davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31

Those are sad tidings, apparently authen.
tic, but as yet not entirely corroborated, which
have come from London and which tell Of "a
plethora" In the English capital Of orchestral
instrumentalists. 1t appears that there has
been in London recently @ glut Of tympani play
ers, American banjo instructors. artists on the
concertina." trombone players. experts in the
music of the oboe. and bass drummers. From
sundry provincial towns these instrumentalists.
with. in some cases. violinists. harp players, and
performers on the f~ageolet, have descended
upon London. already abundantly supplied with
pianists, cornetists. and bassoon, hautboy. and
hurdy-gurdy players. seeking not to promote
their material interests by playing. but to In.
stIuct others in the accurate and melodious use
of such instrument The supply of such must
clans, or rather musical instructors, is in excess
of the popular demand. and some churlish Lon.
doners are now proposing that these newcomers
should return to their homes."
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
The BROADWAY sauad.

The recommendation Of Chief McCUL-
LAeH for the restoration Of the Broadway
Squad on a basis of not less than seventy
two inches of length to each policeman in
It, will please every man, woman, and child
worthy to live in this town, Of which the
old Broadway Squad was one Of the chief
beauties and glories.
There seems to have been an impression
at headquarters in the last two or three
years that q small policeman was the best
kind. We have nothing to say against
small policemen except that for the present
the town has enough OF them, and they are
becoming monotonous. Doubtless they can
whip six times their weight and size in
roughs. May their muscles increase and
may luxurious living never enwrap them
In too many folds Of fat.
For use on Broadway in its busy parts,
by day or night, the diminutive policeman
is as much out of place as q turnspit dog at
q stag hunt. He becomes q mere needle
in a haymow, o minnow in all great NEP-
TUNES ocean. You can't see him. You
can't find him. He Is swallowed up in the
crowd. A Broadway peeler should loom
like a seamark, towering above the flood Of
folks. From afar the flash Of his buttons
should encourage the timid adventures
who wish to cross the street. repress the
professional fury of gripmen and truckmen,
reduce to something like a passing feeling
of human infirmity the pride Of private
coachmen, and temper the humor of public
cabmen with a temporary sense Of RESPONSE
bility. The mass Of him subdues. The
strangers fly to him. Even the balky
horses are not without some blind appre-
citation of his weight and magnifoence.
Timid women rest ON him. They feel that
he is as secure as the Pyramids.
Give US back the Broadway Squad Of
Anakim, projecting from six feet to seven
feet into the ether. Broadway is no place
for toy policemen.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31

Congratulations to the Hon. BEN TILL
MAN of South Carolina upon the complete resto-
ration of his health and activity. His speech on
the Teller resolution was illustrated by action
suited to the words. He spoke of bimetallism
as going on two legs. ono gold and one silver.
whereupon. according to the exact description
of a Washington reporter. the Senator brought
his two feet down with q resounding thump."
He continued his action by representing
the amputation of one leg. tho putting
of the amputated leg on the shoulder.
and tho hopping about on ono leg. He
"drew AN imaginary knife across his thigh,
lifted a heavy load. and hoped around the Sem
ate on ono leg, with his arm thrown over his
shoulder" The galleries snickered and guffawed
and yelled until the Vice. Presidents gavel fell
reprovingly. Capt. BEN is a pantomimist and
low comedian of much merit. Many critics
prefer his efforts In pantomime and comic patter
to his high tragical tearing Of q passion and the
goldbugs to tatters.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
New Eagiand'a Klondike Fever.

The exodus from Now England to the gold
fields of Alaska is beginning to assume pretty
large proportions. even thus early in the year.
scarcely a day going by that from ton to twent y
or fifty men do not head in that direction. No
loss than half a dozen expeditions of varying
sizo will leave Boston within a week. bound
and San Francisco. thence by boat to
Alaska: They are not all going to tho
Klondike country by any means. for the
conviction seems to be pretty well settled
In. the. minds Of many that there are
other places In Alaska besides the Klondike
country where gold is to BIO found. The Copper
River country is attracting a great many New
Englanders, and the country north OF that point
Is also attracting many.
The different railroad men were asked as to
the probable number that would 60 from Now
England during the next six months to Alaska.
Their estimates vary considerably. but they all
have had to revise the estimates they mado
three months ago. The highest estimate which
tho reporter got was 10000 and the lowest
2.000; most Of them incline to about 1000.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
FEDERAL CONTROL OF THE ERIE
CANAL.
A Letter from Congressman Msh.ny.


To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-sir. Referring
to an editorial in your issue Of even date, permit
me to say that IL you will read carefully tho
terms OF my Joint resolution regarding the pur-
chase or lease OF the Erie Canal by the Federal
Government, you will see that tho resolution
merely proposes negotiations to that end. These
would, OF course. include a Constitutional
amendment to the State Constitution to permit
such purchase or lease.
THE Sun 10 wrong in saying that the PROPOSE.
ton for Federal control is now. 1t 10 almost az
old az the canal itself. The only scheme be-
hind my resolution is to relieve the people Of
New York State from bearing the entire taxa
ton for q waterway whose blessings are shared
In an equal. IL not greater. degree by many or
all Of the other States.
The larger financial resources of the nation
would enable tho canal to be widencd and
deepened in q measure impossible under State
control. and tho great waterway would thus
become ian arm Of war and commerce for the
General Government"
II 1t will allay the solicitude of TIE SUN In
any respect, let me state that I have read with
great care and deep interest the Constitution Of
New York. ROWLAND b. MAHANY.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WARRINGTON,
D.. c., Jan. "a.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
The Defence OF Hawaii.

Senator PETTIGREw of South Dakota, in
his resolution declaring 1t to be contrary
to the interest, policy, and tradition of the
people of the United States to acquire any
territory 80 situated as to require a navy to
protect 1t" asks his fellow members to say
what is not the fact.
How, during the last thirty years, could
we have defended Alaska without a navy,
had a powerful nation sought to seize it9
Surely no garrison we ave ever had there
could have withstood such an attack, nor
have we any adequate Notifications In that
Territory. We could not march an army
Jhither, because WI should ave to cross
British Columbia. And II we should un-
dertake to convey troops by transports to
Sitka, how could that be lone without a
navy to protect themf
Thus our very last annexation confutes
the preposterous statement which Mr.. PET
TIGREw wants the Senate to lay down as
in 1867 that Alaska, like Hawaii, was not
territory contiguous to the then existing
United States, but, on the contrary, distant
from our borders by many hundreds of
miles, with access only by the seas and
yet that did not deter us.
The various searches after general propo-
sitions to make the admission of Hawaii
seem contrary to the policy of the coun-
try have all in like manner failed. For
example, 1t has been asserted that the
policy of our country is to annex only terri
tory on the mainland Of the continent. Mr..
CLEVELAND tried to make that point. And
yet, years before we had acquired Alaska
or even California and New Mexico, JET
PERSON, a good authority on what Ameri-
can policy is, declared that Cuba would be
the most interesting addition we could
make to the Union. Writing to MONROE
In 1928, he described that island as Eek
actly what Is wanting to advance our power
aS q nation to the point of its utmost inter
est" EDWARD EVERETT, in the same
spirit. looked forward to the day when
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
The False and tho True.

After wabbling and lodging and ducking
his head this way and that during the PEN
dency oil the several amendments to the
Teller resolution, Senator GEORGE GRAY OF
Delaware voted squarely with the Bryanite
Democratic and Populists and silver Repub-
licans on the resolution itself.
After standing squarely with the hum
dred-cent dollar men Oh all five preliminary
votes, Senator DoNELsoN CAEFERY Of
Louisiana voted with them at the end,
straight against the Teller resolution.
Both Senator GRAY and Senator CAFFERY
have always called themselves Democrats.
Both have been counted as on the right side.
of the supreme question Of national honor.
when the vote came to test the soundness
Of opinion and the courage Of conviction,
Mr.. CATFERY stood like q rock, while Mr..
GRAY sank to his ears In the bog Of sophis-
ticated technicality and partisan expedi-
ency. along with Mr.. MURPHY Of New
York, Mr.. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr.. Cor
MA of Maryland, through his pair, and
Mr.. LINDSAY Of Kentucky.
This eagerness on the part Of the Eastern
Democratic Senators to get their names re-
corded In company with those Of the avowed
Bryanites indicates that the rainbow pro-
Rramme for the regeneration of Democracy
as a sound money party has been postponed
on account of the weather.
The Teller resolution is due in the House
to-day. 1t lends aid and comfort to the
cause of free silver. With its assertion of
q technical right It makes o direct issue
with the declaration of President MCKIN-
ley in his New York speech of Thursday:
"Nothing should ever tempt us-nothing
ever will tempt us-to scale down the sacred
debt of the nation through a legal techni-
cality. Whatever may be the language of
the contract, the United States will dis
charge all Of it's obligations in the currency
recognized rs the best throughout the
civilized world at the times of payment"
The Presidents declaration, too, is before
the House Of Representatives to-day, and 1t
shines like gold.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
Cardinal vaughan's Admonition.

The old and shop-worn accusation that
in this country the "better men do not go
into politics" is reported as having been
revamped the other day by Cardinal
VAUGHAN of England. Exactly when we
began to suffer from this doleful depriva-
tion is not explained by the English eccle-
~siastic, but probably the trouble has come
on us since the "good old days" when
everywhere things were 80 much better
than they are now.
Cardinal VAUGHAN, of course, admon.
ishes us to mend our ways by following the
better and the illustrious example of Eng
land. "Look at the Government of Eng
land he says; lit is the aristocracy that
e~levates our politics by taking an active
part in them" But SO also, good Cardinal,
does our aristocracy take an active part In
politics. The aristocracy here, however,
includes the whole body of American citi.
zenship, which is an aristocracy for the
very reason that 1t takes ian active part In
politics" by actually governing this repub.
lie, thus elevatinR both itself and the re-
public. The privilege of the franchise ex-
tends to every American citizen and is
equal for all. Every vote counts.
OF course, in this body of the citizenship
are included the better, the best, the infe-
rior, and the bad. If the bad preponder-
ated In 1t our Government would be bad.
and the Cardinals ~admonitlon to US to
look to England as affording an example
of government 3 1t ought to be might be
profitable for our consideration. InAsmuch,
however, u according to q theory and
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
the wee. or the ru.,o P,.yroer.

To rHr EprroR OF THE suH-Sir: You are deser.
edly celebrated for your championship Of the o-
pressed. Therefore does q humble nonentity Of the
male sex. neither . Cuban nor an Armenian. but
merely an American citisen. mako bold 20 invoke
your aid.
Tho right Of q woman 70 wear At the theatre, how.
soever vertically or iateraliy obstructive. the hat sho
pieases, has long sinco ceased TO be questioned. a
least in the civilized East. The ladies voluntarily
remove Unfortunately extensive hats, the rest exercise
their inalienable right to annoy and keep them on,
unless especially requested TO remove them. when
the petitioner quite commonly secures, instead OF the
favor requested. sundry observations touching tho
ungentlemaniiness Of the genGeman's lust after O
sight OF the stage.
Front rows afford the only sure way Of escape,
Accordingly. the front row OF tho parquet at q cor
tain theatre being taken on Q recent night. tho frow.
ard writer relocated himself to the balcony. He had
no sooner taken his seat than he began to feel him.
self uncomfortably thrust forward into the form Of
An acute angle by the belongings OF . woman behind
him. which had been deposited on the back OF his
chair. He held his peace and suffered. Soon the
woman. becoming interested in the play, leaned for.
ward. and, digging her mum into the Victims neck,
deafened his ears with peals of boisterous laughter,
not u~nailoyed with the spray OF uncontrolled saliva.
Finally. after many Q mute appeal through
change Of posture. realizing that he was In
imminent danger Of being either drowned or de-
formed for life. the sisve turned snd begged of the
womans escort that some slight degree of pressure
be removed from his shouiders This the gentleman
speedily erected, a. there was nothing unreasonable
In the request. But the woman thought otherwise,
her rights had been invaded. and only the fall Of the
curtain over the last cot brought her continuous
monologuo 70 Q close.
An appeal to the usher In such oases usually creates
moro annoyance than 10 suppressea. VIII nothing rid
the theatre-going public Of these female bullies2
NEW YonK, Jan. 30. PARrHun
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31

notified the authorities that n the OFFENCE wa,
repeated he would tale the matter in his own
hands and protect his men with his whole foron
b offence was not repeated.
The ffrm stand chken by the President A,
Washington and Commander Evans on the spot
convinced the Chiiians that we were not TO h,
trihed with, and the President had the ~satisfao.
tion OF receiving an ample apology. followed by
the payment Of $4,000 80 indemnity to tn.
sufferers.
President Harrison took the true ground in
this case when he asserted. FIRST. tho right Of
our national ships TO visit the ports Of friendly
nations by virtue OF the general invitation
which the law Of nations presumes: secondly.
the right OF their officers and crews to reason.
able communication with the shore; thirdly.
that an assault upon them while on shore Is an
infraction of our rights and dignity TO be con.
siderod precisely In the same light a. an assault
upon our Minister or our nag.
It IL TO be presumed that no instructions In
consistent with these principles have been Rivon
to Capt SiEsboe. and that no unusual restrio.
trions will DO imposed upon the officers and
crew Of the Maine. J. I,
WASHINGTON, Jan. so.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31

tween the Federal Government and the
people of New York, such negotiations 70
be conducted Independently OF any kxecu-
tive department Of the State Government,
or legislative body, or Constitutional Con-
vention3 Would be have the Federal Gov
eminent begin by a house-to-house can
vass Of the voters Of this Statef
But now that attention IL called to the
Constitutional prohibition, Mr.. MAHANY
explains that the Federal negotiations
would I" OF course cover the question Of q
Constitutional amendment.
Again, how would he negotiate for that
constitutional amendment The next Con-
stitutional Convention will not be held
until the year 1917. The only method
meanwhile of changing the fundamental
law 30 as to permit the Legislature to sell
or lease the Erie Canal IL by b vote Of
both branches Of the Legislature. then by
the vote Of both branches Of . subse-
quent Legislature, n OF perhaps two
years later, after there shall have been
a new election not only Of Assembly
men but also Of State Senators, and,
finally, by q direct vote Of the people on
the question of ratification or rejection
Of the proposed amendment. How and
with whom is the United States Govern
ment to negotiate for the creation of q pub
lie sentiment in this State favorable to the
sale of our priceless waterway We imag.
Inc that It would puzzle Mr.. MAHANT to say
how the Government is to begin.
It seems to us that the Hon. ROWLAND
BLENNERHAssErT MAHANT's Joint resolu-
tion either is somewhat premature, or that
his ideas concerning the possibilities Of
negotiation between the United States and
one Of the Stateso Of the Union are decidedly
turbid. t-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
The Ohio Legislature is a live coal of

The Ohio Legislature is a live coal of
thought. and 1t shows no signs of cooling. Pow
erful bills hurled from Columbus at the trusts
have already been described In THE Sun.
Worthy to stand by the side of those powerful
bills is the measure which proposes to give
employees the right to sue for reasonable wages.
though bound by contract to accept wages of q
less sum-" Tho even-handed Justice of that
proposition must be obvious to all who are not
tainted with what the Hon. PEACH PANTS of
Red Wing. MIMI. has called "the mephitic mi
asma Of the money changers." Some friend of
tho latter dangerous characters may assert that
1t would also be even-handed Justice to intro
duce u bill giving employers tho right to pay
reasonable wager although bound by contract
to pay higher wages. The difference between tho
two cases must be clear to all who SEQ IL well.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
DEFICIT POST OFFICES.
Retrenchment Suggestions. Sarcastic or Other.

Retrenchment Suggestions. Sarcastic or Other
wise.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sfr: II the
Post Office Department is really sincere in its
efforts to reduce expenses. why not close the
Office at Tennessee City, Tenn. and reduce the
salaries of tho Postmasters of the cities men.
toned below about one-half7 These figures are
taken from the recent report of the Postmaster.
General himself:
Tennessee City. Tenn. Glass 3-Gross receipts,
$126.3l; Postmaster's salary, 81 900; clerk
hire. $40; rent. light. and fuel. $12o. Total ex.
penses. 81. 100; deficit, $l.O33. so. / believe I
am right In saving that this Tennessee City
office should be closed.
Central Falls, r. l.. Glass 2-Gross receipts,
$7.s52.76; salary of Postmaster. 81, 1907; clerk
hire, $1.100; rent, light, and fuel. $780,; other
incidental expenses. $39. IS; free delivery.
$5.O67.s9; total expenses. $s.5s7.74 deficit,
$743.9s. This office should be made q third.
class office, the free delivery should be abol-
ished. and the salaries of the Postmaster and
his clerk should be cut down one-half.
Indiana Mineral Springs. Ind. Glass 3-Gross
receipts, $766.12; Postmaster's salary, 81. 100:
rent. light. and fuel. 500; other incidental ex.
penses, 81 o.; total expenses. 81, pol. Oh; deficit,
S4s4.ea This also would make a good fourth.
Akron, Col, Glass s-Gross receipts. 81, 2oe.os;
salary Of Postmaster, 81 900; clerk hire. $3.50;
rent, ilRut, anu Iuel, plOO.OO, OIncr lnCluental
expenses. 10 cents; total expenses, 81, 1881;
deficit, $l09.73. This office should also be made
q fourth.class office.
Little Silver. N. j.. Glass 3-Gross receipts.
81. 63s.l2; Postmaster's salary, 81. 800; clerk
hire. $685.. rent. light, and fuel, 1925. 64; other
$l.7O7.O4; deficit, S6s.32. II the Postmaster's
salary were to be cut in hall he would be very
well paid for his services to the Government.
Eureka, New. Glass 3-Gross receipts,
90. 1853. 90; Postmaster's salary. 81 1905; clerk
hire, 81 900; rent. light; and fuel, 1856; other
S2.25s.96; deficit, $89.9s. II the Government
would dispense with the services Of the clerk
and reduce tho salary of the Postmaster to 5000
or $3.50, the proceeding would rebound to the
credit Of the department.
The department is using its best efforts to
cripple the offices in New York city and Brook.
Ign. but seems to overlook the six offices men
toned above, also some 800 or 400 offices of the
| second and third class that use up more than 70
per cent. of their receipts. There Is no reason
why the expenses Of these offices should not be
reduced from 20 to so per cent. W. A. NJ.
BROOKLYN, Jan. 80.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-31
A Muddled Member from Bufralo.

We print a letter from the Hon. Row
LAND BLENNERHAssErT MAHANY of Buffalo
concerning his joint resolution providing
for the purchase CT lease of the Erie Canal
by the Federal Government. We published
the text Of the Mahany resolution the other
day, and inquired whether 1t could be pos
sible that Congressman MAHANY had never
read the Constitution of New York, which
squarely prohibits the sale or lease of the
Erie Canal by the Legislature of this State,
and declares that the canal "shall remain
the property of the State and under its
management forever"
Mr.. MAHANY replies that he has read the
Constitution, and that II we examine the
terms of his joint resolution we shall find
tina. 1t merely proposes negotiations =
and that "these would, OF course, include
q Constitutional amendment to the State
Constitution to permit such purchase or
lease"
Perhaps he will inform us now how the
United States could "enter into negotia-
ions" with the State of New York for the
purchase or lease of a canal which no
representative OF the State has authority
to sell or to lease to anybody. With
whom would the Federal Government
negotiated With the Governor3 He has
no more power to sell or lease the canal
than Mr.. MAHANY has himself. With
the Legislaturef That body has no more
power to sell or lease the canal to the Fed
eral Government than 1t has to sell or
lease 1t to Great Britain. With the citi-
gems Of New York directly, as constituting
the ultimate source of power in the man
Agement of State afairs3 What is our
learned friends suggestion as to the
0sthod Of procedure In negotiations be-