davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1903-12-09
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Congress Advised as to Many Subjects
OF National Interest,"

WASHINGTON, Dec. THE Joint
committee Of the houses of congress
appointed to notify the president that
the regular session had convened,
called at the executive Office this after.
noon. The president requested the
committee to convey his fluctuations
to the two branches of congress and
to announce that he would communi-
cate with them Immediately in writing.
Upon the departure of the committee,
Assistant Secretary Barnes left the
capitol with the message.
President Roosevelt's message con-
tains about 1900 words. 1t opens
with congratulations to the country
on "the amount of substantial achieve
ment which has marked the past year,
both as regards our foreign and our
domestic policy
Capital and Labor-The creation of
the department of capital and labor is
commended at length, and the admin
istration policy of demanding that
both capitalistic and labor organic
ations obey the letter of the law is set
forth in incisive language.
Finance.-It is shown that the re.
ceipts for the last fiscal year were
$500, 1896, ,674, and the expenditures
$500, ,O99,0 ,0O7, leaving surplus of S54, :
296, 667. Reduced custom receipts may
wipe out the surplus for the present
fiscal year since "a large surplus Ia
undesirable,
Shipping.-In view of the diversity
of opinion as to the methods of devel-
oping American merchant shipping,
the appointment of commission to
devise a suitable plan is recommended.
1mmigration.-The necessity for
closer scrutiny OF immigrants and
better enforcement of the laws on the
subject is made clear.
Corruption in Oftjce.-The message
has scathing words regarding frauds
in the postal, immigration and land
services. 1t recommends that the
$500,OOO appropriated last session to
enforce the antitrust law be- made
available also for the attorney gener.
al to prosecute frauds in these three
services. 1t also recommends that
bribery be made an extraditable Of
tense.
Intern ational Arbitration. - The
message devotes much space to this
subject, reviewing the satisfactory
conclusion of the Alaska boundary
commissions labors, and the refer.
ence OF the Venezuela controversy to
the Hague tribunal as instances of the
growing use of arbitration as opposed
to war.
Expositions. aid to the
St. Louis exposition is recommended.
1t is also recommended that the Lewis
and Clarke Centennial exposition at
Portland in 1905 "should receive rec
ognition and support
Public Lands.-The policy of hold.
ing public lands for the actual home
builder /, reiterated. Attention Is di-
rected to need of reform in The timber.
stone and desert land acts and the
communication clause of the homestead
act. No further changes in national
irrig CATION laws are recommended "un-
til the necessities for a change are
more apparent" Protecting the source
of water supply and forest preserva-
tion are urged. It is recommended
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1903-12-09
Better Than u Plaster.

A piece OF flannel dampened with
Chamberlain's Pain Balm and bound
on the affected parts is better than a
plaster for lame back and for pains
in the side or chest. Pain Balm has
no superior as a liniment for the re-
lief OF deep-seated, muscular and rheu-
matte pains. For sale by D. G.. Lock.
wood, druggist.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1903-12-09

agent to go to Washington to secure
the contract for furnishing the pouch.
es, but had Withdrawn from the COM
petition on account of threats, made
by Smith, who declared he had
strong official influence in the post
Office department..
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

slush to their hips. At a town called
Loag the Spaniards were too exhaust
ed to continue the killing pace, and
they fortified themselves in a local con-
vent.
limos Claim of Personality.
When limo came UP they hung out
white flag and asked for a parley.
Tino walked boldly into the convent
and told the commanding officer what
terms he would grant him-uncondi-
tional surrender. The Spaniards
agreed and all delivered over their
arms to the insurgent leader. Then
they We're paroled and allowed to scat
ter about among the villages and to
live among the native householders
The. officers and monks returned to
Vigan, where Tino esta blished his
headquarters. There he was in con-
slant Geographic communication with
Aguinaldo in Malolos. and there he
remained until the northern march of
the Americans began.
1t was in Vigan that he held as
prisoners of war Lieut.. Gilmore
and thirteen other Americans. He
kept them in rigorous confinement.
but still did not treat them with the
severity of personal animosity Lieut..
Gilmore, in speaking to the writ
er, told of a visit that he received
from Tino, and described him as hav-
ing most unattractive features. but a
powerful personal magnetism that
compelled one to like him. His smile.
Gilmore said. was as winsome as any
girls.
limo has often been accused to ty-
ranny, but the fact remains that he
established a court before which Span
ish prisoners could claim redress
against natives who had pillaged or
otherwise ill-treated them. One case
that occurred in Vfgan illustrates
Tinos ideas of justice and discipline.
How He Punished Tyranical
Judge.
The chief justice of the Court of First
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

Finke was desperately ILL., Caen did
all he could, but Finke died. In con-
sideration of Caen's Kindness Finke
lust before death gave to him a rough
ly sketched map which Finke said
Mexican had described to him as being
the location of a wonderful gold mine.
Caen took the map, put it in his wal
let. and paid no attention to it. He
had heard stories of mines of this kind
before; all of us have down in my
country. Caen showed the map to me
one day. l looked at the crude sketch
of a mountain and noticed at the back
of the paper then almost illegiblo,
had been written the words Montana
Fspantosa' Caen said he remembered
Finke saying this was what the MeXi-
can had called the place.
'Frightful Mountain No such name
appears on. any map. The Spanish
name was evidently the symbol of
what the MeXicans considered it to be
an enchanted mountain, therefore a
good place for them to keep away from.
1t is very plain to me that whatever
else the early rulers of Mexico did to
protect the vast mineral resources and
treasures they undoubtedly possessed
and used, they adopted a shreWd meth
cd of intimidation by working on the
superstitions of the common people
who We're kept from being too curious
as to where these riches were stored,
more by fears of the unknown than
by material means. So wherever this
element of superstitious fear is domi-
nant in the Mexican's tale of lost
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

mine. it is a prima facie evidence to
my mind the tradition has a basis of
truth.
Il made some inquiries for Caen,
and at last identified Montana Es-
pantosa.' 1t turned out to be in Texas,
and not in the border republic. l dis
covered that in the mountains near the
Mexican border far to the east of the
Montana Elefanta and in sight of the
towering peaks of the Chisos Range,
lies a mountain shown on the maps
as the Santiago. This, l learned, was
the 'Frightful Mountain of the Next
cans. No Mexican will go to the foot
hills near it because he fears misfor-
tune will overtake him. The noun
tain is about twenty-five miles dis
tant from Marathon, Texas, on the
Southern Pacific. 1t is not far from
the Rio Grande river, which at this
point makes a big bend ond forms
the boundary between Texas and old
Mexico.
Il told George Caen of this and he
had visions of becoming a multi-mil-
lionaire. He went to Brewster county,
where the mountain lies, and did some
prospecting. The map the old prospec-
tor had given him was too incomplete
to point out the exact spot where the
true vein of gold was hidden. Still he
did not come away altogether empty
handed. He brou ght from the vicinity
of the mountain some decompOsed
porphyry which showed vein matter
conta ming gold. He still hopes to find
the true vein. AS it is, he has devel-
oped the fact that there is good guam
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

panies of the Ninth Cazadores, Spain's
force.
On the banks of this river stands the
town of Tia gudin. There the river is
several hundred yards wide and much
too deep to be forded On the far bank
the Spanards threw up earthwork
trenches that stretched half a mile on
either side of the ferry.
On came the boy general with his
mob of Filipino patriots, armed with
old-fashiOned Remington rifles and less
than a hundred captured Mausers. Ar
rived at the river he was met by the
Volleys of the Spanish troops. He
knew that it was useless to make a
frontal attack. In one night he march
ed up his side of the river ten miles,
where he forded and by dawn next
morning he fell on the left flank of the
intrenched Spaniards and utterly rout-
ed them. The Spanish commanding
officer deserted his men and escaped off
the coast in a boat, leaving most of his
force prisoners.
That was the last organized resist
anCe made by Spaniards against Tino.
What was left Of their deCimated ranks
retreated northward with Tino close on
their heels picking up stragglers. On
Aug 10, 1898, the day the American
flag was hoisted in Manila, Tino en-
tered the important northern town of
Vigan. next in size to Manila on the
island of Luzon. The Spaniards had
passed through the day before. taking
with them the local garrison and the
Bishop of Vigan and his monks. the
bishop having under his care several
carreton loads of treasure in silver dol
lars.
Tino raised the insurgent tricolor
over the bishops palace, left a small
force to garrison the town, and after
only few hours sleep, continued his
pursuit of the fleeing Castilians. 1t
was simply a contest of endurance, and
the boy of 20 won. It was the rainy
season, and the soldiers marched in
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

Few men have made closer study of
the Mexican, his characteristics, folk
lore. and language than JudgeW. w.
Walling. He has passed the chief por-
ton of his life on the Texan and Mex
lean frontiers. He is known by the
Mexicans on both sides of the Rio
Grande. and enjoys their absolute con-
fidence. Judge Walling arrived in this
city last week to pay visit to his
friend, Recorder John w. Golf. Speak
ing on his favorite topic Judge Wall
ing said:
The Mexican is born romancer.
his Imagination is most fanciful, but he
has some very good points of charac-
ter: If he have confidence in you he
will trust you blindly. One of these
days ] may write book about him.
Your Mexican is always dreaming of
wealth, vet he is absolutely too lazy to
reach out his hand for it, If it require
a semblance of labor. OF course l am
speaking of the poor class of MeXicans.
a grade or Sc above the peon. l have
studied the Mexican closely, and have
found him to be a much misunderstood
individual Most persons say the Mex
lean is a born liar; well he is good
story teller / will grant. but he is not a
malicious liar; he stretches the truth
pels him, as it were. have had from
them more stories of lost mines. hid
den treasure, etc, which If secured,
would give me more millions than l
want. Scores of poor Mexicans have
told me they knew where gold can be
obtained in Mexico and also in Texas.
Sometimes l have asked them why
they do not go and get 1t for them
selves. Their reply would consist in the
rolling of another -shuck cigarette
and a shrug of the shoulders while
murmuring mamma, which, of course.
every one knows means. Tomorrow
'Manana' is the Mexican's curse. and
VIII continue to be until a new race of
MeXicans is built
These stories of lost mines must
be taken with a grain of salt / know
the Mexican so we'll ] am able in their
stories to winnow the few grains of
fact from the chaff of much fiction.
And in doing so / have discovered
one thing. 1t may be of service to
future prospectors who want to hunt
for hidden mines or treasure on the
! frontier or in Mexico. / have noted
that in all stories told by Mexicans
concerning mines and treasures the To-
| cation of them is usually indefinite but
/ always in soma spot which the MeXi-
cans believe to be haunted or protected
! by evil spirits. The Mexican is one
! of the most supersttious persons on
/ earth. 1t was this knowledge that
| gave me an important clue some two
years ago,
George Caen. a Texan of French
descent, who lives in San Antonio, met
| some years ago in Mexico an old pros
| pector-Finke l think was his name.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04
ody. So much for the lack of little
uman SVmpathV'

body. So much for the lack of a little
human sympathy"
Poor Preachers.
When you fail at everything else go
to preaching. Make believe you have
been called. Open your mouth and cut
loose. The reason why there is a
worldful of poverty-stricken minis
| tiers" is that the vast majority who oc-
cupy pulpits are not worth their salt.
They get their salt, but the congrega-
ton begrudges it. Only the cloth saves
the preacher of this description. One
of the oldest phases of human nature
!, is it's acquiescence in matters of the
church. Here, we will say, is a con-
gregation of eco in need of a preacher.
One comes, an ignoramus and is ac-
cepted at a salary of $500 a year. He
is a good fellow, tells risky stories,
plays tennis beautifully. and all that;
but in the pulpit he is a hummer. But
no matter how inane his sermons,
how repulsive his voice, how vacuous
his prayers, how needless and per-
functory his readings, the women, God
bless their dear souls take him up
and provide for him and his family.
Effect of Poor Preachers.
The free-thinking and skepticism of
the age are due principally to poor
preaching. You will find it to be
the case in the majority of churches
that the congregation are far more in
I tellgent than the preacher, therefore
he should make up in goodness, SYM
pathy, helpfulness hopefulness, cheer
fulness, moral purpose and spiritual
guidance what he lacks in mere men
tai equipment. The Sunday newspaper
has been blamed by the pulpit gener-
ally for emptying the pews. OF course.
1t is so much better than the enter
tainment afforded by the average
preacher that members of the congre-
cation cannot help staying at home
to read it. The preacher who cannot
fill his church by preaching might do
worse than read the best things from
the papers to his flock. But few per-
sons take all the papers; let the
preacher do SO, clip what is most en-
tertaining and instructive in each
concerning politics, art, music, bust
ness, commerce, etc, and call the OLA
podrida a sermon. That would be eff
fective.
What Church to Attend.
Strangers who linger in New York
over Sunday feel that it is duty to
go to church at least twice on that
day in order to say on returning home
that they head So-and-So preach and
saw the fine clothes of thoroughly
metropolitan and fashionable congre-
cation. Where are we to send these
visitors. Twenty years ago 1t was easy
/ to give directions. We said: go to
! hear DR. Deems at the Church Of
Strangers; go to Plymouth Church and
listen to Beecher! go to the Brooklyn
Tabernacle and cavort with Talmage;
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04
LEGENDS OF LOST MINES.
Iexican Traditions of the Hidden
Treasures of the MOntezumas.
Searching for the Montana Espan-
f0Sa,

Treasures of the MOntezumas.
Searching for the Montana Espan-
tOsa.
From the New York Times.
Old Mexico is rich with weird le-
gends and traditions. Mexican folk
lore revels in chronicles of witches,
ghosts and magicians, all possessing
secrets which if disclosed will reveal
untold store houses of wealth, COM
pared to which the fortune of Monte
Christie appears trifiing. The casual
visitor to the sister republic now and
again hears some of these stories of
vast treasure in hidden places. They
are traditions handed down from gen.
Grafton to generation with many varia-
tons. There are tales of marvellous
mines from which the early Aztecs OBJ
tanned gold or silver in unlimited guam
titles, but of which all location has
been lost. An inquisitiVe yet diplo-
matte traveller in Mexico may OCCASION
ally be favored with fragmentary in
formation about huge treasure chests
which were Secreted by members of the
royal race of MonteZuma in vaguely
defined parts OF the country very diff
ficult of access, due to physical OBJ
stacles TO be overcome, but chiefly in
accessible by reason of spells and en-
chantments which, the MeXicans aver,
will destroy the rash man who shall
stumble on the exact places.
The average Mexican is reticent when
questioned more closely about these
mines and treasures. Particularly is
this so when the inquirers are grin
gos, or foreigners who neither speak
his language nor understand his ways.
MeXicans, however, will talk more free
~ on these matters to persons who
have been born and reared among
them. One reason for this is that,
though these be of different race and
lineage, yet they can talk to the Mexi-
can in his own tongue-a corrupt Cas-
tilian-this alone is an open sesame
to the Mexicans heart. No Mexican
will speak the English language if he
can possibly avoid it. Be it under
stood of course, that the Mexican re-
ferred to in this article is of that lower
type of the race who live in the interior
and along the frontiers-a type of Hit
eracy and Grass ignorance. Along the
Texas frontier, right on the banks OF
the Rio Grande, live thousands of this
type of the Mexican. They are all citi-
zens of the United States, but possess
hazy notions concerning their relations
to Uncle Sam. Nearly all of them
consider the state of Texas to be still
a portion Of Mexico. Any newcomer
who is white Is hated for being grin
60" and, therefore, an intruder But
all this alien people is reckoned in the
vast Democratic ajority which is nor
NAL to the Lone Star State.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

tity of low-grade ore about there, but
he is not satisfied with that. He wants
to find the hidden mine. He has no
fear of gnomes or genii interfering with
his search. | hope he will succeed.
THE Santiago is all but inaccessible
about 1000 feet high. In the prosaic
language of the mineral survey of
Texas, it is described as "a single high
mountain of granite, acidic, eruptive
rock The report does not say any
thing about vast treasures of gold, but
George Caen has faith and is still hunt
ing for the treasure which the Next
cans say is guarded by the genii of
Montana Espantosa.'
what l have related" said Judge
Walling in conclusion, lis the best
story of a lost mine l know of, as 1
can Xouch for it personallN.'
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

Instance in Vigan was a Spanish Gre
ole who had made himself intensely
disliked among the natives by his aris-
tocratic ideas. He exacted the most
abject respect from the citizens, and
those whom he met on the street who
did not greet him with a military sa
lutte he did not hesitate to assault
with physical violence. Naturally, the
chief justice was not a faVorite with
the populace.
When Tino drove the Spaniards from
Vigan and the judge had fled with the
retreating Cazadores, his household eff
fects were left behind. Next day his
house had been looted bare.
When the chief Justice returned as
a prisoner. he entered complaint with
Tino, and the general ferreted out the
culprits obliged them to restore all the
looted property, and punished them
severely besides.
Then came a counter charge from
the citizens against the judge, in which
he was accused of tyranny in former
days. This was rather an indefinite
charge. but Tino. not having a legal
turn of mind, found it quite sufficient.
He had the judge tried, found him
guilty and sentenced him to stand one
whole day in the public plaza and to
salute each person who might pass
and demand it. Refusal meant a cut
from a bamboo cane in the hands of
muscular native corporal. All day
long the formerly oppressed natives
passed by in single file, and the poor
judge was compelled to work his arm
like a pump handle from morning I'M
til ni=ht.
Anotehr case illustrating this same
phase of Tino's character occurred
when he had the Gilmore party under
his charge. A local merchant who look
ed toward the future gave the Ameri-
can prisoners clothes and other COM
forts in return for letters of recon-
mendation to the American general ad-
vancing north. Tino heard of it, and
forbade any further favors.
while the Spanish prisoners and
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

they gathered into quite an army.
Then when Aguinaldo had established
himself in Malolos, near Manila, he
said to Tino:
Take 500 men and march north
They boy general obeyed. Without
taking time to drill the 500 peasants
given him, he struck out on his march,
fighting every day, beating back the
Spaniards and conquering each town
he advanced on. As his soldiers fell
he replaced them with other peasants,
recruited from the country through
which he marched The prisoners he
took he sent back south under escort
of bolo men-militia armed only with
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04
A Census of homeopathic Physi-
clans.
From the North American Journal OF
Homeopathy.

From the North American Journal OF
Homeopathy.
At or about the dawn of the twenti-
eth century there were in the United
States exclusive of Alaska and other
dependencies) 1859 homeopathic prae-
titioners, or one in 5000 of it's popua-
ton; in Barbados, 5, or one in $4,000;
in British America Gncluding New
foundland and all of Labrador), 81 or
one in $4,000; in Uruguay, Z, or one IN
1873, 900; in Switzerland, %, or one III
ISL, 900; in Australasia, 29, or one IN
155, 900; in Spain, 11S, or one in 163,0OV,
in Belgium, IL, Or one in $4,000; III
France, I'll, or one in $4,000; in Ger
many, 290, or one in $4,000; in Great
Britain and Ireland, POI, or one IN
203, 900; in Holland, II, or one in 5VV,-
900; in Denmark, s, or one in 306,OOO' IN
Mexico, 80, or one in $4,000: in Brazil,
80, or one in 42S,000; in Italy, AZ OF
one in 772,000; in Argentina, s, or one
in 100000; in European Russia, 3d. OF
one in 100000; in Portugal, 8, or one
in 1,674,000 There were also IL IN IN
dia. in China, ! each in Cape colony
Sweden and Venezuela, as well as III
the Hawaiian Islands and ! in Alaska
This indicates there are not less tnsI'
1885 disciples of Hahnemani1 IN tne
world, of whom So per cent. reside VIII ~.
in the limits of the United Stats'
proper.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-04

long knives. At no timed id his army
number over 500.
His Rout of the Spaniards.
His march was unimpeded by any
serious resistance on the part of the
Spaniards until he reached the banks
of a large river that divides the prov
ince of Union from Ilocas Sur over
200 miles north from Manila. Here
the Spaniards had determined to make
one last stand. They numbered about
1,50O. were armed with modern Mauser
rifles, and were under command of old
experienced officers. Several com