davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1898-02-24
The White House Rat

A year ago the country in general
suffered more or less from the
apprehension that Mr.. Mckinley s
nerves might break down un-
der the strain of the Inauguration
ceremonies. 1t was pointed out that
hordes of friends had been visiting him
all winter, that the duties before him
Were grave and the responsibilities Sc
rious, and that q less accumulation of
worries had often caused nervous pros
tation, insomnia. Mysteries and other
ailments, to say nothing Of the weari-
ness and mental strain felt by every
man who is responsible for the life. lib
erty and We'll being of any number of
people. Inauguration festivities. while
pleasant in themselves. always make it
necessary for the chief parsonage TO 90
through various fatiguing evolutions.
and see many people. and be looked AT
by immense throngs of admirers. and
be generally on exhibition for consid
cradle time. Amid the well nigh uni
versal anxiety for the welfare of the
President-elect, it was left to Mr.. Han
ma to speak the reassuring word. He
said that there was no trouble about
Major Mckinley: he could hang him.
self up on nail and go to sleep at anv
time.
This utterance rather puzzled the lit
eral and matter-of-fact American mind.
The picture of the nations Chief Mag
istrate suspended on nail and peace
fully doing in the midst of alarms was
a peculiar one, and scarcely dignified.
1t was also physiologicaIly curious, for
how would Mr.. Mckinley be able to get
into position on the nail. and how
would he get down? Recent events,
however, have shown that Mr.. Hanna
was right. His intimate knowledge Of
the Presidents character enabled him
The times., 1898-02-24
Znia and French Justice.

The Zolaffial was concluded d in Paris
yesterday, and Zola was sentenced to a
years Imprisonment and to pay a fine
of 5000 francs. Ia any Anglo-SaXon
country such conviction would have
defendant would have been acquitted
even if he had insisted upon pleading
guilty.
No greater outrage upon justice or
upon the administration Of law has ey r
been witnessed in modern times, under
any system pretending to embody the
remotest idea of popular government
NJ. Zola publicly accused the govern
ment of France of having punished an
innocent man for selling military Sc
crets TO a foreign government. He al
legged that the ministry of NJ. Meline
knew the facts: was aware of the innO-
cence of the victim. and had suppressed
the evidence On his trial he so nearly
proved his case as to justify his allega-
items. especially in view Of the fact that
the court suppressed his witnesses
bullied his counsel, and did everything
possible To deny him a fair show for
MS ueienSp.
ZoIa did manage to demonstrate that
every material allegation made by him
was true. Unwilling witnesses testified
to this; but the result Of the judicial
farce was a foregone conclusion. The
Partisan mob dominated government,
judges and jury. So Zola goes to jail,
execrated by the majority of his fellow
countrymen. Napoleon, who was not
at all dense person. and knew the
popuiace of his country. used to say
that the praise or blame OF mobs was
an incident of the moment. The strong
probability is that before his term OF
confinement is finished Zola will be a
popular hero. Today he is the victim Of
the rabble. Tomorrow. he may be its
demigod. Such is life in La Belle
France
The times., 1898-02-24

10 make a statement which the past
year has fully verified. Mr.. Mckinley
can hang himself up On a. nail and go
TO sleep at any time This bat-like at
titude is characteristic of the man.
The bat is meek and mouse-like
creature, with no bad habits. and
propensity for getting into holes and
corners. where il takes maps. When the
typical bat Wraps. Napoleon-iike, the
drapeTy of his wings about him, and
draws in his head. and hooks his little
claws securely on a friendly NAIL and
gees to sleep, he is the most beautiful
example of quiet trust in Providence
and that nail that ever was. In all
these things Mr.. Mckinley resembles
the bat
But the American nation is beginning
To think that Mr. Mckinley mas played
bat about long enough. and although it
is possibly quite safe for him to hang
on a nail. the nail being here repre-
sented by Mr.. Hanna, and doze for
some time longer. and although he may
look very dignified in that position, and
very safe. and very placid. the real
American bird is net bat but an
eagle. and an eagle does not hang it
self up on nail by its claws or take
maps in the daytime. The eagle is now
getting ready to move, and 1t is good
deal harder TO corner an eagle than it
is to cornefsa bat.
The times., 1898-02-24
GOV. LOwNDES BESIEGED.
Onslaught of Politicians and office
holders on MaryIand's Executive.

Annapolis, Feb. 23.-Gov. Lowndes was
under a heavy strain today because of
the onslaught of politicians and office
holders, tomorrow being the last day in
which appointments will be made. A
large batch went down today y number
of changes We're made in police justices
of Baltimore city. several members of tho
legislature being included i'll the list.
A bill was introduced compelling street
railway companies TO provide every pas
senger with a seat before demanding a
five-cent fare. In case the passenger
should stand only three cents should be
charged, bill prohibiting the sale Of
trading stamps was reported fayorably.
The commission appointed by the last
legislature to take into consideration thu
matter of putting two statues in Statuary
Han, Washington, made report to the
legislature today recommending the Sc
lection of Charles Carroll. of Carrollton
and Thomas Johnson, if civil repre-
sentation is to be selected and John L
Howard. if the selection is to be taken
from military representatives. Twelvs
thousand dollars is suggested as a proper
appropriation for the statues.
The times., 1898-02-24
The Naval Investigation.

The Allen resolution to send Sem
atoIial committee to Havana, for the
purpose of investigating the Maine
massacre. with privilege of sending
for persons and papers" strikes US
as untimely and out of order
If there is one thing this country has
confidence in, it is the zeal. courage.
discipline and technical accomplish
ments of our naval officers. A board.
composed Of some Of the most scien-
ti.ic and distinguished officers of the
service. is now holding a solemn in
quest over the remains of the Inflated
battleship Maine. To interfere with. or
TO cast the shadow Of a reflection upon
that board, by even proposing other in
vestieation Of the subject until they
are through with it. and have reported.
would look too much like doubt of
their fidelity or ability, or both
The American people are showing an
astonishing amount Of patience in view
of the present situation. and what they
universally believe TO be at the bottom
of it, They would not do so if they did
not absolutely believe in the officers
who have been charged with the duty
OF telling them how one of our finest
war ships met its fate. When they
know that a decision has been reach
ed. then they viii begin to take action.
The Administration will be badly ad-
Vised if it does not make the truth
public as soon as it has been officially
reported.
But, until that time. wisdom, dignity.
and decency demand that we should
allow the Naval Court Of Inquiry COM
pleta possession of the field.
The times., 1898-02-24
The Hero of the Maine

Outworn are the grim old legends of Ro-
man and Goth and Greek;
No more to our quickening pulses their
deeds of daring speak;
Tapped in sleepy silence-vain of our
heaped-up gold
Too slow our sluggish temper, too faint
our hearts, and cold.
In the harbor of Havana the tide creeps
TO and fro.
A white ship swings at anchor in the
tropic sunsets glow
In the swift West Indian nightfall the
violet skies grow dark
And out on its fatal errand leaps a
tiny murderous spark.
The roar of the maddened waters, the
crash of fearful doom
Shattered the midnight silence, and UP
through the sullen gloom
Leaped like mighty genie fierce, I'M
haltered flame
And then, on the fated vessel one smoke
the captains name.
Only a common sailor-you have often
seen them stray
Through the streets of the busy seaports
for their brief bright holiday.
He stood at Attention calmly, his fate
full message gave
On the brink of fearful ruin. on the
verge of an open grave.
Only common sailor--but he wore the
Navy Blue
In all that grim confusion his voice rang
clear and true.
Steady, and calm. and quiet-true to
their latest breath, ~ ~"
The crew of the shattered warsliip look-
ed into the jaws of DeathsdG
BY the gallant captains honor, by the
sailors self-control--
By the fire of dauntless daring that
leaped from soul to soul-.sFis
Wake to the call of vengeance, Our
watchword's written plain
In letters of blood and fire on the hull of
the martyred Maine,
The times., 1898-02-24

The joint resolution TO revive the grade
of lieutenant general in our army is
worthy OF approval 1t should be made
general instead of applying TO one chief
officer. Every corps commander where
there is an army of any size. should be
Il lieutenant general 1t Is not promotiye
OF good discipline to have major generals
who command divisions under an officer
of only their own rank IN command of
the corps in which they serve. There
should he full generals for distinct arm
les lieutenant generals for corps d'armee
major generals for divisions. and then
the grade of brigadier might or might
not be retained. according 10 the tactical
organization of regiments.
The times., 1898-02-24

delay and 3 holding off of hands by this
Government with respect to the Cuban
question. The Administration has long
known that this scheme of autonomy was
failure, and If in responding to the
Senate resolution asking for the Cuban
correspondence this report of Lee is sent
in ii will raise such storm I'm both
houses of. Congress that the President
will be unable to withstand public opinion
much longer or refuse to intervene 10
stop the war In Cuba
The times., 1898-02-24
Firemen with Double skins

From the Philadelphia Record)
In Berlin the firemen wear water jack
cts. with a double skin. which they are
able to fill with water from the hose II
the space between the two layers be
comes overfilled the water escapes
through a valve at the top Of the helmet
and flows down over the fireman. like a
cascade. protecting him dOubly. The
smoke helmets. largely used in Germany.
Austria Holland and Italy enable the
wearer to breathe and see at his ease in
a smoke-laden atmosphere. I'm some in
stances the apparatus includes means
of telephone communication with the
street below.
The times., 1898-02-24
Mr.. lie Ga1lienne's Reception

Mr.. Richard lie Gallienne is a foun-
tain Of joy. He is pensive, medi-
tative, effiorescent poetic dream
Nothing like him has been seen here
for years. To him might be applied
these lines of the poet;
Bear lily in thy hand
Gates OF brass cannot withstand
One touch Of that magic wand.
There is no brass. even in America.
that has the slightest chance against
the lily hand Of AIR. LIE Gallienne. He
is the quintessence of all that is es-
thetic and ecstatic and periphrastic
and sentimentally dramatic He is a
blossom sui generis-nobody like him
never was anybody just like him
heaven only knows when we shall look
terviewed, and the interviews have
been a joy to the freak editors. And
now he has had his first adventure in
the wiids of Manhattan.
1t may pain the adoring soul of the
esthete TO hear it, but this lily of Eng
land. this ethereal sensitive-plat OF
metaphor and simile wandered into
Roster & Biafs music hall one evening
and prepared to witness the perform
ance. He was not alone; he was with a
friend, and they occupied box. The
suspicion that his presence was un-
Intentional is, therefore, without
ground. The performance included
Charmion, the lady who disrobes in
the atmosphere; learned monkey,
some contortionists, and other people,
and in the midst of some patriotic
airs the audience beheld this young
man with assorted hair in one of the
boxes and began. to laugh. When a
Roster & Bial audience laughs ii
makes considerable noise. and presently
somebody began to applaud. The
whole house took it up, and the orches-
The times., 1898-02-24

the hostilities commence IL will be well
to be prepared on yonder side of the At
lantic for everything For 10 the Span
iards. when they believe they are fighting
for their country. everything is fair in
war and while expressing the utmost ad-
miration for many of their fine character
istics. ii cannot be denied that they are
far less restrained bS- considerations OF
humanity. of civilization and of the hon
or prevailing between foes than any other
Western nation.
The times., 1898-02-24

This is to all intents and purposes
remuneration by the holy father of the
claims which have been put forth by the
holy see ever since 1870, and it is the most
important announcement that has ever
yet been made from the Vatican during
the last three decades. From an Italian
point of view. it is sincerely to be regret
ted that 1T should not have been done long
ago. for the present pontiff is so far ad
vanced in years that death may come 10
him at any moment in his sleep through
the weakness of the action of his heart.
The majority of the Sacred College is
entirely at variance with him in connec-
tion with his sentiments toward the Ital-
ian government and indorses the views
expressed by the Civitta Cattolica.
The European edition of the New York
Herald prints the following significant
dispatch from Madrid: LAS the question
of the purchase of Cuba is again being
pushed in Washington. it may be of. use
to state-and | have it ON the highest au-
thority-tha; Spain will never, no matter
what government is in power consider
any such suggestion or any compromise
in Cuba beyond the broad measure of
autonomy drafted by the liberal govern
ment.
This is an absolute. irrevocable deci-
sion. People who suggest anything else
are only wasting time and arousing un-
founded hopes in the minds of the reb-
els"
Inasmuch as the so-called rebels are not
sitting up nights to hope for an ndepend-
ence by purchase which they are already
rapidly acquiring by force of arms, the
last clause of the dispatch goes for
nothing.
The times., 1898-02-24
ECHOES FROM ABROAD.

At the time of the appearance in the
Civitta Cattolica of the sensational article
to the effect that the pope favored the
overthrow of the Italian monarchy and
the establishment in its stead of a repub-
lie, or rather of federation Of italian
republics. as the most propitious to
restoration of the temporal power of the
holy see. which it declared TO be an abso-
lutte and inseparable condition to the eX-
istence of the papacy. il was cabled that
these utterances did not in any way re-
fleet the views of the holy father, but
merely those of the intransigenIe party
of the Roman curia, whose acknowledged
organ the Civitta Cattolica is. The dis
patch received confirmation a few days
afterward through the remarkable ad-
dress of Cardinal Capeceletro to his clergy
at Capua, the cardinal being the most in
innate friend and confidant of the pope.
and imbued with the same views The
speech, while insisting upon the holy fa
ther's patriotism and devotion to Italy as
a unity, was full of cOnciliation toward
the government. and left it distinctly to
he inferred that the pope did not insist on
the restoration of the temporal sovereign
ty of the holy see. This latter inference
has now been corroborated in q most
striking fashion by the pontiffs own Off
cial organ, the Osservatore Romano
which declares ''the one object of tenn
poral sovereignty is to render the pope
of earthly powers. If the
pope possessed this independence tenn
poral sovereignty would not be necessary
to him
The times., 1898-02-24
William the Cnlm

GFrom the Chicago Chronicle)
William the Calm" was the apDclla-
tion bestowed upon the Honorable Will
liam Mckinley by south side preacher
last Sunday. The major may be calm.
but from this distance his Calmness is
of the character displayed By Rev.
Eberezer Stiggins, when the elder Weller
propelled him To the horse trough i'm
mediateIy after the obsequies at the Mar
qUis OF CRANKY public house.
The times., 1898-02-24

There is glee in the thought that our
foreign relations are safe once more!
After weeks absence due to a severe
cold, Secretary Sherman was at his desk
in the State Department yesterday. We
may now expect developments. 1t would
not surprise US to hear that a demand
had been made upon the King of Spain
for indemnity for blowing up the frigate
Constitution last week.
The times., 1898-02-24

1t would seem that whatever reason Mr..
Mckinley may have had for suppressing
Fitzhugh Lees letter on the failure OF
the Cuban autonomy humbUg no longer
exists. The country is growing radically
suspicious of these official concealments,
and the Administration may realize the
fact before long in an unpleasant way.
The times., 1898-02-24
CAPITOL GOSSIP.

Ex-congressman j. A. Geissenhainer
Of the Third district of New Jersey
was Il visitor at the House yesterday
/ He was given hearty welcome by the
score or more of members who were on
the floor when hewas chairman of the
Naval Committee. Referring to that pc
ROD, Mr.. Geissenhainer said yesterday
that he had the hardest kind of work
TO obtain an appropriation for two bat
tleships and ten torpedo boats from the
Fifty-fourth Congress, and added that
if his advice had been followed America
would today have navy that would
Danish all thoughts of fight from the
Spanish government. In speaking of
his own State, Mr. Geissenhainer said it
would undoubtedly elect Democratic
governor and Legislature next fall and
return a Democrat to the United States
Senate, and that at least six of the
eight members of the House would also
be Democrats. The members are at
present all Republicans
1t was said yesterday in the cloak
room of the House that it is very prob
able that the bill to make Gen. Miles
a lieutenant general will become a law
Those whc opposed the project when it
was before Congress the first time. it
is said, have now no longer the incen-
tive TO act as they did The failure of
Gen. Miles to obtain the coveted honor
was due entirely to the active opposi-
tion of Secretary Daniel Lamont, and it
is believed that now that he is no Ion
ger Cabinet power, Gen. Miles will
receive the honor that was accorded
Grant, Sherman and Sheridan.
Thousands and thousands of people
who have visited the rotunda at the
Capitol have asked why Congress does
not have completed the set of allegor-
ical pictures that surround the base of
the dome. The set is complete except
ing one panel. and for years a scaffoId
has been fastened in front of this bar
ren panel in readiness for the artist as
soon as the committee in charge of the
work selects the subject il deems prop
er. II is a twentieth century subject
that the committee desires. and thus
to be satisfactory. A member yesterday
in passing through the rotunda remark
ed To a Times reporter that in his judg-
ment the committee need not look far
ther than Cuba for a subject He sug-
gested that the pictures of men, wo-
men and children dying of starvation
as they piteously appealed to Weyler
and Blanco for food; of the dying in
valids IN hospitals being butchered by
the Spanish soldiers, and of a fiendish
Spaniard pressing the button that
wrecked the Maine and slaughtered
nearly 200 brave Americans be one pOr-
ton of the picture, and that the other
consist Of the House of Representa-
tiyes President and Cabinet calmly
viewing the spectacle as they received
from ticker the latest quotations from
Wall street. Such a picture, said the
would correctly portray a
great epoch in the history Of the civil
izarion of this country as exhibited in
this twentieth century, and the panel
would no longer. be vacant
The times., 1898-02-24

The New York stock-ticker having Civ
en- up the accident" theory and having
announced unusual activity in the War
and Navy Departments we infer that the
bears will be found this morning with
sharp claws and a valuable appetite
The times., 1898-02-24
nannn,s Real Telegram.

(From the San Francisco Eyamiuerl
The Ohio statesman seized his pencil
and wrote furiously for a few moments.
Then he rang for the messenger boy and
sent the dispatch. IL read: ''W. McKIn-
ley, Washington ID. C.-Satan reigns in
Ohio and the investigation committee
still lives. Nj A. H.
The times., 1898-02-24
Please Keep Quiet.

From the Harrisburg Patriot.)
Yes, it may be possible that the Maine
was blown up by the Spaniards. but for
heavens sake don't mention it. 1t would
undoubtedly disturb securities and give
insomnia to. holders of the sacred debt
who:have been paid more than they lent.
The times., 1898-02-24

Captain John ID. Hart is under sentence
at Philadelphia for aiding the cause of
liberty in Cuba He is to serve two
years in the Eastern penitentiary. Fons-
deviela, who tortured and murdered the
Philadelphia dentist. has been decorated
and promoted. The President freely for
gave the latter. Could he not be induced
to exercise clemency in the case of the
former?
The times., 1898-02-24

They have a cheerful way of doing
things in France! For telling the truth
and proving his case in court, Emile Zola
is sentenced 10 a year imprisonment and
TO pay a fine of 5000 francs. The only
conclusion we can come to is that if he
had been guilty. he would have been ac-
quilted. decorated and given a pension
The times., 1898-02-24
rhe WAY 1t Looks in Texas.
4 ,yI1t}Y0m the Houston post.)

l.LfTom the Houston Post.)
Are We on the eve of an explosion
greaterdeyen than that of the Maine? 1t
must.sBe confessed that things generally
look Suspicious.
The times., 1898-02-24

Hanna-It was an accident. There will
be no war.
Reed-An accident. certainly. There can
be no war.
Washington Post,,of course it was an
accident There must be no war.
The times., 1898-02-24
Circulation Statement.

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the fact
The times., 1898-02-24
Interesting If True.

(From the Philadelphia Enquiror.)
AS a rule a mans hair turns gray FIVE
years sooner than woman's.
The times., 1898-02-24

Communications intended for publication
81 Tic Times Stop'd BE- terSely and lo5ailig
srritten and must IN al cases be accompanied
by lie name aud dd,iySs OF tee ,criter. He
ec,ed COMMUNICATIONS t-N Ret be j,reScrJed,
ofd ol'iy manuscripts q ObciouS B,pogfaRcG
all Be returned 10 then authors.
The times., 1898-02-24
l. EnVoi

j. EnNOi.
De Lome-I didn't spend $780, month
in Washington for nothing.
The times., 1898-02-24
A Timely sketch.

[Dramatis Personae.
The times., 1898-02-24

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