davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
CREDIT MEN.
The National Association to Meet
in Kansas City In June.
A GIGANTIC INSURANCE SCHEME.
Plan for Large Companies to Take Over
Frsternal BusIness-No Central Branch
keceivers-T Study the Gold stand
srd-Tax on InherItances

KANSAS Cry, Mo-, May 3.-Six hun.
dred manufacturers and business men,
including such fnanciers as J. II.
Eckels, comptroller Of the currency,
and J. II. Cannon, vice president of the
Fourth national bank Of New York
city, will meet in Kansas City, June 0,
10 and II, to discuss proposed improve
ments in commercial laws and formu-
late plans for great notifications and
reformations in matters Of commerce.
The second annual convention of the
national association of credit men is
the occasion of the meeting, and the
delegates will determine upon plans
for an active campaign against OBJ.
jectionable statutes in the different
states and undesirable laws Of the ma
tional government.
A GIGANTIC INSURANCE SCHEME.
New YORK, May at is said that a
movement has been inaug,yated to
concentrate under limited manage
ment the insurance interests of the
country. The plan is for the fraternal
societies OF the United States to aban-
don the insurance field and transfer
the outstanding policies to the regu.
larly-incorporated insurance compa-
MES Confidential circulars outlining
the scheme have been sent to various
persons throughout the country inter-
terested In fraternal insurance, and
there is said to be considerable rivalry
among the great insurance companies
for precedence in this particular field.
NO CENTRAL BRANCH RECEIVERS.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, May 3.-Judge San.
born, of the United States circuit court,
denied the application of the first
mortgage bondholders for the appoint
ment of receivers for the Central
Branch, Union Pacific, with its extern
sions, the Atchison, Colorado & Pacific
and the Atchison, Jewell County &
Western. The Central Branch road |
has been under lease to the Missouri
Pacific under an agreement by which
1t was to turn over its net earnings,
but the interest has not been paid.
TO STUDY THE GOLD STANDARD.
New YORK, May 3.--Gen. Lloyd Brice,
chairman of special committee of
the Democratic Honest Money league
has sailed on the Umbria He will in
vestigate the financial system Of the
chief gold standard countries of Europe
and will report regularly to the Dem
ocratic Honest Money league.
TAX ON INHERITANCEs.
New YORK, May S.-Tho post says:
'The passage of the graduated inherit
ance tax bill by the legislature has
caused such an outburst of indigna-
ton from the press throughout the
state that it is believed the governor
NAV veto ii"
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
BAD DRIVES OUT GOOD.


senator Jones Admits That There CAo
De Bat One standard Of Value.
No government can maintain ut one
time more than one standard OF value,
any more than, it can maintain more
than one standard OF weight. or more
than one standard Of measure. or more
than one standard Of length. II there
be two or more standards Of different
value, the standard OF lower value will
in practice become the only standard.
II one goes into the market, The law
being that yard shall be either TWO
feet or three feet in length. and buys
carpets by the yard at fixed price,
there will be delivered to him carpets
measured in yards of two feet in length.
Ii he buy coal by the ton, the law being
that Il ton shall be either 1000 or 2.24O
pounds, he will receive tons Of 1000
pounds each. Ifhe buys potatoes by the
bushel, the law being that busbeI
shall contain either two pecks or four
recks, there will be delivered to him
bushels OF two pecks each.
On the same principle, if the law be
that a dollar is either a gold coin, with
bullion value equal to its face value.
or silver coin, with a bullion value OF
only half its face value, and not con-
vertible at par into gold coin, the sell.
ers Of the carpets, the coal and the pota-
toes will be paid in dollars of the lesser
value.
There never has been and there never
can be in any country at any time BIZ.
metallic standard. and the attempt to
create a double standard has never pro.
duced anything better than an alter
mating standard, with the inevitable
consequences Of injustice with refer
ence to past contracts and uncertainty
with reference to future contracts.
Indeed, Senator Jones admits in the
report of the silver commission OF 1871
that whenever under the double stand.
ard there is variance between the legal
and market relations of the metals the
standard would be practically based on
one metal, and it the cheaper and more
available one" The financial history OF
the United States and of France furnish
conclusive evidence of the accuracy OF
the senator's view on this point.-C.
Stuart Patterson.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
Circulation Figures.

WASHINGTON, May 4.-The monthly
statement of the comptroller of the cur
rency shows that on April 30 the total
circulation ofnational bank notes was
$3.50, sOa,s44, gain for the year Of S.
700, 81 and loss for the month of $685.
COS. The circulation, based on United
States bonds, was SOS, 76s,5 $40, a gain
for the year Of s., SS5, $40 and a loss for
the month Of 5000, 1853. The circulation
secured by lawful money was s24OSS,-
COS, an increase for the year Of $685.
$50 and an increase for the month Of
s9s,5OS. The amount Of United States
unregistered bonds on deposit to Sc
cure circulating notes Ssss, 749, 800, and
TO secure public deposits sie,sis,ooo.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
"FIxlN'3" THE RATIO.
Question Regarding the Govern
mcnt Control of Money.

mCnt OOutTOI vi NhOnSys
The Bankers Magazine for March
finds the origin of our present troubles
about silver in the demand that the
ratio OF its value to gold shall be deter
mined by the government. 1t is, how.
ever, no proper part of the duty of the
government to try to fix the ratio OF
values of the two metals.
being says the Bankers Maya.
zine, commodities as well as money,
and being commodities before and after
they are money, and being money sim
ply and only because they are commodi-
ties, and being commodities because
they have recognized and intrinsic value
independent Of any action of govern
ment, and even in the absence of gov
eminent, and being therefore severally
subject to all the laws of commodities,
the law of variable supply and demand
and value among others, and these vari-
ations not being uniform for both met
ais, it is impossible that government
can ever fix the ratio of their value.
IF, however, it should be insisted
that it is the function and duty of gov
eminent to TRY TOY fix the ratio of their
values, II would seem to follow as o
logical consequence that since their
relative value depends absolutely on the
relative supply of the two metals It is
the primary and plain duty of govern
ment to fix (regulate) their supply by
controlling and operating the gold and
silver mines, the sources of their pro-
duction. It should do both things or
neither, and it is preferable that It
should do neither. 1t is folly to expect
it to do the former without doing the
latter"
This is the truth of the matter in q
nutshell. Unless the government first
acquires all the mines in the world and
decides how much silver and how much
gold are to be produced yearly, it is i'm
possible to maintain ratio after II IL
fixed" France "fxed" 1t 1ss times.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
AT THE FRONT.
During tho War lie Enjoyed Peace, Says
This Applicant for Divorce.

During tho War lie Enjoyed Peace. Sayi
This Applicant for Divorce.
Unlike most men, II. c. Young when
he babe his wife good-by and marched
off to join his command in the civil war,
heaved sigh Of relief and went into
the thick of the fight with lightheart.
He smiled when shot and shell burst
over his head. lie was happy. lie was
away from his wife.
He filed petition for divorce the
other day, asking that he he legally sep
arated from his wife, who resided at
No. 1856 Woodward avenue. He states
that since his marriage in 1859 his life
has been constant burden because Of
the sctrang actions of his wife. His
wife, he states, constantly abused him,
and was a promoter of strife among the
children, of whom he had seven.
The petition states that the only
peace in his life was during the years OF
1s61-65, when he was soldier in the
civil war.
Young was once member of the city
council Of this city. He now resides IN
Alabama.-Atlanta Constitution.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
EVOLUTION OF MONEY.


| Unwarranted Government Interior.
ence Prevents Easy Transition from
One Substance to Another.
Money is simply commodity that is
generally recognized as a universal
equivalent, and its degree Of goodness
or efficiency consists in the unanimity
of the recognition Of the fitness Of the
commodity used as money to perform
the essential functions of money. Many
commodities have been used as money,
and they have remained in use as long
as they met the essential requirements
OF money among the people where used,
or until some other commodity ap-
peared the fitness of which commended
itself to the intelligence as being SUI
perior to the commodity then being
used.
Aspeople have advanced in discriminate
ing intelligei ce they have discarded in
ferior commodities and adopted in place
thereof something that was superior;
these changes kept taking place until
finally gold and silver became the COM
modities that were recognized by the
people Of most countries as being the
best for use as money. Sociological
transition is constant. Change is the
natural order Of things, and changes
come about naturally and are therefore
effected easily if the natural process is
allowed to go on undisturbed; troublous
friction ensues only when there is OBJ
structive governmental interference at
tempting to delay Or defeat the natural
order of things.
In our own day the stage coach has
been supplanted by the steam railroad
and stage coaches have practically be-
come thing Of the past. The tallow
dip was succeeded by lamps filled with
burning fluid or oil, and lamps by H.
Illuminating gas, and gas by electricity.
These and many other changes were
accomplished with no serious disturb
ance whatever, and so it would be with
commodities used as money in the alb
sence of governmental obstruction.
There would be no threatening money
question in this country to-day, endan-
gering the continuity and perpetuity
of all business activity, If the United
States was not engaged in the banking
business.
Among the civilized people the days
of usefulness Of silver as money, except
in subsidiary forms, are numbered, and
silver is going out of use as surely as
has the stage coach, and the tallow dip,
and for exactly the same reason; civil
zation has outgrown the conditions
which necessitated its use. No money
has ever come into use at the behest of
government, or because of statutory
enactments, but solely because of recog-
nized ability to perform the functions of
money.-Austin w. Wright, in Sound
Currency.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06

KANSAS FREIGHT RATES.

The state Board Of Railroad Commission.
ers Tsks Steps for Conference with the
Roads on the Subject.
TOPEKA, Kan, May S.-The state
board Of railroad commissioners have
taken preliminary steps toward secur-
ing a general conference Of Kansas
railroads on freight rates by sending
out letter TO all the lines. The COM
missioner say they will name a date
at Topeka within 80 days when they
ascertain the convenience Of the com
panies. In the letter it is stated that
reduced rates are absolutely necessary
owing TO present prices Of farm prod.
ucts and that under present condi-
tions "the producer Is not shipping
and the company not carrying" The
conference Is asked particularly for
discussing reductions "between points
within the state and the southern sea-
board"
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06

after the duties Of that place, too.
When Gibley's commission came Gibley
was detailed as acting regimental quar-
termaster.
Just few days later the regiment,
with other troops, started one morning
on little expedition that everybody
knew was almost certain to include a
fight. OF course the men carried extra
ammunition, as they always did under
such circumstances, and, as they al
ways did when wagon train followed
the troops, they took along wagon
load OF extra ammunition. If the regi.
ment was in need of ammunition and
when team could get at it they used
to drive this team right on field and
issue the ammunition there, and gener-
ally sent q man along with the wagon
to sort O. look after things, because
when the team got under fire the
teamster was likely to have all he could
do looking after the horses.
About two o'clock in the afternoon
that day the folks back with the wagon
train heard an occasional little patter-
ing up at the 'front.' skirmishers, and
pretty soon this pattering increased
into downpour; they were at it, II
was a showery sort of fight, sometimes
heavy and sometimes light, but it lasted
four hours, with the enemy slowly fall
ing back and the regiment slowly adj
vancing. About four o'clock the
colonel sends back for ammuni-
ton. When the colonel's orderly came
galloping down the road it so happened
that the acting brigade quartermaster
was over by the team. OF course, he
knew what the orderly had come for
and he says to Lieut.. Gibley in quiet,
casual sort Of way-you see he knew
all the men about the train, and ap.
parently he was sort of interested a lit
tie In knowing which Of the boys was
going up with 1.-THE says:
who's going up with it, Stephen%
And Stephen says, in his quiet, smil-
ing way:
81 am" and he swings himself up
alongside the teamster and says, in his
easy, pleasant fashion:
snow we're off," and the tealnster
starts his team, and the next minute
the four horses are trotting up the road.
When they reached the line they
swung off and drove along the rear of
the regiment, hating now and then so
that the men from the companies when
they came up for the ammunition could
get it easily; and Lieut.. Gibley was over
in the wagon now, pushing the boxes
back to the boys as they came up, and
good-humored as ever, and with a word
for most everybody.
You understand? It wasn't neces-
sary for Lieut.. Gbley to go up with
the ammunition, he might have sent
n man; but nobody in the regiment ever
thought any less Of him because he
wet his new commission or took the
chances of wetting it in their blood
N. Y. Sun.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
MADE INTO A FORT.
Depressed Railroad Tracks on ChicagO's
Lake Front Form q Stronghold.

Depressed Railroad Tracks on ChicagO's
Lake Front Form Stronghold.
CHICAGO, May 3.-Without cent
from the government, and even with
out her own knowledge, Chicago has
secured Notifications that would cause
hostile lake vessels to hesitate before
seeking to lombard the city. This is
how it happened: When the council
and the Illinois Central railroad,
through much circumlocution, figured
out scheme for depressing
tracks and a lake front park
they had no intention of fortifying
Chicago Nevertheless, they did so.
In the depression occupied by the Hi
nois Central tracks, where they cross
the lake front park, there is a posi-
bility for military defense of the most
efficient sort. The execution of the
plans for the park will provide forti-
tication half a mile wide and impene.
trable to projectiles, behind which dis.
appearing guns, SO planted as to COM
mand every direction of approach,
could rear forth their disapproval of
invasion.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
silver vs.. MIX.

Up in Iowa they have given up silver
and have a softer snap. They make
41,5O0,0O0 in Iowa from their COWS
alone. That beats free silver, doesn't
it-beats it all hollow? They make
$4l,50O,000 selling milk, butter, cheese
and calves, and at the end Of the year
they have the same old Bossy and Speck
and Spot and Brindle and Dess that
they had the year before. The Kansas
COW is sticking her head over the pas
ture fence, lowing and mooing, with her
bag swelling with $4l,oOo,Ooo worth Of
milk, while the old man is downtown
tearing his shirt because the plutocrats
won't coin S36,00O,000 worth OF silver.
-Emporia (Kan.) Gazette.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06

II there was any actual relation be
tween the quantity of money in circula
ton and national prosperity, we woult
now be on flood tide. For more thar
a twelvemonth now the amount O.
money in circulation in the United
States has been steadily on the increase
July /, 1896, about the time the Chicago
platform was In the process of incuba
ton and the mouth Of the popocrat was
full of demands for more of the circu
latng medium, the total money In cir.
culation in the United States was ST.
509,725,2OO, making $2l.l5 per capita on
an estimated population of 7l,39O,O00.
November !, 1896, on the eve Of the
election, when the people of the United
States were to give their verdict against
debased and deprecated currency. the
money in circulation was $l,627,O55,.
GA, making $22.63 per capita on an es
timated population Of 71,002,00O
March l, 1907, on the eve of McKin.
leys Inauguration, the total money in
circulation in the United States had
risen to the unprecedented sum Of ST..
675,694,953, making $23.A per capita on
an estimated population of 72,41S,OOO.
To fully appreciate this increase OF
the money in circulation in the United
States it is only necessary to say that
In the last ten months it amounted to
$165,069,753, or more than SO per capita
OF the entire population.
While the absolute circulation has
passed all previous high-water marks
the per capita circulation is still $1.3O
below that of 1902, just before the panic.
But the per capita is now higher than
it was in 1890 or any year in the history
Of the republic prior to that. Then
why are the times not as good as they
were along in the late SOS? Simply
because good times depend on public
confidence and industrial activity, and
not on the amount Of money in circula-
ton. This is simply the teaching of the
old proverb that nimble sixpence is
better than slow shilllng.-Chicago
Times-Herald.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
TURKEY MUST PAY.


dress for Wrongs Done to Missionaries.
NEW YORK, April s9.-The journal
says: Turkey is to be called to account
for the persecution of missionaries in
Asia Minor, the burning of the college
at llarpoot, the death of Rev. Egbert
). Ellis, of Rev. C. II. Wheeler, the
Punishment of teachers and other
cruel acts The appointment Of
John b. Angel as minister to the
sublime porte has no other signif-
canoe. He has the enthusiastic ap-
proval Of the American board Of COM
missioners for foreign missions. Rev.
Charles G. Creelan, secretary, said yes
terday: president Angel will obtain
redress for the wrongs done to our mis-
sionaries, teachers and agents to Arme-
MIA, not as missionaries but as Ameri-
cans. He will not commit the diplomatic
error of claiming special rights for our
missionaries us religious men, but he
will claim the rights to protection Of
life and property which every Ameri-
can must have everywhere II our ma
tional dignity is to be maintained.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06

Our monetary standard is nothing
but measure Of values. Upon its sta.
bility depend growth and prosperity.
II must be recognized as the very best
abroad as well as at home-if our ac-
tive commercial intercourse with the
leading nations OF the world Is to con-
tinue and develop.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06

That 1t was the function Of the gov.
eminent to furnish a country with its
supply of money was aever supposed by
anyone until IL had undertaken to do
that as measure Of war financiering.
II the government coins the bullion
brought to its mints and regulates, not
the volume OF, but the conditions under
which, bank currency may be issued, 1t
discharges its duties in full. and the
business world will, as IL invariably
has, provide the currency and regulate
the volume in accordance with the
varying needs Of trade--Iron Ago
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06

SEDALIA, Mo-, May ga letter con.
tanning grave charges rejecting upon
the official conduct of the comptroller
Of the currency, prior to and subse-
quent to the wrecking of the Sedalia
First national bank, has been prepared
and signed by the majority of the de-
positors of the bank and will be for
warded to Congressman James Cooney,
of Washington, demanding that he
press the request of the depositors for
q congressional investigation.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
oieLey VETS HIS COMMISSION.
Short Story Of the Civil War Told BY -
Old Soldier.

Oh0 bVlOl0fs
Stephen Gibley went out as an en-.
listed man-private. He was young
man, not more than % or "a. File looked
at life with cheerful eye; he was not
Q boisterous man, but he was a good
deal more likely to have smile on
his face than to look solemn, and he
was thoroughly good soldier in camp
and In battle. When he'd been out
about two years Gibley was first SER
geant Of his company and his name
had been sent in for one Of the vacant
second lientenancies Of the regiment.
About this time the regimental quar-.
termaster was detached to act as bri.
gade quartermaster, but, pending the
detail Of an officer to act in his place
In the regiment, he continued to look
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
Chicago Bankers Indicted.

CHICAGO, May S.-The grand jury has
returned indictments against five men
connected with the management Of
the defunct Globe savings bank. The
men indicted are Charles W. Spalding,
president Of the bank and ex-treasurer
of the state university Of Illinois; A.
D, Averill, vice president of the bank;
Charles L. Churchill, cashier; W. b.
Erwin, assistant cashier, and Allison
w. Harlan one of the directors.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
Peru Follows japan.

Peru is the latest addition to the list
Of countries planning to get on to a
solid gold basis. II silver keeps up its
present rate Of progress, there will be
nothing left for gold to conquer in
1900. OF course the need for silver leg.
iflation will then be greater than ever,
and the silverites must work accord.
ingly. They will then have the hercu-
lean task Of converting the whole world
back TO silver.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
GERMANY EXCITED.
She Hopes That Commercial Treaties May
he Made with the United States.

WASHINGTON, May 4,--United States
Consul Monahan at Chemnitz, In re-
port to the state department says that
Germany just now Is very much excited
about the proposed new tariff act for
the United States. Reciprocity is re-
garded as the only way in which to
keep commerce with safe and sure
lines. Hopes are expressed that COM
mercial treaties may be made between
the United States and Germany, but
the consul feels that there is little
market there for American manufac-
tured products and believes that were
our manufacturers to make half the
effort In Russia, South America and
the east that would be necessary in
Germany, the returns would be five
times as great
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
Three Facts.

I. The money supply Of this country
and of the world at large is not con
tracing, but increasing rapidly. 2
The low price Of farm products Is
caused by increased production, not by
contraction of the currency. 8. Free
coinage of silver would not improve the
condition of anyone and would be the
cause of great hardships and privations
tc the wage earning classes and all per.
sons of small means.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-05-06
Mondays Baseball Games,

Western league-Kansas City 10, Min.
neapolis 0; St. Paul 10, Milwaukee s;
indianapolis 8, Detroit A.
National league-New York 0, WASH
ington 0; Pittsburgh 7, Louisville 4;
Cleveland Q, Cincinnati Q; Brooklyn 5,
Baltimore &