davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
Creditable Newspaper Enterprise.

The Public Ledger of Philadelphia.
dent, has this to say respecting the elab-
crate preparations which the NeW York:
Journal is making for the public celebra-
tion of the birth Of the Greater New York
on the 1st of January:
There will be a parade, illuminations. music. and
other Jubilating details organized right at the doorsteps
and under the noses OF its other great rivals. They
must either look on with the proud disdain that will
keep all mention of the accomplishment out Of their
columns, or organize a counte blast wake over the
passing away OF the individual municipalities."
This displays a pitiful provincial spirit.
Only a mean jealousy could refuse to
the Journal commentator for under
taking at its own expense a fitting
celebration of so great an event as the
sudden development of New York into the
second city of the world. Mayor STRoNG's
ludicrous project for funeral ceremonies
over the New York of the past having been
extinguished by public ridicule, the upris.
ing of the Greater New York would have
passed without celebration, save for the
laudable enterprise of the Journal. I'm
~questionably, it is an occasion which ought
to be celebrated with all the ceremony for
which that paper is providing, and except
for Mr.. HEARsT's liberality it would have
gone by unhonored.
The motives personal to the Journal in
devising the project concern us no more
than did those of Mayor STRONG, who, of
course, would have been the central figure
among the mourners he proposed to gather
about the bier of the dead municipality
If the Journal sells more papers because
of the publicity it obtains from it's costly
enterprise, and thereby strengthens it's
foothold in New York journalism, we
shall be gratified, hoping that its increas-
ing prosperity will result in it's complete
withdrawal from active competition and
rivalry with cheap and nasty Pulitzerism,
80 that in the field of decent and honest and
honorable journalism 1t may attain the per-
manent prosperity which comes from de-
serving public respect. Mr.. HEARsT's past
methods have been open to just criticism.
but, in spite of them, he has lone a public
service in transferring the one-cent news
paper patronage from the concern over
which flies the black flag Of Pulitzerism
to his own enterprlsing paper. Having
beaten PULITZER, we hope that he will no
longer feel the need of initiating any of
his vile tricks.
1t is hardly necessary for US to add that
the Journals celebration will occupy its
proper place among the events of New
Years Day chronicled by THE SUN. We
trust and have no doubt that it will
be made completely successful by Mr..
HEARsTis liberal enterprise.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
The Smyrna Incident.

When the gunboat Bancroft went out to
the Mediterranean it was understood that
her mission was to take station as a guard
ship at Constantinople, If the Turks would
permit. At that lime there was some
foolish talk of her running the gantlet of
the Dardanelles forts, which, of course,
could have sunk her in a few moments.
She did not test Turkish Workmanship
In that way, but a few weeks ago she got a
blank shot across her bows from the Yeni-
kale fort at Smyrna, when trying to enter
that port at night.
The Bancroft has been stationed a long
time at Smyrna, and was returning from q
short trip to another place. One suggestion
that has been offered, the %refore, is the pos
sibility that her commander was ignorant of
the port regulation prohibiting the entry of
ships at night. The explanation given Is
that there were lights in the outer light.
houses but the vessels return nevertheless
seems to have been timed for the night in
stead of the day.
However, 1t appears that he Turks speed.
lily put themselves in the wrong. When q
boat from the Bancroft was sent toward
the shore to find out what the trouble was,
q couple of musket shots came from sen.
tries, and the boat then put back. The
Porte, according to the account, lost little
tim in making all due apologies for firing
on the Bancroft. Smyrna is not the only
port where restrictions against night en-,
try exist, and a closer study of foreign
port regulations may result.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
A Queer Case Indeed.

The commitment Of Count FERDINAND
EsTERHAzY is a serious matter for the
French Government. If his trial should
be conducted with open doors, it will open
the pages Of a romance surprising In ex-
travagance anything that ever came from
the pen Of PoNsoN DU TERRAIL.
Prima facle, the case presented by the
Figaro against EsTERHAzY Is decidedly
strong. The newspaper shows that the
Count was In close relationship with sus-
picious p~ersonagcs; that his handwriting
was wonderfully similar to that OF DIRE
FUs; that the famous borderedu might
have been written by the condemned man
or by the one who is now about to be tried,
so far as chirography goes and that GER
tain private letters written by the Count,
or believed to be in his handwriting, go to
show that at least he is made Of the stuff
out of which traitors are moulded.
1t is only just to Count FERDINAND Es-
TERHAzy to say that he denies ~furiously
the authorship of those letters. He claims
that they are forgeries cleverly fashioned
from fragments Of his writing obtained by
q syndicate interested in the rehabilitation
of DREYFUs; that he has been selected by
conspirators "to take the place Of their
dear absent one !" and that he is in posses
sion of proofs which will crush them, docu.
ments that were presented to him by a
mysterious yelled lady whom he does not
know, and who told him that she took an
interest in him and wished simply to save
him from his enemies.
Now, this Is certainly a bold defence,
rather wild apparently, and to ordinary
mortals hardly within the bounds Of prob
ability. In plain words, it looks very slen-
der indeed, viewed In the light Of every
day life. But, after all, the case is bound
to reveal the extraordinary. Whether
DREYFUs has been made the scapegoat
Of EsTERHAzY or EsTERHAZY Is to be
the scapegoat of DREYFUs. may be the
question which the Cour will have to de-
termine. If the Count should be acquitted,
the theory that he was the marked victim
Of a plot will be established. at least to
some extent; and If he should be convict
ed, the belief in the innocence of DREYFUs
will become more widespread. However, 1t
is by no means improbable that the con.
domination of EsTERHAZY might not es.
tablish the innocence of DREYFUs after
all. 1t might simply reveal the existence
of two traitors, instead Of one.
Regarded from any point of view, this is
certainly a most extraordinary case.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23

We missed the Hon. EDWARD ATKINSON
for nearly thirty'six hours, but he was sticking
steadily to his great work of saving the coun-
try by means of regular letters to the public.
Now he has a plan for wiping out the green
backs by means of postal savings banks. Mr..
ATKINSON Is unfair 10 himself. Why doesn't no
thrill all hearts by a proposition to have the
Government establish Aladdin Ovens In every
town and villagei You must have your
savings before you need u postal savings
bank. The Aladdin Ovon economical cook
ing enables every man who uses 1t to save
every day nearly as much as no spends now. A
man with a sound constitution and acquainted
with the ALADDIN Oven can live sumptuously on
AGA cents = day for q week. Is 1t possible that
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23

sojourns for more than four or i've weeks
before securing q partner for life.
BY this census we are enabled for the
flrst time to appreciate what Russia is. and
what. she is capable Of becoming under
proper sanitary conditions. At present
the naturally rapid increase Of the popula-
tion Is kept down to q relatively low figure
BY an abnormally largo death rate, which
is mainly due to avoidable causes. Among
these the most obvious are the prevalence
of infectious diseases and the insuficiency
of medical help. Touching the latter
point, 1t was officially reported a few years
ago that in the Caucasus there was but one
hospital for 10000 persons, and one bed
for 10000. 1t has been calculated
that Russia loses in consequence Of I'M
sanitary conditions, per thousand deaths,
persons more than Germany, twelve
more than France, fifteen more than Eng
land, eighteen more than Sweden and Dem
mark, and nineteen more than Norway.
Even at the present rate Of increase,
however, the population Of the empire will,
In twenty years. reach 175 600, 900; figures
which explain the confidence with which
Russians look forward to the future.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23

It is urged that to permit the indiscrimi-
nate killing Of the fur seals would be in
human. But they are being killed, openly
and ION the sly" at such q rate that 1t Is
as certain as anything can be that tho
species will become extinct within q very
few years unless something is done to
check the process of determination. It Ii
also urged that 1t would be childish
and weak for two great nations like the
United States and England to confess that
they were not able to prevent the unau.
thorized slaughter of the fur seals, as 1t
would be confessed, IL at last, In despair of
being able to do anything more for their
protection, our own Government should
throw down the bars and let in the de-
stroyers without further hindrance. Blu
that Is the pass at which we have already
arrived. TIL United States Government Is
powerless to prevent pelagic seal hunting
without the cooperation of other nations,
Great Britain more especially. Great Brit
aims refusal to cooperate has always been
persistent, absolute.
At heavy cost our Government has un.
dertaken to defend the seal herds from ex-
tinction. For some years that undertaking
was SO successful that we got back our pur-
chase money, principal inc interest, many
times over; Alaska has more han paid for
itself. But when the British poachers kill
more seals than the authorized American
~sealers kill, some Americans very naturally
bethink themselves Of the folly Of preserv-
ing animals for the use Of our friendly and
encroaching %neighbors. They say that If
the barriers were thrown down, Americans
would be willing to take their nance
with the British hunters in the field of
slaughter.
Once upon a time, a dog, sent to carry his
masters dinner, was sorely beset by a num-
Der Of thievish ours who sought to take
from the faithful messenger the food with
which he had been iutrusted. The dis
tressed dog, seeing that he was overpow-
cred by superior numbers, dropped his
basket and, seizing the better part of its
contents, made Off with it in safety. So
much for KsoP.
The most practical use that has been
made of the fur seal question has been that
of the Canadian politicians. They have
employed it as a club, or as a sine qua non,
a something without which some other
thing cannot be. This has become weari-
some to our citizens.
Several thousand years after the time of
HsoP. a certain New York street railway
company, being sorely beset by a gang of
ours who, at each successive session of the
State Legislature, drew up bills to compel
the corporation to reduce its fare from six
cents to five cents, said: G to, let US strike
the strikers" And they reduced theirfares
to five cents, to the great discontinue of the
ingenious lobbyists, who saw that the hopes
of their gains were gone. So much for the
Fourth Avenue Railroad Company.
AS PATRICK HENRY remarked OIL a his
toric OCCASION: "And Uncle SAMUEL may
profit by their example,"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23

friendship, the Cuban General ought to
have dissuaded him by some palmer threat
Of death than was contained in this alleged
message to him: "If you desire to talk
about the independence Of Cuba, or as q
friend, 1 will see you tomorrow. II not.
for Cons sake do not come" ARANGuREN,
1t may be said, might, alike from friendship
and from duty. have positively refused to
see him at all, fearing lest his visitor should
be tempted to say something that would
bring death upon him, in obedience to the
stern orders. But while hat reflection has
doubtless occurred to many, another feeling
is excited II RUIZ tried to tempt his old
friend with money to betray his cause, and
30 violate his honor as a soldier.
We shall perhaps have fuller and more
accurate accounts Of the preliminary cor
~respondence between RUIZ and ARANauREN
in this dramatic instance Of the conflict be-
tween loyalty in friendship and loyalty In
patriotism. 1t may then be made clear
RUIZ had no ground whatever to In
terpret q permission to talk about the
independence of Cuba" as a permission to
discuss with ARANGURES, in spite Of tho
orders of GOMEZ, home rule under Spanish
dominion. And, at all events, the revul-
sion of feeling In the Cuban patriot that
would be produced by an offer to buy his
loyalty with gold, can easily be imagined.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
The Shooting of Ruiz.

Our Havana dispatches, In reporting that
q letter found on the body of Col. JOAQUIN
RUIZ offered a bride of 100000 to Col.
NEsToR A~RANGuREN, nave put in a new
light the death penalty inflicted on the
brave but rash and unfortunate Spanish
officer. In addition, we have the positive
denial from Senior r. ESTRADA PALMA that
U was under a flag of truce.
At first the main point seemed to be that,
after the published orders of Gen. GOMEZ
making death the punishment for coming
to Cuban camps with SPANS offer of au.
tonomy, RUIZ took his life in his hands
when he did the thing prohibited. The OBJ.
ject Of GOMEZ In thus cutting off communi.
cation on that subject and the expediency
OF taking that means to accomplish it are
another matter; but, once issued and not
revoked, 1t should have been obvious to any
soldier that the orders would be executed.
AS to their authenticity there was no doubt,
the Spaniards themselves accepting the or
ders as genuine n as such %denouncinp
them. Yet Col. RUIZ practically challenged
ARANGUREN to execute them, and thereby
risked his fate.
But II in addition, as is now declared,
Col. RUE carried from Gen. BLANCo the
written offer to ARANGURES alread,
spoken OF, he must be put on the footing OF
an emissary seeking to bride the Cuban
officer to betray his cause. The distinction
between the presentation of general pro
posals of peace, to be forwarded to army
headquarters, and a personal, pecuniary ap
peal to a single officer to become a traitor
will be manifest to everybody.
The statement of our Havana dispatches
has yet another bearing. 1t may hav,
seemed that, since RUIZ is said to hav,
gone to ARANGUREN on the ground of ole
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
THE KILLING OF RUIZ,
A Woman Defends the Decd or the Cub .

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: 1 read q
statement in to-day's Herald to the effect that
Senator Hale. in speaking of the recent killing
Of Col. Ruiz by the insurgents in Cuba, regards
1t as an act of savagery," and as stamping the
Cubans as bandits and outlaws"
How very easy it is for Senator Hale and all
other friends of Spanish tyranny to condemn
In the Cubans that which they have for nearly
three years closed their eyes to and encouraged
on the part of Spain!
While Col. Ruizs death is certainly horrible
what warfare is not f-is 1t any more SO than the
butchery of DIR. Ruiz In tho Jail at Guanabacoa
by order Of one of Spain's Generals last Febru-
airy 2 Or tho murder of that Cuban General
who. when peace had been declared after the
"ten years war;" was invited to q banquet on
board a Spanish man-of-war, and then MUIR
dered. under a flag Of truce. by order of tho
same Gen. Blanco who Is now Captain. G eneral
Of Cubaf Or more so than any of the many
acts OF shooting down In cold blood of brave
Cubans. whose only crime was their desire to
see their beloved land freed from the yellow and
red rag Of medieval ppressioni
Have not the spaniards all through the pres.
cruelty beside which Col. Ruiz's death psiHes
and sinks into inslgni1cancei
his fate, and his friend. Col. Araneuren begged
q him not to undertake o. the task" Was DR.;
RUIZ warned OF what was TO DO his fato !
Did he have a chance to escape
1t Is really astonishing. how quick Senator
Hale and others are to discover the mote in
the colossal beam In the eye of Spain for yearsi
To understand which side is entitled by Justice
to the rights Of belligerency, which side has
conducted its warfare In accordance with the
rules OF civilization and shown the more hu.
the present conflict. one has but to compare
SPANS methods with those Of Cubn. / am sure
any and all honest and true friends of justice
decide in favor of Cuba Librc."
Far be 1t from any one to blame them II their
patience Is at last exhausted and II thoy begin
TO retaliate upon the Spanish butchers, giving
them the same treatment they have been re-
ceiying for the past thirty.four months.
PELHAM. N. Y. Dec. 81.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23

Once more q simple word Of praise must
be given to the weather. Yesterday was a per.
feet day, for overshoes and mackintoshes. and
was much enjoyed by those who sell them.
There was q pleasant. little. aimless, fanciful
snow, not enough to hurt and not enough to
help. 1t was very kind of 1t to fall SO far. Tho
mud was not deep, but 1t was a nice, shiny mud,
what the Springfield Republican would call an
elegant" mud. People went on buying Christ
mas presents just as II the day had not boon SO
distinguished. Probably they didn't notice 1t.
But It deserved notice. Not great weather. and
certainly not good. but interesting as part of q
series. The folks in this town are too languid
in approaching the endearing characteristics of
the climate. A simeon and a shower of ten-cent
pieces would be needed to make them know
their blessings.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
High Praise for Mr.. CoEhIan,. Play.

To THE EDITOR OF THE suS-Sfr: In your criticism
to-day OF the opening performance OF Mr.. Charles
Coghlan In his adaptation OF a play from Alexandra
Dumas, which he has entitled THE Royal Boz" you
seem to me TO give to the event less importance than
II really has. In my opinion, the play and Mr.. Cogh.
ian's acting in 1t raised this dramatic season to the
highest artistic and intellectual emineuce Il has vet
reached. This ! say after having seen every play OF
any significance which has been on our stage this
year and for many years past; and ! hope you Will
allow me to say II In Justice to dramatic art.
"The Royal Box" is u play which in It's literary
composition and expression appeals to the best and
truest taste aud the most cultivated int llect. MIR,
Coghlan's acting has a quality OF distinction which
recalls the best traditions OF the stage. and tho mi,
form excellence OF his support az u time whom there
are 30 many stock companies to absorb histrionic art
and talent is gratifying proof that the supply OF men
and women actors OF superior accomplishments aud
artistic perceptions is now far richer than II ever
was before.
As ! began by remarking, I regard Mr.. CoghIAn's
play and his performance OF II as constituting the
chief event OF the theatrical season for al. those who
prize dramatic art In Its highest form. and ! render
this tribute to him as his Uncomfortable due. though l
speak only as q modest lay FIRST NIGHTER.
NEW YORK, Dec. 22.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23

Oklahoma is going to treat herself to q
convention next month for the purpose of con-
sidering Statehood for the Territory" There
will be 400 delegates. and II they are as contro-
yersial in temper and forcible Of speech as the
statesmen who compose the Territorial Lcgisla-
ture. there will be a free circulation of air in tho
convention. Without belittling the virtues of
Oklahoma, and without stopping to con-
slider whether it ought to be Joined to the
Indian Territory or not, the friend of peace
must vote No on the question of admission to the
Union. Every town in Oklahoma is resolved to
be the capital and is ready to fight for it's claims
till the last armed foe expires. In the present
mood Of the Oklahomans the Territory could
not be made a State unless every town in 1t was
made a capital.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23

The Utica Observer rushes madly at
Cook county and Its treasures. In tho opinion
Of this Oneida Waterman of Western greatness,
"A Chicago Alderman needs q private secretary
about as much as a lamppost needs an over
coat" This is most unjust. II the Alderman is
initerate, surely no needs a private secretary.
II the Alderman is literate, he needs a private
secretary to assist him In his literary labors.
The Hon. HrNKY DrNK is writing a Biography
Of CooNEy the Fox" The Hon. BATH HOUSE
JOIN ia at work on Problems of Municipal
Government" The Hon. John POWERS has
under way a Study Of Chicago Men Who Have
Helped Themselves" A private secretary is in
dispensable to a Chicago Alderman of the true
breed.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-23
Great Public Interest in the Pension
Question.

We are unable to publish all OF the letters
written to THE Sun about the pension bust
ness. The spirit of these communications Is
almost without exception the same. They
express profound satisfaction that the ex-
tent and significance of the frauds which
discredit the pension system as now admin.
istered should nave been exhibited so strik-
ingly and so comprehensively. They call
for q halt and an investigation.
The same thing is true Of the ~utterances
Of our contemporaries of the newspaper press,
without regard to party lines.
It is particularly gratifying to THE SUN to
find 80 many veterans Of the war among
the warmest in their approval OF the state
ment which we published last Monday. A
few specimen letters printed this morning
will serve to show that the honest veteran
and patriotic old soldier understands per-
fectly the purpose of that publication.
Both the veteran who draws a pension n
Is conscious Of the rectitude Of his claim,
and the veteran who has never even APP
piled for a pension, because he knows he Is
not justly entitled to support at the public
expense, have q common interest that the
exact truth shall be known. They are be-
ginning to speak ~emphatically on the sub
ject. Many of them come to us with prac-
tical suggestions as to the most effective
methods of reform.
The regular Pension Appropriation bill for
the next fiscal year has passed the House
and is now In the Senate. Nevertheless,
the question is before the House, as well as
before the Senate, in the shape of numerous
bills proposing this or that change In the
existing statutes concerning pensions. The
subjec is always before the House and
the Senate. Only courage and energy are
requisite In order to start a discussion which
shall go to the heart of the matter.
There seems to be general consent, among
those who have given thought to the pos
sible remedies for palpable evils, that the
first n most urgent measure of reform Is
the publication, in locally advertised lists,
Of the names Of all the pensioners. The
worthy pensioners should welcome this sort
Of inscription as a certificate of honor.
Only the frauds and the m~alingerers have
reason to dread 1t.
1t will be impossible for Congress, upon
assembling again in January, to overlook
the increasing indignation of the public
demand for pension reform for the sake of
the worthy pensioners, for the sake of the
honest veteran who draws no pension, and
for the sake of the nations Treasury, over
consumed last year nearly one-hap Of the
total income of the Government from Gus.
toms and internal revenue taxes.