davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
The Proposed Police Uniform.

We publish elsewhere q letter from a
member of the National Guard Of this
State criticising the new uniform proposed
for our New York policemen, on the ground
that it would offend against the Military
Code. which prohibits the wearing of any
uniform or designation of grade similar to
those of the National Guard.
1t Is Objectionable for another and a
graver reason of broad public policy. since
it would give to the police force the out
ward semblance of a military organization,
to which in reality they bear no likeness.
The police are distinctively a peace force.
They have no military character and are
not subject to military law, and they ought
not to wear any uniform which seems to
confound them with a military body in
their own minds or the estimation of the
public.
The police arc not soldiers and should not
nave the appearance of soldiers, but their
dress should distinguish them sharply
from a military body and %accentuate
their true character as simple officers
of the peace, constables. amenable to
the civil law alone and guardians Of the
public order under the civil law and within
its requirements. Nor should any of the
%trappings, decorations, or designations OF
grade worn by their Chief, Captains. OF
Sergeants be initiated from the military
service. for such outward form tends to the
stimulation of a purely military sentiment
in the members, which is altogether foreign
to a purely peace force.
The designations of grade established fol
the army and the National Guard have ne
rightful place among the decorations o.
| officers of the police.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
In 1894 the Administration of the Empire

In 1894 the Administration OF the Empire
State, having calculated tho cost of improving
tho canals, concluded that the sum OF 90 1000, 900
was necessary; and that was the sum the people
Of the State were asked to devote TO tho purpose.
New York Ind been engaged in the making and
maintenance Of canals for many years: yet 1t
appears now that this estimate was far too
small, and that several millions. perhaps as
many again as were appropriated in the first
instance, will DO needed for tho work designed.
How fortunate It must DO considered. there.
fore, that thoro is sufficient stability Of mind
upon the bench and sufficient difficulty in tho
actual preparation of q commercial enterprise
30 vast as that Of the underground railroad Of
New York city. to promise that that supreme
folly shall not be undertaken and that Now
York city will never be involved in the expendi-
ture Of the $50, 600, 900, moro or less. into which
tho original estimate of $50. 00o. 900 for an un.
derRround railroad would doubtless have
speedily developed.
The year 1897 will leave the recently endan-
gercd Inhabitants of this growing town much
to DO thankful for.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25

&C., and counting At bare cash cost the
large part made by ourselves" About the
same time the Carnegie Company put the
capital invested In its plant as fully
a 600, OoO." The figures nov presented
by the Armor Board form q striking com-
mentary on those statements, ever remom.
herring that the board is estimating for q
factory capable Of a 8,00O.ton output.
But so strongly did the former foreign
estimates appeal to Secretary HERBERT,
that he summed up protracted calculations
on them in this way:
.Ths English estimate. We have ssen. a. amended
by Capt. sAnrsor. amounts to ol,boo,ooo. which
would pay duties and freight, and erect here q plant
equal to those In question. Doubling the estimate OF
the French Government, we have ol,too.o 900 for q
similar plant, houses, machinery. and all. The ave
rage of the two estimates is o. .eoo,ooo."
And again his report said that he had
submitted proofs rs to the cost Of erect
ing a plant, as showing that one could
now be erected for about 81 800, 900, and
these figures will serve as a guide for Con-
gress in deciding whether to erect a plant,
and also as a basis In calculating on future
contracts." 1t was wholly natural that
the Secretary should accept these esti.
mates of experts, and logically reach the
conclusions he did. But when, q year later,
another group Of experts, after still longer
study, puts its figures at moro than double
its predecessora', It seems to us equally true
that these later figures should also "serve
as q guide to Congress-" In deciding
whether to erect q plant, and how much to
pay for privately constructed plates.
There Is another point of Importance for
observes that the special furnaces and
some Of the costly tools and appliances in
armor.making are used in no other work,
and that the labor Is skilled labor. II,
therefore, Congress should be disposed, at
any session, to omit an annual appropria-
tion for armor, that would require the
laying off Of the skilled laborers, and
the resumption of work would ere
quire the training. at a considerable
expense, of a new set Of men," The private
works. on the other hand, have other
branches Of work besides armor-mak-
ing, in their vast establishments, and
also make armor for other Governments.
They keep hold Of their men. and they put
up with having their armor plants idle.
1t Is clear that good may come of the ap-
pointment of the Armor Board. 1t has
shown Congress in figures what embarking
in armor-making means for the Govern.
1t undesirable to have the ship armor
for our navy made by private estab.
lishments, as hitherto.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
why Should Not Autonomy Fail?

The Havana dispatches say that Gen.
PANDo writes to Gen. BLANCot that all the
Commissioners sent to the insurgent camps
with proposals of peace on the basis Of
autonomy, have failed, and hat war alone
remains.
The autonomy scheme failed from the
first, and deserved to fail. Cuba was to
remain as much as ever under the Span
ish yoke. The appointment by the Crown,
through the Governor-General of 30 great
a part of the Council of Administration,
one of the branches of the proposed local
parliament, and his power to undermine
the elective members at any crisis by dis.
solving the parliament, show what sort Of
autonomy was intended. The Governor
General. too, might call a halt in legisla-
tion which he disapproved. while he had
almost the powers Of a despot at the very
times when there might be most need of
preserving popular rights. Spain further
hedges up the way to true home rule by
appointing the judges she retains the
right of saying how much Cuba is to owe
her, so loading her with new debts, charged
to the present war; she binds down Cuban
by provisions to favor her own
markets and her own products; finally,
she makes it possible to upset even this
sham autonomy, after peace is once secured
and the island again in her hands.
. But all this is only worth mentioning tc
show the real character of the scheme pro
posed. The main consideration is that,
even were this autonomy complete and
worthy, it would come too late. Why
should the patriots in the field, with theil
bright prospect of independence, barter II
way for submission to the Spanish yoke
They have good grounds to hope hat this
campaign will be the last of SPANS efforts
to conquer the island, and that another
Christmas will see Cuba free.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
Strikes and Their Results.

Among the documents submitted to the
convention of the American Federation of
Labor at Nashville is one showing the re.
suits of strikes in the United States during
the present year. Before 1885, when this
Federation was organized in Ohio, the av-
erage number of strikes of all kinds, accord.
ing to the statistics of the United States
Commissioner of Labor, was about o an
nually. Since 1886, however, the average
has increased to about 1900.
Itwould be unfair, of course. to ascribe this
remarkable increase to the activity of the
labor organizations, of which the American
Federation is one. Moreover, the report of
the Secretary Of the Federation seems to
indicate that the number of strikes. already
beginning to diminish, will continue to de.
crease in the future. for the reason that 80
many of them are proved to be fruitless.
For instance, during the last year there
were seven strikes among the boiler
makers, of which three were "won,"
one compromised. and three lost. The
advantages gained" by the fifty strikes
among the c~igarmakers. affecting the in
terests of nearly 5000 workers. are de-
scribed as consisting principally of "the
mere fact OF the unions existence, pre-
vented reduction in wages"
Among the patternmakers in iron work
one strike was won, one compromised, and
two were lost. Among the ~tailors, con-
spicuous for their tendency to resort to the
expedient of striking, there were twenty
four strikes, of which three were com
promised and three lost, with the net gain
an alleged increase of wages for 9OC
~tailors, though the total number of tailors
in the United States is in excess Of $50,
900, The coopers arc not so numerous
as the ~tailors, and the one strike
in the coopers' trade was unsuccessful
Among the bicycle workers there was
effected one compromise" which did no
secure any increase OF wages, but prevented
it is reported. any reduction. The "advan
tages gained" by the four strikes among
the metal pollshers arc described as "recog
milton, which prevented reduction of wages.
or sixteen strikes among the printers ter
were unsuccessful, and the two strikes o
brewery workers are recorded as having
been satisfactory in their results.
The meagre benefits of strikes reported
were obtained In a year when general bust
ness throughout the United States wa
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
The Armor Factory.

The report of the Board which has been
plant is now made public, and will give
Congress something to think about.
When the question of Government armor
making was brought up, last winter, an
English estimate Of the plant required, as
prepared for Lieut.. Commander CowLEs, our
naval attache in London, and increased by
additional estimates at our " Navy De.
partment, was, exclusive of the land, 3d.
59O,O74. This was for a plant completely
equipped, with a capacity Of about 1000
tons per annum." But now we find that
the plant, without the land, for 5000 tons
a year of nickeled, ~face-hardened, re-forged
armor. Is to cost, in the opinion of the
Armor Factory Board, $3,747. e12.1l. The
difference is very great, even considering
the estimate for a larger output.
The Board finds also that it's estimate may
be increased by unexpectedly large freight
charges on material and by the choice of a
site which will require more costly founda.
IONS. And again, 1t says hat such a fac.
tory ought to produce its own steel, instead
of buying it, and that a plant for this pur-
pose would cost $519,13 But assuming,
as we prODaoly may, Cnat une 1oVernment
has a sound and firm site available. and
that the material will not ave to be hauled
very far, and, further, leaving out of the
case the feature of the steel.making plant,
we have a very striking difference between
the two estimates of the cost of a Govern
ment plant.
AS n result of this larger estimate, the
statements made by the Bethlehem and
Carnegie companies as to the cost of their
plants, which included some more or less
experimental outlays in their early days
of armor. making, will not look so extrava'
giant hereafter as they may have looked to
Congressman last winter. Also calculations
as to the cost of a~rmor-making by the Gov
eminent must take into account what Is
represented by the interest, not on an in
vestment of 81 800, 900, or of $4,000 900,
but of something like $4, ZOO.
Mr.. ~LINDERMAN, the President of the
Bethlehem Iron Company, in a note OF
Nov. 90, 1896, to Secretary HERBERT, said
that their plant had "cost US not less thar
81, 900, 900, not including interest during
constructiont land, railroad connections
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
We Pay.

The award of the Behring Sea Claims
Commission may exceed by a few thousand
dollars the lump sum Of $425,O0 for
which Secretary GRESHAM proposed to set
tie with eyes blindfold, and which Congress
properly refused to provide.
1t is not quite clear yet that the final
award Of the Commission does not cover
claims brought subsequently to Mr.. GREsH-
ANS attempted settlement, and therefore
not included in the $425,000 then men
toned. Nor is there yet any authorized
statement which enables us to separate the
item Of. interest from the principal, and
thus to compare i~ntelligently the final
award with the settlement which Mr..
CLEVELAND and Mr.. GRESHAM proposed.
Whatever might be the result of such a
comparison, and whatever were the equi-
ties of the original claims, they have now
been adjudicated by the proper process in
o competent tribunal and with the inter
ests of our Government sedulously pro-
tected by able counsel.
The decision, therefore, will be accepted
without question by the people Of the
United States, and it only remains for
Congress to pay the money, promptly,
gracefully, and cheerfully.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25

The Hon. SAMUEL II. BLAKE of Toronto
seems to be a gentleman whose face hurts him
when no shaves on a frosty morning. He is
represented as urging upon the Ontario authori-
ties tho necessity of restoring the use OF tho
treadmill in prisons and OF hanging editors who
allow their newspapers to print reports OF crimi-
nal trials. This was on a day when Mr.. BLAKE's
face hurt him, and 1t was several hours before
dinner. To-day the Hon. SAMUEL H.. BLAKE Is
much less sweeping In his views, and there is
no Irritation in him. He doesn't want anything
to hang high except possibly the goose. and the
only shadow of agitation that fits across his
soul is the doubt whether no will take light
meat or dark the second time.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
THE KILLING or aU1s.
n Comparison or II with tho Case ef AnaFa
and Benedict Arnoid.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: The execu-
ton OF the Spanish Colonel Ruiz by the Cubans
for personally suggesting that they bctray their
cause, and the comments on It by the pro-
Spanish papers, tho Ereninp Post and the
Herald, suggests to my mind these questions:
/. In what material respects docs the Cubans'
struggle differ from our own Revolutionary
wari Is not the principle they are fighting for
tho Same for which Washington Fought
Q. when Patrick Henry proclaimed Liberty
or death" as our slogan, was no an "idiotio
lingo, and should we DO sorry that he ever oo-
CURED Were tho signers Of our Declaration
OF Independence ~jingoesi
8. Were the men who executed the British
Major Andre for seeking to have BenodiCo
Arnold bctray our cause pirates" or "assas-
sins.'' and are wo doing wrong In revering them
4. is it possible that there are newspaper in
this country that arc sorry wc spurnod King
won our freedom I. Is Il. possible that George
Washington. Patrick Henry, and our other
n aEainst OUR r mother Country M and is Il too late
to undo the wrong, seeing that tho Cubans are
evidently drawing inspiration from tho doods
b; Am 1 a lingo because I sympathizo with the
Cuban ! cause ,sns . and Rdn believe Yo that sn S%r G9 pylI .hsS
deal of needed light, YOUNG AMERICA.
New YORK, Dec. %.
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: After the
decree was published BY the Cuban Governmens
notifying the Spanish Government. that all
emissaries who went to the Cuban lines with
propositions that were not based on the indie
pendence of Cuba would be treated az spies,
and so dealt with. 1t was reported In the Neg
Pork Herald. without m that fifteen
Cubans. autonomist emissaries. had gone to
propose autonomy to the Cuban Government,
and that they were hanged; but, as they were
Cubans. they were of no consequence.
Now that q qutxotio Spanish officer, thinking
his influence and money would be all powerful,
has been shot by one of the Cuban ofloors for
proposing autonomy to him. after having. been
repeatedly warned not to do so. the suhordinato
simply carrying out the law. tho Herald charges
violently that the Cubans are bandits. savageu,
and pirates. and should be exterminsted As a
matter Of fact, the Cubans have never killed prier
oners of war. wounded soldiers, nor women and
children, as the Spanish are accustomed to do In
all their wars against their colonies.
Tho Herald invites the Spaniards 70 commit
more crimes in retaliation for Col. Ruiz's death,
and will excuse them for doing no. hereafter.
May / ask II the Spaniards ever needed an invt-
SERAPIo ARTEAaA.
90 WALL STREET, New YORK. Dec. %.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
PRISONER OF THE VATICAN.

The Roman Catholic View or the Pope's Pc.
sition with Reference to the Government.
The Catholics are accustomed to speak Of the
Pope rs a prisoner. and the Protestants to insist
that this imprisonment is q voluntary one. The
Rome correspondent of the Catholic Standard
and Times gives tho reason why from one
years end to another the only change of resi-
dence for the Pope Is from the Aldobrendi Pal
ace OF the Vatican to the Borgia Tower Of the
Gardens. Says the correspondent:
Mark Twain, or somebody like to him, has
told us Of a captive who was confined in a dun
geon for the greater part of his natural life. and
who one day had the happy thought Of opening
the window and getting out. To those who
have nothing pontihcal or regal or grand. for
that plight. He is such q charming old man.
from England land America y are sometimes
heard to say. Just So, Since he is SO charm
i to which may regal oi % trsaition. 'n 'eire" ns a%.Ra:
experience, and age have added all pos
s saside on'iss ht f Tho may aygpe be the an SSss to
be not satisfactory, thorc is always tho argument
direct. The body of his deceased predecessor mar
cort6ge. Every insult was offered to it. lisa
The dead are surrounded with honor. The live
Pope is the symbol Of what the revolution has
state, which is avowediy non:reiisious. the sym.
Dol of protest against sectarian anti-clericalism
In a state which is formally nnti-clerical, and in
cloricals. Could he pass through it on his way
to Castle Gandolfo. the only suburban residence
which the revolution has left him
Even granting th't he could DO SO without
ignominy, hc could not do SO either with dig.
nifty or. I may say, with nobleness. His soldiery
must not appear in tho streets OF Rome. He
could not go without guards, because the Corso
is not Broadway, and because common sense
prescribcs the wearing of hats with faldoni, not
top hats. Accepting the guards offered him by
his guests in the Quirinal. he wouli have either
to accept them under protest or without protest.
II without protest. then without dignity or
nobleness Of soul. II under protest; then with
exposure to indignity. This Is the Pap VI dilcm-
ma. so foroiblo and SO inevitable in It's action
that the Popes have preferred twenty.seveA
years Of privation of mir to its acceptance"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
The Proposed Police Un,rorm.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: Pardon
mo for calling your attention to an omission In
your editorial Of to-day on the subject OF uni.
forming the police. The article should properly
have ended by showing the unlawfulness of the
proposed scheme OF decoration.
Paragraph lo7. article VII. Of the Military
Code of the State reads thus:
"whoever . : : shall wear any uniform or des.
ignation of grade similar to those In use by the
National Guard tf the state). Issued and authorized
under the provisions Of this chapter. shall forfeit to
the people OF the state one hundred dollars"
What has been dono BY the three members of
the Police Commission who are old and vener-
ated members OF the National Guard to check
this unlawful use OF military designationsi 1t
can only have been projected through an ig-
norance which. though unintentional. is hardly
excusable. SUBALTERN.
ALBANY. Dec. %.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25

The snaky wreaths on horrors head are
getting nervous. The cookatrice and basilisk
have q wilder eye than usual. The Money
Power is caught In the act Of dancing a jig. Mr..
SIDNEY DELL of Portland. Ore. has written to
Senator BACON of Georgia, a letter which con-
tains these memorable words:
There is something strangely wrong in the atti.
tude of BRYAN. wARsER. TELLER, JONES. and STEWART
in relation to the fundamental question OF the silver
cause. Ibelleve In BRYAs's honesty. but l must say 1t
seems clear to me that these banded sHYLocKs have
their grip OF gold upon the balance OF these teach.
ers, SO as to insure their suppression of the keynote
OF the silver cause"
Tho keynote Is not heard, but tho band Of the
banded SHYLocRs Is, or should be. playing its
loudest upon big brass drums. If BRYAN, WAR
NER. TELLER, JONES, and STEWART are strange
ly wrong about the silver question. where 10
right to be sought or found
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25

The amendment to the Constitution of
Virginia proposed by Mr.. WALLACE, a Rich
mond member OF the Legislature of that State.
is interesting and worthy Of a great mind. Mr..
WALLACE wants to eliminate from the bill
Of rights. which Is a part of the Constitution. tho
several clauses declaring that Virginia shall
ever remain q member OF the United States;
that the Federal Constitution and law are
the supreme laws of the land; that slavery
shall not exist. and that all citizens are de-
clared to possess equal civil and political
rights" In short, Mr.. WALLACE wants the
Constitution to forget that there was a civil
war. But perhaps he is poking a little fun ut
the statesmen who were so eager to prohibit
football. Perhaps no is chuckling to himself
and saying. "Ill show those reformers a little
reform of my own"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25
To Ono He Writes I.es,bly.


ITUW TITO CHEV0UU DVS'U "tUS'
A well.known musician. who writes a very
ncgible hand, once sent AN unusually hopeless
scrawl to q friend. The latter studied II a min
ute, gave it up in despair, and then sat down
and wrote In reply: II shall be most happy to
dine with you Tomorrow at q. Kindest regards
to your wife. &c" In less than half an hour his
friend appeared breathless al his door,
anXiously. Il wrote you n note asking you II
you could play the piano part Of the trio at
ceptenee OF a dinner invitation. but ! didn't In
We'll" returned the other blandly, didn't
suppose you'd really sent me an invitation 10
dinner. but ] couldn't read u word OF your note,
and In that case hereafterI mean always TO take
II for granted that you're asking me TO dine"
For one OF his correspondents, at least, the
offender now writes legibly. p,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25

You little children. in whose eyes
Undimmed the light of heaven Glows.
Whose dreams are bright with paradise,
. Whose souls arc whittier than tho SHOWS.
From holy lips and indebted
Bresthe your soft prayer to Christ the Child
And you whose thinning locks are sprent
with unreturning autumn's rhine.
Whose heads. like wind-worn trees. are bent
Beneath the savage storms of time
Pray Christ tho Child to DO you guide
Past the dim shoal. where shadows bidei
o saving handsi oChrist. that hears
A mortal mothers lullabies:
That feels our agony and tears.
Whose bosom trcmbles with our signs.
Give us pure hearts and undeflod.
Mako us like Thee. OChrist the Childi
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-25

The two JACOBS of petty and eccentric
political vindictiveness. JACOB wHIrELAw REID
of Manhattan and JACOB WORTH OF Brook
Ign. are looking wistfully across the limo
which separates them from the Republican
party of New York; and 10! the first figure eeen
by them is a wholly unexpected enforcement
of the malcontents, the Hon. LOUIS F. PAWN,
engaged in an effort at trouble-making similar
to their own. Meanwhile, the efforts now max
ing to reconsolidate the New York Democracy
are Herculean, and, under tho influence Of Re-
publican quarrelling. by no means unstimulated
by hope.
A little calm reflection on the New York city
matter taken by Mr.. pawn in tho county of
Columbia should do that veteran much good.