davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02
ELECTRICITY FOR
 USE IN WARFARE
Several Novel Inventions Sub nitted by an Enthusiastic
 Ohio Man.
One Is a Sword Connected With a :l Battery and Another Is a Lassoe
 of Pliant Wire.

Specia, Dispatch to The Call
 NEW YORK, Jan. 1.--A Washington special to the Herald says: Brigadier- General F1agler. chief of ordnance of the army, is in receipt of several very novel war propositions from an en- thusiastic electrician, who halls from Ohio. One of the appliances is called by the inventor an electric sword: The. inventor observes in his letter that he has not yet applied. for patents. pre- ferring to give the Government the ex- elusive use and control, of his inven- tions. The sword Is described as being an ordinary saber, but from. the blade near the hilt runs an insulated wire, connected with a small battery, to be carried either in the .cavalryrnan.s pocket or attached to his saddle. A button to control the. current is placed on the hilt of the sword. In: action. says the inventor, when the soldier is in a position to strike an adversary lie will press the button and if. the Weap- on should touch the. sword or body of his enemy the full current. will. be communicated and the enemy. would be so stunned that. he could be easily dispatched. :.
 Another scheme of the same .inven. lOI lS d hAhu VI tooSO VI PAteluS: H4fS, connected with a battery in the: pocket of soldier, the controlling hutton be-. ing placed just outside the box. con- taining the battery, the insulated wire being coiled closely about the, soldiers, arms. At the end of the wire is. to be. attached to a rod constructed of mate. rial which is good conductor of elec- tricity. The primary design. of this: invention, the Ohio man says, is to break up cavalry or infantry Sonanac- In a rapid advance the wire is to be thrown in the midst of the opposing troops. the current being at the same
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02
J. sloot Fossett Here.

J. ;Sloat Fassett of Elmira, N. T., the well-known politician of Gotham. arrived yesterday from China, en route for the East, after a tour around. the world. Mir. Fassett is the son-in-law of Mrs. E. B. Crocker, late of Sacramento and now of New York. He is accounted a power in New York politics, and his chances of fu- ture preferment are considered among the best: He was agreeably entertained last night by his many friends in this city.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02
THE OWLS COMPANY.
A Joyous Feost at the BoheDion Club-Messoges of Good Will,

The Owls invitation to the Christ mas feast of the Bohemian Club on new years night announced that the dinner would begin at 6:30 p. m. and continue indefinitely. The banquet was in the old, old fashion with much cheer and little ceremony. The tables were spread to accommodate 150, and that number joined in the festivities of the feast The music, vocal and otherwise, was inspiring, the speeches were happy and not too long, and the de- pertinent of aspirants for the presi- dency of the club was above criticism.
 Messages of good will by wire were received from Henry Irving in London, Hugo Poland in New York and Joseph D. Bedding and Louis Sloss Jr. at Monte Carlo. Tn honor of the banquet the house was nobly decorated.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02

time turned on fulI.:force He thinks:
 the effect would be ma agical-: The ir- : represible electrician: has a mo odifica-> tion of this. weapon. This. is to ali in tents and purposes a: perfect >Iasso* of wire: A scout thus armed, he. says,
 could steal up; to a sentry; .fasso=a man. and strangle or: kill him by. electricity without noise. ': "
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02
SWINDLED THE MATRON.
Mrs. Ford Robbed of Three Dollars
 by c Scheminq Stranger.

The police are looking for an old man who swindled Mrs. Ford, matron of the Girls Training Home at 514 How ard street, out of s. Last Thursday
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02
Injured in a Collision.

A car of the Howard-street line col lided with buggy in which were seated
 three men at Ninth street last evening. Peter Kelly, one of the occupants. was thrown out. and sustained confusion of the lip and an abrasion of the elbow. His companions were not injured. Kelly was taken to the Receiving Hospital, where his injuries were dressed by pr. O'Brien.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02

Advances made on furniture and pianos with or without removal. J. Noonan. Iol7 1o2s Mission.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02
THE CALLS" RACING CHART.

PACFIc COAST JOCKEY fourth Winter Meeting 1893 Weather fne
  2RR
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-02

sDisqualihed a foul placed second.
 Time 1:27%. E.. F. Smiths f. three Sriving.. Too dark much of the
The Conservative, 1898-10-20

this plan, but when it was brought for
mally before the government of India it
was rejected with something like terror.
1t was a plan, they said, to introduce
unheard-Of fluctuations i'll the rate of
exchange, to throw all business into con-
fusion, to infict losses upon
individuals, and to undo all that they
had gained since 1898. They said that
they v could give their assent to it,
and they implored the government Of
Great Britain to dismiss it from their
minds. This reply was wholly unex-
pected by the Salisbury ministry, and
was received by them with disappoint-
ment and even dismay.
That was not the only obstacle encoun-
tered by the government. 1t had agreed
to advise the Bank of Englandto keepone-
fifth of it's reserves in silver, and the
Bank had taken some action which the
public construed to be an assent. There
upon there came such an outburst of re-
monstrance from the leading financiers
and merchants of the United Kingdom
that the whole project fell dead. Sena-
tor Wolcott preached it's funeral sermon
after he came home.
1 have said hat Mexico and China
are the only countries of any size that
adhere voluntarily to the silver standard.
Mexico is a large producer of silver, and
is still rather backward in point of civil
ization. China can hardly be said to
have a government. Does not the una
nimity of the civilized world stand for
something in this debate? Is it not
reasonable to suppose that the nations
understand their true interests in this
matter? Is it not probable that our in
terests are the same as theirs? Two
years ago we heard a great deal about
the British gold standard, in terms i'm
plying that if Great Britain has the gold
standard we ought to be against it. By
a parity of reasoning, I suppose that if
Spain has the silver standard now, we
ought to be against that.
mot ENOUGH GOLD TO DO THE WORLDS
BUSINESS.
You have often heard it said, as al
objection to the gold standard, that
there is not gold enough in the world to
do the business of the world. 1t has not
always been easy to answer this objec-
ton, because there are no statistics
either of the amount of gold in the
world, or of the amount of business in
the world nor, if there were such statis-
tics, is there any standard of sufficiency
by which we could judge whether
the right proportion exists between the
two. AS Mr.. Fred Perry Powers has
very wisely said in a recent pamphlet:
"Use means a radically different thing
when applied to money and when ap-
piled to wheat. Wheat is used when
The Conservative, 1898-10-20
Che Conservative.

value, as India has. This is not bimet-
allism. That term means the concur
rent circulation of two metals at a ratio
fixed by law, as, for example, sixteen
pounds OF ounces, of coined silver as the
equal of one pound or ounce of coined
gold. There is 10 such circulation in
any part of the world, either at the
ratio of 16 to 1 or at any other ratio.
When the government of India dis
continued the coinage of silver in 1893
the rupee was worth 154d. in gold. It's
value followed that of silver downward
until it reached 13d. Silver continued
to fall, but the rupee remained at or
near 13d. AS the quantity of rupees
could not be increased, they ceased to
be governed by the price of silver in the
market, but 1uctuated within narrow
limits like an irredeemable paper cur
rency. By and by they began to rise.
They are now worth I'D. This is the
price at which the government hoped to
make the rupee and the pound sterling
circulate together freely, I. e., fifteen
rupees equal to one pound. AS the
market ratio seems tolerably firm, the
government has decided to establish the
gold standard, and is now taking steps
to that end.
INTERNATIONAL BIMETALLISM.
This is all hat history has to say
about the gold standard since 1893.
There is something to be said about in
ternational bimetallism since that time.
Entertaining sincere respect for Senator
Wolcott and his colleagues who visited
Europe last year in the endeavor to pro-
mote international bimetallism, I think
that the failure of their mission must be
taken as conclusive against the success
of any such scheme. There have been
three international conferences called
which failed-one in 1878, another in
1881, still another in 1892, the Wolcott
commission of last year being an en-
deavor to bring about a fourth. The
failure of the Wolcott commission grew
out of the attempt-the very proper at
tempt-to define in advance what steps
should be taken to put bimetallism in
practice. All the previous conferences
had been brought together without any
plans at all. The Wolcott commission
proposed that the ratio of 159 to 1 be-
tween silver and gold should be adopted,
and that the United States, France and
India should agree to open their mints
to the unlimited coinage Of silver on
that basis. England had previously de-
clined to adopt bimetallism for herself
OH any terms or ratio whatsoever, but
had offered to recommend to the gov
eminent of India the reopening of the
mints of that country and to advise the
The Conservative, 1898-10-20
HISTORY OF THE GOLD STANDARD.
Address by Mr.. Horace White, Editor of
The New York Evening Post, at the Ma
tional Currency Convention, Omaha, Neb.,
September 18th, 1885,

The part assigned to me in this discus
sion is the history of the gold standard.
That theme is not so interesting today
as it was when I essayed it at the
Worlds Congress of Bankers and FL
nanciers in Chicago five years ago. The
nation has moved forward since that
time, and some things, about which
there was great dearth of information
then, are pretty well understood now.
1 shall not repeat what I have already
said OH the subject. The history of the
gold standard is substantially a nara
tive of attempts on the part of govern
ments and peoples to make two metals,
variable in their nature, stable in refer
ence to each other. These attempts
were generally honest, although some
times advantage was taken of the varia-
tions, and of the recoinages which fol-
lowed, to make an illicit gain for the
government or for the reigning monarch,
at the expense of the people. Mr.. WA.
Shaw, in his History of Currency"
tCllS uS tlld LII IldlCS UlC lCSul ltllO
between silver and gold was changed
$50 times in a single century, or at the
rate of three times every two years. Of
course there could not have been that
number of r%ecoinages. The changes of
ratio were simply DEGREES issued by the
royal authority. There were five COM
plete recoinages in the reign Of Louis
XIV, and the reign of Louis XVI began
with a sixth.
RECENT PROGRESS OF THE WORLD TO-
WARD H GOLD STANDARD.
In my discourse at Chicago in 1898 l
gave an account of the changes in the
market ratio of the two metals in Eu-
rope and America which had led the
nations, n by one, to the conclusion
that it was perfectly futile to attempt to
have a double standard of value-that it
was impossible to do so, and that all the
time spent in seekingit was wasted, like
the pursuit of an ignis fatuus. The result
was that in nearly all civilized countries
the single gold standard had at that
time been adopted. A few days later
(June 26, 1889 it was announced that
India had discontinued the coinage of
silver, with the purpose of adopting the
gold standard as o on as possible. Chile
adopted the gold standard in 1896, Japan
adopted it in 1897, and Russia has COM
pleted her arrangements for that pur-
pose during the present year. Ecuador
and Peru have either adopted the gold
standard or have announced their in
tention to do so. The only country
that has gone back from gold to silver
is Spain, and this has been due to her
recent misfortunes. Substantially the
only silver standard countries remain
ing are China and Mexico. There are no
.o&11.- -. l~.l1o
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27
No. Y
A Successful Cooperative Colony.

| visited the community at Lake Bay,
| Wash. known as the Mutual Home
Association, the other day. and was
very agreeably entertained. looking
over their site and conversing with the
various members. 1t would be hard to
find II more enterprising and intelli-
gent community of pioneers in any
State. They know what they want,
and, from what | saw, know how to
get it,
Two years ago three families. tired
of the conditions under which they
lived, and having had some experience
in cooperative colonies. moved to the
present site, determined to found q
community which should leave. the
greatest freedom to the individual and
give him at the same time the benefits
of cooperation.
They had a combined capital of $50,
but knowing they We're right their lack
of money did not daunt them. They
purchased 20 acres of land on Joes Bay
and proceeded to build their homes.
Today there are ID families there. with
their homes, gardens. cows and
chickens. The land is all paid for and
they have good comfortable houses. A
group of co-operatOrs own and oper-
ate comparatively small printing
outfit, have two teams of horses. and have
just purchased an engine and drag saw.
The engine is fitted with drum and
cable and will be used for logging and
clearing. a tax title has been pur-
chased on l20 acres adjoining the origi-
nal site by some of the members, and
this will be added to the association
lands as soon as the title is perfected.
The purchase of other land adjoining
| is under consideration. which will make
fine building sites for future members.
The land is held by corporation
| composed of all the members of the
community, and cannot be sold. nor can
the association go in debt for anything.
Thus the homes are secure. Anyone
can secure a membership by paving a
sum equal to the purchase price of one
acre of land. plus 81 for certificate.
This entities the holder to a life lease
of one acre. He can take two acres
mot more on the same terms. This
land can be used in any manner the in
dividual sees fit and is his as long as he
pays the taxes ON it, The individuals
cooperate in any work they may wish,
forming voluntary groups for this pur-
pose, and say that while they reap all
the benefits of cooperation they have
none of the drawbacks of the co-opera-
tive community in which there is no
chance for the individual to work as he
| pleases: that it reduces the chances of
dissension to minimum, as anyone
who does not wish to cooperate does
not need to: that it will be the means
of educating the members up to perfect
cooperation, and will show which
things can be best done by cooperation
and which by the individual
Altogether this community Is most
interesting and instructive.
G. II. SWIiART.
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27
A Sensible Democrat

In recent speech, Representative
Bailey of Texas said; The gentleman
from Maine ,Dingleyl advocated the
placing of 4 bonded debt on the coup
try of 5000, 100000, I'VE propose, said
Bailey, ITO tax the rich men now
rather than mortgage the poor men of
coming generations" lApplausel.
Discussing the question Of the SUI
preme court decision in the income
tax case. he Gee Jared that no question
was ever settled until it was settled
rightly. He then combated the the
DRY that the income tax was prohib-
tied by the constitution. He said the
income tax provisions which the mi
nority had drawn and which would be
offered by McMillin, had been drawn
to meet the portion of the courts de-
cision which was unanimous. Bailey
declared that the income tax was the
most just tax ever conceived.
IF l we're rich ana prosperous" he
continued, II would contribute of my
abundance to my country in this time
of stress because would not want it
said in the history of these times that
the poor gave more of their blood than
the rich we're willing to give of their
treasure. Applause.
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27
Approval From Prof. Parsons.

Your editorials on the war are most
excellent. Your remarks embody a
good deal of hard sense and clear in
sight. wrote some time ago an arti-
Gle at request of the Arena July ISSUE,
and took very similar views to yours
that this war is part of the great
movement we represent, and though it
may have incidental evils, and even
set back some other parts of the move
ment, perhaps the main outcome will
be good.-Frank Parsons, Manhattan,
Kan. In New Time.
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27
As Our Platform.

!, For direct legislation under the
system known as the initiative and
referendum,
Under the initiative the people can
require that any desired law shall be
submitted to them for a vote, when,
if 1t receives majority of the votes
cast, ii will be thereby enacted.
BY the referendum. the people can
require that any law which has been
adopted by legislature shall. before
becoming operative, be submitted to
a vote of the people for their appro-
val or rejection, when, if such law
fails to secure a majority of the votes
cast, it will be thereby rejected.
platform of Union Reform Party
of Ohio.
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27
An English View.

Inc one redeeming feature of this
Jar Is the fact that it has drawn the
|nglish speaking people closer together
pa II 1t result in an alliance between
treat Britain and the United States we
'iaii all feel safer. For one, | would
|ot look such gift horse in the mouth,
II seems the correct thing in Social
|uc circles TO do. There will be big
ar before the Social Revolution is
|'sslble, and on that day we shall be
Re better for having Uncle Jonathan
[ioulder TO shoulder with John Bull
|orward, Leeds, England.
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27

The feeblest objection against the
system is that it originated in Switzer-
land-a small republic. The American
system of many united States-a ma
tion composed of federated States-ori-
ginated in Switzerland. The constitu-
tion of Switzerland as it relates to the
powers of the general republic and of
the several cantons is almost identical
with the constitution of the United
States along many important parallel
lines. If there is no argument against
the system better than the fact that it
originated in Switzerland the discussion
may be regarded as closed.
If the people make the laws-initiate
legislation by applying for certain
law to be enacted. and if they ratify it
by reference to the sutfrage-it is
certain that no law will appear on the
statute book by which their rights are
sacrificed and the proceeds of taxation
are diverted TO corrupt uses. Purity
in legislation would follow system by
which every statute of high Importance
especially statutes involving public
franchises and grants-should be sub
mitted to a popular vote for ratification.
There is no other sanction of law as
imperative as that which has been the
subject of the referendum and approved
at the ballot box. Chicago journal.
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27
A Coming Alliance.

Japanese vessels are coming into
California ports with the Japan, English
and American flags painted all over
them. Such will be the alliance of the
near future. We can do all the kick
ing we please, but the rulers of these
three nations have agreed on it and it
WILDE carried out. Appeal 70 Reason.
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27

It's risky business to pick one man
out of 10000 or more and send him TO
congress to do what the people want
him to do unless you have the compell-
ing power behind him. Most congress-
men never give the wishes of their con-
stitueney single thought because they
can make more for themselves by serv-
ing the lobbyist. Medicine Lodge
Index.
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27
THE TAKING OF HAVANA TOWN
IN 1902.
(Anent the Proposed American-EngIand
AlIiance.)

AlIiance)
1t was lovely summer day,
In sev'nteen siXty-two,
with a yo-heave-ho. my heartily
That twenty sail from New York bay,
Swan out into the blue,
All full of Yankee soldiers gay
And Yankee sailors. too,
Who had joined them for the party
With yO-heave-ho.
Connecticut thousand sent:
New York eight hundred with them
went
Five hundred Jerseymen: intent
To fight with Britons, side by side,
And blow to dust Spain's boasty pride,
with a yO-heave-hO, my heartily
Ten thousand men month before
And heroes were they all
with Il yo-heave-ho, my heartily
From Portsmouth made the Cuban shore
To see Havana fall:
Lord Albemarle was general DER,
And Pococke admiral,
Who had joined them for the party
With yo-heave-ho0
The Spanish fleet they filled with shame:
They filled Havana town with flame:
They cheered the Yankees as they came
To fight with Britons, side by side.
And blow to dust Sppin's boasty pride,
with a yo-heave-ho, my heartily
We cheer the British in the bay
Beside Havana town,
with yo-heave-hO. my heartily
We laugh to see Spain's proud array
In Moro Castle frown,
And set ourselves to work straightway
To tear old Moro down,
SO we joined them for the party,
With a yO-heave-ho0
Old Central Lyman takes command.
Bold Isr'el Putnam lends hand,
And straight our Yankee troop we land
To fight with Britons, side by side,
And blow to dust Spain's boasty pride.
with yO-heave-ho, my heartily
We make breach, we raise shout
And into MORO rush,
with a yO-heave-hO. my heartily
We drive the ruffian rabble out,
The cheer of Spain We hush:
The flag of Spain falls in the rout,
Her fondest hopes we crush.
when we joined them for the party
With a yO-heave-ho0
In vain the Seville devils kneel
While Leon weeps. and all CASTLE
Bemoans the weight of Yankee steel:
For Britons, Yankees. side by side,
Have blown to dust SPANS boasty pride.
with yo-heave-ho, my heartily
Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-08-27
Original Calamity Howler.

Noah was calamity bowler, and the
bones of the men who laughed at him
have helped to make the phosphate
beds out of which fertilizers are now
dug for market. Henry d. Lloyd.