The San Francisco call. [volume], September 08, 1897, Page 6, Image 6

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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6
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 1897
* ■
JOHN D. SPRECKELS, Proprietor.
Address All Communications to W. S. LEAKE, Manager.
PUBLICATION OFFICE 710 Murket street, San Francisco
Telephone Mala ISO*'.
EDITORIAL ROOMS 517 Clay street
Telephone Main 1874.
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL (DAILY AND SUNDAY) is served by
carriers in this city and surrounding lowns for 15 cents a week.
By mail jftl" per year; per month 05 cents.
THE WEEKLY CALL. One year, by mail, $1.50
OAKLAND OFFICE 908 Broadway
NEW YORK OFFICE Rooms 31 and 32, 34 Park Row.
BRANCH OFFICES— Montgomery street, corner Clay; open until
9:30 o'clock. 339 Hayes street; open until 9:30 o'clock. 615
Larkin street; op.n until 9:30 o'clock. SW. corner Sixteenth and
Mission streets; open until 9 o'clock. 2518 Mission street; open
until 9 o'clock. 1243 Mission street; open until 9 o'clock. 1505
Polk street; open until 9:30 o'clock. NW. corner Twenty-second
and Kentucky streets; open till 9 o'clock.
NATIVE SONS AT SANTA ROSA.
THE principal scene of the celebration of Admission day
this year by the Native Sons will be at Santa Rosa, and it
is assured the attendance will be large and the ceremony
brilliant. No place in the State is better fitted for a festival of
any kind than Santa Rosa, and the Native Sons have now had
_u_&cie*-t experience in the arrangement and conduct of affairs
of this sort to know how to produce the beat results on all
occasions.
lt is gratifying that as the years pass the celebration of this
holiday becomes more and more notable and impressive. Sev
eral of our public festivals have so far lost their significance for
the people that they cither are not observed at all, or are kept
in ways quite different from what was intended.
The celebration of the birthday of Washington has become
baldly more than an occasion for the parade ot a few companies
of the National Guard with one or more clubs that make a
specialty of patriotic observances, while even Decoration day
in many parts of the country is rapidly becoming a day of
sports and recreation rather than of solemn memories of the
heroic dead, to whose valor and patriotism we owe the pres
ervation of the Union.
There is no danger of any lapse or change in the celebration
of Admission day. The order of the Native Sons will see to it
that the day is always well and worthily commemorated. With
the passage of years the order advances in strength, numbers
and influence, and, therefore, however the population of the
State increases, the Native Sons will be always able to exert
sufficient force todirect popular attention to tbis ceremony and
to fashion the celebration of it in ways which will express its
true meaning and intent.
it is altogether fitting that the day should be celebrated
with more than ordinary pomp and circumstance. The admis
sion of California to the Union was an event of great importance
not only to America but to the world at large. The Pacific
Ocean seems destined to be the .cane of the greatest rivalries,
combats and successes of the nations in the future. The pos
session by the United States of a commanding position upon its
shores has already brought us face to face with vast problems
and these will augment with the future.
It is therefore no small event in human history that the
Native Sons will celebrate amid the flowers and groves of Santa
Kosa. The theme may well excite the patriotism and inspire
the eloquence of tbe orator of the day. while the beauty of the
scene and the hospitality of the hosts may well incline bim to
turn away from speculations of the future and find amid the
conditions of the present sufficient cause for patriotic rejoicings
and celebrations by those to whom California is a heritage by
right of birth. '
Staid old Connecticut now has a band of thieves whose chief
is a girl, beautiful of course. We have learned to expect this
sort of thing from New Mexico, but Connecticut ought to know
better. .The yarn might be accepted, however, savo for the
beauty of the girl. The world, ever ready to welcome freaks, is
really anxious to get sight of some female thief who is devoid
of "pearly teeth." has no "flashing eyes," and instead of a
"wealth of tresses" is provided with an ornery-looking wisp the
color of straw. She would not. only get a short sentence, but
thereafter museums would pay her so much that she would
have no temptation to steal.
Europe appears to have designs on a flourishing Oregon in
dustry, and to carry out her purpose is buying up Western
broncos for Continental armies. The animal had no kick com-
Ine on his treatment by the Webfooters; but he'll never quit
kicking now that be is forced to support butchers of another
type and to suffer the stings of the despot's lash.
Tbe province of Ontario is excited over the discovery of a
mine which yields gold in "chunks as large as kernels of
wheat." The furor in Ontario is excusable; but Californians
have ceased to marvel at native nuggets under the size of
mature pumpkins.
Yellow Jack in New Orleans is terrible; but there is hope
for the Louisiana metropolis so long as it isn't yellow twins.
A WILD GOOSE CHASE.
THE advocates of the scheme for purchasing a large tract
of land in the Mission, ostensibly lor the purpose of
establishing a zoological garden, have entered upon a
wild goose chase in more ways than one. To find support for
their project of increasing the burden of taxation upon the
people they have to go beyond the limit of reason for argu
ments and beyond the limit of the City and the list of tax
payers for champions. Tbey are hunting the country over for
persons wbo will give even a seeming approval to their scheme,
and are finding them few and far between.
Titß Call bas published an extensive series of interviews
with a large number of well-known taxpayers, many of whom
are residents of the Mission, and all residents of the City, com
mending its course in opposing the project. To counteract
as far as possible the effect ot these interviews, the evening
papers that stand in with the scheme have undertaken to get
up a series of interviews themselves. They have succeeded in
finding quite a number of pen ons who give a seeming approval
to the plan, and of these they have made as much as they can,
but what they have made is much less than what they claim.
Tnere are in fact very few taxpayers of San Francisco, even
among the residents of the Mi ision district, who desire to have
another park in the City at the cost which its establishment
would entail. Those who favor the plan have not given it full
consideration, or else have some private interest which they
believe would be subserved by it.
The people generally desire further improvements in Golden
Gate Park, so that spacious plea tire ground can be completed,
and above all they desire thorough work upon the streets and
sewers to put an end to those evils which now constituts a dis
grace to the municipality. These things will cost large sums of ,
money, and until they have been carried out aud paid for the
taxpayers will not be willing to enter upon any costly projects
of a purely ornamental nature.
Azcarraga's threats against tbe United States on behalf of
Spain may not be intended as a joke, and in the absence of this
explanation are hard to account for. A country that can't sub
due the Philippine Islands and Is helpless before the defiance of
little Cuba should at least cultivate the virtue of modesty.
Old World scientists who have found that medicinal virtue
is inherent in lizards and toads are hundreds of years behind
the times. Any Chinatown apothecary could have told them
the same thing years ago. '■_'?■
It is said that little is stolon in the Klondike, and this tri
umph of principle has been extensively lauded. As the few
who do steal, however, are banced for it, possibly principle is
receiving too much credit.
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8,. 1897.
A FLAW IN THE REFORM.
A CORRESPONDENT defends the civil service entire,
and specifically in the respect wherein we recently pointed
out its flaw.
Passing by what Is said of the case we used as an illustra
tion, in which we went no further than the trial record, we in
sist that in the non-excepted classes occur places of trust, of
financial responsibility, and that the accounting officer is left by
law powerless to protect himself against the malfeasance of
subordinates who are furnished to him by automatic operation.
The fact that he may choose between three persons at the head
of a class is not a relief, and in no way removes from him the
risk of complete responsibility for a subordinate, who, as our
correspondent clearly proves, is not responsible to him.
One point is entirely lost sight of, that the law fixes the
qualifications required of th. appointee taken from the three
who head the list. The giving of a bond or security in any
form is not among those qualifications. It is not there, for
a reason which occurs at once to any one familiar with legal
construction, because it would enable the selecting officer to
nullify the operation of the entire law by fixing a qualification
unattainable to the selected appointee. It is true that bonds
are exacted, as our correspondent says, but the judicial deci
sions are uniformly against their enforcement, because their
exaction is not authorized by law. When the security is given
by a surety company its cost is the reduction by its amount of
the salary of the selected appointee, and the surety in that
form would, we have no doubt, be voided by the courts if the
question were presented to them.
In such a situation of legal doubt, of risk to every account,
ing officer, of irresponsibility to him of his civil service subor
dinates, it seems clear that the proper course is for Congress
to perfect the law by providing a security running to the Gov
ernment direct This will prevent the nullification of the law
which might result by letting the security run to the selecting
officer with power to fix its amount beyond the reach of the
selected employe, and it will also put the entire service in its
proper relation of direct responsibility to the Government.
Without this, we repeat, accounting officers assume a risk
too great for a prudent man to carry. The system under
which they are bonded at all is open to high criticism. The
President appointsand the Senate confirms these officers, acting
for the whole people. This being done the whole people im
mediately rise above any further responsibility and a few
bondsmen are asked to stand between the whole people and
I any loss which may result.
The statute of limitations does not run against a Federal
bond. The proper auditors of the treasury may dose an offi
cer's accounts at the end of his term and pass a receipt in full,
but that does not discharge the bond. Years aft *r some error
may be discovered and suit may lie against the bondsmen, who
plead in vain the final settlement and receipt. Now, when to
this ironclad situation is added the bonded officer's responsibil
ity for his irresponsible civil service subordinates an intolerable
condition arises.
Again we advise the defenders of the civil service system
to avert consequences serious to that reform by assenting in
time to an amendment justified by reason and experience, lest
the increasing necessity cause sweeping inroads upon the whole
body of the civil service law.
Tbe melancholy gentleman who flooded his Interior with
ink, thinking to wash himself out of this world of woe, is stil
here. However futile the method he chose his use of the ink
was more to be commended than the habit of employing it to
write a long letter for the harrying of survivors, as others of a
pessimistic turn of mind have often done just before going per
manently hence.
There is reason to regret that Sophia Parounoff should have
been sentenced to Siberia just as the world had grown weary of
the saffron twin's yowls from Cirnerosis, a rare but incurable mall
ady of the infantile intelligence. The predicament of Miss
Parounoff will tend to aggravate a disease that bad reached a
stage of comparative quiet and aroused a hope that coma was
about to ensue.
When a man known locally as "King of Sunko-steerers" is
released from jail on his own recognizance people begin to
realize thai a recognizance is a valuable thing to keep on band,
and wonder what is the difference between it and a pull.
THE FORECLOSURE SCHEME
SENATOR MORGAN'S presence in San Francisco has given
our people another opportunity to declare their opposition
to any form of compounding the debts of the Central and
the Union Pacific companies, and the manner in which the
Senator was received amply demonstrates that the opposition
bas lost none of its iorca or fervor with the passage of time.
The spirit animating the audience which gathered to hear
the Senator on Monday evening was not the outcome of curios-
ity to see a distinguished man, nor even of a desire to show at
tention to an eminent and honored guest. It was a spirit of
California patriotism. The audience met to hear and applaud
the statesman who stands among the foremost in opposition to
the schemes of the railway monopoly that threaten to harass
our industries and prevent our prosperity even more in the fu
ture than in the past.
Senator Morgan made no attempt at an extended argument
on the Pacific roads' debts. It was not necessary that he should
do so, for our people are familiar with the issue, and have long
ago made np their minds concerning it. His speech was nota
ble by reason of the simple and piain terms in which he stated
the salient points of the contest. Keep in mind, be said, the
fact that the roads were built at public expense for the purpose
of establishing rapid and safe communication between the
East and California. They were paid tor by taxes upon the
people. The railroad com panic-! have defaulted in their obliga-
tions, and are now seeking to induce the Government to com
promise with them on terms which. the Senator estimates
would entail a loss to the people of upward of $50,000,000.
The rights of the people and the interests of the Govern
ment in the roads have been seriously compromised by the
action of President Cleveland in making what Senator Morgan
points out was virtually a private contract with a New York
syndicate by which on the debt of the Union Pacific alone the
Government will lose 000,000.
So bad is the complication the Senator declared he would
feel as if he were holding a post-mortem examination on the
railroad interests of the State ii it were not for his confidence
that the voice of the people properly expressed will induce
President McKinley to undo the wrong that Cleveland com
mitted. It is to that end, therefore, we must direct our en
ergies.
California has in the past protested many times against
schemes designed to perpetuate the domination of the railroad
monopoly. On the whole these protests have not been ineffect
ual. Refunding schemes bave been defeated as often as they have
been brought forward in Congress. It now remains to be seen
whether we can defeat the new scheme, which is even worse
than refunding. McKinley has rid the country of many forms
of Cleveiandism, and it is with hope as well as with justice that
we can urge him to put an end also to this scheme concocted
by Cleveland for the spoliation of California in the interests of
a New York syndicate.
When a militia warrior souses his cantain with the contents
of a soup plate it may well be said that the institutions of the
land are tottering. The affair took place at Modesto. The cap
tain's uniform, it may te assumed, was marred, discipline
received a facer, and the soup was absolutely wasted, the last
being perhaps the most melancholy phase of the somber episode.
Vigilantes at Skaguay seem desirous of having 'crooks im
pressed with tbe truth that a man who by a confidence game
wins all the money in sight and gets his neck stretched is not
much ahead on the deal.
Between the yellow fever that has broken out at the South
and the gold fever raging along far northern trails there seems
to be little choice.
PERSONAL.
Judge D. R. Prince of Fresno is at the Grand.
11. H. Scovel of Los Angeles is at the Baldwin.
E. L. Rehm, a merchant of Sonoma, is at the
Lick. , . .
T. P. Black, a merchant of San Jose, is at the
Grand.
Dr. S. S. Bogle of Monterey Is registered at
the Lick. , "*
Phil Hirschfeld, a merchant of Los Angeles,
is at the Lick.
A. C. Rosendale, a merchant of Pacific Grove,
Is at the Grand. *
State Senator D. A. Oatrom of Yuba County
is at the Grand.
Alexander Besack of St. Petersburg, Russia,
is at the Palace.
Judge H. T. Lamey of Denver arrived at the
Palace yesterday.
Dr. A. M. Gardner of the Napa Insane Asy
lum is at the Lick.
A. Manassee, a tanner of Napa, is a late ar
rival at the Grand.
Lieutenant William Braunenreiter, U. S. N.,
is at the Occidental.
Stale Senator William Johnston of Court
land is at the Grand.
J. F. Denendorf, a real estate dealer of San
Jose, is at the Grand. *, » '
C. J. Parker, a real-estate dealer of San Jose,
is a guest at the Grand.
11. R. McNob'.e, an attorney of Stockton, is
registered at the Grand.
Dr. Franklin J. Tower of Milwaukee, Wis., is
a guest at the Occidental.
Etnmett Riggins, a contractor of Fresno, is a
guest at the Cosmopolitan.
A. Krauss of Bristol, Eng., here on a visit to
friends, is a guest at the PalaCe.
G3orge A. Parker, a large land-owner of
Visalia, is registered at the Russ.
M. B. Harriman, owner of the Bonanza
mine of Sonoma, is a guest at the Lick.
Among tho recent arrivals at the Occidental
is Mayor C. 11. Hubbard of Sacramento.
A. Kohn, a merchant 'of Portland, Or., is
among the recent arrivals at the Grand.
W. E. Luman of Butte City is spending a few
days at the Grand accompanied by his wife.
Brad Bamar, a mining operator trom Lon
don, England, arrived yesterday at the Grand.
Ju'.ius Paul Smith, proprietor of the OHvena
vineyard of Livermore, is a guest at the Occi
dental. \_S53R_
W. Stoddard of Merced, accompanied by his
wife and daughter, is staying at the Cosmo
politan.
A. W. Simpson, a lumber merchant of Stock
ton, is at the Occidental, accompanied by Mrs.
Simpson.
M. Butler, who is identified with the dairy
interests of Point Reyes, is registered at the
Cosmopolitan.
George Johnston, a large land-owner of
Pleasauton is at the Occidental accompanied
by his wife and family.
J. R. Garrett oi Marysville, one of the oldest
merchants of Yuba County, is at the Lick, ac
companied by his wife.
Colonel James A. Hardin of Santa Rosa ar
rived at the Russ yesterday. He owns cattle
in the three coast States.
A. H. Jeffs, the Varsity baseball captain of
Stanford University and a member of the loot
ball team, is at the Grand.
J. W. Parsons, the champion cyclist of Aus
tralia, will leave here on the lKth for Australia
in the steamship Mariposa*
John C. Lynch, Collecior of Internal Rev
enue as successor to Weiburn, is at the Bald
win, registered from Cucamonga.
Colonel A. W. Barrett, adjutant-general of
the California National Guam, is at the Cali
fornia registered from Sacramento.
W. Stairley, Collector of Internal Revenue
for the First District of California, is at the
Grand, registered from Sacramento.
Colonel L. S. Morris of the United States
army arrived at the Occidental last night
from the East, accompanied by bis family.
11. W. Pation, a former editor of Los Angeles,
W. 8. Creighton, a Los Angeles journalist, and
Thomas L. Beaity, also of the City of Angels,
ere guests at the Palace. :.
B. C. Walker, United States Immigration
Agent at Tacoma and Seattle and an old resi
dent of Wen Virginia, is in town, having come
down to renew, his friendship with' several
of tne Wheeling gunboat party. He is at the
Baldwin.
O. E. Maxwell of F.rnandino, Fla., general
manager of the F.orida Central and Peninsula
system of railroads, and Walter G. Coleman ol
Jacksonville, Fla., general traveling agent of
the same line, both accompanied by 'heir
families on a tour of California in a private
car, left here last nigat for Portland, Or.
Among the arrivals at the California yester
day were two young Parisians now on their
way home after having spent two months and
a half in this country, principally In the min
ing districts. One is Le Bret of the Paris
National Scnool of Mines, to which the French
Government admits only thirty-three students
each year, and the other is T. Join-Lambert, a
university student.
CALIFORNIANS IN NEW YORK.
NEW YORK, N. V., Sept. 7.— At the Grand
Union— E. Hutchinson, J.W. Bpdefeld; Grand—
G. yon Gerichten; Imperial— W. 8. Miller, E. E.
Wolfe, M. Willard, A. W. St. Pear, M. Gardner,
Westminister— -0. L. Griffiths; Metropolitan—
L. Kiehl; Sturtevant— J. Lightner; Amstcr
dsm-F. L. H. Noble; St. Cloud— J. W. Murray,
I*. S. Dolan, F. W. Olcott.
BOOM!
Wheat is lumping.
Fairly humping. _•*. '.*"',--;'
Wi h an upwaid pace Is pumping.
Aud the farmer wears a smile ne'er Been before.
Gold Is pouring.
Miners boring.
Unknown Arctic fields exploring
For the mil. tons which the earth haa held In store.
Silver's dropping,
Theories popping.
While the Pops their ere* are mopping,
As the mortgageors are raying oft their debts.
All is hust'e,
All la bustle,
Work for brain and work for muscle, -
The <'alhn_it> ho* are paying u»* tuelr beta
* New York Sun.
WITH YOUR COFFEE.
Member of Congress— l want to get that
speech copyrighted which I delivered in the
House just before the cose of the session.
Copyright Clerk— All right, sir. Who's the
author?— New York Sun.
"We have some kind of. calamity shriekers
with us all the time," sighed Uncle Alien
Sparks. "Just as soon as the wall about hard
times begins to stop and things look a little
cheerful here comes the katydid predicting an
early frost."— Chicago Tribune.
He— When I first met my wife I thought she
was one of the most economical women in the
matter of clothes I had ever known.
She— You met her at: the seashore, didn't
you?— Petit Journal Pour Rire.
"Why do you say we are perfectly safe if we
elope on a railroad traiii'"?*
"Because papa won't pursue until he can get
a pass."— Chicago Record.
There are men on the way to Klondyke who
have never felt themselves equal to the task of
shoveling snow off ten square feet of sidewalk.
— Kosbury Gaz.tte.
HIS CIRCUS DAYS GONE BY.
Nebraska state journal.
A Lincoln attorney who is a church member
was figuring on talcing his son to the circus to
see the animals this year, as has been his cus
tom in the past ever since the youngster has
been large enough to appreciate the menag
erie attractions. The son is 15 years old, and
ho recently announced to his father that he
was big enou.n to go alone. The father was
taken considerably aback, for he had not
counted ou being deprived of the excuse for
going this year that he had always used
beiore.
"Why do you want to go alone?" the father
asked.
"I don't know," replied tho boy in a reluc
tant manner. * .
: "Yes, you do," said his father. "You would
not tell me that you want to go alone without
a reason." '?s»y*\msta>LjtaAa^
"Well. j»apa," he said, "I want to stay out in
the animal lent longer than you do,"
The man's wife was in earshot, and be has
not yet heard the last of the incident. '■■-
ORIGIN OF "CRAPS'""^ *"
If there is one game to which the Savannah
negro is devoted above all others iris, craps.
City or country, it is all alike. On Sunday the
country negroes gather in little groups in the
•hade of the trees, out of sight of the "big
house," and play all day Ion?, or until the
wages which they received on Saturday night
are gone. In the cities they gather on the
wharves, in the corners of warehouses, or any
favorable spot out of sight of the "cop," and
play for any amount they may possess, from
coppers to dollars.
The Savannah bootblacks and newsboys, like
those of any other city, gamble away their
earnings, and many a gams is carried on in
the lanes, the players often becoming so in
terested that they lose all thoaght of the po
liceman until that worthy appears in their
midst and nabs a couple of the players. White
boys play the game, too, but negroes of all
ages and sizes "shoot" craps. There is only
one other game which equals craps in fascina-
THE SEDUCTIVE GAME OF CRAPS.
tion for them, and that is policy, and, as
policy Is more liable to be Interfered with by
the police, craps has all tbe advantage.
There are fascinations about the game pe
culiarly African. It is not without its in
tricacies; the ordinary "come seven, come
eleven" plan of the game Is simple enough,
but there Is a crowd around the players, ana
there may be half a dozen interested in the
game ana a dozen side bets. How they man
age to keep the run of the game is a mystery
tothe ordinary observer, but they do so with
unerring accuracy. Fights over crap games
are rare.
The expressions common to the game are
amusing. "New dress for de baby." exclaims
one. "See my gal Sunday night," exclaims
another. ' 'De little number two," says one as
that unlucky number shows up. "I eight
you." says another, meaning 'hat he bets that
number will not turn up before the "lucky
seven." And so it goes.
The City Council of New Orleans has just
passed a law making me game of craps il
legal. It does not matter where it is played,
.whether in the streets, in the club, or al
home, craps is specially singled out as the
most depraved of gambling games, not to be
tolerated anwbere. The game, acoordlng to a
writer in Harper's, is of New Orleans origin
and over 100 years oid. Bernard de Marigny,
who entertained Louis Philippe when he came
to Louisiana, and who stood seventy years ago
at the head of the Creole colony of the State as
its wealthiest and most prominent citizen— he
was entitled to call himself Marquis in
French— was the inventor or lather of "craps,"
and brought it in high favor as the fashion
able gambling of the day.
. When he laid off his plantation, just below
the then city of New Orleans— it is now the
Third District, but was then the Faubourg
Marigny— and divided it up into lots, he
named one of the principal streets "Crans,"
and explained that he did so because he had
lost the money he received from the lots on
that street in this favorite game of his. It re
mained Craps street until a few years ago,
when a protest was raised against such a dis
reputable name for a very quiet and respecta
ble street, especially given to churches. After
Bernard Mnrtgny's death craps as a gambling
game descended in the social scale, and was
finally monopolized mainly by negroes ftnd
street gamins. —Savannah (Ga.) News,
LAFAYETTE ON NAPOLEON.
New .York Commercial Advertiser.
There has recently come to light a hitherto
unpublished letter of Lafayette, written in
1827 to M. Comte, a political reformer, who
bad, in a violent article, denounced the abuse
of decorations which then existed, at the
same time incidentally attacking Napoleon to
the extent ot denying that he possessed any
courage. Lafayette's letter was written with
the intention of bringing back the reformer to
a less biased view of thing--.
"I do not blame, as you well must know,"
he writes, "your just indignation and your
harsh expressions concerning tho gteatest and
vilest of crimes, that of making use, to the
prejudice of the rights end liberty of a nation,
of tne powers accorded by truthfulness and to
attain by the worst means the worst ends.
"Nevertheless, although I admit that in cer
tain political emergencies, notably that of the
eighteenth Brumaire, Bonaparte did not show
presence of mind, it seems to me that the
word 'fear', cannot be allied with the name of
one Of the greatest leaders of history, that is
to say, of the man who. amid the material and
moral perils ot the most terrible battles, best
retains the faculty of Judging* the enemy's ,
tactics, of directing his own and ol seizing the
favoraolecrisls. But this, I confess, does not
prevent the fact that, in | some circumstances,
be may have felt an agitation out of keeping
with the rest of his Hie
"I do not like any better than yoa do tne
substitution of ribbons, cordons and medals
for tbe fine institution 01 the Order of Honor;
but, perhaps lt is not inexact to add, while
saying that men of talent have been known
to accept the little red ribbon, that perhaps
some of them donned, it when it was thrust
not only at great generals, but also at illus
trious men of every description; and never,
without a doubt, has any association, even
thatof the institute, had among its members
more talent than the possessors ot the first
medals of honor. You would not make use
of your customary sagacity were you to think
that my criticisms are in the interests of those
whom you attack. * ••**. Emtlie snares my
gratefulness for your kind care of my two
children, Oscar and Frederic. ■ All my family
joins with me to send* you, as well as Mme.
Comtc, a thousand affectionate messages. . We
should be so glad .to see yon both at La
Grange. Speak 01 us to M. Say and to all his
family. * * * Good-by aud much love,
"Lafayette."
"La Grange, July 29, 1827."
TAKING CARE OF ITSELF.
Globe- Democrat.
Nobody is paying the slightest attention to
the treasury gold reserve these days, because
everybody knows it can take care of itself. It
Is, indeed,' doing just this. The withdrawals
of gold for export- tion ran the gold, reserve
down to $140,000,000, but since the exporta
tion stopped; in*- mod 1. increasing, auu now
it is about 44,000,000. When the gold im
portation sets in a lew weeks hence the re
serve is i likely to go up to the highest figures
touched since resumption began.
A FOPOCRATIC IDEA.
New York Mall and Kxpress.
One plank in the , platform of the lowa
Populists demands "a sufficient '.. amount '"• ot
sound and flexible circulating medium when
ever and wherever needed." * Doubtless this
means that when a man runs out of money lie
should be able to sten Tight into the United
States treasury and stuff his pockets. •
DEFENDS THE LAW.
D. J. O' Leary Cannot Discern the Flaw
in the -ivil Service Hegulations.
To the Editor of the San Francisco Call—
Sir: In the issue of your pap^r under date of
August 29 is presented an editorial titled "A
Flaw in the Reform," which deals with the
matter of a fiducial employe of the postoflice,
who having become a defaulter, suit was in
stituted on the bond of the ex-Postmaster to
reimburse the Government to the extent of
the los?. The demurrer of the Government to
the answer of the ex-Postmaster was sus
tained, which in effect holds the Postmaster
responsible for the defalcations of his subor
ordinate.
As the title of the editorial indicates, the
occasion and circumstance is taken advantage
of to presume there is a flaw ill the civil ser
vice rules and laws to an extent that allows of
an accounting officer being forced on an ap
' pointing officer and such appointing officer
held responsible for the acts of one whom be
had no voice or part in appointing, such is
not the case, and inasmuch as your article iii
viies an expression oj opinion, as a civil ser
vice advocate I submit tho following:
I glean from investigation that the Indi
vidual defaulting in the case at hand was not
a civil service appointee. He was the per
sonal appointee of ex-Postmaster Backus, held
by ex-Postmaster Bryan on his own j-ersonal
responsibility, and therefore tbe civil service
laws had not, in the slightest measure, any
thing to do with his appointment or reten
tion . - ~
An inquiry and Investigation will demon
strate that the cla.siikd civil service does not
include those positions of a strictly account
ing and financial nature, and that In those
cases of a q-unsi-flnancial character included
In such class. flea lion there, Is nothing to pre
vent, and, in fact, bonds are insisted upon.
The truth of the first recital Is evidenced by
the position of cashier of the Custom-house,
and the recital as to bonds is borne out by
the occupants of the money -order and stamp
departments of the postoflice, in which de
partments bonds are exacted running in favor
of the postmaster.
The intimation that an academic test is not
proof of character may be admitted, but it
must also be stated that uo application for an
examination can hi made, miles*, the names
of several ciuz.ns are appended, guarantee
ing and vouching as to the character aud in
tegrity of the app leant.
Furthermore, tne statement that an an point
ing officer is deprived of the liberty of appoint
ment is true only in a small degree. The
civil service law provides that the names of
the three highest eligibles shall be certified to
the appointing officer, and from such certifi
cation he shall make his appointment. This
allows of bis making his own selection.
The hiMory of the conduct and faithful
ness of officials so selected will bear more than
a favorable comparison with appointments
made, it can be said, of men entirely unsown
to an appointing efficer, but suggested and in
many Instances dictated from political
sources.
There has never existed on the part of civil
service advocates a desire to in any manner
set a premium on dishonesty, but on the con
trary they have always been guided by a de
sire to in every po -sible manner surround the
selection of officials with care, and having
once been selected, protected in. their tenures,
lf they be honest and faithful, regardless of
their political affiliations or religious beliaf.
The official so protected necessarily is inde
pendent the exercise of the right of suf
frage, for it matters not to him which politi
cal party is successful, he has voted on the
questions and policy of his country as hia own
resources and Judgment have dictated.
The institution of civil service laws and
rules in the United State**.' considering the
great number of those it affects, cannot by the
most optimistic be presumed to be perfect ln
all its details, but its practical application
will demonstrate what amendments or
changes are necessary to perfect it.
The proof of the capaciiy and faithfulness of
civil service office-holders is a part of the
record of all the departments of the Govern
ment, and it will continue to reflect credit on
lis originator and those wno espouse it as
long as those clothed with authority to en
force us provisions do so sincerely and faith
fully. Respectfully submitted,
September 4, 1807. D, J. O'Leaby.
KANSAS CORN CROP.
Topeka Capital.
Speculators have quit talking of dollar wheat
and are now predicting 50-cent corn. * ■ If their
expectations are realized it will do more for
Kansas than the lmmeuse rise in wheat. Corn
last year was slow sale at 15 cents in Eastern
Kansas, from which point it has advanced
nearly 100 per cent, and is still going up. It
is probable that the farmers of tnls State will
have more corn on hand alter harvest this
season than in any year in the history of the
State, witn the exception of 1889, when the
crop sold at from 12 to 13 cents.' " ■'
MEN AND WOMEN.
T Emperor Francis Joseph, who is 67 years old
this month, will celebrate next year the fif
tieth anniversary of his ascent to the throne.
- Mrs. Mary Raulett is an American lady, and
moreover a wholesale dealer and contractor
in sailors. She has built up an extensive busi
ness, and irom her offices she will supply
qualified men for any branch of the service
at a moment's notice and at moderate prices.
The Archduchess Elizabeth of Austria Is
certainly among the most interesting girl roy
alties of Europe, for a great many Austrians
freely assert that she may some day be Em
press-Queen in her own right. The orphan
Archduchess strongly resembles her unfortu
nate father, the late Crown Prince of Austria'
whose painful; suicide attracted so much at
tention some years ago.
King Oscar 11. of Sweden and Norway is to
be made a "doctor quadruplex" of the Uni
versity of | Vienna on September 18, the
twenty-fifth anniversary of i his accession to
the throne-receiving tho honory degree of
doctor from each of the four faculties of the
university, theology, law, medicine and phi
losophy. It will be the first time that Vienna
has gran ted the four degrees at once to the
same person, and special permission had to be
obtained from Emperor Francis Joseph. It la
asserted that the only other occasion on
which a university has I granted its four de
grees at °"» »**•***•» Jena honored Gcethe,
in 1826, at the celebration , of the fiftieth an
niversary of bis arrival in Weimar
ANOTHER BOULEVARD.
Supervisors .Addressed by the
State Highway Com
missioners.
A Proposed Boad From San Mateo
County to the Famous Balboa
Highway.
Following out its Dolicy of trying to con
nect the county seals of this Siate by
roads that will permit of easy travel, tba
State Department of Highways has ad
dressed tbe following communication to
the Board of Supervisors:
Department of Highways, "
Sacramento, cal., August 31, 15."7. '
Gent'cvtt a • We desire to call ibe attention
of your honorable board to the importance ot
opening a public highway or road from the
county line of San Mateo County, at a point
500 feet west of iho right of way of the Soutn
ern Pacific Railroad Company, thence north
to a point on Ocean avenue near the Inglesid-
Road House, and connecting with Balboa ave
nue to Golden Gate Park. The SuDervisora of
S-tn Mateo County have a proposed road 18
view to connect with this road at the county
line, and are awaiting the action of your
board before incurring any expense. We un
derstand that all the property in the City and
County of San Francisco that thi-% road will
traverse belongs to the Spring Valley Water
Company and that they are ready aud willing
to give the right of way providing the City
will build the road without any expense to
them. _ ,
We would call your attention to an act of
the Legislature, statutes of 1897, page 301,
chapter CCXLVIII, sections 1 and 2, and sug
gest that ihe City acquire said road under
this act. We desire also to call your attention
to the fact that this road if constructed will
form a part of the system of public highways
that this department is seeking to have estab
lished, connecting the principal centers of
population and county seats of the State, and
which are to be la d out on lines that will -est
serve the inierests of the traveling public.
Awaiting your reply we are, your** very re
spectfully, " Department or Highways.
By A. L. HENRY, Secretary.
_ mmm
THE QUEEN ON HER WAY HERE.
Hawaii's *x - Kuler Left Washington
Monday and Will """« Here Saturday.
Ex-Queen Liliuokalanl of Hawaii will
be here next Saturday.
Sbe has engaged apartments at the Cali
fornia Hotel, and In all probability will
remain in this City until the arrival hero
from England next month of her niece,
Princess Kaiulani, whose proposed visit to
Hawaii after an absence of ten years was
first announced a fortnight since in The
Call. " ._.
LiiiuoKalani left Washington last Mon
day; she passed through Chicago yester
day. She is traveling privately, accom
panied by only two personal native Ha
waiian attendants, who were formerly her
retainers. | Tney are, man and wife. The
man attends to the ex-Queen's minor
money affairs and bis wile acts as Lilluo
kalani's companion.
Entries of Driving Races.
Following is a list of the entries for the races
to be given under the auspices of the Golden
Gate Park Driving Association of San Fran
cisco to-morrow at Oakland Racetrack :
First race, 2:50 class — F. Gormen's Mamie
Willies. F. 1-cGraw'e Ruby Wilkes, J. C.
OhlitDdt'a Klondike, >'. Johnson's Annie G, A.
eehwait-'s Kittie. i
Second race, 2:28 class— E. Stewart's Dion, J. G.
Iheslev's Pescal, L. P.icbardson's M-tlle B, K.
Aig-.tinge-". Our Joe, J. C. Ohlandi'a Haviland,
W. liber's Kate Brady.
' Third race, free for all— Cuslck's Vidette, K.
t'erciat's Fred Wilkes, J. U. -healey'. Lady
ThornbllL
Fourth race, 2:30 class— L. Richardson's -laud
Newman, O. W. 1 eek's Deimas, F. Gormett's
Pardee, K. _". Gallagher's "-an Jose, M. Riordan'*
Kir Abbott, W. Thompson's Ivan, fi. i irclat's
Bishop Hero.
Fifth race, 2:40 clas'—A. Ecnwartz's Lee
Patches, J. Meaae's llaverly, E. Stewart's Lady
Van Na-s, P. CL O'Kane's Ll.tie. . -':*:.-. •*.
Stole a Horse and Buggy.
James Hopkins and Ed Bohen jumped into a
buggy at Golden Gate avenue and Taylor
street Monday afternoon about 2 o'clock and
drove off. The rig belonged to Keuuedy &
O'Keeie, grocers. Eddy and Pierce streets.
Late Monday night Bohen wrs arrested on
Eddy and Mason streets by Policemen Ring
and'McCottery with the rig in his possession.
He wa* booked for grand larceny, and a war
rant was issued yesterday for Hopkins' arrest.
Calii-oekia glace fruits. 50olb. Town_en3'i.**
Special information daily to manufacturers,
business houses and public men by the Presi
Clipping Bureau (Allen's), 510 Montgomery. *
THREE MORE CROPS 1 O RAISE.
Chicago In.er Ocean.
A Bryan organ pompously observes: "The
G. O. P. can't live four years on one wheat
crop." It won't try. Ii expects to raise three
more during the four years, and then one
every year for a score of years to come, and
pay for all in money worth 100 cent* on the
dollar. The Republican party is not out on
a wildcat picnic.
-"Mrs. "Wlnslow's Soothing Syrup"
Has been used over fifty years by millions of moth
ers for their children while Teething with perfect
success. It loothPs the child, softens the sum-?,al
lays Pain, cures Wind Colic, regulates the Bowels
and is the best remedy for Diarrhoeas, whether
arising from teething or other causes. For sale by
Druggists in every part of the world. Be suns and
ask lor Mrs.Winslow'B Soothing Syrup, '__cab_ui_
roROKADO.— Atmosphere is perfectly ; dry. soft
and mild, being entirely free from the mists coa»
tnon further north. Round- trip tickets, by steam
ship. Including fifteen days' board at the HOLel...
Coronado, $60; longer slay $2 60 per day. App:/
A New Montgomery street. San Francisco,
Luxtriaxt hair with Its youthful color assured
by using Parker's Hair Balsam.
Hi--*d_*rcor-."s. the best cure tor corns, 16 cts.
Huber's Orchestra has returned from Del
Monte. Oideis received at Sherman, Clay A l o.'s.
STRIKINGLY RATED.*
Mobile Register.
The evils of resort to mob law are most
strikingly illustrated in the recent case in
Louisiana yhere three Italians were lynched
for supposed complicity in a murder. We
read the evidence at hand at the time and
were convinced that it was hot strong enough
to convict the men. Now, the actual criminal
has been discovered, who admits his guilt.
This, however, will not bring the three vic
tims back to life. •
anew to-dat:
WHISKEY
pFlplj Years