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.unreservedly proclaimed allegiance to
• the United States, and adopted a con
stitution looking to the establishment
of a popular government. It was im
possible to guarantee to the people of
Negros that the Constitution so adopted
should be the ultimate form of govern
ment. Such a question, under the
treaty with Spain, and in accordance
with our own Constitution and laws,
came exclusively under the jurisdiction
iof Congress. The government actually
i set up by the inhabitants of Negros
eventually proved unsatisfactory to the
• natives themselves. A new system was
' put into force by order of the Major
General commanding the department,
of which the following the most import
ant elements:
It was ordered that the government
of the Island of Negros should consist
of a Military Governor, appointed by
the United States Military Governor of
the Philippines, and a Civil Governor
and an Advisory Council elected by th:?
people. The Military Governor was
authorized to appoint Secretaries of the
Treasury, Interior, Agriculture, Public
Instruction, an Attorney General and
an Auditor. The seat of government
, was fixed at Bacolor. The Military
Governor exercises the supreme exe
cutive power. He is to see that the
laws are executed, appoint to offices and
fill all vacancies in office not otherwise
provided for, and may, with the appro
, val of the Military Governor of the
Philippines, remove any officer from
office. The Civil Governor advises the
Military Governor on all public and
civil questions, and presides over the
Advisory Council. He, in general, per
forms the duties which are performed
by Secretaries of State in our own sys
tem of government.
The Advisory Council consists of
eight members elected by the people
within territorial limits, which are de
fined in the order of the Commanding
General. The times and places of hold
ing elections are to be fixed by the Mil
• itary Governor of the Island of Negros.
The qualifications of voters are as fol
■ low*: (1) A voter must be a male citi
zen of the Island of Negros; (2) of the
age of 21 years; (.'{) he shall be able
' to speak, read and write English. Span
ish or Visayana language, or he must
own real property worth $500 or pay
a rental on real property of the value
of $1,000; (4) he must have resided in
the island not less than one year pre
ceding, and in the district in which he
offers to register as a voter not less
than three months immediately preced
ing the time he offers to register; (5)
. he must register at a time fixed by law
before voting: (ii) prior to such regis
tration he shall have paid all taxes due
•by him to the Government; provided,
that no insane person shall be allowed
to register or vote.
The Military Governor has the right
.to veto all bills or resolutions adopted
.by the Advisory Council, and his veto
•is final if not disapproved by the Mili
tary Governor of the Philippines. The
Advisory Council discharges all the or
dinary duties of a Legislature. The
usual duties pertaining to said officers
are to be performed by the. Secretaries
of the Treasury, Interior, Agriculture,
Public Instruction, the Attorney Gen
eral and the Auditor.
The judicial power is vested in three
Judges, who are to be appointed by the
Military Governor of the island. In
terior courts are to be established. .
Free public schools are to be estab
lished throughout the populous districts
of the islands, in which the English
language shall be taught, and this sub
ject will receive the careful considera
tion of the Advisory Council.
The burden of government must be
distributed equally and equitably
among the people. The military au
thorities will collect and receive the
customs revenue, and will control pos
tal matters and Philippine inter-island
trade and commerce.
The Military Governor, subject to the
approval of the Military Governor of
the Philippines, determines all questions
not specifically provided for. and which
do not come under the jurisdiction of
the Advisory Council.
SULU ISLANDS.
The authorities of the Sulu Islands
have accepted the succession of the
United States to the rights of Spain,
and our flag floats over that territory.
On the 10th of August, 18!K>, Brigadier
General J. C. Bates, U. S. V., negotiat
ed an agreement with the Sultan and
his principal chiefs, which I transmit
herewith. By Article I. the sovereignty
of th* United States over the whole
archipelago of Jolo and Us independ
encies is declared and acknowledged.
The United States flag will be used
in the archipelago and its dependencies,
on land and sea Piracy is to be sup
pressed, and the Sultan agrees to co
operate heartily with the United States
authorities to mend and to make every
possible effort to arrest and bring to
justice all persons engaged* in piracy.
All trade in domestic products of the
archipelago of Jolo will be carried on
with any part of the Philippine Islands,
and under the American flag shall be
free, unlimited and undutiable. The
United States will give full protection
to the Sultan in case any foreign nation
should attempt to impose upon him. The
United States will not sell the Island of
Jolo or any other isiand of the Jolo
archipelago to any foreign nation with
out the consent of the Sultan. Salaries
for the Sultan and his associates in the
administration of the islands have been
agreed upon to the amount of #700 a
month.
Article X. provides that any slave in I
the archipelago of Jolo shall have the]
right to purchase freedom by paying
to the master the usual market value.
The agreement by General Bates was
made subject to confirmation by the
President, and to future modifications
by the consent of the parties in inter
est. I have confirmed said agreement,
subject to the action of Congress, and
with the reservation, which I have di
rected shall be communicated to the'
Sultan of Jolo: "But this agreement
is not to be deemed in any way to au
thorize or give the consent of the
United States to the existence of slav
ery in the Sulu archipelago."
I communicate these facts to Con
gress for its information and action.
Everything indicates that with the sup
pression of the Tagalo rebellion life in
the archipelago will soon assume its or
dinary course under the protection of
our sovereignty, and the people of those
favored islands will enjoy a prosperity
and a freedom which they have never
known. Already hundreds of schools
are open and filled with children. Re
ligious freedom is sacredly assured and
enjoyed. The courts are dispensing jus
tice. Business is beginning to circulate
in its accustomed channels.
Manila, whose inhabitants were flee
ing to the country a few months ago.
Is now a populous and thriving mart of
commerce. The earnest and unremit
ting endeavors of the commission and
the Admiral and Major General com
manding the Department of the Pacific
to assure the people of the beneficent
intentions of this Government have had
their legitimate effect in eonvtticing the
great mass of them that peace ar.d
safety and prosperity and stable gov
ernment can only be found in a loyal
acceptance of the authority of the
United States. i
FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF PHIL
IPPINES.
The future government of the Phil
ippines rests with the Congress of the
K United States. Fewer graver respon
sibilities have ever been confided to us.
If we accept them in a spirif worths of
our race and our traditions, a great op
portunity comes with them. The isl
ands lie under the shelter of our il'ag.
They are ours by every title of law and
equity. They cannot be abandoned. If
.we desert them, we leave them at once
to anarchy, and, flnaily, to barbarism.
We fling them, a golden apple of dis
cord, among the rival Powers, no one
of which could permit another to s j ize
them unquestioned. Their rich plains
and valleys would be the scene of end
less strife and bloodshed. The advent
of Dewey's fleet in Manila Bay, instead
of being, as we hope, the dawn of a
new day of freedom and progress, will
have been the beginning of an era of
misery and violence, worse- than any
which has darkened their unhappy past.
The suggestion has been made that
we could renounce our authority over
the islands, and, giving them independ
ence, could retain a protectorate over
them. This proposition will not be
found, I am sure, worthy of your se
rious attention. Such an arrangement
would involve at the outset a cruel
breach of faith. It would place the
peaceable and loyal majority, who ask
no better than to accept our authority
at the mercy of armed insurgents. It
would make us responsible for r.he acts
of the insurgent leaders, and give us no
power to control them. It would charge
us with the task of protecting them
against each other and defending them
against any foreign Power with which
they chose to quarrel. In short. it
would take from the Congress of the
United States the power of declaring
war and vest that tremendous preroga
tive in the Tagalo leader of the hour.
It does not seem desirable that I
should recommend at this time a spe
cific and final form of government for
these islands. When peace shall be re
stored it will be the duty of Congress
to construct a plan of government that
shall establish and maintain freedom,
order and peace in the Philippines. Tho
insurrection is still existing, and when
it terminates further information will
be required as to the actual condition
of affairs before inaugurating a per
manent scheme of civil government.
The report of the commission now in
preparation will contain information
and suggestions which will be of value
to Congress, and which I will transmit
as soon as it is completed. As long
as the insurrection continues the mili
tary army must necessarily be supreme.
But there is no reason why steps should
not be taken from time to time to in
augurate governments and make pop
ular in their form as fast as territory
is held or controlled by our troops. To
this end I am considering ,the advisa
bility of the return of the commission,
or such of the members thereof as can
be secured,, to aid the existing authori
ties and facilitate this work through
out the island. v
I have believed that reconstructions
should not begin by the establishment
of central civil government for all the
islands, with its seat at Manila, but
rather that the work should be com
menced by building up from the bot
tom, first establishing municipal gov
ernments and then provincial govern
ments, a central government at last
to follow. Until Congress shall have
made known the formal expression of
its will I shall use the authority vested
in me by the Constitution and statutes
to uphold the sovereignty of the United
States in those distant islands, and in
all other places where our flag right -
fully floats. I shall put at the disposal
of the army and navy all the means
which' the liberality of Congress" and
the people have provided to cause this
unprovoked and wasteful insurrection
to cease. If any orders of mine were
required to secure the merciful conduct
of military- and naval operations they
would not be lacking; but every step
of the progress of our troops has been
marked by a humanity which has sur
prised even the misguided insurgents
The truest kindness to them would be
the swift and effective defeat of their
present leader. The hour of victory
will be the hour of clemency and re
construction.
. No effort will be spared to build up
the waste places desolated by war and
by long years of misgovernment. We
shall not wait for the end of the strife
to begin the beneficent work. We shall
continue, as we have begun, to oper
the schools and the churches, to set the
courts in operation, to foster industry
and trade and agriculture, and in every
way in our power to make these people
whom Providence has brought within
our jurisdiction feel that it is their
liberty- and not our power, their wel
fare and not our gain, that we are seek
ing to enhance. Our flag has never
waved over any community but in
blessing. I believe the Filipinos will
soon recognize the fact that it has not
lost its gift of benediction in its world
wide journey to their shores.
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
Some Embarrassment in Adminis
tration of Affairs.
Pome embarrassment in administra
tion has occurred- by reason of the pe
culiar status which the Hawaiian Isl
ands at present occupy under the joint
resolution of annexation approved July
7, 1888; While by that resolution the
Republic of Hawaii as an independent
nation was extinguished, its sovereign
ty destroyed and its property and pos
sessions vested in the United States,
yet a complete establishment for its
government under our system was not
effected. While the municipal laws of
the islands, not enacted for the fulfill
ment of treaties and not inconsistent
with the joint resolution or contrary
to the Constitution of the United States
or any of its treaties, remain in force,
yet these laws relate only to the social
and international affairs of the island,
and do not touch any subjects of im
portance which are of a broader na
tional character.
For example, the Hawaiian Republic
was divested of all title to the public
lands in the islands, and is not only
unable to dispose >of lands to settlers
desiring to take up homesteads, but is
without power to give complete title in
cases where the lands have been en
tered upon, leased or otherwise carry
with them the right to purchaser, lessee
or settler to have a full title granted to
him upon compliance with the condi
tions prescribed by law or by his par
ticular agreement of entry.
Questions of doubt and difficulty have
also arisen with reference to the col
lection of tonnage tax on vessels com
ing from Hawaiian ports: with refer
ence to the status of Chinese in the isl
ands, their entrance and exit there
from: as to patents and copyrights; as
to the register of vessels under the
navigation laws: as to the necessity of
holding elections in accordance with the
provisions of the Hawaiian statutes for'
the choice of various officers, and as to
several other matters of detail touch
ing the interests both of the islands and
lof the Federal Government.
THE RECORD-UNION, SACRAMENTO, WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 6, 18991
NEEDED LEGISLATION.
By the resolution of annexation the
President was directed to appoint five
commissioners to recommend to Con
gress such legislation concerning the
islands as they should deem necessary
or proper. The commissioners were
duly appointed, and after a careful in
vestigation and study of the system of
laws and government prevailing there,
they prepared a bill to provide a gov
ernment under "The Territory of Ha
waii." The report of the commission
with the bill which they prepared was
transmitted by me to Congress on De
cember 6, 1898, but the bill still awaits
final action.
The people of these islands are'en
titled to the benefits and privileges of
our legislation, but in the absence of
any act of Congress providing for Fed
eral Courts in the islands, and for a
procedure by which appeals, writs of
error and other judicial proceedings
necessary for the enforcement of civil
rights prosecuted, they are powerless to
secure the enforcement by the judg
ment of the coirts of the United States.
It is manifold important, therefore,
that an Act shall be passed as
speedily as possible erecting these isl
ands into a judicial district, providing
for the appointment of a judge , and
other proper officals and methods of
procedure in appellate proceedings, and
that the government of this newly ac
quired territory under the Federal Con
stitution shall be fully defined and
provided for.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA.
Necessity of Immediate Legislation
Pointed Out.
A necessity for immediate legislative
action exists in the Territory of Alas
ka. Substantially the only law pro
viding a civil Government for this Ter
ritory is the Act of May 17, 1884. This
is meager in its provisions, and it is
fitted only for the administration of
affairs in a country sparsely inhabited
by civilized people and unimportant in
trade and production, as was Alaska, at
the time this Act was passed.
The increase in population by immi
gration during the past few years, con
sequent upon the discovery of gold, has
produced such a condition as calls for
ample facilities for local self-govern
ment and more numerous conveniences
of civil and judicial administration.
Settlements have grown up in various
places, constituting in point of popu
lation and business cities of thousands
of inhabitants, yet there is no provision
of law under which a municipality can
be organized or maintained.
In some localities the inhabitants
have met together and voluntarily
formed a municipal organization for the
purpose of local government, adopting
the form of a municipal Constitution
under which paid officials have been
appointed, and ordinances creating and
regulating a police force, a fire de
partment, a department of health, and
making provision for the care of the
insane and indigent poor and sick and
for public schools have been passed.
These proceedings and ordinances
passed by such municipality are with
out statutory authority, and have no
sanction, except as they are maintained
by the popular sentiment of the com
munity.
There is an entire absence of author
ity to provide the ordinary instrument
of local police control and administra
tion, the population consisting of the
usual percentage of lawless adventur
ers of the class that always flock to
the new fields of enterprise or discov
ery, and under circumstances which re
quire more than ordinary provision for
the maintenance of peace, good order
and lawful conduct.
The whole vast area of Alaska com
prises but one judicial district, with
one Judge, one Marshal and one Dis
trict Attorney, yet the civil and crim
inal business has more than doubled
within the past year, and is many
times greater both in volume and im
portance than it was in 1884. The
duties of the Judge require him Ito
travel thousands of miles to discharge
his judicial duties at the various
places designated for that purpose. The
Territory should be divided into at
least two districts, and an additional
Judge. District Attorney, Marshal and
other appropriate officers be provided.
There is practically no organized
form of government in the Territory.
There is r.o authority except in Con
gress to pass any law, no matter how
local or trivial, and the difficulty of
conveying to the Congress an adequate
conception and understanding of the
various needs of the people is easily
understood. I see no reason why a
more complete form of territorial or
ganization should not be provided.
Following the precedent established
in the year 1805, when a temporary
government was provided for the re
cently acquired Territory, then known
under the name of Louisiana, it seems
to me that it would be advantageous to
confer greater executive power upon
the Governor, and to establish, as was
done in the case of the Territory of
Louisiana, a legislative council hav
ing power to adopt ordinances which
shall extend to all the rightful sub
jects of local legislation, such ordi
nances not to take effect until report
ed to and approved by the Congress,
if in session, and if that body is not
in session, then by the President.
In this manner a system of laws pro
viding for the incorporation and gov
ernment of towns and cities having a
certain population, giving them the
power to establish and maintain a sys
tem of education to be locally support
ed and ordinances providing for police,
sanitary and other such purposes
should be speedily provided. I believe
a provision of this kind would be sat
isfactory to the people of the Terri
tory. It is probable that the area is
too vast and the population too scat
tered and transitory to make it wise
at the present time to provide for an
elective legislative body, but the con
ditions calling for local self-government
will undoubtedly very- soon exist and
will be facilitated by the measures
which I have recommended.
APPLIES TO PORTO RICO.
Same Legislation Needed as for
Alaska Territory.
I recommend that legislation to the
same end be had with reference to the
government of Porto Rico. The time is
ripe for the adoption of a temporary
form of government for this island; and
many- suggestions made with reference
to Alaska are applicable also to Porto
Rico.
The system of civil jurisprudence now
adopted by the people of this island is
described by competent lawyers who
are familiar with it, as thoroughly- mod
ern and scientific, so far as it relates
to matters of internal business, trade,
production and social and private right
in general. The cities of the island are
governed under charters which prob
ably require very little or no change.
So that with relation to matters of local
concern and private right, it is not
probable that much if any legislation
is desirable; but with reference to pub
lic administration and the relations of
the islands to the Federal Government
there are many matters which are of
pressing urgency. The same necessity
exists for legislation on the part of
Congress to establish Federal Courts,
and Federal jurisdiction in the island
as has been previously pointed out by
me with reference to Hawaii.
Besides the administration of justice
there are subjects of public lands; the
control and improvement of rivers and
harbors; the control of the waters or
streams not navigable, which, under
the Spanish law, belonged to the crown
of Spain, and have by the treaty of ces
sion passed to the United States; the
immigration of people from- foreign
countries; the importation of contract
labor; the imposition and collection of
internal revenue; the application of the
navigation laws; the regulation of the
current money; the establishment of
Postoffices and post roads; the regu
lation of tariff rates on merchandise
imported from the islands into the
United States; the establishment of
ports of entry and delivery; the regu
lation of patents and copyrights; these,
with various other subjects, which rest
entirely within the power of the Con
gress, call for careful consideration and
immediate action. It must be borne in
mind that since the cession Porto Rico
has been denied the principal markets
she had long enjoyed and our tariffs
have been continued against her pro
ducts as when she was under Spanish
sovereignty. The markets of Spain are
closed to her products, except upon
terms to which the commerce of all
nations is subjected.
The island of Cuba, which used to buy
her cattle and tobacco without customs
duties, now imposes the same duties
upon these products as from any other
country entering her ports. She has
therefore lost in her free intercourse
with Spain and Cuba, without any com
pensating benefits in this market. Her
coffee was little known and not in use
by our people and therefore there was
no demand here for this, one of her
chief products. The markets of the
United States should be opened up to
her products. Our plain duty is to
abolish all customs tariffs between the
United States and Porto Rico and give
her products free access to our mar
kets.
RAVAGES OF RECENT STORM IN
PORTO RICO.
As a result of the hurricane which
swept over Porto Rico on the 18th of
August, 1899, over 100,000 people were
reduced to absolute destitution, with
out homes and deprived of the neces
saries of life. To the appeal of the War
Department the people of the United
States made prompt and generous re
sponse. In addition to the private
charity of our people, the War Depart
ment has expended for the relief of the
distressed $392,342.63, which does not
include the cost of transportation.
SHOULD BE CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
It is desirable that the government
of the island under the law of belliger
ent right, now maintained through the
Executive Department, should be su
perseded by an administration entirely
civil in its nature.
For present purposes I recommend
that Congress pass a law for the or
ganization xjPbL temporary government
which shall provide for the appoint
ment by the President, subject to con
firmation by the Senate, of a Governor
and such other officers as the general
administration of the island may re
quire, and that for the universal pur
poses on subjects of a local nature, not
partaking of a Federal character, a leg
islative council,.:, composed partly of
Porto Rieans end partly of citizens of
the United States shall be nominated
and appointed by the President, subject
to confirmation by the Senate, their
acts to be subject to the approval of
the Congress or the President prior to
going into effect.
EDUCATION THE FUNDAMENTAL
REQUIREMENT.
In the municipalities and other local
subdivisions * I recommend that the
principle of local seif-government be
applied at -ojipe, so as to enable the
intelligent citizens of the island to par
ticipate in their own government, and
to learn by practical experience the
duties and requirements of a self-gov
erned people.
I have not thought it wise to com
mit the entire government of the island
to officers selected by the people, be
cause I doubt whether the inhabitants'
training and experience are such as to
fit them to exercise at once so large a
degree of self-government, but it is my
judgment and expectation that they
will soon arrive at. an attainment of
experience and wisdom and self-control
that will justify conferring upon them
a much larger participation in the
choice of their insular officers.
The fundamental requirement for
these people, as for all people, is edu
cation. The free schoolhouse is the best
preceptor for citizenship. In the in
troduction of modern educational meth
ods care must, be exercised that the
change be not made too abruptly, and
that the history and racial peculiarities
of the inhabitants shall be given due
weight. Systems of education in these
new possessions founded on common
sense methods, adapted to existing con
ditions, and looking to the future move
ment and industrial advancement of
the people will commend to them in a
peculiarly effective manner the bless
ings of free government.
CLOSING REMARKS.
Lynchings Must Not be Tolerated
in United States.
The love of law and sense, obedience
and submission to the lawfully con
stituted judicial tribunals are em
bedded in the hearts of our people, and
any violations of these sentiments and
disregard of their obligations justly
arouse public condemnation. The guar
antees of life, liberty and of civil rights
should be faithfully upheld; the right
of trial by jury respected and defended.
The rule of the courts should assure
the public of the prompt trial of those
charged with criminal offenses, and up
on conviction the punishment should
be commensurate with the enormity of
the crime.
Those who disregard law and the
public peace, and, unwilling to await
the judgment of court and jury, con
stitute themselves Judges and execu
tioners, should not escape the severest
penalties of their crimes.
LYNCHINGS MUST NOT BE TOL
ERATED.
What I said in my inaugural address
of March 4, 18i)7, I now repeat: "The
constituted authorities must- be cheer
fully and vigorously upheld. Lynchings
must not be tolerated in a great and
civilized country like the United States.
Courts, not mobs, must execute the Pen
alties of the laws. The preservation of
public order, the right of discussion,
'the orderly administration of justice
must continue forever the rock of safe
ty upon which our national security
rests."
NATIONAL CELEBRATION AT
WASHINGTON.
In accordance with the Act of Con
gress providing for an appropriate na
tional celebration in the year 1900 of
the establishment of the seat of Gov- ,
l ernment in the District of Columbia, I
| have appointed a committee, consisting
of the Governors of all the States and
Territories of the United States, who
have been invited to assemble in the
city of Washington on the Ist of De
cember, 1899, which, with the commit
tees' from Congress and the District of
Columbia, are charged with the proper
conduct of the celebration.
MEMORIAL BRIDGE ACROSS THE
\ POTOMAC.
Congress at its last session appropri
ated $5,000 "to enable the chief en
gineers of the army to continue the
examinations of the subject, and to
make or secure designs, calculations
and estimates for a memorial bridgo
from the most convenient point of the
naval observatory ground, or adjacent
thereto, across the Potomac River to
the most convenient point of Arlington
estate property."
' In accordance with the provisions of
this Act the chief engineer has selected
four eminent bridge contractors to sub
mit, plans for a bridge combining the
elements of strength and durability and
such architectural embellishments and
ornamentations as will fitly apply to ttte
dedication, "a memorial to American
patriotism." The designs are now be
ing prepared, and as soon as completed
will be submitted to the Congress by
the Secretary of War. The proposed
bridge would be a convenience to all
the people from every part of the coun
try who visit the national cemetery,
and an ornament to the capital-of the
nation, and will forever stand as a mon
ument to American patriotism. I do
not doubt that Congress will give to the
enterprise still further proof of its favor
and approval.
THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE
The executive order of May <>. ISU6.
extending the limits af the classified
service, brought within the operation of
the civil service law and rules nearly
all of the executive civil service not
previously classified. Some c f the in
clusions were found wholly illogical and
unsuited to the work of the several de
partments. The application of ■ the
rules to many of the places so included
was found to result in friction and em
barrassment. After long and very thor
ough consideration, it became evident
to the heads of departments respon
sible for their efficiency that in order
to remove these difficulties and pro
mote an efficient and harmonious ad
ministration certain amendments were
necessary. These amendments were
promulgated by me in executive order
dated May 24, 18i«>.
The principal purpose of the order
was to except from competitive exam
ination certain places involving fidu
ciary responsibilities, or duties of a
strictly confidential, scientific or exec
utive character, which it was thought
might better be fitted either by non
competitive examination or in the dis
cretion of the appointing officer than by
open competition. These places were
comparatively few in number. The or
der provided for the filling of a much
larger number of places, mainly in the
outside service of the War Department,
by what is known as the registration
system under regulations to be ap
proved by the President, similar to
those which have produced such ad
mirable results in the navy yard ser
vice.
All of the amendments had for their
main object a more efficient and satis
factory administration of the system of
appointments, established by civil ser
vice law. The results attained show
that under their operation the public
service has improved, and that the civil
service system is relieved of many ob
| jectionable features which heretofore
! subjected it to just criticism, and the
! administrative officers to the charge of
I unbusinesslike methods in the conduct
of public affairs. It is believed that
the merit system has been greatly
strengthened, and its permanence as
sured. It will be my constant aim in
the administration of government in
our new possessions to make fitness,
character and merit essential to ap
pointment to office and to give to the
capable and deserving inhabitants pref
erence in appointments.
ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF
WASHINGTON.
The 14th of December will be the one
hundredth anniversary of the death of
Washington. For a hundred years the
republic has had the priceless advan
tage of the lofty standard of character
and conduct which he bequeathed to
the American people. It is an inheri
tance which time, instead of wasting,
continually increases. We may justly
hope that in the years to come the be
nignant influence of the Fathor of His
Country may be even more potent for
good than in the century which is draw
ing to a close. I have been glad to
learn that in many parts of the coun
try the people will fittingly observe this
historic anniversary.
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE
CONGRESS.
Presented to this Congress are great
opportunities. With them come great
responsibilities. The power confided to
us increases the weight of our obliga
tions to the people, and we must be pro*
foundly sensitive of them as we con
template the new and grave problems
which confront us. Aiming only at the
public good, we cannot err. A right
interpretation of the people's will and
of duty cannot fail to insure wise meas
ures for the welfare of the islands
which have come under the authority
of the United States, and insure to the
common interest and lasting honor of
our country.
Never before has this nation had more
abundant cause than during the past
year for thankfulness to God for mani
fold blessings and mercies for which
we make reverent acknowledgement.
WILLIAM McKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, December 5, 181)9.
Stretched Hemp.
Tenderfoot—And you say the man
they were burying yonder was not sick
long?
Lariat Luke —None.
Tenderfoot—What caused his death?
Lariat Luke —Waal, y' see, stranger,
before he wuz a corpse he borry'd an
uther man's hoss 'ithout astin' fer it.
We fellers overtuk 'im an'
Tenderfoot—Was he frightened?
Lariat Luke—Skeerdest man I uver
seen —th' suspense killed him. —Ohio'
State Journal.
To be Dreaded.
She —I trust. Jack, our marriage will
not be against your father's will.
Jack—l'm sure *I hope not; it would
be mighty hard for us if he should
change it.—Brooklyn Life.
CATARRH CAN BE CURED.
Catarrh is a kindred ailment of con
sumption, long considered incurable; and
yet there is one remedy that will posi
tively-cure catarrh in any of its stages.
For many years this remedy was ,used
by the late Dr. Stevens, a widely noted
authority on all diseases of the throat and
lungs. Having tested its wonderful cura
tive powers in thousands of cases, and de
siring to relieve human suffering, I will
send free of charge to all sufferers from
Catarrh, Asthma, Consumption and Ner
vous Diseases, this recipe, in German,
French or English, with full directions for
preparing and using. Sent by mail by ad
dressing, with stamp, naming this paper,
W. A. Noyes, 920 Powers' Block, Ro
chester, N. Y. t
THE ELEVATOR BOY.
A Few of His Adventures as Relat
ed by Himself.
When the paper pattern woman mov
ed into room No. 80 I felt it my duty to
call on her and offer her my best ad
vice. No matter how young in years
an elevator boy may be, he nas got an
old head on him and can t,ive pointers
to any tenant in the bu : iding. I at
tended to tell Miss W r hite to beware of
several old birds on ths fourth and
fifth floors, but I had scarcely got out
ten words when she interrupted me
with:
"That will do, bubby. Whenever i
want to hear your prattle I will send
for you."
Her words hurt my feelings, but I
still felt that I ought to go on. I
started in to tell her that old Mr. Bird
sail was flirting with twenty-one dif
ferent girls about the building, and that
little Mr. Goodlow had already been in
quiring about her, when she took me
by the ear and led me to the door and
said:
"Run along, my child, and get your
soothing syrup and bread and butter.
If you'll come up some day when I'm
not busy I'll sing you a bo-peep song
and rock you to sleep."
The iron went home. From that mo
ment I determined to devastate and
destroy and make that woman wish
she had never been born. All that af
ternoon I felt so humbled and humili
ated that I let a telegraph boy cuff my
ears and a messenger kick mfc without
resistance. I don't claim thac tenants
should stand in awe and fear of ele
vator boys, but I do say that a mu
tual understanding is highly necessary
if harmony is expected.' The under
standing between me and Miss White
was not mutual. She evidently re
garded me as a person of no conse
quence. Two days passed, and then,
as old Mr.' Birdsall went up with ma
alone in the elevator, he said:
"Sammis, I notice that we have a
new tenant in room 80."
"Yes, sir."
"A lady, by all appearances, and ow
ing to reduced circumstances she has
been obliged to open an agency. Sam
mis, it grieves me to see a lady in re
duced circumstances."
' Yes, sir, it do."
"Unless she has some one to advise
her in a business way she will make
a failure of it. I have been thinking,
Sammis—l have been wondering if I
hadn't better call in and offer her the
benefit of my business experience."
"I think you had, sir. I think she
is all mixed up and longing for ad
vice."
"You do, eh? Well, I think I'll drop
in on her to-morrow forenoon and help
her to get a start. Poor woman! This
cold and cruel world does not care
whether they succeed or fall."
Two hours later, while I was wait
ing on the fifth floor, Mr. Goodlow
came out of his room to ask:
"Sammis, how does that woman in
room 80 get along—the paper pattern
woman?"
' She's going to fail, sir?"
"Going to fail? Why, what's the
matter?"
"She wants some business advice,
but no one will give it to her."
"What! No one around this build
ing willing to advise a woman who is
trying to get a start in business! T
can't believe it, Sammis. In fact, I
know better. I'll go right up there
now and offer my assistance. Why
didn't you say something about it be
fore?"
1 told him Miss White had gone out
for the forenoon, and that he'd better
call next forenoon, and he fcaid he'd do
it and take her right under his busi
ness wing. Things turned out next
day just as I expected. At about 10
o'clock I picked up old Mr. Birdsail
on the fourth floor, and little Mr.
Goodlow on the fifth, and as they went
up to the eighth they snorted and
glared at each other. They had some
hot words about a desk three or four
months ago, and have hated each other
ever since. They got out of the ele
vator together and walked along to
room 80. Both started to go in at the
same time, but old Mr. Birdsall shoved
little Mr. Goodlow back and said:
"You little whipper-snapper of a man,
but what business brings you up
here?"
"None of your business, you old bald
headed hypocrite!" shouted Goodfellow.
"What! You dare to insult me. you
smooth faced, pink eared monkey! Get
off the earth or I'll make cat meat of
you!"
"You can't lick one side of me, you
old.bow legged masher! Isn't it enough
that you have run away from three
different wives and broken uo a do:-:en
homes?"
"You liar of a grasshopper, but "I'll
choke those words down your throat!"
Then they pitched into each other,
and at the first clinch they fell against
the door and burst it op*n and rolled
into room S'l. Every tenant on that
floor was out in the hall, and Miss
"No, sir."
"Do you think you can put in two
consecutive weeks without a row?"
"I do, sir."
"Then you may return to your dan
A GALLANT SUITOR.
"Why. Mr. Reginall, you're late ca-llin' dis evenin'."
Mr. Reginall—Hope you'll excuse me Miss Desdenony, you see iwtas dis
way, I had ter go ter bed, make out I wuz sleepin' an' then after every ting got
quiet, climb out de winder an' all dat takes time, you sect
gerous and responsible duties and con
tinue to assist me in running this sky
scraper."
I am doing that same, and almost
every day Misa White calls me in to
get business advice, and no one is kill
ing any flies on Sammis, the elevator
boy.—Cieceland Leader.
White set up a screaming, and for five
minutes there was a hot old time. It
took half a dozen men to pull tha fight
ers apart, and each was x sight to be
hold. I hustled down and brought op
Mi-. Rasher, the agent, and the way
he went for them was a corker. When
he asked what they were doing up
there, old Mr. Birdsall rubbed away at
his skinned and bleeding nose and re
plied: ,
"I came up h-jre to give Clua inex
perienced lady some business advice
and help her to make a success.'
"And so did I," a idol Mr. Goodlow.
"Never! You were on the masal" *
"You are an old liar!"
Mr. Rasher made 'em shut up, and
then Miss White weeplngly declared
that she didn't know either one of
them by sight, and hadn't asked for
and didn't want any business advice
from anybody. The fighters made a
sneak and the crowd dissolved, and
there was a look of innocence and hu
mility on my face as I went back to
my work. I did not hear a word from
either Mr. Birdsall or Mr. Goodlow.
but a day or two later, when things
had quieted down, Miss White sent
for me. She had a real motherly
on her face as she gave me her hand
and began:
"Sammis, when you called on me a
few days ago I happened to be very
busy."
"Yse'm, you were looking out of the
window."
"And being so very busy, I made a
mistake," she went on. 'I took you
for a kid, and I believe I called you
bubby."
"Yes'm, you did."
"And perhaps I seemed to scorn the
idea that you could advise me in a
business way."
"Perhaps you did."
"Well, Sammis, I want to take it all
back. You may not be over four feet
high, but you are no kid.. You have
got beyond the days of soothing syrup
and nursery rhymes, and if you can
run a skyscraper like this you can
surely help me to run my pattern busi-
ness. Come in often, Sammis—come in
and give me pointers and suggestions
and put me up to dodges, and you'll
find me not only a good friend but a
grateful one."
That same day Mr. Rasher called me
Into his office and looked at me a long
time before he said:
"Sammis, have you got any other
scores to pay off just now?"
Too Realistic.
"Talking 'bout scalpers' tickets." said
an old conductor last night, "the queer
est thing I know in that line happened
when I was working for the Missouri
• Pacific, back in the eighties. My run
was between Kansas City and St. Louis,
and one morning as I was pulling out
on my eastbound trip a fellow gave mo
an old three day excursion ticket that
expired at least six months before. I
told him it was no good, and after con
siderable growling he handed me some
small silver. 'That will carry me to
,' he said, naming a little way sta
tion, 'and between times I'll think it
over.' 'Very well,' I replied, 'but I give
you notice right now that I won't carry
you a foot further unless you put up the
money.' He made no answer and began
carefully studying his ticket. When we
got to the station I was by his side.
'Well, sir, - I said, 'what do you intend
to do?' 'I intend to ride on this ticket,'
he said. 'I've read it and it is perfectly
good,' he snarled.'l'm not going to argiu?
any more about that,' said I. 'you pay
your fare quick or get off.' 'Not unless
you're the best man,' he said, looking
ugly. Well, I threw him off, but it was
a tough job. He fought like a wildcat
and came near licking both me and the
brakeman.
The station where this happened was
in the heart of a wild moonshine dis
trict, and the crowd that collected
sympathized with the passenger. I ex
pected to hear from the fellow almost at
once, but I didn't, and the affair soon
passed out of my mind. Six months
later I happened to be In the gt-n.-ral
offices when to my great surprise I saw
him coming out of the manager's pri
vate room. 'Who is that . man?" I
asked a clerk. He laughed. 'Win.
don't you know him?' he said. 'Hen
,' and he named a detcetive who had
lately worked up the evidence in a big
train robbery case in the very neighbor
hood of the station where our row
occurred. Then I understood. You see,
he wanted some good excuse for goimr
into the settlement, and there was no
better role than that of a poor man
just ejected from a train by a brutal
conductor. He had .his scalper's ticket
to show, he had just put up a genuine
fight, and claimed to be dead brol«.
All that appealed to the nat ives, and they
took him in at once. The result was
that he stayed there a month and pick
ed up all the evidence he wanted. . It
was a shrewd scheme, but I think h*
made that scrap unnecessarily real
istic." —New Orleans Times-Democrat.
Avoid popularity; it has many snares,
and no real benefit.—Perm.
