davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
PIN HOLES IN THE CHECKS.
Only one of the Cashiers Precautions
Overloolxed by the ForGer.

only One of the Cashiers Precautions
Overlooked by the ForSer.
In the course of lecture dcviivered
recently on chemical tests used IN cis-
covering by the ink the age of docn-
ments, and whether there have been in
terpolations, Prof. c. A. Dcremus told
of q curious discovery in the case OF
raised check, made by his father, who
is an expert in chemistry and in docu-
ments. The interests involved in this
case, says the New York Sun, were
very large, ind it was not practicable
that the original check should be tam
pered with or chemically treated. For
purposes of testimony an enlarged pho
tograph of the check was taken by DR..
Doremus, who was called as an expert
in the case. The first trial resulted in
no decision, and on the second trial,
what purported TO be the original check
vas produced. 1t was handed to the
cashier of the bank for Identification.
| He examined it and said:
This is not the original check"
"How do YOU know that?" demanded
the amazed lawyer.
| because III tne HedulnS VI ehS OiiS
inal check pricked hole in the center
of each of the 'o's' with pin" was the
reply. This check has not those
holes"
In all other respects the check
seemed to be identical. The court
called for DIR. Doremus' photograph to
be produced. 1t plainly showed the pin
holes. Upon this the lawyer for the de-
fense threw up his case, and the guilty
substitutor of the false check fled the
country.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24

about the change is question that is
certainly open to discussion. Ger
tainly the United States, during the
past two years, under protection and
the gold standard, has been compare
lively prosperous, but were these
agents the cause of the prosperity?
In our sister republic, Mexico,
which is our nearest neighbor. there
has been nc change of administration,
no change in government affairs,
1t still retains silver as its standard
money, and its tariff laws are the sane
as they were two years ago, yet Mexico
has enjoyed season OF unusual pros
perity. More factories have been
built and more new plantations open
ed during the past two years in Mexico
than during any five years before.
The country is exporting more than 1t
imports, and merchants who buy
abroad are discounting their bills.
Railroads are doing an increased busi-
ness. and in the agricultural districts,
the people are better off than for years
past. What has brought about this
revival of business in Mexico? Ger
tainly not change in the policy OF
the government, for there has been
no change. Certainly not legislation
that was enacted in the United States,
for that has, to a certain extent, de-
prived Mexico of a market. Then it
must have been an increased demand
in foreign countries for the products
of this continent. What increased
the prosperity of Mexico was the same
agent that increased the prosperity of
the United States.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
TWO FOOLS AND OTHER FOOLS

| An unusual occurrence was witness
| ed in ST. Louis court room few
days since. The judge, Thomas II.
Peabody, sat upon the bench with his
| finger on the trigger of self acting
revolver, while at the bar was an
| attorney, Jefferson D. Storts, grasping
gun loaded to the muzzle. The
judge and the attorney were not
friends and they came to the court
room thirsting for each others blood.
When Storts asked that case in
which he was the attorney be con-
tinued week and the judge gave him
coz tinueance of only one day, he
took it as a personal affrunt, and ap-
piled some uncomplimentary terms
to the court, and the judge ordered
him thrown out OF the court room.
Storts resisted and the judge drew his
revolver, while the belligerent at
torney presented his murderous look.
ing weapon at the courts head in
threatening manner. 1t looked as if
there was to be war, but there was
not. The men behind the guns were
not the kind of stuff that fight. They
were pair of fools who armed them.
selves for the purpose of running a
bluff. Then there were other fools who
interefered and prevented bloodshed.
Storts was carried away and locked
up, while the judge with his gun held
the fort and maintained the dignity"
of his court.
1t was an unfortunate thing that the
bystanders did not insist that the
judge and attorney put their weapons
in action and keep them going until
each was shot to death. The COM
munity would be better off without
them. 1t is bad enough when the Or
dinary criminal arms himself with a
gun and goes to hunt an adversary,
but when judge and an attorney,
men who are supposed to uphold the
law, fill their pockets with guns and
enter the court room for the purpose
of displaying their bravery" they
should be made to exercise it. St.
Louis will do itself credit by sending
the judge and the attorney to the
penitentiary and also by giving the
persons who interfered few days in
the work house.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
MAY COME
HOME SOON
Fifty Thousand Volunteers
to Be Mustered Out.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-The war
department has not yet made definite
plans for the muster out of $4,000
volunteers, which was decided on at
the cabinet meeting yesterday, but it
is understood that work will be pretty
well mapped out by the first of the
year.
The completion of the muster out
will depend on whether the depart
ment adopts the plan of three month g
furlough or immediate discharge, with
two months extra pay, as suggested by
Congressman Hull.
1t has been practically decided to
muster all the volunteers in the Phil
ipplnes as fast as they can be replaced
with regulars, so as not to hamper the
administration of the island. Follow
ing the discharges of the regiments oi
the Philippine stations, it is under
stood the volunteer troops in the West
Indies will be mustered out.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN.

Spanish refugees from some of the
northern Islands of the Philippine
group tell revolving stories of the
punishment inflicted upon them by
the Filipipos. In one town the in
surgents formed procession, the
central figure of which was Spanish
lieutenant who was carried along the
streets suspended from a bamboo
pole. On arriving at the plaza the
pole was placed on two forked sticks
and squad of insurgents amused
themselves by shooting as close to the
head of the helpless victim as they
could without hitting him. In another
place Spanish officer was confined in
cell with his hands tied behind him
and was compelled to eat his food from
the floor.
While such treatment of prisoners
is cruel, and should be frowned upon
by all civilized people. the Spaniards
last of all should complain. The
OIL Q Obly pooulhfs ibpo ~ oSoASO
what the Spaniards have taught them
for ages. In fact they are only turning
the tables upon their former masters.
For ages they have been tortured by
the Spaniards and been subjected to
the most. cruel punishment for the
slightest offelse. By this cruelty
they have been transformed into
brutes. and they know no other
methods than the most inhuman for
inflicting punishment upon their
prisoners. The Spaniards are respon-
sible for the education of the Filipinos,
and if they are barbarous and inflict
unusual punishment upon the proud
Dons when they fall into the hands OF
the insurgents they should not COM
plain. The unfortunate Spaniards
who are taken prisoners are only reap.
ing what they have sown.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
THE HARpesT-woRKED WOMAN
In the Land Is the Mistress of the
White House.

In the Land Is the Mistress of the
White House.
The author of series of letters, Civ
ing ''The Inner Experiences of n Cab
met Members Wife," in the Ladies'
Home Journal, gives some new and ex-
ceedingly frank gIimpses of Washing
ton official life. The letters are un-
dated, therefore the administration
cannot be identified. She says of q
presidents wife, in letter to her sis
ter, to whom all the missives are in
dited: "The worst of living in the
white house is the lack of privacy and
room. The first lady of the land
is about the hardest-worked woman in
America in many ways. The present
lovely incumbent has more leisure than
most of those who have occupied the
place, because she knows no more
about the domestic arrangements than
if she lived in hotel. Everything is
turned over to housekeeper, who
does not even report to Mrs. President.
The presidents wife has not the lux
uries nor convenience of ordinary
rich people living in large cities. Her
quarters are circumscribed, and she
is besieged by reporters, especially dur
ing the first year, while the mere read
ing of her letters received every day is
heavy task, although she has secre-
tary to help her out. This Mrs. Pres
ident does not even receive the reports
of the head steward. the chief official
servant of the household. 1t is said
that he went to her not long ago to ask
her advice about getting rat poison 10
kill the numerous rat and mice occu-
pants of the white house (be it said in
shame of the nation), and she told him
his province was to keep everything
iisagreeable hidden from her-from
rats to ghosts. That settled Mr.. Stew
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
EVIDENCE OF FRIENDSHIP.
Great Britain Prevents Filibustere

Great Britain Prevents Fnibusterer
Leaving Hong Kong.
CHICAGO, Dec. pa special to the
Times-Herald from Washington says
Great Britain has given another strik.
ing example of friendship for the
United States, and at the same time
has taken action which is looked upon
in the light of recognition OF the
sovereignty of the United States over
the Philippines. A filbustering expe-
ditlon organized to go to the support
of Aguinaldo has been suppressed at
Hong Kong by order of the British
authorities.
This information came to the state
department few days ago in cable
gram from Consul-General Wildman,
and has just been made public. The
reason for keeping the information
secret was that the department de-
sired to ascertain if possible the source
of the expedition and who was respon-
sible for its organization.
Consul-General Wildman, so far as
can be learned, has not yet been a5le
to get those details.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
UNITED STATES AND MEXICO

For two years past this country has
enjoyed a revival of business in almost
every branch. First. the farmers be-
came prosperous through the harvest
ing of an abundant crop in 1897 and
selling it at good price, which put
money in circulation in channels
where it had not circulated for years,
and from this source the wheels of
commerce were set in motion snd
every industry began feeling the bene-
fetal results. Again, this year the
farmers were favored with good crops,
and while the price of their products
did not rule so high on an average as
they did the previous year, they were
still comparatively fair, and another
prosperous year has resulted.
This change tor the better has been
attributed to a change in the policies
of government; that is, from the enact
ment of a protective policy and the
declaration of the people for the gold
standard. But whether it was legisla.
tion or the favors OF nature that brought
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
WHY STAND STILLe

The meI chant who says he has all
the business he can do and proclaims
that he is perfectly satisfied with trade
is not progressive-hel lacks the pluck
and push of true American. The
farmer who declares he is producing
every pound of produce his farm is
capable of, and will not put forth an
effort to make few more bushels OF
grain grow on each acre when prices
are high, is lacking in enterprise.
The mechanic who says he cannot
turn out more trade from his shop and
does not feel justified in putting forth
an effort to Go more work is behind
the tines. Progress and advance
ment are the watchwords of the times,
and the individual who is satisfied with
present surroundings and has no in
cliDation to better his condition or
business is out of date. This is
moving age, and the person who is
not ambitious enough to get on top OF
the wave is liable to fall under the
surf and be drowned.
What Is true of the individual is true
in connection with communities. The
city, town or hamlet that does not get
on top and ride is going to fall into
disrepute; it is certain to not keep
apace with the more progressive and
up-to-date places. Public spiritedness
will bring place that has no natural
advantages into prominence, while
m ossbackism will kill the best place
in the world.
The Dalles Is one of those places
that possesses every natural advantage
to make it one of the most prosperous
and thrifty business points in the
Northwest, but we are standing still
and we are seeing first one and then
another of our former resources slip
away from us. We have had too easy
thing in the past, but we are learn
ing lesson. We are seeing railroad
line built into the interior that is cer-
tain to lesson our Importance as a
shopping center. We are seeing manu-
featuring industries spring up in other
.ocalities that might been secured here.
We cannot afford this. We must quit
standing still. We must put forth a
little more energy and create induce
ments that will compel the outside
country to come to US. We must have
manufacturing industries and better
roads leading into the country. If not
we had about as well close up shops. |
We must quit standing still and begin |
doing something to put the town on
the move. |
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24

Populist papers are beginning to see
the folly of maintaining an organiza-
tion and the unexpediency of fusion.
They recognize that there can be but
two great parties-the republican and
a party in opposition to it, and that
party must be the old democratic
party that has ever stood for the rights
of the people. The Colfax Commoner,
that has ever been a radical populist
organ, recognizes this fact and says:
"The democratic party is open to all
who are willing to work for the prin-
ciples of the Chicago platform in pref
erence to the policies of the republican
A man does not have to believe in
every one of those principles in order
to enter the democratic ranks. If the
democratic platform, as a whole. suits
him better than the platform of any
other political party does not close the
door to any prodigals who have wand
cred away temporarily, they will be
welcomed home though no fatted calf
will be killed in honor of their return.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
SHERMAN TELLS
A SECRET
The Ex-Seeretary Says War
Could Have Been Averted

CHICAGO, Dec. 20.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
Former Secretary of State John
Sherman, in an interview, tells an
interesting cabinet secret. which in
the days before the war was frequently
suspected, but never established.
With considerable emotion the ex-
secretary said:
II tried to prevent this foolish war
with Spain. AS matter of fact ne
gotiations were already in progress to
purchase Cuba from Spain when the
war feeling suddenly rose and swept
everything before it. And Spain
would have accepted the terms.
This is matter of secret history.
And now what have we to show for all
this expense? Some islands in the
Philippines, for instance, which are
worth about 100000 per annum in
come; increased Indebtedness of 5000,
600, 900 and lot of islands inhabited
mainly by man-eaters. And the most
distressing feature of the affair is that
we are now about to be called upon
to pay $40, 200. 900 for territory that we
could have taken without expending a
dOllar.r
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
4 PLEA FOR THE CHILDREN

The Condor Globe expresses the
following sensible sentiment, that
should meet the approval of every
citizen who cares for the welfare of
future generations in Oregon:
One of the most important matters
that will come before the next session
of the Oregon legislature for consider
alton is the revision of the state school
law. Our public school system is a
matter of vital interest to every man,
woman and child in the state, and
being such it should receive the most
careful attention from our legislators.
Every child within the borders of
our fair state is entitled to the very
best educational advantages possible
and whenever he is deprived of such
advantages, whether by the careless
ness or Indifference of his natural
guardians Or by any defect in the
school law. he is robbed of an heritage
that rightfully belongs to him.
In this age of keen competition of
progress and of everlasting hustle
every man, no matter what his occu-
patton, is in daily need of a we'll
trained intellect. and if he lacks the
early training and the fundamental
principles of education which he
should have received in the public
schools in his childhood, he finds him.
self unable to cone with his more
fortunate fellows and is gradually
forced to the wall. In every CON-
munity may be found mum bers of dis
appointed, unsuccessful men, whose
partial or complete failure in life may
be attributed to this cause, and who
can justly make the complaint that,
had their early opportunities been bet
ter the final outcome of their lives
might have been vastly different. Let
the people of Oregon, through their
legislators, soon to be assembled, say
that henceforth no child, growing up
within the confines of Oregon, can
justly make this complaint.
Let our school law be revised in
such a way as will make it equal to
the best in the Union. Let us progress
in all things, but above all and over
all, let us progress in the education of
our youth. A school system that was
considered good enough 81 or 25, or
even 10 years ago is not good enough
now. Times are changed. Give the
children chance.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
ON A Casa BASIS.
Portland is Able to Cancel Outstanding
r Warrants.

kOFIlHnu ADlt W ShhCtl
Warrants.
PORTLAND, Dec. 2I.-A second dis
patch received by Manager Dooley, of
the Wells, Fargo's bank, shortly after
3 O'Clock Yesterday afternoon an
nounced the delivery of Portland's
$430,000 funding bonds to Rudolph,
Kleybolte & Co. in New York, and
the availability of the money.
The money was at once placed to the
credit of City Treasurer Hacheney, at
the Wells, Fargo bank, and the official
lost no time in preparing call for
city warrants in order to stop interest.
The first warrants called in were the
lamp fund warrants, amounting,to S76,
155.5S. These were called in today,
and before noon nearly $50, 900 of them
were redeemed. One man, August g
Klosterman, alone held $50, 900 of these
warrants.
The total amount of money placed tt
the credit of the city is $537 300. 40
Of this amount s430, 900 repreaents the
face of the bonds, Sl06, ,774.63 the pre-
MUM, and S1134 20 the accrued inter
est, which was figured up to Decembe
20.
All OF the other outstanding cit
warrants will be called in tomorrow
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
COAL IN CHINA.

The English capitalist is always
looking for the main chance, and pro-
poses not to let it slip. An example
is mentioned in the London Daily
Telegram which says that a British
Syndicate has secured coal field in
the province of Shan Ii, in the north
eastern part of China. 1t lies in close
proximity to vast deposits of brown
hematite and spathic iron and an
abundance of limestone. The syndi-
cate has concession to run for sixty
years. and if those who have obtained
it make the use of it they propose Wei
hai-wei will become great iron CEN
ter, where rails will be more cheaply
produced than in England or the
United States, or at least too cheaply
to permit either of these countries to
hope to successfully compete for the
furnishing of the rails for the newly
projected Chinese roads. 1t is also
probable that when the coal fields are
we'll opened they are said to be $50
miles long by 40 miles wide and of a
very good quality of anthracite-the
exports of black diamonds to the
Orient will suffer a great dimunition.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
WILL NOT DOWN.

That the American government will
spread out its wings over the isles oi
the Pacific is beyond question. The
idea of expansion has seized upon the
people, and they will not be satisfied
until our possessions reach the Asiatic
shore. Cost of lives and money are
not going to be taken into considera-
tion. The people ale so thoroughly
imbued with the idea of expansion
that it will not down. Other people
might hesitate to count the cost of 80
radical change in the systems of gov
ernment as will be necessary for US to
adopt colonial policy, but the
Americans will not. Why this is So.
is explained in the following by the
SpokesmanReview:
Timid men are speaking the word
expansion" in tones of alarm, as if it
were charged with peril, ,"as if expan.
sion were some untried experiment in
our national existence. They forget
or ignore the glowing fact that all
this nation has of independence and
glory and empire it owes to the ex-
pansioD force of its people.
The American is natural expan-
sionist and born colonizer. He is at
home where you place him. Give him
roll of bedding, a little flour. some
bacon and coffee, and box of matches,
and you may drop him in the desert
or the wilderness, 100 or 1000 miles
from civilization, and he will go
whistling about the work of building
campfire and making himself at
home. If farmer, he will scan the
country for its agricultural possibili-
ties;if railroad man, he will instinct
lively look around him for passes
through the mountains and grades
over the prairies. The coloniziDg
spirit is bred in the blood, and you
might as well try to break up the
natural gait of bred trotter as to
talk of clapping the extinguisher on
the expansion trait of American
character. The American people
would not pause at the Alleghanies,
nor at the Mississippi, nor at the
Rocky mountains, and they will not
stop at the shore of the Pacific ocean.
1t is waste of time and breath to
go asking whether we shall "expand"
or "contract." That is something
which will not be settled in newspaper
offices nor controlled by few hundred
men gathered beneath The dome of
the capitol. The eagle will fly, and
the barnyard fowl will not, and there
is an end of the matter. Americans
will drift across the ocean, and some
fine morning we shall have new DOS
session thrust upon us, as Dole
brought in Hawaii, and as Dewey took
in the Philippines; or as pioneer
Americans brought in the Oregon
country more than so years ago.
These great things are not shaped in
the White House nor settled in con-
gress. ''There is divinity which
shapes our ends, rough hew them as
we may"
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
MAY CAUSE A
REBELLION
Serious Trouble Feared in
Samoa.

AUCKLAND. New Zealand, Dec. 21.-
Advices from Samoa under date OF
December l6, say there is serious
trouble in connection with the selec-
tion of king to succeed the late Ma
lietoa. Supporters of Mataafa have
become warl'ke, and it is reported
that the German consul is supporting
Mataafa, in spite of an agreement ar
rived at between the consuls to remain
neutral and allow the chief justice to
decide upon the question of succession.
Foreign residents fear there will be
an outbreak of tribal war when the
chief justice announces his decision.
about the end of the year, and they
are anxious for naval protection.
The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-12-24
To Relieve Volunteers.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22.-Major
General Merriam has ordered that the
work of preparing the transport Scan
dia for another voyage to Manila be
rushed to completion. By the first of
next week he expects to telegraph the
war department that he will be ready
within 10 days to have the Twentieth
United States infantry come here from
Fort Leaven worth, Kan, to board the
Soandia for the Philippines.