davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1899-12-17
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
From fhe Nelr York Suul


We have received so many evidences OF
confused minds regarding the beginning
Of the twentieth century that we will PIE
sent proof that the twentieth century be-
gins after the year 1900 is ended, in the
shape OF little conversation.
Questiou-What is a year?
Answer-Three hundred and siXty-6ve
days.
What is a century?
One hundred years.
When did the year No. I eud2
December 81 Of the year l.
When did the year No. . besiu2
January Of the year 2.
When did the year 80 end2
December 81. A ID. 99
Did that complete a century,
No
When was the century eOmpleted2
At the close Of the year following s9 or
at the close Of the year 100.
When did the second century begin2
January / of the year Of the second cen
rury-that is, January L. A. D. 101
When did the nineteenth century end
At the close Of the nineteen hundTedth
year, or at the close of 1900.
When does the twentieth century begin
1t begins on day No. i Of year No. /
January 1, A. ID. 1901.
We must still see two Christmases be ore
the twentieth century dawus-
The times., 1899-12-17
The Pnx of The Nn,r.

Or0m the PHiIadepHIa ReCUrdJ
Despite the best endeayors Of recruiting Of
fcers, the Federal Navy still lacks about 1000
mau-o'-w men, and the department has ap-
Piled TO Congress for aid in the emergency
American sailors find better pay and less arJuous
duties in the merchant marine than in the new
Navy. and enter the Federal service only when
nothing better is in view. This difficulty is
likely to increase as new crews shall be demand
ed Tor new ships OF war, unless wise legislation
shall restore the balance OF advantage in favor
OF the Navy.
The times., 1899-12-17
CiriI Service Reform.

(ErOm the indianapolis News.)
The league has been courageously non-partissn,
pFaising and condemning both political parties
according as they were iaithful or faithless to
the reform principle. Politicians have sneefed,
party papers have criticised, but the reformegs
have gone steadily forward, until now there IS
probably 10 political party in the country that
would dare openly to antagouize the reform. As
to the good effect OF the movement On the public
service, there il and can be no dispute.
The times., 1899-12-17
The Genesis OF RexoIt.

q rom the Boston GiOoe)
Spain not only gricyes over her decadcnce,
but over passive revolution at home, where taxes
are being withheld under the threat Of the peo-
PIE that they will pay no more until mis-
government ceases The refusal TO pay taxes
constitutes the most radical Of revolutions.
The times., 1899-12-17
The Christmas Recess.

IIT0m ne FWIaUeIUNIa Le1gCT-J
Congress VIII adjourn next Wednesday for the
usual two weeks Christmas vacation. The Gus
tom furnishes a strong reason why the assembling
OF Congress should be fixed at some other date
preferably the beginning of January. The ad.
i0unmeut not only costs two weeks OF peculiarly
valuable time but il seems 10 put a check
on the disposition Of members to work Before
adjournment satisfactory energy III getting the
public business well started is almost always
shown. After the reassenbling, The members
settle down to routine business with very little
display Of their former energy.
The times., 1899-12-17
A Different aIethod.

q IJIl LIt bOaIOU ItTlIl.I
Those people who advocate subsidies TO Amcri-
can shipping are prone to quote the course Of
Great Britain in her action in this respect. What
Great Britain really does is to make postal con
tracts with certain lines Of steamers, in which
she pays them handsome rates for the work done
by them, reseryiug to herself the right to take
their vessels for her navy in case Of war This is
a very different policy from that proposed now
in Congress
The times., 1899-12-17
plans of DELEGATES.

(FT0m de LIIClg1 CNT0UICIo)
There does not appear to be need for a change
in the basis Of representation for Democratic
NIlional Conventions. The Democratic party has
a traditional existence in every State. 1t il a
national party The Republican party is sec
tion3l. which is the reason why It's leaders de-
maHd that delegations from oue-fourth Of the
States OF the Union. should be reduced from 50
10 % per cent.
The times., 1899-12-17
No Solid Gronnd.

Qrom the Brooklyn Eagle)
The FiipiHos have not consented to American
rule They have no means through which ap-
proy3l or dissent could be expressed. Anything
like an expression Of popular viii there is an
impossibility. Few Of them ever heard anything
about constitutional government. Beginning with
she only possible beginning, municipal rule wiz
BY provincial authority, which win. in tnrn, be
followed by what we understand as general gov
erHmeHt
The times., 1899-12-17

teriay a former member % Congress
we'll known in Washington even Low
applied for admission 90 the House Hcaf
Excuse me said the doorkseuer "but
it is against the rules
Why DO. err replied the cue-time
statesman. ~ am fofmer member or
Congress. and
oh that's all right. sir. please rariaa
me, aud the former Representative eu-
tered the portals OF the hail. where 90
yore. he walked unchaileng5d
Said a Southern Senator yesterday. 10
have two boys In the Philippines. lighting
for Uncle sam. I lately had a letter frcm
each one Of them. and they naturally
wrote exclusively of the Philippine cam
paign The younger of the boys who b.
somewhat OF % wag. said I'm the course of
his episue -Nguinaldo's capture Isl mo-
mentarily expected. the opinion here is
that the capture OF his Wife's wardrobe
has settled his hash. since the prospect Of
haNius 70 use The money iu the insurpeBL
treasury for the purpose of replaaishiu-
Mrs ~ apparel, ANA OF b,iug devfIed hy
that good lady % death. ntu he does SO
mas completely unnerved the chIef cf The
( I8gals. The other son looks az the mat
ter more seriously but stiU even he thinks
the capture OF Aguiuald1 viii occur shortly
lie writes: AS yCu know. I aided in the
capture OF Geronimo. when that old Apache
wolf was the terror of Arizona and New
Mexico His tactics were not unlike those
OF the insurgent chief and led as we are
by old experienced Indian fighters I feel
sure o. soon securing General Aguiualdo
who, though he is very cunning. cannot
hold candle to Geronimo.
An old negro presented himself at the
main entrance 20 the House yesterday. and
asked to see "Mistah RObuts." He was
told the gentleman from Utah had not been
allowed 10 take his seat Well ex-
claimed the ebon-hued darkey II 10 de-
clah. Use done come all de way from
Ole VagiRny to see dat man. an wants to
tell yo' dat Ise been married 10 fifty
ySabs, and in dat time nah wife has beat
me black and blue. Now, / believes de
man dat kin stan up and marry free vim
min, KNOWN what he's a goin' to git
I oughteT not only be allowed to take his
/ seat in dis heah House. but dey should put
/ him up rite alongside de Speaker. SOS peo-
] pie kin see him de fust thing"
The times., 1899-12-17
- n. Pilt.lurr -

Ht '"i'a 'f'' q t.-fttrf % 4ftfl'.'..i''
As is perhaps natural In the last month
of the year 1899 the debate whether the
century ends on the last day Of this month
or the last day OF the year 1900 has broken
out again. Most OF iJ is merely Lhrashius
over old straw, sbut enc advocate OF the
view that the twentieth century viii 6egil
with January /. 1900. presents in New
York paper an argument which is go0d
provided his major premise Is established
and. whether correct or NOT. presents the
whole issue ViJa more than usual clear
SIS.
This disputdnt replies 20 the heretofore
unanswered argument lhaL as the first
year Of the Christian era ended on Dseeu-
Der 81 of the year I, the first hundred years
could not be ended till December 81. OF the
year 100, and so on in every century. with
the following But how about the year
that marked The first period Of Jime-Jhe
wear o."
This at least states I'm sUycjuc- form The
issue. II the hrs, year OF the Christian
era was called the year l. then the TWEEN
tisth century doss not begin until Januar,
l. 1901 Ii The first year of the Christian
era was the year o. then the twentieth cen
tury begins on January l. 1890 It is seen
that this transfers the mGmeulous dispute
from the realms of mathematical deduction
To that OF historical fact The advocate OF
The 1900 view settles the matter to bis own
satisfaction by assuring us there were S55
days OF the Christian era before the ysar l.
Since. so far as This age knows, ir has
been the universal custom 70 elil the hrsL
Of any series No. t. the second No .. and
so on the majority of mankind VIII be jus
Jiied i'm assuming that the practice was fol-
lowed in the start OF the years cf our era
But If the supporters of the opposite view
can produce any evidence beyond thar ci
Hat dogma, Jha. the first year was desls-
mated the year O. making the second year
No /. the third year No 2. and so on, we
viii be bound % admit that they have made
ernH Lhnir case
The times., 1899-12-17

There is one man, at least, on the other
side of the equator who is sorry that We
took a good Rough Rider like Theodore
Roosevelt and made a humdrum Governor
of him. That man is Colonel Baden-Powell
He is satisfied, sSe presume, that if things
had been otherwise the cowboy commander
would have relieved Mafeking with a regi-
ment of fierce troopers drawn from the
drawing rooms and police stations of New
York and the ranches of Arizona and New
Mexico. and it would have been more fun
for Teddy than reading Of himself daily
as chief executive" which must be gall
ing to any nervous persons feelings.
Owing to PAST indisposition on the part
Of the British Government to utilize 70 eign
volunteers, q good many excellent sold. e-s
who would have preferred TO take the
British side in the South African war have
joined the Beers, who have received them
gladly and given them desirable commits
sions and commands Matters have
reached a point now at which perhaps
Lords Salisbury and Lansdowne viii not
be so particular as to who stop the Trans
vaal and Free State bullets. In such an
event it may be remarked that there is a
large and well selected assortment Of eX-
celleut fighting material in this country,
and that it might be inspected-in Cana
da, Of course-to much imperial advantage
Our friend Otis once more has a chance
for the exercise Of his heated photographed
imagination. Major March reports that
AguinaIdo has eluded him and is headed
south for Bayombong. Otis will now repeat
his famous act of ringing the changes OIL
this elastic and resonant word.
The times., 1899-12-17
A question of Then and Now,

(From the Houston Post)
The Republican party has proved itself a light
ming change artist on the currency question IN
1890 it stood for bimetallism. In 1899 it stands
without the disguise that usually euyelops its
real position for the gold standard. II it was
honest in 1895 II must be dishonest in ls9g -
unless indeed it honest then and dishonest
now
The times., 1899-12-17
tFrom tbe chicago Timss-Hsrqld.]


For more than a year We have been in
receipt Of letters discussing and settling
when the twentieth century begins Some
theorists say January l. 1901 while all
practical people and bicyclisJs know that
it begins at midnight, December 81, 1893.
where January I, 1850 begins. As soon as
we cease writing the Is" in our date
lines we Will be through with the nine
teeHth" century and in the ''twentieth.''
How this is arrived ar may be best IL
lustrated in the following dialogue:
O. How IS time recEOued3
A. From the meridian-by the figures
on the dial beginning at u a. m
O. When is the day complete
A. At 11.60 p. N.
O. How is &c reckoEed in years2
A. From the meridian that separates
b. c. before Christi and "a D. (anua
Domini-iH the year of our Lord. that is
10 say from the birth Of Christ The dat
OF this birth is purely cOnjecJuTaL It is
retained for the idea.
O. How old was Christ at his birJh2
A. Actually and theoretically the same
age as Oiher normal infants He opened
his eyss on the first year of the first cen
Jury at the early age represented BY
cipher.
Q. Then the years in and Of century
are reckoued in ordinal numbers. as "drst
second. 30 nineteenth" etc.
A You have hit the nail on the head.
Whoever heard of addressing century in
cardinal numbers?
O. Then when a century is two years o.
it IS in its third year2
A. Precisely
Q. And when it is % years old Ii is in its
Tooth year?
A. Certainly.
Q. And when it has passed its I00th
mark it is in its second century,
4. Beyond a peradventure.
Q. Therefore We are in the Tooth year OF
the nineteenth century?
A. You are correct.
Q. And at midnight Of December 81. 1899.
We VIII pass into the twentieth century,
A. Unless we reckon the Christian era
from one year after the birth of Christ.
Q. Then a century begins and ends at
each 100" mark
A. If you doubt it ask any Century
rider if he or she has TO pass the 10tst
milep0st before be completes a century.
O. Then it viii not be two more Christ
masses before the twentieth century dawnsg
A. Not on your ammo Domini.
The times., 1899-12-17
Pncife Cable Promoters

that if every member of Congress who has
introduced a bill providing for a cable be-
tween the United States and the Orient
shall vote for a bin of this character, wires
will soon be laid through the Pacific. One
of the latest propositions of this kind has
come from Senator Butler of South Caro-
lima His plan is that a cable between the
United States, Hawaii, the Philippines, and
other countries shall be maintained and
operated in connection with the Postoffice
Department. The cables are to run from
Honolulu to Manila via the Midway
Islands, Guam, one of the Ladrones, and
the Gulf of Dingala, on the east coast of
LuzOD,
The times., 1899-12-17
crRcULArIoN sTATEMENT.

The Advcrtisers' Guarautre Company. uf Chi
cage, hereby cortifas that ID has, hy Us expert
examiners. proven srd Ht.rstcd fie Cirgu alton Ok
THE TIMES OF Washington. d. c. The daily
average PAID circulation for the month 0t 0c-
IlbsT. lss2. was s8-35J copies.
This Is CT UARANTEED q TIRE a5vcrt'sr-, ~ the
country by bond Of $50 200 in the Fidelity and
Deposit COMPANY Of Ngrviand deposited with the
Northwestern National Bank of Chicago.
DNERTISERS' GUARANTEE COMPANY.
BY = r. MASON. President
The times., 1899-12-17
Foraker stayed A,vny.-1t fs cur

Foraker stayed Awny.-It is a curl
Gus fact that though the chairman and
secretary Of the Republican National
Committee are Ohio men-the one order
ing all the voting done at the recent meet
ing and the other recording the ballOting-
yet Ohio had no vote in the contests de-
Cided by the committee Comparatively
few people are aware that the Ohio mem
Der of the committee is the Hon. Charles
l. Kurtz Of Columbus, who, in a way is
quite as much an insurTectiOnist as is
Emilio Aguinado. There was much spec
ulatiOn among the elect prior to the meet
ing of the committee on the question Of
whether or not Mr.. Kurtz would have the
hardihood TO come into the reservation
even long enough 10 attend a war council.
He would have been the observed of all
observers had he come to Washington.
and it would have been interesting TO
watch the treatment the other members of
the committee would have accorded him.
But Mr. Kurtz did not come. Instead he
sent his proxy to the Hon. Joseph Benson
Foraker. Just why the distinguished Sen
ator did not take advantage of the Op-
portunity thus afforded him to give fur
ther convincing proof OF his complete
reconciliation to Mr.. Hanna is the subject
of varying surmise. Some Of his friends
say he received the proxy too late, thereby
laying the blame on the mails. 1t is
known. however. that he had the proxy
in his possession Friday afternoon. and
could have attended yesterday morning
meeting of the committee, at least, had
he been so disposed, provided, Of course.
that other cares of state were not weigh
ing too heavily upon him at that time
1t is vaguely limited that Senator Foraker
declined 10 make use Of the proxy as a
further proof Of his displeasure at his
erstwhile trusted lieutenant's recent course
in Ohio politics.
The times., 1899-12-17

viii allow the allotment in severalty Of the
lands in the Stletz Reservation in Oregon
when the Secretary of the Interior shall
have come 10 the conclusion that the Siletz
indians are capable Of conducting their
own business affairs The incomplete con
dldon OF the military post near Sheridan
Nyo., has caused Senator Warren Of that
State TO make several trips 10 the War
Department He has also prepared a bill
asking for an appropriation Of Sl0O. 600 to
be expended under the direction of the
Secretary Of ar IN continuing the work
OF constructing she necessary quarters.
The District OF Columbia Commit
tee.-It was said at the Capitol yesterday
that Representatives Sidney E. Mudd and
George a. Pearre of Maryland will be as
signed to the Committee on the District of
Columbia MIR. Mudd served in the Fifty
first and Fifty Congresses. and in the
last Congress was a member of the Dis
trict Committee He represents the Fifth
district, comprising the counties of Prince
George, Charles st. Mary Anne Arundel,
Calvert, and Howard. Mr.. Pearre is a new
member, representing the Sixth district
comprising the counties of Montgomery,
Washington, Garrett, Frederick, and Ale
gany.
Alaskan Representation.-Re
tative Knox of Massachusetts believes that
in the second session of the Fifty-sixth
Congress there viii be a Delegate from
Alaska. He has prepared a bill which
awaits action by the Committee on Terri
tories which provides that the first Dele
gate shall be chosen by the people of
Alaska for the remainder of the term of
the Fifty-siXth Congress, and for the full
term of the Fifty-seyenth at the same cleo
ton,
The times., 1899-12-17

Angry With Their COnGressmen.-
The St Louis delegation headed by former
Congressman Nathan Frank and former
Mayor Cyrus T. Walbridge, put up as game
a fight before the Republican National Com
mittee for next years convention as it was
possible for il TO make. The sp5ech Of
Colonel Walbrdge was. generally com
mended as the clearest cut ANA most in
cisiye argument presented The St
Louisans were ably assisted by Col r. c..
Kerens, the Missouri member of the com
mittee and they succeeded against hope
less odds. in securing more votes for their
city than were cast for New York The
delegation left Washington in high dudg-
con over the inactivity OF their Congress
men while the struggle was on. St. Louis
has three Representatives in Congress. ali
Republicans. and all old members-Mess
Pearce. BarthoIdt, and JOY. Had these
three aided them complained several mem
bers of the delegation yesterday. the re
suit might have been different The claim
is made that the delegation received prac-
tically no assistance from their Congress
men, while it is pointed out that the mem
bers of Congress from the other three com-
peting cities were lOg-rolliug with the COM
nitteemeu early and late.
Pension PropositiOns.-Senat Pet
tus OF Alabama, by request, has brought
forward a bill the purpose Of which is to
pension former slaves. Under the pro-
visions of this measure former slaves who
have attained the age OF seventy years
shall receive $500 and a monthly pension
of SIS between the ages Of sixty and sew
enty years they shall be entitled to $500
and a pension of $12 a month: between
fifty and sixty years. 500 and IS a month
and under the age of fifty years they shall
receive 81 a month. Representative Hall of
Pennsylvania has a proposition, which has
been referred to the Committee on Invalid
Pensions, which provides that all teamsters
who served in the Quartermaster's Depart
ment of the United States Army during the
Civil War their widows and orphans, shall
be entitled to pensions under the same
laws and limitations as now govern the
granting of pensions to soldiers and sailors
Western Members Active. Repre-
sentative Cushman, the new member from
Washington, has been active in the inter
ests of his constituents and has already in
troduced a number of bills for public build
ings and other matters of importance to
the people Of his State. One Of the wants
Of his State, he has told the House, is the
establishment of a United States mint at
Tacoma. Representative Tongue of Oregon
is working for the passage of an amend
msnt 10 the Indian Allotment act which
The times., 1899-12-17
Fncland,s Crisis.

SUNDAY. DECEMBER Il, 1899.
The times., 1899-12-17
THF TT7TFS Co9IrtNY.

THE TIMES COWrANX.
WALTER sTiLSON HUT H-NS, President
PUBLrCATION OFFICE.
THE HUTCHTNs BUILDING.
CoRNER TESTH AND ~Ts NoREIWEs-
The times., 1899-12-17

are gone is an old saying, but which is
exemplified every day At the Capitol yes
The times., 1899-12-17

Two prominent figures in the Supreme
Court of the United States yesterday were
former Secretary John c. Carlisle and Sen
atOr CuIbersou. The former represents
the plaintn in error and the latter the de-
fendant in error in the case of the HOus-
ton and Texas Central Railway Company
against the State Of Texas. Mr.. Carlisle,
though retired from political life is fire.
quently seen at the Capitol, mainly on
legal business. He doubtless finds the law
more conducive to quisJude Of spirit. as
we'll as more remunerative, than politics
Mr.. Culberson has arisen from the position
Of a great mans son. and is. though q
young man, advanced on the path Of dis
tincticn beyond most men of his years. He
was Attorney General Of Texas and Gov
ernor of the Lone Star State before he was
elected 10 the Senate.
The times., 1899-12-17

Two young and handsome ladies were
yesterday passing through one of the cor
ridOrs near the Senate. Noticing the au-
gust statue Of Franklin. one of them ex-
claimed to her companion in tone of gen
tie leyity, "Oh there is my old school
chum, Ben Franklin A gentleman of bu-
collie aspect who, with his wife was stand
ing by looking at the painting OF Perry S
achievement on Lake Erie turned TO his
life partner on hearing the exclamation and
said Gosh Sajry, who'd q tho she was
that old2" The lady who had made the
remark that evoked the farmers eXclama-
tiOn of wonder turned and east upon him a
witheriug look of scOrn. which, however,
was lost upon him He had resumed his
critical survey Of Commodore Perry.
Representative Sheldon of Michigan said
yesterday that his State had no cause to
complain of hard times. I'VE are working
hard " he remarked "and are glad we had
no campaign on hand this year to distract
the peoples attention from business Yes
we are all for expansion, and that question
with us is not political. / lately passed
through the South and was delighted TO
finland this, too, is most evident in my
own State-that the late war with Spain
has completely obliLerated all sectional
prejudices. This misshapeu spectre. sec
tional bitterness, has done more than any
thing to retard the progress Of the nation,
and | rejoice that now and I trust fOrev-
ermore it will be so, a spirit OF patriotic,
fraternal love binds this great and growing
country together with knot that VIII be
imperyious to the knife of time"
How soon are we forgotten when we
are gone, is an old saying, but which is
g.T- a. rs-N-