davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
UNFIT FOR STATES.

Not long since an intelligent man, in a
patriotic address, expressed a. desire to see
both Cuba and Hawaii sovereign States
of the Union before two years shall pass.
His listeners applauded, which indicated
that there is much of that emotional senti-
ment abroad. There are many reasons why
1t is desirable that the United States should
have control of both these islands, but there
are as many and as cogent reasons why
they are not desirable for States. Take
Hawaii. Not one-tenth of it's population is
of what may be called American blood. The
natives are an inferior race, dying out be-
cause they have not the stamina, physical
or moral to withstand the process of civili-
cation. The larger part of the residents who
are not natives are Japanese, coolies and
other races totally unfit for American citi-
zenship. Under these conditions it is idle
to assume that it is fit to become a State.
1t may be held like Alaska, or in some
other territorial relation.
Cuba may be somewhat better since it
is estimated that one-tenth of it's inhabi-
tants can read. The most of the natives,
however, speak a tongue foreign to the
mass of people in this country. The inhab-
itants are what would be called negroes in
this country. A large part of the men in
the insurgent army are of mixed blood in
which the African predominates. To a con-
siderable extent the Cuban patriot plans his
campaign in New York and fights his bat
ties in dispatches written in Key West.
There is really more to be expected of the
mixed races, who are the laborers, than
from the Adventures who have made in
surrection at long range their vocation. At
best they are chiefly a race which has not
distinguished itself in the maintenance of
permanent popular government. The race
is doing better in recent years. but chiefly
under such forceful and resourceful men
as President DaZ, of the Republic of Mex
icot For a dozen years we have been deny
ing stateship to New Mexico because of a
fear that it's people, speaking what may be
called an alien tongue and fettered with
alien customs, cannot be trusted with the
sovereignty which adheres to the State. Yet
there is reason to believe that the people of
New Mexico are much better qualified for
stateship than are those of Cuba.
The danger is. concerning the future of
the islands referred to. that we are very
near being the victims of that emotionalism
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
SCIENTIFIC.

A new magnetic lathe-chuck enables the
operator to put small work in place without
slackening speed the gripping power being
controlled at full speed by a foot lever
switch.
Acute rheumatism is regarded by DR..
Jaccoud as Of bacterial origin, and he looks
upon the case of d child born with rheu-
matism while it's mother was suffering
from a severe attack as evidence of the in
fectious character of the disease.
Peat has been experimentally converted
into coke by placing in an asbestos-lined
retort with an electrically heated spiral of
wire. The process requires but few min
utes and the prOduct-containing but per
cent. of ash-is claimed TO be equal to coal
in heating value and to cost but 81 ton
A vinegrower in Syria, with the theory
that hail may be prevented by the use of
explosives, claims greater success than has
fallen to the lot of the rainmakers About
his extensive vineyard he constructed six
iron towers, each holding ten mortarS and
on six occasions last summer the firing of
the sixty mortars was followed by the
breaking up of the threatening clouds with
out rain or hail over the protected region of
a square mile.
The location of the stations for the pro-
posed earthquake survey of the world is
now an important problem. The use OF ex-
listing astronomical observatories has adj
vantages, but Prof. G.. Grablovitz points
out that most of the active volcanoes are
situated near three great circles, and sug-
gests that the earthquake stations should
be established near the six points of inter-
section of these circles and at twelve other
points symmetrically placed on the circles.
The curious discovery has been made by
an English metallurgist that Well polished
plates OF aluminium adhere as If soldered
after being pressed closely together for
eight hours at a temperature of $50 de-
grees Centigrade 1926 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Platinum and other metals behave similar
ly. To successfully show the phenomenon
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
A PLEA FOR THE HOME.

Lady Aberdeen makes a plea for re
vival of the home" She urges it as duty
upon college women and club women-in
fact, all women. They have found the
benefits of organization and club life, now
let them apply these benefits to the home
life, she says, in substance. Admit the
family into the club, she urges; have chill
dren's day, a daughters day; invite men
to attend and have a board of advisors
composed of men. In this way the family
will cease to consider the club as a possible
rival in the affections of the wife and
mother. The club is a great educator, she
admits, and she would not do away with it,
but she thinks the time has come to bring
this culture into the home and to revive and
improve that neglected institution.
This is a move in the right direction.
Lady Aberdeen has viewed the world of
womankind and has seen the sisterhood,
young and old, rushing madly to join clubs
of all sorts and conditions that thereby
they might improve themselves and reform
things in general and mankind in particu-
lar. She has seen a craze for organization,
and knows that the woman who is organ
led is lost to home and husband and chill
dren. She remains a member of the house
hold and continues to acknowledge her re-
lationship to the other members but her
time and attention are absorbed in outside
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

pay the other half. This man has millions
secured by corporation which has vio-
lated state laws for years and ruined scores
of competitors by methods which are NOR
ally no better than highway robbery In
the hope of crushing out all competitors, a
year ago, that corporation "cornered" an
article of general use, put up the prices for
a time, and took from millions of consum-
ers in a few weeks several millions of dol
lars. There was no condition which made
the advance of price necessary. The corpo-
ration had the power and exercised it. The
act can no more be justified on moral
grounds than could the holding up of thou
sands of people by highwaymen and taking
their money from them. 1t was simply an
act of INSCRIPTIONS greed. The half of the
debt of a great missionary society is but a
small percentage of the aggregate unneces-
sarily taken from the people. AS only a
small portion of this money thus extorted
from the masses is necessary to pay half
of the missionary debt, the giving seems
like an effort to settle the infraction of the
moral law by offering it's author a percent
age. The wonder is that men who preach
together to make such Mr.. Hydes" of "Dr.
Jekylls," by accepting their money and ex-
tolling their generosity and their useful
ness. Not many years ago a number of the
leaders of another church which is a power
for good in the land assembled at the man
sion of man whose millions came from
the spoliation of thousands Of victims and
voted him very good man, for which ia
vor they received at that time a few thou
sand dollars.
Very frequently these really good and
sincere men who give moral status to the
promoters of grasping and lawless trusts,
turn upon the newspapers and proclaim
their exceeding sinfulness. And yet, with
all their sins of omission and commission,
their silence cannot be purchased by the
promoters of the YerkeS conf1scation in
Chicago, or by the great trusts which de-
stroy competition and rob the people.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.

Those who claim that there has been no
Improvement in business conditions since
the election of Mckinley presume too much
on the public's lack of intelligence or short
ness Of memory. 1t would be absurd to
claim that the country is enjoying a full
measure of prosperity, but everybody must
admit that there has been marked improve
ment in some respects A great many man.
ufacturing establishments are in operation
now which were idle six months ago, there
are fewer persons out of employment, and
great many are earning better wages.
Probably there is not a city in the United
States in which there will not be more
building this season than there was last.
The clearing house reports show a larger
volume of business. and those of the COM
mercial agencies report a distinct improve
ment in all lines of trade In one important
respect there has been a very marked
change for the better viz, in the improved
condition of the money market. Since the
election of Mckinley some Of the largest
railroad funding operations on record have
taken place, at large saving Of interest,
and a great many municipal bonds have
been sold at good prices that could not be
sold at all before. Two months ago the
Lake Shore Railroad refunded nearly $780,,
100000 of bonds at 31a per cent, and since
then other roads have done as we'll A dis
patch from n town in North Dakota, a
few days ago, stated that the County Com
missioners had just funded a bond issue of
$4,000 at per cent adding: "A year ago
the board tried to float bonds, but could
get nothing better than per cent" There
have been many instances of the same
kind in this State, and some close at home.
No person will deny that this improvement
in the money market indicates g. restoration
of confidence. The result has been to start
many public improvements that would not
have been undertaken otherwise and put a
great deal of money in circulation. EN-
ployment has been given to a great many
persons, and the aggregate saving to cities.
counties and individuals in the lower rate
of interest has been enormous. Even the
saving to railway companies in the fund
ing of their debts will inure to the advan-
tage of the public indirectly in better equip
ments and service Every intelligent per-
son knows that the business situation has
improved in the respects indicated and that
the outlook for better times grows brighter
every day. With the tariff question settled
in favor of American industries and one
year of good crops there is no reason why
the country should not enter on an era of
general prosperity. 1t has already made
encOurag ing progress in that direction
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

affairs. Home is only place for the fam
lily to stay. At least, if Lady Aberdeen
does not know these things what do her
words of warning and advice mean? From
her point of view she evidently sees the
home going to the bow-wows. husbands
with nobody to meet and greet them and re-
cite all the evil deeds of the hired girl and
the other domestic happenings of the day;
she sees neglected children and il-kept
homes everywhere-all because of women's
clubs. She must see them else why the
plea for a restoration of the home to its
old and respected state? 1t is true that
every one does not observe these peculiar
conditions, but Lady Aberdeen has been en-
gagged in a good many reforms herself and
presumably recognizes a place for philan-
thropic effort when she sees it. Discovering
that the once cherished institution of home
was in danger of going out of existence
she resolved to save it to the world, and
has entered this field of reform with the
revive the manufacture of Irish lace 1t is
noble work. The home is a really useful
institution, and the community cannot
spare it. Let her not weary in her effort to
rescue it from the decay into which it is
falling through the diversion of feminine
energies into clubs, and let club women
curb their insatiate desire to organize and
turn their minds once more to the domestic
fireside.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

the bunting and flags with which they dec
GRATED their streets were of German manu-
facture, and that their hereditary enemies
had made a profit out of their patriotism.
Londoners who are preparing to celebrate
the Queens jubilee have made the same
discovery. and are also indignant. Who
asks a London paper, who, feeling that
something in the way of a loyal display is
expected of him, desires a shoddy royal
standard a union jack made in Ger
many? What" it continues, with growing
wrath, what will her Majesty, Queen Vic
toria, think on June p if the royal stand
ards which futter in her honor are spelled
with to- What they are going to do
about it further than to use the bunting
the dealers provide is not made clear, but it
is certain that the loyal Britishers are very
WrOth
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
THE VERY OLD STORY.

''The adoption of the gold standard by
Japan and Peru" says Mr. Bryan, "has
increased the strain on gold" This is the
very old warning of the champions of the
silver bullion owners. 1t is the prattle of
the advocates of the free and unlimited
coinage of silver bullion by the United
States alone, who repeat on the street cor
ners whatever Mr.. Bryan and others say
upon this subject.
How much gold will Japan and Peru need
to put those countries upon a gold basis?
In 1879 the United States resumed specie
payments upon a gold basis with $l25,O 0O,OUt
in the treasury and about 1925, 900, 900 in prl-
yate banks Our per capita of paper money
was about $16. This amount of gold was
sufficient to bring all the money to the gold
basis and keep it there. At that time the
annual output of the worlds gold mines
was about $1OOO0O,O0O At that time no one
discovered 1.-The strain on gold, since few
wears previous Senator Stewart, of Nevada,
who is now a sort of monomaniac on the
subject of the coinage of silver, declared
that gold should be the money of the
United States.
Japan. with about 4O,OO0oOO of people, had
= per capita of about 81 on silver basis.
If all that silver should be swept away
only $3.50 900, 900 of gold would be needed,
but as all the silver money will be utilized,
not over $4,000, 0G0 of gold will be needed to
put the country on a gold basis. AS the
output of the gold mines at the present time
IS at the rate OF over $200000,000 year. 1t
will be seen that the product Of the mines
for two and half months will furnish
all the gold needed to put Japan on a gold
basis. If Peru obtains $10000,00O of gold for
any purpose, it will be more than it has
ever had. So it turns out that the 'in-
creased strain" of Mr.. Bryan because of
Japan and Peru adopting the money of the
civilized world is measured by the product
of the mines during January, February and
March, 1897, with the output of April to
be used for other strains
1t is probable that Russia is laying away
a little more gold because of the possibility
of war, but when it is over that govern
ment will let go some of it's gold.
There can be nothing more stupid than
this constant chatter about the strain on
gold at time that the mines are turning
out over 5000, OOOO 900 year-probably $22O,-
100000 at the present time-and when the
rates of discount the world over were never
so low 1t is SO stupid that fairly intelli-
gent men, with the facts before them,
should resent the statement about the
'.strain on gold' as an insult to their COM
mon sense
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

The convention of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church of South Carolina during its
recent session, adopted a resolution which
deplored the growing disregard of human
| life, as indicated in the increase of homi-
eide The convention declared that the
| bloodguiltiness of our people has become
an offense and CRYING shame TO the sensibiI-
| tiles of the church and state" 1t is prob
able that the majority which passed the
resolution had in view the frequent lynch
| lngs in the South; that it was the protest
of the best element OF that section and that
| the weak minority who opposed it on the
| ground that it is matter which concerned
| the state really did so because they did not
desire to declare against the TOO general
sentiment in favor of lynch law
The increase of homicide is not confined
to the South, since statistics for years show
that the evil has increased faster than pop
ulation. There must be causes which have
tended to make human life cheap. AS a
! people we are not deteriorating in general
morality; on the contrary, the reverse is
| probably true. Never were the agencies to
promote the betterment Of mankind so nu-
merous and effective as at the present time.
The philanthropic sentiment has never been
so pervasive and the philanthropic effort
so general or so we'll directed
| In spite of these facts homicide is be-
| lieved to be on the increase. The taking of
life, which would have shocked a com
munity a few years ago, attracts little at
| tentiop now, unless the crime presents SEN
sational features. The taking of life at
| tracts sometimes less attention than a dar-
| ing burglary. At time when the better
| ing of the conditions of human life is so
active should individual human life be so
cheap? 1t is answered that an increasing
| civilization and congestion of population has
resulted in so much greater mortality that
we do not realize it as do those who live in
sparsely settled portions of the country
| Inasmuch as the increase of homicide has
been as great in the country as in the large
cities the fact of dense population and in
| creasing mortality does not account for it.
There are other causes, and the most pro-
life one is that homicide is not treated by
the laws and particularly in their admins
tration, as a great crime. If the records of
the courts are examined in this State it
will probably be found that those who take
| life get, on an average, less, rather than
more, than ten years in the penitentiary.
| Life sentences are rare. Heretofore prison
laws have recognized no difference in the
grades of prisoners. When a man takes life
| he can command the revenues of the coun-
| ty in which the crime is committed to Sc
| cure such a trial as will give him the light
| est sentence. He can choose his own law
| yers, and the county must pay them, and
he can practically select the court which
shall try him. The uncertainty and the
inadequacy of the penalty is the influence
| which more than all else is cheapening HUI
man life.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
A LIFE WORTH LIVING.


The dispatches told. a few days ago, of
the unwilling in Philadelphia of bronze
statue of Stephen Girard. This does tardy
honor to the memory of a man whose only
monuments hitherto have been his chart
ties to the city of Philadelphia. These
were liberal and wise to an exceptional
degree. During his life Girard was unpop-
ular. Forbidding in appearance, partially
deaf, blind in one eye. of a sour disposition,
inhospitable, grabbed and unapproachable
to all except his close friends, an exacting
employer, almost misery in his personal
habits, and a Shylock in his business
methods, there was, to superficial observa-
ton. nothing lovely in his life or charac-
ter. But DEATH which sometimes reveals
as well as conceals, disclosed the true no.
bility of his character and showed how
well worth living his life was. He died in
1884, and there was not a charitable institu-
ton in Philadelphia at that time that did
not receive share of the vast fortune
he had accumulated by so much labor,
economy and self-denial. His gifts were
princely for that period, and have not
often been surpassed since. Besides those
to charitable institutions and hospitals,
there was 100000 to the city of Philadel-
phia for the Improvement of it's streets
and buildings, $500, 900 for the Improvement
of it's water front, 5000, 900 for the improve
ment of canal navigation in Pennsylvania,
$4,000 to the city perpetually for the dis
tribution of fuel to the poor every winter,
and many others. But his greatest gift,
and one which perhaps has done more
good than any other ever made in the
United States, was 100000, besides the
residue of a certain portion Of his estate
and plot of ground, for the erection and
endowment of a university No institution
was ever established that fulfilled grand
and beneficent purpose more completely
than Grard College does. By the terms
of the will as many poor orphan boys as
the endowment can support are admitted
between the ages of six and ten years, fed,
clothed and educated, and between the
ages of fourteen and eighteen are bound
out to mechanical, agricultural or CONNER
cial occupations. The beneticiaries of this
noble charity are to be found in all the
walks of life. AT the unwilling of the
statue the other day there were four thou
sand men in the procession who had once
been inmates of the institution and five
hundred boys who are there now. When
they passed in front of the statue of their
patron there was an ovation such as is
never accorded to the memory of kings.
During his life Girard was a free-thinker,
if not an infidel, though he contributed
generously to churches of various denOm-
nations. He made no profession of re-
ligious belief, and he used to say: when
1 am dead my actions must speak for me-
They show that his life was worth living.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

say Of political speeches. the greatest effort
of her life. AT It's present stage, at least,
it is very artistic production. Like all
her other stories IL is tale of New Eng
land village life, and, like all the rest, it's
plot turns upon a flinty element in the
makeup of its leading characters. 1t Is
this that is making life hard for Jerome
and his sweetheart, his sister and her lover
-four charming young people who ought to
be happy. The incidents in the story are
slight in apparent Importance, but the in
tensity of the emotions depicted makes the
atmosphere tragic. Some beautiful pictures
of village life are drawn in the various
chapters. and Jerome and his friends stand
out with vivid distinctness. A more dainty
bit of description is hardly found in fiction
than that picturing pretty, timid Lucina's
walk through the fields in the hope of
meeting her lover and the betrayal of her
love when she found him. Miss Wilkins is
not fond of letting her stories lend well, :"
as ali properly constituted novel readers
would like them to do, or rather, the harsh
traits in the characters of her influential
personages will not be reconcied with hap
piness; but in this case there are softer
elements which may lead to a more pleas
ing solution than her stories commonly al
low. At all events, if the tale is rounded
up in the artistic manner with which it
has been carried forward through twenty
or more chapters it will doubtless take
rank as her best piece of work.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINGS.

Sarah Bernhardt. who has always had a
morbid dread of fire. is attempting to have
all her stage dresses made of freproof ma
terial.
Justin Mccarthy was barely able to fin
ish the additions! volume to his History
of Our own Times" in readiness for the
Jubilee. before he was seized by a severe
illness.
Mr.. J. N Larned. who IS about 10 retire
after twenty years service as librarian in
the Buffalo Library, modestly declined TO
allow some OF this city's leading citizens to
give a banquet in his honor.
The women's exposition of the Caroiinas.
now being held at Charlotte. N c.. and
which is managed entirely by women. has
gathered very creditahle collection of
paintings, tapestries and ste tuary mostly
the work of Southern artists The art gal,