The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-18

put this marvellous proficiency to the test on wager.
 The Spaniards in New York who are responding to Spain's call to arms are in no danger of being beheaded, im- prisoned or starved to death. Such is American law and the benign influence of the star spangled banner.
 Adolph Sutro, the famous San Fran cisco millionaire, is dying from a par alytic stroke, and his daughter and guardian, Dr. Emma Laura Sutro, has been authorized to sell part of the $2,250,0O0 estate to clear 1t of debt.
 Nearly 36,ooo,oO0 tons of freight pass ed on the middle division of the Penn sylvania railroad in March. It would have required thirty hours for the 146,- 900 cars which carried 1t to move past a given point in one train at a speed of thirty miles an hour.
 And now it is in the Caucasus that the laziest and dirtiest people in the world are found. According to reports they are the Svantians, who live in an Inaccessible mountain range between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, and as they were 2,50O years ago, so they are to-day. It Is their invariable rule to make four days a week holi- days, with saints days as extras.
 King Otto of Bavaria is still as crazy as ever, and as strong and burly in 5 physique. The latest examination of his health, made by the council of phy- sicians appointed for the purpose by the Bavarian chamber of deputies, showed that this monarch, who in his mode of living and his tastes Is lower than the beasts of the field, may out live the present prince regent, and even his son.
 The Order of Cistercian Monks has just celebrated its S00th anniversary, having been founded by the Benedic- tine, Robert of Molesme, at Citeaux, in Burgundy, 1893. The order possesses a mighty history, and was much more widely extended years ago than it Is now. It then had over two thousand sinonasteries, and probably now does not possess a tenth of that number. It is the parent of the Trappist Or der, and the Templars, the Knights of Spain, and of Christ, In Portugal de- rived their rules from it. Bernard of Clairvaux was one of it's members, and fills the greatest place in it's history.
 Attention is now called to the fact says the Sun, that the sessions of Con- gross in war time have not been more protracted than In time of peace. The Thirty-eighth Congress extended from December, 1863, to March, 1865, during a period of grave importance in na- : IlOndl dIldlfS, put US LWO SeSSlOHS SA- tended over only 299 days, whereas the Fortieth Congress, .n session between 1887 and 1S89--the second half of the first Cleveland Administration--was ir session 412 days, though no matters of urgent national importance came uI for the consideration of it's members The obvious explanation of this appar- ent paradox is that in times of public peril legislators act promptly, whereas in periods of public peace they are in- clined to argue and discuss. without agreeing upon, questions which do not require immediate action.
 One of the problems that confronts this country if war comes is the re- sponsibility that will devolve upon the United States to provide stable and efficient government for Cuba. The case is thus stated by the Tribune; .aThat is the supreme consideration ot the whole case. In no circumstances would it be light responsibility to as- sume There are more than a million