The evening times., 1900-04-19

aration of expensive costumes for those
who take part in the exhibition. and even
for whole classes. tend to create much
jealousy and heartburning among the
children. and hardship for the parents.
who are in most cases doing al that they
ought to do when they dress their boys
and girls decently and comfortably and
dispense with their services during school
hours. II would almost be better TO cIothe
all the children in uniforms of the
simplest and plainest character than to
inculcate such ideas of unnecessary
extravaganza as are formed by the
customs in some city schools. The
whole training of the average child
should go to form habits of economy.
and he should be taught that not
penny should be expended for anything
which is not of direct benefit to somebody
He should above all be disabused Of the
misehievous idea that it is necessary to
his seif-respeet to have some unnecessary
article. which he does not really want, but
which happens to be the fashion.
The Sultan and the Missionaries.
1t is highly interesting 10 observe that
the Turkish Minister at this Capital thinks
there must BE- some mistake about his au-
gust masters alleged promises to pay those
missionary claims The eminent Oriental
diplomat is satisfied that the whole din
Guilty is the work of n biundering dragO-
man. who must have misinterDretei the
Sultan's language to successive American
representatives. Thus. argues His Excel
lency Ali Ferrolh Bey, when the Comman-
der of the Faithful appeared 10 assure Min
lister Straus that. by the beard of the
Prophet. he wOulc gay the ninety thousand
dollars damages in three months. Ave on
for cash what he really Gid say was that
he would cause enquiry to be made in the
proper executive department. and then, II
it should Jranspire that Turkey had done
anything it was sorry for. it would be
glad of it.
The Turkish Minister is quite within the
conventions in assuming this attitude.
Nevertheless, and notwithstanding he
speaks the soft words that butter no pars-
nps. As a matter of frigid fact Abdul
Hamid declared to both Mr.. Straus and
Mr.. Angel. not in dark brown Arabic but
in good idion Itic French. that he ae-
knowle&ged has Indebtedness TO the Ameri-
can missionaries, and would hand over
the cash without any mental reservation
or evasion.
Why the Sultan should turn gay in his
old age and refuse to perform his promise.
we are unable to say. As his envoy justly
remarks, the amount of money involved IS
a mere bagatelle and not worth talking
about as likely 10 affect the sacred rela-
tiORs subsisting between two friendly Mo-
! hammedan powers We ought TO remem-
! Der that Turkey has given US many evi-
dence5 of affectiOnate regard in the Iast.
| Every time an American President has
! been assaSsinated. the Sublime Porte has
| expressed regret. and. reciprocally the
American people have felt sorry for Abdul
| Hamid whenever any one OF his three hun
( dTed and ninety-six mothers-in-law have
| dropped in on him for years visit
II is not the sordid sequins that are at
issue. although the missionary societies
think differently II is that We cannot bear
tn let the CaliDh grieve over a broken
pledge. He may think that. having ac-
! knewledged his plain duty" in the prem
+ ises. he has as much right to 90 back on
! it as a Christian ruler would have: but
/ that is exactly where his circle cannot be
squared Turks must keep their pledges,
/ while every consideration OF justice and
humanity requires that Presidents should
/ not regard theirs when 10 do so would De
I inconvenieEt So the matter sums itself
up in the plain proposition that, il the
/ ConstaGtinopie Government does not remit
/ gold or exchange without unnecessary de-
lay. Mr.. Mckinley may feel it necessary
to his popularity with the Association for
the Dissemination OF the Gospel Among the
/ Hea len TO send a fleet to Smyrna and in
/ dem1ify the claimants in figs Kismet,
The military element in London is con
I fdent that Lord Roberts has begun his
/ advance. as he is understood TO have over
come most OF his late obstacles in the
/ way of winter clothing, remounts. and
! transport, and the censorship is severely
! rigid. No definite news can BE- obtained
( but il is thought that the columns moving
/ about il the Free State with wepener as
/ an ostensible objective may be really man
/ euTnng for position in connection with a
/ fianking movement against Krconstad.
/ We have an uncOnfirmed report todly that
/ Wepener has been captured and DaIgetty's
small command made prisoners. II ,rue,
I it is not pleasant commentary CO Bris ish
/ generalship- With a couple OF divisions
sixty miles or less away, it would be rath-
! er a strange thing TO leave the position
{ u1sueeored-
! Our sympathy goes out TO the people of
/ Nebraska. The untamed and raging E