The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-16
HOUSTON POST LETTER BOX.

main object is 70 supply out-of-thc-way facts
and curious information. Questions Of per-
scnal interest only will not be answered. No
business or personal addresses will b. Eiven.
All correspondence should be addressed 10 The
Letter Box. care Houston Post owinE to the
large number OF questions received answers
can not always DO xisen promptiyl
In last Thursdays semi-weskiy Post. nan
Troy asked you aIain In regard to the d.
fection OF the Philippines | think Dan is
center Of Texas, We Win take Il AZ Inc point
from which 10 figure distinction aud directlon
20 the Philippines, Lampasas 10 In longitude
~ degrees west. and In latitude 81 denrees
north, Manila longitude ~ dearees east lat
itude ls desrecs north. deere Of latitude Is
uniformity esie miles. desrce OF longitude
diminshes to the poles, where il Is zero. 4
degree on the parallel Of latitude 81 degrees
is 70 % miles. Taking this as basis Manila
line psssing ,breush Lsme ess s Il ' Is 40
degrees east and Ia degrees west VI Lam
pasas, Giving these distances IN miles aud
onSi, Manila IS $3.50 miles west aud 1905 miles
east of Lampasas. So says Tom
The Posts answer TO tho Dams ouory was
correct. The fact that BY sailing TO tho
west the east will be found Is what makes
the Philippines so difficult to ''place." They
are east or west according 10 the point OF
view from which they are examined. They
are on the opposite side OF tho is0th meridian
west or east Of Greenwich from that occu-
pied by the United States. In an air line
they are nearer to all points Of the United
States when measured westward than when
measured toward the east vessel sa''lnS
from any mort In California. oreron or WASH
ington would. OF course. 40 west to rcaeh
them On the other hand ship sailing from
New York. PHILADELPHIA or Boston would no
east because that would BIO a shorter COURSE
II would be shorter even II the Nloararua OF
Panama canal were built. owing 10 the dstouf
to the south which passage by the western
direction would necossltste. To tho residents
OF the North Atlantic pa;t OF the uniteu
states. therefore. the Phi!lpplnes are Down
east TO the residents OF tho Paeine coast
tho Islands are out west.
What are the requirements 70 Join the rsgu-
lar armyg Give age, weieht, ETC. Ely
Applicants for enlistment in the United
states army must be between q and 80 years
of age. Minors are enlisted, except hoys be-
tween the ages OF l6 and IS who may be nesd'
cd as musicians. and who have the written
consent OF their father. surviving parent or
legally appointed guardian, II OF the requisite
age. applicant must be unmarried. OF sood
character and habits ablo-bodied. free from
disease and able to speak. read and write the
English language Original enlistments are
confined to persons who are citizens OF this
United States, or who have made legal dec
laraton OF thsir intention TO become such
For infantry and artillery the height must be
not less than feet inches, and weigh not
less than 10 pounds aud not more than iaS
pounds. For cavalry the height must be mo-
less than feet inches and not more than
feet 10 inches, and weigh not more than lol
pounds.
II man leaves Germany at the age Of II
years and wishes 10 return at the axe OF 81
| years, has he to pay fineg To what age does
| the German government claim a maii for SER
vice in tho armyG COM,
| I. He is liable to ether fine or punishment
for evadng his military duties to his ooun-
try. 2. Liability commences with the end Of
the seventeenth years and ends with the be'
ginning OF the forty fifth year. 1t is termed
"wchrpdicht." II is divided into classes
"nienstpficht" aud "Landstrumpncht. IL
English the above would be "serve liability
md "Landsturm liability . The 'landstrum'
Is never called out except In time OF war ant
then IN defense OF the Fathcrland only Tn
soldier first enters active army for two years
He then has a leave of absence for hve years
during which time he is called on for tw
trainings of eight weeks each He then zoe
for FIVE years in first ban OF the "Lnndwehr
national militnl. where he Is called out 70
two trainings of two weeks each. He thei
passes into the second ban OF Landwehr
where he remains flvo years. The rest o
his time is passed In the Landstrum'
My father aud mother were born here a
American citizens. They take trip to Eng
J lgpd ], their son, was born IN EnGland VI
C,D,W,
! The child Is an American citizen. IA re
l "a, ds his eligibility for the office Of president
l opinions of lawyers well yersed in constItu
! t.ona law differ, some asserting that II he re
! turned 10 his native land with his parents
once or at an early age, was educated an
: b, ought up In America. the accident Of brit
a abroad would In no way AFFECT his status an
: no would be eligible for the office. Other
contend that when the constitution of tn
: United States requires him TO be "a nati'
= bern citizen, II is meant actually born on IL
e soil. The question. of course. has never bee
: legally tcated, and probably never will be. !
y 10 political party would take tho chances
= ccntesting the eligibility of their elected car
|, d,date but would be sure to nominate car
n didAte of whose nativity there could be 7
7. question,
& How did the Romans vots during the tim
- OF Cicero? Was II not that each citize
:, brought shell with the name written OF. u
II RON.
Ie At Rome secret voting by ballots or ticke
- was employed. the value OF which was SON
l. times demonstrated by a result different fro
10 what might haze been expected from popul'
opinion as openly expressed. Cicero. who d
IS not favor the ballot because OF its tenden'
W 10 diminish the power Of the patrleians. neVe
Z tholess admits that Notwithstanding tho Law
I'd had been Frustrated. yet sometimes thu
would reappear in the silent suifraEes OF Il
~ people. IL was in Athens that ostrocirm WI
>" praeticod. which was vote Of the people 4
the expulsion of citizen for hxod numb
Of years. and was done by writing the nan
Of the obnoxious party on she'll
rt wm YOU please explain fully Of what n
y. t,onai,,y the Creoles are, and " they ma
Il, negro blood in them
~ The word Creole is defined by the iexico
ns rfphers as applied in Spanish America 70
he native born descendants Of foreign or Eur
aw