davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1901-05-01
The sneers system.

II is said that there is a new educa-
iional system in use in Chicago, and 1t
Is called the Speers System. 1t pro-
vides for practical Illustrations Of
words. There is a chart, gotten up by
the originators of the scheme, on which
are words The. teacher points out on
this chart the Word hop" Then she
hops, and the children hop. The next
word may be skip" and the teacher
and the children skip accordingly. The
pext is wink" and following the
teachers example, all the children
wink. The next is grin" and the
schoolroom looks as if suddenly struck
by cyclonic joke. Possibly they some
times illustrate more than one word at
& time. The reflective reader is moved
10 wonder whether they do not some
times illustrate the word grin" long
before it is time
1t is said that fond Chicago father
asked his boy what reverse" meant,
ana the boy promptly stood on his
head. il is not known how the teacher
impaired that piece OF instruction.
The Speers system is not, however.
altogether new II was known to
Charles Dickens, as the Squeers sys-
tenn. and II will be remembered by all
readers OF Nicholas Nickleby" that
when the youngsters at Dotheboys Hall
spelled horse" they were instructed 10
curry him" Mr. Squeers had the ad-
vantage over Mr.. Speers in that his
system was Immediately profitable in
an industrial way; but the two gentle
men have In common the trait of MAX
ing their system profitable 10 them
selves. Out Of this chart business Mr..
Speers probably makes a comfortable
income. But those who wish 10 patron
tie and encourage him viii do well to
mind their p's and as. 1t might not
please him 10 be referred TO as Mr.
Squeers.
This fad is not so very much worse
than others which have been introduced
in public schools, and IL is 10 be noted
"a regard to ali the fad fraterEitz that
The times., 1901-05-01
ACCOUNTANTS AT A PREMIUM.
Wall Street Swnmped by Unusual
Amount of fBooEkeeping

NEW YORK, April 30.-Wall Street
bookkeeping has been thrown into a state
of chaos by the unprecedented activity of
the stock market. The average Wall
Street broking firm 10 from three to five
days behind on the details. Clerks and
accountants are working eighteen hours
a day, and will soon beiswamped utterly
unless the market calms down a little.
II Is easy enough for the brokers 10 OBJ
tain bookkeepers who have had experience
in mercantile houses. but they find il al
most impossible TO find men competent to
take up the complicated accounting of a
brokers' office. Orders meantime fall upon
the chief order-clerk's desk like snow
fakes and are executed hastily and often
times of necessity careleSsly. If the book
keeping force comes out at the end of its
long days work with check books written
UP. journal posted, and blotters complete
IL counts itself fortunate.
The details accumulate and cause end
less misunderstanding. Somebody who
thought he ordered 200 shares comes in
and finds that only 100 have been bought
In the present state of the bookkeeping
il is a long Job to straighten out the diff
ftculty. The bookkeepers are for the most
part patient. but some are urging that the
houses cut down their business. 1t seems
likely that inability to keep things
straight will diminish to some extent the
volume of outside orders in the course of
the week
The times., 1901-05-01
AN OCEAN EXPRESS SERVICE.
The ZeeIand's Maiden Trip in the
Gufae of n Flyer

NEW YORK, April 30.-When the Red
| Star Line steamer Iceland sails Wednes-
day on her maiden voyage from this port
she will take a larger crowd of passengers
than her officers had any thought of a few
days ago. for all those booked for passage
on the steamer New York for Southamp-
ton next Wednesday have been trans
ferred to the iceland. Consequently all
aboard the latter ship today was hustle
and excitement, and though she is spick
and span new, her trip from Antwerp to
New York last week having been her first
trans-Atlantic voyage, an army of men
were at work today painting her sides,
polishing her brass work, and provision
ing the larder
the New York, and il is understood that
many passengers, to whom speed is the
first consideration In an ocean trip, are
rather dissatisfied. One passenger, who
seemed TO be particularly upset about the
matter, said:
1T all comes from trying to have a
sailing every week from New York and
Southampton with only three ships In that
service. OF course, II all goes well, and
there are no bad storms or breakdowns,
it works out very nicely. The express
steamers, west bound, arrive here gener-
ally on Friday and sail again for South
amptOn on Wednesday, which gives them
four days in port for unloading and load
ing cargo cleaning ship. and any repair
be necessary. But If from any cause-a
bad storm al sea, a broken shaft or pro-
peiler, or any Of the many things that can
happen on the ocean-there is q two or
three days delay, then the sailing sche-
duIe is knocked out, and persons who
have selected particular steamer for the
passage are told they must take another
vessel.
Originally the steamers New York.
Paris st. Paul, and st. Louis were all in
commission, and there was then no trou
BILE, because there was always a vessel In
port on either side ready TO take the place
of a sister ship that arrived too late TO
sail again on schedule time"
James A. Wright, of the American
Steamship Company. when told of this
complaint said that the travelling public
was a privileged class.
They pay their money and have got
the right to find all the fault they want
to, I suppose" said he. I'VE run fast
express service between Southampton and
New York because we have the facilities
to do 1t. Our docks at Southampton,
which our boats can reach at any hour of
the day or night, are an important factor
in our fast service. AT Liverpool and
other ports boats can reach their desti-
nation only at certain hours, when the |
tide is right and there is enough light. |
We have our accidents, just the same as
any other steamship company. No one |
is so perfect as to avoid an accident. They |
ar hound to hanDeD
The times., 1901-05-01
THE CENTRE OF POPULATION.
The Development of the Country
During the Last Century

According to a bulletin issued by the
Census Office yesterday. the centre Of
population of the United States exclusive
of Alaska and recent accessions OF terri
terry, now rests in southern Indiana at
point about six miles southeast Of Co
lumbus. The bulle,in in gives the centre Of
population for every decade since 1870
and furnishes in brief a history OF the de-
veiopment of the country and the mold
ing Of a wilderness into States
In 1880 the centre Of population was
about thirty-three miles east % Baltimore
and TO reach its present location moved
westward in the 10 years distance Of
$40 miles. During the past decade the
centre OF population moved westward
little over fourteen miles and southwark
a little less than three miles. This IS the
smallest movement that has ever been
noted. The slight southwark movement
Is due largely 10 the great Increase in
population Of Indian Territory. Oklahoma,
and Texas. while the great decrease i'm
the westward movement is attributable
70 the large increase In population OF the
North Atlantic States 1t also shows that
the population Of the Western States has
not Increased as rapidly as in former
decades.
The closeness with which the centre of
population. through its rapid westward
81 degrees of latitude Is remarkable The
most northern point reached was in 1890:
the most southern in 1s40 the preceding
decade having witnessed a rapid deyeIop-
ment of population IN the Southwest
Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and
louisiana having been admitted as States
and Florida annexed and organized as a
territory. The extreme variation in latf-
tude has been less than 10 minutes while
the hundred and ten years have accom-
plished movement of longitude of a lit
tie over 9.5 degrees. Assuming the west
ward movement to have been uniformly
along the parallel of SO degrees of latitude.
the westward movement OF the several
decades has been as follows: 17eO-1soo.
IL miles: 1s00-ls10, So miles; 1sl0-l620. 80
miles; lS20-1S30 50 miles; IS30-lS40. So miles:
lS40-lS50. 5b miles; 1S50-fS60 81 miles: 1850
1870, AZ miles: 1S70-ISS0 IS miles; lSsO-lS90
IS miles; 1Se0-l900, IA miles
The sudden acceleration of movement
between 1850 and 1850 was due TO the trans
fer of considerable body of population
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast.
The centre of area of the United States
excluding Alaska and other recently ac-
quired possessions. is In northern Kansas.
about three-fourths of a degree north and
more than thirteen degrees west of the
centre of population.
The times., 1901-05-01
THE FRENCH SALON OPENED
Artistic. Literary, and Fashionable
Paris Views This Years Paintings.

PARIS, April 30.-The 119th exhibition of
| the French Salon opened today. The
weather was dull. there being only q
gleam of sunshine In the afternoon. New
ertheless there was a record attendance.
All artistic, literary, and fashionable Par
is visited the Palace des Beaux Arts.
which now contains both salons, one of
which would be considered ample in any
other capital.
The scene from the balconies during the
day when beautiful toilettes intermingIed
with the statuary which occupied much
of the large floor space was probably
unique. American artists appear to be
not as well represented numerically as at
lngs which commanded the most atten-
ton were Nine. Many Adams Evening"
which shows a calm. fine atmosphere;
Robert Aliens "A Seaport" Jean Arlin's
An Episode of the Flight Into Egypt"
which shows original and poetic treat
ment and Angelo Astfs Solitude" which
last painting is a splendid semi-nude.
Ernest Azemas 'Messalina' is strong
and fascinating and glows with color and
viciousness. The woman's figure is full
Hovering Around Dead Soldiers" is dra-
matically real. Miss Beaury SaureIs
Eve" is apparently suffering from coIic
rather than remorse Leon Beiiemont's
Benjamin Constants The Pope" is a
magnificent picture. fairly breathing life.
His Queen Alexandra" has an unpleas-
ing expression on its beautiful face.
George Berges' Steel Works" Is a blaze
OF color. II is "A good show picture. Berne
Beelecour's 'Esealsde' and .'Maneu-
yres" justify his reputation as today's
Aeissonnier. Eugene Bertheilon's The
Wave is magnificent water effect. Ed
GUARD Bissons Dew and Awake show
refined sentiment. Leon Bonnat's Lou
bet makes the President appear as
though he had dined well. Baiier Brucs's
The Empty Cradle" Is Watts-like in its
sympathy and technique.
Bougereau's Love Floating over the
Waters is an exquisite picture in the
masters usual style. Dwight Boyden's
Evening" is excellent Jules Bretons
Peasants is true 10 life Frederick
Bridgmans Algerian subjects are full of
color and are very good. Joseph Caraud
is delicate and miniaturish in touch. Alex
andre Chantron's rNymphs Playing" a
nude. has delicate and pure flesh tints.
The effect of the broken sunlight through
the trees is brilliant
Uipiano Checa's 'Vinicius Nearing
Rome" has a marvellous effect. The light |
of the burning city is magnificent
The times., 1901-05-01
Consular Reform,
CFrom the PbiladeInbia Tedoer

From the Philadelphia Ledger.)
If President Mckinley has determined to aban-
don the spoils system with respect to United
States consular Offices be will greatly CRAFTY
the community. Our manufacturers are reaching
out for new markets, and it is 20 their interest
that the American Consulates shall be served by
men who are competent, faithful. and intelligent.
and who will promptly transmit 20 the State
Department information Of use 10 our business
world Furthermore, to prevent undervaluation
and false classification in invoices, IL is requi-
site that the Consul shall be something more
than a perfunctory official, content with his
salaries and perquisites. OF the Consus now
in office, many should 10y this time have at
tanned fair degree OF familiarity with their
duties II given TO understand that their re-
tention depends no longer upon the influence
of their political sponsors. but upon their in
tegrity, fitness, and application TO work, the
results cannot avoid being helpful.
The times., 1901-05-01
SEIZURE OF THE AJAX.
Inc state Department Asks Canada
for ExpIauaffou

Mr.. Hill, the Acting Secretary of State
addressed communication yesterday TO
| the British Government, calling attention
to the seizure of the wreckins barge Ajax.
owned by Moran Brothers of Seattle. bv
the sub-collector of the port of Mansiuo.
h. c, on the ground that In attempting
To salve the wrecked steamship VILLA
nette I'm British waters the Ajax was
working contrary to Canadian law. Mr..
Hill pointed out that an international
agreement was in existence permitting
American vessels to engage in salvage
operations in Canadian waters. and ask
Ing for an explanation of the seizure
The Canadian authorities hold, that as
the agreement provides that these recip-
rocal wrecking operations appIv only 70
waters contiguous to the United States
ana canada, and as Bayuer Sound where
the seizure was made, is not contiguous
the AJAX was violating customs reRula-
tons, and that the Morans are liable also
10 prosecution for importing American
labor into Canada. The agreement in
question was made in 1890 and an act was
passed by Congress that year providing
that it should be made effective whenever
the PRESIDENT was satisfied that the
Canadian Government would reciprocate.
An order in council having been passed
at Ottawa in 1893, to carry out the pur-
poses of the agreement, President Cleve-
land issued proclamation declaring the
act of Congress to be in full force and
effect.
The order in council provided that
United States vessels and wreckine an
phances may salye any property wrecked
and may render aid and assistance to
any vessels wrecked, disabled or in dis
tresS in the waters of Canada contiguous
10 the United States. and that nothing
IN the customs or coasting laws of Canada
snail restrict the salving operations of
such VESSELS or wrecking appliances"
me question at issue is whether Bayuer
Before sending the Ajax to salve the
willamette the Moran Brothers made en-
quiry as to their rights, and were told by
the treasury Department that the agree
ment mentioned permitted them to do the
work ~ ~ ~ N'-~
The times., 1901-05-01
A CRATE FIRE FATAL.
A New Haven Society woman,s
Clothing Ignfted by the Goals.

Clothing Ignfted by the Goals.
| NEW HAVEN. Conn, April 30-Mrs
! Maria Louise Chapman, wife of Dr. Sher-
| man Hartwell Chapman. a leading ply
sician in this city, was burned TO death
| this morning at her home. 1893 Church
Street. She got up about o'clock, and.
clad in light dressing gown. walked 10
an open CRATE in her apartment, in which
there was a fire.
Her gown in some way caught fire and
she was Immediately enveloped in flames.
1t was by mere accident that her maid,
Amelia Nelson, who slept in an adjoining
room, noticed the unusually bright light
in her mistress apartment and rushed
to Mrs Chapman's aid. The maid tore
OF the burning gown and extinguished the
flames.
DR. Chapman. who was asleep on the
upper floor. was aroused and found his
wife in a serious condition. She died not
long after. Prof. Bartlett, of the Yale
Medical School, the coroner's physician.
investigated the case and said that the
death of Mrs. Chapman was more from
shock than from the burns she had re-
ceiVed.
Mrs. Chapman was fifty-se.en years old
and of fine literary and musical attain
ments. She was prominent an New Ha-
ven society and was a lavish entertainer,
She was the daughter of the Rev. William
7. Eustis, who preached here for a num-
Der cf years and then removed to SPRING
field. Mass, where he died nine years ago.
Her mother died year ago. Two of Mrs.
Chapmans sisters are unmarried and live
in Springfield. A third is the wife of H.
]. Reno, of Boston, son of General Reno
who fought with General Custer
DR. Chapman and his wife lived in
Vienna from 1866 to 1872 and while there
received marked favors from the Emperor
Franz Joseph and had the use of a mag
niticent residence not far from the capi-
tai OF Austria The place belonged TO the
Crown.
A few years ago when the leaders of
New Haven society presented the Greek
play, "Antigone," Mrs. Chapman assumed
the part of Creo, the King.
The times., 1901-05-01
Erratic Experiments in Religion

The Shalam Colony, one of the nu-
merous pseudo-religious experiments in
colonization which have been tried in
this country at one time or another,
has died a natural death, after a life
Of twelve years. II was fathered by
Dr. Newbrough, a New York dentist,
who wrote a book called "Oahspe, a
New Bible" This book taught that
animal life should not be taken for any
purpose, and gave a curious history of
the creation of the world. The colony
was supposed to have been founded at
the command Of spirits. and was stu
ated In Texas.
The distinguishing characteristic Of
The times., 1901-05-01

most of these communities is freedom
from convention. combined with abso-
| lutte obedience to the will of the auto
crat who happens to be at the head of
the enterprise. Naturally, there are but
! few people who are SO susceptible tc
! hypnotic influence as to be able to re-
sign al the feelings and traits de-
veloped by their past life and make
| themselves over at the command Of a
visionary prophet. The leaders usually
| gather their disciples from small viii
| lagos or towns strongly dominated by
1 some narrow convention, and their doc
| trines have the charm of novelty. which
| is very great. They fail, because the
| charm of novelty is evanescent, and
| they appeal to the elemental wants of
| human nature in no other way. They
are essentially eccentrics, and in pro-
portion as they are separated from the
great current of human life they first
gain power and then swiftly lose it.
The difference between the really great
man and the eccentric is that the first
rises above humanity, the second
merely separates himself from it
which is quite different.
1t is not necessary to stigmatize the
followers of these men as weak minded
or inferior, though they are undoubted-
ly apt to be persons of no great
strength of character Some of the
strongest and most intelligent men of
their time were mixed up more or less
in various eccentric transcendental and
socialistic movements of the past CEN
tury. When society becomes stagnant
and convention-ridde to such an ex-
tent that there is no real freedom to be
had the result is crop of rebels, and
only time and experience can separate
the chaf from the wheat and decide
which of these rebels were real re-
formers and which were cranks. Sew
enty-five years ago the man who ad-
vocated the Louisiana Purchase was a
visionary schemer. A little later came
the establishment of the Mormon
Church, which has certainly not con-
tributed much to the glory of America
There were also schemes to abolish
marriage. The West has been devel-
oped as its champions said ii would
be; the State of Utah still covertly, If
not openly, recognizes polygamy as
right and necessary; and the Oneida
Community and its fellows are forgot
ten.
The trouble with the Shalam Com
pany was that it had nothing to offer
except a new theory of the creation of
the universe, and home in the coun-
try; and most people are not greatly |
interested in either unless there is some |
OF owning the home for them |
selves. 1t would be a salutary thing |
if all founders of a new faith would |
ponder on the question whether they |
have anything new to give their fol-
lowers which is going to prove indis-
pensable to them.
The times., 1901-05-01
She Guessed.
(From the Chicago Tribune.


The correct TO tn charade Kitty
mother had found in the Juvenile magazine
was "Henty,' and the charade was an easy
it was propounded TO the youngster.
''See If you guess what this is dear:
+" a motherly fowl and kind OF drink
Makes name the boys all know l think -
81 know what the motherJy fowl is replied
Kitty. That's 'hea.' "
Right" said her mother. Now the kind Of
drink -
Kitty went into a brown study.
''Soda2 No, there isn't any such name as
'Hensoda.' Henchoc-no that won't do. Hen
COCO, henmilk, henwne--"
what Is it papa's SO fond OFF, prompted
the maternal parent.
''oh, / knowi" exclaimed Kitty. RYE!
HenUe-Haayt'
The times., 1901-05-01
Harvard and the Preside mt :.

1t is announced that the Board OF
Overseers of Harvard University has
decided, though as yet unofficially, tC
confer the degree of LII. d. upon Presi-
dent Mckinley, when he attends the
next commencement exercises at the
venerable seat of learning, on his re-
turn from the Pacific Coast. This de-
cision could not be anywhere unex-
pected. The protests against\rhe propo-
sition to bestow an honorary legal de-
gree upon a President of the United
States who has long been a distin-
guished member of the bar, and a
framer and administrator of laws, have
been as impertinent and i'll founded as
we now see that they have been futile.
Now that the matter is settled to the
entire satisfaction of the country, we
may say by way of retrospect that it
is almost inconceivable that any Amer
lean or American journal could so far
forget patriotism and the respect due
TO the highest Office in the nation as
TO allow party rancor to pursue the in
cumbent of that office into the privacy
of his personal life. The eligibility of
the Hon. William Mckinley, LII D.
Yale), to the academic honors of Har-
ward was a matter which concerned
the university corporation and no other
body. He was found worthy, as a mat
ter Of course, was invited to attend and
accept the new degree, and there was
an end of the affair The sublime i'm
pudence of few alleged alumni in at
tempting to defeat the proposition is
save by that Of the Boston
Filipinos who are aiding and abetting
the Tagal insurrection In Luzon against
the authority of the United States.
The times., 1901-05-01
A wondrous Prospect.

IFrOm Iht NHItdbU hVuOIu I10'1'''
II we could reach the Chinese Standards OF
Stats cI,,1d s,Innort on its 500 900 900 acres
reputation of $500, 10000. But at least coo
900 600 of these acres are arid, irreclaimable
and untillable and unfit for homes. IL Is be-
Iieyed bv scientists that, under ntenser cultiya-
tfon of the soil and the highest utilization OF
our productiveness through science and inven-
tion. we can support in this country approx
mately 100000 families, or about 10000 90
individuals without great reduction in staDd-
ard of living. There many scientists, how
ever who place the possible population of this
country at twice this amount, or nearly one
billion. .4
The times., 1901-05-01
How TO Prevent Panics.

lFT0m The 81. LOUIS RcpubIiC.j
An ounce OF prevention IS worth a pound OF
cure and nowhere more so than in the stock
market. The way to prevent panics is to pre-
vent imitation and overtrading. Wise folk will
not be carried away by the magnetism of the
speculative advance now being scored on Wall
Street. The country is solid and prosperous, but
that is no reason for believing that the time has
come TO get rich quick by buying whatever stocks
may be offered for sale. Go slow.
The times., 1901-05-01
The Naval Construction Board.

The naval board on construction held
meeting yesterday which was not impor-
tant The board adopted another resolu-
ton forbidding its members to talk with
press representatives about the business
transacted at the meetings. Several of
these resolutions have been adopted and
Rear Admiral ONeil, the Chairman of the
board has secured orders from the Secre-
tary of the Navy directing the members
to observe secrecy. But accounts of the
proceedings of the board have continued
to appear in the press
The times., 1901-05-01

The new battIeship Maine is to be
launched from Cramps yard on May 80
In this connection an interesting question
arises. What WIN the fair sponsor from
away down East christen her with? IL
would never do TO make II a dry affair,
and anything extra dry is as plenty as
hens teeth in the Pine Tree State Water
would be barred on account Of marine
superstitions on the subject. Perhaps an
easy way out OF the difficulty would be
for the Governor to buy a bottle of the vii
lainous prohibition whisky Of which Maine
contains enough to float a whole feet of
battleships. and smash that over the bow.
We mention the matter to put the anti
canteen sisters on the alert.