Mr.. Gaines to claim that the internal tax
is paid by Southern districts in which the
stamps are placed upon tobacco and spirits.
This sort of demagogy is of no Importance
except that it is calculated to keep alive
the feeling on the part of the people of the
South that they are not fairly used by the
national government.