davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1898-03-09

out being anything more offensive than
nero ass. He might be, at any rate, a
truthful ass. He might disgust every
modest gentleman with whom he came in
contact, and yet be believed by everybody
when he affirmed, upon his personal knowl.
edge, that this thing or that thing was
so. But the fool who has no conscience
for the truth Is something moro than
an object for ridicule or contempt. He is
apt to be dangerous person until he is
found out and exposed. After he has been
exposed, or, as in the case OF ROWLAND
BLENNERHAssETT MAHANY, has exposed
himself publicly and to the buff, he ceases
to be dangerous to anybody. He is simply
notorious blatherskite become harmless
because he has been convicted of deliberate
and malicious falsehood. II the word
"Liar!' had actually been branded upon
MAHANY's right cheek, he would display
no clearer title to keep company hence
forth with WniTELAw REID.
That will be MAuANY's status from this
time forward, not only with those who
meet him daily at Washington or Buffalo,
but also with people everywhere through
out the country. Personally and privately
he will be as vain Of his new distinction as
he ever was of his alleged Boylston prize,
or any other of the alleged honors of his
alleged college career. For a complete ap.
probation of MhHANY's mental and moral
makeup 1t is necessary to understand that
he had rather be stared at on account of
that brand upon his cheek than not be
stared at at all.
The sun., 1898-03-09
fifty million dollar appropriation is
bigger than thousand.ton gun.

The Hon. JOHN MAYNARD HARLAN, the
celebrated centre rush statesman Of Chicago.
continues his bold invasion OF the Bloody Nine
tcenth Ward, the castle of the Hon. JOHN
POWERS, Alderman. The amount Of defiance
which Big JOHN is hurting ut Little JOHN is al
most unprecedented. A chunk OF said defiance:
"JonN POWERS IL nm Infamous coward, an infa'
nous traitor. and do not fear him. Let h m place
from ten to nifty men each OF this street corners,
oil armed with guns and stiettos. but In spite or
him will come here often as choose and VIII
come the more because he denies me the right to
come and speak to you Yes will como n l have to
bring an army back OF me. would rather die In my
tracks than allow JOHNNY POWERS to say who shall
and who shall not talk In this ward"
After such q display of courage the danger
ought to have appeared and Elven Big JOHN q
chance to put 1t to shame. No gun" was
pulled" No stiletto cleaned. No policeman
could find fight Tho depravod audience snick-
cred at the ieroics of Mr.. HARLAN. One son OF
BEL1AL yelled. What kind of whiskey do you
user Big JOHN had to retire without exciting
hostilities. Tho Bloody Nineteenth will never
hurt a hair of his head. He gives too good a
show.
The sun., 1898-03-09
PRESERVE TIE TREES.
J. Sterling Morton Protents Against Their
Wnnton Destruction mt Christmas Time.

}. Sterling Morton Protests Against Their
Wnnton Destruction mt Christmas Time.
KINGSTON, March s.-The following letter
has been received by Poet Henry Abbey of this
city from the Hon. J. Sterling Morton, the
originator OF Arbor Day and President Celve-
lands Secretary of Agriculture. who writes
from Arbor Lodge, Nebraska City, Neb in
which he deplorcs the wanton waste of Christ.
mas trees
II wish you could turn your attention to tho
murderous assaults which are made every De-
cembcr upon the young forests of the country
for the purpose of getting Christmas trees Tho
trees selected for slaughter on this anniversary
are always the straightest and most symmet-
rical There were last year more than twenty
million of Christmas trees cut down and put on
the market. The absurdity of celebrating the
birth of the Saviour of the world by a wanton
waste and extravaganza which jeopardzes the
welfare of millions of human beings yet un.
born. is obvious to every thinking man. Here
forty-four years ago, were prairie solitudes and
tircSome treclessness, have now growing
hundreds OF thousands of acres of planted for.
ess; and yet the denudation of woodlands for
Christmas trees each year more than equals the
annual planting in some of the prairie states
sncakcd into my plantation of evergrcens q
few years since. and sawed off within two or
three feet OF the ground two of my most beau
tiful conifers of the balsam of fir variety for
the purpose OF making Christmas trees out of
them, Is sadly grotesque. The thief and muir
derer IN order that he might celebrate the birth
of Christ"
The sun., 1898-03-09
The Single.Turret Monitors.

In the search for available war vessels
the naval authorities have now come to the
small monitors that survived from the civil
war, and work has begun upon those that
are lying in ordinary at League Island.
There used to be fourteen of these craft,
but the SauSus was condemned to the scrap
heap, leaving us the present bakers dozen
still on the list OF the navy. The Ajax the
Canonicus, the Mahopac, the Manhattan,
and the Wyandotte are of 2,1O0 tons dis
placement. while the Comanche, the Cats
kill, the Jason, the Lehigh, the Montauk,
the Nahant, the Nantucket, and the Pas.
sale are of ,S75 tons.
These vessels are so overshadowed by our
more modern monitors of the Mianto-
nomoh class, displacing 5000 tons, and by
the still more powerful Monterey of 4,OS4
tons, and the Puritan of 6,OGO, that we
rarely consider their effective possibilities
There is certainly vast difference in every
important respect, in speed, armor, and
armament, between these single turret
single screw relics of more than gener.
alton ago and their successors. They go but
five or six knots, where the latter go ten
or twelve; they carry smooth. .bores, where
power rifles; their side armor, too, is not
only thinner, but of iron, so that it is
much less effective than the solid steel
plates of our day.
1t has frequently been proposed to sub.
stitute rifles for their smooth .bores, one
plan favored by distinguished bureau
officers being that of new turrets, while
another was that of removing their turrets
altogether and substituting pair of s,inch
rifles or a single 1O.inch OH the disappear
ing carriage, the armor that protects the
vessel being also the protection for the
gun. But against this plan it was urged
that the side armor was so thin as to fur.
nish little protection, while at least the
turrets which it was proposed to remove
were over twice as thick, besides having
the advantage of heing cylindrical. In
short, the proposed alterations were never
carried ont, it being felt, perhaps, that the
amount of money required would be better
expended on new ships.
We must take these vessels, then, as we
find them to-day, for just now nobody
would advocate alterations that might be
The sun., 1898-03-09
Foreign Notes or Real Iaterest.

Sweden has now lie, 068, ,e4o acres OF forest lands
owned by tho State an increase in the States hold.
ings in thirteen years Of 8, 500, ,972 acres.
par,..s rauous hor,. ,h..,,r, ,-a. =, ,,. rru,r.s
aardan IN. rsou,or h,oo,,,,n ., -,,oh on u,rch On
was the arst r.coon,vad Al, -, .n,,n g., ,h, V,,ncb
can,,al "a dad
Ans'sh en'' VINO are in'pruasht enough 70 m.'
s"'HA"e" nav nara 'ino "heh tney seI " NN'n"
roui h'Aifieu 10 members OF the Chihese EnoA''
i.on'oh' afo now ueSttute In Shanghai hA''Dt oeo-
thrown over Dy 'heir husbands
Italy has paid 81 900 for the largo mosaic recently
discovered at Tore Annunziata at tho foot OF Vesu
vius. 1t tcontains sevon male figures. with acroS
oils like that at Athens In the background. and
probably represents PIatop Academy. A splendid
border OF flowers and fruit incoses it,
A p,.,., \, - =, -, ,. 80 o,a
The sun., 1898-03-09
Tho Sing Sing Murder.

To THE EDITOR OF THE suS-Sir: The account in
to'day's Sun OF the killing at Sling Sing prison OF
wife by erconvict husband who had been employed
in the messroom as peeler OF potatoes calls to mind
the cases of Cornetti and Mongano. who. some ten
years ago, used their potato knives slash and kill
fellow convicts.
HH be true that history repeats itself,"it might
be well to employ others than pesling pota
toes in that noted home for Grim inas or at least to
not so employ any convict who has been sent there
Tor the crime or assault homicide &C. evincn nR heat
or uncontrolRhl passion. '
on" would think that such long experience as the
Sing Sing guardians are supposed TO have would have
Taught them the necessity OF enforcing such
hle rules and precautions as would make II ordinarily
safe for person TO visit an inmate tn re, '''
ciay in light OF the so early ana pa
AFFAIR Rrs"Fp '
MARCH o, 1898. ""
The sun., 1898-03-09

in progress and incomplete when the
monitors were needed. Taking them as
they are, they are by no means to be de-
spised as adjuncts of harbor defence. To
begin with, five OF them are in actual use
by the naval militia, the Ajax In New
Jersey, the Comanche in California, the
Nantucket in North Carolina, the Passaic
in Georgia, and the Wyandotte In Connec'
ticut. This fact suggests that most or
all the others will be found available, for
their engines have been examined and
cared for from timc to time. 1t also sug.
gests that the State naval militia can man
these vessels, so making them clear gain
to our defensive strength.
Each vessel carries two 1b.inch guns in
its turret, except the Comanche, which, IL
we do not mistake has no guns. These guns
are smooth -bores, but they throw a big
projectilc which at moderate range could
smash through the sides Of an unarmored
vessel. Then the extremely low freeboard of
these monitors makes them very difficult
target to hit, and the turrets carry eleven
inches of iron armor, while their shape, as
has been said, helps to make hostile shots
glance. Again, the mean draught of the
five larger monitors is only 1919 feet, and
that of the remainder 11l2, so that they
could lie in shallow waters which an en-
emy's seagoing vessels could not reach.
These monitors, therefore, are clearly
available as coast defenders, being specially
serviceable for the smaller, yet important,
harbors, and particularly so in those that
have less powerful guns, or none at oil.
They could show in various ways that
their day of usefulness is not past.
The sun., 1898-03-09
slaughter or Robin. In tho south.

To THE EDITOR OF The SuS-Sir: Who has not noted
with regret the growing scarcity of our beautiful
robins each year? How many have inquired as to
the reason for this decrease the ranks of our
feathered songsters? To these the following facts
may prove OF Interest: Robins we know hatch their
Young Ia these parts. Asfa appro aches IN " mgrats
10 the south IA re they are found in cuIoni ~ and
are hunted aud slaught rel ind.scrmiuately. You
sale; YOU Will fnd Them served a. restaurant nni
robins are offered for sale by mu and roys at rail.
way stations on the arrival Of trains. | have seen
them picked up by III" dozens from under tho China
trees after having become ntoI Gated by the inspid
and Overripe juices OF the fruit. '
Here are few facts that TO show the reason for
the scarcity OF robins and the question an.
nuAlly asked on the arrival OF spring; "where are
the robins?" Shall they become extinctP pray not
TRAVELLING SALESMAN
The sun., 1898-03-09
New Warships Should Be Bought
Quickly.

II our Government has any intention of
strengthening the navy by the purchase of
ships abroad, no time should be lost in ac
uuirlng title to the selected vessels. Imme-
diately after the destruction of the Maine,
we suggested that she should be re-
placed ut once, our reason for the sugges
tion being that, after the beginning of
O war, we should be unable to buy vessels
from any neutral nation. Upon this point
international law may be considered set
tied since the decision in the Alabama case
was rendered. Even where English or
French contractors have agreed to build
warships for foreign power and have re-
ceived payments on account, yet, If the
prospective purchaser has become involved
In war before perfecting it's title, it has been
unable to get possession of the vessels.
If we were to buy the Brazilian ship Am
azonas, now lying at Gravesend, we could
undoubtedly make use of her, even if war
with Spain broke out an hour after the
purchase, for the delivery would have been
perfect. the ship would have become our
property, and the vessels of a belligerent
have the right to enter and leave the ports
of neutral country. Different is the case
of the unnamed sistership of the Amazon
as, which is still on the stocks. That ship
we should not wish to acquire title to until
her value has been attested by trial trip.
Even if we were willing to waive such
test, it is doubtful if the British authori-
tics would connivc at an evasion of that
provision of the law of nations which for
bids the sale of a warship by the subjects
of neutral State to n belligerent.
1t is we'll enough to secure options on
uncompleted vessels and take our chance
of the vessels being finished before war
occurs, but if there is a prospect of a speedy
outbreak of hostiltes we should strenu-
ously endeavor to gain at once full title to
warships which are capable of immediate
delivery. or vessels in this category, there
are not many worth buying. but some there
are, and, if we do not get these, it is pos
sible that Spain may find the means of
doing. so.
Even as regards the two warships now
building in this country for Japan, it would
be wiser, from the viewpoint of intcrna-
tional law, to buy them before, than after,
the beginning of war.
1t would, of course, be the cue of Spain.
should she have bought warships herself,
to precipitate hostilities before the United
States should be able to increase our navy
in the same way.
The sun., 1898-03-09

THE New YORK Sun still insists that the ex-
preston .'in midst 10 all wrong notwithstand.
ing the usage OF several eminent authors and the
ttmony TO the contrary of such authorities as DR..
NOAH WEBSTER. SToRMoSTH and the Century Diction-
ary.-BOston Herald.
ary speaks of " in our midst" as " at the best OF
but doubtful propriety;" that WEBSTER simply
asserts. without giving any authority. that
"some good writer's use the phrase, and that
the Century quotes in behalf Of it only an unin,.
portant author, MONTGOMERY, and tho irrele-
want argument of FITZEDwARD HALL that the
phrase is correct by analogy. No eminent
authors" were adduced. But what is the use of
trying to insert an idea into a dense Bostonian
midsti Against stupidity even the gods fight
in vain
The sun., 1898-03-09
TO SUCCEED PROF. HOLDEN.
Pror James 4. Keeler Elected Director or
Lick Observatory.

SAN FRANCISCO. March Sat meeting Of
tho Regents Of the State University to-day Prof.
James f. Keeer, now at Allegheny Observa-
tory, was elected director of Lick Observatory,
to succeed Prof. Edward s. Holden, who re.
Gently resigned after twenty five years of ser.
vice. Three men were placed in nomination.
Prof. George Davidson, well known for his long
connection with the Coast and Geode tc Survey;
Prof. N. Schaeberle, acting manager at Mount
Hamilton, and Prof. kceler. On first vote
Davidson and Schaeberle each received ten
votes and Keeler only two. Then Judge Wal
lace, who was making Davidson's fight, deliv.
cred little speech in which he roasted Regent
Phelps, who was backing Schaeberlc. This
speech SO angered Phelps that he cast all his
votes for Keeler, thus electing him. Prof.
Keeer was educated at Johns Hopkins and has
made specially of spectroscope work. His
most famous discovery was that the rings OF
Saturn were. composed Of small satellites. He
was driven from Lick Observatory by the arb
trary conduct of ex-Director Holden and went
to Allegheny Observatory. Recently he de-
liycred the address at tho opening of the Yerks
Observatory.
The sun., 1898-03-09
TEA PARTIES IN POLITJCs.
Novel Method or Campaigning Adopted by tho
Women OF Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, o., March s.-Pink teas are play
ing an important part in Cleveland politics.
Inc women have started novel form of politI-
cal campaign Mrs. b. +. Taylor is candl-
date for the school council and the club wo-
men have come out strong In her behalf. Meet.
ings not on the methods ordinarily In vogue are
being held. The greatest innovation Is the
ward meeting Instead of being OF the regula
ton sort, these are nothing less than teas Every
AFTERNOON tea parties are he'd in every yotinS,
pecnct in the city, TO which men as well ns
women arc invitGd; To.morrow's parties will
be given by Mrs ID. T. Rhodes, Senator Hanna 3
Mrs. j; Dwight Palmer, Mrs. Jane Elliott
snow, Mrs. a. II. Smith, Mrs. Winifred Brogers'
The sun., 1898-03-09

DR.. billings estimated the number In the United
States in 500 at ~ per 0OO or ary so per cent
more than In ontario In lS97. Thr low birth rate in
Ontario II undoubtedly due to the fact that a very
large percentage Of the young and productive OF both
sexes emgrate to this country.
There were "a, ,S51 deaths In Ontario in 1897 or
per 600 This IL low death rate when the fact
stated above Ia taken into consideration and proves
that the cnat" is healthful. The net natural in.
crease was 10 per !. 900.
The province is not gaining In population from i'm
migration, while IS losing heavily from emf gratIon
II the natural Increase Is only 10 per 1000 in the
most hnuefu province for decade and the loss from
emigration is not less than numb for the same
period II vii not be surprising n in 1901 the popuia
ton OF Canada outside OF the Klondke region less
than IL YVES In 1891.
The gain In population In this country from natural
Increase and immigration MSS exceeded upon the
average $50 900 for each OF the last nine dec.
ades. In 1870 the population Of the United States
was a trife more than ten times thut OF Canada In
1900 from present indications, II will he nearly or
quite sixteen times that Of the Dominion. This CON
trast deserves the serious consideration of her
Majesty's subjects in North America.
FRANCIS WAYLANp GLEN
The sun., 1898-03-09

An admirer OF craftsmanship asks,
what has become Of JAMES HAMILTON
LEwIsi Is he lost in thouehti'' No. he is too
great n man to To lost in thought. If he is
ever lost, thought will not be responsible. He
gets his thoughts ready-made. and they are no
trouble to him. His present season of rest is
tho result of design. "A great orator like Inc"
he says, mustn't mako himself too common.
l shall not speak more than three times a week.
on an average, but when I do speak something
drops" Something drops, indeed; tear from
all the eyes of heaven.
The sun., 1898-03-09
Population or Canada.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir: In the report of
the Dominion census taken in 1891. the population
OF Ontario is stated to be 2.1l4.i75 At the begin.
ming Of 1907 It may fairly be estimated at 1900 900
1t is by far the most heaIhfu progressive prosper.
Gus. wealthy an best governed province OF Canada.
1t has an area OF nearly 100000 square miles. The
RegstcrGeneral OF the province in his report for
1897 declares that there in that year 49, 9OS
births or ~ per 900 oI lac population
Tho Register General Of Great Britain gives the
number OF births 1000 in European countries in
1893 as followst
The sun., 1898-03-09

The unanimous vote by which the House
Of REPRESENTATIVES passed. tho National De
fence bill yesterday is honorable to tho
patriotism Of that body and expresses the
feeling of the whole country. Republican and
Democrat and Populist arc unknown names
80 far as tho defence OF the United States is
concerned. For that purpose there is but one
party and 1t contains all Americans.
The sun., 1898-03-09

comes to tho defence OF his bread-and-
butter. tho men who are trying to take It out OF
his mouth shake their heads mournfully and
cry coercion" In view OF the ingratitudo
which tho employees OF the railroads invariably
show to tho philanthropists in the Legislature
who try to hurt tho railroads. 1t soems strange
that tho philanthropio efforts are not relaxed.
Tho philanthropists have stout hearts as we'll
MS ablo economic notions. Besides. they are
magicians They know the secret and can work
the wonder whereby the less railroad gets, tho
more it is able to pay.
The sun., 1898-03-09
Thoy Was, Southern H,.,o,,,..

RICHMOND. Va, March s.-The History Com.
mittee OF the Grand Camp of Confederate Vet.
Grams of Virginia to-day passed resolutions se
verc!y condemning tho histories now in use In
the public schools. They strongly recommend
Mrs Susan Pendleton Lee. both Southern an
thors. strong pressure, viii be brought to bear
on me state Board of Education TO adopt these
The sun., 1898-03-09
Dsrmltsr, System FOR Cornell

ITHACA, March "a special meeting of the
Board of Trustees OF Cornell University has becn
called for tomorrow. and to-day IL is rumored
about the campus that a gift for the erection of
colloge domitories has been received, upon
whlch the trustees will act. At the last regular
meetinH held last week. IL was decided to erect
nSIs St residence as soon as gifts had been re
The sun., 1898-03-09

The Licking Division of the Order Of
Railway Conductors has passed reSouton
opposing the twocent car fare bill now before
the Ohio Legislature. The conductors assert
that the bill is a bill to reduce their wages.
The author OF tho bill says that tho rail
way employees who object to 1t are coerced
This seems to be favorite explanation among
the corporation-Qusllsrs. When an employee
The sun., 1898-03-09
A Gentlemnnl IL Shot.
From the 1Enshfnoton. On Chron

From the Washington, Ga. Chronicle.
On Monday Mr.. John c. Dyson. while out par.
fridge shooting. made the most remarkable shot
on record. He was on stony ground and ss the
bird flew up he raised his gun to shoot. but the
stock caught in his clothing and the gun fired.
the shot striking the rock and, rcocheting killed
the bird. The large smooth rock shows whore
the load from the gun struck. There were q
number of witnesses who saw the bird killed In
this manner, and. besides Mr.. Dyson is q gentle.
man who would not need witness to aven az
remarkable O shot as this ono.
The sun., 1898-03-09

Assistant Professor WILLIAM L. PHELPS,
now an instructor in English at Yale. says:
when was at Harvard had to read and correct
200 themes week. and sooner than do that kind OF
thing again would rather he motormsn"
Presumably Mr.. PHELPS doesn't have 10 cor.
rect themes at New Haven. He lectures In his
remarkable English and his pupils correct him
The sun., 1898-03-09
A Kiss Goes with Each Boek.
From the Cincinnati ENQUIRER.

FULTON. KY. March 5.-Miss Beatrice Gun.
ningham. who halls from Cadiz. KY. has created
she has written and published, called Pink
Root Blossoms" She proposes to give 4 kiss
with each book sold. This morning a real estate
agent took four copies on these conditions and
received four kisses. The sale was msde on
The sun., 1898-03-09
How Cy Lyle Woa the Ret.


From the Hardrmdn, Ky., Free Press.
cy Lyle OF tho johnson City Comet is hog mean. He
bet us quart OF spirits that bloodhound could
not trail his negro boy through a cowlot. We lost
because Cy put red pepper on the negro boys feet
ana most sneezed our dog TO death. LynchinS is too
good for q man who win do trick like this He de.
serves 10 lie made to into another house twice
a month.
The sun., 1898-03-09
siEns or . Thaw In Lowell.
From the Boston Adperffser.

LOWELL, March 6.-Cats arc very good BE-.
rometers. When thaw is coming they will slt
on the highest fences and positions. Just previ.
GUS to tho soft weather week ago six cats were
highest branches. 1t was q sure indication Of .
The sun., 1898-03-09
A MOyinE Palace.

The Pennsylvania Limited with its magnificent ne"
equipment Is realization OF the ideal iu railway
travel. The business man takes It because he can
trade as he goes; the rich because IL affords iho
convenience and comfort OF q well ordered hsAS
Leaves New \ ork daily for the WssL-AdV.
The sun., 1898-03-09

II our Jrtsnd, uOho Javor u' 'o'th r"ana'orfp" for
publication St,h to haze rejected articles returned
th,v ru,t IN all cases send stamps for that purpose.
The sun., 1898-03-09

From the Chicago NeieS.
Miss Elderly-I am deeply interested in the study
OF prehistoric man.
AilA cuttiAs-He was . near relAtio of yours.
0upboSS.