davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-12-19
HE rPRAISBS BILLINGS
State superintendent Carleton
Writes About the Special
School Tax.
PROUD OF OUR TOWN
1t Appreciates Its Schools and Has
Set All Example for Other
Cities.

Billings has made name for herself
as the friend Of education. While
other cities Of the state will be COM
pelled to close their schools by reason
of the supreme court having recently
decided that all special school taxes
levied under the present law are illeagl,
the Billings schools will remain open
nine months in the year. As announced
in The Gzette week or 80 ago, only
four taxpayers in this city declined to
pay the special tax, while in Carbon
county very few of the taxpayers paid
it; in Gallatin, no attempt was made
to collect it: in Deer Lodge, Anaconda
is taking up collection to keep the
schools open; the Helena schools are
embarrassed. and SO it goes all over the
state. But Billings stood Loyalty by
her schools, which State Superintendent
E. A. Carleton acknowledges in letter
to Judge j. r. Goss, president Of the
school board, as follows:
Helena, Mont, Dec. 16, 1899. -
Judge j. r. Goss. Billings. Mont. !:
Dear Sir-I was very much gratified to
learn that the taxpayers Of District No.
9, in which is the city Of Billings. had
paid, as special school tax, the sum Of
So. 400. leaving only 800 unpaid.
The voluntary payment BY your citizens
Of $5, 400 of taxes for the support Of
schools, which, strictly speaking, was
donation or contribution, since the
tax was wholly illegal, is a record Of
which any city in this country might
we'll be proud, and shows an appreoia.
tion Of and a unanimity for public
schools that have never seen before.
I doubt il this record has been sur
passed in the United States. The large
amount Of money collected is not the
most remarkable feature, although
that ia itself remarkable, but the fact
that all Of this illegal tax, with the ex.
ception Of 800 only, was paid by your
patriotic people.
Billings has set the example for other
districts affected BY the special tax de.
oision. am gratified to zee that the
Northern Pacific Railway company paid
it's special tax the same as the citizens
I trust this public spirited policy Of the
Northern Pacific, which all friends Of
public education keenly appreciate in
this emergency, will be adopted by the
other railway companies doing business
in the state. Railroads would do little
business in Montana if only few lived
in the state, and few will remain un.
less we have reasonable terms Of school.
congratulate you most heartily up
on making magnificent showing.
Your people have placed themselves in
the van. do not wonder that q city
made up Of such citizens is prosperous
and is growing rapidly.
On behalf OF all good friends Of pub.
lie schools throughout the state, de-
sire to thank your people for this signal
of their belief in and de-
votion to the cause Of public education.
Very sincerely, E. A. Carleton,
Superintendent Public Instruction.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-12-19
CHRISTMAS RHEToRICALs.

Interesting Exercises at the Billings Pub.
lie Schools, Next Friday.
The pupils Of Miss Crawford's room
will give their programme at 2:40 p.
m. at their room. The exercises oon.
sist chiefly of reoitations and songs
about Santa Claus and the Christmas
time.
Miss Edwards first grade pupils will
join with those of Miss earns in the
latter room. Friends of both rooms are
most cordially invited to attend.
Miss Piloher's room, at the Third
ward school, will give their Christmas
programme, assisted by Miss Hood q
pupils, whose guests they were at
Thanksgiving time.
Miss Gordon sends her full pro-
gramme, which cannot be printed on
account of our limited space. This
significant note is appended: cat tho
close of the exercises the children will
prepare something as surprise for
mamma; something that is their own
work.
Miss Lawrenoe's pupils have added
to the usual songs. speaking, drills,
etc.. a Dewey exercise BY the boys in
which 3D." the Filipino, ia Admiral
Dewey.
In the high school. exercises are
given by the Irving Rhetorical society.
The programme is not especially pre-
pared for Christmas. but visitors, they
hope. will be pleased to attend, never.
theless.
Are you not interested In these exer.
oises9 Can You not spare your children
and the schools this small portion Of
youy attention?
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-12-19
FOR sLAUGHTERING GAME.
Three Cree Indians Arrested by the Game
Warden.

Warden.
j. W. Collins, the new game warden
for Yellowstone county, is going to
earn his salary, as an evidence Of which
he has already arrested three Cree In
dians for slaughtering game. 1t was
chiefly Oh account OF the Crees slaugh-
tering game in the northern part of the
county that game warden was ap-
pointed and, naturally, Mr.. Collins de-.
termined to make an example Of the
Crees. Visiting the camp of seven or
eight Cree bucks last Saturday near
Antelope springs, about twenty I've
miles north of the city, the game ward.
en- found the oaroasses and heads Of
forty or fifty deer and antelope, and
besides, succeeding in purchasing some
venison from the Crees, which in itself
is misdemeanor.
Then Mr.. Collins arrested three of
tha bucks and brought them to Bill.
ings aud lodged them in Jail. Whether
he will he able to convict them or not
is another matter, as it will be hard to
prove just who killed the game. but
the Indians can be fined for selling
venison, just the same. And, if con.
victed of illegally killing game. and
it is known that few weeks ago they
slaughtered al entire band of antelope,
they can and no doubt will. be sent to
the penitentiary. The Indians will be
arraigned before justice Of the peace
in day or two for preliminary hear
ing and, if it is possible to do SO, case
will be made out against them.
The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-12-19

Remember, that about the middle Of
January the Irving and Longfellow So
cieties will give their mid-year rhetor-
icals at the opera house.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01
British United States

The United States figures for 1898 are
partly estimated and will be found we'll be-
low the actual figures when the returns are
fully made up.
For the colonial power they have been
nine years of stationary or regressive ten
denotes in the outgoing foreign trade, while
the non-colonial power has increased its
exports by over 100 per cent at the points
where it comes into sharpest competition
with Great Britain and other commercial
powers. Great Britain during that period
has annexed millions of square miles of
territory and tens of millions of people,
while the United States has enjoyed no
such alleged trade advantages. But in re-
spect to trade it is the colonial power which
has stood still, which has ceased to grow:
and the non-colonial power which has
forged ahead at a rate to astonish the world.
Let the American jingoes answer, then.
If trade follows the flag, what OF the above
figures? II colonies make markets., what
Of the figures. 1t great armies and navies
and woodworking dependencies promote a
nations foreign commerce, what of the
figures? We have asked these questions be-
fore and can get no answer to them. They
will continue to remain unanswered.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01
TRADE AND IMPERIALISM.
Commercial Expansion
without Colonies.
Springfield MIssD Republican.

Springfield MSss.J Republican.
Imperialism from the missionary stand
poin: has had some attraction for the Chi
cago Advance, but when that paper comes to
consider current international trade statistics
1t is compelled to admit the overwhelming
force OF the practical commercial argument
against distant annexations
These facts are significant as related to
the question of territorial expansion. With
out a colonial system or distant dependencies
in which to place our products America has
oyertaken and passed by Great Britain with
its system Of great colonial possessions, in
Its volume Of exports. Instead of burdcning
our industries and taxing our resources for
the support of armies and navies to protect
scattered provinces, We have spent our money
at nome, on the development of our national
wealth, on public education and on all the
agencies which make a people great in
themselves. The result is the development
OF a productive power unequaled in the
world
Exactly SO. and the British foreign trade
hsures for the full calendar year of 1898,
just published in London, offer further prac-
tical instruction on this point.
Merchandise imports aggregate G47O, 464.-
1913, compared with G45l, 2SS, $50 in 1897:
while exports aggregate G294, 009, 991. COM
pared with f294, 1888 $50 in 1S97-showing an
increase In imports. a decrease in exports
and an increase in the adverse trade balance
from f157 ,055, OO3 in 1897 to E176. 594. 2O7 in
1898. This is the years record Of the great
colonial power Of the world and contrasts
strikingly with that of the United States,
which, without colonial burdens or markets.
increased it's export trade in the same wear
from $1.OOs, 7O9, O45 to 81, 254, 1925, 1853.
But lest 1t be said that exceptional crop
conditions are responsible for the far more
favorable exhibit of the United States, let us
take the exports Of manufactures alone and
contrast the progress in this particular with
the British export figures during the years
in which British territorial expansion has
been most marked.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01
SPECULATIVE EXPANSION.
substantial Foundation for h Exist
Ing nusiness ImprOvement.

Boston Transcript. January %.
The mercantile agency reports show no
shadow of turning In the great volume OF
current business throughout the country. II
is noted this week that a number OF staples,
particularly cotton and wheat, have had an
outburst OF speculative interest where here
tofore their advance in prices has been
based entirely on consumptive demand. An
other feature is exceptional activity in iron
and steel, with consumers demands decid-
eddy urgent, as reflected in prices OF the diff
ferent commodities. Bradstreet's describes
the tendency toward consolidation in iron
and other industries as approaching a YER
table craze.
The same authority places much of the
cause OF the speculative activity of wheat
and cotton on the seeking OF new fields by
successful stock market spectators, who are
turning to new fields for quick profits. the
stock market having begun to show some
signs of WEAKNESS after the long-continued
advance which began just after the election
Of a gold house was assured and which has
caused an average advance in leading Wall
street stocks since then OF over SIS, Of which
s. has been made in this month alone. This
average compares with one for the san
stocks last March, when the war scare
prevailed, OF s27 lower, and today sees an
average $45 higher than at the climax of the
silver panic in August, 1896, an advance
equal to 30 per cent.
That Is, while current business volume as
indicated by bank clearings. is well over
lOO per cent greater than in the
panic days of 1896. stocks of leading roads
are not that much higher as yet, apparently
indicating that in spite of the great boom
speculation as yet has not caught up with
business. What the bank clearings show
Is wonderful. AS the aggregate value of
bank checks passing in a given time &C
c%urately must measure the volume Of in
dustry, we see an increase Of Z per cent
this week over last; of 81 per cent over this
week a year ago, and considerably over
100 per cent in comparison with the fourth
January week in 1896, 1895 and 1894, while
1892, which was a good year. had clearings
II per cent smaller than those of this week,
the latter being remarkable for exceeding
two billion dollars in aggregate. the first
time In the history Of the country. Evidently
the business improvement is more than a
boom; 1t Is a very emphatic condition and
is here to stay, unless the easy success of
our war with a decrepit little power leads to
a tackle with one of the great ones.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01
ARMY BILL PASSES THE yorsr

BY a vote OF l6S to l25 the house of
representatives yesterday passed the bill
providing for an increase ana reorgan-
ure as passed differs in some important
respects from the original bill. AS re-
ported to the house from the military
committee the measure provided for in.
creasing the army to 100000. 1t now
provides for that number. but author
lies the president to enlist only sixty
men in u cavalry troop and the same
number in an infantry company. so that
the force can be reduced to $1,000 at the
discretion Of the president. There were
u number of other amendments made
to the original bill. but for the most
part these have no particular public IN
%terest, the people at large being con
cerned chiefly in the size of the army
and very little in the matter OF its
reorganization.
There was republican as well as
democratic opposition to authorizing
absolutely in increase OF the regular
army to 1OO. 1000. One Of the most tell
ing speeches against such increase was
made by Mr.. Henderson of Iowa, who
expressed the opinion Ii a Il force OF
from $4,000 to 10000 would be sufficient.
while another republican. Mr.. Johnson
OF Indiana, opposed any increase. Tn
doubtedly the bill as originally reported
could not have been passed. the COM
promise by which the president Is
authorized to reduce the size Of COM
panies receiving the support of repub-
leans who probably would not other
wise have voted for the measure. The
debate on the bill showed how strong
the feeling is against militarism and
this is shared by men Of all parties,
though In this instance. of course, its OK
preston came chiefly from the demo
Gratis.
What the fate Of the bill will be in
the n cannot be predicted with any
degree of certainty. A measure, under
stood to have been framed by General
Miles, was introduced into that body and
very likely some of the features of this
bill will be Incorporated in the meas
ure passed by the house. 1t Is to be ex-
pected that there will be vigorous OPP
position in the senate to increasing the
army, but it Is not to be doubted that
legislation for this purpose will be en-
acted. The volunteers and their friends
will anxiously watch the progress of the
army bill in the senate. since the early
return home Of many Of the volunteers
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01


The senatorial vote market Is begin
ming to give distressing evidences that
II Is irreclaimably in the hands of the
bears. 1t remains dull and weak IN
spite of the fact that demands are still
sufficiently numerous at fair margins to
create great activity on the rialto where
political merchants most do congregate.
That ii is not so is perhaps due, in
some measure, TO the fact that the preju-
diced and unreasonable minions of the
law are showing n meddlesome DISPOSE
ton to interfere with what Mr.. Rider
hood calls the business of an honest
tradesman," which has undoubtedly
operated to stihe competition and
prejudice trade. But. however that
may be, the fact remains that Delaware
Is the only place where any effort is
being made to bull the market, and the
price of votes has steadily declined dur
ing the past week throughout the
try until there is scarcely a living any
longer in the profits that Henry George
might have designated as the 'unearned
increment
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01

The dilatory game of the railroads in
connection with the plans for new via
duets is nothing but an effort to spar
for wind to give leeway to ar attempt
the law imposing upon the railroads the
duty to protect their tracks with via
ducts erected at their own expense.
The diversion for a viaduct over
Twenty-fourth street before replacing
but part and parcel of the scheme OF
delay. The trouble with the railroads
with rights-of-way through Omaha is
that they do not realize when they are
literally treated.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01

The wide departure from our modest mil
itary policy Of the past contemplated by
this (HulD bill appears to be opening the
eyes of the country to the real import of
the expansion program and alarming the
spirit Of hatred towards militarism which
inheres in the American character. This
bill signifies that our new policy is condi-
toned upon the maintenance of a large and
expensive military establishment. There
is no alternative for us, when we come to
deal with our colonial possessions. except
to keep large forces Of soldiers in these
islands and make ample provision for con-
~tinually recruiting our colonial armies from
the young men Of the country. The deadly
climate of the tropics will call for an end
less sacrifice Of American youth.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01
AN EXTRAORDINARY PROCEDURE.

The action of one of the district court
judges in issuing Il peremptory writ Of
mandamus ordering the police board to
grant Il license to sell liquor TO a conf
planning applicant and an injunction re-
straining the city authorities from in
terfering with the lawless sale of liquor
without a license is a most extraordi-
nary procedure. Not only is it entirely
without precedent, but, If upheld and
pursued, it promises to open the way
for constant court dictation of police
board action that would leave the police
commissioners in the position Of mere
~automatons, registering the DEGREES OF
bench.
Irrespective of the merits of the par
ticular case in question, the power to
grant or refuse liquor licenses has al
ways been supposed to be vested in the
police board and not i'll the courts. On
this point the law is explicit and the
power of the licensing board in the
metropolitan city Of Omaha is no differ
ent from that in the smallest village
in the state.
Under the law the board can refuse
any or all license applications with or
without formal protest against their is
suance. Thus in many towns and vii
lagos throughout Nebraska the issue at
every municipal election is the question
of license or no license, which Is de-
termined by the election of boards COM
mitted for or against the grant of liquor
license applications. If the courts can
legally interfere by injunction and man.
damus with the exercise of excise pow
ers, then any judge upon the bench can
arbitrarily reverse the popular verdict
for or against the liquor traffic regis
tered in their choice Of excise commits
~sioners. The same would be true in
Omaha, where the policy of the police
commissioners could be reversed by court
order any time a prohibltionist judge or
judge catering to the prOhibitiOnists
should feel so disposed.
The power of the courts to review
hearings on license protests is entirely
distinct and different from a pretended
power to order the grant DR. Withholding
of licenses on ex parte allegations In ad-
vance of action by the excise board and
without information as to the facts in
| the case,
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01
BALTIMORE AND THE WEST.
Vigorous Hustle for Expanding Trade
of Transmississippi Region.

baitlInOTe American.
1--WE of the west have understood for
years that the best market for our wheat
and meat products is Baltimore, and we also
know that we can get the best railroad
rates to this city. Baltimore is our favorite
in Nebraska"
These words formed the keynote of the
speech of Congressman Mercer of Nebraska
at the Merchants and Manufacturers ban
quet. They are pleasant words for the
people of Baltimore to hear; they are words
which we all sincerely hope will remain as
true in the future as they have been in the
past. Like other cities of the eastern sea-
board, Baltimore owes no small part of it's
development as a great port to the contri-
buttons from the west. AS that great sec
ton of the country has grown from bound
less prairie to a rich. fertile, prosperous
region, a land of great enterprises, great
results and even greater promises, these
eastern cities have been the markets which
the west has found. the ports which the
west has used for the shipment Of it's vast
contributions to the food Of the world.
Baltimore must not lose the position to
which Congressman Mercer has assigned it
that Of the best market for the wheat and
meat products of the west. The record this
port has made during the last two years in
the matter OF grain shipments to foreign
lands has been unprecedented and he's
shown a percentage of increase that has ex-
cited the jealousy of eastern ports to the
north Of this. The result has been a con-
certed movement against this port, and a
strenuous effort to take away from 1t the
concessions that it has long enjoyed and to
which 1t is justly entitled. Congressman
Mercer declared that, whether Baltimore
had a differential or not, it would continue
to get the bulk of the trade of his state,
but this may be doubted. 1t certainly will
not be able to hold the bulk of that trade
IL the railroads leading to Baltimore are
allowed to do all In their power to divert
that traffic to New York and Philadelphia.
The excuse given by the railroads that
the present reduction in the differential is
only an experiment, to be tried for a short
time. cannot be accepted by Baltimore as a
good explanation of the action. The simple
admission that the roads are willing to try
such an experiment looks very much like
a confession that they are willing to go even
further and abolish the differential alto
gether. Against this the merchants and
business men of Baltimore must make a
hard fight. a continuous fight. They must
yield nothing. Baltimore's rights must be
maintained. The harbor improvement must
also 60 on. Nothing must be left undone to
retain hold on the trade Of the
west, and keep this port and this harbor the
best in the country.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01
EUGENE FIELD on THE GRIP.

Eugene Field, on recovering from the grip,
wrote: ...
The gods let slip that fiendish grip
Upon me last week Sunday
No tiercer storm than racked my form
Fer swept the Bay of Fundy;
But now, sood-by
To drugs say /
Good-by to Rnawing sorrow;
j am up today,
And, whoop, hooray!
I'm going out tomorrow!
What aches and pain in bones and brain
| had | need not mention;
1t seems to me such pangs must be
Old satan's own invention;
Albeit |
Was sure Td die.
The doctor treasured me
And true enough
With his vile stuff,
He ultimately cured me.
As there I lay in bed all day,
How fair outside looked to me!
A smile so mild old Nature smiled
1t seemed to warm clean through me.
In chastened mood
The scene | viewed,
1nventing, sadly solus,
Fantastic rhymes
Between the times
l had to lake a bolus.
or quinine slugs and other drugs
guess | took a million
Such drugs as serve to set each nerve
To dancing a cotillon;
The doctors say '"' "
The only way .
To rout the grip instanter
Is to pour In
All kinds of sin
Similibus curantur.
Twas hard, and yet I'll soon forget
Those ills and cures distressing;
Ones future lies meath gorgeous skies
When one Is convalesctng!
So now. goOd-by
To drugs. say /
Good-by, thou phantom Sorrow!
] am up today, -
And. whoop, hooray!
I'm going out tomorrow.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01

Stockholm. which is believed to be his
objective point for the western bound
arv of the Muscovite empire.
The conditions of political unrest in
Sweden and Norway presage an early
dissolution and this. taken in connec-
ton with the move of the car in Fin
land. gives the situation its significance.
both countries is proved by the fact that
the press of Sweden Is almost unani-
nous in urging a reconciliation of diff
ferences with Norway tor the reason
that the full defensive power of the
country may soon be necessary against Il
common enemy. That Finland is pow
erless to withstand the ears demand
goes without saying. Norway and
Sweden united could hope to oppose no
effective check to Russia and in their
present condition of disruption, resist
ance would be impossible.
However. the measures that mean the
final subjugation Of Finland would in
dictate that rhe cars designs are ulti-
mate rather thar Immediate. A bold ad-
vance on the Scandinavian kingdom
would be dangerous at this time. But by
removing Finland gradually as n factor
OF interference, the lnsidious process OF
encroachment could progress, until the
quarrels of Norway and Sweden had
brought about a condition that would
render easy a bargain OF partition, like
that of Poland, which would realize the
ambition OF the car and at the same
other powers of Europe.