davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
No DAY of Gloom.

Mayor STRONG announces that his melan.
choly plan for conducting funeral ceremon-
les over the New York which will pass away
on the first of the year, has been abandoned
finally. Naturally, 1t did not stir the en-
thusiasm Of the people, though that 1t was
a novel and original conception to hold a
wake over the dead municipality, instead
Of celebrating tho birth Of the new and
greater capital, was unquestionable.
From time immemorial. New Years Day
has been a day of good cheer and Of rejoio-
Ing In this town. In many respects. 1t is
the most generally and heartily observed
holiday Of the whole year. and Mayor
STRoNG's suggestion to make 1t q funeral
occasion could not be made congruous
with It's customary festivities. The birth
Of a new city, the second in magnitude in
the world, with the prospect of becoming
thu first within the lives of many of its
citizens, will not awaken in the popular
heart the heavy sorrow which Expresses the
heart of the Mayor who tried to prevent it.
The advent of the Greater New York will
mean the retirement of WILLIAM L.
STRONG from public office but that conse.
quence does not necessarily imply that the
community will be in a mood to put on
mourning. He will pass away and soon
be forgotten, and with him will go his
humbug Of "non-partisanship." A larger
New York will come into being, and with
it's greater magnitude and broader inter-
ests will come, let us hope, a more truly
metropolitan spirit than has characterized
his parochial and f~actious administration.
Probably, however, his project for funeral
ceremonies fell through the more heavily
because of the popular terror excited by
his specific proposition to aggravate the
gloom with three dreadful orations over the
deceased municipality. New York is a
splendid city. Who that lives in it could
wish to live anywhere else in the world 2
1t has developed marvellously and with a
steady growth, and moro especially dur
ing the last generation. but. al! the more
for that reason, the imagination of the
people prefers to occupy itself with pic
turing the future of the imperial city than
to go back to the past which these melan.
choly orators were to weep over. The
forging ahead Of the living New York and
not the burial of the dead New York will
occupy the thoughts of the citizens from
this time forth.
Accordingly, in due time and under suit
able auspices, the entrance of New York on
its new n more glorious career will be
celebrated fifty.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16

President McKINLEY's important recon.
mendations concerning the construction of
new docks or the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts, serve to recall the interesting fact
that establishments of this character, so
essential to a complete naval equipment.
were subjects of such deep executive con-
Germ to THOMAS JEFFERSON that. while Pres
ident, he devised one Of his own planning
and submitted 1t to Congress.
More h that, JEFFERSON, with the In
stinct of the born inventor, appreciated the
fact that even he. with all his command of
the English language, could not make his
dock design clear to the mind of the aver.
ago legislator, and in order to do 80 he
had n model made of 1t which he exhibited
In the Executive Mansion.
In his voluminous correspondence JET.
PERSON has left a description, together
with a diagram, of this dock, written dur.
ing the year preceding his death. He had
learned. he says, that sin Venice there
were ships lying on their original stocks,
ready for launching at any moment, which
hadbeen SO for eighty years. and were still
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16

From the M~anons,ter E,sntro chronte,s

LSShbtb Sftpo
The annual exhibition Of selected water-color draw
ings is. In point of quality and variety, equal to any
Of its predecessors. Several Of the best modern
painters are represented in the collection. which also
includes many local contributors. Mr.. ]. II. W.
Turner. r. A., has eight pictures at the exhibition
this season. and they figure among the best work the
artist has accomplished. Apart from the beautiful
English Landscapes. for which Mr.. Turner's pictures
are famous, he has several colored drawings Of
ancient buildings. including southwell Minister and
Brecon Castle. "Dordrecht.' an unpretentious small
picture. containing much detail, cleverly conceived
and worked out, is sent by Mr.. w. l.. Wyllie. A. n. A.
tho only one. unfortunately. by this artist IN the
collection. Mr.. S. Prout exhibits several pictures of
Continental scenes. among which We like best e. On
the Rhine" Mr.. T. s. Cooper is always happy In his
portraits of rural quietude. and his four pictures uf
summer meadows are fine examples Of his work In
this direction. Among the other notable contributors
are Miss N. Cow. portraiture studies; Mr.. Copeley
Fielding. in coast scenes. and there arc o number OF
pictures from younger artists which give promise of
future success. On the whole the collection Is ex.
~oeedingly interesting and of q high standard OF merit.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
rho Cane or spotted Hawk.


From the MHes CITY Yellowstone Journal
George Bird Grinnell has addressed a letter to THE
sUs in behalf of Spotted Hawk. who was convicted of
the murder OF the sheep herder Hoover at the last
term OF the District Court in this county. Mr.. Grin.
noll asserts the innocence OF Spotted Hawk and al.
legeS insun1clency OF evidence connecting him with
the crime. which he avers was committed by the In.
dian known as Stanley. alone. Mr.. Grtnncll some
what intemperately alleges that the County Attorney
OF Custer county induced Stanley by promises of I'M
munity to swear away Spotted Hawks life.
This is a serious charge and one that cannot DO sub
Stimulated. Neither the County Attorney of this
county nor the people resident here have any desire to
hang an innocent man. DO he white. red. black or
yellow. Spotted Hawk had as fair o trial al It was
possible to give him. and the Jury. not the County
Attorney. rendered the verdict.
II the efforts to procure him a now trial are success
fnl and he Is proven to be innocent. no ono hero will
regret that outcome. We have only the natural de.
sire OF a law-nbiding people who arc to a large extent
at the mercy OF these roaming savages. who place no
value on human life. to sec ut least ono OF q series Of
cold.biooded murdcrs avenged in . judicial way. be-
licving that tho iRnominy Of execution by hanging
much greater in the Indian than the white man-wil
have q beneficial effect.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16

In . state Of perfect preservation: and that
this wa effected by disposinE Of them in
docks pumped dry and kept 80 by constant
pumping" And, he adds, at occurred TO
me that this expense Of constant pumping
might be saved by combining a lock with
the common wet dock. wherever there was
q running stream OF water. the bed Of
which, within q reasonable distance, was
of sufficient height above the high water
level Of the harbor."
All these land and water conditions JET.
r found existing In his day at the
Washington Navy Yard on the Eastern
Branch but 1t would DO vain to look for
tho combination there to-day, for Tiber
Creek, which formed an important part in
the project, has been degraded, VIC think,
from It's pristine dignity and converted into
q great sewage conduit.
The design of the Jeffersonian dock con.
templated q great chamber twenty feet be-
low high.water mark aud an equal height
above 1t. At the upper end was another
chamber. the bottom Of which should be in
the h~igh.water level and the tops twenty
feet above 1t. By n system Of gates the
vessel was foatcd into these chambers, in
one of which were stocks ready for her re.
ception. This accomplished, the Tiber was
to be diverted into another channel, leav.
ing the ship in q dry chamber under cover
and ready to DO supplied with masts when
required for use.
Docks on this plan, or ono similar to it,
were built subsequently,, 1t is asserted, In
other countries, but Congress failed to util-
ize the suggestion. In JEEFKRsoN's own
words, "the advocates Of q navy did not
fancy It, and those opposed to the building
of ships altogether were equally indisposed
to provide protection for them. Ridicule
was also resorted to, the ordinary substi.
tute for reason, when that fails. and the
proposition was passed over"
The third President, strange to say, has
not received the credit to which he is justly
entitled as an advocate Of ali adequate ma.
val force. Indeed, he is set down, by many
that nave written on the subject, as an enc
my to a naval establishment. This was
not the opinion Of JOHN ADAMS, his prede-
ccssor In the Presidency. JOHN ADAMS
frankly wrote. a short time before his
death, that he ever considered tho navy as
1.-THE child Of JEFFERSON"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
Our Claim Against Hayti.

Antedating by years the Lueders claim,
which the Germans collected the other day
ct the lannon's mouth, is one that the
United States Government holds against
the Port au Prince Government.
An American citizen, BERNARD CAMP.
BELL, went to Cape Haytien several years
ago, under a contract to serve as engineer
on what he supposed, as he alleges, to be n
merchant vessel. There, however, on learn
Ing that he was expected to serve on a
Haytian war vessel, he refused to do so,
and, while waiting to return to New York,
was assaulted, he says, by Haytian soldiers
and beaten. He filed u claim with the
State Department for redress, in which he
asked large damages. Minister SMYTHE
presented it, and, after long delay, Hayti
replied, some weeks ago, that it did not
find itself responsible for damages. At
the present session of Congress Mr.. KYLE
introduced into the Senate q resolution of
inquiry on the subject, and 1t seems to be
this, or its experience with Germany, or
both, that led IIayti to reconsider the
matter and propose arbitration.
We have an opportunity, accordingly, to
show how such matters ought to be settled
oeoi'hB WIN u hcIpiehs power. Wnat-
ever the merits OF the claim, we have
plainly been most patient and considerate
about 1t SO far, and even now, 1t Is said, our
Government is inclined to accept arbitra,
ton, because Hayti has something on its
side us to certain facts and as to the amount
Of indemnity, If any is due.
, We certainly shall not proceed forthwith
to lombard or threaten to lombard Port au
Prince. There il u long interval yet before
such a proceeding would appear just t.
Americans. Port au Prince would be or
sasy mark for our guns, but, however per
emptory we may be thought to be in GU,
disputes with the naughty and tho strong
We do not covct the reputation of arroganc,
in dealing with the weak.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
Robbing the Doctors.

The practice Of the medical profession In
the city of Chicago and the adjacent town
ships In Cool county must be inordinately
profitable at this time to those engaged in
1t, or the physicians of the Windy City
must carry with them. on their visits to
patients, an abnormally large portion of
their earnings. How otherwise can we
explain the phenomenon that the larger
number of holds up reported from that
town of stirring scenes and changing GUS
toms are doctors of medicine?
For instance, f. JACOB ERB, n Juvenile
DICK TURPIN belonging to an extensive
hold. up" gang, was recently arrested in
Chicago. He Is described by the newspa-
pers of that city as 1.-THE boy hold.up ar
tist." 1t appears that ERR makes a special
ty of the robbery Of practicing physicians;
and his graphic description of his method
of procedure to the police Is thus reported:
"say. you ought to have seed mo hold up dat Doc
tor Koch. lest went in to get a straw taken out OF
me t'roat. aud ! hands him n two.dolar note, De price
10 o.. and ho pulls out n roll. when he makes do
change. so big dat itd make yer eyes stick out. I
ruobers at Il. and den l waits wild mo pal at de cor
ner OF Wood and Westlake. and sticks him up. Dey
was nifty nine plunks In dat roll. Dc same night we
sticks up another Doc. Doc QuIRK. who hangs out at
1919 westlake. He done US In dc neck. dough. Only
thirteen plunkHl +"
A particularly aggravating case is re-
ported from the South Side In the %neighbor-
hood of the stockyards. 1t seems that a
Michigan man, from Ann Arbor, visiting
Chicago on business, was assaulted by two
local ~highwaymen and robbed of $44. His
outcries brought him no police assistance,
and a Wisconsin man, who came to his aid,
was held up" likewise, to the extent of
1913, all he had, his return ticket, a Water.
bury watch, and a map of the city of Mil.
waukee. He, In turn, made even ude out
cries, but no Chicago help came to his as.
sistance. His injuries might have been
fatal had not a man of Red Wing, Mimi,
come to his succor. This last was "held
up" to the extent of $l1.45. Later on, the
bighwaymen having completed their work,
the three visiting victims were taken in a
patrol wagon to q neighboring d~Ispensary,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16

from inc Morntng DrcGonfdn.
Tho exploits OF certain New York papers, which IL
fs unnecessary TO namc. In connection with the Gul.
densuppe murder trial. has started a fresh crusade
In the pulpits. magazines. and reputable newspapers
against the yellow journalism. whose menace to the
public morals ia omnipresent and has attracted seri-
Gus attention from the thoughtful. There 10 not
much that can be done in this matter through the In
stitutions OF organized society. When the law Is vlo-
lated It can bs appealed to for punishment. Libraries
and schools can exclude the disreputable. sensation.
mongering sheets from their tables. This has been
done. but the evil is not eradicatci.
One thing more. and only one. can be done. and
that 10 T." appeal to the public sense OF right and pro.
priety. and TO enlist the active efforts Of influential
makers OF opinion. The duty OF eliminating from
our current literature immoral and corruptiug publi-
cations lies at the door of every citizen. The diff.
nculty 1s that tho public mind 10 not alive to the
deleterious effect OF tho sensational reading. People
must be made to see that this matter Is not one to be
trifed with. Tho evil Is real and alarming. Incal.
culablc harm ia done every time a man. woman, or
child buys q copy OF these sensational newspapers.
The fact should be repeatedly emphasized by all
makers OF public opinion that these offender, against
morals and p~ropriety are public enemies. Their effect
upon society to-day. and upon this society of the next
generation. Is to be great and lasting for evil. weak.
ening the moral sens. Whaling tho public taste. fos.
tering the appetite for Illicit pleasures. and destroy.
ing both liking and capacity for sober thinking and
serious endeavor. To support these newspaper pan.
ders is to cast Q shadow over the national life. Don't
buy them.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
KIAO CHOU AND HAWAII
The Bearing or Coming Events In China o.
Oar Own Annexation Question.

~ AsNuNAA IN nN1 "
Oar Own Annexation Question.
Eron the Nev York Journal.
Hawaii has acquired an Importance to tho
United States within the pnst few wooks that It
never had before, and this Importance 10 daily
growing. The seizure by Germany Of the Chi
nese port Of Kiao Chou 10 tho latest warning Of
the changed conditions In the Pacific. Formerly
we had little occasion for anxiety In that quar-
ter. There were no great naval forces there,
and the whole region was neglected by the mar
itimo powers. Now 1t is evident that the strug.
gle for power on the Pacific Is to DO as bitter as
on tho Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Ger
many having seized Kiao Chou. 1t becomes neces-
sary to restore tho equilibrium as the high.
waymano OF diplomacy delicately put 1t, by dis.
tributing plumber oil round. England 10 OK
pectod to enlarge her possessions at Hong Kong,
and to seize the great harbor Of Port Hamilton.
Russia, by virtue of an agreomen. with Coroa.
will doubtless take possession Of Port Lazareff.
which will give her a convenient terminus for
her trans-sibcrian railroad, and q magnificent
harbor. open all the year. France and Japan
will certainly not be backward about claiming
their shares Of the Equilibrium"
Tho meaning Of all this In that our Pacific
coast Statee. instead OF being sheltered by the
breadth of q continent from tho stress OF mod.
ern International activities. are now about to
meet the most energetic nations Of tho world
faco to face. Every great naval power is trying
to secure a base of operations in tho Pacific
Each of them will maintain q strong fleet there
Japan alone in o few years will have a force In
those waters almost equal to tho entire navy Of
the United States.
In such circumstances II Is only common pru'
dencc for us to look to our defences. We have
no desire to follow tho land-grabbing powers Of
Europe around the world. sharing their spoil ir
their company. but when there is an outpost
from which an enemy could threaten our whole
Western coast line it would DO folly on our par
to fail to mako 1t secure. Hawaii is the centre
Of n circle Of which the shores of California
Oregon. Washington and Alaska form an arc
1t Is within easy striking distance OF every
American Pacific port. With 1t in our posses
sion an enemy in that part Of the world would
be powerless against US.
The acquisition Of Hawaii Is an imperativ,
patriotic duty.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
Worse Even Than weyler,

The decree OF Don AaUsTIN LAToRRE,
military commander Of Nuevitas, was
printed officially in La Luchu of Havana,
on Dec. 6. 1t has no parallel in the history
of modern warfare. The famous decree is.
sued in 1872 by Captain General VALMA-
sEDA, n cruel law that aroused Gen. GRANT
to indignation and drew forth the ringing
protest Of Secretary HAMILTON FISH, is
mild when compared with LAToRRE's in
human order.
VALMAsEDA made war against non.com-
batants in the open country, but his decree
gave them at least a chance to escape by
hosting a white flag, as a signal of neu-
trality, on the top Of their dwellings. LA.
onR condemns to death. without previous
trial or even the slight formalities of a
Spanish court-martial, any person with
out distinction of sex or age" living in the
city Of Nuevitas, Who may commit such
offences against Spain as going out Of his
home. standing at his door, raising another
flag than that Of Spain, even If the offender
Is a Consul, or seeking refuge with women
and children within the walls Of q Spanish
fortress.
Defenceless women, children two years
old, aged people of either sex, are to be shot
for such "offences," II the brutal order Of
the Spanish commander is enforced.
This leaves WEYLER far behind. WEY-
LER never dared openly to decree the mas
sacre of women and children. He never
denied in an official proclamation the right
of foreigners to seek protection in times of
war under the neutral colors of their nation
in order to avoid death at the hands of one
or the other Of the %belligerents. WEYLER
never formally ordered Spanish soldiers to
use their weapons against women and chill
dren fleeing for their lives.
The authenticity of LAToRRE's decree
cannot be questioned. 1t Is an official docu.
ment printed in a Spanish newspaper. 1t
is a notorious fact hat every line published
in Havana has been revised previously and
authorized by two press censors of the Cap.
tain-General's office. and also by the secrc.
tary of the Captain-Gcneral. who afixes
his seal to the original copies before they
are given to the press.
Is this SPANS newborn m~agnanimity to
the Cuban peoplef
Is this SPANS change of policy after the
reign of terror under Don VALER1ANo
WEYLER7
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
Tnr rRrsH yoaw OF arc.
priss maud Genns npa Mcr EHortn ~ nehni
Of the uriais psii,tcai Prisonerr.

To THE EDrroR oR TIE SuS-Sir: Tho cause
OF human liberty is dear to an lovers of Justice,
but to none, perhaps, ought that cause be dcarer
and more sacred thnn TO tho sons and daughters
Of this great republic. The heart OF this nation
has ever throbbcd In sympathy with the op.
pressed. Not unmindful OF her own early mis-
fortunes. she knows. like Dido OF old, how to
succor tho wrotched. ] think. then. that she
shall DO worthy Of her traditions In extending
some token OF appreciation TO the beautiful and
talented young lady who is pleading tho cause
Of tho Irish political prisoners.
Miss Maud Come has como here to plead
the cause Of Ireiand's liberty; to this cause she
has devoted ten years OF loving. earnest, con-
slant effort: she has come to enlist the sympa.
thy Of fair-minded Americans for the political
prisoners who arc atoning in English dungeons
for their love for Irclhnd; sho has come TO urge
the exiled sons and daughters OF ireland to
honor the centennial Of the rebellion Of 1898,
and sho has come TO raise funds for q monu.
ment to one OF Ireland'S most illustrious mar
tyrs. tho gallant Wolfe Tone.
Since 1885 Miss Come has devoted her time,
fortune and talents To the cause Of Ireland. and
through her paper, ireland Lf5re, published In
France. she has succeeded In winning willing
Listeners to her story in every court Of Europe.
] am confident that Am srtran citizens who
f ssv cs sssT e. .y%es.h, s q f fsss. II and ass s sTs .,qsS.
-. C1N '"~f Tb' ~
Cling for liberty, viii snrsI7 not allow Miss
Come 70 retain 70 ireland without showing her
fornS token Of thsSr fsspscLful appreciation.
| Americans canaot forget how England treated
the political prisoners Of Ihe Revolutionary War.
r res. x .a%" lasss,. ss%ss i Il ro. iG.@1D sA hais. h IN
Wellnbou. Bay. snd history tells US OF their SUI.
fcrings. In AHr, at ako are generous enough
70, respect racrtarT$fn viii DO ready to assure
Miss Gomez ~ TIER sapport In her noble advo-
cacy of Irish freedom.
1t Is hardly h&ce~s-fy for me-. as an Irishman,
to express n hope tkAstae sIflei sons and daugh.
tors Of Ireland. Who have made their homes in
this fair land o. liberty. will give n good recep-
ton to Miss Come ehen she comes here In a
few days. before her departure for homo. 1t
would be lifting that they show this young lady
thor gratitude and their aToctionate admirn-
7 tion; che has come from the oil land-from tho
homes of their sires-from that green land be-
yond the sea. round which are fondly entwined
the dearest memories Of a past 1t is sadly sweet
for them to recall.
am sure, then. that my few remarks on this
subject will not be deemed impertinent, for the
cause is a cause dear to all who love liberty.
H. Z. ATCHIsoN, b. A, Dublin University.
New York, Dec. Is.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
where Red Tape RuIea.

For some months past the public and the oricials
at Somerset House have been put TO great inconven.
ience by the efforts OF a small band OF workmen to
run electric Lighting wires along tho corridors and
into the oncos. Some progress had been made whom
&c was discovered that a mistake had been committed
in the system OF nxing the lines. This wRs rectined.
and tho brilliant glow Of the incand esccnt Edison.
Swan light was eventually TO 10 seen In working
order In some OF the passages and rooms. One fcggy
day. however. It was discovered that the funds HAD
failed. and that all progress had to be suspended.
Meanwhile instructions had been given for disman-
ting the gas nttings. Her MaJesty's civil servants In
Somerset House and those who have TO transact bust.
ness there have. in many places. to resort to the re.
liable. though old.fashioned. candle. No fund can be
discovered for tho supply OF candlssticks. but the re-
freshmcnt department has kindly solved this diri.
Guilty by lending the boards Officers . SUFFICIENT num-
Der OF empty bottles.