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Complete files or the G lo b • always
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TODATW WEATHER.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26.— Forecast
for Sunday:
• For Minnesota: Local snows; cold
er: northerly winds.
For Wisconsin: Partly cloudy
weather, with local snows in north
eastern portion; decidedly colder;
northwesterly winds.
For North Dakota: Local snows,
followed by fair; northerly winds; cold
er in southeastern and warmer in
northwestern portion.
For Montana: Fair; warmer Sun
nay evening; winds shifting to south
westerly.
For South Dakota: Generally fair;
colder; northerly winds.
TEMPERATURES.
Place. Ther. j Place. Ther.
Buffalo 55-60 Montreal 36-40
Boston 42-32 New Orleans. 7o-78
Cheyenne — 30-54 New York 52-54
Chicago 64-72 Pittsburg 60-66
Cincinnati 64-701
DAILY MEANS.
Barometer, 29.57; thermometer, 53;
relative humidity, 42; wind, west;
weather, clear; maximum thermom
eter. 65; minimum thermometer, 45;
daily range, 20; amount of rainfall or
melted snow in last twenty-four hours,
.0.
RIVER AT 8 A. M.
Gauge. Danger Height of
Reading. Line. Water. Change.
St. Paul 1.4 1.5 0.0
La Crosse 1.0 1.8 0.0
Davenport ..1.5 . 1.0 . —0.1
St. Louis 3.0 2.9 —0.1
— Fall.
Note— Barometer corrected for tem
perature and elevation.
P. F. LYONS,
Observer.
OCR REGENERATE ERA.
Mr. E. S. Martin is known to stu
dents of journalism as the para
grapher who can write more grace
ful common sense in a hundred
words than most men can in a thou
sand. In the "Point of View" of
the November Scribner he offers a
valuable suggestion to those doubt
ing souls who have almost been
convinced that we are living in a
degenerate age. The idea is so sim
ple that it is wonderful no one has
thought of it before. It is merely
that if subjected to the same tests —
notably those of Dr. Nordau— the
fruitful and vital periods of the
world's history might be similarly
shown to be decadent. It is, indeed,
in such eras most of all that freaks
abound, not because the age lacks
vitality, but because it has it to ex
cess. He points out that it would
be easy to demonstrate that the
Italian Renaissance was a period so
packed with germs of decay that
there was no hope for it; or that the
nervous system of the Elizabethans
had been injured by the disturbing
■strain of the Reformation, and that
their future was unquestionably des
perate.
This is sound doctrine. There has
been too much nonsense talked about
the degenerate end-of-the-century
by people who have had nothing else
to do. To cry "wolf, wolf" when
there is no wolf has always been one
of the pernicious amusements of the
idle, but it is not fitting that those
Who are actually engaged in guard
ing the fold should be compelled to
give as much attention to them as
-has been the case of late. What
thoughtful student of the present
and past can doubt that we are bear
ing the stress of living in one of the
great developmental ages of the
world as only a healthy organism can
bear such a tremendous strain? With
every temptation to be otherwise,
our era is essentially ardent, stren
uous and sane. Of the work
ing-out of our civilization comes
much froth and scum doubt
less, for that is the accompani
ment of air fermentation, but the
wine that lies upon the lees is pure
and strong.
Of all the great ages of history.per
haps the joyous era of Elizabeth is
that to which men have looked most
wishfully, desiring that their lives
might have been lived in those days;
but it is safe to predict that the
envy with which the Elizabethans
have been envied is as nothing com
pared to the longing with which the
man of the future is going to feel
When he looks back to the latter half
of the nineteenth century. What civ
ilizations may come after us we can
not dimly guess, but even should the
millennium, for which conservatives
and socialists each in their different
ways are striving, finally dawn, it
would be strange indeed if even
then there were not found mortals
to say, and say truthfully, some
thing like this:
"O" to have lived in America when
men were men indeed! In that time
there were still forests to cut down,
Virgin soil to conquer, mines to dis
cover, cities to build, laws to make,
precedents to establish. There were
giants on the earth in those days.
Did not they first chain the light
ning and tamo the thunder bolt to
run upon their errands? "Was it
not their lot to subjugate nature
as man had never dreamed of con
quering before them? Did they not
do away with earthly warfare and
Redouble the strife of the spirit with
the powers of evil? They freed the
body of the slave; they emancipated
the mind of the thinker. It was their
religion that first broke the fetters
Tim SAINT PAUL BAIIrY GfcOBE: SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 27. 1895.---TWENTY-FOUR PAGES.
of ecclesiasticlsm. In their day.
budded the blossom of the- world's
altruism. O to have lived when
everything was doing and the curse
of achievement had not ended toll!
Surely those who drank of the wine
of life in that radiant era must have
tasted the rarest vintage earth has
yet put to her children's lips!"
SOME CAPITOL DESIGNS.
During the sessions of the state
capitol commission last week, curi-
osity was rife both as to its possi
ble final action and as to the report
of Mr. Wheelwright, the expert se
lected to examine the plans and rec
ommend five as entitled to prizes.
Now that it has adjourned until next
Wednesday, the public faces another
period of suspense. Rumor has been
busy, how-aver, suggesting the name
of one architect and another and
naming this or that set of plans as
among the successful . five. The
commission has kept its own coun
sel. As it has selected no architect,
so it has* given out no information
as to the possible tenor, of the re
port of its expert. When the plans
were first placed on exhibition, the
Globe selected fourteen, on its own
judgment, as probably containing
the most satisfactory designs. All
the gossip of the street goes to show
that this list includes the leading
candidates for honors. Of these
fourteen, five have been mentioned
so persistently by common report
as being the choice of Mr. Wheel
wright that, although the commis
sion has not given out any informa
tion on the subject, we reproduce
them this morning for the benefit
of our readers. Not only the eleva
tion, but the ground plans of these
designs will be found in this morn
ing's Globe, and the public will
examine them with a lively interest.
These five make up the list which
it is 'thought that the expert recom
mended to the commission. Their
high excellence shows that, if these
were his selections, he has justified
the confidence placed in his impar
tial judgment and professional abil
ity.
THE MEEKER ISLAND DAM.
The history of internal improve
ments made by the United States is
not a pleasant one to read. Writ
ten along with the narrative of the
larger and really national works,
such as the Eads jetties at the mouth
of the Mississippi, the canal at the
"Soo," the channeling of St. Clair
flats, there run numberless minor
improvements that are redolent with
jobbery, where, under pretense of
public utility, private interests only
are served at the public cost. Ap
propriations have been made to im
prove the navigation of Cheese
quakes creeks all over the country,
and channels have been dredged
along the sea coast to provide access
to the sea for the yacht of some gen
tleman of wealth. Harbors have been
driven through claybanks and reefs
into some petty creek for some in
significant hamlet, because the mem
ber felt obliged to get something for
his district. Tom Updegraff, of lowa,
was retired some years ago by his
constituents because he opposed
these petty steals and insisted that
a line must be drawn somewhere be
tween the Mississippi river and a
dew drop.
The federal treasury is to be drawn
on to build a dam across the Mis
sissippi river at the head of Meeker
island. In the appropriation bill it
was said that the money was to be
used "to improve the navigation of
that river between St. Paul and Min
neapolis." One hundred thousand
dollars are now available, and $500,
--000 more will be needed to complete
the work. Whether the game will
be worth the candle is a question
we do not care now to discuss. It has
been decided by congress in the af
firmative. Experience seems to have
no value to that body, if it means
what it pretends to. Something over
a million dollars has been spent at
and above Minneapolis to "improve
the navigation" of the river, result
ing only in providing a comfortable
income for the private owners of the
water power and supply, built and
paid for by the public. Over three
million dollars were spent in im
proving the navigation of the Fox
river between Depere and Menasha,
and providing a water power for the
factories that line that river.
Whether there is or is not a sim
ilar mouse in this Meeker dam tub
of meal we know not. If there is, it
is time that it be snatched out and
drowned. It is high time for a new
departure, such as the Globe sug
gested during the last congress and
when the bill containing this appro
priation was under consideration.
That departure is the devotion to
public instead of private interests of
the water power to be created. If,
incidental to the improvement of
navigation, there is the creation of
a power capable of being utilized
productively, then its use should be
for some general and public purpose.
This would seem to be a simple and
elementary proposition. It is due to
the abuses, some of which have been
stated above, that such a proposi
tion has the appearance of novelty
and classes its proposer with the
"cranks." The unheeded suggestion
of the Globe was that there be at
tached to the Meeker dam item a
proviso that the power thereby cre
ated should be devoted to such mu
nicipal purposes as the city of St.
Paul should elect. Of these there are
many. The production of electricity
for lighting the streets and public
buildings of the city is the first and
most prominent one. Any surplus
power could be devoted to other pub
lic use.
A first question to be considered is
whether the building of this dam
according to the plans now in mind
will not destroy a water power In
stead of making one. That an im
mensely valuable power can' be cre
ated between the two cities by con
structing a dam of proper height,
every one knows. Nor is this hostile
to any interests of navigation that
may exist; for it necessitates only. a.
difference ln the number and depth
of locks. But if * the government
should build, Instead, a series of low'
dams, two or more in number, the
division of the total vertical fall
would make its commercial utiliza
tion Impracticable.^ This is a seri
ous point, which has not been suffi
ciently considered. ( Whatever work
is done should serve the double pur
pose of improving navigation and
building up a water power. -With
the approach of a new session of
congress, the subject becomes of Im
mediate Importance. The next river
and harbor bill, if lt contains fur
ther appropriations for this work,
should provide that the power cre
ated be reserved for public uses.
Senator Davis and Representative
Kiefer should see to lt that the In
terests of St. Paul, which are, in
this matter, the interests of the whole
people, are set forth and properly
protected.
THEY DO NOT WANT IT.
The report of the registration of
voters in Massachusetts is the most
convincing argument against woman
suffrage that it is possible to Imag
ine. It Is admitted, or ought to be,
on all sides that the ballot should
not be forced upon women against
their will. It is at least an open
question,' and one which we believe
should be "answered in the negative,
whether female suffrage should be
permitted even if women generally
desired to vote. But as to forcing
upon them a duty and an obligation
which are not only improper, but
are repugnant to the women them
selves, there can be no difference of
opinion. There is probably no state
in the Union in which the question
of female suffrage has been can
vassed for as long a time and with
as much thoroughness as in Massa
chusetts. Many leading politicians
have advocated it for years, and the
propaganda of the suffragists has
been earnest and determined. So
far has public opinion been im
pressed by it that the legislature
provided that at this election the
people of the state should vote on
the question of extending suffrage to
women. This is in the nature of a
referendum, since the women them
selves are now entitled to vote upon
the question, and to say whether
they do or do not desire to assume
these new political duties.
It is not necessary to wait for the
actual returns on election day, for
the record of registration is em
phatic and decisive. The registry
books were closed in the cities of the
state some days ago. It is esti
mated that there are upwards of
200,000 women who are entitled to
vote in those cities. The number who
were sufficiently interested in the
question to go to the registry offices
and enroll their names was 26,072.
It appears from this that in Massa
chusetts, where we expect "advanced
thought," and where this issue is
prominent and of long standing,
nine women out of every , ten re
fused to qualify themselves to vote
on the question of their own enfran
chisement. If this is not a demon
stration, we do not know what
would be. The opponents of female
suffrage have claimed all along that
the first question to be decided was
whether women do or do not desire
to vote. It is time enough to con
sider seriously the effect upon the
state, and still more seriously the
effect upon society and the family,
of woman suffrage when the sex ap
pears and demands at the hands of
men the opportunity to exercise
political rights. As long as they do
not do this, it is clearly premature to
raise the issue.
One cannot imagine a more thor
ough test of the main issue than
has been afforded by this registra
tion in Massachusetts. To refuse or
neglect to register is the most direct
and effective way in which women
could declare their disinclination to
enter the field of politics. We have
never doubted .that, as a whole, they
have no desire to be enfranchised.
We believe that in any state in the
Union, if their opinion could be taken, ,
the ratio of those who want to vote
to those who do not would be con
siderably less than one to ten. This
is one of the most convincing proofs
of the superior sense of the sex, as
compared with the people who are
urging, for sentimental reasons, that
the social and political order indi
cated by nature should be over
thrown in favor of a new and impos
sible organization.
******
JEREMIAH STILL AT IT. '
The Jeremiahs still sit at the tomb
of McKlnleylsm and smite their
brows and shake ashes on their
heads and bemoan the awful visi
tations of disaster that have followed
in righteous judgment on the icono
clasts who destroyed their idol. And
they then turn to each other and
thrust their tongues ln cheek and
wink an eye and nudge each the
other in the ribs. This the dear pub
lic sees not, but hears only the
groans. The boss Jeremiah is the
New York Tribune, and when it
says "thumbs up" all the other Jere
miahs in the row stick thumbs zen
ithward; when it says "groan," they
groan, and when it says "howl," they
rend the air with clamor.
Jeremiah is just now unhappy be
cause this country imported more
woolens this year than in the
previous year. This is declared to
be "a startling fact." The excess of
imports is "equal to half the entire
consumption of the country." It
"makes an important difference with
the work of the mills and the wages
of the mill employes." It takes the
place of our wool, and "the wool
grower loses more than half of his
home market." And the local Jere
miah adds that the English export
ers of i 'these woolens "are looking
forward to the extinction of still
other American industries." Then
all the Jeremiahs quote or pretend
to quote — Jeremiah has, in past
times, been very -reckless in his
quotations; has in fact, been caught
making them up out of whole cloth
from English papers their feliclta-
tions ** on increased trade with oiil-
country.
' Alii of this Increase of woolens is,
of course, attributed -to the repeal
of McKlnleylsm and the reduction of,
duties. All these lamentations are
for the purpose of supporting the
"demand for the reversal of , the
Democratic tariff policy without any
unnecessary delay," as the Tribune
states It Were ' McKlnleylsm re
stored, woolen Imports would fall
away, our mills would have more
work, their employes better wages,
and our wool growers better prices
and a home market. Tha Jeremiahs,
however, ignore some pertinent
facts. It Is at once our duty and
our pleasure to supply them. , It is
true that the imports of woolens
exceeded in 1895 those of 1894. It is
also true that neither In this coun
try nor anywhere else were people
buying woolens as freely as usual
In 1894. The panic of '93 had made
them wear their old ones another
year. ...
Another omitted fact Is a compar
ison of imports with those of former
years, when the Republican policy
of fostering manufactures and pro
tecting sheep was in operation.
There was no year from 1883 to 1893
•that the value of imports of all the
manufactures of wool was not large
ly in excess of those of 1895. They
were $42,552,456 in 1883; $54,165,423 in
1890; $36,987,904 In 1893, and $36,542,
--396 in 1895. It thus appears that
Jeremiah is at his old tricks, and
picks for comparison the dates that
suit his case instead of covering a
range of years that would make
a comparison worth anything. But
then that would dampen his- powder.
Our local Jeremiah evidently thinks
that the woolen. industry with us is
destroyed by this competition, else it
would not have said in its lament
that the English exporters were
"looking forward to the extinction
of still other American industries."
A better authority is the American
Wool and Cotton Reporter. In Au
gust a correspondent asked it to
state the quantity of woolen ma
chinery in operation now and at the
most favorable time hitherto. The
editor assumes the favorite year
with all Republican papers, 1892,
as "the most favorable period,"
and says: "It is estimated
that in May, 1892, ' there were
ln operation 7,784 sets of cards,
woolen and worsted; 71,000 woolen
and worsted frames and 43,601 knit
ting machines. About June 1, 1895,
there were in operation 8,456 sets of
cards, woolen and worsted; 77,100
looms on woolen and worsted goods, .
and 64,250 knitting machines. This
probably must be increased at date
in every particular, as there is a
most imposing list of new machi
nery since Jan. 1, 1895, exclusive of
thirty-eight brand new enterprises.'
(woolen mills) and a large number
of new knitting plaints, as shown in
the Reporter for July 4." To these'
facts must be added the remarkable^
Increase in the exports of our do
mestic wool, always hitherto an in-"
significant item, amounting to butt
$3,073 in 1884, and $5,272 in 1888, , but "
which amounted to $484,462 in 1895.-,
There does not appear to be any
thing left of this latest lamentation ;
of the Jeremiahs, after it has been
submitted to a test in the crucible
of fact.
•mm '. .
ENFORCE ALL CONTRACTS.
ENFORCE ALL CONTRACTS.
The communication published this
morning from Aid. Johnson goes
Into the reasons why the joint com
mittee concluded to recommend that
no contract be let next year for the
disposal of garbage. It appears
that there is no difference between
the members of the council and the
Globe on the general subject of
the proper way to deal with the
garbage question. The one point of
divergence is as to what ought to
be done in the interval between the
present and the time when a crema
tory shall be in successful operation.
We are not able to discover why the
contract entered into by any per
son for disposing of the city gar
bage should not be enforced, pre
cisely as if it were a contract for
putting down sewers or paving
streets. We admit the force of the
arguments offered by Mr. Johnson.
The inability of the council, under
the charter, to make a contract for
more than one year, and the fact
that to fulfill its terms is easy during
the first months, and difficult during
the last, constitute the main diffi
culty. But this, to our mind, instead
of furnishing an excuse for sitting
down helplessly and saying that
nothing can be done, only empha
sizes the necessity of hedging this
particular contract about with such
binding restrictions, and placing in
it such severe penalties that, in the
first place, nobody will make a bid
at a sum below the cost of the serv
ice to be rendered, and, in the sec
ond place, if Ms work is unsatis
factory, he shall be brought to book
instantly, and he or his bondsmen
severely mulcted.
The idea that a contractor should
be dealt with mildly because, in or
der to* get his contract, he bids less
than the sum for which the work
could actually be done, Is incompre
hensible. 'If that rule were to pre
vail, no city work could ever be well
done. The removal of garbage Is a
public service. Its proper perform
ance is a public necessity. If a man
agrees to do it below cost, that is
his fault. If men sign a bond guar
anteeing that he will perform an
impossibility, that Is both their fault
and their misfortune. The public
has a right to have this work well
done. Its interests ought not to be
jeopardized because "a contractor
finds it pecuniarily burdensome to
discharge an obligation which he
knew all about when he assumed it.
The objections to the system of
private scavengering are so many
and so unanswerable "that it does
not seem to us 'that the people of
St. Paul should be relegated to that,
when a proper contract can un
doubtedly be ' secured by having it
understood that every word of it will
be enforced rigorously, every pen
ulty satisfied, and every defect In
the service cured at the expense of
the contractor or his bondsmen. For
the present, the right thing to do
ls to have everybody understand
that all . contracts, , present and fut
ure, will be enforced according ', to
the letter of the law. That will carry
us over until the time when we have
the appliances necessary for gar
bage ' disposal by the city itself.
Meanwhile, j the search for the bal
ance of that garbage fund might be
pursued, If any number of. the gar
bage committee is ready to take out
a policy of life insurance, and then
Inquire of the august city controller
as to the present whereabouts of the
city funds.
THE TRUE UNITY.
When the parliament of religions
met at the world's fair in Chicago
and presented to the world the unique
spectacle of the representatives of
every religion of the earth, gath
ered upon one platform, meeting in
friendly Intercourse and discussing
the great problem whose factors are
life, death and the hereafter, it is
no wonder ; that strong hopes
rose that this was but the harbin
ger of a coming change, when the di
vided sects of Christianity and the
adherents of the old wisdom re
ligion might find some common
ground upon which all might stand,
and where all the efforts of their
Christian teachings might be united.
Together under one banner, Jew and
Gentile, Catholic and Protestant,
Buddhist and Theosophist, burying
their details of differences, might
join in a world-wide crusade against
sin.
But any such vision for the present
is an iridescent dream. The very
causes that have produced all these
divergences are fundamental. There
can be no formal unity where there
is no possibility of actual, visual
demonstration and where the right
of individual judgment is reserved.
So long as there was implicit and
unquestioning acceptance of tenet
and dogma, unity was possible. But
when, with the revival of intellectual
aotivity, there came questions of au
thority of either or both, spurred by
the impulse of the Individual to as-
sert himself, it was inevitable that
it should proceed producing con-
tinually new points of divergence
and division. On the broad founda
tion of moral conduct, on which all
humanity rests, there have grown up
all these various sects, each inspired
with pride of its . opinion and cer
tainty of conviction.
If these were the limits of disinte
gration, the problem of religious uni
fication would be. difficult enough.
But it was inevitable that there!
; should grow out of these conflicting
-conditions, in the minds of intelli
»-g«nt_and reflective people, a doubt
as to the authority of any of them
and a more or less complete rejec
tion of them all. Draper, in his
- "Science and Religion, "written twen-
ty^ years ago, prefaces his treatise
with an observation upon the note-
worthy extent to which this process
has gone. One needs but to use his
eyes in even the most casual ob-
'serVatibn, in any community, to find
evidence of the fact that if \ attend-
ance upon sectarian worship is being
religious, then the irreligious are
powerful in number. If, however,
religion- means obedience to the rec
ognition of moral law, if it is right
conduct in life, then the same ob-
server will note the increasing re-
ligiousness of his fellow men.
. But if division has succeeded di-
vision and sect followed sect, until
the mind is confused by their multi
tude, and if this tendency, coupled
with the increase of those who have
turned aside from all churches and
sought their religious views in other
fields, until visions of the unification
of the churches seem to many a
vain aspiration, it by no means fol
lows that the work of the churches
in the past or their future efforts
are in vain. The foundation on
which each of them is built is moral
conduct, right living; and he is an
indifferent observer who cannot see
the fruits all around him of that
teaching of the churches. While the
tendency of the race is plainly away
from unity of acceptance of creed
or dogma.it is moving surely towards
a unity in morals leading to that
moral conduct which, after all, is the
earthly fruiting of religious teach-
ing.' The world is growing better,
not worse; humanity is more, not
less, humane; men are more, not less,
moral.. More and more men abjure
that which is wrong because it is
wrong, and do that which is right
because it is right. And, after all,
"of such is the kingdom of heaven."
■■- ■ AX . ANTI-CLIMAX.
A comparison of the proceedings
in the high council of British Guiana
with the columns of , heated contro
versy during the last few weeks over
j the :l Venezuela question provokes
' hilarity. Here we have been hear
! ing all about the deep, dark "plots
apd the -high-handed acts of Great
Britain and her colony in attempt
ing 'to seize a portion of Vehe-zuelan
territory, whereas the first official
communication on the subject is an
account of a row in the governing
body of British Guiana, which end
ed in - "turning down" Mr. Cham
berlain and ridiculing the recom
mendation which he made to the
cdlorty for arming its frontier. .-77-.7
.-They seem, indeed, to have had
U,i) '
lots of fun out of Mr. Chamberlain
d_*wn in Guiana. The British sub
jects ; there have level heads, and
they have taken Mr. Chamberlain's
measure. , He is a jingo politician of
a stripe not unfamiliar to us in the
; United States. He thought it a good
time to fire the) popular heart of the
English by sending directions to the
council of Guiana to buy a Maxim
gun at its own expense. It would
.not , cost ~' England anything, and it
would make a mighty show of reso
lution to defy the. foreigner and as-
sert the desperate intention of Great
Britain in South America. Now the
council of Guiana saw through this
performance, and refused to advance
Mr. Chamberlain's political pros
pects at its own expense. More than
that, It had a good deal of merri
ment over Joseph.
'British Guiana, like every other
colony of Great Britain, gets a little
weary of maintaining the glory and
prestige of the empire without any
substantial benefit to itself. Its offi
cials are perfectly aware that they
are no match for Venezuela. They
observed that it would not be par
ticularly statesmanlike . to buy a
Maxim gun without any means for
getting it to the frontier! and with
the certainty that if they did, all that
the forces of Venezuela would have
to dot would be to come on and take
it. , If their claims are to be support
ed, and If they are to make a stand
against Venezuela, It must be by
the action and with the help of Great
Britain's forces. They throw the re
sponsibility, properly, upon the Im
perial government, and will wait for
it to act. This exhibits excellent
judgment and a regard for their
own interests on. their part. It is a
humiliating rebuke to Mr. Chamber
lain, and an exposure to the world
of the quality of his foreign policy
which brings it Into the catalogue
of what is called in this country
"peanut politics."
Among those, interested in interna
tional affairs, this act of British
Guiana will be accepted as a huge
joke. A broad grin spreads over the
entire diplomatic circle at the re
fusal of British Guiana to pull any
chestnuts out of the fire for the de
lectation of the foreign department
of Great Britain. After the beating
of tom-toms and the demand for on
immediate call to arms on this Ven
ezuelan issue, it is a relief to have
the humorous side turned toward us,
and to see how pitifully minute is the
mouse which 'the labor of this
mountain has brought forth.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPURE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPURE
WATER.
An interesting suit has been
brought against the Ashland Water
company, by the widow of a citizen
who died of typhoid fever. The
claim is made that the disease was
contracted from germs contained in
the water supplied to the public, and
damages are asked from the com
pany on the ground that it is re
sponsible. We do not know any
thing about the merits of the case.
It must, in any event, be exceedingly
difficult to establish a direct respon
sibility. To prove that the particu
lar germs from which a given indi
vidual suffered disease were con
veyed into his system by water
drawn from a certain source is ob
viously impossible in the present
state of scientific research. Some
day, perhaps, we shall have germ 3
identified as individuals; make a reg
ular rogues' gallery of them; take
their measurement according to
some bacterial Bertillon system, and
take up their parole when they get
to interfering with the healthy oper
ation of a human organism. The most
that could be done now would be to
establish presumptive evidence, by
showing that there was pollution of
a water supply by typhoid germs,
and that a user of the water subse
quently died of the disease.
Eventually, however, it is probable
that there will be established a de-
gree of responsibility in connection
with city water supplies that does
not at present exist. Damages are
being claimed and recovered con
stantly for injuries sustained by
reason of defective sidewalks, or
street obstructions where no proper
warning is displayed. If a citizen
can secure money compensation for
the breaking of a limb by reason of
the carelessness of public officials, it
would seem that the danger to life
which is present in an impure water
supply ought to carry with it an
equal accountability. The difficulty,
as we have said, lies in proving an
actual connection in fact between
the existence of the cause and the
effect. There is, however, a moral
responsibility that should be already
in force. Science has disclosed to us
a means of purifying water which, is
simple and reliable beyond question.
The disease germ cannot survive the
filtration process. In all instances,
therefore, where there is a water
supply either actually polluted or
open to the danger of pollution,
those who do not adopt this precau
tion are really responsible for the
resulting injury to public health. In
time a wholesome public opinion
will be created that shall make this I
as impossible as it now is for deal
ers to sell poisons under the name of
food. It is to that rather than to
positive statute or to the punitive
effect of possible damages that com-
munities must look whose source of
water supply is inferior or subject to
deterioration.
AX IMPORTANT INVESTIGATION.
The committee of investigation into
the cost of conducting the city gov- !
ernment, as now completed by the j
action of both bodies of the common
council and the four principal com- |
mercial organizations of the city, j
has an opportunity to do some ex- i
cellent work. Such a committee, if
its labors are directed by the right
principle and confined within the
proper scope, ought to bring forth
results satisfactory to the taxpayers '
of St. Paul. The question which it
should consider is not whether there
is "extravagance," as Uhe term is
popularly used, in the operation of
the city government, but whether our
municipal affairs can be carried on
at such reduced cost as will lessen
to some extent the burdens of tax- j
alion.
The word extravagance is relative.
What is extravagant for one. man is
no more than reasonable for another.
It depends entirely upon their rela
tive resources, and the relative diffi
culty with which they obtain what
they spend. To keep a carriage is
only an every-day necessity! to one
man, where it would be ruinous ex
travagance ,in another and sheer
impossibility for a third. The same
rule holds good in local expenditures.
Take, for example, the care of our
streets. Two or three times the
amount that we spend on them an
nually might, probably, be disbursed
to good effect. A city with ample
resources can and ought to be liberal
in that direction, as well as with
the various departments that have
charge of the education of the peo
ple and the protection of life and
property. The question for each one
is, what can it afford? That is the
question which this committee should
hold to the front, bearing In mind
the demands that, have been made
upon the taxpayer, and the relation
of tax reduction to the prosperity of
the whole community.
It is not likely that any Investiga
tion will disclose an actual waste of
public money In St. Paul. The
Globe has gone over this whole
ground with all possible thorough
ness, and given the results to the
people. It did not find any extrav
agance in the sense of using public
money improperly or countenancing
wanton waste. It did find that, if the
determination should be made, the
operating expenses of St. Paul might
be reduced, all around, to an extent
that would give welcome relief in
the shape of lessened tax bills. The
case is analogous to that of many
individuals during the last four or
five years. Although they were en
joying only what they regarded as
the ordinary comforts of life, busi
ness depression reduced their in
comes. Those of them who possessed
ordinary prudence modified imme
diately their expenditures to cor
respond with the changed conditions.
No one pretends that this did not
hurt. No one will say that they
would not have been more comfort
able and happier, or that they would
not have been in shape to prosecute
their business enterprises more vig
orously and successfully, if the need
of retrenchment had not arisen.
Neither will any reasonable man
deny that, when it did arise, It was
wise in them to shape, at any cost
or sacrifice, their outgo to meet
their changed Incomes. This is the
question to be considered by the
committee; not where absolute ex
travagance can be stopped, for St.
Paul is, in most respects, a well
governed city; but where other econ
omies can be put into effect, by some
sacrifice if need be, for the sake of
the general good and the advance
ment of public and private interests.
If the work of the committee is along
these lines it will not be unfruitful
of results. "
BIG COXVEXTIOX HALLS.
After the Democratic convention
which met in 1892 in the' great Chi
cago wigwam, where 800 delegates
sat with an immense fringe of au
dience around and above them in
the galleries, there was a brisk dis
cussion in the press upon the mani
fest disadvantages of these immense
halls, and the clear preponderance
of judgment was in favor of future
conventions held in halls capable of
containing only the delegates and
officers, including the press, for
whom, being the avenues by which
the proceedings reached the public,
ample provisions should be made.
Now, however, we are told that in
Chicago — which city has grown to re
gard itself as the "logical conven
tion city" — a company is engaged in
building an immense auditorium to
accommodate national conventions
and other large assemblies, which
will have a seating capacity of up-
wards of 50,000. This would indicate
I that the spasm of '92 has subsided,
and that the good sense which would
impose a restriction upon the size
of these conventions is giving way to
the pressure of the politicians on the
inside and the many interested par-
ties on the outside. It is probable
that the movement will be in the di-
rection of expansion rather than con-
traction.
The result of this will be to almost
entirely deprive the conventions of
their deliberative character, and to
make them more and more merely
cut and dried affairs, recording the
decisions arrived at in the councils
of the leaders of the parties held else-
where. We cannot believe that this
is a beneficial tendency. ' It is cer
tainly not democratic. It affords no
opportunity for discussion by the del-
egates of the policies proposed by
the committee on platform. It leaves
the body of delegates to be swayed
as they so notoriously have been in
past times, by the clacquers in the
gallery. It restricts participation in
debate to the most powerful lungs,
and, as is well known, strength of
lung is not at all indicative of
strength of brain.
Pertinent to this is the discussion
of the length of the campaign,
started afresh by the action of the
chamber of commerce of Cleveland,
asking that conventions be held
three instead of six months before
the election. With that there should
also go the demand for convention
halls with a seating capacity limited
to the delegates, their alternates, the
officers and the representatives of
the press.
Chief of the Weather Service
Moore may as well be officially de
clared the presidential candidate of
the Northwest. While the people of
New York, Massachusetts and Great
Britain are digging themselves out
of snow banks, the people of this
section are enjoying weather as
balmy as that of early June..
Gov. Altgeld has become a humor
ist. He says he not a candidate for
senator from Illinois because "even
if the Lord should be with us next
year," the Republicans would still
have a majority of five or six on
joint ballot. _ 7-7; 7: 7-
A Baltimore man has walked all
the way to New York to prevent
the Marlborough-Vanderbilt wed
ding. This probably comes from, the
fact that the duke has picked out
a girl . with $13,000,000. Unlucky
thirteen. 7 •■->" -
David Bennett Hill can probably
have the vote of the University of
Michigan if he can make use of it in
the Democratic national convention.
ft P. SITUATION
'■' . • ».7*7 :
NEW YORK PROCEEDINGS GEN-
NEW YORK PROCEEDINGS GEX-
ERALLY DISCUSSED IX LO-
CAL. CIRCLES.
IVES SEEMS TO HAVE WON.
A VICTORY IX SECURING *AX
AGREE TO MR. GALLO-
MAV.s APPOINTMENT.
OBSTACLES STILL, STANDING
In the Way to a Definite anil Clear
Understanding- All
Around.
The proceedings in the Northern
The proceedings in the Northern
Pacific case before Judge Lacombe
in New York on Friday were pretty
thoroughly discussed in St. Paul yes-
terday, and there appears to be some
diversity of opinion as to just what
their significance is. That the diffi
culty has been bridged is doubted
by many who are in the best posi
tion to judge of the meaning of the
newest move in the matter, and al-
though they are inclined to be reti-
cent there seems to be little doubt
that the Ives faction has scored a
point in securing the agreement of
the other parties to the appointment
of Robert M. Galloway, who is said
. to be an Ives man and who was at
any rate suggested by them.
The statement that there will prob-
ably be three receivers, viz.: Mr.Gal-
loway in New York, Mr. Burleigh at
the West and one In St. Paul, still
to be named, is not considered based
on the best authority, and while lo
cal railroad men and attorneys are
diffident about forecasting the action
of the Milwaukee court it is thought
improbable that Judge Jenkins will
assent to any such arrangement. It
is not known here on whose author-
ity the statement is made that
representatives of the Eastern inter-
ests will be here soon to attempt to
agree with the Western courts as to
what plan shall be adopted. In a
nutshell, therefore, those who should
best understand the situation say
there is nothing definite yet looking
to an ultimate clearing away of the
obstacles, and that much depends
first on what can be done in the way
of an understanding between the va
rious interests and then what the
court in New York will do.
--a-a*H-
BRITISH LANDGRABBIXG.
BRITISH LAXDGHABBIXG.
Officer on the Survey of the Alas-
ka-British Columbia Bonndury
Talks.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., Oct. 26.—
government officer in charge of the
survey of the Alaska-British Columbia
boundary, Capt. 10. F. Diekins, has ar-
rived here. Regarding the work ac-
complished he said:
"The first year of the survey the
Canadian parties worked with us to
some extent. We had one of our mem-
bers with the Canadians and they had
one of their surveyors with us. Since
then they have gone by themselves,
and this year we have not met them.
The Canadians never discovered until
about a year ago that they had any
claim. Then they suddenly changed
their maps and boundary. We have
proceeded according to our under-
standing of the terms of the treaty un-
der which Alaska was acquired by the
United States which rests on the agree-
ment reached some years ago between
Russia and Great Britain concerning
the boundary.
"The Canadians want to get a port of
entry at the head of Lynn canal for the
Yukon, and also get everything east of
Clarence strait. They are ignoring the
Portland canal. Last year we saw the
Canadians on Chilcat and Chilcoot in-
lets, but this year we have not seen
them."
■*****■
BLOOMER GIBLS SENT HOME.
BLOOMER GIRLS SENT HOME.
Cincinnati Officials Refuse to Al-
low Them to Dance at a Ball.
CINCINNATI,©., Oot. 2-3.— A "bloom-
er ball" by the Twentieth Century
club was advertised to take place at
Central Turner hall last night. It. did
not take place. The ball promised to
be a financial and spectacular success.
A score of young girls appeared at the
door of the dance hall attired in all
sorts of fantastic bloomers of pink
and blue silk. They were met at the
door by Humane Officer Allen, who
sent them away and warned them un-
less they returned home they would be
locked up. Later two officers were de-
tailed to watch the place and turned
away several dozen young girls simi
larly attired. Up to midnight they con-
tinued to arrive, and In every case
were sent back home.
A KISS FOB HIS HEROISM.
A Gallant Man Rewarded i»>- a
Young Woman He Rescues.
CHICAGO, Oct. 26.— W. L. Light-
heart, of Freeport, 111., rescued a pret
ty young woman from deafh yes-
terday afternoon and got a kiss from
her for his heroism and presence of
mind. He was crossing State street at
Madison, when the young woman slip-
ped and fell In front of a cable train
not more than ten feet away. The
Freeport man, who was waiting for
the train to pass, grasped the situa
tion and the affrighted young woman
almost at the same Instant, and, lift
ing her to his shoulders, jumped clear
of the tra'n, now almost upon him.
The girl was so overjoyed and thank
ful that she could not 'find words to
express herself, so she just twisted her
arms around Llghtheart's Deck and
kissed him. Then she straightened her
headgear and disappeared before any
one in the crowd which gathered could
loam her nr.me. -7. 7
***_*-
Imlictetl a Boodler.
Indicted a Boodler.
PEORIA, 111., Oct. 26.— The grand
jury this afternoon returned an in
dictment against Simon Schafer, of
Chicago, representative in the last
legislature, for offering to receive a
bribe. He introduced a bill to pro-
hibit feeding of slop to cattle, and
visited Peoria several times while
the measure was pending. There is
evidence that he tried to get money
from Peoria distillers to kill the
bill. The grand jury has been in
vestigating legislative boodling. but
this is the only case in which cvi-
dence was sufficient for an indict
ment.
— ■— .
SleepYvnlkln**- Brother the Culprit.
Sleep-n-nlkinj-. Brother the Culprit,
ELKHART. Ind., Oct. 26— Miss
Ella Miller, a prominent young lady
of this city, awoke this morning to
find that during her sleep her hair
had been severed from her heal and
was lying on the floor at the bedside.
Her grown brother, who is a sleep
walker, is supposed to have cut off
the hair during one of his somnam
bulistic spells. -rYyly
