davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1898-12-28
RAILROAD PRospEcrs.
Western officials Not All Sanguine
Over Condition..

Chicago. Dec. 27.-Railway officials do
not all take a rosy view of the prospects
for business after the opening of the new
year. Some who are well posted believe
that there will be no material let-up in the
tonnage East or West bound from Chicago
and other gateways from what it has been
the last thirty days.
They all admit that there is more pros
perity in the West than it has ever known,
and there are large quantities of grain
back In the country to be moved. Those
who are pessimistic look for a falling off
in the grain traffic, as they expect the
farmers will not sell with sufficient free
dom to enable the roads to keep up their
present large movements.
Roads running through the corn belt
report slight decrease in corn offerings
but in the Northwest the movement of
wheat has been greatly in excess of last
year. and it is still liberal. Nearly every
Western and Northwestern roads car
movement has fallen off slightly in the
last two weeks, but it is ahead of last
year.
Deliveries of grain here last week were
6,1S3,0o0 bushels, a decrease of 672, 900
bushels from the previous week, but was
the largest for the third week In Decem-
ber in four years, showing an increase of
2,02i,000 bushels over 1897, OF 3,209, 900
bushels over 1896, and gain OF 2,503, ,O0O
bushels over 1895. Livestock traffic and
provision movement was also heavy. The
passenger business is good, the holiday
rush, taken at 1-3 fares for the round
trip, has been unusually heavy, in fact,
the best since 1892
The rate situation said an official,
is little better. and prospects are that
1t will improve after the first of the year
But there is no telling how long the an
ticipated improvement will last. 1t de-
pends entirely upon how business picks up
and the action of officials"
The times., 1898-12-28
DECORATIONS FOR OFFICIALS.
Bills in Congress to Permit Their
Acceptance.

The Foreign Affairs Committee Of the
House has lost much of its prestige of
late. The bill for the government of
Hawaii has gone to the Committee on Ter
ritories, and those for the Nicaragua
Canal and the Pacific cable have been as
signed to that on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce. leaving Foreign Affairs with
little except the annual appropriation bill.
Mr.. Hit, speaking of this the other day,
said good naturedly that all these sub
jects had become domestic nowadays.
The methods in the Senate are different.
the Foreign Relations Committee taking
all OF these bills except that on the canal
which goes to a select committee.
One thing remains to the Foreign AZ
fairs Committee of the House and that
is the consideration of bills permitting
employees of the United States to accept
honors from foreign governments. There
are eight or ten of these now under con-
sideration by the committee.
The Constitution prohibits anyone in
the Government service from accepting
such an honor without permission by Con-
gress. but IL has been the custom of late
years to grant this in minor cases with
out objection. In more important mat
tiers. as when President has been tender
ed gift from abroad. il has generally
Dccu dliC"eG 10 DtEOus the property OF
the nation and there are many such now
in the Smithsonian and at the White
House and State Department
The offerings now under consideration
are various in character. Lieutenant
Commander r. P. Rodgers and Major
General T. NJ. Schofeld have been tender
ed crosses of the Legion of Honor by
France Lieut.. T. R. Williams, Third
Artillery. who was present at the French
army maneuvers, the decoration Of cheva-
lier, and Brigadier General Bates, military
attache in London, that Of commander OF
the order.
DR.. ]. J. Kinyoun, of the Marine Hosp tai
Service. is offered the gold medal of the
Order of the Liberator in recognition of
his scientific services in regard to yellow
fever.
Admiral T. o. Selfridge. Capt. G. H.
Wadieigh, Lieut.. Commanders E. H.
Gheen and R. P. Rodgers. Paymaster J. B.
Redfeld. Lieut.. ]. J. Hunker, Surgeon D.
n. Bertolette and Ensign r. L. Russell
are offered medals commemorating the
coronation of the Car. which they at
tended officially.
Lieut.. Commander B. H. Buckingham is
offered eleven volumes of Brassey's Ma
val Annual by Mexico in recognition of
his scientific services.
c. R. Dobbins, lighthouse keeper at
Moose Peak, Me-. is offered a gold watch
in recognition OF his gallant services to
the crew of the shipwrecked British
schooner Ashton.
The times., 1898-12-28

thing phenomenal. Their influence will
be very great and with the establishment
of free secular schools, which even Mani
has never known, we may confidently look
Tor the gradual equipment of the natives
for the duties of citizenship.
We can well afford to accept the opin-
ritt as to the character and possibilities
of the largest class of people in the Phil
ipp!nes. Both are observing and disinter-
ested men, whose love of American insti-
tutions has been amply proved. They have
reached the same conclusion that while
these people are wholly unfit to govern
themselves because of the previous condi-
tions of their lives. they are quite as prom
Using as many of the European immigrants
to this country who have become good
citizens. They agree, too, as stated by
General Merritt recently. that to give
independence to them now would not only
result in revolutions. but would make of
them the prey Of greedy European nations,
while to sell the territory would surely in
volve us in foreign war. They both as
sert that there win be no serious trouble
in American administration; that whether
Aguinaldo is favorable or not almost all
the people except the comparatively few
under arms will gladly welcome 1t, and as
soon as they understand what it means
most of the insurgents will submit to it
gratefully. 1t is believed that the mis-
chievous influence of Germany's agents is
responsible for whatever disposition there
is to resist American rule.
Senator Frye. just returned from the
Peace Conference at Paris, explains that
the Treaty does not provide for the perma-
nent occupation of the Philippines, but
leaves Congress free to determine their fu
ture. that the Treaty merely accepts the
withdrawal of Spanish sovereignty and
their surrender to this country for what
ever disposition We may choose to make.
Although the other Senator from his State,
Hale, and at least one other New England
Senator, are opposed to the retention of
the islands, Senator Frye is not iniu-
enced by their views. He repeats the
question as to what we shall do with them
il we do not rule them, and there is no
answer. If We cannot return them to
Spain or condemn them to destruction by
granting independence. shall We give them
to Germany? within the next quarter OF
a century, says Senator Frye, "she will
be our commercial rival, battling with US
for control of the markets of the world.
We can hardly be expected to present her
with this stronghold to aid later in our
own undoing' To give them to England
would mean riot all over Europe. AS to
the government OF the Filipinos. Senator
Frye says: "If We give them good gov
ernment there viii be little dificulty." The
American people. who have deep feeling
of the Importance of this trust will see
that carpet-bag adventurers and political
hacks are not sent to misgovern them.
Probably we shall all be surprised to see
how slight will be the impression made on
the course of this business by the organ
lied opposition of Mr.. Bryan. Mr.. Carnegie
Carl Schurz. Senators Hoar and Hale, Dr.
Parkhurst and Prof. Norton. who are the
charter members of new "anti" political
party.
The times., 1898-12-28
Electric Cabs in New York.
(FroTn Uarper's Weekly


In general appearance the New York electric
cabs are perhaps somewhat different from any
vehicle heretofore constructed. The fore body is
similar TO ordinary hanson cab, but rear
wardly projecting from this part OF the vehicle
IS box in which the batteries are housed These
batteries are composed OF a multitude Of lead
plates carried in boxes and immersed in dilute
acid They are inserted or removed by taking
of the rear end of this so-called battery-box.
For obvious reasons the running gear is composed
of four wheels instead of two. as in the ordinary
cab, and their appearance, TO say the least, is
striking. Aside from the small diameter and ex-
tremely massive construction. they are fitted with
immense pneumatic tires five inches in diameter,
made up OF rubber stock from fve-eighths to one
inch thick. These tires are pumped to pressure
OF about eighty pounds. Another radical de-
parture from ordinary practice is embodied in the
arrangement of the front wheels as drivers the
vehicle being steered by the wheels Each
cab is fitted with two two-horse- power electric
motors one of which is geared to each driving
wheel. The motors are entirely incased, and are
attached to the axle adjacent TO the wheels. The
steering gear is entirely different from that of the
horse drawn vehicle. Each steering wheel re-
wolves a short axle pivoted close TO the hub
on an aNle-tree, so that it turns inde-
pendent pivot The two short steering axles are,
however, connected together by various rods, so
that both wheels move together.
The times., 1898-12-28
FOR TRADE IN GERMANY.
Consul Monaghan Says There Are
Excellent Opportunities.


Consul ]. G. Monaghan, at Chemnitz,
writes to the State Department regarding
opportunities for American trade In Ger
many, as follows: Excellent opportuni-
ties are being offered here for the impor-
tation Of American tools, electric appli-
ances, and all kinds of articles used in
the construction and equipment Of rail-
roads. etc. Everywhere, from one end of
the empire to the other, lines are being
opened, extended, or improved. 1t seems
to me we might sell millions of marks
worth of the wooden parts for cars. as
well as rails. wires, apparatus. etc.
"The superiority OF many OF our tools
and appliances is acknowledged. Evidence
Of this fact is found everywhere in the
fairly successful limitations made by
machine builders in Mannheim. and other
cities. Woodworking machinery. espec-
tally for small shops, gas engines, the
thousand and one tools and contrivances
to sell which agents travel all over the
United States. would certainly sell here.
American shoes have put in an appear
ance in the shoe-shop windows of every
city l am sure that shoes retailing in
the United States for SO TO S. would sell
here at the same. or even better. prices.
Among the articles that will certainly
sell are Office fixtures and furniture. and
silver and plated ware. if properly push
ed; and many other articles of hardware
that tighten labor to carpenters. smiths.
and mechanics in our country. / saw an
imitation Shannon register sold for 800.
1t stood about five or six feet high, was
a little more than yard wide, and had
about eighteen to twenty-five drawers or
commandments The price seemed absurd
but the prices OF furniture over here are
high Plaques for oak. pitch pine or other
hard wood flooring should pay; for hardly
a house goes up now that does not put in
hard wood floors in the form OF square or
ohlopp tiles T"
The times., 1898-12-28
The volume of Exports.
(From the Chicago Tribune.)


How long the present notable excess of exports
over imports will last is past all conjecture.
There may come an abatement in the demand for
! American wheat because of fine crops in compet-
ing countries, but foreign demand has been es-
tablished for American which will increase
in the future. Furthermore. it has been settled
that the United States is to be the great iron and
steel producer of the world. Whether there are
droughts rains in India or Argentina this coun-
try will sell yearly larger quantities of iron and
steel and their manufactures to the rest OF the
world.
Short crops at home may diminish exports of
breadstuffs, but exports of manufactured commod-
tiles not likely to decrease unless awless trust
monopoles up prices high to close for
eign markets to their products. But they are too
shrewd to pursue such short-sighted policy
They will advance prices at home and plunder the
home consumer, who cannot help himself. When
they cross the ocean with their goods they are ex-
posed to the full force of foreign competition
They must meet it with as low prices or make no
sales
The times., 1898-12-28
An Assault on Free Thought.


Intellectual Germany has been stirred to its
profoundest depths by the order of DR.. Bosse.
Prlissian minister OF education. directing disei-
plinary proceedings TO be taken at the Berlin
University against DIR. DelbrIck, the we'll known
professor of political economy, because of the
latters scathing criticism of the brutal expulsion
of Danes from North Schleswig. Dr.. DeIbruek
is Conservative in the best sense of the word
and during the with France was the recipient
OF an unprecedented hoGor-having been called
from the ranks after the battle of Grayelotte and
created officer the field where he had dis
tinguished himself. The OF free trade in Ger
many in the early days OF the empire was dubbed
by Prince Bismarck the Era Delbruek" be
cause of the professors influence in shaping the
policy of the nation. Aside from personal consids
erations, however, the official onslaught on the
professor is invasion of the cherished free
dom of thought, or "Gedenkenfreiheit," of the
Germans. Even in times OF the widest reaction
truth and love of truth have found temples of
refuge in the German universities, and the at
tempt to drive them forth is naturally regarded
as a desecration of consecrated ground.
The times., 1898-12-28
Protective Tariff Absurdities.

ffrofn the Kansas tity Star.)
Republicans seem determined to maintain the
farce of the protective system until the country
so completely outgrows it that every schedule
will be dead letter on the statute books The
tariff laws have been numbered for years with
duties on cattle, hogs, wheat. corn, oats, rye.
and dozens of other agricultural products. OF
which this country produces surplus, and, there
fore. the duties are Of no consequence whatever.
But they are kept there for the purpose OF making
the farmer believe he is protected
Scores Of manufactured products are in a
similar position. They are turned out in excess
of home needs and the surplus is exported. yet
there is a duty provided for, even though there
is never chance TO collect it, because foreigners
cannot sell such goods here in competition with
home goods 1t might be supposed that the pro-
tectionists would at least desire to eliminate
from the tariff schedules such farcical duties as
void from lack OF imports to collect them
on. The reason why they do not do seems to
be that so few articles would remain to be taxed
for the benefit of the home producer that the in.
justice and absurdity OF the whole system would
at once become apparent.
The times., 1898-12-28
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER IS, 1898.
The Philippines and the Tarin.

prominent member OF President Nc
Kinley's Cabinet is quoted as authority for
the statement that the President and his
advisers have decided that the products of
the Philippines must pay the duties pre-
scribed by the Dingley schedule, though
all the products of Porto Rico and Hawaii
are to come in free. Also that any i'm
ports from this country into the Philip
pines must pay a high tariff. The Presi-
dents idea is said TO be that we are
simply to care for the Filipinos in order
to teach them to love our institutions and
to govern themselves. We are. to begin
by instructing them that their products
cannot get into the States except by pay
ing enormous duties that will make our
importations as small as possible.
What this will really teach them is not
love for American, but for British insti-
tutions. and especially free trade. The
greater part OF their products will go to
England where they can enter free of
duty. Naturally and properly, they will
buy in England everything they want
which that country can provide. The
duties on English products imported by
the Filipinos will be the same as on
American products, therefore they will
buy in the market in which they SELL
America will have all the responsibility of
governing the Philippines, while England
will have all the benefits of the extraor-
dinary development of the resources of
the islands that is to follow American
rule.
Since We are to build a Chinese wall
about the .Philippines-if we are-England
will have much less reason to complain
than she feared. While the open door
would meet her principles better, she can
hardly object If, in our devotion to the
doctrine Of protection, We give to her an
enormous advantage by imposing on our
own products imported into the islands
the same duties she must meet.
Il is hardly credible that the President
will be so short sighted. One of the
rewards that belong to US for our
guardianship of the Philippines is an ex-
tension of our commerce, an enlargement
OF our markets. We are already in indus
trial rivalry with Great Britain and Ger
many and this decision gives to the former,
at least, great advantage. OF course the
thing will not endure. The American
farmer will not be willing to pay tribute
to the English syndicate that buys up
the fiber for binding twine when we are
performing great service for the coun-
try that produces it. The American farm
er will not consent to pay twice as much
for binding twine as the English farmer
pays. when he can help it. In a little
time such an arrangement as the Presi-
dent is said to favor will be an education
on the tariff to the American people.
The times., 1898-12-28
More Expansion Opinions.

For some time representative Filipinos
have been holding a congress of the rev.
olutionary government at Malolas for the
avowed purpose of framing constitution.
1t met under the directions of Aguinaldo.
upon any general scheme, the Congress
suddenly adjourned, with the understand
ing that it would never meet again. At
the same time, the cabinet that was ap-
pointed by Aguinaldo, as president re-
signed. There is some reason to think
that the first cause of disagreement was
the attempt of that leader to have the del
egates give up the idea of an Independent
government and accept American admin
istration. If this is true, he succeeded in
bringing enough of them to his view to
cause an adjournment. The probable rea-
son for his action is the breaking away
from his control of large number of
Filipinos. He is thought to have prefer
red American rule to the possible success
of rivals.
1t seems to have been demonstrated.
however, that any agreement was impossi-
BILE. The most ardent supporters of Aguin-
aldo would consent to nothing which did
not leave him the virtual dictator while
others, not his enemies, wanted to safe
guard the liberties of the people. If, dur
ing months of discussion, the most intelli-
gent of the natives could not agree upon
any plan of government because of the
power of one ambitious and able man,
surely We are right in assuming that to
grant independence to the people of the
Philippines would be to surrender them
to the control of the shrewdest politician,
which would mean a succession of revolu-
tions and a consequent failure to develop
the material resources, as we'll as to pre-
vent the proper training of the natives for
self-government. The adjournment, in ef-
feet final, of the congress is a sufficient
answer to the anti-expansionists who pro-
pose independence not because they believe
in it but because it is. the only alternative
if this country does not rule.
1t does not imply, however. that the
Flipinos are forever incapable of becom-
ing intelligent, orderly and liberty-loying
citizens of republic. AS has been noted,
thousands of the patriotic young men who
offered their lives to their country for the
Spanish war will remain in the Philip
pines after their discharge from the SER
vice, to enter into business. They will be
able to command an unlimited amount of
American capital and in the course of the
next year they will be Joined by many
more thousands of enterprising young
Americans. They will offer every induce
ment to the natives for profitable work,
and under the security of our rule the
prosperity of the islands will be some-
The times., 1898-12-28
Only skeptic. ms Investigators.


Assuming that The Times is always as ready TO
stand corrected when the same is in evidence as
it is to correct Others, l beg to call attention
to its brief editorial in Tuesdays issue on the
American Psychical Society relative to the
experiments with Mrs. Piper.
Your statement that the trouble is that no
known skepties have supervised the experiments
looks queer in face of the fact that none but
skeptics had anything to do with the experiments
in question.
As matter of fact they were selected to
supervise the experiments because, among other
qualifications, they were known to be skeptical
as well as intelligent and fair, being known rs
specialists and scientists OF excellent character
They entered upon their Investigations with the
expectation of easily and satisfactorily disprovng
the claim alleged the of the manifesto
tions, but, after years Of rigid examination dur
ing which these experts exhausted their ingenuity
in devising ways and means by which the results
could be explained on other grounds they were of
necessity Obliged to confess that their conclusions
were of an affirmative character.
This is but corroborative of the experiments
previously made under similar circumstances by
Prof. Robert Hare, the ablest electrician of his
day. and by Prof Alfred Russell Wallace and
Prof. Crooker, and other leading scientists OF
England and Europe. G. A. BACON.
The times., 1898-12-28
The Freeze cnre

Anybody who supposed the list of new
cures was exhausted and that we had be-
gun all over again, is undeceived by the
emergence of the freeze cure There was
some reason for such a belief when there
which is about all there is to the Father
Kneipp water cure. OF course the Bava-
iian methods are more esthetic-to walk
barefoot in the dewy grass after dark or
in the early dusk when, according to
Thomas Hardy, the plight of being alive is
least troublesome; or to wade with a pro-
cession Of well-gowned women and sedate
business men in running brook. But es-
sentially, KBeipping is simply revival of
the wet cure of the old Thomsonians.
There is the same cold pack and an ex-
elusive trust in cold water, though the
priest was more heroic in prescribing that
occasionally ones underwear be dipped
into cold water and put on dripping. The
freeze cure, which has the superlative
merit of being within reach of the poorest
at this time of year, proves that we are
not yet forced to take up Perkins's tract
ors, General PleasaDton's blue-glass cure,
the back breaking health-lift and the
other fads that worked such marvellous re-
suits, lived their brief day and were sue
ceeded each in turn by something of
directly contrary principle of cure. To 90
into the attic of almost any old home is
10 discover the dust-covered Instruments
which were for a time the reliance of all
aling humanity.
II is curious fact thar the hope of the
medical faddist is perennial. He welcomes
each new cure as though he had never
hoped before and never experienced dis
appointment He is ready to quit Kneip-
ping for freezing with the utmost conf
dence that the diseases which the doctors
have been unable to discover concealed
about his person will be frozen out.
Although the freeze cure has only reached
our shores. having been imported through
the custom house as dressed furs and not
as philosophical appliances by an enter
prising foreigner, it has been in operation
at Paris for at least three years. 1t is
probable that il has declined in popularity
there and has come to America for that
reason. II had the positive Endorsement of
Professor Pictet. of the French Academy
OF Medicine. A temperature lower than
zero is required for the best results and
this is maintained by fur-lined tanks. It
Is said to be especially successful in the