davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
The Alaskan boundary.
From the New York Commercial Advertiser

From the New York Commercial Advertiser
An Ottawa dispatch founded on good
authority says that negotiations with re.
spect TO the Alaskan boundary have re-
commenced between our State Depart
nent and The British government, AMI
that an active interchange Of diplomatic
notes is now in progress This clears the
way for reopening of the joint high COM
mission, and makes bright the prospect
OF settling thereby a number OF vexed
questions 10 which the solution of the
Alaskan difficulty had been a condition
precedent. II would so far. too, 10 dis
pose Of the contention OF some British
newspapers that England intended TO
propose concessions with regard 20 the
boundary as a quid pro quo for abroga-
ton Of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, IN case
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty is Withdrawn
England has been willing all along 10
settle the boundary Independently Of
other Canadian questions. or prefers,
rather, to consider II an imperial question
which undue emphasis by Canadian In
. reference may make dangerous, and
which IL is, therefore, best TO treat In a
large spirit with regard 20 the welfare OF
tho whole empire. The position taken by
the London Morning Post this morning,
that Great Britain will not be dispose q
10 insist upon a too rigorous interpreta-
tion Of the letter Of her rights, provided
the British right OF way 10 the country
Of which Dawson City is the capital IL
strictly prsserved for all time, expresses
fhe best opinion in England on that ques-
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
Gov, Mount Will Aet.
From the Cleveland Leader

FROM the Cleveland Leader.
Gov. Mount, of Indiana, is said TO be de-
termined 10 institute an investigation with
a view 10 securing the punishment of those
who are responsible for the three lynch
ings that occurred in that State last week.
He will surely do this, it is said, il the
local officers fail to act.
The governor has been impelIed 70 take
this step by what he terms the negligence
of the sheriff of the county in which the
outrages were perpetrated. He was pre-
pairing 10 protect the prisoners and he
telegraphed to the sheriff TO ascertain the
situation The sheriff responded that the
prisoners were safe, and on that assur-
ance the sending Of militia was delayed.
II is seldom that the local officers can
be depended upon TO punish rioters. There
are too many influences at work to pre-
vent full inquiry in the courts. A nota-
bic exception has been furnished at
Akron, where more than a score of per-
sohs implicated in the riots OF last August
have been convicted and sentenced "a
varying terms in the penitentiary. the re-
format0ry, or Jail.
1t is 10 be hoped that the governor of
Indiana will make good his purpose 10 get
az the facts Of the recent lynchings and
punish all who were implicated In them.
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
The Treaty-whst Is Left OF H.


As we understand the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty in it, present shape. the Senate
has done much toward removing the pop
ular objections 10 that deplorable instru-
menL
The Davis amendment gives US the
right. In somewhat vague terms, TO pro-
tect the proposed canal In time Of emer-
gency. but II has been so inserted as to
| leave intact the prohibition against for
tifcations." and 1t, therefore. bequeathes
10 US detestable and irritating problem
There can be no doubt that. confronted
by an imminent and sudden crisis. the
United States will construe the clause to
suit itself-in fact, we regard this evasive
and indefinite utterance as more provoca-
tive Of war in the future than would have
been the adoption Of a clear. straightfor-
ward. and unmistakable declaration of
our purpose 10 control be canal In our
own way, without reference TO the in
terests or wishes of any foreign power
As we see the matter. the country will
yet have cause 10 regret the Senate's lack
Of decision in this respect.
on the other hand, there are two con-
siderations which will appeal with elo-
quence to the approval of the American
people. For one thing. it is stipulated
that the Hay-Pauncefote treaty as now
constituted supersedes. and therefore OBJ
literates and abrogates, the detestable
Clayton-Bulwer compact of 1850, and in
the next place we have an abrupt and
final cancellation of the iniquitous Article
III, which subjected us to the interference
and supervision of the European powers
and turned over the canal to foreign
syndicate to be directed, If need should
be. 10 our injury and peril. The conven-
ton as It stands removes from our future
these forbldding clouds. and for this much
we should be grateful; but it leaves US
still involved with England-a most un-
welcome and sinister arrangement-and II
thus abandons us to a complication which
the American people will justly regard
with apprehension and distaste.
Perhaps it is the best compromise that
could be had-With the Senate as it is now
cOnstituted-and in any event We shall
have to put up with 1t for the moment
But Ii is still our opinion that this con-
tinuation of even the shadow Of a part
nership with England BODIES i'll for us in
the future. and whatsoever or later-con-
front US with the alternative of a dev-
astating war or an inglorious and humili-
ating surrender. We know full well which
course the American people will prefer
for, after all. the people will decide-and
We can easily foresee the finish Of a con-
flict between this country and Great
Britain.
All this disturbs us far less than the
prospect of an eternal controversy-a per-
petually harassing and distasteful squab-
ble-with its tiresome concomitants Of
High Joint Commissioners, futile palaver,
and greedy and ridiculous banqueting.
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
THE CANTEEN.
Wherein the senate Has Verv Wisely
Amended the Army Bill.
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
One Of the points in which the army
bill. as reported to the Senate, is better
measure than that which passed the
House is the partial restoration of the
eanteen. The Military Committee of the
Senate proposes that the sale of beer
alone shall be permitted in the post ex-
changes. Why the light wines which are
now allowed to be sold are not also in
cluded does not appear. 1t is certain that.
to many constitutions, pure wines are
more wholesome than beer of the same
alcoholic strength, and moreover they are
commonoly drunk diluted. There seems
no reason why an enlisted man should
not have his choice between two equally
innocuous, or, If Mr.. Dunno and the w. C.
T. L. will insist upon it, equally noxious
beverages.
But that is small matter compared
with the Importance of preserving the
canteen, as the only method of preserving
the post exchange, which an Overwhelm-
ing majority of officers report to be a
most valuable and even indispensable
agency for promoting temperance, dis
eipline, and eontentment In the army. 1t
is the enlisted mans club, and it does so
much TO mitigate the asperities of army
life that il prevents desertions and en-
eOurages re-enlstments. This is practic-
ally the unanimous testimony of those
who know its workings best and are most
interested in the morale of the army On
the other side are the liquor dealers and
the theoretical prohibitionists, who are
sow found working together, not for the
first time. One party or the other of them
is evidently taken In by this alliance. 1t
behoOves the theoretical prohibitionists to
inquire which. Nobody else will believe
that 1t is the saloon-keeper. At least the
w. c. T. U. is not now holding a convep-
tion in Washington. There Is thus a fair
chance that the amendment will be con-
sidered on its merits. That is a joyful
prospect TO those who are personally and
officially interested in the promotion Of
discipline, cOntentment, and particularly
OF temperance In the United States army.
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
Mr.. CIeveland's Rank and File.

The country has been greatly amused
over Hon. Grover Clevelands solemn pro-
nuneiamento obtained by the Atlanta
Journal and reverently Dut Historically
disseminated afterward Naturally. we
examined with pious solicitude this
loudly rumbIing oracle. and. as might
have been expected by even the most
helpless slave OF optimism, We found it a
triumph Of com?laceney ard miracle OF
platitude. As usual. Mr.. Cleveland in
dulged In elephantine commonplace and
reverberating fiatulenee. He dealt In heavy
generalities, advocated "a return TO the
theories and practices OF the fathers, -
and wound up with one of those Deiphic
utterances for which he Is justly famous:
Give the rank and file chance"
The Columbia Is. CD State thus makes
merry with the prophet and his fugle-
man:
"As 4 humorous paper the Atlanta Journal is a
distinct success. The STATE yesterday morning con-
tsined an Interview obtained by the Journal from
Mr.. Grover Cleveland. Of Princeton. N. J. The
pride with which the Journal announced its sue
cess In obtaining hitherto unobtainabe express
sion from Mr. Cleveland was sufneient to provoke
a smile. but the thing became much more amusing
when the Journal itself arrived and 1t was seen
that the interviewer simply plastered the inter-
viewed with esttery. suoh this: Mr.. Cleveland,
you are the most successful Democrat Of the past
fifty years. You have made more history than any
ngu sin AUHr TaFE nuA an
Under this steady stream Of hot stun the ice
melted and Mr.. Cleveland. having been reluctantly
convinced Of his unmatched greatness, proceeded
10 speak the magic words that should reunite the
party which he himself had smashed. He not
only said the words once, bet repeated them in sew
eraI different ways. and the Atlanta Journal man
went away pstting himself on the back, while Mr.
Cleveland locked rosy and happy"
Just what Mr.. Cleveland means by "the
rank and file" we shall not try 10 guess.
What we know is that he has never yet
brought out, even approximately, the full
strength of his party vote. Mr.. Bryan was
defeated in 1896, but he received at least
500 600 more ballots than Mr.. Cleveland
did when he was elected in 1892. The in
dividual may decide for himself as to the
real character and constitution of the
Democratic rank and file" Mr.. Cleve-
land, il appears, has in mind the
bankers, capitalists, and corporations of
the East. but others may think that the
great body of the Democratic voters are
in question.
Aud figures talk
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
NATURAL GAS THIEVING.
"The Neral Laws Are Not to BE Violated
Without Punishment.

From the New York Commercial.
One of the newspapers of the country
that appears to have appreciated the full
pravity OF the offense of the Indianapolis
public is the Sunday Call. of Newark, N.
]. 1t says:
Perhaps as diseouraging a of popular immo-
rality as any yet defined is that reported of In
dianapolis. with apparent truth. The company
furnishing natural gas has declared with good
evidence. that very nearly every householder in the
city IL engaged in deliberately and systematically
stealing the gas. Now. of course. there is some
good explanation for this. The company has prob
ably fooled and cheated the public. given bad
ice. shown unworthy avsrice. and generally misbe-
haved. Public prejudice against any injury inflicted
upon corporation rarely develops except when a
corporation has violated its obligations. The harm
10 the gas company and its investors need cause
no great regret; the real sufferers are the people
who do the stealing. Moral obliquty is bad enough
in the individual, but when a whole community
finds IL possible to excuse wrong-dong. there Is
something very rotten In the community. The
next step will be TO steal from any corporation.
and then from the city and finally from each
other. The men who cheat railroads Of fares and
those who evsde water rents and dodge taxes are
those who will vote cOrruptly and betrsy private
trusts If they dare. The companies and the cities
stand the loss but the public cannot escape the
penalties Of moral transgression. The moral laws
are not to be violated without punishment
The people and press of indianapolis
either fail to sense the enormity of the
charge against them as a community, or
else they are used TO that sort of thing
and don't care particularly. So far. there
Is no authoritative denial from any quar-
ter that they steal the gas company's $
property. The News of that city asks:
''If the Indianapolis gas consumers are
thieves, who are the sandbaggers?'-
merely another form of declaring that
the gas company is a worse sort of thief
than its customersi
Really, this thing is an anomaly In nine
teenth century ethics.
But even In the matter of fineness of
grain in thief the Indianapolitans ap-
pear to be at disadvantage Possibly,
gas company might rob its consumers
through the medium of scientifically con-
structed meters; but that process would
be actually esthetic. almost angelic, COM
pared with the coarse brutality Of delib-
erately tapping pipes. boring out mix
ers' and then boasting of this breaking
and entering resulting In burglary!
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
TWO SIDES OF EXPANSION.
The Merit system In Oar Islands and Oar
Consular service
Fron the sss York Pr,n.

From thk Ses T0rk PrsH
The executive committee of the Nation
al Civil Service Reform Association found
some good words 20 say about the exten-
sion and application Of the merit system
TO the civil administration Of our Island
dependencies. II would not have gone be-
yond the truth. however. had IL said more
about the success Of President Mckin-
ley's sincere efforts 10 increase the eff
cheney OF our consular service The fact
i that the consular system OF the United
States Is attracting the admiration OF
other world powers. notably Germany
whose efforts at imperial expansion are
not confined to the acquisition OF terri
tory, but include the extension OF German
trade with lesser nations everywhere.
This, of course, not done ayowediy for
the purpose of annexation. but rather. as
Prof. Reinseh, Of the University OF Wis
eonsin, has 50 clearly pointed in his book
on world powers. with a view to the In
crease of political influence as an end
through commercial amity as a means
II is important TO note that what Ger
many is naturally willing and anxious 10
do the United States Is actually doing by
degrees, and without making any fuss or
rarading any eagle feathers about il Dr.
Vosberg- -Rekow. the German economist
in his book on trade treaties. notices that
The Americans have acted judieiously in estab-
fishing a system which is Of the greatest advantage
TO themselves but costly and inconTenient % their
competitors In ali countries With which II has
traes relations the United States has stationed con-
sals and consular agents. Every shipment Of goods
10 United States port must pass through the
hands Of these officials. and the amount. value,
nfa 81 osv mil n
Of production. method Of production, &c, are
noted. The consuls thus dive deeply into the
economic condition OF their districts and obtain in
formation the result of which is dsoernihle in the
steadily increasing expectations Of their home
country. Is this system worthy of our imitation!
DR.. yosberg-Rekow goes on to argue
that il is a model for imitation even by
Germany, Notwithstanding the greater
number Of the latter's petty officials and
the greater total of detailed work involv-
ed He thinks it will pay in spite OF all
ifs and butts.
His argument is worth noting as prov
ing by an impartial witness that the ex-
pansion of American influence is not con-
fined to one line, but that IL is tendency,
a policy, a destiny which is manifest IN
and to the world at large. The testimony
of the National Civil Service Reform or
ganization as to civil service reform in
the regions affected by territorial expan-
sion shows that quality accompanies
mere material growth. The testimony OF
foreigners is that il is the quality of our
consular service that makes for our COM
mercial growth. and for that incalculably
great moral influence which commercial
growth brings with it when wisely util-
lied.
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
FALSE CODES OF HONOR.
.sAs ArtieeiaI Code Of Hasiissss Is Verse
Than CseIess-lt IL Demsrafiziss."


From the Fh!iadsiphia Press
What is really more important than the
suppression of haxing al West Point Is
that the students shall not adopt false
codes of honor. Any one familiar with
the various artificial codes that al one
time and another have done duty IN Eu-
Korean and American life knows what a
handicap on true manliness or the high
est form OF social life such codes have
been. In Europe those countries that stit
stick to the ridiculous modern duel have
the lowest moral and physical stamina,
the least manliness. while personalities
in public. private. and political life sink
to a gutter level and menace the social
order.
No one deems an Englishman a coward
because he scorns the bastard code OF
the duello. since his spurnlng its chlldish
punctilfo and procedure Is fun evidence
of q higher manliness and greater IN
dividual bravery The same thing Is tr'ie
OF American life. There is no less man
liness now. when dueling Is practically
unknown, than there was when II was
supposed to regulate conduct and cstao-
lish high level of social intercourse. As
a matter OF fact. IL did nothing OF the
kind. and to-day those sections OF the
country which still banker after the spirit
of the duel. and still adhere TO the per-
sonal encounter as a means of settling
difficulties between gentlemen, represent
the lowest level of social life In the Unit
ed States. The spirit OF the duello is a
false one, and. being false. begets arti-
fetal distinctions as to honor which eat
as a canker into true honor and true
manliness. No society was ever made self
contained by the rule of the pistol or
the arbitrament OF the fist The prime
factor for good in any society is the re-
of the community, and the factor mex.
in Importance is the restraint OF the COM
munity in the interest of the individual.
All this is exemplified in the behavior of
the cadets at West Point. Their code
is evidently aimed at protecting the
standards Of the community from the lax
ness of the individual. but IL does not
appear that the protection of the indiyid-
ual against the caprice. of the community
Is earnestly aimed at.
And this is where the shoe pinches. At
one time among the young naval midship-
men the duel was looked upon as indis-
pensable to correct demeanor as pugilism
is now at West Point. And yet who
would go back TO dueling in the navy or
introduce ii at Annapolis? True manli-
ness is fine thing, but an artificial code
Of manliness is worse than useless. 1t Is
demoraliZing.
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
The Minority In CONGRESS-.

The absence OF belligerent spirit
among the opposition in Congress since
the session began-a fact which has great
ly facilitated and expedited public busI-
ness-has been voluminously and vari-
ously commented upon. In some quarters
this phase OF the post-election situation
is accepted as proof that the Democratic
party has lost it's courage. its character
istic elasticity, the snap and vim which
It has always hitherto displayed in times
OF trial. A few Republican organs and
some newspapers that profess friendship
for the Democracy speak OF the minority
in Congress as II they were completely
disheartened by the long series of dis
asters eliminating in the crushing ce-
feat OF 1900. Some OF the alleged Demo-
cratic papers severely censure the Demo-
cratic Cengressmen because they have
not seen fit 20 ayail themselves Of every
possible opportunity 10 delay action on
each and every measure that has been
brought up for consideration. Some OF
the Republican papers are sneering al
the minority as II they had been dement,
tl ana ENHuNifV tmpottNi uS the miSIDE-
tunes Of the last seven years.
The Post sees no occasion for any Of
those comments. To an unprejudiced OBJ
server there has been nothing In the air,
bearing or attitude OF the defeated minor
ity In Congress that calls for reproof on
one side or warrants much hiiarity on
The other, No bin OF a very strictly par
tiAan character has passed either House
To those bills which the Democrats de-
sired 10 amend they have made sufficient
opposition 10 keep their record straight
without being open To the charge Of
facti0us opposition. And IL should be re-
msmbered that under the Reed rules.
which both parties have adopted. the
House OF Representatives cannot be the
arena for much fIibusteFiRg without con-
sent Of the majority. When the session
began the minority clearly understood
that prompt dispatch of business was an
imperative necessity. They knew that Il
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
Goilege Fines.

Prom the Boston AdYertiEer
The system adopted az Tufts College to
punish offenses against ordinary college
discipline by imposing fines as penalties
seems 10 be working very effectually. Per.
haps other colleges may do well 10 study
the system. The average student NAV
seem at times 10 have little respect 10.
many college rules, but he generally re.
spects his father; and when he knows that
every transgression Of college rules means
a fine 20 be paid out OF his own pocke. OF
out OF the paternal pocket-book. his re.
spect for college laws and regulations an.
pears 70 increase wonderfully. This sys-
TEN might not work at a "rich mems col.
lege." but at the average American col.
lege 1t should work a much-Eeeded reform
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25

Republican minority faction 10 defeat Ad-
dicks by sending a conservative and rep
utabls Republican to al the Senate seat
he claims. No party treaehery on either
side in that arrangement. It would be a
wholesome exhibition Of patriotism The
minority party In a legislature has the
right, the privilege. and often The duty
OF preventing result which IL depre-
Gates BY siding with a faction of the
party In power.
How does that proposition strike the
PHILADELPHIA TImas7
The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
Mr.. II. ]. Powers. of st. Paul, is at the
Riggs House.

Mr.. Eugene s. Ives. formerly State
senator from the Albany, n. Y, district.
and now one Of the owners Of the King
of Arizona, a gold mine in Arizona Ter
ritory. and who was recently elected a
member of the legislative council Of
Arizona, is at the Raleigh. Tle King Of
Arizona is one of the largest gold mines
of the Southwest. 1t was discovered thrts
years ago by prOspector named Elehsi-
berger, who stumbled across II entireiY
by accident. The mine is situated Ia
desert country totally devoid of any sur
face indications OF gold. While trayershs
this sterile region Eiehelberger came
across a section Of rock and playfuy
knocked a piece of IL 10 the ground. nap
pening to look al IL after il had fallen. ne
discovered that It contained quantity
of gold. The spot was excavated, ana
proved 10 be veritable bonanza. u
now owned by Mr. Ives and Mr.. Espef
Randolph. OF Tucson. AriZ., and an ex'
tensive plant has been erected on the SITE
giving employment 10 a large number ot
nee, Mr. Ives Is a candidate for the Of.
Ace NJ president OF the legislative cOuncl
~ Arizona. and has excellent prospects
of election. The council conyenes On
January 10.
Y Kamei. K Nakagama. Y. NakamUra.
and l. Baba. perty Of japanese tourists
from Tokyo. are at tie Arlington. ThV
called upon the Jspanefe Minister hess
yesterday.
Mr. William a. Baker, mayor Of the CITY
OF Providence. Is soJOcrning az the Arlng'
ton on his way South for the ChrlstBas
holidays. "The city Of Providence" s4ii
he last evening. rs row one Of the busiest
Industrial centers on the face 0f the eaflh'
and II needs but one condition to place
high on the list Of cities iransacting theh
export business directly by SEA, just ~
Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore
are now doing. The channel from The cir
% the sea II not now deep enough 20 a9'
NIT the passage Of trading vessels 0f deep
draught, therefore, only the su.ailer cas-
Of ships pass 20 and fro.
1--WE are endeayoring 10 reach dep.s
Of about 8 feet at the low water HafA
however, and when We have dredse1
that depth Providence will be IN afe.'
line Of communication with all the Pyf~
Of the world. AS the situation noT stahe'
most OF our articles Of PRODUCTION musl p
shipped by railroad 20 the nearest ass'
water ports for transpOrtaii9n aDfVaN-