davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1899-03-12
SUNDAY, MARCH u. 1899.
The Chinese Question.

There is no immediate danger of war as
result of the Chinese controversy, simply
because the questions at issue have not
reached point where they can be settled
only by trial of strength. There are all
the elements of a tremendous explosion in
the situation, and it is from a considera-
tion OF these rather than of the temper OF
the different powers that stocks are de-
pressed in the great markets. The future
of the empire must be determined before
long but it is not credible that any power
would prefer war to a general division.
Therefore. all the representatives of every
nation who are on the ground will decline
10 be lured into an outbreak, even if one
were disposed to give provocation.
II is natural that the English should
magnify the intentions of Russia and
should be relatively indignant: but they
are more disposed to preserve the integrity
of the empire if that is practicable than to
enter into a scheme of partition. They
are firmly persuaded that wherever the
foot Of Russia is placed absolutism with
exclusion of British trade must prevail
They believe. too. that Russia does not
want war on any terms, and that an ulti-
matum Will effect what an amicable con-
ference will not. Perhaps this is the chief
element Of danger. It is possible that Rus
STA might not display the white feather
but accept the alternative, which would
mean general European war.
However. the fact that an aggressive
policy on the part Of any of the leading
powers would involve so much. may prove
means Of safety. For many years Eas-
tern questions have been in such state
that great conflict must follow an inju-
dicious word; but the war that has been
called inevitable has been postponed from
year TO year. 1t is true that England has
made extraordinary preparations during
the past twelyemonth, strengthening her
powerful navy and putting it in shape for
instant use; and that Russia has not been
idle, while Germany has kept her ships up
10 their highest standard. Still, each rec
ognizes the duty of keeping the peace un-
ul it is no longer possible without dishon-
or and an actual loss OF influence and au-
thority in the disputed empire
The point toward which everything is
moving is the question whether China shall
be partitioned among the powers, or her
integrity preserved under general agree
meut. In either event the reigning dynas-
ty Is doomed. China will be ruled by
combination. or cut up and distributed.
We may look for a call for a convention
of the powers as preliminary to any final
SER,
The times., 1899-03-12

farmer and live in the country there may
be times when she needs some kindling
and no man is within cali. and if she is
contriving bit of homeiaade furniture it
may be useful for her to know how to use
saw The hammer dlthe screwdriver
every human being in this!day and genera
tion ought to be able to ise, but no girl
OF average sense needs to be taught that
sort of thing in school.
As for the cooking school. one serious
trouble with that is that the classes are us
ualiy too large, and progress is consequent
ly slow The most effective way to teach
a girl to cook is the way in which it was
done in her grandmother kitchen. and her
grandmother never had a class OF twenty
five young ladies to teach at once. nor was
she obliged to refer to everything by a
scientific name. Cooking is, in fact a
thing which cannot well he taught to all
the girls in a public school. 1t would take
too much time and money at present. There
is nothing in the world in which so much
depends on individual taste, and in a class
of twenty perhaps five of the girls will
learn in ten minutes what four or five more
will not learn at all. even with repeated
drills
There was an instance of the fad sys-
TEN in Washington mission school not
very long ago. The school was established
for alley children of the poorest class
children crowded out OF the public schools
and allowed to run in the streets. Its aim
was admirable, but some of its methods,
owing to the advanced ideas of the board of
managers. were rather queer. The chill
dren We're taught first in one way and then
IN another, as some one of the managers
chanced to hear of a new plan of educa-
ton In a word. they were made the sub
jects of charitable experiment. 1t was in
teresting-particulari for the teachers
but it was not very profitable. One cf the
experiments tried was a good example of
the way in which the fad philanthropist
works. 1t occurred to somebody that it
would be fine plan to teach the children
to make baskets, so that they could have a
trade. Nobody, apparently, reflected that
basket-weaving is not very remunerative in
Washington, and that if the children leaCn-
ed it thoroughly they would have little
time for anything else. Other branches of
training were dropped, quantities Of osier
were bought. and an instructor engaged
The teacher was a Frenchman who had
been in the basket-weaving business ever
since he could remember. and he could not
speak English very well. 1t is to be re-
membered that the pupils in this school
were little alley negroes, with no training
manual or otherwise, except what they
had obtained in the short term of their in
struction at the mission school. The cue
cess of the Frenchman in teaching their
unaccustomed fingers to-do the work which
he did almost by instinct can be better
imagined than described. The basket
weaving fad came TO an end before very
long
The times., 1899-03-12
The Passing of the Horse.

Since the advent OF the bicycle and the
electric car frequent prophecies have
been made about the eventual disappear
ance of the horse. It seems altogether
probable that in the near future this once
useful animal viii be banished from all
large cities for sanitary and economic rea
sons, and that his service will be limited to
such backwoods districts as have not good
roads. The teamster and the hostler will
be replaced By the motorman and the bicy-
clist. Runaways will be u thing of the
past, and the festive small boy can pop his
hreerackers in peace anywhere in the city
without injuring the delicate, nervous sys-
TEN of restless horse Woman will no
longer be dependent upon man to take her
driving, for there will be no spirited ami
NAL to control and no mysterious commit
cations Of harness TO master. She will
gayly order her automobile or mount her
bicycle and go for ride, with or without
the once indispensable man
The passing of the horse is all very well.
bat there is one thing which should re-
The times., 1899-03-12
a LovE-FEAsT AT BLUEFIELDs.
4 Happy MinGIing of American and
British Tnrs.

New Orleans. March tl-Passengers
from Bluefelds, Nicaragua tell OF an cpl
sode in the recent revolution in that
country that was striking and novel
With the collapse OF the Reyes govern
ment, the coast country. and particu arly
Blueiields. was without government. and
the commanders of the United States
Sunboat Marietta and the British man-of-
war Intrepid, which were both in the
harbor, took charge of the public affairs OF
the province until order could he restored.
The two commanders landed equal num-
bers OF marines the Americans under
Lieutenant Bassett and the British under
Lieutenant Douglas. Two watches OF
twelve hours each were set During the
nrst watch the allied forces of the Eng
iish marines as well as the Americans
were under the command of Lieutenant
Bassett. while Lieutenant Douglas took
command during the second watch 1t IS
said to have been the first instance where
mixed English and American troops were
commanded by an American officer. The
marines OF the two nationalities frater-
nized, and were cheered whenever the
guard was changed, and a crowd assem-
Dled.
Il was very much amused" said one
OF the passengers from BlueGeIds. Ito see
now the two sets OF sailors declared blooI
brotherhood. The Americans were some
what the larger physically. The English
tars had buttons bearing the insignia of
ST George, and the Americans were fur
ntshed with badges emblazoned with the
stars and Stripes. The emblems were
exchanged and worn eonspicuously on the
mems blouses. Whenever they passed the
consulate, where the crossed flags were
displayed, they never failed to raise a
cheer. 1t was a big international love
feast, and beat anything in that line l
have ever laid nYas ON
The times., 1899-03-12

ceive attention at this time. 1t is not de-
sirable that the horse should pass into the
canning factory. That is a phase of mod
: ern progress which is not conducive to
health or culture-excep, micTobe culture
If the horse were bred with view to his
ultimate use as beef il might not be so
bad. but we have not reached that stage
yet. and anyway horses are as expensive
TO raise as cattle. so that there is no reason
why such 4 plan should ever become gen
eral.
The horse which is utilized by the canned
beef dealer is an old, worn-out, tough.
sometimes diseased animal. about as unfit
for human consumption as anything that
walks The earth. Yet he is ruthlessly
( slaughtered, after lifetime of service, and
his flesh pamed OFF on the public rs beef
or sausage. OF course, anyone who eats
| horse meat under such a disguise knows
( that 1t is not very good, but he simply
accepts il as a specimen of the inferior
meat which is also put on the market by
INSCRIPTIONS dealers In the form of sau-
sage the meat is finely minced and highly
( favored, that its original taste is hardly
perceptibe These dishonest dealers some
times expend as much thought in cheating
the public as an honest man does in max
ing comfortable living.
1t is fortunate that. through the agita-
tion over army beef, the attention of the
people has been called TO this thing. In
this rich country it is not necessary that
anybody should be fed on rations made his
| toric by the siege of Paris. There is
enough land in the West 10 pasture all
| the cattle needed TO supply the country
with beef When greedy manufacturers
undertake to fitch money from the public
by buying old, worn-out, sick car horses
and selling their flesh to unsuspecting peo-
pie under the name of beef or sausage
their schemes should be interfered with at
once. We can better afford TO pasture an
old horse until he dies a natural death than
to send him TO the butchers shop.
The times., 1899-03-12
\ Curious Bit of Paris.

tPdTIs Letter IN Harper Blar)
curious corner in Paris at present is Nine.
Gache-Slraate's corsultinE-roam- Nothing OF
the liugcTc about it as at Peters Leotr's. ur
any OF the ordinary smart c1T,rti,r.> The salon
# a doctor Ia mode with any number ai chic
women sitting about waiting Tor the consulting
room door TO be opened. and the welcome
next which means their turn lnI ali Cay
long carriages driving up, and the soft swish of
trailing skirts through the halls. a- other wom-
en- come to I'LL appointments; the doctor rtisl-
ing about through II all. "a, hurried Us 4 popular
physician in an epidemic OF grip.
1t seems that numbers ot women have gIiuyd
extraordinarily in tone and strength through this
rational dressing and | have myself seen wonder
ful improvements in certain figures thereby. \
stiff, short-wtj-ted little person / know. somc-
what inclined TO einhonpuint, and cfammed into
her corset. became supple, graceful elegant.
through this transformation, but it does NOT suit
everybody Tor style, whatever il may do for
health. The latest fad is to have a silk jersey
made to order 10y such house ~ Nixon,
and cyqui-itrlv fitting, 10 under ONES tail
or suit The coat, then, may be as irec as pos
sible
The times., 1899-03-12

years to serve before they can be retired.
The sons Of somebody. still Young. may be
expected to acquire measure of fitness
TOR their duties. but not those civilians who
are on the downward side Of life's niIl.
There is another grave consideration.
Most OF the men to be commissioned for
military service are destined for our new
possessions. We have taken up our fresh
burden oi duty and the supreme danger is
that corruption or ineGiciency may mar
our island administration. OF the spirit
and purpose of the American people there
is no question They have accepted the
trust SO suddenly imposed on them and
they are especially eager to demonstrate the
superiority OF republican methods as a
light to the world. Spain reserved her
colonies Is fields for plunder and for the en-
richmsut in forbidden ways Of sons who
bad failed at home or had fallen into dis
grace. II was this that led to the Cuban
abuses and American Intervention. We are
debarred. by the memory of the blood that
has Redeemed the soil of that island, from
following Spains criminal example. Eng
land, on the other hand. has given to the
government of her dependencies. the ser
vices Of her puFest and most talented
statesmen and soldiers. This is what we
are required TO do unless we prove faith
less to the institutions under which we
have reached a high political ideal. There
could not be a better beginning than in
making merit alone the basis of army ap-
pointments.
The President must know that but one
in many of the civilian applicants can be
chosen. The great body of them are
doomed to disappointment and it can add
but little 10 his offence in the eyes of the
politicians if the few who might be ap
pointed should be joined to the majority.
By making a rigid examination and the
possession of certain advantages physical
and mental. necessary to success. he can
win a popular favor that must be of far
greater importance than the disappoint-
ment OF Senators and Representatives in
Congress. To keep politics out of the ar
my is always serious duty. Now it is
imperative.
The times., 1899-03-12

The salaries of American representa-
tives shrink TO still smaller figure when
it is considered that they have to pay
house rent. When the British government
sends an Ambassador to great city 10
look after his country's interests it builds
him a substantial and handsome residence,
so that he can entertain his friends and
acquaintances properly without too much
expense to himself; and. in addition TO
this, most European nations provide their
representatives with money TO pay a part
of their household bills. We do nothing
Of the kind. Our Ambassador is expected
to pay house rent and all expenses out of
his own pocket; and If he has proper
pride. and wishes to do credit to his coun-
try. he is Obliged to spend something like
SlOO, 900 year of his own private fortune.
if he has one. Otherwise he feels mean
and mortified through his whole term.
The consequence Of this condition of af-
fairs is that no man of proper seIf-re-
spect viii now accept a position at for
eign court unless he has a considerable
fortune OF his own. In other words. we
are Obliged to select our Ambassadors
from the men who are rich enough to pay
for their honors.
The same niggardly scale of expenses is
10 be found all the way through the sery-
ice. down 10 the consulships. The Amer
ican Consul usually has to live in a mean
little house in which he can entertain no.
body or pay house rent out of his private
means. Sometimes he chooses one horn
Of the dilemma and sometimes the other.
according 10 his pocketbook. In either
case foreigners are not likely to be i'm
pressed with the generosity and good sense
of the American people.
The times., 1899-03-12
Tbre. Little Missionaries.
From the New York Timcs)

CFrum the New York fimcs.)
The story comes all the way around from the
China Seas. hy way OF California. II concerns
Two bad little missionary children, and one
good little missionary child There a NUM-
Der OF missionaries on the steamer returning
from China, and the two little girls belonged to
one family and the small hoy to another. They
We're small children. not more than five or -iy
years old, and it shows what a capacity for wick
pdneSs and understanding Of propriety little mis-
,onary children OF tender wears may have.
The story came when the good little girl
came, much gricvcd, to her mother to tell her
sll about it. Mamma" she sIid MARY has
done a dreadful thing. She let Johnny kiss
her.
wei, JOHNNY Is nice little boy; thc.,
was harm IN that." said mamma.
But. mamma" said the little sister "-H,
lid worse than that; she ruhhci icr mouth
iitcrwglI"
well, dear" said mamma, who was rral-
ng, and not very seriously impressed Il ..u-
pose shs wipiHG the kiss oil"
NO. she wasn't said the litti, sister. bring
iug the words ont in great burst Of grief.
she was rubbing it n.'
The times., 1899-03-12
Taking Care of Cubn

tFrom tha Brooklyn Elgle)
Really the situation is enough to make one
wearicd. 1t is akin to that Of man who goes
to the assistance of a boy who Is being bullied
On the street and who not only receives no thanks
Tor his kindness, but is asked to take care OF him
and support him for the remainder Of his days
Circumstances like these are surely calculated to
drive home the thought that the Cuahns were
hardly worth lighting for. They seem at best to
be a lazy and indifferent set, and while this nI-
tion may have taken the proper course in going
to their all ON the score oi humanity. The regret
is that it did not have more deserving people
to fight for. If she Cnhan idea is correct let Us
all give up work Let us sit in the shade and fan
ourselves, leaving to women and children the task
OF bearing the hardships OF life. Work, anyhow.
was meant only for slaves, and we have liberated
Cuba.
The times., 1899-03-12
The Twelfth Census.
CFrom the Kansas City starJ

tFTOm the killsl7 tlTN StJT.)
The Census OF 1900 viii show a remarkable
growth in the population OF the United States
during the past ten years II Will also show an
enormous increase in the resource, of the coun-
try and a general increase in the resisting power
of the individual citizen to the effects OF periods
OF commercial contraction. This country is now
in the midst OF period OF prosperity 1t IS
to be supposed that, in course OF the usual cycle
there will come again in time another period Of
doubt and stlgnltiOn. The new Census will mn
doubtedly demonstrate that the nation in il,
individual strength is better able To meet and
overcome such period Of depression tlan it wa,
ten years ago. Hence such period viii. when it
comes be less prolonged and les acute.
The times., 1899-03-12
Educating the Court.

The record of the proceedings of the
Court of Enquiry at Chicago would be
decidedly amusing IL the business of the
Court were less serious. Everyone knows
of course, that the Chicago stockyards are
among the wonders of the world to an in
habitant of that city and it is on record
that the Rev DR.. Gunsaulus. on meet
ing a member of the. Jain sect of Hindu
Buddhists at the Parliament of Religions.
gave him pressing invitation to attend
the daily slaughter show. The Hindu nat
urally refused. such a spectacle seeming
to him very much as a KafIr witch-hunt
would to us. But the incident serves to
show what a high idea Chicago people have
OF the instructive and beautiful nature of
these daily rites.
1t would. therefore, be entirely in order
for the members OF the Court Of Enquiry to
be shown over the stockyards if they were
in Chicago for amusement. but in The pres
ent situation it is difficult to see what they
will gain by such tour Of inspection.
They have spent their time thus far in this
way:
They first go to the butchering depart
ment and see an animal killed. They then
follow the carcass to the refrigerating
rooms, where that part of the business is
explained by polite and intelligent at
tendant. Then they proceed to chase the
body to the department in which beef is cut
into pieces the proper size for canning,
and a lecture is delivered on the methods
by which fresh beef is reduced to canned
beef. They are allowed Gndeed. encourag-
ed to ask all the questions they like.
From this department the meat is taken in
large iron carts to the cooking room.
where it is boiled for twenty minutes It
is then taken to the canning room. which
the Court also inspects, and there it is put
into the cans. While the ovens were heat
ing, it is said, the members of the Court
took the opportunity of examining the
cans and finding out how they were made.
This is all very interesting.
The times., 1899-03-12
Relic OF the Glacial Period.
From tho Engineering Nersl

The supposed corduroy road OF late sIIeiaI
age. found At Amboy, Ohio, has been examined
hy Prot G.. Frederick Wright, OF Oberlin. Ohio
He found q series OF logs lying side by side, IL
in a corduroy road, and extending Tor a length
OF 2DO feet. ana covered hy about thirty itet Of
gravel, in which was the tooth and tusk Of a
mammoth; the tusk being ten feet long by
twenty-five inches in circumference NJ the base
and weighing ljj pounds, But he decides that
while the resemblance to artificial roll ia
striking, the appearance OF the logs showed that
they dritwo0d deposited during the clos
ing centuries OF she glacial period. when the yrl-
ter OF Lake Erie was held al a level Of Iil feet
higher than it is at present The logs and hise
ot the deposit are now about liD feet above th.
lake level and four miles distant from the lake
shore, on the banks OF The Connc4ut JTgcE The
gravel was brought down from higher lgHd to
the south, near the source of the creek.
The times., 1899-03-12

We suppose Mr.. Commissioner Wight
will not object to be considered the es-
pecial property of the Star" in the delin-
quent tax list controversy. but whom, or.
speaking of property, what member of the
board did the Post" contribute TO the
combine? We are sure ii was not Com
missioner Beach, and We hope it was not
Commissioner Ross. Mr.. Wight is surely
the Stars" warm baby, but h. certainly
was not, or ought not to have been. the
whole bunch. Beriah. who was your
gentleman friend?
The times., 1899-03-12
Mary had a little lamb,
II ngaqa tyHfz y,.b54.. 49,,
+ II'tl. WI1 WHl.e a. SNOW,
md everywhere that Mary wen
Tho Lamn WI. M. - =

Then he started it to repeat his words
expecting at the best but a hoarse rnur-
mur in answer. He was almost aved whom
ne heard his words actually repeated in
clear tones by the little machine. That
machine is now in the Patent Museum at
South Kensington.
MIR. kruesi remained with Edison and
became one OF his partners in the feveIop-
ment Of the electric light and in 1885
when the Edison machine works were re-
moved TO Schenectady he went there IS
assistant general manager under Mr. sam
uel insall. In 1892 when the General FIec-
tric Company was formed and the yhoIs
plant of the great combination was CON-
solidated, Mr.. Kruesi became general man
aser of the works. 1t was under his SUI
pervision that the Schenectady works. The
largest and most complete of their kind in
the world, were designed and built At the
time OF his death Mr.. Kruesi was the chief
mechanical engineer of the General Elec-
tric Company. OF the original Edison band
Of workers only three were absent from the
funeral These We're T. c Martin. editor
or the Electrical Engineer" Luther Stier-
niger. and E IT, Johnson. all of whom were
unayoidably detained elsewhere.
Dir. kruesi was a native OF Switzerland.
and was born in 1913. He came 10 this
country in 1870 and went to work Tor the
Singer Sewing Machine Company at Eliza
bethrort. In June. 1872. while EGl-un was
making Cold and Stock Exchange IeIe-
graph instruments in a Newark shop. Kru-
esi Joined him and was one Of the first Of
his workmcn 10 be transferred from COM
mercial to experimental work when Edison
got money enough to open q shop for the
development OF his ideas in 1879. That
shop was in Greene Street, Newark
The times., 1899-03-12
IN rncIcnn menthen.

VFIllH IIIV 'TTVTIi.' -N0NF7-I
Tla ,-utlrlnlinesS OF the Afghan Is pr1ve.I,ial
and IT ls slid Jhat during the last Afghan vsrr
C.rrGl Roberts one, ordered one {, h. washed
T,-s s.'lir., stripped the prisoner and seguL,lr-l
him tr 1870 hours with formidlhle br,..hts agl
'lt -ali.. Ttcu they threw down thsit l-i-he-
iu d -a-t 1aj vcE. 20 their ,arlriu
..Hult d.. ii- u.s-'' Er asked
..V.u. ~. r.pli,a .'.r,. l,,-e . 80
,l.at Al@l=r chap for two hours. but it i. no
.suoi- tisT se-.uiss him, sir, nor tai .as, IL
car ann, laivl tt 90 drop of. blc>, it s.. did
rot come upon another suit OF clothes"