davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1899-04-21
Reed rs "a Lawyer.

II Is without the least desire to forget
or minimize the service the Hon. Thomas
r. Reed has rendered the country in lower
| ing the curtain upon the most paihiui
and alarming spectacle in the parliament
tary annals of this or any other nation
that VIC feel called upon to make an OBJ
seryation or two. Gratitude for the one
| good action of long and busy career
! makes us amiable in Offering our CONDO
lences to Mr. Reed on the occasion OF MS
J launching his frail and battered barqus on
the treacherous waves OF an unfamiliar
sea. In short, We are not so sure that the
/ former Speaker is destined 10 become TIE
I great money.getting lawyer that ne and
his friends expect him TO be. The history
of our times is not without sad instances
/ of men who. abandoning the bar ana tneir
! eonsciences early in life to devote Their at
tention exclusively to the combinations
and corruptions of partisan politics, have
tried to bark back into their old field when
/ ripe in years, only TO find that the court
! rooms were not furnished as formerly
/ they were in young manhood's happy nour-
| We need not 20 for evidence on this point
! beyond the case of the late Roscoe Cork-
J ling. He divested himself of the toga,
thinking that after long absence and ds-
use the halls of justice would be as much
his sphere as ever. He realized his poliu-
| cal failure with modification and bitter
ness.
What was true OF Roscoe Conkling. who
was really a good lawyer. may be equally
so of Thomas B. Reed, who never lad the
least tenable claim to being considered
ANYTHING of the kind. And the latter Will
be further handicapped by the impossible
ity of overcoming the mental attitude
derived from six years of unbridled power,
and which will continue to make him a.
ways regard himself as the judge, jury.
sherin crier, and hangman all rolled iEto
one he who has been able to force be-tsr
men into their seats at his own whim will
find il hard to be silenced by some inconse-
cuential Judge. or fined for talking back
II the court.
Moreover, we fear that the clients he has
served so many years. and successfully. in
the Speakers chair, viii be not long in
discovering that it was the Speaker, and
not Thomas B. Reed who was the great
man, and that, Invested of crown and scep-
ire, the attorney and counselor will
amount 10 little more than good three
hundred weight OF adipose tissue and con-
cet
We regret that truth forces us to offer
these depressing predictions. Dir. Reed
viii carry his habits of industry into pri-
connection with the same wealthy and un-
scrupulous clientele that mas admired and
supported him through three stormy Con
crosses. But his dominion and authority
VIII be lacking. and both he and those he
is expected to serve will suffer from his
absence of legal ability.
The times., 1899-04-21
The Hun,an prute

An incident which took place in a.New
, York court a few days ago should receive
the serious consideration of the public 1t
is not uncommon, by any means; indeed, it
is TO some extent typical of the effect
which punishment has on the thoroughly
vicious man. An ex-prize fighter was
brought up in the Court of General Ses-
sions. charged with having beaten his
wife over the head with a broken whisky
bottle. The indignant magistrate remarked
that If he had his way he would sentence
the man to imprisonment for life. The
wife of the rufian, moved by some mys-
. tesious instinct CT woman, pleaded that he
be allowed to go free. Recorder God said
that on account of this plea he would be
lenient and sentenced the prisoner TO nine
months in the penitentiary.
What were the feelings of the man thus
convicted of one of the most dastardIy
crimes known to humanity-guilty on his
own confession of abusing the woman
whom he was supposed to love. cherish
( and protect" Did he express any gratitude
to her for her intercession? Did he even
feel thankful that he was no worse of? ?
4 :.
rejecting that every rascal gets caught
sometimes? He did none of these things.
He turned to his wife as he was leaving the
courtroom and remarked:
Wait Till get out; I'll get even with YOU.
What that getting even" will be can
( better be imagined than described. Now.
is there any particular good in shutting
/ thai man IN in nris for nine ,s,o.,,,h.
ceDt that for that length of time he is
kept from abusing his wife? During the
time of his Incarceration she must sup
I port herself and the family. if there is one
Very possibly she has done this for some
time past, and also supported the husband
who beat her. and paid for the whisky
which filled that broken bottle wherewith
she was beaten. There are women who do
these things. When the husband of this
martyr to the laws of civilized society gets
out OF prison he will seek her out and '.get
even with her for complaining of him
and getting him into trouble II she ever
dares to complain of him again, he will
continue the process of getting even" and
the probable end of the whole affair will be
her death, either by slow torture or sud-
den violence. In the former case the hus
. band viii be free to torment some other
woman; In the latter he stands a good
chance of being hanged; therefore, he will
not unless maddened with drink or temper,
choose that way OF getting even"
What. therefore. should the community
do in a case like this? Should IL i'm
prison the man for life. as the magis-
trate suggested that he would like to do?
That would be regarded by most people as
oyersevere punf-sSsnt. though when one
considers the class of men who are ad-
dicted to wife beating, one cannot con-
slider that they would be any very great
loss 10 the community. or that they de-
serve the tenderest of consideration.
Should the man receive a certain number
of lashes in addition to his sentence of
imprisonment, as some people now advise?
That would not make matters any pleas
aDter for the woman, with whom the
brute will get even" when he has a
chance. Neither will the pain in itself
The times., 1899-04-21
,e much of !. puuishmeu, 10 q man who en-

be much Of punishment TO a man who en-
cages in free fights for amusement, as this
type OF man generally does. As for the
humiliation Of the thing. that can only in
fiuence a person who has some remnants
of selfrespect. A lashing goes far to de-
stroy self-respect; and 1t is only through
this sentiment that the man of this type
can be led to treat his wife properly. To
be effective the punishment Of this offence
should tend to prevent its repetition in
the future. 1t looks as If in this case, as
in the case of other crimes, the only really
effective punishment is that which re-
forms.
But, after all, the most powerful agent
for the prevention of such abuses as these
is public opinion, and that is not as ac-
tive as it should be- Whenever big
barbarian of the lower classes OF hu-
manity begins to argue with his fists. you
may be reasonably sure that some clever
rascal of another grade of society has
been arguing with his tongue. The edu-
Gated man sometimes makes his wife
miserable with carefully selected epithets
and imprecations; the uneducated man
does not understand the use of language
very well. SO when things go wrong he
attacks his woman with the poker
What. after all, is the difference, and
where does the responsibility belong?
The times., 1899-04-21
Municipal o,vnership.

The interest in the question of munich
pal ownership OF enterprises commonly left
10 corporations has had a recent boom.
Popular opinion has not been favorable, as
a rule. TO city control OF anything private
capital would undertake. chiefly because
local administration has not been so free
from suspicion OF corruption and insfticien-
cy as TO encourage the hope Of any profit
by the change. Men have thought that IL
would add enormously TO the patronage of
the dominant political party and presume
big would be mere in the interest of the
party than of the community. There is
a feeling. too. that 1t is in the direction OF
State socialism, which is a failacy. There
IS q wide difference between The purposes
OF political Government. like that OF the
United States. and municipal corporation.
The latter is expected TO do for the COM
munity whatever the individual members
cannot do for themselves. There is no more
reason why the line should be drawn at
constructing sewers or cleaning the streets
than at owning and running the water sup
ply. the gas plant. or anything else of that
character. including the street railways. II
IS question of expedlency and not of prin-
ciple.
The greed OF the corporations has been
such that people have been moving toward
the opinion that they could hardly suffer
more under city ownership. In some places
they are disposed TO make the experiment
There Lis no doubt that New York will es-
tabiish It's own gas plant If the Republican
Legislature will grant the proper authority.
They have seen themselves deprived of
the benefit OF competition in gas by the
eNpedlents TO which the monopoly company
has resorted and have paid an excessive
price for a poor quality. 4 bill has been
sent 10 Albany authorizing the municipal
iiy 10 go into the business. II does not sion
with this. Some years ago rapid tran-
sit commission was appointed to consider
the whole question of increased railway ia
cilities. 1t reported in favor of an under
grousd system to cost fifty millions and IT
was ratified by the people Then II Was
discovered that the city's bonded debt
could not be enlarged BY that much because
o. The constitutional limit. and IL was
dropped. Recently one of the street rail-
way corporations offered to provide sys-
TEN that would meet all requirements
provided its lease should be perpetual. and
tina; II should be allowed to charge fare
The times., 1899-04-21
Spring Blcssings.
lFlon the kan.as Citr sLnrN


With the advent Of spring humanity becomes
possessed OF a desire to be abroad on the face of
the vcrdant earth. The love Of the hs.n. roof
tree Is modified into a decent and proper respect
for shelter and lodging. Children seek their
family abadcs to eat and sleep, but their hearts
with the birds that fit from shrub To tree
and with all OF the eadsess that comes into the
world when the rcisn CT winter is over. Tlia5
nature. with the succession of every wear mo
yideS man with two worlds and coniers upon him
the gilt OF variety which il 80 valuable in di--
peling tedium from his life. In tine alterra ion
OF the seasons there is not only the great source
OF enjoyment Which resuhs from contrast but
there is also the blessing Of heslih the wise
arrangement by which there may he proper
distribution Of time for Joyous exercise and sober
contemplation and realization of beauty that
would be lost il ii were summer always or il win.
ter ruled the year from January to December.
The times., 1899-04-21
The objection to Quay.

(FrOm the PhiIadephia Timcs.)
Those who await the issue Of the Quay till 10
determine the political prospect in the fat ttiona
hattie that is precipiated, know little of the
true causes OF Republican discomfort. IL is true
that the prosecution OF Quay political per
seeution, as was shown by the testimony of Judge
Gordon, and it is also true that many members
of the Legislature made the pending indictment
against Quay Il pretext for opposing his election;
but it is none the lees the truth that there was
not a single member OF the Legislature Who voted
against him who would not have done so had
there been no prosecution whatever 1t was
plausible and popular pretext. and nothing more.
The ground OF opposition vastly deeper and
wider than any Quarter Sessions criminal tiiarr,.
The times., 1899-04-21
Of ZEN c.pt. Owing to the outcry against

OF Ten cents. Owing TO the outcry against
this. the company withdrew its offer.
The question why the municipality should
not construct the road II the citizens would
subscribe the fifty millions was raised. and
a call was made for subscriptions In a
little more than a day pledges to the
amount of nearly twenty millions were re-
ceived. It is apparent that capitalists do
not doubt that 1t Is practicable for city
TO run its own underground railways. The
public interest having been excited, we may
expect the issue of municipal ownership to
take leading part in local elections The
only obstacle in the way of success Is the
indifference of a large class of citizens
10 city politics. When they vote at all 1t
is in support of party candidates, regardless
OF ti,eir character. If the honest men who
constitute an overwhelming majority IN
every town would vote together for good
government. the municipality could own
and control public enterprises to the gem
eraI benefit
The times., 1899-04-21
The Late John II. o.erIy.
lFrom the CONCORD Monitor.l

lie man with whom it pleasure tC
associate. His wide experience. his broad infor
nation, his ready wit and pungent humcr made
him delightful companion. To his gifts as
writer he added no inconsiderable force as a
speaker and was in all respects one of the best
equipped men the profession has ever seen. His
death is loss 10 1t and to the community, and
to a wider circle, also, where lie moved before he
came to US, where he first displayed and devel
oped those qualities which gave him his success,
but where there can he genuine and last.
ing regret for his departure than is felt here in
the place where he fell out suddenly and 50
sadly from the race in which he bad borne SO con.
,picuotls and so honorable mart
The times., 1899-04-21
TO SUCCEED LORD HERscHELL
A New British Member of the Cana
lian-Aucricnn ConmiS.jon

n New Brit1Sh mtmccr OF the Una-
dian-American Commission.
The State Department has received Of
fetal notification of the appointment OF
Lord Russell, of Killowen. 10 succeed the
late Lord Herschell as a British member
of the Canadian American Joint High
Commission, appointed to settle pending
controversies between the United States
and Canada The sessions of the commits
sion, which were suspended at the begin
ming of the year in consequence of the in
ability CT the two factions to reach an
agreement on the boundary line contro-
versy. will probably be resumed during the
month of August.
In consideration OF the fact that there
are now two new members of the commits
sion-Lord Russell and Hon. Serene f.
Payne, who was appointed to succeed the
late Mr.. Dingley-it is believed and hoped
that the entire question will have
thorough review, and that the commission
may formulate treaty to settle the bound
AIRY question before Congress conyenes IN
December. Lord Russell has not an
nounced when he will arrive in Washing
ton. but will doubtless be here to attend
the first session of the commission.
The times., 1899-04-21

fired out OF Annapolis for haziug For the
three years he worked for Ohio manufac-
turing concern. Then In competitive
examination he won a scholarship at West
Point
For two years Lieutenant Lang has been
separated from his wife. They are said
to be good friends. though satisfied that
their lives have little In common. One OF
the iieutenant's closest associates says thar
Mrs Lang has written. sympathizing With
him in his troubles
The times., 1899-04-21
Sampson viewed From Indiana.

To the Editor Of The Timss:
II is said the United States Government Is 70
ing TO send fleet of american warships TO
British waters, to Southampton and London
and Admiral Sampson is TO be in command Thi,
matter is meeting with much criticism from the
American people. They ask what has Sampson
done that he sho,]d represent the great Republic
to the crowned heads OF Europe. lie has won no
victories for our arms, and were / President /
should be ashamed to have him in command oi
dump scow.
Let the President send either Dewey or Schley.
who have made records, Or Wainwright. or even
kisser Hobson. JOHN BRYAN
Evansville. Ind, April r.
The times., 1899-04-21
Quay Ideas.
(From the Philadelphia ledger

(From the Philadelphia Icdger.)
II Mr.. Quay j. really ignorant as be assumes
TO he regarding the invincible loyalty to their
party of those independent Republicans who, in
sympathy with the will OF the majority OF the
people OF Pennsylvania. have so wisely and pa
triotieally opposed his return 10 the Senate his
ignorance can be due alone to his extraordinary
assumption that pernicions ouayism Is really
synonymous with proyideEt Repubicsnism. and
that Quay and his compact organization OF Office
holders apd oficeseekers constrtutc the Repub-
lican party aud all Of it. Mr. Quay assumes That
every Republican who is opposed to Quayism or
10 his personal or political fortunes is traitor
to the party. He should, and probably does,
know better; he should. and prob1bly does, know
that no Republican IN the Legislature show
greater loyalty to the real principles of Repub-
Iicanisn than by eontcnding against the vicious
policies OF Qusyism, all OF which are based upon
the proposition that public office is not a public
trust, but the fair and natural spoil of the prac-
teal noitician.
The times., 1899-04-21
Not IrelsibIe.
lr a. C,,, n,

Ffom The JEeveland Ham Dca1er.l
\ voice comes out OF Missouri with blitie
suggestion anent the at-in-clurcl question.
Let the women, says the voicc, after the good
old fashion. occupy side of the church aud
the men the other Then the women cannot dis
turb the men, while at the time they will
discover Just how much of an annoyance they can
be 10 one another. This Missouri plan would be
good one il all other things equal. But
under present conditions it may be feared that
the mems side OF the church would show up sch
sparse masculine array that any pastor might
weil feel discouraged. Better scatter the men
about among the women and conceal their pro-
portionate lack OF numbers slsillfuliy as pos
sibe. The Missouri plan isn't feasible.
The times., 1899-04-21
STILL MORE TRUSTS.
Sheet and Hoop Steel to BE Phil
an.Eruniz%d.

Cleveland. Ohio. April 2O.-The Iron
Trade Review says: ~of the unlaunched
consultations. reports agree that present
efforts promise results in due time. Ap-
praisers and accountants are still at work
at various bridge works. The sheet-milI
consolidation has not been abandoned. as
reported. but general meeting is expected
at an early date. The Republic Iron and
Steel Company promoters have still num-
ber of important unsettled matters be-
tween them and the perfection of their
plans. In the last week come OF the vaIu-
ations have been subjected to searching
scrutiny, with the result that owners fig
ures have been reduced materially in a
number OF instances IL is now considered
likely that the new company will be ready
for business by May l.
Warren, Ohio April 20.-The rolling
mills of the Union Iron and Steel Company
in Warren and Girard. which were rscenti.-
sold, with other mills. TO the National Steel
Company. have now been transferred to
the American Steel Hoop Company, known
as the Hoop and Cotton Tie Trust
The times., 1899-04-21
Enemies Across the Rio Grande.

IT fOIH IfIt WtkItJH ftfLII.J
The essence OF Christianity is charity in its
apostolic sense. broad and kindly way of iuCig
ing your neighbor. Do oar clerical journals here
in Mexico display CHARITY in regard TO Americans
and American customs! Hardly, systematic
misrepresentation OF everything American goes on
from day to day. One would think that Ati!lo
and his hosts on the northern border ready
TO swoop down oil this land OF silver and sun
shine. II is rubbish, and clerical editors know il.
The times., 1899-04-21
Germany md Americu.

CFrom the Cincinnati Enqrirer)
"A war with Germany is no mere to be thought
of than civil war. unless in the of some in
toierable OR studied airont which sclt-respect
would compel the American people to resent. -
says the sapient Chicago News. 4" Fiddlesiicks,
Germany would have been at war with the United
States two months age and would be now, were
it not for the restraining hand OF Great Britain
And Johnny Bull expects to pay extrayagantiy
for this peace in the future
The times., 1899-04-21
A Light That Failed.
(From the BrookIrn Earle.

We trust there will be no reconsideration Oh
the resolution for final adjournment. The soone,
this Legislature is out OF the way the better.
Il has failed The Republican majority in the
Senate has gone to pieces The Republican ma
jority in the Assembly has been neither wise nor
coherent State affairs affected by legislation
can be trusted in the hands of Governor Roose-
yelt- New York City bills can be trusted in tho
hands of Mayor Van wyck
The times., 1899-04-21
THE BEEF COURTS WORK.
An Executive Session Devoted I,
Reviewing Evidence.

nc'ie"i "ihS tSi0ence.
The Beef Court remained in executive
session yesterday. The time was devoted
TO review of the testimony of important
witnesses preparatory to the formulation
of the report.
Major Lancaster. of The Fourth Artil-
lery. ROW stationed at Washington Bar
racks. will appear before the Court today.
II is expected that his testimony viii be
cumulative evidence as TO the evils OF
canned roast beef
Major Little, who was depot commissary
at Camp Alser, but who when last heard
from was in Porto Rico, vas summoned
TO appear before the Court. but it is said
that ne has rot replied TO the summons
and the Court is without authority TO con-
pei his attendance
The times., 1899-04-21
Hubble, pu;n, Trux.

Wilmington, Del. April 2e-A large
trust to control rubber paint has been
granted charter by Secretary OF State
Hughes. Il is known as the Penusylvania
Standard Rubber Paint Company, with n
capital stock of $1,000, Geo. The names OF
the ineorporators have not been made pub
iic>
The times., 1899-04-21
Among the Elite.

From the Detroit lournal)
Il understand they fell out the next day after
they married"
Yes; the newspapers gave a column TO their
wedding, and they disputed to whether II
was because Of the prominence Of his family or
Of hers"
The times., 1899-04-21
Jug-Handle Justice.

Even-handed justice is the highest and
best idea of civilized society. 1t is a funda-
mental principle OF republican institu-
tions. That all men should be equal he
fore the law. the rich and poor alike. the
powerful and the weak. is in the first
lesson on free government. 1t is not to
be confined TO civil life alone. but is just
as imperative in the Army. The regula-
tions do not recognize one penalty for the
general and another for the lieutenant for
the same offence. 1t seems to be neces-
sary to call attention to these things, al
though they should be well known.
The country has not forgotten the Eagan
outrage. 1t was unparalleled and is never
likely to be overshadowed by another of
the same character. He was accused of
conduct unbecoming an officer and gentle
man: tried, convicted, and sentenced to
dismissal from the Army. Lieutenant
Lang was charged with conduct unbecom-
ing an officer and a gentleman, tried. con-
vieted. and sentenced to dismissal. In
each case an appeal was made to the
President In the former he set aside the
sentence, favored Eagan with six years
leave of absence with pay and retirement
at the proper age, like any other officer.
The President refused TO interfere N the
case of Lieutenant Lang.
The times., 1899-04-21

The only known reason for the lenieney
toward Eagan is that either directly or
under the orders of superior he supplied
the army with meat unfit for human food,
and that General Miles exposure of the
fact provoked him to the fragrant offence
of which he was convicted. People
are sure to conclude that if Lieutenant
Lang had been the friend or protege Of
the beef contractors he, too, could have
had six years leave on pay. Or il he had
the social ard political influence of Captain
Carter he would have Jared better. How
ever, he is not alone, nor is his case as
worthy of sympathy as that OF men Who
have not been guilty OF any offence. Off
GERS on the staff OF General Miles have
been discharged only because it would pain
their chief. Considering everything. it is
surprising that our Army is still cause of
pride TO the country.
The times., 1899-04-21

The i-expansionists who condemn this
Government for its efforts to establish its
authority in the Philippines, give aid to
the rebels as much by their speeches as
they could by sending guns and ammuni-
tion. Indeed. Aguinaido would rather have
their encouragement at this critical time,
when his army is tired of resisting the
American troops than guns.